One of the strangest talking points surrounding The Batman has been Robert Pattinson’s infamous claim that he “barely” worked out to prepare for playing Bruce Wayne.

It became the kind of quote that followed him everywhere, fueling endless debates among fans about superhero fitness routines and whether the actor actually trained for the role.

Now, Pattinson is finally setting the record straight, and according to him, the internet got the wrong idea. In a recent interview with GQ, the actor revisited the comments he made during The Batman press tour back in 2020.

At the time, he questioned the extreme body transformations actors often undergo for superhero movies and joked that he wasn’t doing much to bulk up. While his co-star Zoë Kravitz was reportedly training five days a week to become Catwoman, Pattinson casually suggested he was taking a very different approach.

As it turns out, that wasn’t exactly the truth. Addressing the criticism he’s heard ever since, Pattinson laughed about how his comments took on a life of their own:

“‘You didn’t work out at all.’ I worked out every fucking day,” Pattinson said, mimicking the criticism lobbied against him. “Even after that, I still look like I didn’t work out. I worked out twice a day at, like, three o’clock in the morning. I’m like, it’s just because I said it in an interview, I was trying to sound cool!”

That confession puts a pretty funny spin on one of the most repeated stories from The Batman era. For years, a vocal segment of fans pointed to Pattinson’s original remarks as proof that he skipped the traditional superhero training process altogether.

Apparently, he was actually grinding through intense workouts while trying to project an effortlessly cool attitude during interviews.

What makes the whole thing even funnier is that Pattinson has built a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most entertaining interview subjects.

This is, after all, the same actor who once joked that he’d make “art house porn” if The Batman failed at the box office. His tendency to throw out unexpected comments has always been part of his charm, and this latest revelation feels very on-brand.

The actor has also been open about the pressures surrounding body image throughout his career. According to reports highlighted by The Hollywood Reporter, Pattinson previously discussed feeling insecure while working alongside Taylor Lautner during the Twilight years.

He has also spoken about how easy it can be for actors to become consumed by extreme fitness regimens, describing the process as “very easy,” “extraordinarily addictive,” and “insidious” during a 2023 interview with The London Standard.

Now that attention is shifting toward The Batman: Part II, Pattinson appears to be gearing up once again. During the same interview, he revealed that he has installed a home gym and is preparing for another lengthy stretch in the cape and cowl. He also shared a moment of surprise after speaking with the film’s stunt coordinator.

“And I just heard from the stunt guy the other day. He said, ‘Ooh, 11 weeks of nights,'” Pattinson told GQ. “I’m like, ‘Excuse me?’ I’m like, ‘No one’s even sent me a schedule.'”

That schedule will eventually bring him back to Gotham for Matt Reeves’ long-awaited sequel, which has faced multiple delays on its road to production.

In the years between the first film and the sequel, Pattinson certainly hasn’t been sitting around. The actor has kept busy with projects including The Drama, The Odyssey, Primetime, and Dune: Part Two, making it clear that his workload hasn’t slowed down one bit.

Whether fans believed his original workout comments or not, it’s amusing to see Pattinson revisit the subject years later and admit that he was essentially trolling everyone while trying to sound cool.

The reality is that his performance in The Batman was never judged by the size of his biceps anyway. Most fans walked away talking about his brooding take on Bruce Wayne and what many still consider one of the strongest Batman movies ever made.

When The Batman: Part II finally arrives in theaters on October 1, 2027, fans can judge for themselves just how much all those 3 a.m. workouts paid off.

DC Studios’ upcoming Clayface movie just added another killer creative talent to the mix. Academy Award-winning composer Volker Bertelmann has officially signed on to score the dark DC horror film, and he’s a perfect fit for the strange and unsettling world this movie is building.

According to Filmmusicreporter.com, Bertelmann will compose the score for the film after delivering acclaimed work on Conclave, All Quiet on the Western Front, Dune: Prophecy, Adrift, Lion, The Day of the Jackal, A House of Dynamite, The Amateur, and One Life.

He’s created some great scores, which makes him an exciting choice for a movie diving headfirst into body horror and psychological chaos.

Bertelmann’s schedule is packed right now, too. His upcoming projects include Anthony Maras’ Pressure, which hits theaters this weekend, Antonin Baudry’s De Gaulle: Tilting Iron & The Sovereign Edge, arriving in French theaters over the next couple of months, and Michael Showalter’s Verity, which lands on October 2.

The teaser trailer for Clayface gave fans a disturbing little taste of what’s coming. Set to The Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??,” the footage follows a bloodied and heavily bandaged Matt Hagen, played by Tom Rhys Harries, recovering in a hospital bed while horrific flashes reveal the violent attack that destroyed his face.

From there, things get increasingly nightmarish. We see glimpses of Hagen’s grotesque transformation, including a creepy silhouette shot where his arm morphs into a giant spiked mace. The teaser wraps up with Hagen sitting in a bathtub, slowly wiping his own face away with his hand in one seriously unsettling image.

It sounds like audiences should prepare for something very different from the usual comic book movie formula. James Gunn previously talked about how the project came together and why it immediately grabbed his attention.

“Mike Flanagan is somebody who I've been friendly with for a long time, and he wrote me about Clayface. He texted me about it really early on in my DC journey. Just being honest, I did not think that was something that was going to happen, but he came in, and he pitched the idea, and I was like, 'Oh s---! That's cool.'

“It's a body-horror movie. It's a horror movie that, like any cool body-horror movie, just happens to be in the DCU. And then he wrote the script, and the script was fantastic. We did not plan to do Clayface. That was really something he brought to us.”

That horror-driven approach makes Clayface one of the most unique projects DC Studios has in development. The movie is being described as a horror thriller that follows a rising Hollywood actor whose life spirals into madness after a horrific transformation turns him into the iconic Gotham City monster.

Alongside Harries, the cast includes Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll, and Joshua James. The film is directed by James Watkins from a screenplay written by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, based on a story by Flanagan and characters from DC.

Between Flanagan’s horror sensibilities, Watkins directing, and now Bertelmann handling the score, Clayface is shaping up to be one seriously creepy addition to the DCU.

Actors Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle) and Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) have signed on to star in the family adventure feature, Christopher Hope and the Secret of Napoleon, the opening chapter in a planned trilogy, which is set to sell at the Cannes Film Market.

The film follows a history student drawn into a race to uncover a long-buried secret Napoleon concealed in Paris, navigating rival secret societies alongside his best friend and a fellow student as they trace clues connecting centuries past to the present day. Producers have cited “National Treasure” and “The Da Vinci Code” as reference points.

The project reunites Muniz and Lloyd, who first crossed over in Malcolm in the Middle, where Lloyd appeared as Malcolm’s grandfather during the original series run. Thomas Lemoine, who recently appeared opposite Pierre Lottin in In Custody and is set to appear in the upcoming Netflix series The Countess of Monte Cristo, rounds out the leading trio.

The film is directed by Peter Lyons Collister, whose credits as cinematographer and second-unit director include Sonic the Hedgehog, The Lost City, Transformers, The Amazing Spider-Man and Rush Hour 3. Cinematography is by Jörg Widmer, a frequent collaborator of Terrence Malick on The Tree of Life, A Hidden Life and The Way of the Wind.

The producers said of the film, “‘Christopher Hope and the Secret of Napoleon’ is conceived as a true family adventure for today’s international audience: a mystery-driven treasure hunt with historical depth, cinematic scale and a positive emotional core.

As the first chapter of a planned trilogy, the film is designed to entertain internationally while giving younger audiences a sense of curiosity, courage and discovery.”

via: Variety

Emmy winner Michael Chiklis (The Shield, Gotham) is the latest actor to join the culinary thriller Tyrant, at Amazon MGM Studios. He joins previously announced cast members Charlize Theron, Julia Garner and Demi Moore. Paapa Essiedu, Hudson Williams, Omar Apollo and Nara Smith also set to star.

The film is being directed by David Weil (Lisa), from his own script, based on a story conceived with Cody Behan.

The project is currently in production in Los Angeles, and is billed as a high-stakes thriller in the vein of Wall Street and Whiplash set within New York City’s elite fine dining scene. Stay tuned for updates on the film as it moves forward.

via: Deadline

One of the most talked-about horror films of the last decade could have expanded its story in a major way, but it sounds like fans shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for it.

During a recent Q&A held as part of the American Cinematheque’s annual Bleak Week event, Ari Aster revealed that he actually wrote a prequel to his dark and disturbing horror film Hereditary.

The filmmaker shared the update while discussing his body of work, which was featured throughout the event with screenings that included Midsommar: Director’s Cut, Beau Is Afraid, and Eddington.

While many filmmakers would be eager to revisit the movie that launched their career, Aster explained that returning to the world of Hereditary hasn’t felt right for him so far.

“I wrote a prequel to this,” Aster said. “It never feels like the right time. It’s a prequel, not a sequel, so I don’t know where this goes.”

A prequel set before the events of Hereditary could dive deeper into the disturbing history of the Graham family, the sinister cult operating in the shadows, or the origins of the dark forces that ultimately consume the story. Unfortunately, Aster doesn’t sound particularly eager to move the project forward at the moment.

Released in 2018, Hereditary quickly established Aster as one of the most exciting voices working in horror. The supernatural psychological thriller follows a grieving family whose lives spiral into a nightmare as a series of increasingly terrifying and unexplained events begin to unfold around them. It was a seriously jacked up movie.

The film starred Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd, and Gabriel Byrne, and became both a critical and commercial success. It earned more than $90 million worldwide and, at the time, set box office records for A24.

Even though a return to Hereditary doesn’t appear to be on Aster’s immediate schedule, he certainly isn’t slowing down. The filmmaker is already developing his next project following 2025’s Eddington.

Aster is set to direct Scapegoat, a new film that he also wrote. The project will star Scarlett Johansson and reunite Aster with A24, the studio behind all four of his previous features. As expected, plot details remain tightly under wraps.

For now, the mysterious Hereditary prequel remains tucked away in a script drawer somewhere. Whether it ever makes the jump to the screen is anyone’s guess, but knowing that Aster has already explored more of that unsettling universe is enough to spark plenty of curiosity among horror fans.

Fans of My Adventures with Superman are just days away from the long-awaited Season 3 premiere, and Adult Swim has released a brand-new opening sequence that offers a fun glimpse at what's coming next for Clark Kent and company.

While the series has already built a strong reputation for putting a fresh spin on Superman mythology, the latest intro suggests the upcoming season is about to raise the stakes in a big way.

Since the series debuted, My Adventures with Superman has followed a younger Clark Kent alongside Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen as they begin their careers at the Daily Planet.

Across the first two seasons, viewers have watched Clark evolve into the hero fans know and love while facing increasingly dangerous threats. Now Season 3 looks ready to continue that journey with new allies, new enemies, and some intriguing additions to the cast.

The biggest change in the new opening sequence is the prominent inclusion of Kara Zor-El. After the events of Season 2, Kara has officially become part of the core team, and the updated intro makes it clear that her relationship with Clark, Lois, and Jimmy will play a major role moving forward.

The opening also sneaks in a quick look at another familiar DC character. Superboy appears briefly with a surprising new design, offering the first real tease of how the animated series plans to handle the character. It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, but it's enough to get longtime Superman fans talking.

Of course, the real attention-grabber is the lineup of villains featured throughout the sequence. Season 3's opening showcases several major threats waiting for Superman, including a fully bald Lex Luthor, who appears to be stepping further into his classic comic book persona. But Lex isn't the only danger on the horizon.

The intro also highlights Cyborg Superman, who has already been teased for the upcoming season and appears poised to play a significant role in the show's adaptation of the iconic Reign of the Supermen storyline.

Exactly how the series will reinterpret that famous comic arc remains a mystery, but the appearance of Cyborg Superman certainly points toward some exciting developments.

With multiple villains flashing across the screen and several new characters entering the mix, the opening sequence feels like a roadmap for what could be the series' most ambitious season yet.

The show's core cast returns with Jack Quaid voicing Clark Kent/Superman, Alice Lee as Lois Lane, and Ishmel Sahid as Jimmy Olsen. Kiana Madeira is also back as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl, this time with a much larger role following her Season 2 introduction.

Another notable addition is Darren Criss, who joins the series as the voice of Superboy. Beyond that, the creative team is keeping any additional surprises under wraps for now.

Thankfully, fans won't have to wait much longer to see how everything unfolds. My Adventures with Superman Season 3 premieres on Adult Swim's Toonami block on Saturday, June 13 at midnight ET/PT. New episodes will then be available to stream on HBO Max the following day.

If you thought the recent wave of twisted fairy tale horror movies had already pushed things as far as they could go, Pinocchio: Unstrung is here to prove otherwise.

The latest trailer for the upcoming R-rated horror film has arrived, and it transforms Carlo Collodi’s beloved wooden puppet into something disturbing.

The blood-soaked reimagining comes from Jagged Edge Productions, the studio responsible for Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, and it looks like they’re taking another childhood icon straight into nightmare territory.

This version of Pinocchio isn’t dreaming about adventure or learning life lessons. Instead, he’s a murderous creation stalking the halls of an elite London boarding school, driven by an obsession to become a real boy no matter how much blood has to be spilled along the way.

Directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield, Pinocchio Unstrung relocates the classic story to a prestigious London prep school and embraces its horror premise with complete conviction.

While plenty of familiar childhood characters have been given horror makeovers recently, this film appears committed to treating its concept like a full-fledged slasher.

One of the biggest highlights showcased in the trailer is the creature work. Emmy-winning effects artist Todd Masters supervised the film’s practical animatronics, creating a Pinocchio that moves with an unsettling, almost broken physicality.

Every awkward twitch and jerky movement makes the character feel increasingly unnatural. Combined with polished visual effects and some brutally graphic kill sequences, the result is a horror movie that looks determined to make audiences squirm.

The official synopsis outlines: “Pinocchio Unstrung unfolds inside an elite London prep school. Influenced by a sinister Cricket (Robert Englund) and created by Geppetto (Richard Brake), Pinocchio launches a violent crusade to carve himself into a real boy like his brother James, one piece at a time.”

The cast includes Robert Englund as the sinister Cricket, Richard Brake as Geppetto, Cameron Bell as James, and Jessica Balmer.

Pinocchio Unstrung looks ready to deliver a wild horror film filled with practical creature effects, excessive gore, and a wildly twisted spin on a familiar story.

Pinocchio Unstrung arrives in theaters on July 24, 2026. Check out the grotesque new trailer and let us know if this nightmare-fueled take on Pinocchio is something you'll be watching.

Fans have been eager to see how Masters of the Universe would translate to live-action, especially when it comes to bringing one of pop culture’s most recognizable heroes to the big screen.

With Nicholas Galitzine stepping into the role of Adam/He-Man for director Travis Knight’s upcoming adaptation, plenty of attention has been placed on everything from his physical transformation to the character’s iconic look.

As it turns out, one classic He-Man feature nearly made the jump from animation to live-action… that unmistakable blonde bob haircut.

Following the massive success of Barbie, Mattel is continuing its push into theatrical storytelling with Masters of the Universe, and Galitzine has undergone a serious transformation to embody Eternia’s legendary champion.

While fans have already seen glimpses of his version of He-Man, some may have noticed that his hairstyle isn’t a direct recreation of the cartoon character’s famous cut.

Speaking with CinemaBlend ahead of the film’s release, Galitzine explained that the creative team spent plenty of time discussing He-Man’s hair before ultimately deciding to take a different approach.

“I mean, look, we obviously talked about hair a lot. He-Man's bob is obviously very iconic, but in a live-action setting in this story that we wanted to tell, it kind of it didn't make as much sense.

“So the thing that I certainly had in mind was something that felt a little Herculean. Sort of heroic in a way, but also something that we could kind of evolve.”

It’s easy to understand the reasoning. While the animated series embraced a larger-than-life aesthetic, recreating the exact hairstyle in a live-action fantasy adventure may have pushed things a little too far into cartoon territory.

Galitzine still sports long blond hair as He-Man, but the style feels more grounded while maintaining the spirit of the character.

The hairstyle also became part of Adam’s overall journey in the film. Rather than giving him the same look from start to finish, the filmmakers built visual progression into the character’s transformation.

Galitzine continued: “Because obviously when we meet Adam on Earth, the hairs a little greasier, it's a little flatter. It's got it's got a little less life in it. And so, we decided to kind of create this evolution to, to, I guess mimic, Adam's, growing sense of power and self.”

That approach seems to fit the movie’s version of Adam, whose growth into He-Man is reflected not only through his increasing strength but also through subtle changes in his appearance.

According to early reactions, the evolution works well on screen, helping sell the character’s journey from an ordinary young man on Earth to the powerful hero destined to wield the Sword of Power.

One of the more interesting aspects of Masters of the Universe has been seeing how familiar characters have been adapted for live-action. Some designs have been adjusted for practicality, while others remain surprisingly faithful to their animated counterparts.

Teela’s costume, for example, has been updated with a less revealing design, while He-Man retains much of the visual identity fans associate with the classic character, just with a haircut that feels a little more natural in a live-action setting.

Whether audiences embrace all of those changes remains to be seen, but it sounds like the filmmakers put a lot of thought into balancing nostalgia with realism.

Fans won’t have to wait much longer to judge the results for themselves. Masters of the Universe arrives in theaters on June 5, 2026.

The future of the Toy Story film franchise is unknown. The fifth film is being released in theatres this month, and no one saw that sequel coming, but the studio has made it clear that they only move forward with another film when they come up with a solid idea.

While there’s no way to know if our favorite toys will return for another adventure, a couple of the film’s creative team have suggestions for who they’d like to see more of if we do get another movie.

In an interview with ComicBook, co-director Kenna Harris and producer Lindsey Collins shared their picks for who could be the next main character in another Toy Story sequel.

After casting a vote for Slinky Dog because “he’s got a long enough back to carry” the story, Harris mentioned the new tech toys as a possibility. “Toy Story 5 introduces a pretty killer cast, and tech toys are really opening up potential for the series, so I would also I’d watch more Smarty [Pants].”

Collins continued, “Yeah, yeah, all the tech trio in this movie are so fun and they’re so fun together. And the fact that they’ve just gotten a taste of playtime, I feel like there’s a lot of like there’s going to now, like now that they’re going to be like, itching for more.”

The new tech toys include Conan O’Brien as Smarty Pants, Greta Lee as Lilypad, and Craig Robinson as Atlas. This is a hugely talented group, and I imagine there is still a lot of fun to be had with their characters. Toy Story 5 hits theaters on June 19th.

One of the things that made A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms such a refreshing addition to George R.R. Martin’s world was its focus on the people living in the shadow of kings, castles, and political schemes.

Instead of centering on rulers battling for power, the series followed Ser Duncan the Tall, better known as Dunk, a well-meaning hedge knight trying to figure out what it actually means to live with honor in Westeros.

Played with charm and sincerity by Peter Claffey, Dunk starts the story in a place of uncertainty. When audiences first meet him, he’s standing over the grave of the knight who raised and trained him, struggling to find the right words to say.

It’s an awkward, heartfelt moment that perfectly captures who Dunk is. He knows what’s in his heart, but expressing it is another matter entirely.

Over the course of the season, Dunk is thrown into situations that test every part of his character. He witnesses corruption, arrogance, and cruelty from people who wear the title of knight but fail to live up to its ideals.

Through those experiences, his own sense of honor becomes stronger, even as the world around him seems determined to challenge it.

That journey reaches its emotional peak in episode four, “Seven.” Facing a trial by combat after being wrongly accused, Dunk finds himself in desperate need of one more champion to stand with him.

The odds are stacked against him, and survival is far from certain. To convince someone to join his cause, he has to do something that has never come naturally to him. He has to speak from the heart and make people listen.

The result is one of the most memorable moments in the series. In a recent interview with Variety, creator Ira Parker, director Sarah Adina Smith, and Claffey reflected on the significance of the scene and why it represents such a major turning point for the character.

For Parker, the speech serves as the payoff to a character arc that began in the very first episode. “The secret goal,” Parker noted, was “to have Dunk finally do what he said he couldn’t do in the first episode, which is find the right words. And he finally does it.”

It’s a simple idea, but it gives the moment weight. The speech isn’t just about rallying support before a dangerous fight. It’s about a man who has spent the entire season struggling to articulate his beliefs finally finding a way to express exactly who he is.

Smith approached the sequence with that evolution in mind and used the camera to reflect Dunk’s changing confidence.

“I wanted him to feel small and lonely and powerless to start,” Smith explained, but that begins to shift as Dunk becomes more passionate. “I wanted the camera to help tell that story too, so that when he really finds his true voice in all of its glory, the camera is also giving him his due power in this moment.”

It’s a visual progression that mirrors Dunk’s emotional growth. He begins the scene as a lone figure facing overwhelming odds, but by the end he stands tall as someone worthy of inspiring others.

The sequence also presented a unique challenge for Claffey. Delivering an emotional speech is one thing. Delivering it on horseback, surrounded by a massive crowd and a production full of moving parts, is something else entirely.

“It wasn’t just that one camera and myself,” he explained. “I could have very easily let it get into my head, all these different nuts and bolts that I have to incorporate into it, rather than just being like, ‘This is going to be fucking awesome!'”

Thankfully, he embraced that mindset because the scene absolutely lands. Even with one of the show's more comedic interruptions, a particularly loud fart from the crowd, Dunk’s words cut through the noise and resonate with everyone around him.

More importantly, they achieve exactly what he hoped for. He earns the support of a true knight and proves that honor, conviction, and sincerity can still matter in a world that often seems determined to reward the opposite.

It’s one of the reasons A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms connected so strongly with fans. While Westeros is usually defined by power struggles and larger-than-life figures, Dunk’s story is grounded in something much more personal. His greatest victory isn’t won with a sword. It comes from finding the courage to say what he believes.

With a second season already on the way in 2027, fans can look forward to seeing where Dunk’s journey takes him next.

One of the more surprising details to come out of The Mandalorian and Grogu commentary is the revelation that filmmaker Edgar Wright played a small but meaningful role in shaping one of the movie’s most memorable villain moments.

Fans who stayed through the credits may have noticed Wright received a special thanks, and now we know exactly why.

According to Jon Favreau’s director commentary track for the film, which can currently be accessed in theaters through the TheaterEars app, Wright offered a note after watching an early screening of the movie. That suggestion focused on the film’s intimidating bounty hunter antagonist, Embo.

In an earlier version of the movie, audiences were introduced to Embo when he breaks into Din Djarin and Grogu’s home while attempting to capture Din on behalf of the Hutt Twins.

It was a strong entrance, but Wright apparently felt the character would make an even bigger impact if viewers got a glimpse of him sooner.

Favreau took the note to heart. As a result, Embo can now be spotted lurking in the background when Din and Grogu return to Nevarro. It’s a subtle moment that many viewers probably missed on first viewing, but it adds a layer of tension to the sequence.

Seeing the bounty hunter silently watching from afar creates an uneasy feeling and signals that trouble is already closing in long before he officially makes his move.

It’s a simple change, but it’s the kind of storytelling tweak that can make a character feel more threatening. Rather than appearing out of nowhere, Embo’s presence hangs over the story before the audience fully realizes it.

For Star Wars fans, the film also marks the live-action debut of a character with a long history in animation. Embo first appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 2, Episode 17, where he quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his distinctive look, combat skills, and loyal anooba companion, Marrok.

His story eventually led him and Marrok to join the Fett Syndicate. Interestingly, The Mandalorian and Grogu features Embo partnered with a different anooba rather than Marrok, giving the character a slightly different dynamic than fans may remember from The Clone Wars.

As for Favreau’s commentary track, it’s currently only available to moviegoers in the United States through the TheaterEars app, which supports more than 6,000 theaters across the country.

Fans outside the U.S. will likely have to wait until the movie arrives on digital and streaming platforms, where the commentary and other bonus features will presumably be included.

This is a fun bit of trivia that connects one acclaimed filmmaker to the galaxy far, far away. And judging by the final result, Wright’s suggestion helped make Embo’s arrival feel a little smoother.

Netflix has spent years trying to redefine how audiences watch movies, and according to film chairman Dan Lin, the company has fully embraced a reality that some filmmakers simply won’t get on board with.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Lin made it clear that Netflix isn’t interested in changing its core strategy to accommodate directors who insist on traditional theatrical releases before their movies hit streaming.

“There is a group of filmmakers who still want theatrical. Those are filmmakers that we’ve accepted we just won’t work with.”

It’s a straightforward stance that highlights the ongoing divide between filmmakers who see theaters as an essential part of the moviegoing experience and a streaming giant that continues to prioritize its direct-to-consumer model.

The one notable exception is Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, which is being directed by Greta Gerwig. The upcoming fantasy film is set for a wide theatrical release before arriving on Netflix, a rare move for the company and one that appears to be unique rather than the beginning of a larger shift in strategy.

Lin explained that his role at Netflix differs greatly from that of a traditional studio executive because of the massive volume of projects the streamer produces.

Rather than shaping the slate around his personal tastes, he’s focused on creating a consistent filmmaking environment.

“Because I have such a huge slate, my job is very different from other studio chairmen’s jobs. I can’t impose my taste on the slate. But I can impose a way of making movies.

“I can impose a way of how we want to work with filmmakers. I think people on the outside are pretty clear on what I’m going for: making someone’s favorite movie in a specific genre, focusing on variety and quality and making Netflix the best place for filmmakers to work.”

Part of that vision involves expanding Netflix’s lineup of crowd-pleasing mid-budget films.

Lin specifically pointed to comedies, romantic comedies, and book adaptations as areas he wants the streamer to invest in more heavily.

One project he highlighted was People We Meet on Vacation, the adaptation of Emily Henry’s popular novel.

Starring Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, the film delivered a solid debut with more than 17 million views during its opening weekend. Netflix clearly sees potential in Bader as well, as she’s already lined up for two additional projects with the streamer.

While Netflix remains committed to streaming-first releases, it has occasionally experimented with theatrical runs.

The animated hit KPop Demon Hunters recently became the company’s first film to claim the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office during its brief two-day theatrical launch, earning more than $19 million before heading to the platform. A Halloween re-release is also planned.

Even with that success, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos recently reiterated that the company isn’t changing course, saying: “There’s no change in the strategy”

That comment suggests Netflix still views theatrical releases as promotional events rather than a fundamental part of its business model.

At the same time, Netflix continues to test creative release windows when it makes sense.

One of the most interesting examples is David Fincher’s upcoming sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which is scheduled for a two-week IMAX run over Thanksgiving before debuting on Netflix on December 23. The approach echoes the release strategy used for Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man.

The debate over theatrical releases isn’t likely to disappear anytime soon.

Many filmmakers continue to argue that movies are meant to be experienced on the biggest screen possible, while Netflix remains focused on reaching its audience where it already lives… at home.

There’s also a larger question hanging over the company’s future. If Netflix wants to continue charging premium subscription prices, some movie fans believe the service needs to keep attracting filmmakers who see cinema as an art form worthy of a theatrical showcase.

As competition from cheaper and free streaming platforms grows, the pressure to deliver must-watch films only becomes greater.

For now, though, Lin’s message is clear. If a director considers a theatrical release non-negotiable, Netflix is perfectly comfortable letting them take their movie somewhere else.

Source: Deadline

I recently rewatched Taken, the incredible sci-fi mini-series executive produced by Steven Spielberg, and this is one of those shows that almost no one talks about it anymore.

This is a show I loved the first time I watched it, one that stuck with me. But it slipped through the cracks of pop culture memory. A whole generation of sci-fi fans has either never seen it or never even heard of it. So, when I found the entire series on YouTube, I had to jump back in an revisit it.

With Spielberg returning to science fiction in a big way with his upcoming film, Disclosure Day, it feels like the perfect moment to dust this series off and give it the attention it deserves. This is actually a much better story than the one Disclosure Day delivers.

Taken isn’t just another alien abduction story. It’s a sweeping, emotional, and human saga that spans decades, generations, and perspectives. Honestly, it’s one of the more ambitious TV shows Spielberg has ever put his name on.

At its core, Taken tells a multi-generational story about alien contact and abduction in America, beginning during World War II and stretching all the way into the early 2000s.

The series follows three primary family bloodlines whose lives are forever altered by extraterrestrial encounters. These stories eventually collide, revealing a much larger and more unsettling picture of what’s really been happening behind-the-scenes for decades.

One of the things that makes Taken so interesting is the way it treats the subject matter. This isn’t a show obsessed with spectacle. It’s focused on people. Farmers, soldiers, kids, parents, and government agents all trying to make sense of experiences they can barely comprehend.

The alien presence is constant, but it’s often distant, unsettling, and unknowable. When the show does lean into sci-fi imagery, it feels a little dated now, but it works!

The series unfolds slowly letting the weight of these experiences settle in. Abductions aren’t played as cool set pieces. They’re traumatic, confusing, and life-altering. The emotional consequences ripple through generations, shaping identities and relationships.

One of the reasons Taken works as well as it does is because it feels like classic Spielberg. You can feel his fingerprints all over it. The awe, the fear, the curiosity, and the childlike wonder colliding with adult dread. This series sits comfortably alongside Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. in terms of thematic DNA, but it’s far more somber and grounded.

The structure is also wildly ambitious. Each episode jumps forward in time, sometimes by years, sometimes by decades. Characters age, die, and pass their trauma on to their children. You watch patterns repeat themselves, not because the show is lazy, but because it’s saying something about cycles, control, and how little power ordinary people have when forces far beyond them are pulling the strings.

The show features performances from actors who would go on to big careers, including Dakota Fanning, Joel Gretsch, Adam Baldwin, and Julie Benz. Fanning, in particular, is incredible. Even at such a young age, she brings a haunting intensity to her role. She was such a talented young actress!

What I appreciate most about Taken is that it doesn’t talk down to the audience. It doesn’t over-explain everything, and it doesn’t rush to provide clean answers. Some mysteries remain unsettlingly unresolved, which makes the experience feel more authentic. Real life rarely wraps itself up neatly, and neither does this show.

There’s also a strong sense of paranoia baked into the narrative. Government involvement, secrecy, and cover-ups play a huge role, but they’re treated as extensions of human fear rather than cartoon villainy.

Everyone believes they’re doing the right thing, even when they clearly aren’t. That moral gray area gives the series a weight that a lot of modern sci-fi still struggles to capture.

If you’re a fan of thoughtful, character-driven science fiction, Taken deserves to be at the top of your watch list. It’s patient, unsettling, emotional, and surprisingly intimate for a story about aliens influencing humanity over decades. It’s a pretty awesome TV event that I’m happy exsists.

Revisiting it now, especially with Spielberg stepping back into sci-fi territory, completely makes scene. Taken represents a version of the genre that isn’t chasing trends or trying to outdo itself every episode. It’s confident in its storytelling and trusts that the audience will stick with it.

This series shouldn’t be forgotten. It’s one of those rare sci-fi projects that aims high and actually pulls it off. If you’ve never seen it, now’s the time to fix that. And if you’ve seen it before, I promise it hits even harder on a rewatch.

There's something almost poetic about the fact that the man who gave us so many incredible classic films spent years quietly trying to get into the Bond business, only to get the door slammed in his face… Twice.

Steven Spielberg stopped by The Rest Is Entertainment podcast while doing press for his new film Disclosure Day, and in classic Spielberg fashion, he managed to turn a rejection story into one of the more entertaining anecdotes in recent Hollywood memory.

It all started with a phone call after "Jaws" changed cinema forever. "I approached Cubby after 'Jaws' was a big hit," Spielberg said. "I'd always wanted to make a James Bond film from the day I saw 'Dr. No,' so I called Cubby after 'Jaws' and volunteered. I said, 'If you need a director, I would love to direct one.' And he said no."

The guy who just invented the summer blockbuster picked up the phone and offered to make a Bond movie, and the producers turned him away. Crazy!

But Spielberg, being Spielberg, didn't give up. A few years later, after Close Encounters of the Third Kind hit theaters, franchise producer Cubby Broccoli came calling with a different kind of ask.

He wanted to use the film's iconic five-note melody in an upcoming scene for Moonraker. Spielberg saw his opening.

"I said, 'I'll make you a deal. I'll give you permission to use the five notes if you let me direct a Bond film.' And he said no. But I gave him the five notes anyway," Spielberg remembered.

"So they consistently turned me down, at least, Broccoli did. He never explained why he wasn't letting me into the Bond family."

He gave them the notes anyway. Even after being turned down again. That’s a pretty generous move, or the most stubborn, depending on how you look at it.

What makes this story great is where it goes next. Spielberg was in Hawaii in 1977 with his friend George Lucas, right on the eve of a little movie called Star Wars: A New Hope , and he shared his Bond frustrations with him.

"When I told that story to George Lucas in 1977, when we were in Hawaii together getting ready for the release of 'Star Wars: A New Hope,' he said, 'I have something better than Bond. It's called Indiana Smith,' which is what it was called at the time," the director continued.

"He told me the premise of the Indiana Jones series, and that's how I got that job. So if they ever asked me to make a Bond film now, my answer would be: 'You can't afford me.'"

The franchise rejection that led directly to Indiana Jones is one of those Hollywood butterfly-effect moments that rewrites film history if you pull at the thread.

No Bond rejection, no casual Hawaii conversation, no whip-cracking archaeologist. It's the kind of story that makes you wonder what else is only one "no" away from becoming something legendary.

And Spielberg isn't done cataloguing the franchises that slipped through his fingers, or that he chose to let go. He was also offered the keys to Harry Potter and walked away from that one too, though for entirely different reasons.

"There were several films I chose not to make. I chose to turn down the first 'Harry Potter' to basically spend that next year and a half with my family, my young kids growing up. So I'd sacrificed a great franchise, which today looking back I'm very happy to have done, to be with my family."

Between Bond, Potter, and whatever else he passed on over the decades, Spielberg has arguably turned down more cultural landmarks than most directors ever get the chance to touch. And yet somehow, his actual filmography still looks like that.

The man who got told no by James Bond ended up creating Indiana Jones. The man who skipped Harry Potter spent more time with his kids. It's hard to argue with any of those outcomes.

Disclosure Day opens in theaters June 12.

The world of Game of Thrones keeps growing, and one of the franchise’s most intriguing projects just received a small but encouraging update.

While HBO continues building out its Westeros slate with shows like House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, another project has been quietly sailing along in development for years: The Sea Snake.

What makes this one especially interesting is that it’s set to be the first animated series in the Game of Thrones franchise.

Over the years, HBO has taken a relatively measured approach to expanding George R.R. Martin’s fantasy universe. While several projects have been announced, only House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms have successfully made it to series.

Other ideas, including the Long Night prequel Bloodmoon and the proposed Jon Snow sequel starring Kit Harington, never moved forward.

Now, as fans look ahead to House of the Dragon Season 3, attention is naturally turning toward what comes next. One project that remains on the horizon is The Sea Snake, a spinoff centered on Corlys Velaryon, the legendary seafarer portrayed by Steve Toussaint.

The series was originally conceived as a live-action show before evolving into an animated project. During a recent conversation with ScreenRant, Toussaint offered an update on where things stand, and while there’s no major breakthrough to report, it sounds like the series is still very much alive.

He explained: “…Initially when it was mooted, when we were shooting season 1, it was mooted and I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’d be great.’ And then I thought, ‘I can’t play 21 again. Oh s***, it’s too late.’ And then George [R.R. Martin] said to me, ‘Oh no, it’ll be animated.’ And I was like, ‘Okay’ great.’

“But that’s the last I heard. I saw George just a few weeks ago and as far as I’m aware, it’s ongoing. I don’t know what stage they’re at with it, but it’s still a possibility. But other than that, I don’t know.”

That isn’t exactly a production update packed with details, but it does suggest the project hasn't been abandoned. Considering HBO’s current focus on House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, it’s understandable that The Sea Snake isn’t racing toward release.

The good news for fans is that the show wouldn’t spoil anything involving Corlys’ fate in House of the Dragon. The series is designed as a prequel that would explore the legendary voyages that made Corlys Velaryon one of the most famous figures in Westerosi history.

Known as the Sea Snake, Corlys embarked on nine epic journeys that took him farther across the known world than almost anyone before him.

His travels carried him deep into Essos, including visits to places like Asshai-by-the-Shadow, Qarth, and Yi Ti. Those adventures earned him immense wealth, influence, and prestige, helping establish House Velaryon as one of the most powerful families in the realm.

The final voyage was completed around 90 AC, roughly four decades before the events expected to unfold in House of the Dragon Season 3.

While fans may be eager to see those massive seafaring adventures brought to life, Toussaint has another aspect of Corlys’ story he'd love to explore.

The actor shared: “Do you know, actually, what most interests me about them, and this is terrible because I’m a bit of a romantic, I’m actually more interested in how he won Rhaenys… And then I love the stuff about him going off and adventures because I think a lot of him doing that is his spirit that he has to go and see, but also to impress this lady.”

That angle could make for some great storytelling. Corlys’ voyages are legendary, but the relationship between him and Rhaenys Targaryen has been one of the strongest and most interesting partnerships we've seen in the franchise. Seeing how that romance began could add a fascinating layer to all the globe-spanning adventures.

Of course, The Sea Snake is just one piece of HBO’s growing Westeros roadmap. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has already secured a second season, and HBO reportedly hopes to adapt several more Dunk and Egg stories. The long-discussed 10,000 Ships series remains in development and would follow Princess Nymeria’s migration to Dorne more than a thousand years before the events of Game of Thrones.

There’s also another animated project reportedly in the works called The Golden Empire, which would explore the mysterious eastern civilization of Yi Ti. Beyond that, George R.R. Martin has indicated that additional spinoffs and even sequel concepts are being developed.

There have been rumors about a potential Arya Stark-focused continuation, and it’s always possible that the shelved Jon Snow concept could find new life someday.

The biggest project of all will be the upcoming theatrical film Game of Thrones: Aegon’s Conquest. The movie has been confirmed by Warner Bros., with Beau Willimon, known for House of Cards and Andor, writing the screenplay.

The story will chronicle Aegon Targaryen’s conquest of Westeros roughly 300 years before the original series, bringing dragons, large-scale warfare, and one of the most important chapters in Westerosi history to the big screen.

That film still appears to be in the early stages, so fans probably shouldn't expect it before 2028.

For now, The Sea Snake remains one of the more intriguing mysteries on HBO’s slate. If it eventually moves forward, it could open up entirely new corners of George R.R. Martin’s world while giving fans something they've never experienced before: an animated Game of Thrones adventure centered on one of Westeros' greatest explorers.

The Batman: Part II has begun shooting, and Colin Farrell is back as Oz Cobb, aka The Penguin, but after his spinoff series, The Penguin, it sounds like his role in the sequel will end up being smaller.

Farrell is about to head back to the set, and he explained to Collider, “I will go fly to London in four or five weeks. I haven’t got much to do on it, but I’ll go for four or five weeks. I’ll be there for a few weeks. I’m so excited to see it as a fan.”

Farrell also raved about the script, co-written by Mattson Tomlin and the film’s director, Matt Reeves. He said, “It’s extraordinary. Matt is just so brilliant, and he just cares so deeply about the stories he tells.”

Farrell had previously teased the script, saying on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, “I had many thoughts to share with Matt about the script. I really do think it’s a masterwork. Kind of a contemporary genre masterwork. It’s so brilliant, and Robert has got such a lovely journey to go on and take the audience through.”

He continued, “It’s dense, it’s really really intelligent, it’s so deep and detailed. I’m saying too much. I think he’s going to make an extraordinary film.”

In a separate interview, Farrell teased how The Penguin leads right into The Batman Part II, telling ComicBook, “It conveniently worked that the death at the end of The Batman and the devastation within Gotham opened up a power vacuum that then Oz could try and capitalize on. That was perfect for the parallel eight hours that we had,” he added.

“And then [The Batman Part II] will pick up, whatever, a few weeks after the show ended. But I kind of bet against, but not by a wide mark.”

The Batman Part II is set for release on October 1, 2027.

via: Deadline

Disney and Pixar have unveiled the first teaser trailer and poster for Gatto, a brand-new animated adventure that trades the sunny coastline of Luca for the winding canals and shadowy alleyways of Venice, Italy.

If this first look is any indication, audiences can expect a charming mix of comedy, heart, and feline mischief when the movie arrives in theaters next year.

The teaser kicks things off with a funny interrogation scene involving a trio of cats and a suspiciously missing stash of tuna. What starts as a tense questioning quickly falls apart when everyone in the room becomes completely distracted by the light in the room.

It's a simple gag, but it perfectly captures the playful personality Pixar seems to be bringing to this cat-centric world.

The footage also introduces two of the film’s key characters. Mark Ruffalo lends his voice to Nero, a scrappy black cat who has spent years navigating the maze-like canals and superstitions of Venice.

Standing on the opposite side of the conversation is Laurence Fishburne, who voices Rocco, a ruthless feline mob boss with a grip on the city and a debt hanging over Nero’s head.

According to Pixar, Nero has reached a crossroads in his life. After years of maneuvering through Venice’s feline underworld, he begins to wonder if he has spent his many lives making the right choices.

The official synopsis reads: "In Gatto, after years of maneuvering the canal-ridden, superstitious city of Venice, Italy, Nero begins to question whether he’s lived the right lives.

“Indebted to Rocco, the local feline mob boss, Nero finds himself in a quandary and is forced to forge a truly unexpected friendship that may finally lead him to his purpose—unless Venice gets the better of him first."

The project comes from Enrico Casarosa and Andrea Warren, the creative team behind Pixar’s Oscar-nominated Luca. While Luca delivered a heartfelt coming-of-age story set along the Italian Riviera, Gatto looks ready to explore a very different side of Italy through the eyes of a cat caught between loyalty, debt, friendship, and self-discovery.

Pixar has built a reputation for taking unusual concepts and turning them into memorable stories, and a feline adventure set within the hidden cat society of Venice certainly feels like fertile ground for something special.

The combination of gorgeous Italian scenery, mob-inspired cat characters, and Pixar’s signature emotional storytelling should make for a strong movie.

Gatto is set to release exclusively in theaters on March 5, 2027.

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Obsession has become the horror movie everyone is talking about. What started as a scrappy low-budget supernatural thriller has exploded into a global phenomenon, pulling in massive box office numbers and turning filmmaker Curry Barker into one of the genre’s hottest new filmmakers.

The film leaves audiences with plenty to think about after it ends, especially when it comes to Nikki, awesomely played by Inde Navarrette. She survives the events of the movie, but according to Barker, making it out alive doesn’t mean she gets a happy ending.

Speaking with CinemaBlend, Barker revealed what he believes happens to Nikki after the story concludes:

"She probably goes to jail. She's probably going to prison for a very long time. There's also, like, a billion dollars in Ian's house, and Ian's dead on the floor.

“She's connected to that money in some way. Who knows what the cops are gonna put together as the story? She's not gonna have a very good life, I don't think. It's very sad."

For anyone who has seen Obsession, that assessment tracks. The story centers on Bear, played by Michael Johnson, who makes a catastrophic decision when he breaks a supernatural One Wish Willow in hopes of making Nikki fall in love with him.

The wish works, but the consequences spiral into something horrifying. By the film’s conclusion, Bear takes his own life, which finally breaks the spell and frees Nikki.

The problem is that freedom comes with a nightmare waiting on the other side.

When the dust settles, there are multiple deaths to account for. Bear is dead. Nikki’s friend and co-worker Ian, played by Cooper Tomlinson, is dead. There’s also a staggering $1 billion sitting in Ian’s house.

Nikki finds herself standing in the middle of a crime scene that no police officer, detective, prosecutor, or jury could ever make sense of.

How exactly does someone explain a cursed tree branch that granted a supernatural wish? They can’t. That’s what makes Barker’s explanation so fascinating.

Even though Obsession features paranormal elements, the world itself feels grounded in reality. The supernatural horror exists within a setting that operates according to normal rules.

From that perspective, Nikki’s future seems grim. Authorities would almost certainly focus their attention on the blood-covered survivor surrounded by bodies and unexplained money.

In other words, surviving the curse may have only been the beginning of her suffering. The revelation also raises questions about a possible Obsession sequel. If Nikki is facing prison time and a shattered life, where does the story go next?

There are plenty of possibilities. One route could mirror what Smile 2 did by shifting focus away from the original protagonist and following a completely new set of characters. After all, there’s no reason another person couldn’t stumble across a One Wish Willow and unleash a fresh wave of supernatural chaos.

At the moment, though, Barker is focused on other projects. The filmmaker has already completed production on his upcoming horror-comedy Anything but Ghosts, and he’s also attached to direct the next installment of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise for A24.

With those projects on his plate, any return to the world of Obsession likely isn’t happening anytime soon. Still, it’s easy to understand why sequel conversations are already happening.

Obsession has become the highest-grossing horror movie of 2026, earning more than $210 million worldwide and continuing to climb. The film’s success has reportedly opened major doors for Barker, including lucrative offers for future projects before he’s even officially pitched them.

That’s a remarkable turnaround for the filmmaker. Unfortunately for Nikki, things aren’t looking nearly as promising. While Barker’s career is soaring, his movie’s most important character appears destined for prison, punished for a series of horrific events she had no control over.

Few filmmakers have a résumé as impressive as Steven Spielberg. From Jaws and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial to Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan, he helped define the modern blockbuster.

But there’s one massive franchise that could have had Spielberg’s name attached to it from the very beginning… Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

As it turns out, Spielberg was lined up to direct the first Harry Potter film, but a personal commitment led him in a different direction.

Speaking in an interview with TCM, Spielberg reflected on the decision and revealed that the passing of his friend and legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick changed everything.

When Kubrick died in 1999, he had been developing the sci-fi drama AI: Artificial Intelligence for years. The filmmaker had long intended for Spielberg to eventually direct the project, and after his death, Kubrick’s family approached Spielberg about carrying that vision forward.

Spielberg recalled: "After [Stanley Kubrick's] death, I was at the funeral at his home. Christiane [Kubrick] and Jan Harlan, her brother, approached me about taking over from Stanley, as Stanley had intended, and directing the movie."

At the time, Spielberg was already preparing for Harry Potter and the train was already leaving the station, and he was expected to be in the conductor’s seat.

He explained: "I actually walked away from Harry Potter, which I was scheduled to direct as my next movie."

The filmmaker went on to reveal just how far along he was in the process, saying: "I gave it up. It was going to be a huge movie because the book already was a runaway cultural phenomenon. I gave that up to essentially do AI."

That wasn’t a small decision. By then, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels had become a global sensation, and anticipation for the first film adaptation was sky-high. Spielberg understood exactly how massive the project was going to be, yet he felt a responsibility to help complete a film that meant so much to Kubrick.

The history of AI itself is fascinating. Kubrick acquired the rights to the story in the early 1970s and spent years trying to figure out how to bring it to life. Multiple writers worked on the project over the decades, including original short story author Brian Aldiss.

According to reports, Kubrick believed the available visual effects technology wasn’t sophisticated enough yet to realize the story properly, and he also struggled to find a child actor capable of playing the central robotic character.

Eventually, in 1995, Kubrick handed the project over to Spielberg. After Kubrick’s death, Spielberg felt the time had come to finally make the movie.

Released in 2001, AI: Artificial Intelligence starred Haley Joel Osment as David, a childlike android programmed with the ability to love who dreams of becoming human. Spielberg ultimately dedicated the film to Kubrick, ensuring his friend’s long-gestating passion project reached audiences.

Meanwhile, the Harry Potter franchise moved forward with Chris Columbus at the helm. Columbus directed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which became a worldwide phenomenon, and returned for the sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

What would a Spielberg-directed Harry Potter movie have looked like? We’ll never know, but I would’ve liked to see it! Spielberg’s decision came from a place of loyalty and respect for a filmmaker he admired, and it led to the completion of a project that might otherwise have remained unfinished.

There are Hollywood what-ifs that haunt you, and then there are Hollywood what-ifs that absolutely should have happened. A Special Edition version of Howard the Duck with Robin Williams doing the voice? That would’ve been interesting to see.

A 2002 Audible series starring Robin Williams has been quietly circulating online after X user Todd Spence posted a clip from one of its episodes featuring a conversation between Williams and George Lucas.

The whole thing is a fascinating time capsule, packed with Lucas in a rare loose, candid mood, pitching ideas and cracking jokes, and it feels like he could say anything. At one point the subject turns to a film so thoroughly panned that most people still wince at the mention of it.

"One of my brilliant ideas was to take Howard the Duck and redo Howard as a digital character, then get a better voice such as yourself," Lucas told Williams. "Do the same movie… pull [Howard] out and, with a better voice, bring him back."

Lucas followed it up with what might be the most self-aware joke he has ever made in a public setting: "Howard the Duck – Special Edition. You hated it before, you'll loathe it now."

Give the man credit for knowing exactly what he had on his hands. Howard the Duck arrived in theaters in 1986 as one of the first major comic book adaptations ever produced, and it was a disaster on basically every front.

Critics tore it apart, audiences mostly stayed away, and it walked away with just $37 million at the box office. For a film that came from the executive producer of Star Wars, that sting had to linger.

The character himself, rendered in a deeply unsettling duck suit with glassy eyes and a flat, uninspired voice performance, became shorthand for everything a comic book movie could get wrong.

Which is exactly why the Robin Williams pitch is so intriguing. Williams wasn't just a good voice actor, he was one of the greatest comedic actors and voice actors who ever lived.

His turn as the Genie in Aladdin is still considered a defining performance in animation history, the kind of work that makes you realize a single performer can completely transform a film's entire energy.

Reimagining Howard as a fully digital character and handing that voice work to Williams isn't a bad idea at all. It's actually kind of a great one.

Of course, the phrase "George Lucas Special Edition" carries its own complicated baggage. The Star Wars Special Editions released in 1997 are still a sore subject for a large portion of the fanbase, and the changes Lucas made over the years, including the infamous Greedo shooting first, have never fully stopped being debated.

So, even if the concept of a Howard remake had legs, the execution is sure to have have raised some eyebrows. It never happened, obviously. But Howard the Duck did find its way back into pop culture through a much gentler door.

The character showed up as a cheeky Easter egg in both Guardians of the Galaxy films, which was a great version of Howard the Duck, and I would still like to see more of him in the MCU.

Whether a Williams-voiced, digitally updated Howard could have redeemed the original film entirely is impossible to say. But the thought experiment alone is interesting, and hearing Lucas pitch it so casually, with that self-deprecating punchline, makes the whole thing feel like a missed opportunity that was almost within reach.

We'll just have to live with wondering what could have been.

In June 2000, Robin Williams sat down for a conversation with George Lucas for Robin's brief weekly interview show on audible. The episode was originally thirty minutes but below you'll find the entire raw recording from two different sessions, with discussions ranging from… pic.twitter.com/9o4oxcQfQS

— Todd Spence (@Todd_Spence) June 9, 2026

Brad Pitt returns to the wilderness in Paramount's survival thriller Heart of the Beast, reuniting with Fury director David Ayer for what could be his most raw performance yet.

In the film, a plane goes down somewhere deep in the Alaskan wilderness. The man who walks away from the wreckage is a former Special Forces soldier named James Belmont, he's got a three-legged combat dog named Odin by his side, and the two of them are going to have to claw their way back to civilization through one of the most unforgiving landscapes on the planet.

Paramount has released the first trailer for Heart of the Beast, and it’s everything fans of grimy, no-frills survival cinema could have hoped for.

The footage opens with flashes of James and Odin's shared military history, filling in just enough backstory to make their bond feel earned before the crash tears everything apart.

The footage flashes back to their time in the military, revealing that the German Shepherd lost his teeth and a leg in battle. And yet here the dog is again, back in the fight, doing what he was trained to do: protect his person.

Pitt's character battles the elements and embarks on a desperate attempt to stay alive, climbing mountains and crossing rivers. The trailer captures both the scale of the wilderness and the intimacy of what's really at stake, which isn't survival in the abstract but the survival of this specific man and this specific dog, together.

Pitt, for his part, looks like he found something to dig into here. He looks like he gives a haunted performance as a man struggling with PTSD, but the true standout may be the retired service dog who protects him from bears, wolves and other beasts.

There are two lines from the trailer that they tell you everything about what kind of movie Ayer is making here First: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, it's the size of the fight in the dog." And then, after a harrowing river crossing nearly takes both man and animal under: "One last mission. Were not going to die out here."

The reunion between these two talents has been a long time coming. After being in development for almost a decade, Heart of the Beast marks the first time Pitt and Ayer have worked together since Fury, their brutal 2014 World War II drama that put five men in a tank and dared audiences to look away.

Where that film was built on the claustrophobia of war and the bonds formed within a crew, this one strips everything back even further to just a man, his dog, and the wilderness.

Ayer admitted he cried while reading through the script for the first time, comparing it to a "tone poem, in a sense." James and his dog, Odin, are "constantly rescuing each other" throughout the film, with the two characters feeling like "co-equals in this story."

Principal photography began in March 2025 in Queenstown, New Zealand, and wrapped in May of that year. The filming locations also included Lake Wakatipu, Glenorchy, Mount Aspiring National Park, and Milford Sound.

The film is set in Alaska but was shot in New Zealand, and Ayer pushed to film on terrain that had genuinely never been used for a production before. "No one's ever filmed there before," said Ayer, "and it took a lot of liaising with the New Zealand government and conservationist people to show them that we were going to be good citizens and tread really lightly on what is sacred land."

Rounding out the cast are Oscar winner J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe, with the script written by Cameron Alexander. Producers on the film notably includes Damien Chazelle, the filmmaker behind Whiplash and La La Land, who also worked with Pitt on Babylon.

Heart of the Beast opens in theaters on September 25, 2026.

Star Wars fans have a chance to dig even deeper into the The Mandalorian and Grogu thanks to Jon Favreau's director's commentary, which is available through the TheatersEars app.

As expected, the commentary is packed with fascinating behind-the-scenes details, including the story behind a subtle Luke Skywalker connection involving Grogu that wasn't planned ahead of time.

One of the film's memorable moments comes when Din Djarin is injured and Grogu is left to fend for himself. During that sequence, we see the little Force user sitting on a tree stump, peacefully meditating. For Star Wars fans, the image immediately feels familiar.

The scene echoes Grogu's time training with Luke Skywalker in The Book of Boba Fett. In Episode 6 of that series, audiences watched Luke and Grogu meditate together as the young apprentice explored the Jedi path.

According to Favreau, the meditation moment in The Mandalorian and Grogu wasn't something that had been carefully mapped out during pre-production. The filmmaker came up with the idea while filming and decided to use some extra time on set to capture it.

Favreau's reasoning is that he believes Grogu likely picked up the practice from Luke and could still be applying those lessons even after leaving formal Jedi training behind. In his mind, Grogu may be continuing aspects of his Jedi education on his own.

That's an interesting layer to add to the character, especially considering where Grogu's journey has taken him. During The Book of Boba Fett, Luke presented him with a choice… Remain with the Jedi and continue his training, or return to Din Djarin. Grogu ultimately chose Mando, setting him on a very different path as a Mandalorian apprentice.

Even so, Favreau made it clear that Grogu's connection to the Force remains an important part of who he is. Before the film's release, he explained:

"He's not on the typical Jedi path of a youngling, but he has trained with some of the best Jedi teachers that there are. We know for sure he's studied with Luke Skywalker.

“There's implications that he may have crossed paths with Yoda, because he does recognize the name, is what we imply. And he also was there at the Jedi Temple before Order 66.

"So, it's a big part in talking to Dave Filoni, and by extension, to what he learned from George [Lucas], which is that the Force is about training," he continued.

"It's about refining, just like an athletic ability or any skill. And we do see that, although Grogu is not serving under somebody who is teaching him, he still clearly is meditating and going through some version of the Jedi discipline.

“So, I think that his Force use has definitely leveled up a bit. Luke Skywalker didn't study under Obi-Wan for very long, but still refined his skills. So, I think that that's part of the path that's available to Grogu, as per what we've already learned from the previous Star Wars films."

The moment included in the film reinforces the idea that Grogu hasn't abandoned his Jedi roots. He's forging his own path, blending what he learned from the Jedi with the life he's building alongside Din Djarin.

That may not be the only Luke-related Easter egg tucked into the movie. Early on in the film, there appears to be R2-D2 being unloaded from an X-Wing in the background of the film's opening credits sequence. Lucasfilm hasn't confirmed the sighting, but it's exactly the kind of detail that Star Wars fans love to hunt for.

The director's commentary has already revealed several other fun tidbits as well. Favreau discusses seeking George Lucas's approval for a specific element of the movie, explains how Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order helped inspire a major action sequence, and even shares that one of the film's most amusing lines was improvised.

It's always fun learning how these moments come together, and in this case, a spontaneous idea on set ended up creating a meaningful connection between Grogu's past with Luke Skywalker and the future he's carving out for himself.

For fans invested in Grogu's Force journey, that brief meditation scene carries a lot more weight than it first appeared to.

Temuera Morrison was hoping to see Boba Fett ride back into the action in The Mandalorian and Grogu, and some fans have been wondering why one of the franchise’s most iconic bounty hunters didn’t factor into the story, especially considering where the film takes place and the connections it has to characters from Boba Fett’s corner of the galaxy.

During a recent interaction with a fan who mentioned that he wished Boba Fett had appeared in the movie, Morrison shared:

"I was hoping to pop in there, too, and maybe help [Din Djarin and Grogu] out with something," Morrison told a fan who said that he hoped Boba would've made an appearance. "They might want him back one day… you never know."

I’m not sure exactly how he would’ve factored into the story that Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni wanted to tell, but it’s pretty reasonable to think that Boba Fett will return one day.

Boba Fett already has a strong connection to Din Djarin and Grogu after appearing in Season 2 of The Mandalorian. He played a major role in Episodes 6, 7, and 8, helping the heroes during some of the show's biggest moments.

His return to the Star Wars universe was one of the highlights of that season and set the stage for his own spinoff series, which ended up dissapointing fans.

Considering that Boba’s story in The Book of Boba Fett ended with him taking over Jabba’s former throne, there could’ve been a connection there. But, this movie wasn’t the place for the character to return.

Boba Fett has been sitting on the sidelines since The Book of Boba Fett wrapped up its lone season on Disney+ in 2022. Morrison has previously suggested that the reception to the series may have affected the character’s future within the franchise, leaving many wondering if Lucasfilm has any concrete plans for him moving forward.

For now, Boba Fett is absent from The Mandalorian and Grogu, but Morrison doesn’t sound like someone who has given up hope. And with Star Wars always finding ways to bring fan-favorite characters back into the fold, his comment feels less like a goodbye and more like a reminder that there’s still room for the legendary bounty hunter somewhere down the road.

As Morrison put it, "They might want him back one day… you never know."

Academy Award winners Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, aka The Daniels (Everything Everywhere All At Once), are working on their next film, an untitled superhero project that they’re keeping firmly under wraps.

All we know so far is that after Ryan Gosling (Barbie, Project Hail Mary) recently dropped out, Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting, The Odyssey) signed on to star, and now we have a rumor about who may be starring opposite Damon.

According to insider Daniel Richtman, Academy Award winner Emma Stone (The Amazing Spider-Man, Cruella, Bugonia) is also in talks to star.

Details on the movie are sparse, but it has been described as a high-profile event movie with sci-fi, action, and comedy elements, as well as a "superhero tentpole where global warming is the villain."

World of Reel added the following synopsis: "The story reportedly jumps between two timelines — one set in the 1980s and the other in the present day — with the ’80s storyline centered on a group of teenagers. Damon would play the father of one of the teens.

“The project is a major swing for Universal Pictures, carrying a budget reportedly in the $150 million range. Most of the cast is expected to be teenagers, along with their parents (Stone and Damon?), which helps explain why the studio was seeking actors with movie-star appeal who could still fit The Daniels’ offbeat sensibilities."

Everything Everywhere All At Once was an incredibly original film that really got fans excited to be back in the theatre. I look forward to seeing what The Daniels do with their next project.

A24 has released a brand-new trailer for The Invite, the latest film from Olivia Wilde, and it looks like audiences are in for one seriously memorable night.

Following her previous directing efforts Booksmart and Don't Worry Darling, Wilde returns with a comedy-drama that takes a simple dinner party setup and turns it into something much messier, funnier, and far more complicated.

The film first premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where it earned strong reactions from critics and audiences alike, and this latest trailer offers a better look at why people have been talking about it.

The story centers on Joe and Angela, a married couple whose relationship is hanging by a thread. Hoping to shake things up, they invite their mysterious upstairs neighbors over for dinner.

What begins as an ordinary evening quickly evolves into a chain of conversations, confessions, and revelations that send everyone into uncomfortable but fascinating territory.

The official synopsis asks: "Joe and Angela's marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places. Have they reignited the spark or lit the match that burns it all down?"

What makes The Invite especially intriguing is its contained setting. The entire story unfolds inside a single apartment, putting all of the focus on the characters, their relationships, and the escalating tension between them. It’s a setup that relies heavily on strong performances.

The film stars Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde as Joe and Angela, alongside Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz as Hawk and Pína. Judging from the footage, the chemistry between all four actors is what drives the film, shifting effortlessly between comedy, discomfort, vulnerability, and emotional honesty.

While the marketing leans into the laughs, The Invite appears to have more on its mind than simply generating awkward dinner-party comedy.

As the evening unfolds, the story digs into relationships, intimacy, communication, and the complicated realities of long-term partnerships. It’s that blend of humor and genuine emotional exploration that seems to have resonated with Sundance audiences.

The screenplay comes from Will McCormack and Rashida Jones, and the film serves as an English-language remake of the 2020 Spanish film The People Upstairs, also known as Sentimental, from filmmaker Cesc Gay.

The new trailer does an excellent job of teasing the chaos without giving away too much, letting the cast's sharp interactions and escalating discomfort do most of the work.

Between Wilde’s direction and a quartet of talented performers bouncing off each other, this looks like the kind of character-driven comedy that can surprise audiences.

A24 will open The Invite in select theaters on June 26, 2026, before expanding nationwide on July 10.

Spider-Man fans may want to get comfortable in their theater seats because Spider-Man: Brand New Day is reportedly set to be the longest Spider-Man movie ever made.

According to AMC Theatres, the upcoming Marvel film is listed with a runtime of 150 minutes, which comes out to two and a half hours. If that listing holds true, it will edge past Spider-Man: No Way Home, which currently holds the record as the longest Spider-Man movie at 148 minutes.

That runtime doesn't just put Brand New Day at the top of the Spider-Man franchise. It also places it among some of the longest movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Only Eternals (156 minutes), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (161 minutes), and Avengers: Endgame (181 minutes) would remain ahead of it on the MCU runtime chart.

For a character who has often thrived in fast-moving, tightly paced adventures, a 150-minute runtime suggests Marvel and Sony have a lot of story to tell with Peter Parker's next chapter.

In the film, following the events of No Way Home, Peter Parker is living in a world where nobody remembers who he is. His friends, loved ones, and the rest of the planet have forgotten his secret identity, leaving him to start over completely on his own.

Based on what we've seen in the first trailer, moving forward isn't proving easy. Peter is still carrying the emotional weight of losing the life he once had, especially when it comes to MJ. While he's trying to embrace this fresh start, the past doesn't seem ready to let go.

As if rebuilding his life wasn't enough, Peter will also be dealing with some dangerous new complications. The film is set to feature Jon Bernthal's Punisher, bringing one of Marvel's most ruthless vigilantes into Spider-Man's corner of the MCU.

Fans will also see Michael Mando finally return as Scorpion, a character who has been waiting in the wings since his brief appearance in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Then there's the mystery surrounding Sadie Sink's character. Marvel has kept details completely under wraps, and speculation continues to run wild regarding who she could be playing. Then, he’ll also be dealing with The Hand and Hunk.

With all of those story threads in play, the extended runtime starts to make a lot more sense. Marvel appears to be giving Peter Parker room to process the fallout from No Way Home while also setting up major developments for the future of the MCU.

Spider-Man remains one of Marvel's most popular heroes, and if this reported runtime is accurate, audiences will be spending more time with the wall-crawler than ever before when Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives in theaters.

The wait for another look at the film may not be much longer, either. Reports indicate that a second trailer could be arriving soon, giving fans a better idea of what Peter's next adventure has in store.

Amazon has also announced early screenings for Prime members in the United States, allowing some fans to catch the movie two days before its wide release.

For now, it looks like Spider-Man: Brand New Day is shaping up to be one of Marvel's biggest and most ambitious Spider-Man stories yet. And if Peter Parker thought starting over would make life simpler, it seems he's about to learn the exact opposite.

DC Studios has finally given fans something fresh to chew on with a new teaser for Supergirl, and it puts the spotlight squarely on one of the most anticipated characters in the upcoming film, Jason Momoa’s Lobo.

The brief promo offers the best look yet at the intergalactic bounty hunter in action, and if there was any doubt that Momoa was born to play the character, this footage should put it to rest.

Unlike some of the previous teasers that leaned heavily on familiar footage, this new footage unleashes Lobo in all his chaotic glory.

The “Main Man” tears through multiple opponents while cackling like a complete maniac, looking right at home in the middle of the mayhem. The teaser then delivers a line that perfectly sums up the twisted code he lives by: “I kill for money, not for sport.”

The footage wraps up with Lobo casually driving off the edge of a cliff without a second thought.

For longtime DC fans, it’s exactly the kind of reckless insanity they’d expect from the character. Lobo has always been one of the wildest figures in DC Comics, and his history is every bit as disturbing as this teaser suggests.

The cigar-chomping mercenary hails from the planet Czarnia and holds the rather horrifying distinction of being its sole survivor.

Not because of some cosmic catastrophe or alien invasion, but because he personally wiped out his entire species. In the comics, Lobo unleashed mutant scorpion-like creatures on his own people and destroyed the planet simply because he thought it would be entertaining.

That darkly absurd backstory is a huge part of what has made the character such a fan favorite over the years, and it looks like DC Studios isn’t pulling any punches with its live-action adaptation.

Of course, bringing a character like Lobo to life required more than just throwing on some makeup and leather. Momoa recently opened up about the challenges of filming his first action scenes aboard Lobo’s iconic Spacehog, a heavily customized bike equipped with rockets.

The actor previously shared an amusing story about that, saying: “My first day of action was pretty funny. There’s like a fireball up my a**, I have to go and then hit the brakes… It’s very clumsy, with rockets on it, so it can’t do the things you want it to do.”

Supergirl stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El and Supergirl, with a screenplay written by Ana Nogueira and directed by Craig Gillespie. The film is set to hit theaters on June 26, and if this latest look is any indication, Lobo may end up stealing every scene he appears in.

DC fans have been waiting a long time to see the Main Man make his live-action debut, and from what we've seen so far, Momoa looks ready to deliver a gloriously chaotic version of one of comics’ most unpredictable antiheroes.

Would we want him any other way? Not really. #Supergirl - only in theaters June 26. Get tickets now: https://t.co/i8YOU5FL7f pic.twitter.com/EIMEizT5nt

— Supergirl (@supergirl) June 8, 2026

Only she can save the universe in new 'Supergirl' TV spot pic.twitter.com/mdXjxSbwKr

— Superman Saga News (@SuperSagaNews) June 7, 2026

It's not easy saving the universe in new 'Supergirl' TV spot pic.twitter.com/v5PUUWpnb9

— Superman Saga News (@SuperSagaNews) June 7, 2026

Sadie Sink (Stranger Things, The Whale) will star in and executive produce The Marriage Plot, a limited series for FX and Hulu adapted from Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel. The project hails from writer Will Arbery (Succession), who also executive produces with Hiro Murai (Atlanta, Widow’s Bay), who is set to direct.

The Marriage Plot follows three recent college graduates caught in an all-consuming love triangle as they reconcile their youthful romantic aspirations with looming adulthood and make life-altering choices about love and identity.

This is Arbery’s second series order at FX in less than a year, with his original series Seven Sisters picked up in December.

Sink’s additional film credits include Fear Street, The Glass Castle, and Chuck. Next, she will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and is set to executive producer the film adaptation of John Proctor Is The Villain for Universal.

via: Deadline

If you’re a hardcore Doctor Who fan, it's time to sit down, take a deep breath, and process some big news, because the BBC just dropped a bombshell that's going to shake up the Whoniverse.

The BBC has officially confirmed that it won't be moving forward with the Doctor Who Christmas special that had been announced for this year, and showrunner Russell T Davies along with production company Bad Wolf are exiting the series entirely.

The corporation is putting the beloved sci-fi institution out to competitive tender, essentially opening the door to a full creative reset.

The official statement from the BBC made clear that this isn't the end of the show, just the end of an era. "Doctor Who remains an important part of the BBC and this tender underpins the BBC's continued commitment to Doctor Who ensuring audiences will enjoy the show for years to come."

As for the Christmas special, it's gone. The BBC acknowledged the sting of that decision, saying: "This decision was not taken lightly, and we know it will be disappointing for fans, but in order to set the show up for future series, it was decided that rather than bridge the gap with a one-off special, we are choosing to push forward to invest in the long-term future of the show which ensures that when the TARDIS lands once more, it does so in all its glory."

When Ncuti Gatwa stepped away from the role of the Doctor after two seasons last year, Disney+ followed him out the door, ending its co-production deal with the BBC and leaving the show's future genuinely murky.

The Christmas special existed as a stopgap, a way to keep the lights on while the bigger questions got sorted out. Now that a clearer path forward is emerging through the tender process, that stopgap isn't needed anymore.

Davies, who originally revived the series back in 2005 and returned to steer it again in 2023, said his goodbyes on Instagram:

"And so GOODBYE from me to Doctor Who but HELLO to a big new future for the show, as the BBC announces it's putting the show out to tender.

“As a result, there won't be a Christmas Special — we only cooked that up to guarantee a future when no one knew what would happen, but now we do know, there's no need for it. You'll have to wait a bit longer for new Doctor Who… but you'll be waiting for MORE Doctor Who than a one-off. So it's worth it!"

He also took a moment to address the speculation that has been swirling online about a secret script and mystery casting decisions, and he wasn't having any of it.

"For the record: there was no script, I never wrote it, and no actor was ever approached to play the next Doctor. You may disagree; fine, sit in that chair and wait to be proved right.

“You'll wait a lonnng time 🪑 Now I'm as excited as anyone to see what comes next! Will they keep the theme tune? Will they lose the blue box? Will they bring back the Drahvin?! It's all up for grabs, which is so Doctor Who, exciting and unpredictable and new! Here comes the future, vworp vworp."

Of course, the biggest unresolved thread heading into all of this is Billie Piper. Gatwa's final episode in May 2025 ended with his Doctor regenerating into Piper, the actress who originally played companion Rose Tyler from 2005 to 2006.

Whether she was set to become the next full-time Doctor has never been officially confirmed, and with the tender process now reshaping everything about the show's future, that question feels more open.

Piper herself was coy when she addressed the moment at the time: "It's no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that Tardis one more time was just something I couldn't refuse, but who, how, why and when, you'll just have to wait and see."

So where does that leave us? Without a Christmas special, without Davies, and without a confirmed next Doctor, Doctor Who is heading into genuinely uncharted territory.

The tender process will eventually produce a new production partner and presumably a new creative team, and whoever that turns out to be will inherit one of television's most passionate and demanding fanbases.

But here's the thing, and Davies himself kind of said it best, this is actually very Doctor Who. The show has always been about change, reinvention, and the excitement of not quite knowing what comes next. The blue box lands somewhere new, a new face steps out, and somehow, against all odds, it works again.

Whether you're excited about the shake-up or a little devastated that the Davies era is really, truly over, the promise of more Doctor Who on the other side of this reset is something worth holding onto. The TARDIS will fly again. We just don't know who'll be at the controls yet.

What do you think, is a full creative reset exactly what Doctor Who needs right now, or is losing Davies a loss the show won't easily recover from?

Via: Variety

One of the more entertaining things about following James Gunn on social media is that no question seems too strange for him to answer. Whether fans are asking about major DCU story details or hyper-specific comic book logic, Gunn is usually game to respond.

The latest example might be one of the silliest Supergirl discussions yet. After a Threads user questioned how Milly Alcock's Supergirl could possibly have pierced ears if Kryptonians have bulletproof skin, Gunn stepped in with a simple and obvious explanation.

He responded: "As explained in Superman, the same way she gets drunk – she goes to a planet with a red sun. Not to mention she was raised on a chunk of Krypton so didn't even experience super powers until her teens."

And just like that, the debate was settled. Kara simply had her ears pierced while under the effects of a red sun, which weakens Kryptonian abilities and makes the process as ordinary as it would be for anyone else.

Comic book fans may remember the famously weird answer to another Kryptonian grooming question… How does Superman shave? The traditional comic book explanation involves Clark Kent using his own heat vision and a mirror to burn away his facial hair. Suddenly, a red sun ear piercing doesn't seem all that unusual.

Of course, the conversation around Kara's earrings is really just a small footnote compared to what fans will eventually see from Alcock's take on the character.

The actress has previously discussed what makes this version of Supergirl different from her iconic cousin, and it sounds like audiences can expect a hero who isn't interested in being perfect.

Alcock previously explained: "You don't have to be perfect in order to come to some sort of internal self-resolution. I think that we're kind of thrusted upon this narrative, especially women, that you have to be perfect. I think that Kara is someone who so beautifully leans into her flaws. I think that's really, really special."

That perspective lines up with what DC fans know about this incarnation of Kara Zor-El. Unlike Superman, who often serves as an aspirational symbol of hope and moral certainty, Supergirl's journey tends to be messier and more emotionally complicated. She carries trauma, makes mistakes, and struggles in ways that make her feel distinct from Clark Kent.

Whether fans love or hate the earrings, it's clear Alcock understands the character she's bringing to the screen. If Gunn and the creative team deliver on that promise, audiences could end up with one of the more interesting heroes in the new DC Universe.

Supergirl is currently scheduled to fly into theaters on June 26, where fans will finally get a chance to see Alcock's Kara in action.

Steven Spielberg has fueled our fascination with extraterrestrials through films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Now, as his latest sci-fi mystery Disclosure Day gets ready to hit theaters, the legendary filmmaker is once again stirring up conversations about life beyond Earth, but this time it's not just through storytelling.

A longtime fan theory surrounding Disclosure Day has suggested that the movie is somehow tied to the idea of revealing the existence of real extraterrestrial life to the public. Whether people take that seriously or not, Spielberg recently shared some comments that are sure to add fuel to the discussion.

During an appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, Spielberg was asked about the possibility of alien visitors, and his answer left little room for doubt regarding what he believes.

He said: “Based on the circumstantial evidence of everything that I’ve gathered throughout my whole life, everybody I’ve listened to and every documentary I’ve ever watched and all the testimonies in Congress that I’ve heard, I absolutely think that they have been here, and they are here. And who knows, maybe they’ve always been here.”

That's a pretty fascinating perspective coming from one of Hollywood's most iconic filmmakers, especially when he's about to release a movie centered on humanity confronting a reality-changing revelation.

The marketing campaign for Disclosure Day has embraced the mystery in a big way. Recent trailers have leaned heavily into the possibility that extraterrestrials are real, even offering audiences a glimpse at the alien beings that play a major role in the story.

The movie appears to be asking a question that has captivated people for generations: What happens when humanity finally gets proof that we're not alone?

Interestingly, not everyone involved with the film shares Spielberg's view. Screenwriter David Koepp, who wrote the screenplay, reportedly disagrees with the director's belief that aliens have already visited Earth. That difference in perspective makes the project even more intriguing, as the creative team approaches the subject from different angles.

The official synopsis teases a world-changing event: “If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? This summer, the truth belongs to eight billion people. We are coming close to … Disclosure Day.”

While the movie's early box office projections haven't generated a lot of optimism, the reaction from those who have seen the film has been encouraging. Positive first impressions have sparked speculation that the film could earn a very strong reviews.

Spielberg's last two films earned plenty of praise from critics, and expectations are high for this latest project. There's also a lot of attention being focused on Emily Blunt, whose performance is already generating excitement among movie fans eager to see what she brings to the story.

Disclosure Day features an impressive cast that includes Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Wyatt Russell, and Colman Domingo.

Whether you believe aliens have visited Earth or think it's all science fiction, Spielberg's comments have certainly added another layer of intrigue to a movie that was already generating plenty of curiosity. We won't have to wait much longer to find out what Disclosure Day has in store.

Disclosure Day lands in theaters on June 12, 2026.

Marvel and Sony have dropped a fresh look at Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with a new poster and video announcing that tickets for the highly anticipated MCU sequel are about to go on sale.

The latest promotional poster puts Spider-Man front and center as he dives from a towering building toward the streets below. It also offers another clean look at the vibrant red-and-blue suit.

Alongside the poster, a new video was released featuring Tom Holland, who personally encourages fans to secure their seats once advance ticket sales become available next week. The message is followed by footage from the movie’s first trailer, giving viewers another look at the action-packed adventure awaiting Peter Parker.

The footage highlights several of Spider-Man’s confrontations, including battles against Boomerang, Tarantula, and the Hand, while teasing the street-level direction that Marvel Studios and Sony are taking with the character’s next chapter.

If you're eager for more footage, you likely won’t have to wait much longer. A new trailer is expected to arrive soon. As has become common with major Marvel releases, portions of the upcoming trailer have reportedly leaked online ahead of its official debut.

Beyond that, various spoilers, toy reveals, and promotional materials have already surfaced across the internet, giving fans plenty to speculate about.

The story of Brand New Day will follow Peter Parker as he attempts to balance his personal life with his responsibilities as Spider-Man while protecting New York City from a fresh wave of threats.

Following the events of No Way Home, Peter is essentially starting over, making this one of the most intriguing chapters in Holland’s Spider-Man saga.

The film will also reunite Peter with Zendaya’s MJ while bringing back familiar MCU faces, including Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner and Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle.

Holland’s involvement in the project extends beyond starring in it. The actor reportedly helped shape the story by pitching one of the movie’s central ideas himself, giving him a creative hand in where Peter Parker’s journey goes next.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton from a screenplay written by Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, and Justin Kuritzkes.

The film swings into theaters on July 31, 2026.

Set those reminders. In ONE WEEK, you can finally secure your tickets for #SpiderManBrandNewDay - in theatres July 31. pic.twitter.com/qQLfYYIFxN

— Spider-Man Movie (@SpiderManMovie) June 10, 2026

View fullsize

If you've been patiently waiting for Edge of Tomorrow 2 to stop being a Hollywood ghost story, today might be the day your patience pays off.

A fresh casting report has surfaced saying that Charlize Theron is being considered for a role in the long-awaited sequel to Tom Cruise's 2014 sci-fi movie, and the idea of her joining the project is enough to get the blood pumping.

Industry insider MyTimeToShineHello dropped the news on X, stating simply that "Charlize Theron is being eyed for a role in Edge of Tomorrow 2." It's the kind of rumor that sounds almost too good to dismiss. I love the thought of Theron starring alongside Cruise and Emily Blunt in this film if it actually ever happens.

The original Edge of Tomorrow was a film that deserved far better than the lukewarm box office reception it initially received. The movie made roughly $370 million worldwide on a $178 million budget, which sounds decent until you realize that for a Tom Cruise sci-fi blockbuster, the studio expected considerably more.

Over the years, it has earned a passionate second life on streaming and home video, becoming one of those rare films people come to enjoy more with repeat viewings.

Director Doug Liman's offered a refreshingly honest account of rewatching it with Cruise saying: "Tom and I just actually rewatched it about two months ago, because I hadn't seen it in 10 years. I was like, 'Wow, that is a really good movie.'"

Liman is set to return to the director's chair, Cruise and Blunt are both confirmed to reprise their roles, and Christopher McQuarrie, who has been Cruise's go-to screenwriter for years, reportedly has a completed script. Emily Blunt confirmed as much back in August 2023, so the bones of this sequel have existed for a while now.

The hiccup, as it often is with sequel development, is momentum. It was previously reported filming could begin as early as fall 2026, but that was followed up with a report indicating Edge of Tomorrow 2 isn't currently in active development.

The outlet also confirmed the project hasn't been shelved. Warner Bros. Pictures apparently still intends to make it, the studio just hasn't pulled the trigger yet.

Liman, speaking in a previous interview captured the strange limbo the film occupies in Hollywood right now with a line that manages to be both gracious and a little pointed: "I do think there's probably no better compliment to a movie than people wanting for there to be a sequel."

He's right, and the fanbase for this one has been vocal for over a decade. Whether that goodwill translates into an actual greenlight and production timeline remains to be seen, but the signs are pointing in an encouraging direction.

A finished screenplay, original cast members locked in, Liman attached to direct, and now a report linking one of the most compelling actresses working today to the project? That's a lot of kindling.

Theron has a track record of elevating action-driven ensembles. Dropping her into the Edge of Tomorrow universe, a story built around time loops, alien invasions, and characters who learn to become warriors through sheer repetition, feels like an inspired fit.

Liman previously teased that the sequel would "revolutionize how people make sequels," which is exactly the kind of ambitious claim that signals that they are developing something genuinely special. Given what the first film pulled off creatively, there's real reason to believe he means it.

For now, the puzzle pieces exist. The question is when Warner Bros. decides to assemble them. What do you think about Charlize Theron possibly joining Edge of Tomorrow 2?

Disney’s live-action remake machine keeps moving forward, and its next destination is Moana. While the studio spent the last decade reimagining animated classics, it has now reached an interesting point where some of the movies getting the live-action treatment aren’t even that old.

That brings us to Moana, which arrives in theaters this summer less than ten years after the original animated film first sailed into audiences’ hearts. Disney has now released the final trailer for the highly anticipated remake, offering the most extensive look yet at the adventure waiting ahead.

Fans already knew that Dwayne Johnson would return as the larger-than-life demigod Maui, with newcomer Catherine Laga’aia stepping into the role of Moana.

But the latest footage also confirms another familiar face is coming back for the journey. Jemaine Clement is once again lending his voice to Tamatoa, the massive treasure-hoarding crab whose obsession with shiny things made him one of the animated film’s most memorable villains.

The trailer gives audiences their first look at Tamatoa in the live-action adaptation, and he looks every bit as flashy and eccentric as fans would hope.

Beyond the giant crab’s appearance, the footage showcases several iconic moments from the original movie recreated in live action. Viewers get glimpses of Te Fiti, Maui’s animal transformations, his living tattoos, and the return of Moana’s beloved animal companions, Heihei the rooster and Pua the pig.

One thing Disney is keeping under wraps, however, is the movie’s musical surprises. Music played a huge role in making the original Moana such a phenomenon, and that won’t change with this adaptation.

The film features original songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foaʻi, and Mark Mancina, with Mancina also providing the score. All three creatives are returning for the remake, which should be welcome news for fans who still have songs from the animated film stuck in their heads years later.

Interestingly, the trailer offers no clues about whether the film includes any brand-new songs. Disney’s live-action remakes typically revisit the classic tracks audiences know and love while adding at least one original song to help distinguish the new version.

Considering the original Moana earned an Academy Award nomination for “How Far I’ll Go,” it would be surprising if Disney didn’t have a few new musical additions waiting to be revealed.

The official synopsis reads: “In Moana, Disney’s live action reimagining of the beloved animated adventure, Moana answers the Ocean’s call and, for the first time, voyages beyond the reef of her island of Motunui with the infamous demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) on an unforgettable journey to restore prosperity to her people.”

The cast surrounding Laga’aia and Johnson is packed with talent, including John Tui as Chief Tui, Frankie Adams as Sina, and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala.

Auli’i Cravalho, who originally voiced Moana in the animated film, returns to the franchise in a new capacity as an executive producer.

The original Moana remains one of Disney’s most beloved modern animated films, and Moana 2 became a massive success in 2024 after making the jump from a planned Disney+ series to a theatrical release. That continued popularity gives this live-action adaptation a strong foundation heading into release.

Whether audiences were asking for a live-action version or not, Disney clearly believes there’s still plenty of adventure left in this story and they believe audiences will show up.

Moana sails into theaters on July 10.

Fresh off the massive success of Backrooms, director Kane Parsons may already be looking toward another beloved property, and it’s one that video game fans have wanted to see adapted for years.

Parsons recently appeared on The Town podcast, where he discussed what might come next after his breakout hit. While he made it clear that he isn’t eager to jump straight into established franchises, he did leave the door open for a couple of exceptions tied to projects he grew up loving.

According to Parsons, he wasn’t interested in tackling existing IP next "barring one or two things" from his childhood, adding that some early conversations are already taking place.

That comment immediately sparked speculation online as fans tried to figure out which properties he could be referring to. Portal is one title quickly rose to the top of the conversation.

Created by Kim Swift, Erik Wolpaw, and Valve, Portal remains one of gaming’s most celebrated franchises. The puzzle-based sci-fi series challenges players to navigate increasingly dangerous test chambers using a portal gun while dealing with the manipulative AI antagonist GLaDOS.

Its mix of clever gameplay, dark humor, and unsettling atmosphere has made it a fan favorite for nearly two decades.

The speculation gained even more traction when The New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan weighed in with information from a previous conversation he had with Parsons.

Buchanan shared on X: "I’ve seen people speculate that Kane Parsons is referring to a potential Portal movie here. I asked him in early May if he’d be interested in directing that and he said he was already looking into it 'with a lot of caution and a lot of curiosity.'"

So Parson’s is at least entertaining the possibility. Parsons feels like an interesting choice to bring the strange, unsettling world of Portal to life. His work on Backrooms demonstrated an ability to create plays with strange environments and atmosphere, turning empty, liminal spaces into something some audiences found unnerving.

Those strengths could translate well to the sterile testing facilities and psychological weirdness that define Portal.

Of course, nothing has been officially announced, and Parsons’ comments shouldn’t be taken as confirmation that a Portal movie is happening.

The attention surrounding Parsons is understandable. At just 20 years old, he recently became the youngest filmmaker ever to direct a movie that reached the number one spot at the U.S. box office with Backrooms.

The film, which attempted to explore the nightmare-like terror of liminal spaces, stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve and has become one of the year’s biggest surprise hits. Produced on a reported budget of just $10 million, the film has already earned nearly $150 million worldwide.

That kind of success means Hollywood is undoubtedly paying attention to whatever Parsons wants to do next. Whether that ends up being an original project or a trip through Aperture Science’s testing chambers remains to be seen, but the idea of a Portal movie from the director of Backrooms is certainly a possibility.

A rumored synopsis for the upcoming Marvel series VisionQuest has been leaked by industry scooper MyTimeToShine, who has a track record for producing some solid intel. Aside from a single sentence logline for the show, and the impressive cast list, the show’s plot has been kept well hidden, so this small bit of info is intriguing.

The synopsis reads: "The Vision, rebooted and having escaped those who sought to use him as a weapon, has been in hiding. His quest for new meaning and discreet existence is interrupted when a bounty is placed on his head, forcing Vision to forge real connections and embrace found family if he's to survive."

Paul Bettany previously said the series takes a "huge swing," adding, "It manages to feel very much like it's somehow part of [the MCU], an end to a trilogy, whilst also being very much its own thing.

And it is just really good. I'm really proud of it. We've been in editorial for a long while now, and I keep seeing cuts of it that just are getting better and better and then as all the effects get placed...it's funny, and it's moving, and it's super exciting, and [showrunner Terry Matalas] did a grand job."

VisionQuest stars Paul Bettany as Vision, Ruaridh Mollica as Tommy Maximoff, James Spader as Ultron, T'Nia Miller as Jocasta, James D'Arcy as J.A.R.V.I.S., Orla Brady as F.R.I.D.A.Y., Emily Hampshire as E.D.I.T.H., Henry Lewis as D.U.M.-E (or Dum-E), Jonathan Sayer as U, Todd Stashwick as Paladin, Faran Tahir as Raza, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki.

VisionQuest is set to premiere on Disney+ on October 14.

via: CBM

The long-awaited Death Stranding movie is still making its way through development, but director and writer Michael Sarnoski has offered an encouraging update on the project, including how Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima reacted after reading the script.

Fans have been curious to see how A24 and Sarnoski plan to bring Kojima’s strange, haunting, and deeply cinematic universe to the big screen. While the film is still without a release date, it sounds like things are moving forward smoothly.

Speaking with IGN, Sarnoski confirmed that he’s nearing the finish line on the screenplay. "I'm writing the script right now and hopefully almost done with that and really excited to dive into it."

As the script comes together, Sarnoski has been working closely with both Kojima and A24, refining the story through the usual development process. What’s interesting is that Kojima has given him room to carve out something new within the world fans already know.

"We're working on some revisions together, and they all seem super excited and happy with it. Kojima has been really generous in letting me play in his world but letting me tell a story with my own characters and my own sort of corner of this world, but keeping it honest to the game and doing something that fans will really like,"

That approach lines up with what Kojima previously revealed about the adaptation. Rather than retelling the events of the games starring Norman Reedus, the movie will tell an original story that exists within the same universe.

For longtime fans, that probably raises the obvious question: will any familiar faces show up? Sarnoski isn’t giving away much, but he did leave the door open.

"You might see some characters from the game pop up," Sarnoski teased. "But it definitely feels like something that could happen alongside the game and honors what's going on in the game but very much is its own thing."

One of the more entertaining details from the interview involved Kojima’s famous love of cinema. Anyone who follows the legendary game creator knows movies are practically embedded in his DNA, and apparently that passion showed itself immediately when he read the screenplay.

"I was impressed that when he read this script, without me needing to talk to him about it, he knew every single [movie] reference… He just knows movies incredibly well. So that's been very cool to see."

That probably won’t surprise anyone familiar with Kojima. The developer has spent years sharing film recommendations, celebrating filmmakers, and wearing his movie obsession proudly. So the fact that he instantly caught every cinematic reference in Sarnoski’s script feels perfectly on brand.

With Sarnoski crafting a new story inside the Death Stranding universe and receiving enthusiastic feedback from Kojima himself, there’s plenty of reason for fans to be optimistic about where this adaptation is headed.

And the Death Stranding universe continues to expand beyond the upcoming film. An anime adaptation is also currently in development, with Raised by Wolves writer Aaron Guzikowski attached to write the project.

For now, the Death Stranding movie remains undated, but it sounds like the creative team is making steady progress toward bringing one of gaming’s most fascinating worlds to theaters.

Warner Bros. has released three new clips from Supergirl, giving fans an exciting new look at the next chapter of the DC Universe.

The footage offers a closer look at Kara Zor-El’s journey, including her first on-screen meeting with Superman, the introduction of Jason Momoa’s long-awaited Lobo, and a glimpse at the larger cosmic adventure waiting for her beyond Earth.

One of the new scenes picks up shortly after Kara arrives on Earth with Krypto. It finally delivers the first interaction between Kara and her famous cousin, Superman, played by David Corenswet.

While fans might expect an emotional family reunion, the moment comes with an amusing complication. Superman hasn’t learned Kryptonian yet, making communication between the two a little awkward.

As the pair head toward the Fortress of Solitude, Kara immediately questions his choice of attire, asking why he’s dressed “in his underwear.” Superman brushes past the fashion critique and explains that her powers should begin emerging very soon now that she’s on Earth.

First clip from ‘SUPERGIRL’, starring Milly Alcock and David Corenswet.

(Source: @ComicBook) pic.twitter.com/MUtcsvqBEE

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 5, 2026

The second clip shines the spotlight on one of the movie’s most anticipated characters, Lobo. Fans have been eager to see Jason Momoa step into the role of the infamous intergalactic bounty hunter, and this preview finally offers another taste of what he’ll bring to the character.

The scene begins with Kara describing Lobo as “an immortal with a god complex” who “killed off his entire planet.” From there, the footage follows Lobo as he approaches what appears to be a bar while searching for someone specific. It’s a brief sequence, but it captures the attitude and presence fans would expect from the Main Man.

Lobo is introduced in new 'Supergirl' clip

"He's an immortal with a god complex. Killed off his entire planet" pic.twitter.com/ODCn22fHj7

— Superman Saga News (@SuperSagaNews) June 9, 2026

The third clip broadens the scope of the film and puts the focus back on Kara’s larger mission. It hints at the strange worlds, colorful characters, and dangerous situations she’ll encounter as she travels across the galaxy.

While the footage doesn’t reveal major plot details, it does reinforce the idea that Supergirl will embrace the cosmic side of DC in a big way.

New clip from SUPERGIRL pic.twitter.com/6H2O8lTGqT

— Everything_DCU (@EverythingDCU_) June 9, 2026

Directed by Craig Gillespie, Supergirl stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El and continues building on the foundation established by Superman. Alongside Alcock, the film also features Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Momoa, and Corenswet.

Supergirl is set to hit theaters on June 26, 2026.

Netflix has released the full trailer for Enola Holmes 3, giving fans their first real look at the next chapter in the hit mystery adventure franchise led by Millie Bobby Brown.

After two successful films turned Enola into a fan-favorite detective in her own right, the latest sequel takes her far beyond the streets of London and drops her into a mystery that looks bigger, riskier, and more personal than anything she's tackled before.

The trailer teases a globe-spanning adventure set on the Mediterranean island of Malta, where Enola finds herself caught between her personal ambitions and professional responsibilities while investigating a case that quickly spirals into dangerous territory.

The new location also gives the franchise a fresh backdrop, trading Victorian London’s familiar foggy streets for sun-soaked coastal landscapes and international intrigue.

Netflix's official synopsis reads: "Tis I do?! The critically-acclaimed ‘Enola Holmes’ franchise has returned, taking Enola far from London, where personal and professional dreams collide on a case more tangled and treacherous than any she has faced before.

“Adventure chases detective Enola Holmes to the Mediterranean island of Malta, where she ends up working on her most precarious unsolvable mystery yet."

Alongside the mystery, the trailer also hints at major developments in Enola's relationship with Tewkesbury, played once again by Louis Partridge.

Fans of the previous films will notice that marriage appears to be part of the story this time around, adding another layer of complexity as Enola tries to balance her future with the demands of her latest investigation.

Brown returns as Enola, joined by a familiar cast that includes Partridge, Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes, Helena Bonham Carter as Eudoria Holmes, Himesh Patel, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, and Susan Wokoma.

This installment also introduces a new creative voice to the franchise. Enola Holmes 3 is directed by Philip Barantini, whose previous work includes Villain, Boiling Point, Accused, and the acclaimed series Adolescence. The screenplay comes from Jack Thorne, who also penned the previous entries in the series.

The film is based on Nancy Springer’s Enola Holmes Mysteries novels, which are inspired by the world and characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Enola Holmes 3 premieres exclusively on Netflix on July 1, 2026. Based on what we've seen so far, this one looks like another fun adventure for the young detective, with higher stakes, a larger scope, and a mystery that may finally push Enola to her limits.

Steven Spielberg has given audiences some of the most memorable alien stories ever put on screen. From the awe and wonder of Close Encounters of the Third Kind to the heartfelt friendship at the center of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, his films have shaped how generations think about life beyond Earth.

Now, with the upcoming sci-fi thriller Disclosure Day, one of the film’s stars believes Spielberg has completed an unofficial trilogy of alien-focused stories.

Speaking with GamesRadar+, Josh O’Connor shared his thoughts on where Disclosure Day fits within Spielberg’s long history of extraterrestrial storytelling.

"I don't want to speak for Steven, but I think there is an element of it being the third in a sort of trio: Close Encounters, E.T., and this. Obviously, War of the Worlds is in there as well, but Steven's talked about those three."

That’s an interesting perspective, especially considering Spielberg’s deep creative connection to all three projects. While Disclosure Day isn’t a direct sequel to either Close Encounters or E.T., it does share thematic DNA with those films.

Spielberg directed all three, and Disclosure Day is based on a story he developed himself. He also famously wrote Close Encounters of the Third Kind and played a major role in bringing E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial to life, making the connection feel even stronger.

What makes Disclosure Day particularly intriguing is that the film arrives at a time when public fascination with UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena is at a high point.

Congressional hearings on UAPs, along with the Pentagon’s recent release of additional UFO-related documents, have pushed conversations about possible extraterrestrial life further into the mainstream.

O’Connor admitted that the timing feels unusual. "It's a really strange thing. But it's nice that there's that feeling around the film."

His co-star Eve Hewson took the subject matter seriously enough to dive into interviews with people who claim to have encountered non-human lifeforms while preparing for her role. The research apparently left a lasting impression.

"People keep ignoring it, somehow. It's really weird. [Whistleblowers] keep being like: 'This is real, these are facts,' And everyone's like, 'Say what?' [laughs]"

The film follows Daniel Kellner, played by O’Connor, a whistleblower who finds himself hunted by a powerful extra-governmental organization determined to conceal evidence of alien life.

Hewson plays Jane, Kellner’s former girlfriend and an ex-novitiate who wrestles with the existence of non-human intelligence through the lens of faith and religion.

The cast also includes Emily Blunt, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell, and Colin Firth, giving the film one of the most exciting ensemble lineups of the summer movie season.

One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Disclosure Day is the nature of the aliens themselves. Spielberg and the filmmakers have kept those details tightly under wraps.

There have even been some wild online theories suggesting the movie is tied to an elaborate effort to prepare the public for real-world alien disclosure. Screenwriter David Koepp, however, has already shut down those rumors.

Whether Disclosure Day ultimately earns a place alongside Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial in fans’ minds remains to be seen.

But if O’Connor’s comments are any indication, Spielberg’s latest sci-fi adventure may serve as the final piece of a fascinating thematic trilogy that has been decades in the making.

Audiences won’t have to wait much longer to find out. Disclosure Day lands in U.S. theaters on June 12.

When Amazon MGM’s Masters of the Universe hit theaters, there was a lot of hope that the long-awaited live-action adaptation of the beloved He-Man franchise would launch as a major theatrical event.

Instead, the film stumbled out of the gate financially, pulling in just $54.4 million worldwide during its opening weekend against a reported production budget approaching $200 million, not including marketing costs.

Those numbers aren’t what anyone would call a strong start. But Amazon MGM doesn’t seem particularly concerned.

The studio is taking a much broader view of the film’s performance, focusing on audience engagement and the movie’s long-term value rather than judging its success solely by opening weekend ticket sales.

In a statement to Variety, Amazon MGM’s domestic distribution chief Kevin Wilson shared the studio’s perspective on the film’s launch:

"[Director] Travis Knight and the entire cast and filmmaking team have delivered something truly special, and this opening is exactly the kind of critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy – building awareness and engagement that will carry well beyond the theatrical window,"

The comment highlights an increasingly common approach among studios that also operate major streaming platforms.

While theatrical revenue remains important, movies like Masters of the Universe are also viewed as long-term assets that can continue attracting audiences once they arrive on streaming.

Whether that strategy ultimately pays off remains to be seen, but there are at least some encouraging signs for the fantasy adventure.

While critics and box office analysts continue to debate the film’s theatrical prospects, audiences appear to be responding much more positively. The movie currently holds an impressive 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting that moviegoers who are showing up are having a good time with it.

Directed by Travis Knight, the film stars Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam, the heir to Eternia who must return home to defend his world from the evil Skeletor, awesomely played by Jared Leto. The cast also includes Camila Mendes and Idris Elba, helping bring the iconic Mattel universe to life on the big screen.

I personally had a blast with it. It delivers exactly the kind of larger-than-life fantasy adventure that many fans were hoping for. Knight embraces the weirdness and spectacle of the property. The action is entertaining, the world-building is fun, and the movie captures the spirit of the classic franchise in a way that feels genuine.

Galitzine also does a great job carrying the film, bringing both sincerity and heroism to Prince Adam’s journey. Meanwhile, Leto leans fully into Skeletor, creating a villain who is theatrical, menacing, and the best part of the movie.

That doesn’t mean the movie is perfect, but it’s a far more enjoyable experience than its opening weekend numbers might suggest. In fact, it’s the kind of film that could find a larger audience over time through word-of-mouth and streaming.

The big question now is whether audience enthusiasm can translate into staying power. For a franchise with decades of nostalgia attached to it, that may be where the real test begins.

Amazon MGM clearly believes Masters of the Universe has a future that extends well beyond its theatrical debut.

Let's be real for a second. When Pixar announced Toy Story 5, the internet had... opinions. The argument was fair, too. Toy Story 3 wrapped things up so perfectly in 2010 that people genuinely wept in theaters and called it one of the greatest trilogy-cappers ever put on screen.

Then Toy Story 4 came along in 2019 and somehow managed to do it all over again, delivering yet another emotionally resonant send-off for Woody and the gang.

So when a fifth film got announced, the collective skepticism from fans was more than understandable. Well, the first reactions for Toy Story 5 are out and they are setting the internet on fire.

Critics and fans who got early access to the film have started sharing their thoughts, and the consensus isn't just positive. It's ecstatic.

Andrew Salazar from Discussing Film set the tone, saying: "Toy Story 5 is a genuine home run." Jazz Tangcay from Variety matched that energy without hesitation, writing, "Toy Story 5 is magical and pure perfection."

If those two reactions alone aren't enough to get you excited, film critic Scott Menzel went even further, calling it "a wonderfully heartfelt return to form for Pixar Animation Studios and a reminder of why the Toy Story franchise remains one of the greatest film series ever made."

So what's the movie actually about? While Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) are both part of the story, this one belongs to Jessie. Joan Cusack's cowgirl finally steps into the spotlight as the central character, and the emotional engine driving everything is deeply personal.

A new tablet toy named Lilypad, voiced by Greta Lee, arrives and immediately captures the attention of young Bonnie (Scarlett Spears), triggering something Jessie fans have waited a long, long time to see addressed on screen.

Her abandonment trauma, first introduced in Toy Story 2 with the heartbreaking "When She Loved Me" sequence, gets fully explored here. The wound that's been sitting under the surface for over two decades finally gets its moment.

Tangcay said: "Jessie finally gets the story she deserves! It's emotional, funny, genuinely warm, and perfect in every way."

Meredith Loftus from Collider went even deeper, saying: "Toy Story 5 hit me in places I was unprepared for! Exploring the divide between technology and toys through Jessie results in a deeply profound, moving story that had me in a puddle of tears. I put it up there with Toy Story 2 & 3. It's that excellent!"

Comparing anything to Toy Story 2 and 3 is a big statement. Those are two wonderfully made and beloved animated films. The fact Loftus went there tells you everything about how this film landed emotionally.

The reactions aren't entirely without nuance. Germain Lussier from io9 noted that the film is "a tiny bit disjointed at the start as it builds multiple different story lines," though he was quick to add that it all comes together for a "phenomenal third act."

There are two other big conversation starters coming out of early screenings. Taylor Swift contributed an original song to the film titled "I Knew It, I Knew You," and it's being called "perfect" by Tangcay and others who saw the movie.

On the character side, Conan O'Brien voices a new toy named Smarty Pants, and Daniel Baptista from The Movie Podcast is calling him an "all-time great" franchise character. Those are strong words for a brand-new addition to one of animation's most iconic ensemble casts.

None of this should come as a total shock. Pixar doesn't greenlight Toy Story sequels for the fun of it. Each one has arrived with a clear emotional reason to exist, and they've consistently delivered.

Tim Allen himself has said that Toy Story 5 is the most emotional entry in the entire series, and based on everything critics are describing, that feels completely believable.

The film opens in theaters on June 19th.

#ToyStory5 is an absolute homerun and further proof that this is the greatest animated film franchise ever — surprising, heartfelt, dynamic and so, so fun. May these movies never cease. pic.twitter.com/bKRq5Uy9e3

— Drew Taylor (@DrewTailored) June 10, 2026

Toy Story 5 is magical and pure perfection. It is a fantastic entry into the franchise. Jessie finally gets the story she deserves! It's emotional, funny, genuinely warm, and perfect in every way.  Loved the new addition of characters. I laughed and cried at how marvelous Toy… pic.twitter.com/AJ1aC7TaU4

— Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt) June 10, 2026

As Toy Story 5 began, the lady behind me turned to her friend, “You’re crying already?”
“Yup!” her friend replied.
Can confirm many tears were shed, by them…and all.

— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) June 10, 2026

TOY STORY 5 is @Pixar at their absolute best and their most important story yet! Jessie takes center stage and the Taylor Swift track hits hard. A thoughtful look at the balance between tech and toys, with Conan O’Brien’s Smarty Pants stealing every scene. A new Pixar classic! pic.twitter.com/nEz9FgVq8c

— Shahbaz 🎬 The Movie Podcast (@shayhbaz) June 10, 2026

#ToyStory5 is a tiny bit disjointed at the start as it builds multiple different story lines, but they end up paying off with a phenomenal third act filled with all the heart and humor you expect from Pixar. Top tier stuff. I laughed, I cried, I loved it. pic.twitter.com/jqS9HrUhui

— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) June 10, 2026

I’m very happy to say that TOY STORY 5 is a genuine home run. Jessie being the lead really gives it an infectious energy, and the toys vs. tech conflict is much more nuanced than expected. Moreover, it takes a hard stance on one-on-one human connection being key for children. pic.twitter.com/8vBcygz4Bn

— Andrew J. Salazar (@AndrewJ626) June 10, 2026

#ToyStory5 is Jessie's movie, and it's exactly what the franchise needed. Joan Cusack breaks your heart wide open as the yodeling cowgirl rediscovering her purpose. It's full of laughs and delivers some emotional, happy tears. pic.twitter.com/dTZG3wS6xR

— LaughingPlace.com (@laughingplace) June 10, 2026

#ToyStory5 is centered around friendship, loyalty, and the feeling of having someone in your corner when the world changes around you.

The emotions run deep, but the humor is loud as Smarty Pants and Forky bring some of the film’s biggest laughs.

We cannot wait to see it again! pic.twitter.com/DTVb3hEC0X

— Pixar Post (@ThePixarPost) June 10, 2026

TOY STORY 5 is sweet, clever, funny, heartwarming, and delivers everything you could possibly want from a Toy Story movie. A lovely film that beautifully taps into themes from Toy Story 3 to tell a simultaneously timely & timeless story. One of the best movies we’ve seen all year pic.twitter.com/m3uDYgZhqj

— The HoloFiles - Movie/TV News & Reviews (@theholofiles) June 10, 2026

Toy Story 5 hit me in places I was unprepared for! Exploring the divide between technology and toys through Jessie results in a deeply profound, moving story that had me in a puddle of tears. I put it up there with Toy Story 2 & 3. It's *that* excellent! #ToyStory5 pic.twitter.com/8dDICz8kdO

— Meredith Loftus (@MeredithLoftus) June 10, 2026

Pixar’s #ToyStory5 is a GENERATION-DEFINING experience and exactly the story we need right now. @Pixar once again delivers a meaningful, moving, and masterful must-see movie. Conan as Smarty Pants is an all-time great TS character. This is Jessie’s story, and our sheriff shines. pic.twitter.com/nLEPu0cQvL

— Daniel Baptista • The Movie Podcast (@dbapz) June 10, 2026

#ToyStory5 proves this franchise still has plenty of emotional territory left to explore. Timely and surprisingly sharp with its take on our relationship with technology. Joan Cusack delivers standout voice work. Fair warning that you'll want to break your kid's tablets. pic.twitter.com/58b3oXyWOE

— Clayton Davis (@ByClaytonDavis) June 10, 2026

One of the funniest and most talked-about moments in The Mandalorian and Grogu wasn’t carefully scripted or endlessly workshopped. It turns out it happened completely in the moment.

Director and co-writer Jon Favreau recently shared a fun behind-the-scenes story in the film’s director commentary, available through the TheatersEars app, and it involves a line that fans have already embraced and turned into a meme.

In the latest Star Wars adventure, Din Djarin finds himself captured by the bounty hunter Embo and hauled off to Nal Hutta. While Mando is stuck in a dangerous situation, Grogu teams up with his tiny Anzellan friends on a mission to save him.

During their rescue attempt, the group reaches a massive pipe leading deeper into the Hutt palace. As the camera looks down the intimidating tunnel ahead of them, one of the Anzellans delivers the now-famous observation:

"Big pipe, huh?"

For whatever reason, the simple line landed perfectly with audiences. It’s already become one of the most quoted moments from the movie, and according to Favreau, it wasn’t even in the script.

The filmmaker revealed that the line came from Shirley Henderson, who voices the Anzellans in the film. What started as an improvised comment ended up becoming one of the movie’s standout laughs.

The Anzellans have become a fan-favorite species since the introduction of Babu Frik in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and Favreau previously explained that he wanted to make sure their return was handled respectfully.

While developing the characters for The Mandalorian and Grogu, Favreau reached out directly to J.J. Abrams, who introduced Babu Frik to the galaxy far, far away.

Favreau recalled: "When I was working with the Anzellans, I called up JJ. And JJ came to the set. Because you want him to know that, you know, 'I appreciate what you did. Can we – do you mind? Are we handling this well? Are you happy?'"

It’s a cool example of the collaborative spirit that often exists within Star Wars, especially when creators are expanding on characters and ideas introduced by someone else.

The commentary track also includes several other interesting reveals. Favreau shared that he sought permission from George Lucas to use the original Red Jammer model in the movie. He also discussed how Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order helped inspire one of the film’s larger action sequences.

As for the now-iconic "Big pipe, huh?" moment, it’s proof that sometimes the smallest improvised comments can end up making the biggest impression.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is now playing in theaters.

Fans of the Toy Story movies know the drill by now. Toy Story 2 tugged at our heartstrings when we learned about Jessie’s backstory and heard the Sarah McLachlan song, “When She Loved Me.”

Then Toy Story 3 came along, and we sobbed seeing the crew nearly destroyed, and again when they said goodbye to Andy. Part of this sadness was many fans believing this was the final chapter of Toy Story.

But then the fourth film came along, and despite naysayers who were concerned about another film erasing the solemnity of Toy Story 3, fans were happy with the story and touched again when the toys parted ways and said goodbye to each other.

Now we are about to see Toy Story 5, and star of the franchise Tim Allen, who voices Buzz Lightyear, is giving fans a heads up about what to expect from this movie. In an interview with ComicBook, Allen and Tom Hanks (Woody) were asked how this movie compares in terms of emotion to the previous films, and Allen said:

“Because it’s fresh in my mind. I’m giving it number one because it’s constant. The other movies, the almost dying in the fire pit. That was hard to watch. Lovely to see the resolution. In Four when we said goodbye to each other.”

Hanks, agreed, saying, “That was huge.” Allen went on:

“That… was a dramatic thing all the way through. Not dramatic like this thing, with these moments where you’re going ‘Oh, God. That’s horrible!’ They totally took me out of an animated film.

“I bought it. Bonnie – the acting of that scene and the acting of Jessie looking at her when she’s carrying her. I was overwhelmed… So this is a real emotional piece. In waves all the way through it.”

This is pretty much what I’ve come to expect from the Toy Story films now, but I don’t mind it at all. The films deliver on laughs, tears and genuinely good storytelling. I just got my tickets to see Toy Story 5, and I can’t wait to see what this sequel brings.

Toy Story 5 hits theatres on June 19th, and tickets are available now.

Marvel fans have been eagerly waiting to see what’s next for Spider-Man after the emotional fallout of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and now a new rumor suggests that Spider-Man: Brand New Day could take the wall-crawler into some unexpectedly creepy territory.

According to scooper MyTimeToShineHello, the upcoming MCU film may feature horror elements. As with any scoop that hasn’t been confirmed by Marvel Studios, this should be treated as speculation for now. Still, if recent footage and story details are any indication, the idea doesn’t seem far-fetched.

The first teaser trailer, which premiered back in March, hinted that Peter Parker’s latest challenge may be much more personal than simply facing another supervillain.

The footage teased a disturbing evolution tied to his powers, one that many fans believe could lead to the appearance of Man-Spider, a twisted and monstrous version of the hero pulled from Spider-Man lore.

Adding fuel to that theory is dialogue from Bruce Banner, who warns Peter that his DNA is mutating in a way that is “enormously dangerous.” That’s a pretty alarming thing to hear from the MCU’s leading scientific expert on strange transformations.

If Marvel is indeed leaning into body horror, it could give Brand New Day a very different feel from previous Spider-Man films. The concept of Peter losing control of his own biology while trying to protect New York has the potential to create some genuinely intense and unsettling moments.

In the film, “Four years have passed since the events of No Way Home, and Peter is now an adult living entirely alone, having voluntarily erased himself from the lives and memories of those he loves,” the official synopsis reads.

“Crime-fighting in a New York that no longer knows his name, he’s devoted himself entirely to protecting his city — a full-time Spider-Man — but as the demands on him intensify, the pressure sparks a surprising physical evolution that threatens his existence, even as a strange new pattern of crimes gives rise to one of the most powerful threats he has ever faced.”

Excitement for Brand New Day continues to grow as its July 31, 2026 release date approaches. Fans are also waiting for the second trailer, which is reportedly expected to arrive later this month.

Marvel’s marketing campaign has already kicked into high gear. Promotional posters, merchandise, and new stills from the movie have started making their way online, giving fans fresh looks at several key characters while raising even more questions about what’s actually happening in Peter’s life.

The film is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who previously directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and co-created Wonder Man for Disney+. The screenplay comes from Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, the writing duo responsible for the previous MCU Spider-Man films.

For now, the horror angle remains in rumor territory, but between the mutation storyline, the Man-Spider speculation, and the ominous warnings coming from Banner, it certainly feels like Marvel may be taking Peter Parker into darker territory.

We’ll just have to wait and see!

Spider-Man Brand New Day has some HORROR ELEMENTS

— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) June 5, 2026

Sixteen years. That's how long it's been since David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin cracked open the founding mythology of Facebook and turned it into one of the defining films of a generation.

The Social Network hit theaters in 2010, and it was one hell of a great film. Now Sorkin is back, and this time he's got a whistleblower, a Wall Street Journal reporter, and what might be the most uncomfortable courtroom scenes.

Columbia Pictures has dropped the first trailer for The Social Reckoning, described as a "companion piece to The Social Network," and it is sure to generate some serious conversation.

The film is inspired by the real-life story of Frances Haugen, a Facebook engineer who partnered with WSJ reporter Jeff Horwitz to expose the platform's most closely guarded secrets.

The events formed the backbone of the Journal's landmark exposé known as the Facebook Files, and Sorkin has adapted the whole thing himself, directing from his own screenplay.

Mikey Madison leads the film as Haugen, and she is joiined by Jeremy Allen White, who plays Horwitz, and the trailer frames their dynamic in the story.

Madison's character sits down with White's reporter and tells him flat out that she wants to "help Facebook, not hurt it," which leaves him visibly confused about why, exactly, she called a journalist. It's a great hook, and it's the kind of loaded line Sorkin has always known how to weaponize.

Rounding out the ensemble are Wunmi Mosaku, Betty Gilpin, Billy Magnussen, Bill Burr, and Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg, which is a casting choice that is going to be a big talking point.

Strong plays Zuckerberg in what appears to be a Senate-style hearing, composed and seemingly unbothered by everything swirling around him. He calls himself a "free speech absolutist" and insists he's "not the one who's lying."

Here's the thing though, Strong is a genuinely extraordinary actor. Anyone who watched Succession knows what he's capable of. But watching this trailer, it's hard not to feel like something isn't quite clicking in that role.

There's an age gap that's difficult to overlook, and something about the performance, at least in these brief glimpses, feels slightly out of register with the Zuckerberg audiences think they know.

Jesse Eisenberg's version of the character left such a specific imprint that anyone stepping into it was always going to face an uphill battle. Is that fair? Probably not entirely. But it's the reality of following an iconic performance, and Strong is going to have to win people over.

It looks like all of the actors around him in the film are great, though! Strong, at least for me, is the only one that doesn’t quite seem to fit. But, we’ll see how things go when I watch the full movie.

The Social Reckoning opens October 9. Whether it lives up to its predecessor is a question only the full film can answer. I love Sorkin’s work, so I’m looking forward to it.

Paramount Pictures has unveiled the first look at Heart of the Beast, the upcoming survival thriller that reunites Brad Pitt with director David Ayer, the filmmaker behind the gritty WWII drama Fury.

The newly released image offers audiences their first glimpse of Pitt as James Belmont, a Special Forces officer who finds himself in a fight for survival after a devastating plane crash leaves him stranded in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness.

But Belmont isn't alone. Alongside him is his loyal combat dog, Odin, and together they must endure brutal conditions, dangerous terrain, and whatever other threats the wilderness throws their way.

The film's story centers on the powerful bond between a soldier and his canine companion as they push through impossible circumstances to stay alive.

The official synopsis reads: "After a harrowing plane crash, Special Forces officer James Belmont (Brad Pitt) and his combat dog, Odin, find themselves stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness.

“Together, they are forced into a brutal fight for survival against the elements. From acclaimed filmmaker David Ayer, Heart of the Beast is an intense adventure thriller that explores the unbreakable bond between a man and his best friend as they face their greatest battle yet."

The story sounds like it will make for an intense survival adventure. Ayer has built a career telling stories about people pushed to their limits, and putting Pitt in the middle of Alaska with only a highly trained military dog by his side feels like the kind of character-driven thriller that could deliver both action and emotion.

The cast also includes J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe. Paramount isn't making fans wait long for more. The first trailer for Heart of the Beast is set to arrive on Thursday. I’ve already seen the trailer, and this looks like a great movie!

Heart of the Beast opens in theaters on September 25.

Prime Video has released a great first trailer for the Legally Blonde prequel series, Elle, starring Lexi Minetree in the title role of Elle Woods, first portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in the films.

The cast also includes June Diane Raphael and Tom Everett Scott as Elle's parents, along with Chandler Kinney as Kimberly, Jacob Moskovitz as Miles, Gabrielle Policano as Liz, and Zac Looker as Dustin.

The series is created by Laura Kittrell (Insecure, High School), based on the Elle Woods character from the novel Legally Blonde written by Amanda Brown. Kittrell serves as showrunner with Caroline Dries, and episodes are directed by Pete Chatmon, Sammi Cohen, Jason Moore, and Stacie Passon.

The show’s synopsis reads: “Before law school, there was high school. From the world of Legally Blonde comes Elle. A new prequel to Legally Blonde, the series explores Elle Woods’ teenage years in the 1990s as a high school student, long before she became the ambitious Harvard law student in the films.”

This looks like a lot of fun, and I like that they seemed to give Elle a relatable and interesting storyline. I am excited to watch!

Check out the trailer below, and catch Elle when it kicks off on Prime Video on July 1st.

Warner Bros. Animation has released the full trailer for their fresh take on the classic Dr. Seuss story The Cat in the Hat.

The film features the voice talents of Bill Hader as The Cat, with Xochitl Gomez, Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson, and Paula Pell; as well as Tiago Martinez, Giancarlo Esposito, America Ferrera, Bowen Yang, and Tituss Burgess.

The film is co-directed and co-written by Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) and Erica Rivinoja (Trolls, The Addams Family).

The synopsis reads: "Today is going to be THE. BEST. DAY. EVER!" Meet the Cat in the Hat you don't know! In the whimsical tradition of Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat comes to the big screen in his animated theatrical feature film debut, an all-new, epic adventure with an edge, where mischief, magic and mayhem reign supreme.

“Doing what he does best, the Cat—as voiced by Bill Hader—spreads joy to kids in his hilarious, signature and singularly irreverent way, transporting them and audiences on a fantastical journey through a world they've never seen before.

This looks like the filmmakers found a fun way to expand the original story into a full length film for families. Check out the trailer below, and watch The Cat in the Hat in theaters everywhere on November 6th.

Golden Globe winning actress Katey Sagal (Married With Children, Futurama, Sons of Anarchy) is the latest to be added to the cast of the untitled Apple TV+ comedy series from Liz Heldens and Matt Ward.

Sagal will appear alongside previously announced lead Elizabeth Banks as well as fellow cast members Ted Danson and Rob Delaney.

The logline for the show states, “Fresh off a messy divorce, Heidi (Banks) sets out to secure a lively second act for herself and her kids.

“But when she stumbles into coordinating her father’s (Danson) retirement community sexcapades, Heidi is forced into an unlikely alliance with his girlfriend’s perpetually single son.”

Sagal will play Mavis, described as Heidi’s dad’s new girlfriend. She recently appeared in Season 2 of the Netflix live-action version of One Piece as Dr. Kureha.

Other recent roles include The Conners, Rebel, The Abandons, Shameless, and Superior Donuts.

via: Variety

Netflix has released a really cool behind the scenes featurette that dives into season two of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and the introduction of the character Toph in live-action.

Played by Miya Cech, who fully embodies the role, we get to see her dynamic with Gordon Cormier as Aang, and her process of becoming adapted to playing a blind character.

She is joined on set by a blind consultant, and the show’s creator talks about the contacts the actress wore on set to obscure her vision. It’s pretty incredible.

Season 2 picks up after the intense battle at the Northern Water Tribe, with Aang, Katara, and Sokka back on the road. According to the official synopsis, their next goal is to secure the support of the Earth King as the war with Fire Lord Ozai continues to escalate.

The path forward won’t be simple, and Aang will be forced to navigate tougher choices in a world that’s closing in around him.

The core cast is returning for Season 2, including Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, and Dallas Liu.

Check out the featurette below, and get ready for Avatar: the Last Airbender season 2 to premiere on June 25th.

Netflix has released the full trailer for I Will Find You, a new thriller series based on Harlan Coben’s 2023 novel, and it looks like another intense mystery packed with twists, secrets, and high-stakes drama.

The series stars Sam Worthington (Avatar) and Britt Lower (Severance), and centers on a father whose world is turned upside down after receiving shocking evidence that the son he was convicted of murdering may actually still be alive.

Worthington plays an innocent man serving a life sentence for the death of his child. When new information surfaces suggesting his son survived, he’s forced into an impossible situation. If he wants answers, he’ll have to escape prison and uncover the truth himself.

The trailer teases a tense search filled with deception, unanswered questions, and hidden agendas. Who knows what really happened? Where has the child been all this time? And who has been keeping the truth buried? Those mysteries appear to drive the story as the desperate father races to piece everything together.

The official synopsis reads: “An innocent father serving life for the murder of his own son receives evidence that his child may still be alive—and must break out of prison to find out the truth.”

Family secrets, shocking revelations, and a relentless pursuit of answers are all at the heart of the story, making it feel like a perfect fit for fans of Coben’s previous adaptations.

The cast also features Milo Ventimiglia, Logan Browning, Erin Richards, Chi McBride, and Jonathan Tucker.

The series was created and showrun by Robert Hull, whose credits include Gossip Girl, Alcatraz, Once Upon a Time, Gotham, God Friended Me, Quantum Leap, Pennyworth, and Monarch. The scripts were written by Hull, Bryan Wynbrandt, Steven Lilien, and Heather Mitchell, adapting Coben’s novel for the screen.

Directing duties are shared by Adam Davidson, Maggie Kiley, Maja Vrvilo, and Brad Anderson. Executive producers include Harlan Coben, Robert Hull, Bryan Wynbrandt, Steven Lilien, John Weber, and Brad Anderson.

Netflix has found a lot of success with Coben adaptations over the years, and I Will Find You looks like another compelling addition to that growing lineup. If the trailer is any indication, viewers can expect a suspense-filled ride that keeps them guessing right up until the end.

I Will Find You premieres on Netflix on June 18, 2026.

As a lifelong fan of Steven Spielberg, especially his science fiction films, Disclosure Day was one of my most anticipated movies of the year.

Spielberg's fascination with the unknown has given us some of the greatest sci-fi films ever made, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, two movies that captured a sense of wonder and curiosity about what might exist beyond our world. E.T. is the film that got me hooked on movies!

Going into Disclosure Day, I was hoping for another unforgettable Spielberg sci-fi experience, and the early reactions certainly fueled those expectations.

Many of the first reviews praised the film as Spielberg's best work in decades. Some critics described it as a wild, ambitious return to form, and those reactions had me convinced I was about to witness one of the director's all-time great movies.

Unfortunately, that level of hype may have worked against the film in my case because while I definitely enjoyed Disclosure Day, I never felt like I was watching Spielberg operating at the same level as his most iconic classics.

That doesn't mean the movie isn't worth seeing. Far from it. Disclosure Day is a fascinating, entertaining, and thrilling science fiction adventure filled with compelling ideas, strong performances, and plenty of Spielberg's trademark cinematic craftsmanship. At the same time, it's a movie that left me feeling more satisfied than blown away.

The story feels very much like a paranoid conspiracy thriller from the 1970s, wrapped inside a modern UFO mystery. Spielberg uses the familiar framework of government secrecy, hidden agendas, and a race against time to uncover the truth, but he filters those ideas through contemporary conversations about misinformation, public trust, and humanity's need to understand its place in the universe.

While the film is packed with action and suspense, it is also clearly driven by bigger questions about faith, empathy, truth, and what happens when powerful institutions decide that ordinary people aren't capable of handling reality.

Those themes give the film a weight, even when the story occasionally stumbles. Spielberg is still fascinated by the same cosmic mysteries that inspired some of his earliest masterpieces, but this time the sense of wonder is accompanied by skepticism, fear, and frustration. It creates a very different tone from his earlier alien-centered stories, but it also gives the movie its own identity.

The narrative follows Daniel Kellner, a cybersecurity expert who works for a secretive organization tasked with suppressing information regarding unidentified aerial phenomena.

After deciding that humanity deserves to know the truth, he steals decades worth of classified evidence and becomes the target of a relentless manhunt. Running parallel to his story is Margaret Fairchild, a television weathercaster whose life is suddenly thrown into chaos as she begins experiencing a series of bizarre and seemingly impossible events that she cannot explain.

The film gradually weaves these two stories together, and while I found the conspiracy aspects intriguing, Margaret's storyline quickly became the heart of the movie. That's largely because Emily Blunt delivers what is easily the best performance in the film.

Blunt is absolutely phenomenal in Disclosure Day. Every time she appears on screen, the movie instantly becomes more engaging. Margaret is an incredibly challenging character to play because she spends much of the film navigating confusion, fear, frustration, and profound personal transformation.

Blunt handles all of it beautifully. She brings emotional depth, vulnerability, humor, and intensity to the role while making even the strangest moments feel believable.

Her journey became the emotional anchor that kept me invested throughout the entire film. Watching her character slowly unravel the mystery surrounding her experiences was consistently compelling, and the performance itself is one of the biggest reasons the movie works as well as it does. If there is one aspect of Disclosure Day that deserves universal praise, it's Emily Blunt's work.

The rest of the cast delivers solid performances as well, though nobody quite reaches Blunt's level. Colin Firth does a good job as Noah Scanlon, the leader of the organization determined to keep the truth hidden from the public.

What I appreciated most about the character is that the film doesn't present him as a straightforward villain. He genuinely believes he's protecting humanity, which makes him a more interesting antagonist than he might have been otherwise.

Colman Domingo is also excellent, bringing a warmth and humanity to a character who serves as one of the film's emotional centers, while Eve Hewson adds an important spiritual dimension to the story that helps tie together many of the film's larger themes.

The one performance that never fully clicked for me was Josh O'Connor's Daniel Kellner. He's perfectly fine in the role, but I never felt he had the charisma or screen presence needed to carry such a significant portion of the movie.

It's not a bad performance by any means, but compared to the energy and complexity Blunt brings to Margaret, Kellner often feels less compelling whenever the film shifts its focus back to him.

My biggest issue with Disclosure Day ultimately comes down to the logic of its central conspiracy. Without getting into spoilers, the movie asks us to believe that this organization has successfully concealed humanity's biggest secret for generations.

These people have spent decades protecting information that would fundamentally alter society if revealed. You would think an operation of that magnitude would have developed nearly flawless systems and procedures for maintaining control.

Instead, many of the people running the operation often come across as surprisingly incompetent. There were multiple moments throughout the film where I found myself wondering why certain obvious solutions weren't considered, why glaring problems were ignored, or why characters repeatedly made decisions that seemed completely counterproductive to their own goals.

The longer the story continued, the harder it became for me to believe that this group had successfully maintained such an enormous secret for so many years.

It's one of those issues that may not bother everyone, but it continually pulled me out of the story. Spielberg clearly wants the film to feel grounded in a recognizable reality, and that realism starts to crack whenever the organization's behavior becomes difficult to justify.

Looking back at some of the villainous organizations Spielberg has featured in previous films, I can understand why he made these choices. The story moves faster because of them. The plot remains exciting because obstacles can be overcome. Still, there were moments where common sense seemed to disappear simply because the screenplay needed things to happen.

Even with those frustrations, I remained invested because the movie introduces several genuinely fascinating concepts. Some of the ideas Spielberg explores are incredibly compelling, particularly those connected to truth, belief, and humanity's relationship with the unknown.

The film raises questions that will make audiences think, and I appreciated how willing Spielberg was to chase ambitious concepts rather than simply deliver a standard alien invasion story.

The ending, however, left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed. I won't spoil anything, but some of the revelations didn't land with the impact I think Spielberg intended. It’s not that it’s a bad ending, part of it just may be the timing.

Public conversations about UFOs, UAPs, and the government disclosure we’ve been seeing in real life have become increasingly common recently, which lessens some of the shock value the film appears to be building toward.

There are still interesting developments during the final act, but I found myself wanting a stronger emotional payoff and a more satisfying resolution. Instead, the movie concludes in a way that felt somewhat abrupt.

Despite my criticisms, I genuinely enjoyed Disclosure Day. Spielberg's filmmaking remains is polished, Janusz Kaminski's cinematography looks fantastic throughout, Sarah Broshar's editing keeps the pacing energetic, and John Williams once again delivers a score that elevates nearly every scene.

The film is packed with memorable imagery, intriguing mysteries, and enough excitement to keep audiences engaged from beginning to end.

I don't think Disclosure Day belongs alongside Spielberg's greatest achievements. As much as I wanted to walk away feeling like I had just experienced another Close Encounters or E.T., that's simply not what this movie is. Instead, it's a strange, ambitious, occasionally messy sci-fi thriller that succeeds more often than it fails.

What ultimately makes the film worth watching is its willingness to chase big ideas while delivering an entertaining ride. It doesn't always stick the landing, and some of its narrative choices can be frustrating, but there's enough imagination, heart, and spectacle here to make the journey worthwhile. Also, Emily Blunt is amazing!

For me, Disclosure Day isn't one of Spielberg's best films. It is, however, a solid and often engaging sci-fi adventure that audiences will have a lot of fun watching.

Star Trek fans got a pair of major surprises during Summer Game Fest, and neither one is what most people would have expected.

While the future of the franchise on television and in theaters remains a bit uncertain, the gaming side of Star Trek is suddenly looking very exciting. Two completely different games were announced, one taking the franchise into psychological horror territory and the other offering a massive colony-building adventure set among the stars.

The first reveal came from Paramount Game Studios, which announced Star Trek: Shadow Frontier. The game is being developed by Bloober Team, the studio known for its work in psychological horror, including the acclaimed Silent Hill 2 remake.

Described as a "mature, story-driven 3rd person action-adventure," Shadow Frontier puts players in the role of Ro Laren, one of the most beloved recurring characters in the franchise. This time, she's on a dangerous mission to save an old friend while confronting some very personal demons along the way.

The official description reads: “After crashing onto a distant planet overtaken by a strange consciousness, Ro Laren must survive in an environment that is as breathtaking as it is lethal.

“In true Star Trek fashion, Ro’s mission is driven by duty and purpose. But here, discovery comes at a terrible cost. The more she uncovers, the deeper she is pulled into a corrupted labyrinth where her memories twist and the planet threatens to sever her connection to reality.

“Only by solving the mysteries of this strange world can Ro hope to make peace with the demons of her past, boldly going into the heart of darkness like never before. “

The trailer immediately sets a very different tone from what fans typically associate with Star Trek. It leans into mystery, isolation, and psychological tension, making it one of the most unusual projects the franchise has attempted in gaming.

If Shadow Frontier explores the darker corners of the galaxy, the second game takes players in the opposite direction.

Star Trek: Outposts Unknown comes from publisher Playstack and developer Magic Fuel Games, and it blends narrative-driven storytelling with large-scale colony management. Imagine a Star Trek adventure mixed with the city-building mechanics of SimCity.

Rather than simply constructing bases in a sandbox environment, Outposts Unknown features an original story set during the 23rd century, the same era featured in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Players will venture into the X’Lehari System, explore new worlds, meet original characters, and use familiar Starfleet technology to help a vulnerable civilization facing a looming disaster.

The game already has a playable demo available, giving fans an early taste of the story. Players will encounter the mysterious anomaly at the center of the narrative before traveling to the planet Daegus, where the colony-building mechanics begin to take shape.

Outposts Unknown is scheduled to launch in 2026, while Shadow Frontier is targeting a 2027 release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

It's a fascinating one-two punch for the franchise. One game embraces survival horror and psychological storytelling, while the other focuses on exploration, diplomacy, and building a future among the stars. Together, they showcase just how much creative ground Star Trek can still cover.

Check out both trailers and let us know which game has your attention.

When the first trailer for Supergirl landed, fans immediately started drawing comparisons to Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. Between the cosmic setting, colorful characters, and soundtrack-driven energy, it wasn't exactly a surprise.

Now, director Craig Gillespie is addressing those comparisons while also shedding some light on what it was like working with DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn during the film's post-production process.

One of the biggest talking points surrounding Supergirl has been its visual style. While the movie is inspired by the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic series, many fans have pointed out that the film's aesthetic feels closer to Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy movies.

Even the design of Krem of the Yellow Hills has sparked conversation. In the comics, the villain sports striking red hair, a beard, and a pirate-inspired appearance. The movie version takes a different approach that many viewers have compared to members of the MCU's Ravagers.

Speaking with Empire magazine, Gillespie discussed collaborating with Gunn and revealed that the two frequently exchanged ideas during post-production. While that sometimes led to disagreements, the director clearly viewed the process as a positive one.

"It was great to have more of a director than a studio head," Gillespie said while reflecting on working alongside Gunn. "You can just roll the sleeves up and have a healthy debate. It would get into the tiniest things... music choices... that sort of push and pull."

That mention of music is particularly interesting because the soundtrack has become one of the main reasons people keep comparing Supergirl to Guardians of the Galaxy. Gunn famously turned needle drops into a defining element of his Marvel trilogy, and audiences picked up on similar vibes in the Supergirl footage.

As for those comparisons, Gillespie understands why they're happening, even if they're somewhat unavoidable.

"I don't think I can avoid it," Gillespie admitted. "We're in that arena, but it's a space I've always played in. There's only so many space movies. And we're in the superhero universe, with that dance of humor and darkness and drama, which I love."

It's a fair point. Space adventures naturally share certain visual and storytelling DNA, especially when they're operating within the superhero genre. At the same time, Supergirl appears to be carving out its own identity with a more revenge-driven story centered on Kara Zor-El's personal journey across the galaxy.

DC Studios is undoubtedly hoping the film can capture some of the same audience enthusiasm that helped make Guardians of the Galaxy such a massive success.

The film stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, also known as Supergirl, and follows the hero as she reluctantly teams up with an unlikely ally after a ruthless enemy hits far too close to home. What follows is an interstellar quest fueled by vengeance, justice, and plenty of cosmic action.

Alongside Alcock, the cast includes Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, and Jason Momoa. The movie is directed by Gillespie from a screenplay written by Ana Nogueira.

Whether the Guardians of the Galaxy comparisons ultimately help or hurt the conversation around Supergirl remains to be seen. But, Gillespie and Gunn weren't afraid to challenge each other's ideas while shaping the final cut. If those creative debates helped sharpen the movie, DC fans could be in for something special when Supergirl flies into theaters on June 26, 2026.

Could Margot Robbie be heading from the world of DC to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? A new rumor making the rounds online suggests that Marvel Studios may be looking at the Oscar-nominated actress for a significant role in the MCU, sparking plenty of fan speculation about who she could potentially play.

The rumor comes from scooper MyTimeToShineHello, who posted on X, “Margot Robbie is in talks for a big Marvel role.”

As of now, there’s no official confirmation from Marvel Studios or Robbie herself. Still, the possibility of seeing one of Hollywood’s biggest stars join the MCU is enough to get fans talking.

Robbie is, of course, best known to comic book movie audiences for her portrayal of Harley Quinn across several DC films. If this latest rumor turns out to be accurate, it would mark a major shift into Marvel territory for the actress.

Interestingly, this wouldn’t be the first time Robbie’s name has been connected to a Marvel project. Reports previously claimed that she was offered the role of Sue Storm, also known as the Invisible Woman, in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Robbie passed on the opportunity, and the role ultimately went to Vanessa Kirby, who is set to continue playing the character in Avengers: Doomsday.

That wasn’t the only time Robbie stepped away from a Fantastic Four project, either. Years before Marvel Studios took control of the franchise, Robbie was also considered for a role in Josh Trank’s 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four.

Looking back on that experience during an interview, Robbie explained that the screenplay simply didn’t connect with her.

“I didn’t really resonate with the script, and I haven’t seen the movie, so I don’t really know how it turned out different from the page. But I had a great meeting with the director [Josh Trank], and I really enjoyed that. I guess it’s part of the game: Sometime you win some, sometimes you lose some.”

The MCU isn’t the only Marvel-related conversation Robbie has been linked to over the years. Back in 2022, a report from the fake news site Giant Freakin Robot claimed that she was being considered for Emma Frost, the powerful telepathic mutant who has spent years shifting between villain, antihero, and X-Men ally in Marvel Comics.

Emma Frost remains one of the most popular X-Men characters yet to make her MCU debut, and fans have often pointed to Robbie as a strong casting choice. Whether that’s the role being discussed now, however, remains anyone’s guess.

Marvel Studios will be entering a new era with mutants after the events of Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, which will feature a ton of major characters. If the studio is indeed pursuing Robbie, there’s certainly no shortage of high-profile roles that could fit an actress of her caliber.

For now, though, fans can only speculate about whether the former Harley Quinn star could eventually find a home in the MCU and, if so, which iconic Marvel character she might bring to life.

When fans look back on the 1987 Masters of the Universe movie, a lot of the conversation tends to focus on the obvious things. There's Dolph Lundgren stepping into the role of He-Man. There's the decision to move much of the story to Earth instead of Eternia.

There's the film's troubled production and its disappointing box office run. Yet nearly four decades later, one aspect of the movie consistently rises above all the criticism and debate.

Frank Langella's Skeletor.

It's become one of those rare performances that seems to improve with age. While opinions on the movie itself continue to vary from fan to fan, Langella's portrayal of the iconic villain is almost universally praised.

In fact, for many viewers, Skeletor ultimately became the most compelling character in the entire film. The funny thing is that this wasn't some happy accident that emerged during editing or a surprising reaction from audiences after release.

According to director Gary Goddard, the decision to build the movie around Skeletor happened very early in the creative process.

At the time, Goddard was facing a unique challenge. The movie was based on one of the most successful toy and cartoon franchises of the 1980s, but adapting those characters into live-action was far more complicated than many fans realize.

While Dolph Lundgren certainly looked the part of He-Man, Goddard quickly recognized that the film needed a dramatic anchor. It needed a performer capable of bringing weight and emotional gravity to a fantasy story about cosmic power, magic, and interdimensional battles.

That's when he turned his attention toward Frank Langella.

“I think my biggest task was trying to get the right team together. I had seen Frank in the Broadway production of Amadeus and I never forgot it. He was an actor who cold basically act through the makeup, act through the mask, and I realized that Dolph, with the speech issues, probably wasn't the guy to center the film on.

“So I centered the film on Skeletor. All without telling anyone. I had to give a spine, an anchor to the movie. And then I found Meg, who was a perfect foil because she's fantastic too.

“So the real moments of power and real emotion are when Frank and Meg are on the screen and then the humor comes a little bit from Kevin and Julie, but really from Griwldor.”

That reveals something fascinating about the movie. While audiences were expecting a film centered around He-Man's heroic journey, Goddard was secretly building the story around Skeletor.

He understood that the villain could provide something the film desperately needed. Skeletor wasn't simply the bad guy standing in He-Man's way. He was the character whose ambitions, desires, and obsession with power could drive the entire narrative forward.

It's also worth remembering that Langella wasn't approaching the role the way many actors might have approached a villain from a toy-based property in the 1980s.

He didn't treat Skeletor as a joke. He didn't play him with a wink toward the audience. He fully committed to the role and approached the character with the seriousness of a Shakespearean antagonist.

That approach wasn't accidental either. Goddard has spoken at length about how he and Langella viewed Skeletor through a completely different lens than most people expected. Instead of seeing him as a cartoon villain, they saw him as a tragic figure consumed by ambition.

“Why does Skeletor do what he does? Why is he a "bad guy?" He tells you. We gave you the line. "I must possess all or I possess nothing." It's the burning driving ambition. I must possess all. I mean, this is Shakespeare. What drives half of Shakespeare? A King's ambition.

“They will kill, maim, rape, do whatever they have to do, in order to either get power or maintain power. And what is it in the psyche? Skeletor to me was the physical representation of someone who's devoted his life to attaining power, whatever that means, in every way that is, and he will not be happy until he has it. And frankly, he won't be happy after he does have it.

“With Skeletor, Frank and I were having a great time because we'd find quotes from Shakespeare and quotes from Moliere and James Campbell. We looked for lines that would play out in a dramatic way and would work these into his dialogue. So we had fun in our own way.”

Once you know that, it's impossible not to see the performance differently. Langella isn't playing Skeletor like a Saturday morning cartoon villain. He's playing him like a king consumed by his own obsession. Every speech, every glare, every declaration of power comes from a place of absolute conviction.

Skeletor believes he deserves everything. He believes the universe itself owes him greatness. That sense of ambition becomes the fuel that drives nearly every scene he's in.

What's remarkable is how effectively Langella conveys all of that while buried beneath layers of makeup and prosthetics. The character design is elaborate, featuring one of the most recognizable villain looks in fantasy history, yet Langella never disappears beneath it. Viewers don't walk away remembering a cool costume. They remember the performance underneath it.

That ability to communicate emotion through makeup was exactly what caught Goddard's attention in the first place. “He was an actor who cold basically act through the makeup, act through the mask.”

It's a skill that sounds simple but is incredibly difficult to pull off. Many actors become restricted by heavy makeup because facial expressions are limited and movement becomes more challenging.

Langella somehow managed to make Skeletor feel larger than life while still giving him genuine personality. His voice carries authority. His body language radiates confidence. Even standing still, he commands attention.

Part of the reason the performance remains so memorable is because the movie gives Skeletor actual dramatic material to work with. This wasn't always part of the Masters of the Universe mythology.

In fact, according to Tim Kilpin, much of the lore that fans associate with the franchise today was still being developed as the brand evolved.

“But the thing you have to remember, if you go back to the early days, the formation of these characters, is that there was nothing so dramatic behind it. It wasn't a Shakespearian drama. It wasn't Tolkien-esque, with someone figuring out all the mythology in advance. It was kind of handmade at the beginning.

“And it was a little ad hoc in terms of the original mythology. I'm sure there are people who wouldn't want to hear that, but it was. And the show came along and helped us build dimension and depth.

“And then the movie came along and gave us an opportunity to do more of that. And some of these worked better than others, but it wasn't a grand plan at the outset. It was built as we went.”

In many ways, Langella helped create some of that depth. He took a character who had largely existed as a toy and cartoon villain and infused him with dramatic weight.

Whether audiences realized it at the time or not, he was helping elevate the mythology. He was treating Skeletor like a character worthy of serious attention, and that commitment comes through on screen.

It's also one of the reasons the Eternia sequences remain among the strongest parts of the movie. Whenever Skeletor is on screen, the energy changes.

The stakes feel larger. The conflict feels more personal. His scenes with Meg Foster's Evil-Lyn are filled with tension, manipulation, and ambition. His quest for ultimate power gives the story a sense of purpose that helps hold everything together.

Even people who worked on the brand recognized how effective those scenes were. “At the time, I remember feeling like this could really be bad,” Kilpin admitted when discussing aspects of the film. Yet when talking about the Eternia material specifically, he noted, “Those were probably the best parts of the movie.”

A huge reason for that is Langella. The truth is that Masters of the Universe faces an uphill battle in many discussions because it's often judged against what fans wanted it to be rather than what it actually became.

There are legitimate criticisms. Fans wanted more Eternia. They wanted Battle Cat. They wanted Orko. They wanted a bigger budget and more fantasy spectacle. Those conversations aren't going away.

What continues to stand out, however, is the fact that Frank Langella delivered far more than anyone expected from a movie based on a toy line. He treated Skeletor with complete sincerity and gave the film a level of dramatic credibility that still surprises first-time viewers today.

That's why so many fans continue to celebrate the performance decades later. It's not nostalgia doing all the heavy lifting. The performance genuinely works. Langella found a way to turn Skeletor into something larger than the material itself.

He transformed him into a villain whose ambition, charisma, and theatrical presence continue to dominate conversations about the movie nearly forty years after its release.

Dolph Lundgren may have been the hero standing at the center of the poster, but Frank Langella's Skeletor became the character people couldn't stop talking about. Looking back on this film now, it's hard to argue otherwise.

Via: Oral History /Film

More than six decades after Alfred Hitchcock terrified audiences with The Birds, the classic horror story is preparing for another flight. This time, it’s heading to television as a limited series from Universal.

According to Deadline, Universal International Studios is developing a new adaptation described as a “visceral, present-day reimagining” of Hitchcock’s 1963 horror classic. The project has already landed its lead, with Sarah Snook attached to star.

Snook will play Myra Massey, a traveling magistrate who returns to her remote hometown in Alaska after learning that her childhood friend has died. As she begins digging into the circumstances surrounding the death, she finds herself facing another disturbing mystery.

Birds are suddenly attacking people for no apparent reason, turning an already unsettling situation into something much more dangerous.

While Hitchcock’s film remains the version most audiences know, this new series is reportedly drawing more inspiration from Daphne du Maurier’s 1952 short story that started it all.

Hitchcock famously took liberties with the source material, creating a film that only loosely followed du Maurier’s work. This adaptation is expected to lean closer to the original story’s themes and atmosphere while updating the setting for modern audiences.

It’s interesting to see Hollywood circle back to The Birds once again. Despite its legendary reputation today, Hitchcock’s film wasn’t universally embraced when it first arrived in theaters.

Over the years, however, it has become widely recognized as one of the greatest horror films ever made, influencing so many filmmakers.

Studios have attempted to revisit the property several times since 2007, but none of those efforts ever made it to the finish line. There was also the infamous 1994 made-for-TV sequel, which was unrelated to Hitchcock’s original film and earned a less-than-enthusiastic reception from fans and critics alike.

Universal has reportedly been developing this new version of The Birds for more than a year, and Snook is currently the only cast member attached.

With the project still in its early stages, there are plenty of unanswered questions about where the story will go and how closely it will follow du Maurier’s original vision.

Still, the idea of a horror mystery unfolding in an isolated Alaskan town, combined with the unsettling unpredictability of nature turning against humanity, feels like a strong foundation for a fresh take on the material.

If the creative team can capture the dread that made The Birds such an enduring horror classic while carving out its own identity, this could be interesting.

For now, fans of classic horror will have to keep an eye on the skies as more details emerge.

Jared Leto has built a reputation for fully committing to the characters he plays, especially when those characters happen to be villains.

Now, new stories from the set of Masters of the Universe suggest that his latest turn as Skeletor came with some memorable and slightly unsettling on-set behavior that has people drawing comparisons to his infamous time as the Joker in Suicide Squad.

During a recent interview with ScreenRant, Masters of the Universe director Travis Knight opened up about Leto’s approach to bringing the iconic He-Man villain to life. According to Knight, there was rarely a dull day whenever Leto stepped onto set.

“He would do something unexpected every single day. In ways that would delight me, that would horrify me, that would make me laugh. But that’s part of the character,” he said.

For fans familiar with the actor’s history of immersive performances, that description probably won’t come as much of a surprise.

One of the more unusual details Knight shared involved the way Leto chose to appear while filming scenes as Skeletor. Even though he wore the character’s costume and prosthetic muscle suit, his face remained uncovered because it will ultimately be replaced with a CGI skull in post-production.

That didn’t stop Leto from finding a way to make his presence feel more intimidating. Knight explained:

“But he didn’t want the other actors that he was sharing the scenes with to look at him and see Jared. He wanted them to look at him and see something scary. So he would put this kind of blood-like, smeary makeup on his face. So he looked scary as hell.”

It sounds like Leto was determined to make sure everyone sharing a scene with Skeletor felt like they were actually standing opposite the ruthless ruler of Snake Mountain and not a Hollywood actor waiting for visual effects to finish the job later.

Knight went on to say that Leto wanted to “swing for the fences” with the character and deliver a version of Skeletor that audiences would remember. For me, Skeletor was easily the best part of the movie, so I think Leto succeeded!

Of course, stories like these immediately bring back memories of Leto’s much-discussed preparation for playing the Joker in Suicide Squad. That production became famous for reports of bizarre gifts and pranks that allegedly made their way to cast members during filming.

Among the stories that surfaced at the time were reports that Leto sent a pig’s corpse to fellow cast members. The actor also said that he sent used condoms and anal beads to co-stars including Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.

Whether fans find his methods fascinating or completely over the top, Leto clearly approaches villain roles with a level of commitment that keeps people talking. Regardless, Leto’s performance as Skeletor is going to be one of the most talked about aspects of Masters of the Universe.

For generations of horror fans, the Evil Dead franchise and Ash Williams have gone hand in hand. Whether he was battling Deadites in a creepy cabin, traveling through time, or wielding his iconic chainsaw hand, Ash became the face of one of horror’s most beloved franchises.

But after more than four decades, Bruce Campbell says the series has officially charted a different path, and Ash is no longer at the center of it.

Campbell recently spoke with the Detroit Free Press about the future of the franchise and explained that the success of Evil Dead Rise proved that Evil Dead can thrive without relying on the characters and creators who built the original trilogy.

When asked if Ash still has a role to play in the franchise’s future, Campbell made it clear that fans shouldn’t expect the character to be part of any larger ongoing narrative.

“No, no. I think I think basically from Evil Dead Rise on, Ash is … you know, they wanted some little gag of Ash at the end of the movie. We did that as a lark,” he told Detroit Free Press. “He’s not part of any big overriding story or scheme.”

That brief appearance was a fun nod for longtime fans, but it wasn’t setting up some grand return. Instead, the franchise is embracing standalone stories and fresh characters as it moves forward.

Campbell went on to explain that the massive success of Evil Dead Rise helped validate that approach.

“Thankfully, Evil Dead Rise made the most of any money we’ve made from any Evil Dead, so far, and it validated the fact that we can get away from those main elements.

“You’ve got to find a new audience, because the original Evil Dead fans, you get some of them, you’re not going to get all of them, because they like those original elements. They like me and Sam and Ash and all that sort of crap.”

It’s a practical outlook, even if it may suck for fans who hoped to see Ash return for one more adventure. Campbell first stepped into the role in The Evil Dead in 1981, launching a horror legacy alongside Sam Raimi that continued through Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness.

He later popped up in a post-credits cameo for Fede Álvarez’s 2013 Evil Dead reboot before officially retiring from the role following the end of Ash vs. Evil Dead.

While Ash may be stepping aside, the franchise itself is showing no signs of slowing down. Evil Dead Rise took the series in a darker and more grounded direction, earning an impressive $147 million worldwide and introducing a whole new generation to the horrors of the Necronomicon.

That momentum continues next year with Sébastien Vaniček’s Evil Dead Burn, which is set to hit theaters on July 10, 2027. After that, Francis Galluppi’s Evil Dead Wrath is scheduled to arrive on April 7, 2028.

The future of Evil Dead may no longer revolve around Ash Williams, but Campbell’s comments suggest that’s exactly the point. Rather than building one connected saga, the franchise appears focused on telling new nightmares from different corners of the Evil Dead universe.

For fans, Ash will always be the guy who defined the series. But if Evil Dead Rise proved anything, it’s that there are still plenty of terrifying stories left to tell, even without a chainsaw-wielding hero leading the charge.

We are less than a year out from the release of Star Wars: Starfighter, the upcoming Star Wars universe film featuring Ryan Gosling, Amy Adams, Mia Goth, and Matt Smith.

While the studio has remained quite secretive about the film’s details, last week, some plot details were leaked which claimed that Starfighter centers on a Force-sensitive young boy and the unlikely hero tasked with protecting him.

The report also said that Goth's character isn't a Sith cultist as some rumors suggested. Instead, she's described as a Force-sensitive warrior with her own motivations.

Now we have a new bit of information in a rumor from leaker @FivesWalker (via CBM), who has a solid track record with advanced information like this.

It’s been previously rumored, and this report confirms, that the code name for Gosling's character is "Damon." Even though the role was initially written with an actor in their early 30s in mind, that changed when the Barbie star was cast. 

The leaker goes on to say, "Damon is a renowned pilot and war hero whose fame has made him a known person," and "he wishes he could escape the spotlight and live anonymously." This lines up with what we've heard about him being a former member of the Resistance.

On the villain side, Matt Smith's code name is "Gerald." Again, that character was also written for someone much older—likely in their 50s or 60s—and "two separate offers went out to established, big-name, Oscar-winning actors, who both turned it down."

Mia Goth's character is code-named "Kia." Mikey Madison was indeed being eyed for the role and seemed to be at the top of Levy's list. Several unknowns were considered before the Frankenstein star landed the part.

Asked in March what drew him to Star Wars: Starfighter, Gosling said, "It was Shawn’s enthusiasm and his vision and the script, and I just avoided these things because they never felt right.

“And I’m glad I did because I feel like, [similar to] a book like this, [it was] worth waiting for. And it is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The cast also features Flynn Gray (Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2), Aaron Pierre (Lanterns), Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners), Jamael Westman (Hedda), Daniel Ings (Lovesick), and Amy Adams (Man of Steel). 

Directed by Shawn Levy, the film is produced by Levy and Kathleen Kennedy. The script is by Jonathan Tropper. Executive producers are Ryan Gosling, Dan Levine, Mary McLaglen, and Josh McLaglen.

Star Wars: Starfighter is set to be released in theatres on May 28, 2027. Stay tuned for updates on the film.

It’s been revealed that Jason Momoa (A Minecraft Movie, Supergirl) is departing PlayStation Productions and Sony Pictures’ film adaptation of Helldivers, based on Arrowhead Game Studios’ video game franchise, from director Justin Lin.

The reason for his departure is unknown. The project is still very much alive, and Sony is currently searching for a new star.

Helldivers is a cooperative, twin-stick shooter game that debuted in 2015. As part of the elite unit called the Helldivers, players must work together to protect Super Earth and defeat the enemies of mankind in an intense intergalactic war.

In Helldivers 2, gamers step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy. 

The sequel sold more than 12 million units across PlayStation 5 and PC in the first four months after its 2024 launch. The game recently expanded to Xbox and continues to perform.

Details regarding the plot of the film are under wraps. Helldivers is expected to hit theaters on November 10, 2027.

via: Deadline

There are a lot of highly anticipated movies arriving this year, but one of the most unexpectedly exciting might involve a giant whale and a nightmare scenario that feels impossible to look away from.

The first trailer for Whalefall has finally arrived, and it delivers exactly the kind of intense, nerve-rattling spectacle that instantly grabs your attention.

Based on the 2023 novel by Daniel Kraus, the film is co-written and directed by Brian Duffield, and it stars Austin Abrams as a young man searching for the remains of his father, played by Josh Brolin.

What starts as a deeply personal journey quickly turns into something far more terrifying when he finds himself swallowed whole by a massive sperm whale!

The trailer does an excellent job of selling the film's central hook. Instead of teasing the audience with quick glimpses and holding back the big moment, it leans directly into it.

Much of the footage unfolds as one continuous sequence, placing viewers right alongside Abrams as the horrifying situation escalates into comple horror.

The footage is packed with tension, dread, and a sense of claustrophobic panic as the impossible becomes reality. The concept itself feels like a darker, more intense version of Pinocchio, only without any of the fairy tale whimsy. Instead, it looks like a desperate fight for survival inside one of the largest creatures on Earth.

The project also feels like a natural evolution for Duffield, who previously directed the excellent and often overlooked genre films Spontaneous and No One Will Save You. While both showcased his ability to deliver fresh, inventive storytelling, Whalefall appears to be operating on an entirely different scale.

This is Duffield's biggest movie yet. Not only is he tackling a story centered around an enormous whale, but this is also a major theatrical release from Disney after his previous film debuted directly on Hulu.

If the finished movie can match the intensity and emotional punch of this trailer, it could end up becoming one of the year's biggest surprise hits.

Earlier this year, Disney screened footage from the film during CinemaCon in Las Vegas, which is where I first saw the trailer, and the response was impressive. Once the excitement surrounding the first look at Avengers: Doomsday settled down, Whalefall became one of the most talked-about films coming out of the event.

It's easy to understand why. The story is terrifying and it sparks curiosity and horror at the same time, making it difficult not to wonder how this story ultimately plays out.

Joining Abrams and Brolin in the cast are Elisabeth Shue and John Ortiz. Whalefall has climbed the list of must-see movies of the year. It looks intense, emotional, and completely bonkers.

Whalefall swims into theaters on October 16.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller, aka Lord Miller, have come aboard to produce I Promise We’re Cool, a high concept comedy that was just set up at Universal Pictures.

Charlie Hall, son of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, best known for his acting work in shows The Sex Lives of College Girls and Monster: The Ed Gein Story, is set to write the script, while Max Tzannes (Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project), who is part of the filmmaking collective Dirty Shot Clean, is on board to direct.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the project is described as a high concept high school comedy with a sci-fi twist. 

Sources also indicate that the project’s story elements are perfectly in line with the Lord and Miller, who wrote and directed 21 Jump Street, which featured adult cops undercover in high school, and directed this year’s space-faring adventure sensation Project Hail Mary.

via: THR

As filming on Man of Tomorrow continues, a fresh batch of leaked set photos has given DC fans something pretty cool to dissect.

While most eyes will naturally be drawn to an injured Superman, there’s another detail lurking in the images that longtime comic readers immediately picked up on. It looks like one of Lex Luthor’s most obscure comic book weapons is finally making its live-action debut.

The leaked photos, which have been circulating online and were later shared on X, show David Corenswet suited up as Superman following what appears to be a brutal confrontation.

The Man of Steel’s costume is visibly damaged, with sections of the suit burned away and patches of skin exposed underneath. It’s a striking image and a clear sign that whatever happened hit Superman harder than the average supervillain punch.

Additional photos help fill in some of the blanks. Standing opposite Superman is Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, decked out in his green and purple Warsuit. But it’s the weapon in Luthor’s hands that has fans talking.

The gun appears to be none other than the Nuclear Kryptonite Ray-Gun, a deep-cut piece of DC Comics history that dates all the way back to 1962.

The weapon was specifically designed to exploit Superman’s greatest weakness by firing Green Kryptonite radiation. In comic book lore, Luthor originally created plans for the device in a 1961 story before the weapon itself made its debut the following year.

For DC fans who love seeing classic comic elements brought to life, this is a pretty exciting discovery. While the Nuclear Kryptonite Ray-Gun has appeared in animation, most notably in Justice League Action, it has never actually shown up in a live-action Superman project before.

There have been references to weapons capable of killing Superman in series such as Smallville and Superman & Lois, but audiences never got to see the actual Nuclear Kryptonite Ray-Gun on screen.

What makes the reveal even more interesting is how naturally the weapon fits alongside Luthor’s Warsuit design. The gun appears to share the same visual style and technology aesthetic, making it look like a custom-built addition to Luthor’s arsenal rather than a random comic Easter egg dropped into the movie.

Of course, fans expecting a full movie centered on Superman and Luthor trying to destroy each other may not want to get too comfortable with that idea.

Reports surrounding Man of Tomorrow indicate that Clark Kent and Lex Luthor will eventually find themselves on the same side when a much larger threat emerges in the form of Brainiac.

That dynamic alone opens the door for some fascinating character moments. Before that uneasy alliance happens, though, it certainly looks like Luthor will put Superman through the wringer with a weapon that comic fans have been waiting decades to see in live action.

Man of Tomorrow is the next major chapter in James Gunn’s growing DC Universe and follows the events of Superman. The DCU continues expanding next month with Supergirl, but these latest set photos suggest Superman’s next adventure is already packing some deep comic book cuts that fans are going to appreciate.

Battle-damaged Superman suit.

(via @everbore) pic.twitter.com/T6piR1zWxD

— Home of DCU (@homeofdcu) June 6, 2026

JULY 9 2027 CANT COME SOON ENOUGH pic.twitter.com/agJkBtPIPj

— desiree ⟢ brosnahoult lovergirl (@everbore) June 6, 2026

Superman filming 6.05.2026 Central Artist Residency at the Fulton County Library https://t.co/8S47QwXfQp #photography #art pic.twitter.com/zFp38DUY6H

— Christopher Oquendo (@Christo45951886) June 6, 2026

David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult filming "Superman: Man of Tomorrow" in Atlanta

05/06/26 pic.twitter.com/goNKFF8CSw

— 🐤 (@hsufhkshndk11) June 6, 2026

While The Mandalorian and Grogu is very much Jon Favreau’s creation, it turns out there was one specific element that required approval from the man who started it all, George Lucas.

Fans who have been listening to Favreau’s director’s commentary through the TheatersEars app while watching the film in theaters have been treated to all kinds of behind-the-scenes stories.

One of the most interesting involves a forgotten piece of Star Wars history that finally made its way onto the big screen nearly 50 years after it was built.

Favreau explained that while he was at Skywalker Ranch filming a Razor Crest miniature in the parking lot, he learned that the original Red Jammer Y-wing starfighter model was being prepared for display at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. That discovery sparked an idea.

The Red Jammer was originally created as a reference model during the production of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, but despite being built in 1976, it never actually appeared in the movie. Favreau wanted to change that and reached out to Lucas for permission to use the model in The Mandalorian and Grogu.

The request was successful, allowing the production team to bring a genuine piece of Star Wars history into the film for the very first time.

Visual effects supervisor John Knoll spoke about the process, saying: "After a lengthy negotiation, George Lucas gave us permission to borrow the model.

“We shot two motion-control elements of it. It's in the movie and will go by quickly. Unless somebody points it out, you won't notice it, but there are two photographed elements of a 1976 original model from Star Wars, which has never been seen onscreen before."

This is exactly the kind of Easter egg hardcore fans love. The appearance is brief, but the significance is huge. A model that sat on the sidelines during the production of A New Hope has finally become part of official Star Wars screen history.

If you missed it, the Red Jammer can be spotted during the film’s finale in the Nal Hutta X-wing action sequence. The ship is piloted by filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung.

This isn’t the only place where Favreau looked to the franchise’s past for inspiration. He also revealed that Lucas’ classic film American Graffiti helped shape part of The Mandalorian and Grogu, particularly the sequence involving Din Djarin trying to squeeze more speed out of the Razor Crest by removing restrictors from his ship.

Favreau has also discussed reaching out to J.J. Abrams about bringing the Anzellans back into the galaxy after the species made its debut through Babu Frik in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

The commentary also sheds light on another unexpected influence. Favreau explained that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order helped inspire one of the movie’s key sequences, showing how the creative team pulled ideas from across the larger Star Wars universe while developing the story.

What makes the Red Jammer story especially fun is that it represents a connection between multiple generations of Star Wars filmmaking.

A model created during the original trilogy’s production has now been preserved, photographed, and woven into a modern theatrical adventure starring Din Djarin and Grogu. That’s a pretty cool detail for the fans to know!

The Mandalorian and Grogu is now playing in theaters. If you’re planning a rewatch, you may want to keep a close eye on that final space battle because one of the oldest unseen relics in Star Wars history is hiding in plain sight.

Masters of the Universe delivered a fun fantasy adventure packed with wild action, colorful characters, and plenty of nostalgia-fueled chaos. What I didn’t expect was for Jared Leto’s version of Skeletor to be the best part of the movie!

I loved what Leto brought to this role and that’s coming from someone who has never been particularly enthusiastic about Leto’s work. This is easily my favorite performance from the actor.

The movie itself is a blast. It embraces the adventurous spirit that made Masters of the Universe such a beloved property in the first place, delivering creative action scenes, a charismatic lead hero, and enough fantasy spectacle to keep fans smiling from start to finish. But every time Skeletor appears on screen, the energy level kicks up another notch.

What makes Leto’s performance work so well is that he doesn’t try to reinvent the character. He isn’t interested in tearing Skeletor apart and rebuilding him into something unrecognizable.

Instead, he gives us the version fans have always loved, only now in live-action form. He’s intimidating and ridiculous at the same time. He’s threatening while also being hilariously dramatic. He’s theatrical, petty, dangerous, and wildly entertaining.

Most importantly, the movie treats him seriously. That’s something that could have easily gone wrong. Modern fantasy blockbusters often have a habit of rolling their eyes at their own weirdness.

Plenty of films influenced by the Marvel formula tend to crack jokes at the expense of their more outlandish concepts, especially movies that take inspiration from projects like Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok.

Leto gives the character a weight and presence that elevates every scene he’s in. He doesn’t disappear into some method-acting rabbit hole or overwhelm the movie with eccentric choices. Instead, he finds the sweet spot.

Skeletor is a power-hungry tyrant who genuinely believes he’s the most important person in the universe, yet he’s also a complete diva who loves dramatic speeches, excessive alliteration, and theatrical taunts.

A huge part of the success comes from how awesome Skeletor looks. Travis Knight and his visual effects team pulled off something special here.

The skull face could have easily looked awkward or artificial, but it’s surprisingly expressive. Skeletor’s face can shift from exaggerated cartoon-style reactions to subtle emotional beats without losing credibility. The result is one of the most impressive cartoon-to-live-action character translations I’ve seen.

As great as Skeletor is when he’s delivering threats and conquering kingdoms, the movie also understands that the character is funniest when his absurdity is allowed to shine through in smaller doses.

That leads to the funniest sequence in the entire film. During the climactic battle, Skeletor launches a psychic attack on Prince Adam and invades his mind. Suddenly, the audience is dropped into distorted memories from Adam’s life on Earth, and Skeletor starts inserting himself into every insecurity the young hero has ever had.

First, Adam finds himself back at a gym, struggling to become the impossibly muscular version of himself he thinks he needs to be. Then who shows up? Skeletor. Gym bro Skeletor.

The villain appears decked out in workout clothes, rocking short shorts, a sleeveless shirt, and he’s still got his signature hood. Watching a blue-skinned skull-faced warlord passionately discuss fitness and weightlifting with complete sincerity is comedy gold.

The psychic assault continues with Skeletor appearing as one of Adam’s dates, complete with a black dress. Then we get office worker Skeletor.

A skull-faced supervillain wearing a button-up shirt, tie, and hood while integrated into corporate office culture. Office Skeletor immediately starts questioning humanity’s strange workplace rituals, mocking Adam’s life choices, and verbally dismantling his coworkers before eventually remembering he’s supposed to be destroying his enemy. It’s absurd in the best possible way and had me laughing harder than anything else in the movie.

The reason these moments land is because Leto commits completely. There’s no wink to the audience. No attempt to distance himself from the ridiculousness. He throws himself into every version of Skeletor with total confidence, whether he’s leading an invasion, delivering a villainous monologue, or critiquing office culture.

That commitment is what makes the performance so memorable. Say what you will about Jared Leto’s Skeletor voice, but his commitment to the bit makes Masters of the Universe worth watching.

I never thought I’d write these words, but Jared Leto ended up being the MVP of Masters of the Universe. In a movie filled with fun characters, exciting action, and plenty of fantasy spectacle, Skeletor stands above the rest.

The Untitled Romy and Michele sequel, starring Oscar winner Mira Sorvino and Emmy winner Lisa Kudrow, is now officially in production.

The original 1997 cult classic comedy Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion starred Sorvino and Kudrow as two unsuccessful 28-year-olds who invent fake careers to impress their former classmates at their 10-year high school reunion.

In the decades since, the actors have fielded questions about a follow-up movie, until last year, when it was reported that they were in final talks to star in a sequel movie, directed and produced by Tim Federle (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series) and written by Robin Schiff, who created the characters and penned the original 1997 film.

That project is now officially a go, with the 20th Century Studios film to stream exclusively as a Hulu Original on Hulu. The film will be available via Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S., and on Disney+ internationally.

In addition to Sorvino and Kudrow, returning from the original movie are Janeane Garofalo (as Heather), Alan Cumming (Sandy Frink), Camryn Manheim (Toby), and Julia Campbell (Christie). Newcomers joining the cast are Keegan-Michael Key (The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Only Murders in the Building), Rob Huebel (Five Star Weekend, Running Point), Breckin Meyer (Road Trip, Clueless), Patrick Warburton (Seinfeld, Bee Movie), and Nathan Lee Graham (Mid-Century Modern, Theater Camp). The new characters’ roles are being kept under wraps.

The reunion you’ve been waiting for! The Romy and Michele sequel is now in production. pic.twitter.com/jXXU1qpopj

— 20th Century Studios (@20thcentury) June 8, 2026

Marvel Studios is still keeping most of Avengers: Doomsday details locked away, but a new rumor may have offered fans a better idea of who will be carrying the story when Earth's Mightiest Heroes return to the big screen.

While Marvel has yet to release a full trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, the studio has been slowly teasing the film through character-focused promotional material. Now, a fresh report suggests that two familiar heroes may end up playing much larger roles than some fans expected.

According to scooper MyTimeToShineHello on X, both Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson and Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova are expected to be major driving forces in the film's narrative. As always with scooper reports, fans should treat the information as rumor until Marvel officially confirms anything.

The first claim centered on Sam Wilson, with MTTSH posting: “Sam will have a decent role in Avengers Doomsday!”

That shouldn't come as a huge surprise. Sam is now carrying the mantle of Captain America after Steve Rogers handed him the shield at the end of Avengers: Endgame.

As the current leader of the Avengers, it makes sense that he'd be heavily involved in whatever multiversal chaos is heading toward Earth.

What makes the situation even more interesting is that Chris Evans is also returning. Marvel hasn't revealed exactly how Evans fits into the story, but the possibility of Sam Wilson sharing screen time again with Steve Rogers will be interesting to see.

The second rumor may be the one that catches more people off guard. MTTSH claimed: “Yelena is the female hero with the biggest role in Avengers Doomsday.”

If true, that would place Yelena near the center of one of Marvel's biggest crossover events ever. Marvel hasn't revealed how Yelena factors into the plot, but audiences last saw her in the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts.

I have to point out that niether of these characters were included in any of the teaser trailers that were released.

During that scene, Yelena and the newly formed New Avengers learned that an extradimensional spacecraft was approaching Earth. That ship was later revealed to be the Fantastic Four's Excelsior, setting up a major connection between Marvel's First Family and the events leading into Doomsday.

The rumor has sparked a variety of reactions online. Some fans are fully on board with Sam Wilson taking on a larger leadership role, while others feel the character still needs more development before becoming one of the franchise's central figures.

Yelena's reported prominence has also generated debate, especially among fans who assumed Vanessa Kirby's Sue Storm would emerge as the film's primary female lead.

At this point, Marvel is keeping its cards close to the chest, so there's no way to know how accurate these reports are. But if Sam Wilson and Yelena Belova truly end up leading the charge, it would mark a significant shift toward Marvel's next generation of heroes as the franchise moves deeper into the Multiverse Saga.

Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo from a script by Michael Waldron and Stephen McFeely, Avengers: Doomsday features an enormous ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom.

We'll find out exactly how these heroes fit into the story when Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026.

Sam will have a decent role in Avengers Doomsday! pic.twitter.com/lcl2c43UlS

— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) June 6, 2026

Yelena is the female hero with the biggest role in Avengers Doomsday pic.twitter.com/j1wtC1eH5n

— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) June 7, 2026

For years, fans have imagined what a James Bond movie starring Idris Elba might look like. Ever since it became clear that Daniel Craig would eventually step away from the role, Elba's name consistently appeared at the top of fan casting wish lists.

The idea gained so much momentum that many people assumed serious conversations were taking place behind the scenes. Now, with a new Bond era taking shape, Elba is once again setting the record straight about those long-running rumors and sharing why he never viewed himself as a realistic candidate for the iconic spy.

The actor, who was recently knighted and can now officially be called Sir Idris Elba, has spent years answering questions about Bond. While he has repeatedly stated that he was never actually in negotiations for the role, former franchise producer Barbara Broccoli revealed in a 2022 interview that his name did come up during discussions.

She said: "Well, we know Idris, we're friends with him, and he's a magnificent actor. And, you know, it's been part of the conversation, but it's always difficult to have the conversation when you have someone in the seat."

Even with that acknowledgment, Elba says the speculation was never anything more than that. Speaking with GQ, the actor explained that the rumors were "never legit" and offered his perspective on why he never believed Bond was in the cards for him.

“I’ve always felt that it’s not a realistic thing. James Bond was written how he was written for a reason. But I was complimented by it.

“And also, I think, in realistic terms, some markets just don’t go for that. Bond is big all over the world. And [audiences] won’t [all] go for a Black male, an African male, playing Bond. That’s not what they like in their culture. Period.”

Elba also shared his thoughts on attempts to reshape the character to fit modern cultural conversations, emphasizing that he believes Bond works best as pure escapist entertainment.

“Bond is so unrealistic, so a hint of reality is good, but let’s not try and make it woke,” Elba continued. “I think you’ve got to be pure to what it is: escapism. Don’t try and answer the world’s taste. Just be Bond.”

Whether fans agree with that viewpoint or not, it's clear Elba has made peace with the idea that Bond was never meant to be part of his future. Even so, it's easy to understand why so many people wanted to see his take on 007. He certainly had the charisma, presence, and screen appeal to make for an intriguing version of the character.

Meanwhile, the Bond franchise is moving forward with some major creative talent attached.

Last year, Denis Villeneuve officially signed on to direct the next James Bond film, bringing with him an impressive resume that includes Dune and Blade Runner 2049. More recently, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight was brought aboard to write the screenplay.

Villeneuve's passion for Bond runs deep. In a statement announcing his involvement, he said: “Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan.

“To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor.

“Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”

The studio is equally enthusiastic about handing the keys to the acclaimed filmmaker. Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said:

“We are honored that Denis has agreed to direct James Bond’s next chapter. He is a cinematic master, whose filmography speaks for itself.

“From Blade Runner 2049 to Arrival to the Dune films, he has delivered compelling worlds, dynamic visuals, complex characters, and—most importantly—the immersive storytelling that global audiences yearn to experience in theaters.

“James Bond is in the hands of one of today’s greatest filmmakers and we cannot wait to get started on 007’s next adventure.”

The project is also being overseen by producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman, who released a joint statement celebrating Villeneuve's hiring:

“Denis Villeneuve has been in love with James Bond movies since he was a little boy. It was always his dream to make this movie, and now it’s ours, too. We are lucky to be in the hands of this extraordinary filmmaker.”

As for who will actually suit up as the next Bond, that mystery remains unsolved. Casting director Nina Gold is reportedly leading the search, with names such as Callum Turner, Tom Francis, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Jacob Elordi frequently appearing in industry chatter.

Whoever lands the role will inherit one of cinema's most recognizable characters, and with Villeneuve directing and Knight writing, expectations are already sky-high. One thing seems certain, though. After years of speculation, fans can finally stop waiting for Idris Elba to pick up Bond's Walther PPK.

Square Enix has finally pulled back the curtain on the third and final chapter of its Final Fantasy VII remake saga, revealing Final Fantasy VII: Revelation as the game that will bring Cloud Strife’s long journey to an end.

The announcement arrived during Summer Game Fest where fans were treated to the first trailer and gameplay footage from the highly anticipated RPG.

The presentation also featured Matthew Mercer, who will lend his voice to Vincent Valentine after making his debut as the character in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Set to launch in Spring 2027, Final Fantasy VII: Revelation will arrive simultaneously on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The release also lines up with the 30th anniversary of the original Final Fantasy VII, making it an especially fitting moment for the story’s grand finale.

The new trailer teases the massive conflict awaiting Cloud and his allies as they push toward their final confrontation with Sephiroth. Following the emotional events of Rebirth, the stakes have never been higher, and Square Enix is clearly aiming to deliver the biggest adventure in the trilogy.

According to the official game description: “In this climactic conclusion, Cloud Strife and his loyal companions face a world that teeters on the brink of annihilation.

“Grieving a beloved ally, and with their nemesis Sephiroth nearing godhood, the party takes to the skies aboard the airship Highwind in a race against time to stop Meteor, the ultimate destructive magic, and the total obliteration of the planet.

“With deft gunslinger Vincent Valentine and cantankerous pilot Cid Highwind aboard, the heroic team will journey freely across the entire planet and explore expansive new areas, harness a new job system in combat and forge unbreakable bonds to overcome the greatest threat they’ve ever faced.”

Fans have been eager to see how Square Enix would handle the world-spanning freedom of the original game, and it sounds like Revelation will finally open things up in a major way.

The mention of a brand-new job system also suggests the combat experience could evolve significantly beyond what players saw in Remake and Rebirth.

Director Naoki Hamaguchi shared his excitement about finally unveiling the concluding chapter, saying: “I’m beyond excited to announce Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, launching simultaneously across all platforms in Spring 2027.

“I’m truly grateful to our fans who believed in this story and supported us for so many years. In this title, centered around ‘resolve,’ Cloud and his companions will confront their respective convictions and continue their journey towards the final battle that will determine the planet’s fate.

“All the stories and emotions accumulated over the years will culminate in the most satisfying way with this experience, brought to you as the series’ final chapter. Please look forward to it.”

That focus on “resolve” offers an interesting clue about the game’s themes. While Remake challenged destiny and Rebirth explored identity, Revelation appears set to bring every character arc, conflict, and emotional thread together as the heroes prepare for a battle that will decide the future of the planet itself.

For fans who started this journey with Final Fantasy VII Remake back in 2020, the announcement marks the beginning of the end. Square Enix has spent years rebuilding one of gaming’s most beloved stories on a massive scale, and Final Fantasy VII: Revelation looks poised to deliver the payoff.

With the Highwind finally taking flight, Vincent Valentine joining the action as a full party member, new gameplay systems on the horizon, and Sephiroth inching closer to godhood, the road to 2027 is shaping up to be an exciting one for Final Fantasy VII fans.

Prime Video has released an action-packed trailer for the buddy spy comedy series Ride Or Die, starring Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) and Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer (The Help, Hidden Figures), who each also executive produce.

Created by Tessa Coates, Ride or Die follows best friends Debbie Claybourne (Spencer) and Judith Burton (Waddingham) who thought they knew everything about each other, except Judith turns out to be an international assassin.

When a mysterious figure emerges from Judith’s past and a hit goes horribly wrong, both of their worlds are turned upside down as they’re forced to go on the run together.

It’s a race against time and a road trip across Europe, with law enforcement, highly trained assassins, and some very dangerous criminals at their heels, per the logline.

Ed Skrein also stars as “Billy,”  Calam Lynch as “Sam,” Savannah Steyn as “Queenie,” Jamie Parker as “David,” Jacky Ido as “Jacques,” Sylvia Hoeks as “Ana” and Bill Nighy as “The Director.”

All eight episodes will drop on Wednesday, July 15, exclusively on Prime Video. Check out the trailer below:

A major package is hitting the market this week with some great star power and a high-profile piece of IP attached. Ridley Scott is on board to direct a movie adaptation of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson novel Treasure Island, with Hugh Jackman attached to play iconic pirate Long John Silver.

Adolescence writer Jack Thorne penned the script, with Scott and Michael Pruss producing for Scott Free. Thorne will also exec produce.

The Treasure Island package is a new take on Stevenson’s novel. That story follows a young boy who uncovers the map to a legendary buried treasure, and he embarks on a perilous sea voyage to claim a hidden fortune, only to find himself locked in a deadly battle of wits with the charismatic and treacherous pirate Long John Silver.

The Treasure Island package is a new take on Stevenson’s novel. That story follows a young boy who uncovers the map to a legendary buried treasure, and he embarks on a perilous sea voyage to claim a hidden fortune, only to find himself locked in a deadly battle of wits with the charismatic and treacherous pirate Long John Silver.

Since its publication in 1883, Treasure Island has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide and been translated into over 50 languages, making it one of the most enduring and influential adventure novels ever written.

via: Deadline

If you're a fan of high-speed Star Wars action, the latest trailer for Star Wars: Galactic Racer offers a much better look at what players can expect when the game launches later this year.

Fuse Games has released a new story-focused trailer that digs deeper into the characters, rivalries, and underground racing culture that drive the game's campaign, and it's shaping up to be a fun twist on the franchise.

I’m excited about this game! One of the reasons for that is because I was also a fan of Star Wars Episode I: Racer on the Nintendo 64, which was released alongside Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace back in 1999. Galactic Racer looks like it could capture some of that same energy while carving out its own identity.

Set during the New Republic era after the fall of the Empire, the story takes players to the desert world of Jakku, the same planet featured in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. As the galaxy struggles to rebuild, a dangerous new racing circuit known as The Galactic League emerges from the lawless reaches of the Outer Rim.

This isn't an officially sanctioned sporting event. It's an underground competition funded by criminal syndicates, where fortunes can be made, legends can be born, and racers are willing to risk everything for glory.

The new trailer centers on a racer named Shade, whose motivations extend far beyond crossing the finish line first. According to the game's official synopsis:

"No Force. No prophecy. Just skill, strategy, and the will to rise." The story continues: "Lucasfilm Games' Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a runs-based, high-stakes reinvention of racing born in the Outer Rim.

“With the Empire gone and the galaxy rebuilding, The Galactic League is created: an underground, unsanctioned circuit where syndicates bankroll chaos and champions are forged. At the heart of it all is Shade, a lone racer with a dream of glory and revenge.

“For Shade, the League isn’t just a race; it’s a shot at reclaiming destiny. But standing in Shade's way is Kestar, a ruthless rival who has his own power-hungry plans for the League. As the Galactic League rises, so does the rivalry that could define it. Shade must forge alliances, outpace rivals, and survive long enough to become an elite racing pilot."

The game also features Sebulba, the infamous podracer from The Phantom Menace. His appearance helps connect this new racing adventure to a familiar corner of Star Wars lore while introducing a fresh cast of competitors fighting for dominance on the track.

The combination of high-stakes racing, Outer Rim crime syndicates, personal rivalries, and a story built around earning your place in the galaxy gives Star Wars: Galactic Racer a unique angle.

It also helps that the game isn't leaning on Jedi, Sith, or galaxy-shaping prophecies. Instead, it's focused on racers trying to make a name for themselves through talent, determination, and survival.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is developed by Fuse Games and published by Lucasfilm Games and Secret Mode. The game launches on October 6, 2026, for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

After watching this latest trailer, I'm more than ready to jump into the cockpit and see if this can become the modern successor to one of the best Star Wars racing games ever made.

Fans of gothic horror, supernatural mysteries, and fresh takes on classic stories have something intriguing to look forward to. Lindsey Anderson Beer is bringing her debut novel Hollow to life as a feature film, and she's already lined up Sydney Sweeney to lead the project in what sounds like a seductive and dark reinvention of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

The story offers a completely different perspective on one of literature's most recognizable tales. Rather than centering on Ichabod Crane or the Headless Horseman, Hollow shifts the spotlight to Katrina Van Tassel, the character who has traditionally been treated as the object of affection in previous versions of the story.

This new take places Katrina at the heart of the narrative, transforming her into the driving force behind a dangerous mystery wrapped in supernatural intrigue and romantic tension.

The novel is described as a reimagining of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” that blends gothic horror, psychological suspense, and erotic thriller elements into a contemporary story.

At the center is a seductive supernatural love triangle that sounds like it could add an entirely new dimension to Washington Irving's classic tale.

Sweeney is attached to play Katrina Van Tassel in the film adaptation, a role that feels perfectly suited to the actress as she continues to build a career that balances prestige projects with genre storytelling.

The project marks a major milestone for Beer, who has sold Hollow to Putnam, an imprint of Penguin Random House. The novel attracted immediate attention across the publishing world, with sources indicating that competition for the book heated up as soon as it was submitted.

Putnam ultimately secured the rights in a significant preemptive acquisition before the title could even make its way to auction.

Beer won't just be watching from the sidelines as the adaptation takes shape. She is set to both write the screenplay and direct the film adaptation herself. Production duties will be shared between LuckyChap, Beer’s Lab Brew banner, and Sweeney through her newly announced Honey Trap banner.

In fact, Hollow will serve as the very first official feature film project produced by Honey Trap following the company's launch.

The novel is also being fast-tracked for publication, with a planned Fall 2027 release that will coincide with development on the feature adaptation. Interest in both the book and movie has reportedly been strong from the start.

The manuscript quickly landed on studio book scout lists, and the film package has already generated significant attention even before industry readers have had extensive access to the material.

There have been plenty of adaptations of Sleepy Hollow over the years, but Hollow sounds like it could carve out its own identity by leaning into gothic romance, mystery, and supernatural suspense while finally putting Katrina Van Tassel front and center.

Source: Deadline

Lionsgate has announced that they will release their prequel film John Rambo on June 4, 2027.

The movie will bow in the post-Memorial Day frame following Disney/Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Starfighter from director Shawn Levy and star Ryan Gosling. The other only wide release on June 4th next year is an untitled feature from Paramount.

John Rambo explores the soldier’s origin story and the events preceding 1982’s First Blood. Noah Centineo is taking over the bandana and the 420 J2 stainless steel blade from Sylvester Stallone, who made the character famous.

John Rambo is directed by Jalmari Helander (Sisu). The pic is produced by Kevin King Templeton, Les Weldon, Jonathan Yunger, Angela Russo-Otstot and Michael Disco, and executive produced by Stallone, AGBO’s Anthony & Joe Russo, Trevor Short, Dallas Sonnier and Amanda Presmyk. The script was written by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani.

via: Deadline

The popcorn bucket craze has officially entered a new level of movie nerd insanity. Over the last few years, theaters have turned concession collectibles into an event all their own.

We’ve seen giant sandworms, bizarre creature-shaped containers, and all kinds of oversized movie-themed snack holders. But with The Odyssey, IMAX has taken a route that feels specifically designed for film geeks.

Instead of creating a bucket shaped like a monster, a character, or a mythical creature from the movie, IMAX made a popcorn bucket modeled after the actual camera used to shoot Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic.

Yes, the collectible is an IMAX camera.

Considering how much attention has been focused on the filmmaking technology behind The Odyssey, it actually makes perfect sense.

Along with starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and what feels like half of Hollywood, one of the biggest selling points of Nolan’s latest film is the IMAX format itself.

As most movie fans know by now, The Odyssey is the first feature film ever shot entirely with IMAX cameras. After years of development and technical hurdles, IMAX finally created a camera system that allowed Nolan to use the format throughout the entire production without the limitations that previously made that impossible.

So in a strange way, IMAX has become one of the stars of the movie. That’s why this collectible feels so perfectly ridiculous.

The official IMAX description reads: “Lights…camera…popcorn! No moviegoing experience is complete without every cinephile’s favorite snack.

“Now you can crunch in style with this limited-edition popcorn bucket inspired by the legendary IMAX 15/65mm Camera, the very camera Christopher Nolan has called ‘the Gold Standard’ and used on films such as The Dark Knight, Interstellar, and The Odyssey.

“A tribute to IMAX’s groundbreaking film technology and the craft of filmmaking, this collectible bucket features a viewfinder that lights up to reveal a scene from Christopher Nolan’s latest epic in IMAX’s exclusive 1.43:1 Expanded Aspect Ratio.”

This isn’t just a camera-shaped bucket. The viewfinder actually lights up and displays footage from The Odyssey in IMAX’s expanded aspect ratio. That's a level of movie-geek dedication that’s hard not to appreciate.

Of course, there’s one catch. IMAX also noted that “quantities are limited,” and movie fans wasted absolutely no time grabbing them. The bucket went on presale alongside IMAX tickets for The Odyssey and quickly sold out.

That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gone forever. Some local IMAX locations could still receive inventory, and there’s always the possibility of a restock. Plus, with a story that features Trojan Horses, Cyclopes, and all kinds of legendary mythology, it wouldn’t be surprising if more traditional themed buckets arrive in the weeks ahead.

Still, when it comes to niche movie collectibles, this thing is in a category of its own. Forget swords, monsters, and giant creatures. A popcorn bucket modeled after the exact IMAX camera used to shoot Christopher Nolan’s movie might be the most wonderfully nerdy concession item we’ve seen yet.

The Odyssey sails into theaters on July 17, and premium format tickets are on sale now.

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It's no myth. We turned our iconic Film Camera into a popcorn bucket. 😎🍿 Featuring a scene in our exclusive 1.43:1 Expanded Aspect Ratio in the viewfinder, it’s one of the models Christopher Nolan used during the filming of #TheOdysseyMovie. Now that's history-making.… pic.twitter.com/iJXe9vpAbv

— IMAX (@IMAX) June 4, 2026

Heading into the weekend, many expected Masters of the Universe to be one of the biggest theatrical events of the summer. The live-action adaptation of the iconic Mattel franchise had generated plenty of excitement among longtime He-Man fans, and early reactions suggested audiences who saw it were having a good time.

Unfortunately, enthusiasm from the fanbase didn’t translate into the kind of ticket sales the studio was hoping for.

The film opened to just $29.3 million domestically, a surprisingly soft start for a movie carrying a reported $200 million production budget. While there’s still a long road ahead in theaters, that opening number raises questions about the franchise’s future on the big screen and whether a sequel will ever become a reality.

What makes the result even more surprising is that 2026 has already delivered several unexpected theatrical success stories. Films like Michael, Backrooms, and Obsession have all significantly outperformed industry expectations.

On the flip side, every year has its casualties, and Masters of the Universe appears to be heading toward that category unless it finds some serious momentum in the weeks ahead.

International audiences didn’t provide much of a rescue either. The movie brought in another $25 million overseas, giving it a worldwide opening of $54.3 million.

For a property that many believed could become Mattel’s next major cinematic franchise after the success of Barbie, those numbers are far from ideal. With major releases like Toy Story 5 and Supergirl still waiting in the wings this summer, the road ahead isn’t getting any easier for He-Man.

Of course, Amazon will likely be paying very close attention to how the film performs when it eventually lands on Prime Video. Streaming numbers could become an important factor in determining whether the property has a future beyond this first installment. Still, this clearly wasn’t the massive breakout hit Mattel had envisioned.

One small consolation for Amazon is that it wasn’t the only major franchise having a rough weekend. Unfortunately, The Mandalorian and Grogu continues to struggle at the box office as well.

The latest Star Wars adventure dropped 59% domestically during its third weekend, adding just $10 million and bringing its North American total to $155 million. Worldwide, the film has reached $293 million, putting it on track to finish below Solo: A Star Wars Story's $393 million global total and making it the lowest-grossing Star Wars movie to date.

I imagine a lot of people are just waiting for the film to drop on Disney+ after its theatrical run.

Meanwhile, the real box office champion this weekend came from an unexpected place. Despite earning mostly negative reviews, Scary Movie stormed into theaters with a huge $55 million domestic launch and another $50.5 million internationally.

Its $105.5 million global debut nearly doubled the worldwide opening of Masters of the Universe, a result few analysts would have predicted just a few weeks ago.

Despite the underwhelming debut, MGM is putting a positive spin on the film's performance. MGM Studios' Head of Domestic Theatrical Distro, Kevin Wilson, said:

"This weekend represents a very solid start for Masters of the Universe and the passionate, multigenerational audience response we're seeing around the world has been fantastic."

"Travis Knight and the entire cast and filmmaking team have delivered something truly special, and this opening is exactly the kind of critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy—building awareness and engagement that will carry well beyond the theatrical window."

Whether audiences continue showing up over the next few weeks remains to be seen, but the film will need exceptionally strong legs if it hopes to overcome its costly budget and become a genuine theatrical success.

Here’s how the domestic Top 10 shook out this weekend:

Scary Movie – $55 million

Masters of the Universe – $29.3 million

Backrooms – $25.9 million

Obsession – $25.6 million

Amazing Digital Circus – $12.7 million

Mandalorian and Grogu – $10 million

Michael – $7.7 million

The Breadwinner – $3.4 million

Pressure – $3 million

Devil Wears Prada 2 – $2.8 million

For those who haven't checked it out yet, Masters of the Universe sees Travis Knight bring the beloved franchise back to theaters in live-action form.

The story follows Prince Adam, played by Nicholas Galitzine, who is reunited with the Sword of Power after 15 years away from Eternia. Returning home, he finds the planet under the control of Skeletor, played by Jared Leto.

Alongside Teela, played by Camila Mendes, and Duncan/Man-At-Arms, played by Idris Elba, Adam must embrace his destiny as He-Man and fight to save his world.

The big question now is whether audiences will eventually discover Masters of the Universe in theaters, or if this long-awaited He-Man reboot will find its true audience once it reaches streaming. Right now, the power doesn’t seem to be at the box office.

The Land of Ooo is opening its doors once again, but this time fans are heading back to where the adventure began.

The first trailer for Adventure Time: Side Quests has officially arrived, giving viewers their first look at the newest chapter in the beloved animated franchise.

While recent Adventure Time projects have expanded the mythology of the series and explored new corners of its universe, Side Quests is taking a different path by returning to the simpler, quest-driven storytelling.

Set during the duo’s younger adventuring years, the series follows Finn and Jake as they tackle monsters, strange encounters, and all kinds of bizarre missions across Ooo.

It feels like a return to the classic formula that powered the original series, focusing less on sprawling lore and more on the fun, unpredictable adventures that helped make Adventure Time a cultural phenomenon.

While the characters themselves look familiar, the show's visual style has undergone a noticeable transformation. The new animation embraces brighter backgrounds, richer colors, and a more fluid sense of movement.

It still captures the charm and personality of early Adventure Time, but the overall presentation is flatter, more two-dimensional, and carries an almost storybook-like quality that helps it stand apart from previous entries in the franchise.

The new aesthetic gives Side Quests its own identity while still feeling connected to the world longtime fans know and love.

Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, Adventure Time: Side Quests was first announced at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. The series is led by original Adventure Time veteran Nate Cash, who serves as showrunner and executive producer.

Several familiar voices are also returning to the franchise, including John DiMaggio, Tom Kenny, Hynden Walch, Olivia Olson, and Niki Yang.

Side Quests continues the steady expansion of the Adventure Time universe, joining projects such as Distant Lands and Fionna and Cake, while also paving the way for the upcoming Heyo BMO series.

Fans won’t have to wait long to jump back into Ooo. Adventure Time: Side Quests premieres on June 29 on Disney+ and Hulu in the United States, with international releases planned through Cartoon Network and HBO Max.

The series looks like a fun reset for the franchise, offering a chance to spend more time with Finn and Jake doing what they do best: setting off on weird, hilarious, and unforgettable adventures.

20th Century Studios has released a new trailer for The Dog Stars, the upcoming post-apocalyptic thriller from legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott, and it offers another look at a world struggling to survive after a devastating pandemic nearly wiped out humanity.

Based on Peter Heller's acclaimed novel, The Dog Stars follows a small group of survivors trying to find purpose in a broken world where danger lurks around every corner. The latest footage expands on the film's bleak setting while giving audiences a better look at the relationships that drive the story.

Set in Colorado after civilization has largely collapsed, the story centers on Hig, played by Jacob Elordi, a civilian pilot who spends his days flying an aging Cessna over the remains of the world. He shares an isolated existence in an airplane hangar with his loyal dog and a hardened former Marine played by Josh Brolin.

Life may be grim, but everything changes when Hig picks up a mysterious radio transmission while flying. The signal sparks a mission to uncover where it came from, opening the possibility that there may be something more waiting beyond the boundaries of their small survivalist enclave.

The trailer leans into the film's mix of suspense, survival, and mystery. There are hostile invaders, desperate survivors, and what appears to be a landscape where cannibalism has become part of the nightmare. Yet beneath all of that darkness is a search for connection and the possibility of a better future.

The official synopsis reads: “The end of the world was just the beginning.” Set in Colorado after the world's population has been ravaged by a pandemic, a man lives a lonesome existence in an airplane hangar with his dog and a door gunman he has befriended. When a mysterious transmission comes through on the radio while he is flying his old Cessna, it sparks a hunt for the provenance of the sound.

Along with Elordi and Brolin, the film features an impressive cast that includes Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, Benedict Wong, and Allison Janney.

The screenplay comes from Mark L. Smith, whose previous writing credits include The Revenant, Overlord, The Midnight Sky, and Twisters.

One of the biggest questions hanging over the film is whether the mysterious transmission will lead Hig and his companions toward something worth finding, or whether it will reveal that the world outside their fragile sanctuary is just as hopeless as the one they've left behind. Either way, the journey looks intense.

The Dog Stars flies into theaters nationwide on August 28, 2026.

Jon Favreau has shared a cool little behind-the-scenes story about bringing the Anzellans back into the Star Wars universe, and it also seems to answer why J.J. Abrams received a thank you in the credits for The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Fans were first introduced to the tiny mechanics through Babu Frik in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which Abrams directed. The character instantly became one of the movie’s fan favorites, and now the species is playing a much bigger role in the upcoming Star Wars movie from Favreau.

While speaking with SFX magazine about adapting Dave Filoni’s animated bounty hunter Embo into live-action for The Mandalorian and Grogu, Favreau explained how important it is to involve the original creators when revisiting characters and concepts.

He said: "We were developing the live-action version of him and showing Dave versions – we've got to show Dave. Because there's a special thing, when you use a [character] – even though it belongs to Star Wars, if somebody came up with the character, you go [to them].

"Like when I was working with the Anzellans, I called up JJ. And JJ came to the set. Because you want him to know that, you know, 'I appreciate what you did. Can we – do you mind? Are we handling this well? Are you happy?' And with Embo, same thing with Dave."

It’s a pretty great insight into how collaborative Star Wars still is, especially when creators are revisiting characters introduced by someone else. Favreau clearly wants the people who helped shape these corners of the galaxy to feel included when those ideas evolve.

The interesting part is that the Anzellans already appeared in The Mandalorian Season 3, so it’s unclear whether Favreau originally contacted Abrams for the Disney+ series or specifically for The Mandalorian and Grogu. Either way, Abrams being thanked in the film’s credits suddenly makes a lot more sense now.

The Anzellans have a pretty important role in the movie itself. After starting out as comic relief with Babu Frik, those tiny mechanics are becoming a much bigger piece of the modern Star Wars universe, and they are very entertaining.

As for what’s next, fans are still waiting for Ahsoka Season 2, which currently has an early 2027 release window.

Source: SFX Magazine

As you know, reports have been circulating that the upcoming DC Universe movie Supergirl would become the first film in the new DCU to drop the F-bomb As those discussions gained momentum online, James Gunn stepped in to clear things up himself.

Despite the speculation, Gunn confirmed that Supergirl won’t contain any F-bombs. The DC Studios co-head addressed the rumor directly on Threads after seeing claims spread across social media that the film would feature the expletive. Gunn responded with a straightforward correction, writing:

“There is no F-bomb. But Peacemaker, in the DCU, has always done this hundreds of time.”

The confusion appears to have stemmed from comments made during a recent set visit, where members of the production team discussed the possibility of where a well-placed F-word could fit within the story.

Those remarks led many fans to assume the language would ultimately make its way into the finished movie.

Executive producer Chantal Nong Vo fueled that speculation when she talked about conversations happening during production regarding the film’s PG-13 rating and whether there was room for a carefully chosen use of the word. She explained:

“How many times? We’ll see. Obviously, this is a PG-13 movie, so it’s limited when it comes to ratings, but we have been being like, ‘Is this her f–k? Is this her f–k? So, we have different options. I think there’s one that’s special in Craig’s heart, but we are having a lot of fun with it.”

While it sounds like the creative team had some fun discussing potential options during development, Gunn’s latest comment confirms that none of those possibilities made it into the final version of the film.

The upcoming movie is directed by Craig Gillespie and stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El. The story follows Kara on a dangerous journey across the galaxy after a devastating tragedy sets her on a path of vengeance. Along the way, she teams up with an unlikely ally as she pursues those responsible.

One of the most anticipated aspects of the film is the arrival of Jason Momoa as Lobo, a casting choice fans have been eager to see ever since it was announced. The cast also includes Matthias Schoenaerts as Krem, Eve Ridley as Ruthye Marye Knoll, and David Krumholtz as Zor-El.

Fans already got their first glimpse of Alcock’s Kara when she appeared during the closing moments of Superman, setting the stage for her own cosmic adventure.

With Supergirl set to hit theaters on June 26, 2026, it looks like audiences can stop debating whether Kara will drop an F-bomb and start focusing on what the film is actually bringing to the table: a revenge-driven space epic that introduces some major new players to the DC Universe.

Photos of several new toys from the upcoming Marvel event film Avengers: Doomsday have been leaked for fans to check out as we eagerly await a full trailer for the highly anticipated flick.

Many heroes and our big bad nemesis are featured in the toy line including Doctor Doom, Thor, Sam Wilson’s Captain America, The Thing, Human Torch, and Beast, and we get up close looks at some of the features of their costumes and specific upgrades for the film.

It looks like Victor Von Doom will unleash red power blasts, while Thor is seemingly going to make himself a helmet out of yellow lightning, and Beast’s figure has the classic X-Men logo on his belt.

Despite not being pictured, a new rumor is also circulating that a Spider-Man figure has been leaked, with rumors pointing to it being Tobey Maguire's web-slinger. But as always, take the rumors and toy leaks with a grain of salt.

Avengers: Doomsday stars Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Winston Duke, Tom Hiddleston, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, and Robert Downey Jr. Wyatt Russell, Simu Liu, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Mabel Cadena, Florence Pugh, Danny Ramirez, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Lewis Pullman, India Rose Hemsworth, and Wesley Holloway all make their Avengers franchise debuts.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn join them, as do X-Men franchise stars Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, with Deadpool & Wolverine star Channing Tatum. 

The Russo Brothers direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. 

Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18th. Check out the photos below:

First look at Hasbro’s Doctor Doom, Captain America and Thor action figures for ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’

📷: @idlehandsblog pic.twitter.com/MiqHxoWKWT

— Avengers Updates (@AvengersUpdated) June 7, 2026

First look at Hasbro’s The Thing, Human Torch and Beast action figures for ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’

📷: https://t.co/88HKEcd0To pic.twitter.com/fSSOng0IY7

— Avengers Updates (@AvengersUpdated) June 7, 2026

Hasbro Avengers Doomsday Doctor Doom Titan Series#avengersdoomsday pic.twitter.com/kJ9cA07DJs

— phresh (@phreshoutt) June 7, 2026

Avengers Doomsday Captain America Hasbro Titan Series#AvengersDoomsday #CaptainAmerica pic.twitter.com/2CRxMf09s7

— phresh (@phreshoutt) June 7, 2026

Thor Avengers Doomsday Hasbro ActionVerse#Thor #AvengersDoomsday pic.twitter.com/JqbCpXJA3d

— phresh (@phreshoutt) June 7, 2026

FX has dropped the trailer for the fifth and final season of The Bear, and it looks like the beloved kitchen crew is about to face their biggest challenge yet.

If fans thought the pressure was intense before, the new footage suggests things are about to get even more complicated as the team battles financial trouble, unexpected disasters, and the uncertain future of the restaurant they've poured everything into building.

The trailer puts Ayo Edebiri's Sydney front and center as she steps into a leadership role, taking charge of the kitchen as head chef. With Carmy no longer running the day-to-day operation, Sydney finds herself carrying the weight of keeping The Bear moving forward while the rest of the staff scrambles to keep the business alive.

And they're dealing with a lot more than difficult dinner service. The new season sees the restaurant hit from every angle. A flood threatens operations, deliveries are cut off, money is running short, and the building itself is being sold. The team is essentially fighting to keep the doors open while navigating one crisis after another.

Season 4 ended with Jeremy Allen White's Carmy making the difficult decision to walk away from the restaurant business. After heartfelt conversations with Sydney, Richie, and Natalie, he stepped aside and left the future of The Bear in their hands.

But Carmy isn't gone for good. The trailer reveals that he'll be returning this season, reconnecting with the people who helped build the restaurant. At one emotional moment, Carmy tells the team: “I look at you all, and I love you so much.”

Alongside White and Edebiri, the series stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Abby Elliott, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, and Matty Matheson. Returning cast members include Oliver Platt, Jon Bernthal, Ricky Staffieri, and Molly Gordon.

One of the show's trademarks has been its impressive lineup of guest stars, and over the past four seasons audiences have seen appearances from names such as Brie Larson, the late Rob Reiner, Jamie Lee Curtis, Joel McHale, John Mulaney, Bob Odenkirk, Will Poulter, Olivia Colman, Sarah Paulson, Molly Ringwald, John Cena, and Josh Hartnett.

Series creator Christopher Storer returns as executive producer and he also serves as the season's primary director, with Hiro Murai once again directing select episodes.

After four seasons of kitchen meltdowns, emotional breakthroughs, and extremely stressful situations, The Bear is preparing to close its doors for one last run. Based on this trailer, the final chapter is shaping up to be an intense, emotional ride that will test every member of the team before service finally ends.

All eight episodes of The Bear Season 5 premiere June 25 on Hulu and FX.

Fans of Jem and the Holograms have a reason to celebrate because the iconic 1980s animated franchise is heading back to live-action. An all-new series based on the beloved property is officially in development at Amazon MGM Studios, with some impressive creative talent helping bring it to life.

According to Deadline, Amazon has landed the project, which comes from Hasbro Entertainment and is being produced by Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan's Kilter Films.

The studio has built a strong reputation with projects such as Westworld and Fallout, making this a very interesting team to tackle a modern reimagining of the colorful music-driven franchise.

The project reportedly began making the rounds in late 2025 through Hasbro Entertainment, and Amazon quickly became the frontrunner to secure it. Industry chatter linked Kilter Films to the series early on, but it took several months before everything was finalized and officially announced.

Joy, Nolan, and Athena Wickham will executive produce for Kilter Films, with Gabriel Marano serving as executive producer for Hasbro Entertainment.

This new adaptation arrives 41 years after Jem and the Holograms, created by Christy Marx, first debuted in 1985. The animated series was designed to ride the wave of MTV's explosive popularity and the rise of music videos.

The story centered on Jerrica Benton, a record company owner who transformed into her rock star alter ego, Jem, the lead singer of Jem and The Holograms.

Music was at the heart of the series and every episode featured original songs and music videos, helping separate it from other animated shows of the era. Its theme song, "Truly Outrageous," is recognizable to a generation of fans and remains closely associated with the franchise today.

What many people may not realize is just how successful the series was during its original run. Across three seasons, Jem and the Holograms became the most-watched syndicated cartoon on television, outperforming powerhouse franchises like Transformers and He-Man.

Even after the series wrapped in 1988, its popularity continued through the 1990s as reruns remained among the most-watched syndicated children's programs.

The franchise has maintained a loyal fanbase ever since. Comic books, music releases, and the long-running fan convention JemCon, which is now celebrating its twentieth year, have helped keep the property alive for decades.

Of course, this isn't the first attempt to bring Jem back. Universal and Blumhouse previously released a live-action Jem and the Holograms movie in 2015. Directed and produced by Jon M. Chu and starring Aubrey Peeples as Jem, the film failed to connect with audiences and never launched the franchise revival many hoped for.

This new series appears to have a different path ahead of it. Amazon has been building an impressive lineup of female-focused young adult and coming-of-age content on Prime Video. Recent successes include Off Campus, The Summer I Turned Pretty, We Were Liars, and the Culpables franchise. The addition of Jem and the Holograms feels like it fits right in with that growing slate.

Meanwhile, Hasbro Entertainment continues to aggressively expand its biggest brands across film and television. Upcoming projects include The Forgotten Realms, a live-action Dungeons & Dragons series at Netflix produced by Shawn Levy; a Baldur's Gate series at HBO with Craig Mazin writing and executive producing; and a live-action Power Rangers series currently in development at Disney+.

For now, there are no story details or casting announcements attached to Jem And The Holograms, but with Amazon, Hasbro, and Kilter Films all involved, this revival is already shaping up to be one of the more intriguing adaptations in development.

The biggest question now is whether this new version can capture the music, style, and larger-than-life energy that made the original series such a phenomenon in the first place.

Source: Deadline

When Ahsoka Tano first appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars back in 2008, few fans could have predicted just how important she would become to the franchise.

She arrived after the prequel trilogy had already wrapped up, and evolved into one of the most significant characters in the entire Star Wars saga. From The Clone Wars to Star Wars Rebels, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka, her story has only continued to grow.

Now, thanks to the events of The Mandalorian and Grogu, Star Wars may have just planted the seeds for a reunion that reaches all the way back to Ahsoka’s very first adventure on screen. And if it happens, it would bring together two characters who haven’t shared a scene in 19 years.

One of the more interesting elements in The Mandalorian and Grogu was the return of Rotta the Hutt. Fans who primarily follow the live-action side of Star Wars may not have recognized him right away, but Rotta has actually been around since The Clone Wars movie.

Back then, he was just a kidnapped Huttlet whose rescue mission became the first assignment for Anakin Skywalker and his brand-new Padawan, Ahsoka Tano.

The mission was a defining moment for the newly formed master-apprentice duo. Throughout the adventure, Ahsoka spent plenty of time carrying the young Hutt and protecting him from danger.

In the end, she was the one who personally returned Rotta to his father, Jabba the Hutt. At the time, it felt like a one-off story and the last time these characters would ever meet. Nearly two decades later, Star Wars has suddenly made that assumption look a lot less certain.

The ending of The Mandalorian and Grogu takes Rotta in a direction that few fans would have expected. Rather than following the traditional path of the Hutts, he chooses to align himself with the New Republic and continue the fight against the Empire.

That decision opens up all kinds of storytelling possibilities. Not only could it put him alongside some of the Rebellion's most recognizable heroes, but it also creates the possibility of interactions with characters like Leia Organa, which would be fascinating to see unfold.

More importantly, Star Wars has now established exactly where Rotta is in the current timeline. While there’s no official confirmation that he will appear again, the movie clearly leaves the door open for future appearances.

Whether that comes in a sequel to The Mandalorian and Grogu, a future season of The Mandalorian, or another project entirely remains to be seen.

But there’s one project that feels particularly intriguing: Ahsoka Season 2.

The timelines of Ahsoka and The Mandalorian and Grogu line up in a way that makes Rotta’s involvement a real possibility. The movie establishes that Rotta is working closely with Zeb Orrelios, and fans have been speculating for quite some time that Zeb will have a larger role in Ahsoka Season 2 as the Ghost crew slowly comes back together.

If Zeb is involved and Rotta remains connected to him, there’s a believable path for the giant Hutt to cross paths with Ahsoka once again, which would be so cool!

magine Ahsoka looking at a towering, heavily built Hutt and realizing it's the same little Huttlet she spent an entire mission carrying around during the Clone Wars. That reaction alone would be worth seeing.

Of course, a few pieces still need to fall into place. Ahsoka and Sabine Wren are currently stranded on Peridea, while Rotta remains in the main galaxy. Before any reunion can happen, Ahsoka needs a way home.

While it's fun to imagine Zeb and Rotta launching a rescue mission, the more likely scenario is that Ahsoka and Sabine find their own route back. There’s also the practical side of production.

Bringing a character like Rotta to life in a live-action Disney+ series would require a significant investment, which could influence whether Lucasfilm decides to pursue the idea.

Still, Star Wars has now created a path for this reunion to happen, and it’s one that ties directly back to Ahsoka’s very first appearance in the franchise.

For longtime fans who have followed her journey from an impulsive Padawan to one of the galaxy’s most respected heroes, seeing her reunite with Rotta after all these years would be a fun full-circle moment that connects the past and present of Star Wars in a surprisingly meaningful way.

With tickets for Supergirl officially on sale, excitement for the next chapter of the DC Universe appears to be building fast. While DC Studios hasn't released any official ticketing numbers, reports indicate that advance sales are off to a strong start, giving fans another reason to keep an eye on the Girl of Steel's big-screen debut.

As is usually the case with major superhero releases, attention has now shifted to the film's financial outlook. How much did it cost to make, and what does it need to earn at the box office to be considered a success?

According to a new report from Deadline, DC Studios spent approximately $175 million to produce Supergirl. The report also claims that the movie would need to earn more than $315 million worldwide to reach its break-even point.

The reported production budget only covers the cost of making the movie and doesn't include additional expenses such as prints and advertising.

Marketing campaigns for tentpole superhero films can be incredibly expensive, so the actual amount Supergirl will need to earn before turning a profit is likely much higher than that reported break-even figure.

The film stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El and will take the iconic DC hero on a cosmic adventure that looks very different from previous live-action versions of Supergirl.

The official synopsis reads: "When an unexpected and ruthless enemy threatens, Kara Zor-El is forced, against her will, to team up with an unlikely companion. Together, they embark on an epic cosmic journey where revenge and justice are at stake – and where Kara must confront her origins to find her own path as a hero.”

Alongside Alcock, the cast includes Eve Ridley as Ruthye Mary Knolle, Matthias Schoenaerts as the villainous Krem of the Yellow Hills, and David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham as Kara's parents, Zor-El and Alura. Then there’s Jason Momoa as Lobo.

The movie is based on the acclaimed comic series Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which earned praise for presenting a tougher, more battle-worn version of Kara than audiences have typically seen on screen.

We'll find out how high the Girl of Steel can soar when Supergirl lands in theaters on June 26, 2026.

For years, Hollywood has been digging through decades of beloved intellectual property in search of the next blockbuster. Some of those projects have felt like little more than attempts to cash in on audience familiarity, which has understandably made moviegoers skeptical whenever another classic brand gets dusted off and brought back to theaters.

That skepticism is exactly why some people may completely miss what Masters of the Universe is actually trying to do.

At first glance, a live-action He-Man movie seems like the textbook definition of nostalgia-driven filmmaking. It’s based on one of Mattel’s most recognizable properties, arrives at a time when studios are leaning heavily on established brands, and features a story rooted in a toy line that first exploded in popularity more than 40 years ago. But according to the filmmakers and cast, there’s much more happening beneath the surface.

The film has already generated strong reactions from critics following its premiere and currently holds Certified Fresh status on Rotten Tomatoes. Even so, there are plenty of people eager to dismiss it as another uninspired attempt to monetize childhood memories.

Looking closer at the people behind the project, however, suggests that reading might be missing the point entirely.

Much like how Barbie surprised audiences by using a toy icon to examine expectations placed on women, Masters of the Universe uses its larger-than-life fantasy setting to explore masculinity.

The difference is that viewers have to meet the film halfway. If you walk into it assuming there’s no sincerity behind its themes, there’s a good chance you’ll overlook what it’s trying to say.

Director Travis Knight recently discussed the ideas driving the film, explaining that the story centers on growth, empathy, and helping others become better versions of themselves.

"We are telling a story about these men, and they're at various different places in their journey, and they were raised [with] different generational perspectives," Knight told /Film.

"I wanted to make sure that as a filmmaker, even anything I disagree with, that I approach these things with empathy, that I try to understand where these people are coming from."

That perspective feels especially meaningful coming from Knight. While many know him as a filmmaker and animator, he also grew up as the son of Nike founder Phil Knight.

He has openly talked about preferring to play with action figures rather than participate in sports, giving him a unique understanding of the many different ways masculinity can be expressed.

That outlook is woven throughout Masters of the Universe. The film presents male characters who approach life, conflict, and responsibility from very different angles. Rather than declaring one version of masculinity correct and another wrong, it explores how people learn from one another.

It also recognizes that simplistic answers rarely solve complicated problems. Talking through disagreements is valuable, but that philosophy only goes so far when someone like Skeletor is trying to conquer the universe. At the same time, relying exclusively on violence and emotional suppression creates its own problems.

Knight pointed to the relationship between Adam and Duncan as one of the clearest examples of that idea.

"You've got Duncan (Idris Elba), and you've got Adam, who look at the world very, very differently, but they affect each other. They help each other," Knight explains.

"They're not perfect by the end of the movie, but they've grown because of their relationship and their openness to each other. And I think that's a beautiful thing. I hope that more dudes can do that."

The casting of Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam and He-Man also adds an interesting layer to the conversation. Over the course of his career, Galitzine has portrayed a remarkably wide range of male characters.

From soldiers and princes to athletes, musicians, and young men wrestling with identity, his filmography has consistently explored different expressions of masculinity.

That experience proved valuable when stepping into the role of Adam. "Masculinity, femininity by nature, these are things that are not singular and all-consuming," Galitzine said.

"As people, we all contain these multitudes and light and shade. I think that what Adam really learns is that he obviously aspires to be these muscle-bound heroes that he grew up admiring, but that they don't really solve, certainly, a lot of the issues in his life."

For Galitzine, Adam’s greatest strength isn’t his sword, his muscles, or even the power of Grayskull. It’s his ability to understand people.

Galitzine thinks that Adam's true superpower is being able to empathize with people, even if you don't always see eye-to-eye with them, to find a way to collaborate. "Creating that nuance is something I've always been really fascinated in pursuing throughout my career," he says.

That’s what makes Masters of the Universe more interesting than many people may expect. Beneath the giant battles, fantasy spectacle, and iconic characters is a story examining how men connect with one another, challenge their assumptions, and grow beyond the expectations placed on them.

Will everyone embrace that message? Probably not. Some viewers will see a live-action He-Man movie and assume it exists solely to cash in on childhood memories, which is also does. But in doing that, there was also genuine thought and care that Knight, Galitzine, and the rest of the creative team have poured into the project.

The film certainly delivers the adventure audiences expect from a Masters of the Universe movie, but it’s also tackling ideas that resonate far beyond Eternia. It recognizes that conversations about masculinity can be complicated, and sometimes messy. More importantly, it argues that those conversations are worth having.

Netflix has shared the first footage from its upcoming live-action Scooby-Doo series, and fans are getting their first look at the beloved mystery-solving dog in action.

The streaming service shared a short clip on social media featuring Scooby running through the woods near a summer camp. The footage captures a key moment as the young dog has a moment with Shaggy, setting up the friendship that would eventually become one of the most iconic duos in pop culture.

It's only a brief glimpse, but it's enough to give fans an early taste of what Netflix is cooking up with this new take on the franchise.

The series, officially titled Scooby-Doo: Origins, is currently filming in Atlanta and is slated to premiere in 2027.

Netflix is taking audiences back to the beginning with a story that explores how Mystery Inc. first came together. As previously announced, the gang will be played by Maxwell Jenkins as Fred Jones, Tanner Hagen as Norville “Shaggy” Rogers, Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma Dinkley, and Mckenna Grace as Daphne Blake.

Netflix previously released an early look at the cast in April, giving fans their first peek at the young versions of the legendary mystery-solvers.

The cast also includes Paul Walter Hauser, though details regarding his character remain under wraps.

According to the official synopsis, the story centers on a mystery that begins during one unforgettable summer:

“During their final summer at camp, old friends Shaggy (Hagen) and Daphne (Grace) get embroiled in a haunting mystery surrounding a lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder.

“Together with the pragmatic and scientific townie, Velma (Fortson), and the strange, but ever so handsome new kid, Freddy (Jenkins), they set out to solve the case that is pulling each of them into a creepy nightmare that threatens to expose all of their secrets.”

That sounds like it's leaning into a darker and more suspenseful style while still embracing the core ingredients that have made Scooby-Doo a fan favorite for generations.

A summer camp setting, supernatural murder mystery, hidden secrets, and the formation of Mystery Inc. feels like a solid foundation for a fresh live-action adaptation.

The series comes from writers and showrunners Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg, who will also executive produce alongside André Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, and Adrienne Erickson through Midnight Radio. Toby Haynes will direct the first episode and also serve as an executive producer. The project is being produced by Warner Bros. Television.

It's still early days for Scooby-Doo: Origins, but seeing Scooby himself finally make his debut is sure to get longtime fans excited. The footage may be short, but after years of animated adventures and multiple live-action adaptations, it's fun to see the next generation of Mystery Inc. starting to take shape.

Now we just have to wait until 2027 to see where this mystery leads.

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It’s hard to believe that more than two decades have passed since audiences last followed Frodo Baggins to the fires of Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Now, with The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum bringing several familiar faces back to Middle-earth, Elijah Wood is opening up about what it’s like stepping back into that world.

While fans might be hoping that Frodo has a big role in the story, Wood says his involvement in the upcoming film is fairly limited. That said, the chance to reunite with the people who helped create one of the most beloved fantasy franchises of all time was reason enough to return.

Speaking with GamesRadar+, Wood shared: "I mean, it's sort of like getting the band back together a little bit with that film. A lot of the creative team who were part of Lord of the Rings are part of Hunt for Gollum.

“I'm just looking forward to seeing all those people again. It feels like a family reunion. My part to play is relatively small, but I'm just excited to go back and spend some time in New Zealand and see old friends."

The original Lord of the Rings trilogy became a once-in-a-generation cinematic event, and many of the filmmakers and cast members involved have remained close ever since. Returning to New Zealand and reconnecting with longtime collaborators sounds like a pretty great excuse to revisit Middle-earth.

As for where The Hunt for Gollum fits into Tolkien’s timeline, the story takes place 17 years after Bilbo Baggins’ famous birthday party and before Frodo leaves the Shire in The Fellowship of the Ring. That period has been referenced before, but this movie will shine a spotlight on events that happened largely off-screen.

The story centers on Gollum after he loses possession of the One Ring. Desperate to recover his precious treasure, he leaves the safety of his cave and begins searching for it. In response, Gandalf sends Aragorn on a mission to track him down, setting the stage for the hunt that gives the film its title.

Considering the timeline, it makes sense that Frodo’s appearance may be limited to only a few scenes. It could end up being something closer to Wood’s memorable cameo in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey rather than a leading role.

Wood won’t be the only familiar face making a return trip to Middle-earth. Ian McKellen is back as Gandalf, while Andy Serkis will once again portray Sméagol/Gollum. Lee Pace is also returning as the Elven king Thranduil.

One of the biggest changes involves Aragorn. The younger version of the ranger, known at the time as Strider, has been recast and will be played by Jamie Dornan. The film will also introduce new characters played by Kate Winslet and Leo Woodall, who portray Marigol and Halvard, respectively.

Serkis is also directing the film from a script written by longtime Lord of the Rings collaborators Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh, with Peter Jackson serving as a producer.

Before Wood heads back to Middle-earth, fans can hear him in another high-profile project. The actor voices an astronaut named Green in the animated series Among Us, which surprise-launched on Paramount+ on June 5.

Based on the massively popular multiplayer game, the series follows a crew trying to keep their spaceship operational while shapeshifting alien impostors secretly eliminate members of the team.

For now, though, it’s The Hunt for Gollum that has fantasy fans counting down the days. Even if Frodo only plays a small part in the story, seeing Wood return to Middle-earth alongside so many familiar faces should make this next chapter feel a little bit like coming home.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set to arrive in theaters on December 17, 2027.

Hollywood has a habit of looking for the next big filmmaker to hand the keys to a major franchise. So after the surprising success of Backrooms, it didn’t take long for speculation to start swirling around what director Kane Parsons might tackle next. Could he jump into the world of Star Wars? Maybe even Star Trek?

According to Parsons himself, fans shouldn’t expect that to happen. During a recent appearance on The Town with Matt Belloni, the 20-year-old filmmaker made it clear that blockbuster franchise filmmaking simply isn’t what excites him. While many rising directors dream of taking on a galaxy far, far away, Parsons has his sights set somewhere else entirely.

When asked if he was “curious to do a Star Wars movie,” Parsons offered a direct answer: “No, I’m not too interested in IP work. I pretty much entirely want to focus on original projects.

“Just because I do this, because it’s my way of processing life, as is art, and I typically find needing to step into someone else’s view of life tends to just kind of damage the initial point for me.”

For Parsons, filmmaking appears to be a personal creative outlet, and working within someone else’s universe doesn’t fit with the way he approaches storytelling.

That doesn’t mean he’s completely ruling out existing properties forever, though. Parsons admitted there are a few exceptions tied to formative experiences from his childhood.

He explained: “I think barring like one or two things from my personal childhood, stuff from the early 2000s, like one or two things really, without naming them out loud. The only ones I would look at are ones that have shaped my own experience of life so much that I feel like I have something to do with that conversation in the first place.”

So while a Star Wars or Star Trek movie seems firmly off the table, there may be a couple of beloved early-2000s properties that could eventually catch his attention if they hold personal significance to him.

The comments come as Backrooms continues to exceed expectations at the box office. Since opening nationwide on May 29, the film has become one of the year’s biggest surprise success stories, earning more than $140 million worldwide.

That kind of breakout hit would typically spark immediate sequel discussions, but Parsons isn’t rushing into that either.

Rumors recently surfaced claiming he had already started looking for a screenwriter to develop a follow-up. Parsons quickly shot those reports down, saying: “I’m not sure where that got out…That seems more like a hallucinated [thing].”

For now, it sounds like Parsons is focused on charting his own path rather than stepping into someone else’s sandbox. In an industry increasingly powered by recognizable brands and cinematic universes, it’s refreshing to see a young filmmaker doubling down on original storytelling.

Considering what he accomplished with Backrooms, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of original film project he dreams up next.

The first clip from Evil Dead Burn has arrived, and the footage offers a nasty little taste of what's waiting for horror fans when the next chapter of the Evil Dead franchise hits theaters this summer.

The scene centers on a young woman who has fallen under Deadite control, and things get disturbing fast as she casually drinks hot candle wax. It's the kind of moment that makes you physically recoil while watching, which is exactly the kind of reaction longtime Evil Dead fans have come to expect from the franchise.

This is probably only scratching the surface of the madness that awaits. The clip escalates when the possessed woman is locked away in the basement, seemingly contained for the moment.

Of course, in an Evil Dead movie, things are never that simple. Before long, another Deadite appears outside the house, and this one looks considerably more threatening than the wax-guzzling victim we've just met. As if that wasn't enough, the creature arrives with a demonic dog by its side.

The official synopsis promises that "Evil Dead Burn unleashes the franchise's most savage and terrifying ride to date, blazing onto big screens with an all-new chapter of carnage and demonic mayhem.

"After the loss of her husband, a woman seeks solace with her in-laws in their secluded family home," it continues. "As one by one they are transformed into Deadites—turning the gathering into a family reunion from hell—she comes to discover that the vows she took in life live on...even in death."

The Evil Dead franchise has been terrifying audiences for more than four decades. Sam Raimi launched the series with 1981's The Evil Dead, which followed a group of friends who accidentally unleashed demonic forces while staying at an isolated cabin in the woods. The story continued with Evil Dead II in 1987 before concluding Raimi's original trilogy with Army of Darkness in 1992.

The franchise returned in 2013 with Evil Dead from Fede Álvarez, followed by 2023's Evil Dead Rise from Lee Cronin, both proving that the Book of the Dead still had plenty of nightmares left to unleash.

The future of the series is already taking shape as well. Evil Dead Wrath is currently scheduled to arrive on April 7, 2028. The film will be written and directed by Francis Galluppi, known for The Last Stop in Yuma County, and will tell another standalone story connected to the infamous Book of the Dead.

For now, all eyes are on Evil Dead Burn, which stars Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Errol Shand, George Pullar, Maude Davey, and Greta Van Den Brink.

Evil Dead Burn opens in theaters on July 10.

Hot candle wax burns a bit going down.

Check out this exclusive clip from @EvilDead Burn, in theaters July 10. #IGNLive pic.twitter.com/tOyEK5rQMH

— IGN (@IGN) June 6, 2026

In celebration of Ghostbusters Day on Saturday, marking the anniversary of the original 1984 film’s release, Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation teamed up with showrunners Ben Hibon and Elliott Kalan as well as Ghost Corps executive producers Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan to announce Ghostbusters: Night Shift as the name of the upcoming series, set to premiere on Netflix in 2027.

Taking place at the FDNY’s Hook & Ladder 8 firehouse, where the first two movies were filmed, Reitman and Kenan also recognized the fans for surpassing their ‘Ghostbusters Give Back’ initiative’s $500,000 donation goal over the past year, presenting the ‘Golden Trap’ awards to the Ghostbusters chapters in Buffalo, Los Angeles and Virginia, for raising the most money.

Additionally, Reitman, Kenan and Jay Levine, EVP, Chief Strategy Officer & Business Operations of Sony Pictures presented a $150,000 match donation check on behalf of Sony to Starlight Children’s Foundation, for a grand total of $666,000.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire star Celeste O’Connor also visted Maimonides Children’s Hospital in Brooklyn with Starlight, delivering hospital gowns and toys to pediatric patients.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Ghostbusters hosted a special presentation and live auction benefitting the FDNY Foundation, for which the Ghostbusters in Concert National Fall Tour also teamed up with Black Ink to donate a portion of ticket sales.

Check out the logo above, and stay tuned for updates on the animated series, Ghostbusters: Night Shift.

via: Deadline

Netflix is putting together an unexpected and entertaining pairing as Henry Cavill and Kevin Hart are set to star together in a new untitled spy action-comedy from director McG.

According to Deadline, the project is based on a short story by Sean Lewis and centers on two rival spies whose lives become intertwined in the most unusual way.

The story follows the agents as they cross paths during a Lamaze class, where they discover that their wives have become close friends. What starts as an awkward coincidence quickly turns into something much bigger as their secret lives crash together, leading to a mix of dangerous missions, comedic chaos, and an unlikely partnership.

As the story unfolds, the two spies are forced to put aside their rivalry and work together while navigating the challenges of impending fatherhood. The setup sounds like a fun blend of action, comedy, and family life, with Cavill and Hart bringing very different energies to the screen.

Cavill will reportedly play one of the spies, although details regarding his specific character are being kept under wraps for now.

The screenplay comes from Adam Nee, Aaron Nee, and Jonathan Tropper. The film is also backed by an impressive producing team that includes Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, and Ryan Reynolds.

The project continues a busy run for Cavill, who has been taking on a wide variety of action-heavy roles in recent years. Audiences recently saw him in Deadpool & Wolverine and Guy Ritchie's The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. He can currently be seen alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in Ritchie's action thriller In the Grey.

Looking ahead, Cavill is set to return to Netflix with Enola Holmes 3, which arrives on July 1. Beyond that, he has two major projects lined up at Amazon MGM, including Chad Stahelski's highly anticipated Highlander reboot and Rawson Marshall Thurber's live-action Voltron film.

Pairing Cavill with Hart's comedic timing seems like it could be a lot of fun, especially with a story that throws rival spies into parenting classes before sending them into dangerous situations together.

It's an unusual concept, but that's exactly what makes it interesting. I’m curious to see how this one come together.

Fans have been waiting to see what Creative Assembly has been cooking up with Alien: Isolation 2, and while details are still limited, the game made a surprise appearance during Summer Game Fest with a chilling new trailer that offers a small taste of what's ahead.

The footage doesn't reveal a whole lot about the story, but it does set the tone. The trailer opens with a character speaking in Japanese, warning that the player has made an expensive mistake, one that the company "rarely forgives."

They go on to explain that this mission is the protagonist's "last chance," immediately hinting that whoever we're playing as is in a pretty desperate situation.

From there, the trailer drops viewers into a bleak sci-fi nightmare. Wreckage scattered across the landscape suggests a catastrophic crash or explosion, and according to the game's Steam page, a survey team discovered the crashed vessel before one of its members ventured inside to investigate.

The trailer flashes through a series of unsettling images, including a rain-soaked planet, what Creative Assembly identifies as the Weyland-Yutani outpost known as Kurosaki Station, a bisected android, a flamethrower, a flare illuminating the darkness, a terrifying glimpse of a Xenomorph, and a close-up shot of a pair of eyes.

Those eyes likely belong to the game's new protagonist. Creative Assembly has confirmed that players won't be stepping back into the shoes of Amanda Ripley, the hero of the 2014 original and daughter of the legendary Ellen Ripley.

The studio hasn't revealed the identity of the new lead character, leaving plenty of room for speculation about how, or even if, this sequel connects directly to the events of the first game.

That's especially intriguing because Alien: Isolation ended on a cliffhanger that left fans wondering what happened next. Whether that unresolved storyline plays a role here remains a mystery.

Creative Assembly has shared a few hints about the gameplay, teasing that players will need to "endure the elements" while learning to "improvise and develop new tools, techniques, and tactics" in what the studio describes as the "ultimate survival-horror experience."

Creative director Al Hope also shared his excitement about finally pulling back the curtain on the project: "It has been over a decade since we created the original Alien: Isolation and I am so excited to show everyone the first glimpse of the sequel.”

"Our dedicated Survival team at Creative Assembly has been working hard to create a new, evolved Isolation experience continuing the legacy of the Alien franchise, making the eponymous killer smarter, the environment harsher and the chance of survival slimmer."

The original Alien: Isolation earned a passionate following thanks to its nerve-rattling tension, intelligent Xenomorph AI, and commitment to capturing the atmosphere of Ridley Scott's 1979 classic.

While the game eventually became a cult favorite, Sega's expectations weren't fully met at launch. Studio director Tim Heaton revealed in 2015 that the game only barely broke even, which wasn't the financial result Sega had hoped for.

Since then, fans have spent years wondering if a true sequel would ever happen. A mobile spin-off arrived in 2019, but updates on a full follow-up remained scarce. That finally changed in 2024 when Creative Assembly officially confirmed the sequel during the first game's 10th anniversary celebration. The studio followed that announcement with a brief teaser released on April 26, better known to fans as Alien Day.

Now, with this latest trailer finally offering a proper look at the project, anticipation is sure to grow. The footage may be short, but it delivers a hostile world, terrifying danger around every corner, and a Xenomorph ready to make someone's life miserable.

Alien: Isolation 2 doesn't have a release date yet, but it is currently in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

When Pedro Pascal first stepped into the Star Wars universe, he didn’t even realize he was about to become one of its most iconic heroes. The actor, now forever tied to The Mandalorian, recently shared a hilarious story about how confusing his first meeting with Jon Favreau actually was.

Pascal talked about the experience during a Q&A at the UK fan event for The Mandalorian and Grogu, and it turns out secrecy around Star Wars nearly had him guessing wildly about his role.

"The very first thing that happened was a call from my agent that said, 'Jon Favreau wants to talk to you about something Star Wars,'" he reflected. "Because everything Star Wars was so secret.

“And I was like, 'Okay.' And I got there early, and so I sat on my phone for a bit, because I was embarrassed. I didn't want to interrupt the writers' room or anything like that. Jon comes out into the parking lot. He's like, 'Hey, come out of your car.'"

Things only got more surreal once he was brought inside and shown the early vision for the series.

"And I got out of the car, they take me in," Pascal continued. "They show me this magical, magical, wall to wall, first season story illustration, this entire world of Star Wars.

“I see Grogu, like I said. And I asked, I said, 'Okay, so, what am I? Like, who – am I a droid? What voice do you want?' Then they were like, blinking back at me like they were confused. And then they were like, 'You're the Mandalorian.'"

So, he initially thought he might be voicing a droid and instead he was told that he was the guy carrying an entire live-action Star Wars series on his beskar-clad shoulders.

Pascal’s take on Din Djarin has since become a cornerstone of modern Star Wars, and now he has returned in The Mandalorian and Grogu, which will push the story forward in a bigger way. This time around, the dynamic between Mando and Grogu has evolved into something deeper.

"They are real partners, at this point. Grogu is on every mission, on every adventure, they are side by side. And it's sentimental, because Din Djarin knows that this creature will outlive him, and I think that, existentially, he's very, very focused on making sure that he can survive in a world without him."

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now.

Via: GamesRadar+

During Summer Game Fest presentation, Paramount Games Studio dropped the first official teaser trailer for the highly anticipated video game adaptationof Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, giving fans their first real look at what could end up being one of the most exciting TMNT games ever made.

The reveal also marks a major milestone for Paramount Games Studio, as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin is the company's first in-house project following the launch of the newly formed gaming division.

For anyone unfamiliar with the source material, The Last Ronin comic series became an instant hit with fans thanks to its darker, more mature take on the Turtle mythology.

Set in a grim future version of New York City, the story follows the sole surviving Turtle as he sets out on a mission fueled by loss, revenge, and the memory of the family he once fought alongside.

According to the game's official website: "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin is a AAA action-adventure game being developed by Platinum Games. Based on the popular comic book series, TMNT: The Last Ronin follows the last surviving Ninja Turtle as he embarks on a desperate mission for vengeance."

No release date has been announced yet, but Paramount has confirmed that the game will launch on both consoles and PC.

The project also represents the kind of franchise expansion Paramount hopes to build through its newly formed gaming division. In a press release, Shawn Kittelsen, Senior Vice President and Head of Creative and Production at Paramount Games, explained the company's vision:

"Strong storytelling is what gives a franchise its staying power, and games are one of the most powerful ways for fans to step inside that story.

“At Paramount Games, we're unifying creative visions across all of our business divisions from the start, building interconnected worlds where narrative serves as the connective tissue, turning players into lifelong fans and franchises into enduring brands. TMNT: The Last Ronin is the epitome of this vision coming to life."

Alongside the trailer reveal, Paramount also launched a limited-edition BossLogic merchandise collection inspired by The Last Ronin. The collection includes themed apparel and collectible poster artwork for fans looking to add a little post-apocalyptic Turtle style to their collection.

The announcement comes shortly after Paramount and Skydance officially introduced Paramount Games Studio, a new unified gaming label that combines Skydance Interactive and Skydance New Media with Paramount's library of popular franchises.

The newly established studio is being led by Tony Driscoll, whose résumé includes leadership roles at Epic Games, Warner Bros., AT&T, and Disney.

The formation of the studio also brings some major projects under the same roof. Reports have confirmed that Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra and an untitled Star Wars game being developed with Lucasfilm remain in active development and are now part of the new Paramount Games Studio lineup.

The official description for The Last Ronin reads: “Based on the legendary graphic novel series, Paramount Games Studio and iconic action game developer PlatinumGames present Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin.

“In a future, battle-ravaged New York City, a lone surviving Turtle embarks on a seemingly hopeless mission seeking justice for the family he lost. Join the Resistance and sign up for updates on TheLastRonin.com.”

While the teaser doesn't reveal much in terms of gameplay, it successfully captures the bleak atmosphere and emotional weight that made the comic such a phenomenon.

If PlatinumGames can translate that story into a compelling action-adventure experience, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin could end up being the TMNT game fans have been hoping for.

Director Ben Leonberg has lined up his next feature film, Follow Mode. After making a splash with his breakout film Good Boy, Leonberg is stepping into even riskier territory with a concept that leans hard into modern fears and evolving technology.

The movie is backed by powerhouse producer Temple Hill, and the project is already generating serious interest ahead of its launch at Cannes.

Temple Hill, the production company behind hits like Twilight and Smile, is once again partnering with UK sales outfit Protagonist Pictures.

The collaboration has been fruitful in recent years, including work on Clown in a Cornfield and the upcoming horror slate they’re continuing to build. With Follow Mode, they’re aiming to push the genre forward in a way that feels current and unsettling.

Leonberg isn’t just directing, he also co-wrote the script with Alex Cannon, continuing the creative partnership they built on Good Boy.

That film, made on a micro-budget, became a surprising success story, pulling in $8.8 million worldwide and earning a strong showing at SXSW and Film at Lincoln Center. It even landed as IFC’s second-biggest opening weekend, just behind Temple Hill’s own Clown in a Cornfield.

Now Leonberg is scaling things up, but not in the traditional sense. Follow Mode will be shot entirely using drones, which isn’t just a gimmick. It’s baked into the story.

The film centers on a group of teens who accidentally knock a drone out of the sky, only to discover it contains footage of a serial killer’s crimes. What starts as curiosity quickly spirals into a race for survival as they realize the killer may already be watching them.

The concept taps into a very real piece of modern tech. Consumer drones now come equipped with “follow” features that track movement automatically. It’s convenient for athletes and content creators, but Leonberg is flipping that convenience into something disturbing.

Dave Bishop, CEO of Protagonist Pictures, is clearly all-in on the project, saying: “Temple Hill once again proves its instinct for fresh, audience-grabbing horror. Follow Mode is the kind of bold, high-concept horror that stops you in your tracks – propulsive, original and viscerally thrilling from its first frame to its last.

“In Good Boy, Ben proved he is a filmmaker both comfortable pushing boundaries and mastering tension. Shot entirely with drones, delivering a strikingly cinematic experience, Follow Mode offers a new perspective on terror audiences have simply never seen before. Ben has crafted a rare, diabolical treat that feels both groundbreaking and deeply unsettling.”

Leonberg himself leaned into the real-world anxiety driving the film: “The rise of hands-free drone technology has introduced a chilling new vulnerability to everyday life—anyone with a drone can become a peeping tom, a stalker, or worse…

“That anxiety drives Follow Mode. We’re so thrilled to be partnered with Temple Hill, whose track record in the genre makes them a perfect fit for this unsettling new take on found footage.”

Temple Hill added: “We were blown away by Ben’s first film Good Boy and its original approach to perspective in the horror space and sought him out to find something to do together.

“We see Follow Mode as the next evolution of the found footage movie – playing on the terrifying reality that any of us could be followed and watched by store-bought technology. With Ben’s tremendous vision and expertise in POV filmmaking, we couldn’t be more excited to share this spine-chilling project with audiences around the world.”

Between the creative team, the concept, and Leonberg’s knack for building tension in unconventional ways, Follow Mode feels like it could land right in that sweet spot for horror fans looking for something new.

Source: Deadline

Mubi has released the first UK trailer for The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford, a darkly comedic Scottish drama that looks equal parts tragic, awkward, and weirdly charming.

The film marks the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Seán Dunn, and after making the festival rounds earlier this year, it’s finally gearing up for a theatrical release in the UK this June.

Leading the film is BAFTA-nominated Scottish acting powerhouse Peter Mullan, who plays Kenneth, a man completely devoted to the legacy of Sir Douglas Weatherford, an 18th-century inventor and philosopher celebrated as the pride of the tiny village of Arberloch.

Kenneth works at the local visitors’ center as a tour guide, dressing up as Weatherford every day and performing with the kind of theatrical enthusiasm that makes it clear this isn’t just a job to him. He practically treats the historical figure like family.

That fragile little world starts falling apart when a massive fantasy television production rolls into town to shoot scenes for a series called The White Stag of Emberfell, which feels very much like a playful jab at the whole Game of Thrones phenomenon.

Suddenly the village is flooded with cosplay-loving fans, oversized production crews, and money beyond anything the locals are used to seeing.

And Kenneth? He gets pushed to the sidelines. As the town becomes consumed by the flashy fantasy production, Kenneth’s fixation on the show’s lead actor sends him into an emotional tailspin that gradually wrecks his sense of identity.

The film looks like it’s balancing uncomfortable humor with emotional storytelling, especially as Kenneth’s collapse unfolds in front of his daughter Anna.

The movie also stars Gayle Rankin, Jakob Oftebro, Sid Sagar, and Lewis MacDougall. Dunn wrote and directed the project.

The film looks like a wonderfully strange character study where you aren’t quite sure whether to laugh, cringe, or feel terrible for the guy.

Mubi will release The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford in UK cinemas on June 12, 2026. There’s still no word on a US release.

Netflix is gearing up for another major war drama, and this one comes with a very personal connection for Prince Harry.

A feature film adaptation of No Way Out: The Searing True Story of Men Under Siege is officially in development for Netflix, with Oscar-nominated writer Matt Charman attached to adapt the memoir for the screen as part of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Productions deal with the streamer.

The project is based on the 2019 book written by Major Adam Jowett, who led Easy Company during a brutal standoff in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province in July 2006.

The story centers on a unit made up of Paras and Royal Irish Rangers that was thrown together quickly and sent to hold the district center of Musa Qala under impossible conditions.

What followed sounds like something pulled straight out of a war classic. Easy Company found themselves isolated inside a crumbling compound, heavily outnumbered and under constant attack from Taliban forces.

Over the course of twenty-one relentless days and nights, the soldiers endured wave after wave of assaults while supplies dwindled and survival became less certain by the hour.

Jowett’s memoir dives deep into the psychological pressure of command and the horrifying reality of combat.

The official description explains that he “evokes the heat and chaos of battle as the Taliban hit Easy Company with wave after wave of brutal attack.” It also explores “what it was like to have responsibility for the lives of his men as they fought back heroically over twenty-one days and nights of relentless, nerve-shredding combat.”

The book’s climax reportedly takes an unexpected turn just as the soldiers are running out of ammunition and hope.

The adaptation has been described as an emotional military thriller in the tradition of Black Hawk Down and The Bridge on the River Kwai, which gives a pretty good idea of the intensity Netflix is aiming for here.

The material also carries special significance for Prince Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan, including deployment in Helmand Province.

Charman feels like a strong fit for this kind of grounded, high-pressure storytelling. The writer earned an Oscar nomination for Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies starring Tom Hanks, and he’s remained busy in the streaming world ever since.

He created and ran Netflix’s Hostage, worked as writer and showrunner on Treason, and also created and produced Prisoner for Sky. He’s additionally developing Dirty for Amazon UK through his company Binocular Productions.

This marks the latest film project for Archewell as the company continues expanding its relationship with Netflix under a first-look deal. Other projects in development include adaptations of The Wedding Date written by Tracey Oliver and Carley Fortune’s romantic drama Meet Me At The Lake.

On the television side, Archewell is also developing a polo-themed drama from Francisca X. Hu alongside producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage of Fake Empire.

If No Way Out captures even a fraction of the tension and desperation described in Jowett’s memoir, this could end up being an intense war film.

Source: Deadline