Despite the fact that today pretty much everyone plays video games in one form or another, there’s still that hardcore group of gamers that discuss and debate topics that rarely, if ever, reach the more casual player who likes to play Candy Crush on the subway. Sometimes those insular conversations do gain broader attention, but it’s usually not something good.

This time, a week of particularly ugly online comments, YouTube video rants and harassing tweets culminated with someone tweeting a series of increasingly disturbing threats to Anita Sarkeesian, a video blogger and pop culture critic. (Read here. Warning: NSFW)

When director/writer Joss Whedon defended Skarkeesian, he received this message.

How did it get to the point? Sadly, this kind of abuse is nothing new for Sarkeesian.

The onslaught of hate that some within the gaming community have brought down on Sarkeesian started back in the summer of 2012, when she launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a video series explaining some of the problematic tropes of video games when it came to the portrayal of women. She initially set a goal of $6,000, but when the campaign drew negative attention from gamers, it also brought more funds.

Nearly 7,000 backers pledged a total of over $150,000 to Sarkeesian’s campaign to explore why a rapidly expanding medium has such a troubled history and continuing relationship with half of the world’s population.

When Sarkeesian’s YouTube channel, “Feminist Frequency,” began rolling out “Tropes vs Women in Video Games” ...

I know everyone is still really excited about dancing baby Groot and how good “Guardians of the Galaxy” ended up being, but I’d like to remind everyone that the next Marvel movie is “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”

Crazy, I know.

That being the case, we’re beginning to see more of the curtain officially pulled back, which is a nice change of pace from paparazzi photos. The latest reveal comes courtesy of Empire and their big preview article.

Those on-set spies gave us blurry look at Hawkeye’s brand new coat, but here we can see it in its fully, kind-of-silly glory.

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” opens in theaters on May 1, 2015.

Kevin P. Sullivan

Writer/editor for MTV. If it involves cowboys, spies, or hitmen, I'm there. All three would be ideal.

@KPSull

One of the biggest elements that the “Hunger Games” series will introduce with the upcoming “Mockingjay: Part I” is the rebellion and the cast of really badass characters that will help Katniss in her quest against the Capitol.

A new collection of character posters (via Wired) just dropped, highlighting some of the new faces, including Cressida played by “Game of Thrones” alum and half-bald badass Natalie Dormer.

Also, there’s Gale.

Check out the new posters for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″ below.

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″ opens in theaters on November 21.

Kevin P. Sullivan

Writer/editor for MTV. If it involves cowboys, spies, or hitmen, I'm there. All three would be ideal.

“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” — as great as it was — ends with one of its major storylines unresolved. What becomes of Bucky Barnes, now the Winter Soldier, after Cap shakes something loose from his brainwashed head?

Anthony and Joe Russo, who directed “Winter Soldier,” are picking the story back up with Captain America’s third solo movie, set for release in 2016, and they talked with me about why that storyline is what’s really interested them about the further adventures of Steve Rogers.

While the specifics of the plot are not public knowledge yet — Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely just turned in their first draft last week — there are a set of questions that the Russos hope will drive the story forward.

“Is the Winter Soldier the world’s most dangerous assassin that’s ever lived or the world’s longest serving P.O.W.?” Anthony Russo asked. “Is he responsible for his actions since he was turned into the Winter Soldier, or is he innocent by reason of insanity? Where does this character live now? Is he ever going to be acceptable again to Cap in the way he once was, before he was the Winter Soldier? Those are the really complicated relationship questions and philosophical questions and emotional questions that intrigued us moving forward.”

These questions might not reveal who the villain will be or whether the Winter Soldier will become Captain America, but it gives a sense of where the emotional heart of the movie will lie, an element ...

Daniel Hashimoto is a Dreamworks animator and a totally rad dad. Earlier this year, he took home video footage featuring his three-year-old son and added effects to make them into full-blown action movies. That video went viral, and now Hashimoto is back with another installment of “Action Movie Kid.”

This time, the tiny leading man finds himself in situations inspired by video games like “Portal” and “Mario Kart,” in addition to your classic lightsaber scenario.

Kevin P. Sullivan

Writer/editor for MTV. If it involves cowboys, spies, or hitmen, I'm there. All three would be ideal.