Behind the Scenes with Ken Loach, Jason Momoa and Star Wars

Oct 23, 2019 | 6:03 AM

KEN LOACH SLAMS MARVEL: Ken Loach joins the growing list of Marvel decriers. After Martin Scorsese likened the Marvel Cinematic Universe to a “theme park,” Hollywood has been split, with Francis Ford Coppola in Scorsese’s camp and Marvel directors and actors like James Gunn and Natalie Portman defending it. The Palm d’Or winning Loach, who is 83, said: “They’re made as commodities like hamburgers, and it’s not about communicating, and it’s not about sharing our imagination. It’s about making a commodity which will make a profit for a big corporation – they’re a cynical exercise. They’re a market exercise, and it has nothing to do with the art of cinema. William Blake said, ‘When money is discussed, art is impossible.’” Loach’s latest, Sorry We Missed You, has been hailed by critics and takes swipes at the gig economy.

JASON MOMOA TEASES MUCH BIGGER AQUAMAN SEQUEL: Jason Momoa is as psyched for the Aquaman sequel as fans are. He told ET that the film would be “way bigger” than the original. “There’s a lot more in store on so many more levels,” Momoa said. “There’s going to be a lot. It’s way bigger!” Momoa added that he brought his own ideas to Warner Bros. and director James Wan, and says they took all of his suggestions on.

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER TRAILER DROPS: The new trailer for Stars Wars: The Rise of Skywalker marks the beginning of an end to an era. J.J. Abrams will direct the final and ninth film in the 40-plus-year saga that was launched by George Lucas in 1977 with Star Wars. The glimpse shows Rey (Daisy Ridley) is seen running through a jungle and preparing to fight Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) on any icy planet.

JOHN CLARKE DIES: John “Jack” Shelton Clarke has died at age 88. Clarke rose to fame as Mickey Horton on Days of Our Lives. He died from complications of pneumonia on October 16th. He also appeared on Gun Smoke; Have Gun Will Travel; The FBI; Sugarfoot; Death Valley Days; Twilight Zone and many others. In 2004, he received an Emmy for Lifetime Achievement.