'Star Wars Celebration Europe' Recap - Day 2

Image via comingsoon.net

Yesterday, fans got a chance to spend an hour with Mark Hamill, learn about Ahsoka's untold adventures with Dave Filoni, Ashley Eckstein and Pablo Hidalgo, take a journey through Star Wars visual history with Doug Chiang, John Knoll, and Kevin Jenkins, and capped off the day with the highly anticipated Rogue One panel and newly released behind-the-scenes reel. We also got a chance to see a clip from season 3 of Star Wars Rebels, which unfortunately shed no light on Ahsoka's fate. Today, we once again indulged ourselves with more news, clips and sneak peeks into future Star Wars projects from multiple platforms. So, lets get started!

Droids of The Force Awakens

Image via starwars.com

Image via starwars.com

To start the day off, David Collins held an hour long discussion with the builders of R2-D2 from The Force Awakens, Oliver Steeples and Lee Towersey, and Matt Denton and Josh Lee, the engineering team behind BB-8. It was a particularly fascinating panel, especially for those who are interested in how these droids are brought to life and how they work. We were able to see a couple of variations of BB-8 as well, including the one from the red carpet premieres. The engineering team behind BB-8 also cleared up a few things regarding BB-8 and what were practical movements and effects, but one of the more interesting details revolved around the lighter effect, or the "thumbs up." Denton and Lee told the audience that they were planning to do that gag, practically, for that scene, but they couldn't finish it in time, so that effect had to be inserted digitally. So, little pieces of information like that, sort of enhancing the knowledge of those who love the films and are interested in the behind-the-scenes aspect of the film, were throughout this whole panel.

The Creatures, Droids, and Aliens of The Force Awakens

Much like the Droids of The Force Awakens panel, the creative team sat with host Warwick Davis and discussed the process behind creating these characters and how they function. They also brought the heads of some of the alien creatures of the film, and they explained how they were able to incorporate facial expressions and certain aesthetic looks to the characters. One of the things they discussed, certainly stressed by J.J. Abrams, was making as much of the film using practical effects as possible. For example, the droid walking out of Maz's castle was entirely pr

Image via slashfilm.com

actical and had to be built around the performer who was standing on stilts. But, the highlight of the panel, was when they brought out a new character from the upcoming Rogue One film that was shown in the behind-the-scenes reel. We got our first live look at, who they call "Space Monkey," and that character has already become a favorite from that specific reel.

Anthony Daniels, Without Protocol

Beginning in hilarious fashion, Anthony Daniels spent an hour with fans, along with host Warwick Davis. Daniels explained why C-3PO has a red arm in the film, actually reading the comic book that explains that particular story. He also brought several fans on stage to participate in the Q&A, as well as reenacting a scene from A New Hope. It was a very fun and funny panel, learning about his role in the previous film, answering questions about wearing the suit, and playing C-3PO in general. He really showed his commitment to the fans and his love for the Star Wars universe.

Star Wars Rebels Season 3

Image via screenrant.com

This was the most anticipated panel of the day, and definitely the most memorable. On stage with host Warwick Davis was creator of Rebels, Dave Filoni, Darth Maul himself, Sam Witwer, and Sabine, Tiya Sircar. News had been circulating that Dave Filoni had a big announcement to share during that panel. So, we were able to see a couple of clips from the new season, showcasing Ezra and Sabine in action, as well as the Ghost crew being held captive by Darth Maul. We also saw that some of our characters have new looks, as well as having grown as characters. But, the highlight for those watching the live stream, was the new trailer for season 3 of Rebels. Dave Filoni had been teasing that a character from Legends would be returning to canon, and midway through the trailer, we got our answer as to who that would be. In season 3 of Star Wars Rebels, Grand Admiral Thrawn will make his return to the Star Wars universe. Filoni received a standing ovation from the
crowd for bringing this character back, made popular by Timothy Zahn in the Heir to the Empire novels. Speaking of Zahn, Filoni made another announcement. In April 2017, a new novel entitled "Thrawn," will be released and written by none other than legendary Star Wars author, Timothy Zahn. To end the panel, those that were present in the hall got to watch the first two episodes of the new season. By far, this panel stole the show, and quite possible the weekend thus far.

Meet ILMxLAB: The Future of Immersive Entertainment

ILM always has some of the more interesting panels during Celebration. This one in particular focused on the future of Immersive Entertainment, which will allow people to step inside the world of Star Wars and experience original stories. You will essentially be a part of these original narratives. Writer David Goyer (Batman Trilogy, Man of Steel), spoke about their current project with this new form of entertainment. Goyer mentioned that an original narrative is currently being developed for this medium, and that it will center around one of the most iconic villains of all time - Darth Vader. While describing how this form of entertainment works, Goyer said this, "You are the visitor in this story that is happening in and around you, and to a certain extent you might even have some effect on. You can pick up things, you can open things. You can push things, you can walk. You can touch characters." The film will also function in a "persistent" world, meaning that there is day and night, and it continues to do so after the story is complete for the first time. This was a very exciting announcement for fans and for entertainment as well.

The Minds Behind EA's Star Wars Games

With news of a new Star Wars game to be released in the next year, this panel was pretty exciting as we got to get some new details and footage of new content in the Star Wars gaming world. First, we learned that there will be new, downloadable content after the premiere of Rogue One that will include the planet Scarif, as well as make new Jyn Erso and Director Krennic playable characters in Star Wars: Battlefront. Granted, the game wasn't received overwhelmingly well, but additions like these definitely make the game more enjoyable. Also coming to Star Wars: Battlefront will be a new location - the Death Star. You will be able to do the trench run, as well as fight in that iconic aerial battle. The teaser for this add-on is absolutely incredible and showcased some unbelievable graphics. Aside from that, Amy Hennig of Visceral spoke briefly about their Star Wars game that is currently in development. Since the game is still in its early stages, there wasn't much to elaborate on, but she did say that this will be an original narrative, which is something that fans have been clamoring for. The image that was shown, taken from the E3 conference, makes it feel incredibly immersive.

There you have it! Day 2 is in the books, and it did not disappoint. Grand Admiral Thrawn was reintroduced, we got a new Rebels trailer and clips, a Thrawn novel, and some fantastic news regarding the video games and immersive entertainment from ILMxLAB. Let's see what Day 3 has in store for us!

May the Force be with you.

*Links to the respective panels will be posted if and when those videos become available.*

'Star Wars Celebration Europe' Recap - Day 1

Image via comingsoon.net

Today, Star Wars Celebration Europe finally began, thus kicking off Nerd Christmas. Granted, those of us on the east coast had to wake up before 6:00 am, and our less fortunate friends on the west coast had to drag themselves out of bed before 3:00 am, forcing themselves to stay awake (see what I did there?). Anyway, the atmosphere was absolutely electric. From the fans, to the hosts, to the actors, directors and Lucasfilm personnel, you could tell that this was the place to be. Now, what happened on the first day of this glorious weekend?

Q&A with Mark Hamill

Kicking off Celebration was none other than Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill. Hamill spent an hour answering questions from fans that covered a variety of topics, from Star Wars to his role as The Joker. There wasn't anything new, or particularly juicy, in terms of information about Episode VIII or certain Force Awakens rumors. However, one particular fan asked a question about Michael Arndt's script for The Force Awakens, which Hamill said he didn't get a chance to read, but he did talk about concept art that had Luke in scuba gear, accompanied by Rey. But, in this exchange, Hamill forgot the character's name and then was subsequently asked by the fan, "What's her last name?" Obviously, being the pro that he is at Star Wars secrecy, Hamill didn't budge. Also, Hamill did say, "I was looping Episode VIII  yesterday and there's dialogue in there - I thought, "Oh boy, I can already see this on a t-shirt. Seriously, Rian Johnson is so good. He'll make you forget all about "May the force be with you. He's come up with so many new catch phrases." So, it appears as though the script for Episode VIII is pretty fantastic.

Ahsoka's Untold Tales panel with Dave Filoni, Pablo Hidalgo and Ashley Eckstein

Image via thewookiegunner.com

The second panel of the day featured the man behind the character of Ahsoka Tano and Star Wars Rebels, Dave Filoni, Pablo Hidalgo of the Lucasfilm story group, and Ahsoka Tano herself, Ashley Eckstein. This panel, accompanied by a PowerPoint showcasing different character ideas and story arcs revolving around Ahsoka, was pretty awesome. We learned about how she was discovered by the Jedi, some of her adventures before, during and after The Clone Wars. They also spoke of the Ahsoka novel, written by E.K. Johnston, that is set to be released this fall. The novel will cover the period between Episode III and Episode IV. Filoni also stated that Ahsoka did reunite with Anakin after she left the Jedi Order, as well as have a run in with Darth Sidious himself. Finally, before ending the panel, Dave Filoni did say that we may not have seen the end of Ahsoka. So, we should expect her return for season 3, but we shall get more information about the upcoming season tomorrow during the Rebels panel. Ashley Eckstein also unveiled the new Ahsoka Funko POP! figure that'll be released later this year. That will definitely be an item that a lot of fans will want to get their hands on.

ILM Presents: Star Wars Archaeology

The third panel of the day centered around the special effects and visuals of the films. Chief Executive Officer, John Knoll, Vice President Executive Creative Director, Doug Chiang, and Supervising Art Director, Kevin Jenkins showed the audience what it takes to create the visuals, from miniature sets, to how the films look before and after certain special effects are added. They also discussed the use of models for Rogue One, as well as how they incorporated a lot of miniature sets into the films. It was definitely the type of panel that an artistically adept mind would enjoy much more than someone like myself. With that being said, I would still recommend checking it out because you do view, specifically, The Phantom Menace in such a different way. Also, it's Star Wars and that's why you're here in the first place.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story panel w/ Kathleen Kennedy, Gareth Edwards, Kiri Hart, John Knoll and the entire cast

Image via screenrant.com

Finally, the most anticipated panel of the day, hosted by Captain Phasma herself, Gwendolyn Christie. First off, we got to see the first official poster for Rogue One. Very different from the saga films, so they are stressing the fact that these definitely are stand alone films, both narratively and visually. There was a lot of speculation as to what we were going to get from this panel. A trailer? Some new details about the film? Footage or images of Vader? Well, for those of us at home, we got a chance to see a brand new behind-the-scenes video of Rogue One, reminiscent of the one released last year at San Diego Comic-Con for The Force Awakens. In it, we saw some new images and footage from the film, as well as Gareth Edwards talking about the film as a whole. Also, the cast was able to talk a bit about their respective characters and their role in the film. Unfortunately, there may have been a huge spoiler during the answer from Jiang Wen. Out of respect to the readers, I will not say what the spoiler was, but if you view watch the panel, it would be wise to skip his response. Another piece of information that was circulating for several days was that a new trailer for the film was going to premiere during the panel. Lucky for those in attendance, they were able to see it. For those of us at home, we may have to wait a little longer. What I can tell you, thanks to Perri Nemiroff of Collider who is in attendance, is that Darth Vader does appear in the trailer. She also gave a description of the trailer, which was a little over 1-minute in length.

That was Day 1 of Star Wars Celebration Europe and it definitely had a lot of interesting information (some of which you may want to stay away from). Come back tomorrow afternoon for a recap of Day 2!

May the Force be with you.


*Links to the ILM and Rogue One panels will be posted if and when the videos are available.*

'Swiss Army Man' Review

Image via comingsoon.net

In a year filled with sequels, reboots and talking animals, indie films have stood their ground and turned in some fantastic films thus far. While audiences love seeing their favorite franchises continue to make quality sequels, or filmmakers want to reimagine certain films and tailor them to today's world, there is a thirst for originality. Unfortunately, big studio films have to weigh risk and reward, thus often making them play it safe and continue playing in a familiar sandbox, so to speak. However, with films like The Lobster and now Swiss Army Man, these low budget films with big ideas have the ability to take numerous risks since they aren't trying to break the box office. Instead, the concentration is on making a work of art that those involved believe in. This film is a work of art, and like any masterpiece, no one person will view it the same way.

Swiss Army Man follows the story of Hank Thompson (Paul Dano), a man who has been stranded on an island in the Pacific and sees no other way to escape his situation, so he attempts to commit suicide until he looks to the shore. Thompson then sees the body of a corpse (Daniel Radcliffe) who he later calls Manny, and together they try to find their way back home. In the trailer, this film looks pretty bizarre since it involves a farting corpse, and the premise itself is one you have to read a few times. When the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival some people walked out of the theater. In fact, as I walked out of my screening, this woman said, "That is probably the worst movie I've ever seen," and I completely understood that. This film is definitely not for everyone and if you're the type of viewer that wants to be hooked from the beginning, you may want to follow their lead. I must say, though, those who left deprived themselves of a movie experience like no other. I found myself smiling throughout this film because I was finally watching a film that was original and one that I had no idea where it was taking me. As an audience member, you are along for the ride. Also, there are plenty of laughs in this film, and no, they don't revolve around farts. There are moments between Dano and Radcliffe's characters that are absolutely hilarious and make them extremely likable. The bond that forms between these two characters is quite memorable, especially since it works as a study on modern society in some ways.

Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe are at their very best in this film. A role that requires you to, essentially, play off of a dead person, and BE a dead person is no easy task. Also, when an actor stars in a film like this that is very risky, and very odd, they have to do it for something more than a paycheck. Just by viewing the trailer, I think, one can easily tell that their hearts were into this project because they knew how special this film was. Forget about audience reactions or how the film is being received critically, but based on the pure artistic elements and the originality of it all, actors like these who love going out of their comfort zones have to feel at home with a film like this. Actors like Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe are the rare cases that will find longevity in their careers because of the projects they select and the way they approach them.

The direction of this film was one of the best things about it when you look at the characters and the story being told. Making an audience believe what they're watching on screen is always a daunting task, especially when you've got a guy riding a farting corpse like a jet ski. However, in this film, everything worked. The writing was also felt very natural. I never felt like they were trying to make this film too smart, or too layered. However, the ending of the film is the one aspect I'm still struggling with. Furthermore, the visuals were fantastic and, by far one of the most interesting parts about the making of this film is that almost the entire soundtrack is performed by Radcliffe and Dano.

Swiss Army Man is refreshingly original, surprisingly heartfelt and funny at the right moments. Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe poured their hearts into their performances, Radcliffe going as far as saying it may have been his favorite role to date. With that being said, this film is not for everyone, but if you're even minimally intrigued, I suggest you go see it. If you don't like it, you probably farted in the theater.

New 'Rogue One' Trailer Hits July 15th

Photo via makingstarwars.net

In early April, the world got their very first look at the new Star Wars stand alone film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. This film is set in between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, and follows the story of how the rebels stole the Death Star plans. The two minute trailer gave us some insight into our main character, Jyn Erso, who is believed to be the leader of this daring mission. A familiar face to many Star Wars fans was also shown and is believed to have a prominent role in the film, that being Mon Mothma, who is only seen in Return of the Jedi. Above all, the two things that the first trailer nailed was the look and tone of the film. Since this story takes place 34 years prior to The Force Awakens, it has to look that way. So, the old uniforms of the Rebellion were back, along with the original stormtrooper helmets and armor. Also, the tone did feel like a war film, and as director Gareth Edwards stated before, "its called Star Wars." This has the look of a more gritty film, and one that will probably be geared more towards adults than kids.

Now, with Star Wars Celebration London kicking off on July 15th, it should come as no surprise that a new trailer for the upcoming film will be released that day. What is driving this conversation, however, is one thing: will we see Darth Vader and how much? Around the time of the first teaser, there was no definite confirmation by Kathleen Kennedy that Vader was going to appear in the film, or have any significant role, but we have since learned that he will indeed be in the film and be voiced by the legend himself, James Earl Jones. It has been 33 years since we have seen Vader have an integral part in the films, so it is definitely going to be the highlight of the new trailer. If one had to speculate, however, the smart move for Lucasfilm would be to include one shot of Vader, along with one line of dialogue, and that's it. It is crucial to save him for the film because, if rumors are correct, his presence will be very impactful.

Reports are that the trailer will be around three minutes long, which is a fairly long runtime. Some fear that this may be too long, thus spoiling some parts of the movie. Yet, as fans, there is no doubt that the audience would want to see as much as possible. But, there could be a reason why this trailer is the length that it is. During the promotion of The Force Awakens, we were constantly getting snippets of new footage, whether they be international trailers or new TV spots, and they got into some dangerous territory by doing that. One thing Rogue One has to its advantage that The Force Awakens did not is a marketing tool that will succeed in filling theaters, albeit not as much as The Force Awakens, and that is Darth Vader. If the new trailer shows a glimpse of him, or includes the breathing, that will be enough to draw people into the theater because there is more weight to the character now. With the expansion of canon, Vader has been involved in new battles and has encountered new enemies in both the comics, novels and Star Wars Rebels. Also, since Rebels is taking place during this time period, there is a potential for a crossover in the upcoming season, or some references to the show in the film. So, for the fans who are keeping up with the new canon material will get to see both stories develop, and the casual fan will get to see Vader on the big screen.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is slated for release on December 16th and is directed by Gareth Edwards.

First Trailer for 'Imperium' Starring Daniel Radcliffe

After taking on the role of a talking corpse alongside Paul Dano in Swiss Army Man, and starring in Now You See Me 2, Daniel Radcliffe is back on the big screen in the new FBI thriller, Imperium. For those who still look at Daniel Radcliffe and think of the "boy who lived," his recent films will definitely challenge that perception, and this film is no different.

Imperium follows Nate Foster (Daniel Radcliffe), a young FBI agent who must infiltrate a neo-Nazi terrorist group and try to bring them down. As anyone might expect, in order to accomplish this, Foster must become one of them. Foster has to undergo the struggle of remaining true to his country and his principles while he moves through this domestic terrorist organization.

This trailer does a very good job of building tension and making you think about what the main character has to face. Also, they did a fantastic job of showing just enough of the plot and the tone, but not spoiling any key moments, unlike many trailers these days. This film, just like American History X starring Edward Norton, has the potential to have some very uncomfortable scenes since the subject matter itself is uncomfortable. Overall, the trailer did a very good job of grabbing the audience right from the beginning, sustaining that initial grab for the duration of the trailer, and they ended it perfectly. The main goal of this trailer should aim to have the viewer ask themselves one question: does he blow his cover? I think this trailer will have people talking pretty positively about this film.

Alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Imperium stars Toni Collette (Fright Night, The Sixth Sense),  Tracy Letts, Nestor Carbonell (The Dark Knight, Bates Motel), Burn Gorman (The Dark Knight Rises, Pacific Rim), and Sam Trammell (True Blood, The Fault in Our Stars).

Directed and written by Daniel Ragussis, alongside Michael German, the FBI agent whose experiences this film is based on, and produced by Ty Walker, Dennis Lee and Simon Taufique.

Imperium is slated for release on August 19th in theaters and On Demand.

'Finding Dory' Review

Image via screenrant.com

It's been thirteen years since Finding Nemo was released in theaters and became one of the most beloved animated films of all time. Even though I was only seven years old at the time, I remember the day I went to go see that movie. I was picked up early from school by my parents, along with my brother and cousin, and we headed off to the Muvico theater in Miami (now Cinemark). Why this particular memory has remained with me for the last thirteen years? I have no idea. Maybe because it was one of my earliest experiences in the theater, or the fact that I just had such a good time watching it, but even then I feel like I'm missing something. I think it had to do with the characters that were introduced in this film, along with the stunning animation. So many different characters with different personalities, and the way the setting sucked you into the film. You feel as if you're going on this adventure in the ocean, meeting all of these different characters and forming this bond along the way. It's a very hard balance to hit for most films, but Disney and Pixar hit the spot nearly every time. That's why, thirteen years later, I hoped they could do it again with a new story and new characters. Could they capture that magic once again?

Finding Dory centers around Dory's quest to find her parents, with the help of Marlin, Nemo and some new charming characters, whom she begins to remember. The film begins by taking us into Dory's past and we see her as a baby with her family. Very early on we see her parents explaining Dory's condition to her, trying to use different ways to help her remember certain things. We then see how they came to be separated, followed by Dory and Marlin's first meeting from the previous film, to present day. On her quest, Dory begins to remember bits and pieces of her past that help her figure out who her parents are, what they looked like and where they live. Unfortunately, as we see in the trailer, Dory gets taken, much like Nemo. Now, we have Marlin and Nemo trying to rescue Dory, while she is on her own journey to find her parents. Some of the characters we meet that aid Dory in the film are Bailey the beluga (Ty Burrell), Destiny the whale shark (Kaitlin Olson) and Hank the octopus (Ed O'Neil).

One of the things I was most worried about going into this film, as I mentioned above, was if this film would be able to capture that same fun, emotional, heartfelt vibe that Finding Nemo did. Many times, sequels that take thirteen years to develop and finally be released don't always live up to those expectations. However, Finding Dory definitely did. From the very beginning, you really cannot tell that it's been so long since the first film. Ellen DeGeneres and Albert Brooks didn't miss a beat. It honestly felt as if they recorded this back in 2004 and just waited an extra twelve years to release the film. That charming humor was still there and didn't become to overwhelming, which meant that there was a great story to be told and they weren't just relying on laughs, and that was another worry going into this film. Was this story going to be the same thing all over again, just with Dory? The answer is a resounding NO. While there may be a couple of similar beats, Finding Dory can stand alone and brings a lot of new things to this story. Also, the new characters that we meet in the film, mainly Daisy, Bailey and Hank, are fantastic characters. Each has their heroic moments in the film, along with some great laughs. What else would you expect from the stars of Modern Family and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia? My only gripe with this film is the Fast and the Furious moment towards the end of the third act. I understand its an animated film and we're in a world in which animals can talk, but this was just a little too out there for me. With that being said, it didn't take away from the film by any means, it was just one of those moments that you would've been fine had it been taken out.

Aside from the general plot of the film, there's also a very sobering narrative about having a disability. It's felt primarily in the beginning of the film, when Dory is a baby and when she's trying to find her parents. There's a line where she says, "But...what if I forget you?" We see Dory as this funny, well-meaning and forgetful character, that we sometimes forget that she's dealing with something that makes it very hard to make it out in the world. But, throughout the film, we see that Dory has the ability to not only be useful, after a certain character says she isn't able to do certain things, but be the one that can save the day. Again, this is Disney succeeding in bringing in very real adult themes, yet presenting them in such a way that kids can understand and showing that it is possible to overcome obstacles in life.

Once again, Disney and Pixar have hit their mark and have given us a worthy sequel in Finding Dory. They were able to capture the magic from the first film and present it to a new generation that I'm sure will fall in love with it. The new characters are a perfect fit in this world and the story is one that we can all appreciate in some way. If you have yet to see Finding Dory, I highly recommend it. My only advice to you is this: DO NOT see this movie around lunchtime on a weekend, unless you want kids yelling throughout the whole film. I understand the film is for kids, but my generation has been waiting for this movie for thirteen years, so we get a pass for feeling this way, right? Maybe I'm just getting old and bitter way too early.

'Finding Dory' Remains in the Top Spot at the Box Office

Image via gamespot.com

Friday saw the premiere of Independence Day: Resurgence, the sequel to 1996's blockbuster hit Independence Day. There was a lot of skeptical voices surrounding this film, first with the absence of Will Smith and then the fact that there were no advance screenings for the press. From the trailers themselves, the general public seemed to be hesitant about the film. Now, we can finally look at the opening day numbers, and its safe to say that Independence Day: Resurgence did not have the showing it was hoping for, projected to rake in an estimated $43 million. On the other hand, Finding Dory continues to dominate.

After a $136.2 million opening weekend, the sequel to 2003's Finding Nemo is projected to make an estimated $75 million. To be fair, it really hasn't had any viable opponents this weekend. The Shallows was not going to unseat Finding Dory, nor was it going to be a big draw at the box office. Matthew McConaughey's Free State of Jones actually made less than The Shallows, which is only estimated to rake in $8 million this weekend. The only film that had any chance of surpassing the animated film was going to be Independence Day: Resurgance, but that is definitely not going to happen.

Disney continues to dominate the box office, which is why the release date for Finding Dory was perfect. Kids are out of school, its summer and it'll be seeing some repeat viewings. Also, the previous generation that saw the previous film as a child will most definitely be checking this film out as well, so Disney is utilizing nostalgia as well to dominate the box office. We should see the same thing with Toy Story 4 and Incredibles 2. Both have the appeal to kids and adults, and both have had quite a few years since their last film.

Finding Dory will probably see its reign as box office champ come to an end next weekend when Steve Spielberg's The BFG hits theaters. However, that will not matter in the least to Disney since they'll be handing over the top spot to themselves once again. This is the year of the mouse and we're a long way away from it being over.