Happy Monday, and welcome to another edition of The Monitor, WIRED's look at all that's happening in the world of pop culture. Hollywood is in a bit of a post-Oscars lull, but that doesn't mean all's quiet—hey, Steven Spielberg and Netflix have already gone a few rounds since last week. What else? Well, Edge of Tomorrow is getting a sequel, and Game of Thrones shot an epic battle for its final season. Get ready; winter is coming.
In a relatively plot-free new piece for Entertainment Weekly, the cast and creators of Game of Thrones discuss filming the show's final six episodes—including the (presumably) epic battle of Winterfell, which pits much of Westeros against the Night King. Amidst all the not-revealing reveals, though, is this bit from director David Nutter: "The fans will not be let down. There are a lot of firsts in these episodes. There's the funniest sequence I've ever shot on this show, the most emotional and compelling scene I've ever shot, and there's one scene where there's so many [major characters] together it feels like a superhero movie."
In case you haven't heard, a primer: Last week, news spread that legendary director Steven Spielberg is planning to propose a change in the rules of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that would stop films that debut on streaming services, or that have limited theatrical runs, from awards contention. Spielberg, who sits on the Academy's board of governors, thinks that movies on streaming services should qualify for Emmys, not Oscars. As the news spread, filmmakers like Ava DuVernay tweeted out support for Netflix's model. Then, late Sunday night, without mentioning Spielberg directly, Netflix released a statement: "We love cinema. Here are some things we also love: Access for people who can't always afford, or live in towns without, theaters; letting everyone, everywhere enjoy releases at the same time; giving filmmakers more ways to share art; these things are not mutually exclusive." Expect a few more rounds of this.
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A lot is happening with Jordan Peele's forthcoming Twilight Zone reboot. Not only are John Cho, Kumail Nanjiani, and The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun all slated to appear in the CBS All Access series, but now Seth Rogen is also apparently joining the lineup. No word on what Rogen will be doing, but it'll probably be trippy to watch if you're stoned.
Whoa, déjà vu! According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. is working on a sequel to Edge of Tomorrow. Director Doug Liman and stars Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt are expected to return for the film, if they like the script, which is being written by The Invention of Lying scribe Matthew Robinson.
Keith Flint, the energetic voice behind UK dance group The Prodigy, has died at the age of 49. Bandmate Liam Howlett said via the group's Instagram, "I can't believe I'm saying this but our brother Keith took his own life over the weekend." Police found the "Firestarter" singer at his home Monday morning in Essex, England.
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