Friday Linky Links

Thanks to this weekend's rapture, there's a chance that this could be your last ever batch of linky goodness. So let's make it a good one...

If you’re reading this after Saturday, either you’re one of the chosen few, or that whole rapture thing didn’t happen like we all thought it was going to and I’m stuck with a giant credit card bill and gold-plated Porsche that I can’t drive, waiting for the zombie apocalypse. Which – thanks to the CDC (America’s big disease control agency), I’m fully prepared for. Are you?

Speaking of apocalyptic events, apparently Darth Vader now plays the trombone, which must mean the world is coming to an end, right?

But if it doesn’t, that’s fine too. Because X-Men: First Class is rapidly approaching its much-anticipated release. This week saw the release of yet another preview clip for the upcoming juggernaut – this time the international trailer. And the buzz is still surprisingly positive, so there you go.

The latest JJ Abrams project, Super 8, also has a new trailer hitting the intertubes this week. We’re cautiously optimistic about this one – it does star one of the slightly-creepy Fanning girls, but at least it’s not Dakota.

In other movie news, it looks like Keanu Reeves will not be involved in the upcoming Akira reboot, which actually strikes quite a blow for the film’s chances of getting made at all. Hopefully, it’s because he’s too busy on that Bill & Ted threequel, but that may just be wishful thinking.

We really enjoyed Monsters when we saw it last year. For something made on such a small budget, it managed to look amazing and buck a whole lot of alien-film conventions. And yet, the idea of a sequel doesn’t exactly thrill us – in part because it’s not going to involve the original writer, director OR cast. Making it a sequel exactly… how?

Darth Vader playing the trombone aside, at this very second, there’s probably at least one thing happening in the world that is managing to both excite and piss off a whole bunch of Star Wars fans – probably at the same time. This piece looks at the modern-day reality of being a Star Wars fan, for better or worse.

And finally, io9 this week published this definitive history of sci-fi and fantasy cop shows – just in case you were still under the illusion that there was anything original being made out there.

Good luck out there, Atomicans!