What if Sam from Trick ’r Treat and the terrifying Christmas demon from Krampus existed in the same universe? That's a crossover I've always thought would be awesome, and it turns out writer and director Michael Dougherty has already slipped a little connection between the two movies into one of his films.

During a Q&A at the FilmQuest Film Festival, Dougherty revealed that there's a hidden Trick ’r Treat Easter egg in Krampus: The Naughty Cut. And when the possibility of the two movies sharing a universe came up, he offered a wonderfully teasing response.

As someone who considers Trick ’r Treat my all-time favorite Halloween movie, I love the idea of Sam existing in a world where other ancient holiday spirits are lurking around, making sure people respect their traditions.

After all, Sam and Krampus have quite a bit in common. Both are supernatural enforcers of holiday rules, and neither is particularly forgiving when somebody breaks them.

The connection comes from a scene in Krampus involving Max, played by Emjay Anthony, who offers his cousins a shoebox filled with Halloween candy as a peace offering. Among the candy is a very familiar-looking lollipop belonging to Sam.

Dougherty explained: “As for Easter eggs between the films, there's actually a scene in Krampus that we initially cut, but we restored it in Krampus: The Naughty Cut, which came out on Blu-ray from Shout! Factory about three or four years ago.

“There's a scene where Emjay Anthony, who plays Max, presents his cousins with a box of Halloween candy as a peace offering. Inside that candy shoebox is Sam's lollipop. So do they exist in the same universe? Maybe.”

That's such a fun little detail! Sam's distinctive jack-o'-lantern lollipop is one of the most recognizable objects from Trick ’r Treat, and slipping it into Krampus creates a playful connection between Dougherty's two holiday horror movies.

The scene was originally cut from the theatrical version of Krampus, but it was restored for The Naughty Cut, the extended version released by Shout! Factory.

Of course, Dougherty's “Maybe” isn't confirmation that a crossover movie is in development, or even that the two films officially share continuity. For now, it's an Easter egg and a filmmaker having some fun with the idea.

But it's a pretty cool possibility to think about. Both movies explore the darker side of beloved holidays, drawing on folklore and traditions that existed long before their modern celebrations.

In Trick ’r Treat, Sam serves as the mysterious guardian of Halloween, punishing people who disrespect the holiday's rules. In Krampus, the title creature arrives when the Christmas spirit has been lost, bringing a nightmare of monstrous toys, sinister helpers, and supernatural punishment.

There's a natural connection between those concepts. You could easily imagine Sam and Krampus existing as different supernatural forces in a world where every holiday has its own ancient protector or monster.

I have to admit, the thought of Sam encountering Krampus and his army of murderous Christmas creatures sounds like a ridiculously fun horror movie.

It would also be interesting to see how the two characters might interact. Would they recognize each other as fellow guardians of their respective holidays? Would they get along? Or would a meeting between them turn into an all-out holiday horror showdown?

Dougherty didn't elaborate on any of those possibilities, but I would watch that crossover. Dougherty has such a distinct approach to holiday horror, blending creepy folklore, dark humor, practical monsters, and a genuine affection for the traditions he's twisting into nightmares. It's a big part of why I love both movies, and I'd be thrilled to see him revisit either world.

For now, though, Dougherty is still trying to get Trick ’r Treat 2 made, and this Easter egg is best enjoyed as a fun nod between his films rather than a promise of something bigger.

Still, next time you watch Krampus: The Naughty Cut, keep an eye out for that box of Halloween candy! Would you want to see Sam and Krampus share the screen in a holiday horror crossover?

I'm a sucker for a great underdog story, especially one where somebody has absolutely no business succeeding against the ridiculous odds thrown their way, yet somehow manages to pull off the impossible.

That's exactly what director Peter Farrelly delivers with I Play Rocky, a wonderfully entertaining, heartfelt, and awesomely inspiring look at how Sylvester Stallone fought tooth and nail to get his 1976 classic Rocky made. I had such a great time with this movie!

I already knew the incredible story of how Rocky came together, but actually watching that struggle unfold as its own movie is a whole different experience. It's funny, frustrating, emotional, and occasionally makes you want to reach through the screen and shake some sense into the Hollywood executives who couldn't recognize what was standing right in front of them.

There's something incredibly satisfying about watching a guy get told "no" a thousand different ways and respond by essentially saying, "Yeah, well, I'm doing it anyway."

The film follows Stallone during his early years as a struggling actor, scraping by, facing rejection, and desperately trying to catch a break in an industry that seems determined to keep him on the outside. He's broke, his future is uncertain, and just about everyone has an opinion about why he isn't going to make it.

After watching heavyweight underdog Chuck Wepner go the distance against Muhammad Ali, Stallone gets an idea that completely consumes him. He pours himself into writing Rocky in a frantic three-and-a-half-day marathon, creating a story that Hollywood actually wants.

There's just one little problem. Stallone insists on playing the lead, and the studios want absolutely nothing to do with that idea. Producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler see the potential in his screenplay, but the people holding the money would rather put an established star like Burt Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, or Ryan O'Neal in the ring.

They throw increasingly tempting offers at Stallone, and this guy, who barely has enough money to survive, keeps turning them down! It's absolutely insane when you think about it. Here's a struggling actor being offered the kind of money that could completely change his life, and he refuses to budge because he believes he's the only person who should play Rocky Balboa.

That's either an absolutely spectacular level of stubbornness or the kind of conviction most people can only dream of having. In Stallone's case, it turned out to be both, and watching him fight for that opportunity is a blast.

A huge reason the movie works so well is Anthony Ippolito, who is freakin' fantastic as Stallone. Seriously, this guy absolutely nails it! He captures Stallone's distinct voice, mannerisms, physical presence, and determination without turning the performance into some exaggerated celebrity impersonation. More importantly, he makes you feel the desperation underneath all that confidence.

This isn't some unstoppable movie star we're watching. It's a hungry young actor who's terrified of failure but even more terrified of giving up on something he believes in. Ippolito makes every rejection sting and every little victory feel enormous.

The supporting cast is terrific as well. AnnaSophia Robb is absolutely wonderful as Stallone's wife, Sasha, bringing so much warmth and heart to the story while also showing the very real emotional toll that his relentless ambition takes on their relationship.

Matt Dillon is excellent as Stallone's father, Frank Stallone Sr., adding another layer of personal conflict to an already difficult journey. Toby Kebbell and P.J. Byrne are also great as producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler, bringing some welcome humor and personality to the increasingly absurd negotiations. Everyone seems completely invested in this story, and that enthusiasm is infectious.

What I especially loved is how Farrelly captures the sheer madness of getting Rocky made. It's one thing to hear that Stallone struggled to get his screenplay produced, but watching him navigate Hollywood's endless obstacles, finally win the lead role, and then deal with the chaos of an incredibly tight 28-day production schedule really puts the whole achievement into perspective.

Even after getting his shot, the guy still has to fight to keep it! The studio is breathing down his neck, the budget is painfully limited, and the pressure to deliver is enormous. The whole thing feels like another boxing match, except this time Stallone is fighting executives, deadlines, and an industry that seems almost offended by his refusal to give up.

I also loved seeing the recreations of familiar Rocky moments and the little bits of filmmaking history sprinkled throughout. As someone who loves movies about the making of movies, especially productions that somehow survive complete chaos, I was eating this stuff up.

Now, I will say the film occasionally gets a little too comfortable with the usual inspirational biopic formula. Some of the nostalgia is laid on pretty thick, and once production gets underway, a few scenes feel more interested in reminding us how much we love Rocky than digging deeper into the messier parts of the story.

And sure, we all know how this ends. Nobody's sitting there wondering whether Rocky will become a hit! But you know what? I didn't really care. I was having too much fun watching the journey, and the movie earns so much goodwill through its performances, humor, and genuine affection for its subject that those issues never came close to ruining the experience.

What really got me, though, was how personal the movie started to feel. I walked into I Play Rocky expecting a fun Hollywood origin story, and I walked out feeling like somebody had just given me a motivational kick in the ass. I love movies that do that! I've got dreams, goals, and things I still want to accomplish in my own life, and watching Stallone put absolutely everything on the line for something he believed in made me want to go out and chase those things even harder.

It's so easy to get discouraged when things don't work out, when people tell you something isn't possible, or when the easier option is sitting right there practically begging you to take it. Stallone had every reason in the world to cash that check, walk away, and let somebody else become Rocky Balboa. Nobody would have blamed him! But he couldn't do it. He believed in himself and his story too much.

Because he kept pushing, because he refused to accept somebody else's limitations for his life, he ended up creating one of the greatest sports movies ever made and launching an extraordinary Hollywood career. That's just awesome!

Obviously, not everybody who chases a dream is going to end up with an Oscar-winning classic, but the movie reminded me of something I think we all need to hear occasionally: You'll never find out how far you can go if you stop trying. I love that this movie made me think about my own ambitions rather than just admire somebody else's accomplishments.

I Play Rocky isn't reinventing the biopic, but I couldn't help loving what Farrelly and his cast have put together. It's a tremendously enjoyable, beautifully acted, funny, and emotionally rewarding celebration of perseverance, creative passion, and one incredibly stubborn guy who refused to let Hollywood tell him what he could or couldn't do.

It's the kind of movie that leaves you walking out of the theater feeling a little more excited about life and whatever crazy dreams you've still got rattling around in your head. How can I not love a movie that makes me feel like that? If you're a fan of Rocky, Stallone, inspirational true stories, or fascinating movies about the making of Hollywood classics, this is absolutely one you need to see.

I Play Rocky delivers a knockout feel-good experience that's worth cheering for.

John Wick is heading into the world of animation, and we're finally going to see one of the most legendary chapters of his bloody career play out. Lionsgate has officially greenlit its upcoming animated John Wick movie, with Keanu Reeves signing on to reprise his role as the badass assassin.

The film will take us back to the events before the original John Wick, exploring the infamous Impossible Task that allowed Wick to walk away from his life as a killer and build a future with his wife, Helen.

Fans have heard about this seemingly impossible mission throughout the franchise, but we've never actually seen what Wick had to do to pull it off. Now we'll finally get that story, and animation could be the perfect way to tell it.

Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Shannon Tindle, whose credits include Ultraman: Rising and Kubo and the Two Strings, is directing the project from a screenplay by Ryan Firpo and Kaz Firpo.

The film also brings back the franchise's core creative team, including Thunder Road producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, 87Eleven Entertainment's Chad Stahelski, and Reeves himself. They'll be joined by Point Grey, adding another experienced animation production company to the mix.

The story will follow Wick as he attempts to complete the Impossible Task to free himself from his obligations to the High Table. It's the mission that ultimately earns him the chance to leave the assassin world behind and spend his life with Helen.

What's especially exciting about this project is the creative freedom that animation offers. The live-action John Wick movies have already delivered some incredible action sequences, but an animated film could take that violence, choreography, and visual style in directions that would be difficult to pull off in live action.

I'm really hoping Tindle and his team go all out with the animation and artwork. I want to see something visually stunning that feels completely unique while still capturing everything that makes John Wick so awesome.

There's an opportunity here to experiment with different animation techniques, striking character designs, and imaginative action sequences that make the film stand apart from the live-action franchise. It would be great to see the filmmakers take some real creative chances with both the storytelling and visual presentation.

The Impossible Task also gives the creative team an interesting story to work with. We know Wick survives and eventually gets his freedom, but we have no idea what the mission actually involves or how much it costs him to complete it. That's a pretty great foundation for an action-packed prequel.

Having Reeves return to voice the character is another major plus. His involvement should help maintain that connection to the movies, especially with Stahelski and the original producing team helping guide the project.

If everything comes together, this could be an incredible addition to the John Wick franchise. I just hope the filmmakers take full advantage of the animated format and deliver something with its own artistic identity rather than simply trying to recreate the live-action movies.

There's so much potential here for a seriously cool animated action film, and I can't wait to see what Tindle and his team come up with.

Quentin Tarantino may have decided not to direct the sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and there was one person he hated disappointing… Brad Pitt.

Pitt was eager to return as Cliff Booth, the laid-back Hollywood stuntman who earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the 2019 film. Tarantino wrote a new story for the character, but he ultimately decided that The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth wouldn't be his 10th and final movie as a director.

That decision left Tarantino feeling guilty about potentially denying Pitt another chance to play a character he loved. “[Pitt] was the one I felt I was really letting down when I didn’t do it,” Tarantino told Empire. “I felt bad about that.”

Fortunately, the project found an awesome replacement in David Fincher, who previously worked with Pitt on Seven, Fight Club, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

With Pitt reportedly "disappointed that he wasn’t going to play Cliff Booth again," Fincher stepping in gave the actor another shot at the role. It also gave Tarantino something he hadn't expected: the chance to see another major filmmaker bring one of his scripts to life.

When Tarantino first heard that Fincher might be interested in directing the Netflix sequel, he could hardly believe it.

“You could have knocked me over with a feather,” Tarantino said. “I was like, ‘Really? You think he’d be interested? F*cking yeah: show it to him!’”

Tarantino was so excited about the possibility that he worried his enthusiasm might actually scare Fincher away. He recalled being unusually careful during their early conversations, hoping he wouldn't say something that could ruin the deal.

“The first couple of times we spoke, I was the male trying to talk this gorgeous woman into f*cking me. I was trying to maneuver it so I wouldn’t say anything that f*ck shit up,” he said.

“One of the things that made this all work was my excitement over David doing my material. I’ve gotten a lot of respect as a screenwriter, but I still feel that people think that I’m a director who just writes shit for himself.

“The fact that a director of David’s caliber would spend a year-and-a-half of his life doing my material was wonderful. It said a lot about what was on the page.”

It's interesting to hear Tarantino talk about the experience because he's spent his career directing his own screenplays. Having someone like Fincher take the reins clearly meant a lot to him, especially since he considers it a major compliment to his writing.

As for the movie itself, The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth jumps ahead eight years from the events of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The original film took place in 1969, while the sequel picks up in 1977, with Cliff now working as a Hollywood studio fixer.

That's a fun and interesting direction for the character, especially considering his mysterious past and his ability to handle difficult situations. Cliff was already one of the most entertaining parts of the original movie, so watching him navigate the Hollywood business of the late '70s should make for an great story.

Fincher also discovered that directing Pitt as Cliff came with an unusual advantage. The actor already knew the character so well that he sometimes had a better understanding of how Cliff would react than the director did.

“He’s so into it,” Fincher said of Pitt. “The weirdest, most interesting part of this, for me, is that I’ve never been in a situation where the person playing the character knows more about that character than you’ll ever know.

“Sometimes you have to push back on that. I knew the new stuff, and Brad knew who the guy was, so Brad could withstand the hurricane of, ‘What about this? What about that?’ He was like, ‘No, no, no. I got this.’”

That kind of familiarity should serve the sequel well. Pitt helped make Cliff Booth such a memorable character in the first place, and it's cool that Fincher recognized how much the actor could contribute to his next chapter.

While it would've been great to see Tarantino direct another Cliff Booth movie, handing his screenplay to Fincher is an awesome alternative. Both filmmakers have distinct styles, and seeing Fincher's approach to Tarantino's writing could make this sequel something special.

The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth is headed to IMAX theaters on November 25 before its Netflix release.

Gandalf is finally getting his iconic wizard hat in Season 3 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and it turns out that getting the look just right was a pretty big deal. For Daniel Weyman, who plays the legendary wizard in Prime Video's fantasy series, the hat became something much more meaningful than another piece of his costume.

Season 3 has some major moments in store for Tolkien fans, including Sauron forging the One Ring. That's obviously a huge event in Middle-earth history, but there's also something pretty cool about finally seeing Gandalf put on that familiar hat for the first time.

During a recent press event for The Rings of Power Season 3, Weyman spoke with io9 about the process of bringing Gandalf's signature look to life, and it involved a lot more work than simply finding a hat that fit.

“That was a joy,” he said. “You go into a costume fitting and you’ve got this great costume team, and Janet [Spriggs], who made the hat, would come in. It was a sort of royal artifact … I wouldn’t put it on myself.

“It would be put on me, and measurements would be taken, and pictures would be taken, and conversations would happen, and notes would be given. It would be changed a bit, and I’d come in again. So it was a whole thing getting it to the right place.”

One interesting detail is that Gandalf's hat originally belongs to Tom Bombadil, played by Rory Kinnear. That connection gives the accessory some additional history within the series, while also creating a practical challenge for the costume department.

Weyman explained how costume designer Janet Spriggs helped make the hat feel like something that belonged to both characters.

“It’s obviously Tom [Bombadil]’s hat, but Rory [Kinnear]’s head might not be the same fit as mine. So it was a joy to work with Janet on that, and I think she’s done an extraordinary job.

“By the time you get to film with it, not only does it [embody] all of Tom Bombadil’s whimsy, wonder, and eternal being, but it also has that backstory for me of my relationship with Janet and my work with the whole costume team.

“So suddenly you get an understanding as to why one small thing, a person’s hat, can become a massive thing for a human story but also a show’s story.”

It's fun hearing how much thought went into something fans will instantly recognize. Gandalf's hat has been part of his identity for generations of Tolkien readers and movie fans, and watching Weyman's version of the character finally wear it should be a satisfying moment.

Of course, Gandalf has much bigger problems heading his way than getting his wardrobe sorted out. Weyman also talked about how Season 3 brings the different storylines closer together as the threat of Sauron continues to grow.

After spending the first two seasons following separate adventures across Middle-earth, the characters are reaching a point where working together is becoming essential.

“For a long time, we were sort of on our own journeys in these other parts of Middle-earth, and now it feels like if we don’t all get our acts together, darkness is going to take over very easily,” he said.

“I felt like [Gandalf] was aware of [the other characters’] storylines, that there’s something in the earth that has changed. There is a resonance, a vibration, that Gandalf picks up on, which says we all have to start making choices that might be very, very difficult, but to come together and unite against this darkness, otherwise it’s all going to be over.”

With Sauron's plans moving forward and Gandalf becoming the wizard fans know and love, Season 3 looks to be an important chapter in the series.

I'm interested in seeing how the show handles these recognizable elements of Tolkien's mythology. Gandalf getting his hat might seem minor compared to the creation of the One Ring, but it's one of those character moments that could make longtime fans smile.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 premieres November 11 on Prime Video.

Paul W.S. Anderson is heading back into the terrifying depths of space, and fans of his 1997 sci-fi horror film Event Horizon have a pretty good reason to be excited.

The filmmaker behind the Resident Evil franchise is set to direct two new cosmic horror movies, Nether Station and Nether Vortex, based on the novels by bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson.

The story centers on Cammie Skoura, a brilliant, neurodivergent young scientist who joins a deep-space expedition that takes a horrifying turn. As the crew discovers ancient ruins and evidence of long-extinct alien civilizations, their journey leads them toward a discovery that threatens to shatter everything they understand about the universe.

Cammie has been compared to Beth Harmon, the gifted chess prodigy played by Anya Taylor-Joy in Netflix's The Queen's Gambit. She's an unconventional protagonist navigating a terrifying mystery that combines science fiction, psychological horror, and the kind of cosmic nightmares that have defined Weird Tales since the magazine launched in 1923.

What's interesting about this project is its connection to Event Horizon. Kevin J. Anderson has openly credited the 1997 horror film, which starred Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan, and Joely Richardson, as a major inspiration for Nether Station.

The author explained: “Space is scary—think of how terrifying it would be all alone out in the cold, dark, oblivion?” Anderson said of the inspiration behind his books.

“I tried to put all my fears and paranoia into Nether Station, and powerful films like Event Horizon were extremely influential in the writing. I couldn’t imagine a better director for this project than Paul W.S. Anderson.”

It's a fun full-circle moment as the filmmaker who helped inspire the novel is now bringing it to the big screen, and the material sounds like a natural fit for his brand of sci-fi horror.

The first novel, Nether Station, was released three years before its sequel, Nether Vortex, which arrived on October 27 through Blackstone Publishing's Weird Tales Presents imprint.

Jonathan Wakeham, whose writing credits include Midas Man, To Catch a Killer, and TNT's limited series High Value Target: The Hunt for Saddam, has been tapped to write the screenplays for both films.

W.S. Anderson will also produce alongside longtime collaborator Jeremy Bolt (Event Horizon, Death Race), Weird Tales President John Harlacher, and Weird Tales VP of Film Tony Eldridge, whose credits include The Equalizer franchise.

The director is already enthusiastic about the possibilities, particularly the combination of Lovecraftian horror and a compelling central character.

“I’ve been a long term fan of Kevin’s work and to say it is cinematic is an understatement. I was thrilled to read Nether Station, the galleys of its sequel and also talk in detail with him about how he plans to expand the terrifying universe that he is creating.

“Lovecraftian cosmic horror, as experienced by a unique, young central character in Cammie Skoura, has all the ingredients for an unbelievably compelling and terrifying cinema experience.”

Anderson most recently directed In the Lost Lands, a post-apocalyptic action fantasy starring his longtime Resident Evil collaborator Mila Jovovich alongside Dave Bautista.

Kevin J. Anderson also has some serious sci-fi credentials beyond his original novels. He co-wrote numerous Dune prequels and sequels with Brian Herbert, son of original Dune author Frank Herbert.

That work led to his involvement as a co-producer on Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two and HBO Max's Dune: Prophecy. The author is represented by Zero Gravity Management and Weintraub Tobin Chediak.

Between the ancient alien mysteries, the psychological terror of being stranded in space, and Anderson's history with Event Horizon, there's plenty of potential here for something super cool and creepy.

Personally, I'd love to see Anderson return to the darker, more disturbing style of sci-fi horror that made Event Horizon such a memorable experience. The Nether Station and Nether Vortex adaptations could give him exactly that opportunity.

Liam Neeson just learned that Meryl Streep is taking over as the voice of Aslan in Netflix’s upcoming Narnia reboot, and his reaction to the casting news was pretty hilarious.

Not only did he have no idea the new movie was happening, but he seemed genuinely surprised to learn who would be playing the beloved lion.

Neeson, who voiced Aslan in the three previous Chronicles of Narnia movies, was caught completely off guard when ScreenRant asked him about the recently released trailer for Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, directed by Greta Gerwig.

“I’m sorry, this is news to me,” Neeson admitted. Things got even funnier when the interviewer told him that Streep would be stepping into his former role.

“Meryl is playing Jesus Christ?” Neeson asked. After the interviewer clarified that Streep would actually be voicing Aslan, Neeson offered his approval with another amusing comment. “Well, if you’re going to make Christ a lady, nobody better than Meryl.”

Neeson’s Jesus Christ reference makes sense to anyone familiar with C.S. Lewis and his Chronicles of Narnia books. Aslan is a Christlike figure whose story draws heavily from Christian themes, including sacrifice, resurrection, and redemption.

Having a woman voice the character is a significant change from previous adaptations, and Streep’s casting has already sparked some backlash among fans. However, Lewis’ remaining family has expressed support for Gerwig’s new adaptation.

Neeson isn’t the only original Narnia cast member who has been asked about the reboot. Anna Popplewell, who played Susan Pevensie in the earlier films, shared her enthusiasm for the project at Comic Con Brussels. She revealed that she had already seen the trailer and described it as “really exciting,” adding that she “can’t wait to watch it.”

Once Neeson had processed the news about Streep, he wanted to know who was directing the movie. When the interviewer told him it was Gerwig, his response was short and sweet. “Okay. Wow!”

Gerwig, who previously directed Barbie and Little Women, is bringing Lewis’ fantasy world back to the big screen with The Magician’s Nephew, the first film in Netflix’s planned reboot.

The movie explores the origins of Narnia, with David McKenna playing Digory, Beatrice Campbell as Polly, Emma Mackey as Jadis, Daniel Craig as Uncle Andrew, and Carey Mulligan as Flora.

The recently released trailer, featuring Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” has given fans their first look at Gerwig’s interpretation of the magical world.

While Neeson clearly wasn’t keeping up with the latest Narnia news, he seems interested in seeing what Gerwig and Streep have planned. It’ll be especially interesting to hear how Streep approaches Aslan, considering how closely Neeson’s commanding voice became associated with the character in the earlier films.

Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is scheduled to hit theaters on February 12, 2027.

Watch Liam Neeson learn about Meryl Streep voicing Aslan in Greta Gerwig's new Narnia adaptation in real time! 🦁 pic.twitter.com/fgPmvtyPE8

— ScreenRant (@screenrant) November 4, 2026

Godzilla fans, it’s time to unleash your best Kaiju roar! Godzilla Minus Zero has officially stomped into theaters, and the final trailer has dropped one hell of a surprise. The King of the Monsters is going head-to-head with one of his most dangerous enemies, King Ghidorah!

The highly anticipated sequel to Godzilla Minus One is already getting plenty of praise, and while the new trailer gives away the first look at King Ghodorah, the movie still has plenty of surprises waiting for fans.

If you want to experience every monster-sized moment without knowing what’s coming, you might want to skip the trailer. However, if you're ready for another taste of the chaos, this footage delivers!

King Ghidorah is Godzilla's legendary three-headed rival, and the Kaiju is looking to cause some serious destruction. This time, the terrifying kaiju threatens both Godzilla and Japan, forcing familiar characters from the first film to come together once again.

For longtime Godzilla fans, Ghidorah's appearance probably isn't much of a shock. He's one of the franchise's most iconic villains, and bringing him into the world of Godzilla Minus Zero opens the door for an awesome giant monster battle.

While the trailer reveals Ghidorah, it doesn’t give away how he fits into the larger story. There are apparently plenty of other major developments in the sequel, with surprises that go well beyond the introduction of another massive monster.

Early reactions suggest Godzilla Minus Zero delivers an incredible follow-up that builds on everything that made the first movie so great. It even manages to make Godzilla Minus One more rewarding in retrospect.

If you loved the first film, this sounds like a sequel you won't want to miss. Godzilla fighting King Ghidorah on the big screen is already a pretty great selling point, but knowing there’s much more to the story makes it even more exciting.

Godzilla Minus Zero is now playing in theaters. Check out the final trailer and prepare for some serious kaiju mayhem! I’m watching it tonight!

It's hard to imagine anyone other than Heath Ledger playing the Joker in The Dark Knight, but it turns out Christopher Nolan had two other major Hollywood stars in mind before casting him. One of them was Leonardo DiCaprio, who apparently never even bothered to respond after receiving the script.

Nolan's longtime casting director, John Papsidera, recently shared some interesting details about the casting process during the Nashville Film Festival. According to TV Intelligentsia, DiCaprio was the first actor approached for the role, followed by Joaquin Phoenix. When neither worked out, the filmmakers turned their attention to Ledger.

It's interesting how things eventually played out for both actors. DiCaprio went on to work with Nolan on Inception, while Phoenix eventually got his own opportunity to play the Clown Prince of Crime in Todd Phillips' Joker films.

During a separate interview with Collider, Papsidera explained how the casting process unfolded without mentioning the actors by name.

"There was three actors really that we talked about, Heath being the third. There was certainly more actors, but we discussed it in specific terms with two actors.

“The first one we never heard back from. The second one came in and told us why he didn't want to do the movie, because he didn't want to do big movies. And the third one was Heath."

When Ledger finally entered the picture, though, he and Nolan immediately connected over their interpretation of the Joker. They weren't looking to make him another traditional comic book villain. They wanted someone who thrived on chaos and destruction.

"Heath talked about how he saw the role as an anarchist in that all he wanted to do was tear everything down and that's exactly how Chris saw it and wanted it portrayed," Papsidera explained.

Looking back, it's pretty awesome how everything worked out. I still remember when Ledger was first announced as the Joker and how much complaining there was from fans.

A lot of people couldn't believe Ledger was going to play Batman's greatest enemy. A lot of fans thought it was terrible casting. Then the movie came out, and Ledger absolutely blew everyone away.

His Joker became one of the greatest comic book movie villains of all time, earning him a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Nearly two decades later, his performance remains the standard that every new big-screen Joker gets compared to.

DiCaprio is an incredible actor, and I'm sure he would've brought something interesting to the character. But there's no way I can imagine him delivering a performance as awesome as Ledger's. Ledger completely owned that role, from his unsettling mannerisms to his unpredictable energy and twisted sense of humor.

It's one of those casting decisions that couldn't have worked out better, especially considering Nolan didn't initially have Ledger at the top of his list.

What’s funny is that DiCaprio says that The Dark Knight is his favorite Christopher Nolan movie!

Maika Monroe is bringing murder and madness to Victorian England in Victorian Psycho, and Bleecker Street has released one final trailer for the upcoming horror comedy thriller. This looks like a twisted little treat, with Monroe playing a governess who might be the last person you’d want looking after your children.

Set in 1858, the film follows Winifred Notty (Monroe), an eccentric young woman who arrives at the remote gothic estate known as Ensor House to take a job as a governess. She's supposed to teach the children proper manners and educate them about their family history. Unfortunately, she's also hiding some seriously psychopathic tendencies.

As Winifred settles into her new position, members of the household staff begin mysteriously disappearing. Naturally, the estate's owners start questioning whether their strange new governess might have something to do with it.

The film takes us inside Winifred's disturbed mind as she struggles with a world she can't control, drifting between rebellion and outright madness. Think American Psycho transported to Victorian England, complete with gothic atmosphere, twisted humor, and a killer who has no business being around children.

The final trailer offers another taste of the film's darkly comedic approach to horror, with Monroe looking perfectly suited to playing a woman whose idea of good manners might involve a little bloodshed.

Joining Monroe is a terrific supporting cast that includes Jason Isaacs, Thomasin McKenzie, Ruth Wilson, Evie Templeton, Jacobi Jupe, Amy De Bhrún, Paul Reid, and Katherine Moran.

Zachary Wigon directs the film, following his previous work on The Heart Machine and Sanctuary. The screenplay comes from Virginia Feito, with Dan Kagan.

Victorian Psycho premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where it earned positive reviews, and this latest preview gives horror fans one final look at the insanity awaiting them at Ensor House.

Monroe has become a familiar face in horror, and watching her take on a murderous governess in a Victorian-era setting sounds like a pretty great time. I'm particularly interested in seeing how the film balances its pitch-black comedy with the increasingly disturbing events unfolding inside the manor.

Bleecker Street will release Victorian Psycho in select U.S. theaters on November 13, 2026.

Marvel Studios may have some unexpected plans for Storm in its upcoming X-Men film, and the powerful mutant might not be joining the team as quickly as fans expect.

A new rumor suggests that Storm will have a major role in the MCU's first X-Men movie, but she won't be part of the original team. Instead, Marvel reportedly plans to introduce the classic lineup from the comics, with Rogue joining them and causing a few problems along the way.

The information comes from insider James Mack, who recently shared several details about the film on X, including the team's rumored roster, Storm's involvement, and a mysterious new character.

According to Mack, Marvel plans to populate the film with plenty of mutants, thanks to Professor Xavier's school. However, the actual X-Men team will be much smaller.

He explained, “And yes, guys, many mutants will appear in the X-MEN movie, but that’s because of the Xavier School. The initial team will consist of the original X-Men, with Rogue as an additional member.”

For Marvel fans, that means we will finally see the original five X-Men together on the big screen: Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman, and Angel. It's a lineup that Marvel's previous live-action films haven't fully explored, and it could be a cool way to start fresh.

Rogue apparently won't have the smoothest introduction to the team, either. Her story reportedly plays a part in bringing Storm and Kitty Pryde into the action.

Mack shared, “Storm will have a prominent role in the movie, but she won’t be part of the team initially. Rogue will cause some problems and eventually leave the team. Later, Storm and Kitty Pryde will help the team.”

That's an interesting direction for Storm, who has long been one of the most recognizable members of the X-Men. Rather than immediately becoming a core member, she could establish herself as an important character outside the team before eventually joining its ranks.

Kitty Pryde's rumored involvement is also exciting. Known as Shadowcat, she's a fan-favorite mutant with the ability to phase through solid objects. Having her and Storm come to the team's aid could make for a great introduction to both characters.

Mack also mentioned an unfamiliar name that reportedly appears in the script, although he doesn't have any additional information about the character.

“There’s a character in the X-MEN script named Miranda Manuel. I don’t know anything about her. I only heard about this earlier today,” he wrote.

It's unclear who Miranda Manuel is or how the character might fit into the story. The reported approach suggests Marvel could use Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters to introduce a larger mutant community while keeping the main story focused on a smaller group. That would give the studio room to develop additional characters as the franchise moves forward.

Of course, these story details remain rumors, and Marvel hasn't officially confirmed the proposed team lineup or Storm's place in the story.

Still, starting with the original five X-Men before bringing in characters like Storm and Kitty Pryde could be a fun way to build the MCU's mutant corner. Storm deserves a significant role in this franchise, and giving her a story that doesn't immediately revolve around team membership could make her eventual arrival even more satisfying.

As for the cast, the lineup includes Maya Boyd as Storm, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and Christopher Abbott as Professor X.

Jake Schreier is attached to direct the film, which is currently scheduled to hit theaters on May 5, 2028.

there's a character in the X-MEN script named Miranda Manuel, i don't know anything about her, i only heard about this earlier today

— James Mack (@JamesMackwl) November 4, 2026

Blue Eye Samurai fans have been waiting a long time to see Mizu return to action, but the wait is almost over. The acclaimed Netflix animated series is finally returning for Season 2 on January 19, 2027, nearly four years after its debut.

Now, the show's creators are explaining why the new episodes have taken so long and offering a few exciting details about where Mizu's bloody journey is heading next.

The series premiered in 2023 and quickly became one of Netflix's standout animated shows, earning major Emmy Awards and plenty of praise for its incredible animation, storytelling, and brutal action. Naturally, fans have been eager for more, but bringing Mizu's world to life takes some serious work.

In a recent interview with Netflix's Tudum, series creators Amber Noizumi and Michael Green acknowledged the lengthy wait and expressed their appreciation for fans who have stuck around.

“First, we want to thank all of our viewers for waiting,” the creators stated. “Your enthusiasm is what energized us and helped us get here.”

They also explained just how much work goes into creating the show's incredibly detailed historical settings. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither were 17th-century London or Edo Japan,” the creators said.

“The care that every single member of our team poured into researching those worlds, then crafting them brushstroke by brushstroke into breathtaking, moving art is nothing short of a miracle to us.”

That attention to detail is a big part of what made the first season so impressive, and Season 2 presents an entirely new challenge. Following the events of the Season 1 finale, Mizu is leaving Japan behind and heading to London, where her hunt for vengeance will take her into unfamiliar and dangerous territory.

Noizumi and Green describe London as “a thriving culture of illicit activity.” Mizu will find herself exploring a “dark underbelly amid a puritanical society that persecuted women as witches, closed bars and theaters, and even outlawed Christmas.”

It sounds like Mizu is trading one unforgiving society for another, and her arrival in England will bring some new personal challenges as well.

“For the first time, she’ll have to confront what it’s like to stand out as Asian in a sea of white faces,” the creators tease. “And then find out what it means to be a woman during one of the most oppressive times in English history.”

That's an interesting direction for the story considering how much of Mizu's identity and motivation has been shaped by the prejudice she's experienced throughout her life. Throwing her into 17th-century London opens the door to an entirely different set of enemies, conflicts, and cultural challenges. Of course, knowing Mizu, anyone foolish enough to get in her way probably won't have a very good day.

Season 2 will see Maya Erskine returning as Mizu, alongside Brenda Song as Akemi, Darren Barnet as Taigen, Masi Oka as Ringo, and Kenneth Branagh as Abijah Fowler.

The new season is also bringing in some additional talent, including Jonathan Pryce as Old Violet, Joel Kim Booster as Priest Ando, and Sherry Cola as Kuma. Details about how these new characters fit into Mizu's journey are still being kept under wraps.

Noizumi and Green are returning as writers and executive producers, with Erwin Stoff also executive producing. Jane Wu serves as supervising director and producer, while Blue Spirit is once again handling the animation.

Thankfully, fans won't have to endure another four-year wait after Season 2. Netflix already has a third and final season planned for 2028, meaning Mizu's story is heading toward its conclusion much sooner than expected.

It's great to finally have a clear release date, and the move to London sounds like it could give the series some fascinating new territory to explore. The first season set an incredibly high bar, but with the original creative team returning and a whole new world for Mizu to fight her way through, there's plenty to be excited about.

Blue Eye Samurai Season 2 premieres worldwide on Netflix on January 19, 2027.

Showtime has released the first trailer for the fourth and final season of Yellowjackets, and after three seasons of brutal survival in the Canadian wilderness, the young team is finally heading home. Of course, returning to civilization after everything they've done to stay alive isn't going to be easy.

The trailer follows the surviving members of the 1990s high school soccer team as they return to their hometown of Wisayok, New Jersey, where they must figure out how to live normal lives again. That's a pretty tall order considering the horrific things they experienced, and the terrible things they did, while stranded in the wilderness.

Meanwhile, the present-day versions of the survivors are still dealing with the consequences of their past. The secrets they thought they'd buried in the woods continue to haunt them, and with the series coming to an end, it looks like those secrets may finally catch up with everyone.

The footage is accompanied by a haunting rendition of Alanis Morissette's "Ironic," which feels like a fitting choice for a story about survivors who escaped one nightmare only to spend the rest of their lives trapped by it.

I've really enjoyed watching Yellowjackets over the years. This show has been one hell of a crazy ride, and I've loved how far it's been willing to take its characters into some seriously savage territory.

The combination of survival horror, psychological drama, and completely messed-up character decisions has made it such a fun series to follow. I'm excited to see how this wild story finally comes to an end, especially now that we'll get to see more of what happened when the girls returned home.

The final season brings back Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Warren Kole, Kevin Alves, Sarah Desjardins, Nia Sondaya, Jenna Burgess, and Hilary Swank.

The guest cast also includes June Squibb, Elijah Wood, Molly Ringwald, Devon Sawa, Sam Braun, and Dulé Hill, among others.

Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, Yellowjackets follows a talented high school girls' soccer team whose plane crashes in the remote northern wilderness.

What begins as a desperate fight to survive eventually turns the teammates against one another, transforming them into violent, savage factions. The story also follows the survivors nearly 25 years later as they struggle to keep their lives together while hiding the disturbing truth about what happened out there.

With the team finally returning home in the past and their adult counterparts facing the fallout in the present, Season 4 has plenty of ground to cover before the show come to an end.

I'm interested in seeing how the series brings its two timelines together and whether these characters will ever truly escape what happened in the wilderness. After everything we've watched them go through, I'm hoping the creators have one hell of an ending planned.

Yellowjackets Season 4 premieres November 20 on Paramount+ with the Premium Plan.

It looks like two of the DCU's most entertaining troublemakers could be making a comeback! A new rumor suggests that Vigilante and Judomaster from Peacemaker will appear in HBO Max's upcoming series The People v. Gorilla Grodd, bringing a little more chaos to an already ridiculous-sounding DC story.

According to scooper @ApocHorseman, Freddie Stroma and Nhut Le are reportedly reprising their roles as Adrian Chase, aka Vigilante, and Judomaster.

The scooper shared the news on X, writing, “EXCLUSIVE: Vigilante And Judomaster Are Set To Return In The People V. Gorilla Grodd.”

EXCLUSIVE: Vigilante And Judomaster Are Set To Return In ‘The People V. Gorilla Grodd’ pic.twitter.com/yswop0MkzS

— Apocalyptic Horseman (@ApocHorseman) November 4, 2026

Both actors reportedly completed their scenes in a single day, which suggests they'll have relatively small roles in the eight-episode series. We're probably looking at quick cameos rather than major appearances, but seeing these two characters again would be a lot of fun.

Of course, DC Studios hasn't confirmed anything yet, so we'll have to see if this rumor pans out.

Stroma's Vigilante became a fan favorite thanks to his completely unhinged approach to crime-fighting, his impressive combat skills, and his hilarious devotion to John Cena's Christopher Smith. He's a self-appointed hero with a serious lack of common sense, which makes him one of the funniest characters in Peacemaker.

Le's Judomaster is equally entertaining, although he has a much more confrontational relationship with Peacemaker and his crew. The martial arts expert originally served as an adversary to the team, and his aggressive personality made for some great comedic moments.

Both characters have interesting histories in DC Comics. Vigilante's alter ego, Adrian Chase, was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, making his debut in The New Teen Titans #23 in 1982. He later took on the Vigilante identity in The New Teen Titans Annual #2 in 1983.

Judomaster actually goes back quite a bit further. The character first appeared in Charlton Comics' Special War Series #4 in 1965, created by writer Joe Gill and artist Frank McLaughlin. The original Judomaster was Rip Jagger, a very different incarnation from the character fans know through Peacemaker.

As for The People v. Gorilla Grodd, the series has a pretty wild premise that sounds perfectly suited for some of the DCU's stranger personalities.

Skyler Gisondo stars as Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen, who finds himself investigating Gorilla Grodd's conviction for murdering his own father, the King of Gorilla City.

Yes, we're getting a DCU comedy about a super-intelligent gorilla accused of killing his royal father. That's the kind of comic book insanity I can get behind. Jimmy Tatro will play Gorilla Grodd, while Tony Yacenda is directing all eight episodes.

It's still unclear how Vigilante and Judomaster would fit into Jimmy Olsen's investigation, but their potential involvement could make for some hilarious encounters. Given their personalities, it's hard to imagine either one being particularly helpful in a murder investigation.

The prospect of seeing these Peacemaker favorites pop up elsewhere in the DCU is exciting, even if it's only for a scene or two.

Some Hollywood mistakes are impossible to forget, and Henry Cavill is still having fun with one of the most ridiculous superhero movie mishaps of all time. Nearly a decade after his mustache became an unexpected problem for Justice League, the former Superman actor is getting some hilarious revenge in a new Google Gemini promo.

For anyone who remembers the 2017 DC movie, Cavill's digitally altered upper lip was one of its most distracting visual effects. The whole mess started when Joss Whedon took over extensive reshoots for Justice League while Cavill was busy filming Mission: Impossible - Fallout.

There was just one problem. Cavill had grown a mustache for his role in the Tom Cruise action movie, and Paramount Pictures wasn't about to let him shave it off and potentially interfere with filming.

That left the Justice League VFX team with the unfortunate task of digitally removing Superman's facial hair. The results were pretty awful, giving Clark Kent an unnatural-looking mouth that was especially noticeable during his scenes with Lois Lane.

Now Cavill is getting in on the joke with a Google Gemini promo that introduces a game called Mustache Protocol, which takes direct aim at the digital disaster.

"Now, they say write what you know and what I know is mustache injustice," the actor says. "I give you, 'Mustache Protocol,' one man's mission to stop a rogue CGI artist from erasing all mustaches across the globe. A fun game for a serious problem."

That's a pretty great way to turn one of the strangest moments of Cavill's Superman career into a comedy bit. The idea of a rogue CGI artist traveling the world and eliminating mustaches is already funny, but having Cavill himself lead the charge makes it even better.

Of course, the infamous mustache was only one part of the troubled production of Justice League. Whedon's involvement resulted in major creative changes, and several cast members later spoke negatively about their experiences working with him.

Cavill's future as Superman also became increasingly uncertain. He had little involvement with the release of Zack Snyder's Justice League, but eventually returned to the role for a surprise cameo in Black Adam after Dwayne Johnson pushed to bring him back.

That appearance was supposed to lead to another solo Superman movie starring Cavill. Unfortunately, those plans were scrapped when DC Studios decided to reboot the franchise and move forward with a new version of the Man of Steel.

While Cavill's days as Clark Kent are behind him, he's got other geek-friendly projects to keep fans interested. He's set to star in the upcoming Highlander reboot, and he made a memorable MCU appearance in 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine as a cigar-smoking Wolverine variant.

It's fun to see Cavill embracing the humor of the whole Justice League mustache situation after all these years. The CGI removal may have been a disaster, but at least he's getting some good material out of it.

Check out Henry Cavill's Google Gemini Mustache Protocol promo below.

Henry Cavill partnered with Google on 'Mustache Protocol' video game parody: "One man's mission to stop a rogue CGI artist from erasing all mustaches across the globe" 😂#JusticeLeague pic.twitter.com/fyj1rlHNQH

— Batman News (formerly Batman-News.com) (@BatmanNewsChris) November 4, 2026

If you were still holding out hope that Adam Driver might return to the Star Wars universe as Kylo Ren, it might be time to let that go. The actor has made it pretty clear that his days playing Ben Solo are finished, and the scrapped movie The Hunt for Ben Solo isn't getting a second chance anytime soon.

During a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Driver was asked whether he could see himself returning to the franchise. His answer was about as straightforward as it gets.

“Yeah, it’s over… No more Star Wars.” Driver explained that he and Steven Soderbergh had already tried to make another movie happen, but Disney wasn't interested.

“We tried to do one more,” Driver said, adding that the studio executives essentially shut down the idea because “they’re like, ‘No, he’s dead.’”

The proposed film, The Hunt for Ben Solo, would have brought Driver back as the former Kylo Ren following his apparent death in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Soderbergh was attached to direct, and the project had been developed over several years before Disney executives Bob Iger and Alan Bergman ultimately rejected it.

Driver previously explained how far the project had gotten before Disney pulled the plug. “I always was interested in doing another Star Wars, We presented the script to Lucasfilm. They loved the idea.

“They totally understood our angle and why we were doing it. We took it to Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, and they said no. They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that.”

What'sfrustrating for fans is that this wasn't just some loose idea Driver and Soderbergh tossed around. They had spent years developing an actual screenplay with Scott Burns and Rebecca Blunt, and Driver was genuinely excited about what they'd created.

“We worked on it for a few years, really and earnestly. We got a script together that was really good with Scott Burns, Rebecca Blunt, and Soderbergh and I. We all worked on it… It was awesome. It was really cool. But you know, I don’t get to decide.”

Considering how easily characters have returned from the dead throughout Star Wars history, it's a little funny that Ben Solo's death was apparently the dealbreaker. The filmmakers clearly had an explanation in mind, but Disney wasn't willing to explore it.

Eisen pushed a little further, asking whether Driver would reconsider if the studio decided to revive the project. “If they wanted to, fine. But we’re not… It’s not our call,” Driver responded. “I think the ship has sailed though.”

Driver also addressed the passionate fan campaign that erupted after news of the canceled movie became public. Fans weren't content to simply complain online. Some actually paid to have a plane fly over Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, carrying a banner that read “Save The Hunt for Ben Solo.”

The reaction caught Driver by surprise, saying: “I didn’t expect that it was going to be billboards and people flying planes over Disney and things like that. That was pretty cool.”

Soderbergh appears to have moved on as well. Back in April, the filmmaker suggested that anyone hoping Disney might reverse its decision shouldn't count on it. He said the movie “would have happened” “if it was gonna happen.”

That's a disappointing outcome for a Star Wars project that had an interested star, an acclaimed director, a completed script, and support from Lucasfilm.

Ben Solo's redemption was one of the major storylines in the sequel trilogy, and Driver's performance was easily one of its strongest elements. A standalone film exploring what happened to him after The Rise of Skywalker could have given the character an interesting new chapter, especially with Soderbergh directing.

Unfortunately, Disney decided otherwise, and Driver doesn't seem interested in spending any more time trying to convince the studio.

For now, The Hunt for Ben Solo remains one of those interesting Star Wars movies we'll probably never get to see.

Marvel Studios is making some big changes to its TV strategy, and its upcoming spy thriller Zodiac could be the start of a new approach. The series is reportedly getting a smaller budget, with Marvel hoping to turn it into a show that can stick around for multiple seasons.

According to The Wrap, Marvel Television is preparing for a major shift following the conclusion of VisionQuest next week. After that, the third and final season of Daredevil: Born Again will reportedly be the only Marvel TV series released before Avengers: Secret Wars arrives in theaters at the end of 2027.

That leaves Marvel with an opportunity to rethink how it handles its Disney+ shows, and Zodiac will reportedly kick off the studio's next chapter in 2028. The idea is to give "the franchise a chance to reset."

One of the biggest changes involves how much Marvel is willing to spend on its shows. Rather than continuing to produce expensive, movie-sized television projects, Zodiac will reportedly operate on a more modest budget while still allowing "known characters and actors to appear in a supporting capacity."

That's an interesting direction for Marvel, especially with Zodiac being developed as a spy drama. A series focused on espionage, intrigue, and character-driven storytelling could work well without the massive visual effects and action sequences we've come to expect from the MCU.

More importantly, keeping production costs under control could give Zodiac a better shot at lasting multiple seasons. Marvel is reportedly hoping to build something with staying power rather than another expensive series that ends after a handful of episodes.

The change comes after some disappointing developments for Marvel's television lineup. Earlier this year, the studio canceled the second season of Wonder Man, despite previously announcing its renewal. Marvel also revealed that Daredevil: Born Again would conclude with Season 3.

Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum has suggested that viewership plays a major role in determining which shows survive. Speaking on The Brandon Davis Show, he explained: “'Save Daredevil' is great, but we also need 'hashtag Watch Daredevil'." 

He continued: "The biggest leverage I have, and I say this all the time, is the actual viewership numbers. That's what people are looking for; that's where I get my power to be able to make something or not. I just want people to watch the show."

It's pretty clear that Marvel wants its TV projects to become more sustainable, and spending less money while building shows that audiences actually return to season after season seems like a smart move.

Personally, I like the idea of Marvel making smaller-scale shows that don't need to feel like six-hour movies. There's plenty of room in the MCU for grounded stories that focus on interesting characters, strong writing, and compelling mysteries.

If Zodiac can deliver a cool spy story while bringing familiar Marvel characters into the mix, it could be exactly the kind of series the studio needs right now.

Zodiac is currently expected to premiere in 2028.

Marvel just reached all the way back to Phase 1 of the MCU to bring back a character most fans probably forgot was even there. VisionQuest has finally paid off a 15-year-old Easter egg from Captain America: The First Avenger, and it turns out Jim Hammond has a much bigger connection to Vision than anyone realized.

The big reveal came in Episode 7 of the Disney+ series, which introduced Paul Bettany in a second MCU role as Jim Hammond, the Synthetic Man. The character originally appeared during the 1943 Stark EXPO sequence in the first Captain America movie, and now Marvel has found a pretty cool way to bring him into Vision's story.

In an interview with ScreenRant, VisionQuest showrunner Terry Matalas explained that Hammond's return wasn't something Marvel executives handed him to work into the series. The idea came together naturally as the writers explored Vision's comic book history.

“I knew from lore that Vision was created from parts and components of Jim Hammond in the comic books,” he said.

That connection got Matalas thinking about how Hammond could fit into the MCU's established history, particularly the possibility that his original programming helped shape the creation of Vision.

What started as a connection to Marvel Comics eventually became an important part of the show's story, tying together Hammond, Ultron, and Vision through their shared technological origins.

“That shone a beacon on another kind of family story; a generational story where you have the grandfather of AI and his missteps as a father, not being able to connect to his creation, and that being passed down to Ultron and Vision through this code that Josephine Carrington wrote.”

It's an interesting direction for VisionQuest because it treats these artificial beings as generations of the same complicated family. Hammond represents an earlier chapter in the history of artificial intelligence, while Ultron and Vision inherit pieces of that history, including some of its problems.

“I felt like we were telling this big family story,” Matalas added.

It's also a fun payoff for longtime MCU fans. Hammond's original appearance was little more than a background detail in Captain America: The First Avenger, but 15 years later, that forgotten piece of Marvel history has become an important part of a Disney+ series.

There's something satisfying about seeing Marvel revisit an obscure character and give him an actual purpose rather than simply bringing him back for a quick cameo.

With the VisionQuest finale approaching, there are still questions about where this complicated artificial family is headed. Matalas is certainly interested in spending more time with these characters if Marvel gives him the opportunity.

“I would love nothing more than to keep playing in the sandbox,” he said. “Vision and Ultron and the Maximoff family are part of my DNA now. They’re part of my beating heart.”

Considering how much history VisionQuest has managed to connect, there's plenty of material left to explore.

VisionQuest Episode 8 premieres Tuesday, November 10, on Disney+, bringing the season to its conclusion.

Scarlett Johansson is trading the Marvel Cinematic Universe for Gotham City in The Batman: Part II, but figuring out her mysterious new character turned out to be a bigger challenge than she expected. In fact, the actress admits the role left her dealing with some unexpected “existential angst.”

During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Johansson discussed her upcoming projects, including The Exorcist: Martyrs and The Batman: Part II. When asked which role pushed her furthest outside her comfort zone, she pointed straight to Gotham.

“Probably the role in The Batman,” Johansson revealed. “Because…it gave me a lot of existential angst for some reason,” she added with a laugh.

She went on to explain just how much trouble she had getting a handle on the character. “It was very hard to figure out. I don’t know why, whether it was just the role or where I’m in my life, or what’s going on.

“But it was hard to crack it,” Johansson shared. She concluded, “That’s all I can say about it,” avoiding any spoilers.

That's an interesting response from an actress who has tackled everything from superhero blockbusters to intense character dramas. Whatever director Matt Reeves has planned for Johansson, it sounds like the role demanded something different from her.

Although her character's identity remains officially under wraps, reports suggest she'll play Gilda Dent, the wife of Gotham City district attorney Harvey Dent, who is rumored to be played by fellow MCU veteran Sebastian Stan.

Comic book fans know Harvey Dent eventually becomes the villain Two-Face, and Gilda has her own complicated history in Batman lore. If those casting reports are accurate, there's plenty of interesting material for Reeves to explore.

The sequel is also bringing in Sebastian Stan and Brian Tyree Henry in undisclosed roles, along with Charles Dance. Of course, Robert Pattinson returns as Bruce Wayne, alongside Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and Colin Farrell as The Penguin.

The production has also undergone a major change. Reeves recently stepped away from the film indefinitely due to a family matter, with filmmaker Steven Soderbergh stepping in to help direct the remainder of principal photography on his behalf.

Outside Gotham, Johansson recently appeared in the crime drama Paper Tiger, starring alongside Adam Driver and Miles Teller.

As for The Batman: Part II, Johansson clearly isn't giving away any secrets about her character just yet. But hearing how difficult the role was for her to figure out makes her involvement even more intriguing.

If Johansson really is playing Gilda Dent, it'll be interesting to see how Reeves incorporates her into his darker take on Gotham City, especially with Harvey Dent potentially becoming a major part of the story.

Mckenna Grace has been acting for most of her life, from voice work in animated shows to award-winning films, live-action series, and a stream of scary movies and shows that have been a defining course in her career.

But despite the gore she’s been a part of in the horror genre, she does have a personal line she draws when asked to take on a new role.

When asked by Cosmopolitan if there were any types of roles she said no to, Grace responded: “At this point, I definitely don’t do nudity or very hypersexual things. I respect anybody who can, but it’s terrifying to me.

“I don’t know if that’ll ever change. It’s not like I only do wholesome things—my character literally gets gutted by Ghostface in Scream—but my dream is to try and be a Disney princess someday.”

After the interview, Grace took to Instagram to clear up the misconception that some made, assuming she meant in this statement that she doesn’t do nudity or sexual scenes because she aspires to be a Disney princess. But she clarified that those two things aren’t related.

"The two quotes being used right now in these titles are unrelated. I said at this point in my career I think I'm uncomfortable doing something but I respect everyone who does - and I also have a dream job!

“I'm not uncomfortable doing nude scenes/hyper sexual roles simply because 'I want to be a Disney princess', it's just because of my own personal boundaries and the level of comfortability I have with that sort of thing right now at this point in my life! Silly that it's become such a source of conversation! So many more important things to talk about."

Grace will be seen later this month in the prequel The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, and will play Daphne in Netflix’s live-action Scooby-Doo: Origins series, out next year.

Fans of Avatar: Seven Havens now know exactly how long the animated series will run, and it looks like Avatar Studios has a clear plan for bringing Pavi's adventure to an end. Following the Season 1 finale on Paramount+, the creative team confirmed that the show will tell its complete story across four seasons.

The news comes shortly after the successful debut of the latest Avatar series, which has already been renewed for Seasons 3 and 4. While fans have plenty more adventures to look forward to, those final two seasons will also bring the series to its conclusion.

In a recent interview with IGN, franchise co-creator Michael DiMartino and executive producer Sehaj Sethi discussed what comes next for Pavi following the events of the Book One finale.

With Pavi setting out to explore the remaining six Havens and unlock her other six chakras, fans might expect each season to focus on a different location. However, the creative team has something else in mind.

DiMartino explained, “We had to split it up a little differently, but we’ll get through all the Seven Havens by the end of this series for sure.”

When asked whether four seasons would give them enough room to finish Pavi's journey, DiMartino made it clear that everything is going according to plan: “That’s the full story.”

It also turns out that the four-season plan has been in place since the series was first developed. According to Sethi, the creative team knew where they wanted Pavi's adventure to end before the show ever premiered.

“When Mike, Bryan [Konietzko], and I started working on it, we always had an end goal in mind — a lighthouse for us to work the story towards — and that’s always been the case throughout the series.”

That's encouraging news for fans who want to see the story reach a proper conclusion rather than keep going simply because the show is popular. Production is already moving forward on the remaining seasons, with Sethi previously confirming that work on Books 3 and 4 has begun.

As for Avatar: Seven Havens Book Two, Paramount+ has confirmed that it will consist of 13 episodes, matching the first season. There's currently no announced premiere date or release window for Book Two or the final two seasons.

The series has already enjoyed an impressive reception, including a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score following its debut, giving Avatar Studios another successful addition to the franchise.

Of course, Pavi's story isn't the only new Avatar project moving forward. Avatar Studios is also developing Avatar Kuruk: Wave of Chaos, a new animated prequel series set during Kuruk's time as the Avatar. That project has yet to receive an official release date.

With Avatar: Seven Havens mapped out through its fourth and final season and another series exploring the franchise's past, there's plenty coming for fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

It's great to hear that the creators have a complete story in mind for Pavi, especially with six more Havens left to explore. Now the big question is how they're going to fit the rest of her journey into the next three seasons.

Marvel's VisionQuest managed to sneak a pretty cool Spider-Man Easter egg into its story, and while some fans likely caught the reference to Peter Parker, there's another little detail that makes the moment even better.

The Disney+ series, which brings the WandaVision trilogy to a close, features an amusing exchange between White Vision and E.D.I.T.H., the artificial intelligence previously used by Spider-Man. However, the dialogue isn't the only connection to everyone's favorite web-slinger.

During a conversation with E.D.I.T.H., played by Emily Hampshire, Vision, played by Paul Bettany, admits, “I am having a profoundly difficult time navigating teenagers!” E.D.I.T.H. responds with, “Woof, tell me about it. My first boss was a junior in high school.”

#visionquest spoilers

peter's theme 🥹 pic.twitter.com/lG0K5Caupn

— honz ✨ (@CH0PPENHEIMER) October 28, 2026

Of course, she's talking about Peter Parker, who inherited Tony Stark's advanced AI system in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

It's a fun callback, but Marvel slipped in another detail that viewers might have missed. During the exchange, a brief piece of Spider-Man's musical score can be heard in the background, giving the scene an extra connection to Peter Parker and his MCU adventures.

It's the kind of small touch that makes revisiting these Marvel projects fun, especially when the connections go beyond the dialogue. The Spider-Man reference is just one of several ways VisionQuest brings together characters and storylines from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The series picks up White Vision's story following his departure from Westview in WandaVision. After regaining the memories of the original Vision, he disappeared, leaving fans wondering what happened to him. VisionQuest reveals that he's been living a secret life in Edinburgh.

The show also reunites several familiar MCU artificial intelligences, including J.A.R.V.I.S., F.R.I.D.A.Y., E.D.I.T.H., and Ultron, with James Spader returning as the villain.

One of the bigger revelations connects directly to Avengers: Age of Ultron. Although Vision seemingly destroyed Ultron in that film, VisionQuest reveals that he actually preserved a piece of the villain inside his own processors.

Showrunner Terry Matalas also introduces Thomas Shepherd, the reincarnated version of Wanda Maximoff and Vision's son Tommy, bringing another important piece of the Maximoff family story into the series.

There's also the introduction of Paladin, with hints about his previous encounters with Daredevil and the Punisher, expanding the show's connections to the MCU's street-level characters.

With all these familiar faces, returning AI systems, and references to earlier Marvel projects, VisionQuest has plenty for longtime fans to pick apart.

Still, the E.D.I.T.H. moment is a fun moment of Marvel rewarding fans who pay attention to the little details. The Peter Parker joke is easy enough to catch, but slipping Spider-Man's music into the scene is a nice extra touch.

Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Mission: Impossible) has signed on to play a Hollywood agent in upcoming dark comedy My Phone Died, with Mark Duplass (The Morning Show, Creep) and Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense, Blink Twice) also attached to star.

The film comes from filmmaking duo Hannah Leder and Alexandra Kotcheff, who will write, direct and also co-star.

The synopsis for the film explains that in the story, when smart phones start exploding around the globe, it’s the end of the world as we know it.

But for a few lucky survivors — a Hollywood agent, Amish woman, social media influencer, pregnant agoraphobic and her shotgun-wielding stoner mother — the apocalypse might just be a new beginning.

Pegg will play agent Gus, who narrowly escapes the phone apocalypse, while Duplass plays one of his self-obsessed clients who doesn’t.

Osment plays a recovering alcoholic and social media influencer, with Kotcheff as Francis, who has abandoned her Amish community for Osment’s character, and Leder as the agoraphobic and heavily pregnant wannabe-actress Lillie.

My Phone Died is set to shoot in the spring of 2027.

via: Variety

Paramount has released a new trailer for The Angry Birds Movie 3, featuring the star-studded voice cast of Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Emma Myers, Rachel Bloom, Walker Scobell, Danny McBride, Marcello Hernández, Tim Robinson, Anna Cathcart, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Nikki Glaser, MrBeast, Salish Matter, Psalm West, Sam Richardson, James Austin Johnson, Lily James, and Keke Palmer.

The film welcomes back director John Rice (The Angry Birds 2, King of the Hill, Rick and Morty) and writer Thurop Van Orman, co-director on The Angry Birds Movie 2.

The synopsis for the film reads: "Parenthood is a game-changer." The birds are all back! This holiday season, one angry bird will face his greatest challenge yet, surviving fatherhood... while saving the world!

The Angry Birds Movie 3 is set to debut on December 23rd, just in time for winter break! Check out the trailer below:

Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie are getting the gang back together for another trip into London's criminal underworld, and this time they're bringing their particular brand of action and mayhem to Netflix.

Statham is set to star in Dogfight, a new Netflix action thriller written, directed, and produced by Ritchie. The film is described as a “stylish revenge actioner set in the London criminal underworld.” That's familiar territory for these two, and exactly the kind of movie fans love seeing them make together.

Netflix is planning to begin production in early 2027, with filming taking place in the UK. Ritchie and Statham will also produce alongside Ivan Atkinson and John Friedberg, with Black Bear, Toff Guy Films, and Punch Palace serving as the production companies.

Dogfight will be the seventh film collaboration between Statham and Ritchie, a partnership that goes all the way back to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. Their movies have delivered some great characters, sharp dialogue, brutal action, and plenty of British crime humor.

The duo also has Viva La Madness on the way, another crime thriller that brings them back together. That film is based on the novel by J.J. Connolly, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ritchie.

The book is a sequel to Connolly's debut novel, Layer Cake, which was previously adapted into a film by director Matthew Vaughn.

Statham leads an impressive ensemble in Viva La Madness that includes Vinnie Jones (Snatch, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), Jason Isaacs (The White Lotus, Harry Potter), Babs Olusanmokun (Dune, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare), Camila Mendes (Riverdale, Palm Springs), Ben Foster (Motor City, Hell or High Water), Jonny Lee Miller (The Crown, Elementary), and Raúl Alejandro, who will make his feature film debut.

While Netflix hasn't revealed specific plot details for Dogfight beyond its revenge-driven premise, the combination of Statham, Ritchie, and London's criminal underworld is already a pretty good selling point.

These guys have spent years making entertaining crime movies together, and it's cool to see that partnership continuing with two more projects. I'm especially interested in seeing what Ritchie has planned for Statham in Dogfight.

Kane Parsons already knows where he wants to take the Backrooms franchise, including how the whole thing will eventually end. The 21-year-old filmmaker has some interesting ideas for future sequels, with new characters and stories he’s excited to explore. But he also knows there’s a point when it’s time to call it quits.

During an appearance on The Kyle Buchanan Show, Parsons talked about his plans for the horror franchise and explained why he has no interest in keeping it going forever just because people are watching.

“I think at a certain point you would know if continuation of Backrooms as a franchise would become—it’s done. You’ve said what there is to say,” Parsons said. “And there will be a point where the final hump of everything that has kind of been said with everything prior kind of all comes together, and then what’s left after that?”

Parsons has a specific ending in mind, although he isn't ready to share what that looks like. He believes the mythology has enough material to support several more stories, but once he reaches his intended conclusion, he wants to leave it alone rather than drag things out.

As for the Backrooms sequels, Parsons wants to take the franchise in some unexpected directions. He admitted that certain aspects of the first movie didn't quite capture what he considers the core appeal of the Backrooms concept, and he'd like to explore those ideas more effectively in future installments.

For Parsons, the Backrooms should feel stranger and harder to define than what audiences might expect from a traditional horror movie. He understood that bringing the concept to theaters would require some changes, but he still wants to get closer to the unsettling atmosphere he originally envisioned.

He also teased that there are specific characters he'd love to introduce in future films, although he wouldn't reveal who they are or whether they'll appear in the second movie.

One thing he made clear is that fans shouldn't expect the sequels to follow a straightforward narrative. Instead, he described the potential stories as “different branches on the tree.”

That approach could allow the franchise to explore entirely different corners of its mythology. Parsons also explained that the movies will be considerably different from his original YouTube series, which offered only brief glimpses into the larger mythology.

The films give him an opportunity to develop those ideas further, even if he eventually intends to bring everything to a definitive conclusion.

Personally, I wasn't a fan of Backrooms. I thought the movie was boring as hell, and it never delivered the kind of horror experience I was hoping for. I know there's a passionate fan base out there, and plenty of people apparently found it terrifying, but I just didn't see what was so scary about it.

Still, I can appreciate that Parsons has a larger vision for the franchise and isn't interested in pumping out endless sequels. Maybe exploring different characters and stranger corners of this world will make the next installment more interesting.

For those who loved the first movie, it sounds like Parsons has plenty more planned. For those of us who weren't impressed, perhaps the sequel will give us something worth getting excited about.

The Jurassic Park franchise is bigger than ever, spanning multiple sequels, spin-offs, and even a successful animated series with Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous.

But long before Netflix brought dinosaurs to the small screen, Universal had an entirely different vision for a series project, a primetime animated series that would have picked up right where Steven Spielberg’s original 1993 blockbuster left off.

It was called Escape from Jurassic Park, and unlike most animated adaptations of the time, it wasn’t just a kid-friendly cash grab. This was going to be a serious attempt to expand the Jurassic Park universe in a way that blended traditional animation with early CGI, aiming for a broad audience.

The project was being developed by The Real Ghostbusters and G.I. Joe veteran Will Meugniot, along with artist William Stout.

The concept was to craft a visually awesome series and Stout described it as something that would “break the barriers of cartoons at the time,” featuring a “graphic novel look” combined with “quite a bit of CG animation.”

Most animated shows based on blockbuster films back then like Men in Black: The Animated Series or RoboCop: Alpha Commando were designed to fit into the Saturday morning cartoon mold.

But Escape from Jurassic Park was meant for primetime. It was ambitious. It was expensive. And it would have brought back many of the original characters from the film, including Dr. Grant, Ellie Sattler, Ian Malcolm, and John Hammond.

Escape from Jurassic Park was already laying the groundwork for similar ideas we saw in the Jurassic World films back in the '90s.

According to a story treatment revealed by Jurassic Outpost, the first season would have followed BioSyn, InGen’s corporate rival, as they attempted to create their own version of Jurassic Park—DinoWorld. As expected, it goes horribly wrong, leading to a full-scale dinosaur outbreak in South America.

The show would have expanded the mythology of Jurassic Park, introducing new species of dinosaurs and pushed the story in ways that the films at the time hadn’t explored. Given the massive scale and the potential for deeper world-building, it’s hard not to imagine what Escape from Jurassic Park could have meant for the franchise moving forward.

With a veteran animation team, a compelling concept, and a franchise at the peak of its popularity, you’d think Escape from Jurassic Park would have been a no-brainer. But ultimately, it never made it past the development stage.

Universal pulled the plug before it could go into full production, likely due to the high costs and the risk of making an animated series that wasn’t strictly aimed at children.

The report explains: “It’s not entirely clear why the series was abandoned – some reports say Steven Spielberg pulled the plug after getting frustrated with all the merchandising for Jurassic Park while working on Schindler’s List.

“However, while there may be some truth to that fact, I have also heard he may have pulled the plug to avoid overlap, or canonical inconsistencies with the planned theatrical sequel (something I have heard happened again with a Jurassic World animated series).”

At the time, primetime animated shows were still a rarity, and something as ambitious as Escape from Jurassic Park would have required a level of investment that Universal just wasn’t willing to commit to.

Stout has even claimed that a fully animated trailer for the show exists, though it has never been publicly released. Whether that footage will ever surface remains to be seen, but I hope it does! For now, Escape from Jurassic Park remains a fascinating “what-if” project to think about.

“The story shares many similarities with Michael Crichton’s The Lost World – which was released in 1995. These include Lewis Dodgson, and a BioSyn team stealing eggs from nests to build their own park elsewhere, all while animals show up on South American mainland leading to a government coverup (due to fears of it hurting tourism).

“Of course, there are many differences as well – the animated series takes place on Isla Nublar, the home of Jurassic Park, while The Lost World takes place on Sorna, Site B. Further, the outbreak of dinosaurs on mainland is due to BioSyn, who purchase 100 square miles in The Amazon to build ‘DinoWorld’ – a fully fledged Dinosaur safari park with hotels, monorails, and more (much like the park in Jurassic World, ‘DinoWorld’ is inspired by Disney World.)

“The story featured many brand new concepts and  dinosaurs – some even got Kenner tie-in toys in 1994, including the ‘Dino Wranglers’, and the fanged Lycaenops, or the Komodo Dragon-like Ornithosuchus. I think perhaps the most intriguing part is Season 1 ends with Jurassic Park finally opening to the public (much to the dismay of Malcolm, Grant, and Sattler) .

“You could easily imagine the second season following a similiar arc of  the story presented in Jurassic World, only with BioSyn shenanigans, the threat of animals on the mainland, and 100% less militarized hybrids.”

I think a show like this could’ve worked! I would’ve loved to see it. You can read the story bible for the series here. I’ve also included some concept art.

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Director Travis Knight isn't interested in softening the darker elements of his new stop-motion fantasy adventure, Wildwood, just to make the movie more comfortable for younger audiences.

The film has a PG-13 rating and features some intense violence, including large-scale battles and the consequences of war. According to Knight, those elements were always essential to the story he wanted to tell.

During an interview with /Film, the filmmaker explained why he and his team embraced the more challenging material instead of attempting to make a lighter, less intense version of the film.

He said: “There is violence in the movie, and there are battles in the movie, and there's war in the movie, and the intention was to show the cost of these things. The intention was not to try to fetishize violence.

“The intention was to actually show that violence is terrible and violence is traumatic. And if that's part of the story that you're telling, you have to show it.”

Knight also discussed the film's PG-13 rating and how he views the movie as a family adventure that parents should approach with an understanding of its intensity.

“In terms of the rating, that's something that comes at the end of the process. When you're done making the movie, you submit it to a ratings board, they give you a rating, and then you decide what to do with that.

“Well, we couldn't have changed it anyway because it takes us so long to make our film. But I think it's appropriately rated, actually. I think the film is — PG-13, to me, seems to say that this is a film that is for families, but you just have to be mindful, if you're a parent, that there is some intensity, and if your child is ready for intensity at that level.”

But while Wildwood explores some heavy themes, Knight doesn't see it as a bleak movie. He believes the darker elements are necessary to make its more uplifting moments meaningful.

He continued: “But in my mind, there was never a version where we were going to water this movie down in any way because I wanted us to tell this story sincerely. That meant embracing what the story was asking of us, which is, in times, it is dark, it is intense.

“But I would also say that the cumulative experience is that it is a life-affirming one. There is great light and joy in this movie, but we earn that light and joy honestly by going to some dark places.”

I really appreciate that approach to animated storytelling. Just because a movie is animated doesn't mean it has to shy away from difficult subjects or serious consequences.

Some of the best stories take their characters into dangerous and frightening situations, and that's often what makes their eventual victories feel so rewarding.

Knight clearly wants Wildwood to offer that kind of experience, where the danger feels real and the emotional payoff is earned.

It's also refreshing to see a major stop-motion production willing to embrace a PG-13 rating rather than compromise the story to appeal to the widest possible audience.

Wildwood follows a young girl who journeys into a magical wilderness to rescue her kidnapped younger brother. With Knight drawing inspiration from epic fantasy and refusing to pull punches when it comes to the story's darker material, this sounds like it could be one of Laika's most intense films yet.

Mason Thames is set to play Dick Grayson in DC Studios’ upcoming animated film Dynamic Duo, and it turns out the young actor has been chasing the role for quite some time. According to DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran, Thames is a massive DC fan who really wanted the chance to play Batman’s original Robin.

Thames’ casting was confirmed about a month ago, but Safran recently shared some fun details about the actor’s enthusiasm for the character and what convinced the studio he was right for the part.

Speaking with Collider, Safran explained that he and James Gunn want actors who are genuinely excited to become part of DC Studios and its projects. Thames certainly fits that description.

“We always talk about wanting volunteers and not recruits to be part of the DCU, to be part of DC Studios, and Mason always wanted to be Dick Grayson. He just did,” Safran said, calling Thames’ audition “awesome.”

“He’s a wonderful young actor, but boy, did he want this. He was just obsessed. When he came over to the DC offices … we’ve got tons of great archives and stuff in there, and [he] wanted to take a picture of everything and with everything. He’s a fan.”

It's pretty cool to hear that Thames, who starred in The Black Phone and How to Train Your Dragon, is such a huge fan of the character. That kind of excitement is always great to see from an actor taking on a beloved comic book hero.

Dynamic Duo will bring together two of Batman’s most famous Robins, Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, with Logan Kim (Ghostbusters: Afterlife, The Walking Dead: Dead City) voicing Jason.

The movie is also taking a very different approach to animation. Instead of traditional CG animation, Swaybox Studios is using a combination of physical puppetry and computer-generated effects to bring the characters and action to life.

Safran is particularly excited about the technology, comparing Swaybox’s work to a major turning point in animation history. He described it as “as original today as Pixar was when it did Toy Story.”

He also explained why the filmmaking technique could give Dynamic Duo an action style unlike anything we've seen in a DC animated movie.

“Even though it’s puppets with an overlay of CGI, the fact that it’s shot with real cameras brings a visceral nature to the action in a way that I don’t think animation itself ever can really capture.”

That's an interesting approach for a Batman-related movie, especially one focused on two characters known for their acrobatic fighting styles. I'm curious to see how the puppetry translates to the action sequences and what the finished movie will actually look like.

The film is being directed by Swaybox co-founder Arthur Mintz, with Gunn and Matt Reeves, director of The Batman, among its producers. Lee Pace and Steve Buscemi are also part of the voice cast.

With an actor who clearly loves Dick Grayson and an animation style that could offer something completely different, Dynamic Duo is shaping up to be one of DC Studios' more interesting projects.

The film is scheduled to hit theaters on September 22, 2028.

Maya Hawke is jumping into the world of magic, monsters, and powerful spells! The Stranger Things star is set to join Legendary Entertainment and Hasbro Entertainment's upcoming live-action Magic: The Gathering movie, marking the first major casting news for the fantasy adaptation.

According to Deadline, Hawke is expected to play a key role in the film, although details about her character are being kept under wraps. The movie will reportedly feature a large ensemble cast, but producers were particularly interested in getting Hawke involved. In fact, she was their first choice to receive an offer before the other roles entered the audition process.

Matt Johnson is directing the film and co-writing the screenplay alongside Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald. Legendary and Hasbro have some pretty ambitious plans for the franchise, with the movie intended to help launch a larger live-action universe spanning both film and television.

There's certainly plenty of material to work with. First introduced in 1993, Magic: The Gathering created the trading card game genre and has since grown into a billion-dollar franchise with more than 50 million fans worldwide.

The game takes place across a massive multiverse filled with fantasy worlds, powerful beings, legendary creatures, and planeswalkers capable of traveling between different realms. That gives the filmmakers a ton of creative freedom when it comes to building a cinematic universe.

Beyond the cards themselves, Magic has expanded into video games, books, merchandise, live events, and competitive tournaments. Its popularity has also led to major crossover collaborations with franchises including Final Fantasy, Marvel, Star Trek, Dungeons & Dragons, and The Lord of the Rings.

With so many characters, worlds, and stories to explore, it'll be interesting to see which corner of the Magic universe Johnson chooses for the first movie. There's also the big question of whether Hawke will play an established character from the game's mythology or someone created specifically for the film.

The project also comes at an interesting point in Hawke's career. With Netflix's Stranger Things having wrapped up last year, she's moving into a new chapter with several projects on the way, including Lionsgate's The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Graham Parkes' romantic comedy Wishful Thinking, and Netflix's God of the Woods.

Her previous credits include Pixar's Inside Out 2, Wes Anderson's Asteroid City, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson's Do Revenge, Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Gia Coppola's Mainstream, and Bradley Cooper's Leonard Bernstein drama Maestro.

A live-action Magic: The Gathering movie has a ton of potential, especially with the fantasy worlds and mythology that have been developed over more than three decades. The challenge will be turning all that material into a compelling story that works for longtime players and newcomers alike.

Hawke is a solid first addition to the cast, and I'm curious to see who else Legendary and Hasbro bring aboard as the project moves forward.

Source: Deadline

Godzilla is bringing some serious noise to theaters, and apparently, the King of the Monsters is loud enough to make your smartwatch worry about your hearing.

One viewer attending a screening of Godzilla Minus Zero received repeated warnings about dangerous noise levels, which should give fans an idea of just how intense this movie sounds in IMAX.

Content creator Patrick T, shared a screenshot of his smartwatch registering 90 decibels during the film, along with his enthusiastic reaction:

"Godzilla Minus Zero is the loudest movie I’ve ever heard in my entire life. This will be a reference title for testing theater setups. Unbelievable film, and the definition of FILMED FOR IMAX."

To put that into perspective, 90 decibels is comparable to standing near a lawnmower or a passing subway train. Hearing protection is generally recommended for prolonged exposure to noise above 80 decibels, so anyone with sensitive ears might want to bring some earplugs to the 135-minute monster movie.

Of course, if you're going to watch Godzilla throw down with other giant kaiju creatures on a massive IMAX screen, you probably expect the theater to shake a little. Just don't be surprised if your watch starts questioning your entertainment choices.

Godzilla Minus Zero isn't the only major movie this year to leave audiences talking about the volume. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey also sparked complaints about its aggressive sound levels, particularly during IMAX screenings.

The Cyclops' scream and Poseidon's storm sequence reportedly pushed the volume to extreme levels, with some viewers claiming the Cyclops reached 120 decibels.

As for Godzilla Minus Zero, director Takashi Yamazaki is bringing King Ghidorah into the action, but he has made it clear that he doesn't want the sequel to become a "giant pro wrestling match" between two kaiju. He's aiming for something more than a massive monster brawl, even if the sound system gets a serious workout.

There's also the question of whether Yamazaki will return for another Godzilla adventure. The official trailer makes some pretty dramatic promises with "everything ends here" and "there will not be a third fight," but the filmmaker hasn't completely ruled out continuing the story.

He recently aid that he would "probably say yes" if Toho approached him about directing a third film. For now, Godzilla Minus Zero is shaping up to be a monster-sized theatrical experience that demands the biggest screen and a powerful sound system. Just know that Godzilla's roar might be powerful enough to make your ears bleed.

Godzilla Minus Zero hits theaters on November 6.

Every time James Gunn jumps on social media to engage with fans, answer questions, or shoot down another DC rumor, I have the same thought: Doesn't this guy have better things to do?

Serously. He's the co-head of DC Studios! He's writing scripts, directing movies, overseeing filmmakers, managing productions, dealing with studio executives, and trying to build a cinematic universe. How does he even find the time to get into arguments with fans on Threads?

Gunn has already delivered some solid wins for the DCU, and I want to see him succeed. But his constant need to explain everything, defend his decisions, and engage with every little controversy is getting ridiculous.

His latest move is a perfect example. Gunn launched a one-off podcast to explain whether his 2021 film The Suicide Squad is canon in the new DC Universe. Really? We're dedicating an entire podcast to figuring out how a five-year-old movie fits into a franchise that was supposed to be a fresh start?

The whole point of rebooting the DCU was to move forward and build something new. Yet here we are, still trying to figure out which pieces of the old DCEU count and which ones don't.

Gunn has also been going back and forth with fans on Threads about how The Suicide Squad fits into his DCU continuity. I understand that he loves these characters and wants fans to understand his creative decisions, but does every decision really need an explanation?

At some point, you have to stop trying to convince everyone that your plan makes sense and just make the damn movies and TV shows.

Look at Kevin Feige and what he accomplished with Marvel Studios. You don't see him spending his days arguing with fans about MCU continuity or defending every creative choice on social media.

Feige has largely kept his attention on making movies and TV shows. Sometimes Marvel delivers something awesome, sometimes it misses the mark, but he's focused on the work, and he lets the projects speak for themselves.

When the Marvel Cinematic Universe was getting started, Feige didn't spend years trying to explain how the earlier X-Men, Spider-Man, or Blade movies could somehow fit into his new franchise.

He helped deliver Iron Man, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and eventually The Avengers. Those movies introduced audiences to the characters, established the connections, and gave fans a reason to care about what came next.

That's what Gunn should be focused on doing with DC. To his credit, Superman, Creature Commandos, and Peacemaker Season 2, and Lanterns have given the DCU a promising foundation.

But the franchise still has a lot to prove. Lanterns did divide fans a bit, Supergirl failed to deliver the kind of story and success DC needed, and Clayface has raised questions about how much mainstream interest there is in some of these lesser-known characters. Positive audience scores are great, but they don't mean much financially if enough people aren't buying tickets.

Meanwhile, we're still waiting for Batman and Wonder Woman to become major players in this new universe. Those are two of DC's biggest characters, and neither has a solo film on the immediate horizon.

The upcoming Man of Tomorrow could help give audiences a clearer picture of where everything is heading, but that's exactly why Gunn needs to put his energy into the projects themselves.

He seems determined to win fans over through constant interaction, but here's the problem: He's never going to make everyone happy.

DC fans have been arguing about these characters for decades. Some still want the Snyderverse restored. Others love Gunn's direction. Plenty are somewhere in the middle. No amount of podcasting, posting, or debating is going to bring everyone together. That's just part of running a franchise with characters people care so much about.

I appreciate Gunn's enthusiasm. I like that he's a filmmaker who genuinely loves comic books and understands why these characters matter. His willingness to communicate directly with fans can be a good thing.

But there's a difference between keeping fans informed and feeling the need to justify every creative decision. The podcast especially feels unnecessary. Instead of concentrating on what's coming next, Gunn is spending time revisiting his own previous work and explaining why it still matters to the new DCU.

Does any of that really matter if the movies and shows aren't connecting with a larger audience? DC Studios needs major hits. It needs great memorable stories, awesome characters, and a direction that gets people excited to see the next project. It doesn't need its co-CEO getting dragged into endless conversations about continuity.

Gunn has a tremendous opportunity to build something special with the DC Universe, and I hope he pulls it off. I want DC to succeed just as much as I want Marvel to succeed. Competition between the two studios is good for comic book fans.

Gunn has got a massive job on his hands, and his time would be better spent making sure the next DC movie or series is worth watching rather than trying to convince fans that every decision he's already made was the right one.

Make great DC movies. Make great DC shows. Give us stories and characters we can't wait to see more of. Let the projects he produces do the talking!

Channing Tatum finally got his chance to play Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine, but it looks like Marvel Studios has different plans for the Cajun mutant in its upcoming X-Men reboot. A new report suggests the studio is looking to cast a younger Remy LeBeau, potentially bringing one of Marvel Comics' most popular romances to the big screen.

According to industry insider Caleb Williams, Marvel has reportedly been searching for a new Gambit actor since September. The character is expected to have a smaller role in the reboot, although Williams cautioned that his appearance isn't guaranteed.

If Gambit makes the cut, this will mark the character's third live-action incarnation. Taylor Kitsch first played him in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, while Tatum finally got to throw some explosive playing cards around in Deadpool & Wolverine after spending years trying to get his own Gambit movie made.

Tatum was a lot of fun in the role, but Marvel's decision to go younger makes sense, especially if the studio intends to explore Gambit's complicated romance with Rogue.

Inde Navarrette, 25, is playing Rogue in the reboot, joining a younger generation of mutants that includes Sadie Sink, 25, as Jean Grey, Kit Connor, 22, as Cyclops, and Maya Boyd, 23, as Storm.

Casting someone closer to Navarrette's age would give Marvel the opportunity to develop Rogue and Gambit's relationship naturally across multiple movies.

Rogue and Gambit have one of the most memorable relationships in X-Men comics. Their romance was a major part of X-Men: The Animated Series and continued in X-Men '97, where their emotional history remained an important part of the story.

In the comics, the two eventually got married after years of breaking up, getting back together, and dealing with all the complications that come with being mutants.

That relationship has never been explored in the live-action movies. Anna Paquin played Rogue in Fox's original X-Men franchise, where her romantic storyline involved Bobby Drake, aka Iceman, played by Shawn Ashmore. Kitsch's Gambit never even crossed paths with her.

The MCU now has a chance to give fans the Rogue and Gambit romance they've been waiting for, complete with Remy's Cajun charm, questionable decisions, and his determination to win over a woman whose powers make physical intimacy incredibly difficult.

There's also a potentially interesting story connection between Gambit and the reboot's villain, Mister Sinister, who will reportedly be played by Adam Driver.

In Marvel Comics, Gambit once worked for Sinister and helped assemble the Marauders, a group of mutant assassins responsible for slaughtering the Morlocks during the infamous Mutant Massacre storyline. It's one of the darker chapters of Gambit's history, and something that could make for a compelling storyline in the MCU.

Storm also has strong connections to the Morlocks, which makes her inclusion another interesting piece of the puzzle. With Boyd already training for the role, Marvel could potentially pull elements from the Mutant Massacre storyline while introducing Gambit's troubled past.

Of course, that's speculation for now, but there are some great stories Marvel could explore if it decides to connect these characters.

The new X-Men movie is scheduled to hit theaters on May 5, 2028, with Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier helming the project.

There's still no confirmation that Gambit will appear in the film, and it's possible Marvel could save his proper introduction for a sequel. Either way, recasting the character with a younger actor gives the studio room to develop his relationship with Rogue over time.

As much as I enjoyed Tatum's Gambit, I'd love to see Marvel finally bring Remy and Rogue's romance to life in a way that does justice to their comic book story arc.

Small Tidbit…theres a possibility Gambit has a small role in #XMen and they have been casting for it since September when I first heard the possibility. Not 100% sure though.

So no Channing Tatum with Inde Naverette but more age appropriate pic.twitter.com/WzyPHEYWdP

— Caleb Williams (@KnightGambit) November 3, 2026

Aaron Sorkin still has The West Wing on his mind, and it sounds like he hasn't completely ruled out returning to the White House for another round of political drama.

The acclaimed writer admits he thinks about reviving the beloved NBC series pretty much every day, even if bringing it back would come with some serious challenges.

During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Sorkin was asked whether he'd ever consider bringing back The West Wing, which ran from 1999 to 2006 and remains one of the most celebrated television dramas ever made.

His response was encouraging for fans hoping to see the series return. “There’s probably a couple of seconds every day when I think about it.”

Of course, Sorkin understands that making a new version of The West Wing in today's political climate wouldn't be easy. He admitted that “it would be very, very tricky to do in the current environment,” but also acknowledged that it “would be fun” and simply added, “I miss it.”

I would absolutely love to see what Sorkin could do with a West Wing revival. The original series is one of my all-time favorite shows. It's just so damn good. The witty writing, the fantastic characters, the performances, and the way the stories unfold made it something special.

What I love most about the show is how hopeful it was. It reminds me of a time when politics felt more civilized, when people with opposing views could actually sit in a room, debate their differences, and work toward something together.

Sure, the series presented an idealized version of Washington, but that was part of what made it so great. It showed us what government could look like when intelligent, passionate people genuinely wanted to make things better.

I'd be incredibly interested to see how Sorkin would approach that same optimism in today's political landscape.

The original series featured an incredible ensemble led by Martin Sheen as President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet, alongside Allison Janney as press secretary C.J. Cregg, Richard Schiff as communications director Toby Ziegler, Rob Lowe as deputy communications director Sam Seaborn, John Spencer as chief of staff Leo McGarry, Bradley Whitford as deputy chief of staff Josh Lyman, Dulé Hill as presidential aide Charlie Young, and Stockard Channing as First Lady Abbey Bartlet.

When asked how President Bartlet might react to the current state of American politics, Sorkin was careful about speaking for his fictional president.

“I’d like to take a little time before I put words in Jed Bartlet’s mouth. I’ll just say that I don’t think his reaction would be dissimilar to most of our reactions to what’s going on right now.”

Sorkin isn't the only person interested in returning to The West Wing. Whitford and Hill recently said that they'd happily reunite for another project if Sorkin decided to write it. “I’ll work him,” Whitford said of Sorkin. “I think there could be a limited series of some kind.”

Hill was equally enthusiastic about the possibility, saying, “I think if he writes it, then we all will be there … It would be a lovely thing to hopefully steer the collective consciousness of our society back toward humanity and connectivity and understanding.”

I think I’d want more than a limited series to really dive into things. Give Sorkin a compelling story, maybe bring back some familiar faces, introduce a bunch of new characters, and let that incredible dialogue do its thing.

Sorkin is currently promoting his latest film, The Social Reckoning, a follow-up to his 2010 movie The Social Network, with Jeremy Strong taking on the role of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

For now, a West Wing revival remains something Sorkin is thinking about rather than an actual project in development. Still, knowing that the show's creator misses working on the show and that members of the original cast are interested in returning gives fans something to be excited about.

Would you like to see The West Wing return with the original cast, or would you rather see Sorkin introduce an entirely new administration?

The live-action Naruto movie is officially moving forward, and it’s got some serious studio power backing it. Lionsgate has greenlit the long-awaited adaptation of Masashi Kishimoto’s massively popular manga, with Sony Pictures joining the project as a co-financier and international distributor.

Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is writing and directing the film, with production scheduled to begin this spring.

The partnership keeps Sony in business with Cretton following their work together on Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Lionsgate will oversee development and production while handling domestic distribution, leaving Sony to bring the movie to international audiences.

It's a significant investment in a franchise that already has an enormous worldwide following. Naruto has sold more than 250 million copies across over 60 countries and territories, while its anime adaptation has reached audiences in more than 145 countries and territories. The property has grown into a multibillion-dollar franchise, so there's plenty riding on getting this adaptation right.

Lionsgate is also coming off a massive box office success with Michael, which earned more than $1 billion worldwide and became the studio's highest-grossing film ever. Universal handled international distribution on that movie, while Sony will take on those duties for Naruto.

Kishimoto is reportedly closely involved with the adaptation, which is encouraging news for fans hoping the film will stay true to the characters and story that made the manga so popular.

Avi Arad, Ari Arad, and Emmy Yu are producing through Arad Productions, alongside Cretton and Jeyun Munford for Hisako.

While casting details haven't been announced, we have a pretty good idea of where the story might be headed. A previously reported synopsis offers a look at what audiences can expect:

“The Naruto story unfolds in a breathtaking alternate universe, where every child dreams of becoming a ninja. We follow Naruto Uzumaki, an exceptionally gifted but challenging new recruit, as he’s assigned to his first mission alongside reluctant teammates Sasuke and Sakura.

“The mission turns into something far more dangerous and sinister than anticipated, and Naruto is forced to confront his inner demons – including the literal demon that’s revealed to be the root of his own power.”

That description sounds a lot like the Land of Waves storyline from Kishimoto's original manga, which would be a great place to start Naruto's big-screen journey.

In that story, Naruto gets tired of taking on ridiculous little assignments, including chasing runaway cats, and demands a mission worthy of a real ninja. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, eventually sends Team 7 to escort a bridge builder named Tazuna to the Land of Waves.

What initially appears to be a straightforward C-rank assignment quickly becomes something much more dangerous.

Shortly after leaving the village, the team is attacked by the Demon Brothers. Kakashi Hatake manages to deal with the attackers, but Tazuna eventually admits that he's been hiding the true danger of the mission. The assignment is actually closer to an A-rank threat.

Rather than turn back, Team 7 continues its journey and eventually encounters two of the manga's most memorable early antagonists, Zabuza Momochi and Haku.

The storyline also provides an important introduction to the terrifying power of the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside Naruto. When Sasuke puts his life on the line to protect him, Naruto's anger begins to unleash the creature's power.

If Cretton is going with this storyline, it could make for a pretty awesome first movie. It introduces Naruto's relationships with Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi while delivering some fantastic ninja battles, dangerous enemies, and the emotional stakes that helped make the original story work so well.

Of course, the Land of Waves connection remains speculation for now. Neither Lionsgate nor Cretton has confirmed exactly which parts of the manga the film will adapt.

The bigger challenge will be translating Kishimoto's world into live action without losing what makes Naruto special. The characters, their relationships, and the emotional weight of the story are just as important as the crazy ninja abilities and action sequences.

Nicolas Cage is back in the arms-dealing business, and this time, he's got some serious family problems. Vertical has released the first teaser trailer for Lords of War, the long-awaited sequel to the 2005 cult classic Lord of War, and Yuri Orlov is about to find out that his biggest competition shares his DNA.

It's been 22 years since Cage first played the notorious international arms dealer in writer-director Andrew Niccol's dark comedy crime thriller. Now, Cage is returning to the role alongside Bill Skarsgård, who plays Yuri's son Anton, a ruthless mercenary determined to build an empire bigger than his father's.

The sequel picks up years after Yuri's dealings with a militia in Sierra Leone, with the infamous weapons dealer still operating in a dangerous world of international conflict. His business takes a nasty turn when he discovers that a powerful new rival is actually his son.

Anton has been assembling a massive private army of mercenaries to fight in America's Middle Eastern conflicts, putting him on a collision course with his father. The two end up competing for power, influence, and even the same woman, turning their already complicated family relationship into a violent battle for control.

The teaser doesn't reveal much footage, but it gives us an early taste of the brutal father-son rivalry at the center of the story. With Cage and Skarsgård going head-to-head as competing arms dealers, there's plenty of potential for some wonderfully twisted family drama.

Niccol is also returning to write and direct the sequel. His filmography includes Gattaca, S1m0ne, In Time, The Host, Good Kill, Anon, and I, Object. Having the original filmmaker back should help maintain the dark humor and cynical perspective that made the first movie so memorable.

The original Lord of War took inspiration in part from the exploits of real-life international arms trafficker Viktor Bout, using Yuri's criminal career to explore the ugly realities of the global weapons trade. The sequel looks to continue examining that world, this time through two generations of ruthless businessmen willing to profit from war.

Joining Cage and Skarsgård are Sylvia Hoeks, Laura Harrier, Georgina Beedle, Greg Tarzan Davis, Rafael Morais, and Max Kraus.

I'm curious to see how this one turns out. The original Lord of War was a great mix of dark comedy, crime, and political commentary, with Cage delivering one of his more memorable performances. Bringing Yuri back and forcing him to compete with a son who might be even more dangerous than he is sounds like a fun direction for the sequel.

The teaser is brief, but I'm already interested in watching these two characters tear each other's worlds apart. Hopefully, Niccol delivers another viciously entertaining crime thriller with the same sharp sense of humor as the original.

Lords of War hasn't premiered at any film festivals yet, but Vertical has scheduled the film to hit U.S. theaters on January 22, 2027.

Channing Tatum is bringing Gambit back for Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday, and it looks like the card-throwing mutant has made a few adjustments since we last saw him. Most notably, his Cajun accent is a whole lot easier to understand this time around.

Fans got their first taste of Gambit’s updated voice in a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial featuring the X-Men character alongside the Fantastic Four’s charming robot assistant, H.E.R.B.I.E.

In the commercial, H.E.R.B.I.E. gives Gambit a quick lesson on incursions, the dangerous phenomenon that occurs when two or more universes collide. It's a pretty important concept heading into Avengers: Doomsday, and apparently, Dunkin’ is getting in on the multiverse action.

"Doomsday is here, mon ami," Gambit declares in his familiar Cajun drawl. The difference is that you can actually understand what he's saying without needing subtitles.

That's a noticeable change from Deadpool & Wolverine, where Tatum's ridiculously thick accent was part of the joke. Gambit spoke so fast and mumbled his words so heavily that even Deadpool struggled to figure out what the hell he was saying.

It was hilarious in that movie, but the toned-down accent makes sense for Avengers: Doomsday, where Gambit will presumably have a more substantial role alongside the other Marvel heroes. The character can still have his Cajun personality without making every conversation a guessing game.

It's also cool to see Tatum finally getting another shot at Gambit after spending so many years trying to bring the character to the big screen.

The actor was originally attached to star in a standalone Gambit movie, but the project spent years in development before eventually being canceled. Tatum, who grew up in Mississippi, has had a personal connection to the character for years, so finally getting to play him in Deadpool & Wolverine was a big deal.

That movie introduced Gambit as one of the forgotten Marvel characters trapped in the Void, alongside several familiar faces from previous superhero films. While his fate initially seemed uncertain, a deleted scene showed him escaping as the Void was being destroyed, leaving the door open for his return.

Now he's officially joining the X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday, and it'll be interesting to see how Tatum's version of the character fits into a much larger Marvel story.

Personally, I enjoyed the absurdity of Gambit's accent in Deadpool & Wolverine, but I'm fine with the fact that they're dialing it back a bit. The joke worked perfectly for that film, but Gambit deserves a chance to be more than comic relief.

It's pretty funny that our first look at this updated version of the character comes from a Dunkin' commercial with H.E.R.B.I.E., but here we are.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.

Jeremy Allen White, best known for his roles in The Bear and Shameless, has reportedly met with Marvel about joining the MCU’s upcoming X-Men movie. Could he be the guy who finally takes over the claws from Hugh Jackman?

According to insider Jeff Sneider, White is being considered for a role in Marvel's mutant franchise, with the possibility of making a brief cameo before taking on a larger part in future projects. There's no confirmation that he's actually playing Wolverine, but that's the character at the center of the speculation.

Forget James Bond (don't worry, I didn't)! Let's talk about Hollywood's NEXT GREAT CASTING SEARCH.

The search for Wolverine!https://t.co/yZGE2ZNJRL pic.twitter.com/B5CIWXlB4l

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) November 4, 2026

White would certainly be an interesting pick. He's proven himself as a fantastic dramatic actor, particularly with his performance as Carmy Berzatto in The Bear.

He also spent years playing Lip Gallagher in Shameless, showing he can handle complicated, short-tempered characters. Those qualities could translate pretty well to Logan, a guy who spends much of his time angry at the world.

There's also the physical side of the character. At 5-foot-7, White is considerably shorter than Jackman and actually closer to Wolverine's comic book appearance.

In Marvel Comics, Logan stands just 5-foot-3 and weighs around 200 pounds, thanks in part to his adamantium skeleton. White has the compact build and intensity that could make for a more comic-accurate Wolverine.

Of course, following Jackman would be no easy task. He's spent more than two decades making Wolverine one of Marvel's most recognizable characters, and his return in Deadpool & Wolverine reminded everyone just how much fun he is in the role. Whoever eventually replaces him will have some enormous shoes to fill, even if Logan himself isn't particularly tall.

For White, joining the MCU could also be a major career opportunity. Despite his success on television, his recent theatrical projects haven't exactly been box office hits. Those films include the Bruce Springsteen biopic, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere and The Social Reckoning.

The studio hasn't confirmed White's reported meeting, announced any casting decisions, or explained how Logan will factor into its upcoming X-Men movie. It's also unclear whether Marvel intends to introduce a completely new Wolverine right away or keep Jackman around a little longer.

For now, White remains an intriguing possibility rather than a confirmed candidate for the claws. Personally, I could see him pulling it off. He's got the acting ability, the attitude, and the physical presence to give Wolverine a different kind of energy without trying to imitate Jackman.

What do you think? Would Jeremy Allen White make a badass Wolverine, or is there someone else you'd rather see take over the role in the MCU?

The mystery surrounding the Client in Marvel's VisionQuest has finally been cracked! Episode 7, titled "Immolation," reveals who's been pulling the strings and sending Paladin after Vision. While fans had plenty of theories about who it might be, the answer turned out to be someone nobody quite expected.

With the Disney+ series heading into its finale next week, the latest episode delivers a pretty interesting reveal involving Ultron, Doctor Jo Carrington, and a familiar face played by James Spader.

For weeks, fans have been throwing around names like Mephisto, J.I.M. Hammond, Hex Vision, and even Scarlet Witch as possible candidates for the mysterious Client. As it turns out, none of those theories were correct, at least not in the way anyone expected.

Near the end of "Immolation," we learn that Doctor Jo Carrington was romantically involved with a man who looks exactly like Ultron's human avatar, played by Spader.

Things get even more interesting when Vision arrives at the estate of Phineas Horton, the man known as the "great-grandfather of robotics." Instead of getting answers, Vision finds himself surrounded by armed mercenaries. That's when the Client finally steps forward, revealing himself to be Jocasta's former lover.

It's a surprising turn, especially since we've technically seen this man's face before, just not this particular character.

Unfortunately, the episode stops short of explaining who this mysterious individual actually is or why he's so interested in Vision. Those answers are being saved for next week's season finale, which should finally explain how everything connects.

Of course, Spader's presence in the series has been one of its most interesting elements, particularly the decision to show Ultron in human form rather than keeping him in his familiar robotic body.

During a recent interview with Polygon, showrunner Terry Matalas explained why he wanted audiences to spend more time with Spader's actual face.

"It's funny, people say it's a budget thing, it's not, it's a James Spader thing. I love James Spader. Who doesn't love James Spader? I just want to see James and I want to see Bettany. You'll get plenty of robot action in the show. The show is very much inspired by that last scene in Age of Ultron between the two of them."

Matalas also explained that his vision for the series was built around watching Spader and Paul Bettany share scenes together, something he felt would be much more effective with the actors physically present.

"But watching Spader and Bettany chew up the scenery was something I saw in my head from the very beginning. It is prohibitively expensive to do a CGI robot 24/7, but I also don't want to see a CGI robot. It's not going to be able to emote and do the things that James Spader can do with just the twitch of an eyebrow. So that's pretty much the main reason."

It's hard to argue with that reasoning. Spader brings an unsettling personality to Ultron, and giving him the opportunity to perform without being hidden beneath a CGI robot makes for some great character moments.

Now the big question is how this mysterious Client connects to Ultron and what his ultimate plans are for Vision. The fact that he shares Ultron's human appearance certainly raises some interesting possibilities, but Marvel isn't giving away the full story just yet.

With only one episode remaining, VisionQuest has some major questions to answer. Hopefully, the finale delivers a satisfying explanation for the Client's identity and why he's gone to such lengths to track down Vision.

What did you think of the Client reveal? Were you expecting someone else, or did you suspect James Spader would somehow be involved?

Christopher Lloyd is one of the most beloved actors in the business, and one of the greatest roles he brought to life over the years was that of D. Emmett “Doc” Brown in the Back to the Future franchise, although I love him as Jim in the show Taxi as well.

Now he’s opening up about all of his career moves and life events in a new memoir titled In My Own Time, and in a recent appearance to promote the book, he explained to co-star Michael J. Fox what it was like for Lloyd when Fox was cast as Marty McFly, replacing Eric Stoltz after over a month of shooting.

Lloyd said: “I remember the night before the morning of your first day. We’d been working all night for a few days in the shopping mall, so lunch would be at like one o’clock in the morning.

“We broke for lunch, and we were in the parking lot of the mall, and somebody stood up to say somebody was going to make an announcement after lunch. We had our lunch and then we all gathered around one of the trailers. Spielberg, I think, got up and told us that tomorrow morning, Michael J. Fox is going to be taking over the role of Marty from… Eric Stoltz.

“That was pretty stunning news. Because for me, totally selfishly, I felt I’d given 99 percent every moment they shot for six weeks. I had to put a lot of energy into it, and I was still getting into the groove.

“My first thought was, ‘Oh my god, I’m going to have to do all that again. How am I going to do it?’ But it all worked out. When you came along, it was a whole different game. Your spontaneity, humor, smartness, and intelligence—it was great.”

I bet it would be daunting to get through that much of a film, then be told to do it all over again with a new actor by your side. Luckily Fox is fantastic in the role, and Lloyd obviously had no trouble moving forward. They went on to make two more films, and in all, a fan-favorite trilogy that still holds up all these years later.

via: CinemaBlend

Netflix’s Gears of War movie is finally making some progress, and director David Leitch has shared a promising update on the long-awaited video game adaptation. The script is finished, the creative team is excited about what they’ve got, and there are already discussions about turning the franchise into something much bigger.

Leitch, who directed Deadpool 2 and Bullet Train, recently spoke with ScreenRant and confirmed that a version of the screenplay has been completed. While the project still has some work ahead of it before cameras start rolling, things appear to be moving in the right direction.

The director also brought up the upcoming game Gears of War: E-Day, which is bringing players back to the beginning of humanity's brutal war against the Locust.

“Obviously, E-Day is about to be released,” Leitch said, before sharing his enthusiasm for the movie's potential to launch an entire franchise.

“I think everybody’s excited about the potential of this as a film universe, and so we couldn’t be more excited about that. Hopefully, it’ll be coming to fruition soon. That’s probably all I can tell you. And I wish I could tell you more because there’s so much cool stuff going on.”

It's great to hear that Netflix and the filmmakers are thinking beyond a single movie. The world of Gears of War has plenty of material to explore, from its massive battles and terrifying creatures to the soldiers fighting to keep humanity alive.

Netflix first announced its plans to adapt the hit video game franchise in 2022, revealing that both a live-action movie and an animated series were in development.

In 2023, Jon Spaihts, whose credits include Dune, signed on to write the screenplay. Leitch joined the project in May 2025, and a few months later, he and his wife and producing partner, Kelly McCormick, confirmed that they were collaborating with Spaihts on the script.

We also have an idea of what the movie will explore. Plot details revealed in June tells us that the story will focus on the earliest days of Delta Squad and its fight against the Locust invasion.

The official description reads: “The origin story of Delta Squad, a ragtag crew of soldiers who wage a desperate war for survival against the Locust, a race of subterranean creatures set on destroying humanity.”

Leitch’s experience directing intense action sequences could be a great fit for the franchise's chainsaw-equipped weapons, oversized soldiers, and absolutely insane battles against the Locust.

Originally developed by Epic Games, Gears of War has become one of gaming's most recognizable action franchises, and fans have been waiting years to see it make the jump to live-action.

Netflix hasn't announced a release date for the movie, and Leitch's comments suggest there's still some waiting ahead. But with a completed screenplay and a director who clearly sees the potential for more stories, this is an encouraging update.

Now we just need to see who Netflix recruits to bring Delta Squad to life.

Gandalf is finally coming into his own in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3, and it sounds like we're about to see a very different version of the wizard. After spending two seasons trying to figure out who he is and what he's supposed to be doing in Middle-earth, Gandalf is ready to put his powers to work.

The Season 2 finale finally confirmed what fans had suspected all along, and that’s that The Stranger, played by Daniel Weyman, was Gandalf. With that mystery officially solved, the upcoming season can focus on what the legendary wizard is actually capable of.

Speaking with SFX magazine, Weyman explained how Gandalf's journey has evolved and why Season 3 represents such a major turning point for the character.

"It’s really interesting how this character has progressed. Season one was very distinctive in that The Stranger knew nothing; he had to learn everything. Season two, he felt more grounded. He found something of himself. And season three, the big difference is that he has grown into himself and realised what his purpose really is."

This is good to know for fans who've been waiting to see Gandalf become the powerful, wise wizard we know from The Lord of the Rings. We've watched him struggle to understand his abilities, and now he's finally figuring out how to use them.

Season 3 also features a five-year time jump, bringing Middle-earth closer to a massive conflict between Sauron and the Elves. Co-showrunner Patrick McKay previously explained that the story picks up at the "tipping point" of an "epic war between Sauron and the Elves".

Those five years should give Gandalf plenty of time to sharpen his magical skills and grow more comfortable with his responsibilities. His time learning from Tom Bombadil also appears to be reaching its conclusion, opening the door for a much bigger adventure.

"The thing that I love about Gandalf probably most is the way he sees the good in other people, even if they can’t see it themselves," Weyman continued. "Then, when Tom Bombadil begins to disappear because he knows that Gandalf is ready, his story suddenly becomes pretty epic."

Gandalf has always been at his best when he's inspiring others, standing against impossible odds, and stepping in when Middle-earth needs him most.

We've seen him face the Balrog in Khazad-dûm and arrive with the Rohirrim at Helm's Deep in Peter Jackson's films. While this younger version of Gandalf still has a long road ahead, it sounds like Season 3 will finally give him some memorable moments of his own.

During San Diego Comic-Con, Weyman also shared more about Gandalf's mission and how he plans to fight the growing darkness spreading across Middle-earth.

"He's on the lookout for people whose hearts have been chilled, that have been frozen. He's going to try and rewarm them… So hopefully, we're going to be watching him through season three, work all ways of helping to defeat [Sauron]."

Of course, Gandalf isn't the only wizard with unfinished business. The mysterious Dark Wizard, played by Ciarán Hinds, remains one of the show's biggest unanswered questions. His true identity has yet to be revealed, but fans apparently won't have to spend another entire season guessing.

McKay previously teased that the answer is coming sooner rather than later, saying, "You'll find out, and you might find out sooner than you think."

Between Gandalf embracing his powers, the mystery surrounding the Dark Wizard, and Sauron's escalating war against the Elves, Season 3 has plenty of interesting stories to explore.

I'm especially looking forward to seeing Gandalf finally take a more active role in the fight against Sauron. The wandering, confused Stranger was an interesting starting point, but it's time to see the wizard become the hero we know he's destined to be.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 premieres November 11 on Prime Video.

Hollywood keeps trying to figure out what Gen Z wants from movies, but Obsession star Inde Navarrette thinks the answer is pretty simple. Young audiences want original stories that make them feel something, not movies that constantly try to sell them something.

During an appearance on The Kyle Buchanan Show, Navarrette shared her thoughts on what Hollywood needs to do to keep younger audiences coming to movie theaters. Her biggest complaint? Too much advertising and product placement getting in the way of the actual storytelling.

“Gen Z just wants to go to something that they don’t feel like they’re being sold. Maybe we are tired constantly of having ads in movies or production placement and all of these things. We understand it’s fundamental. We grew up with commercials that are fun that we still quote like State Farm and Aflac. It’s kind of fun. But we don’t want to be sold. We want original stories.”

She makes a fair point. Advertising is everywhere these days, and audiences don't necessarily want to spend money on a movie ticket just to sit through another round of corporate marketing disguised as entertainment.

Navarrette also pushed back against the idea that growing up surrounded by technology somehow makes Gen Z less interested in emotional storytelling.

“Just because we’re living in the time of technology doesn’t mean we’re not living a human life or feel human experiences,” she added. “I’m happy Obsession brought that to the table. We want originality and we want to feel.”

The Focus Features horror film turned her and co-star Michael Johnston into breakout stars this summer, pulling in an incredible $522 million worldwide against a production budget of less than $1 million.

That makes Obsession one of the most profitable movies in Hollywood history, and its box office performance was particularly impressive. The film actually increased its earnings over four consecutive weekends, fueled by enthusiastic word of mouth from Gen Z moviegoers.

Those numbers should get Hollywood's attention, especially when studios are constantly trying to figure out how to get younger audiences away from their phones and into theaters.

It turns out Gen Z is already showing up. Earlier this year, a Fandango study that found Gen Z is the most active moviegoing demographic. According to the research, 87% of Gen Z and 82% of millennials had visited a movie theater at least once over the course of a year. That compares to 70% of Gen X and 58% of baby boomers.

Gen Z and millennials also averaged around seven theatrical visits per year, compared to 6.1 for Gen X and 5.7 for baby boomers. Younger moviegoers were also more willing to spend money on concessions and premium screenings like IMAX.

Jerramy Hainline, Fandango's executive vice president, explained what makes those findings particularly interesting:

“While there has been a perception that Gen Z is less engaged with theatrical moviegoing, our data shows that their momentum has been building. What’s especially notable is how strongly they value the shared, communal aspect of the experience, reinforcing that theaters continue to play an important role as a social destination for younger audiences.”

So the problem isn't that young people have lost interest in movies. They just want Hollywood to give them something worth leaving the house and worth paying for.

The massive success of Obsession certainly supports Navarrette's argument. Give audiences an original story that connects with them, and they'll not only buy tickets, they'll tell their friends to go see it.

Hollywood doesn't need to turn every movie into a commercial or assume younger audiences only care about technology and familiar franchises. Sometimes a great story and a reason to experience it with other people are enough.

What do you think? Has product placement in movies gotten out of hand, or does it not bother you?

Marvel fans have spotted a sneaky little Easter egg in VisionQuest that could have big implications for Avengers: Doomsday. It’s the kind of detail you could easily miss while watching, but once you see it, you have to wonder what Marvel is planning.

The discovery comes from Episode 2 of the Disney+ series, where eagle-eyed viewers noticed a DVD case sitting in Ultron’s room with the words “Countdown to Doom” printed on it.

‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’ easter egg in ‘VISIONQUEST’.

“Countdown to Doom” pic.twitter.com/jDV0FffdkQ

— MCU Film News (@MCUFilmNews) October 16, 2026

That’s a pretty interesting choice of words, especially with Doctor Doom preparing to make his grand entrance in Avengers: Doomsday.

Of course, this could simply be a bit of dark humor from Ultron, but given Marvel’s history of planting clues throughout its projects, fans are understandably wondering whether there's something more to it.

What makes the discovery even more interesting is that VisionQuest is the final MCU project arriving before Avengers: Doomsday, with the series debuting just two months ahead of the massive Marvel crossover.

The show also brings an important chapter of the MCU to a close. It serves as the conclusion to the story that began with WandaVision and continued through Agatha All Along, making it a potentially important piece of Marvel's larger plans.

The series brings back Paul Bettany as White Vision, who is still struggling to understand his identity after the events of WandaVision.

Fans will remember that Vision was killed by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War back in 2018. He eventually returned when S.W.O.R.D. rebuilt his body, creating the White Vision we now follow in VisionQuest.

Despite his return to the MCU, Marvel hasn't confirmed whether Vision will appear in Avengers: Doomsday or any other upcoming film.

There's also the introduction of an adult Tommy Maximoff, who still possesses his super-speed abilities. With Tommy and Billy Maximoff both part of the MCU, fans are hoping the Maximoff family will eventually reunite. That possibility becomes even more intriguing when you consider what Marvel has coming after Doomsday.

Avengers: Secret Wars is expected to bring together even more Marvel characters, including some who might not appear in Doomsday. Vision, Tommy, and Billy could potentially be among them, assuming they make it through the events of VisionQuest.

For now, there's no confirmation that the “Countdown to Doom” Easter egg has any direct connection to Doctor Doom or the upcoming Avengers movies.

Still, it's a fun little discovery that raises some interesting questions about how VisionQuest might connect to the next major chapter of the MCU.

VisionQuest is now streaming on Disney+.

The People v. Gorilla Grodd is shaping up to be a real treat for DC fans. Just as Superman was a great introduction of a host of classic DC characters, this series looks like it will do the same.

Murmur, Golden Glider, and Ambush Bug have each been confirmed or at least rumored to appear in the film, and now former Nexus Point News reporter @ApocHorseman has revealed that Weather Wizard is also set to make his DCU debut in the series. The unnamed actor in the role reportedly only shot for a single day, suggesting this will be a one-episode appearance for the villain.

While cool on its own, this reveal, along with the other members of The Rogues, seems to point to The Flash being introduced into this era of the DCU.

Weather Wizard was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino, and first appeared in The Flash #110 in 1959. Originally using a weather-controlling wand, the villain can generate lightning, tornadoes, blizzards, powerful winds and other dangerous weather phenomena.

Will the Fastest Man Alive himself somehow factor into The People vs. Gorilla Grodd? It is seeming more and more likely. It’s a bummer that DC has had to distance themselves from Ezra Miller due to their controversial alleged charges, as they were so good in the role of The Flash, but it’s cool to hear that the character will likely return. Who would you like to see take on the character now?

The People v. Gorilla Grodd is currently in production, and will likely hit HBO sometime next year.

An elite military squad trained to handle the deadliest threats is about to discover that some enemies can't be taken down with bullets. The new trailer for the sci-fi action horror film The Awakening sends a team of soldiers into the Colombian jungle, where an ancient evil is waiting to turn their mission into a fight for survival.

The film follows an elite military unit sent into hostile territory to eliminate an enemy target. These soldiers know how to handle dangerous situations, but their training means little when they encounter a terrifying force that has haunted the jungle for centuries.

The story also takes audiences 500 years into the past, when a Spanish conquistador expedition encountered the same deadly curse. The two groups, separated by centuries, find themselves fighting against something far more dangerous than anything they expected.

Well Go USA shared the following official synopsis: “An elite military unit ventures into a Colombian jungle on a mission to eliminate an enemy target. What begins as a tactical operation quickly descends into a frenzied nightmare when a primeval force awakens in the darkness.

“Five hundred years earlier, a Spanish conquistador expedition was consumed by the same relentless curse. Separated by centuries but connected by the same hostile territory, both groups fight to survive the jungle’s curse.”

It's a cool premise that mixes military action, supernatural horror, and a centuries-old mystery. Watching heavily armed soldiers discover that their weapons might be useless against an ancient curse sounds like a fun recipe for some intense horror.

The film features an ensemble cast that includes Claudio Cataño (Pacific), Alejandro Buitrago (Narcos), Héctor Sánchez (Mi Bestia), Andrea Olaya (Thousand Fangs), Quique Sanmartín (Pepe Caceres), Jaisson Jeack (Thousand Fangs), Carlos Mariño (The Initiated), Andres Londono (Narcos: Mexico), Salvador Bridges (Adiós al amigo), and Ricardo Leguizamo (Vampire Academy).

The Awakening was written and directed by Jaime Osorio Marquez, who previously directed The Squad. Sadly, Marquez passed away before he could complete the movie.

His co-creator and producer, Federico Durán, worked with director José Luis Rugeles (Alias Maria, Rebellion) to finish the project and bring Marquez's vision to the screen.

Latido Films founder and managing director Antonio Saura previously spoke about the importance of preserving the filmmaker's work, saying:

“With The Awakening, we recover the magic of a magnificent filmmaker like Jaime Osorio, for us the best creator of magic realism horror in Latin America.

“This film, curated by some of the best directors in Colombia – his friends responsible for his legacy – is a great example of his vision for action, horror, fun and amazing directing. We are proud to be part of this film and this adventure.”

Durán also reflected on the personal significance of completing the movie: “The Awakening is a gripping and deeply moving journey into the heart of darkness – not only for the story that unfolds on screen, but also for the story behind it: that of a director who passed away before seeing it completed and the remarkable effort to preserve and restore his vision and his work.”

Knowing what went into finishing the film adds another layer of appreciation for the project. It's great that Marquez's collaborators were able to come together and complete the movie he started.

The Awakening arrives on Digital November 10, followed by a Blu-ray and DVD release on December 15.

Christmas is getting a little more sinister thanks to Rooster Teeth founders Matt Hullum and Burnie Burns, who are reuniting for a new holiday horror-comedy titled Bad Toys. The movie takes a creepy approach to Christmas elves, turning the familiar holiday troublemakers into something much more dangerous.

Hullum is writing and directing the film, with Burns serving as executive producer. Suzanne Weinert of Flatiron Pictures is also producing the project, which is currently in development.

Inspired by medieval Christmas elf folklore, Bad Toys explores what happens when a magical little creature takes the whole naughty-or-nice tradition a bit too seriously.

The official description poses a pretty entertaining question: “What if a mischievous Christmas elf brought you what you wanted when you were nice, but made you regret what you asked for if you were naughty?”

That's a fun premise for a Christmas horror movie, especially considering how creepy those little elf dolls can already be when you find one staring at you from an unexpected spot in the house.

As it turns out, Hullum's inspiration came from exactly that kind of experience, courtesy of his wife's holiday pranks.

“Around the holidays, my wife loves to prank us by hiding Christmas elf dolls in unexpected places — including the knife drawer — and has given me quite a few jump scares over the years! I began researching ancient elf lore, mostly Scandinavian, and discovered that there is a rich and bizarre history of mischievous and even deadly elves spanning back centuries.

“Bad Toys is my take on turning those spooky old fairy tales into a modern-day holiday adventure … and an excuse to reunite with some of my Rooster Teeth family and our millions of fans from YouTube and around the world.”

It's a cool concept that could make for a awesomely twisted Christmas movie, mixing old-school folklore with modern holiday traditions. There's plenty of potential for some nasty surprises when the creatures responsible for granting Christmas wishes also decide how to punish bad behavior.

The project also marks another reunion for two of the creative minds who helped build Rooster Teeth into one of the internet's most recognizable entertainment brands.

Founded in 2003, Rooster Teeth became a major part of early online entertainment thanks to its hit animated web series Red vs. Blue and popular gaming channels such as Achievement Hunter.

The company was acquired by Otter Media in 2015 and eventually became part of Warner Bros. following a series of corporate acquisitions involving AT&T.

Burns left Rooster Teeth in 2019, and the company eventually shut down in 2024. However, the story didn't end there. In 2025, Burns came out of retirement to purchase Rooster Teeth back from Warner Bros., bringing the brand back to life.

Now he's excited to work with Hullum again on something completely different. “The moment I heard Matt was launching a new project. I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate again. It’s always an honor to work together, and I can’t wait to help bring his creative vision for Bad Toys to the screen.”

Pre-production on Bad Toys is expected to begin in early 2027, with a theatrical release planned for the Christmas season that same year.

Christmas horror-comedies can be a lot of fun when they find the right balance between scares and ridiculous holiday chaos. With centuries of creepy elf folklore to draw from and the Rooster Teeth founders working together again, Bad Toys sounds like it could deliver some entertaining Christmas carnage.

I'm curious to see just how savage these little elves get when someone ends up on their naughty list.

Source: Variety

The first trailer has arrived for The Remotes, a Filipino sci-fi mystery thriller that mixes neo-noir, surveillance technology, grief, and political anxiety into one strange and haunting trip through Manila.

Written and directed by John Torres, the film follows a grieving detective investigating two sisters connected to a sinister navigation app. The deeper he gets into the case, the more he begins giving himself over to the unseen voices controlling the city, while struggling with the loss he still hasn’t escaped.

The film stars Alchris Galura, Gabby Padilla, Julia Richards, and Enchong Dee, and it looks like a fascinating piece of experimental sci-fi for viewers who enjoy slow cinema and art house genre films that aren’t interested in giving you easy answers.

Torres describes the ideas driving the film: "The Remotes is about how longing can become infrastructure. How grief stifles us while technology listens in & automates our choices in life. It is a world where people willingly surrender to it because it brings them closer to someone they lost, or someone they used to be."

That gives you a pretty good idea of the melancholy territory The Remotes is exploring. Technology here offers people something emotionally irresistible, using their grief and desire for connection to pull them further under its control.

The film also draws from the political history of the Philippines, particularly former president Rodrigo Duterte’s "war on drugs" and the surveillance state that developed around it. That real-world foundation gives its sci-fi premise an unsettling edge.

The New York Film Festival offered this description of the film: "Manila-based filmmaker, musician, artist John Torres has constructed an original, visually striking form of neo-noir that combines sci-fi & documentary into a new stylistic blueprint.

“Following a cop in mourning one year after his wife was killed in a mysterious driver-app-related auto accident, and his telepathic sister-in-law, whose recorded voice might hold a clue to the case, The Remotes is a thought-provoking inquiry into the larger forces—political, technological—that conspire to control our bodies and identities.

“Fashioned in part as a response to the Philippines' longtime president Rodrigo Duterte's 'war on drugs' & the country's resultant surveillance state, this drifting, impressionistic film expands & compresses time, allowing its sinister, tragic narrative to gradually emerge in its moody, fog-enshrouded cityscape."

Torres is a Manila-based Filipino filmmaker whose previous features include Todo todo teros, Taon noong ako'y anak sa labas, Ang ninanais, Lukas the Strange, and People Power Bombshell: The Diary of Vietnam Rose, along with numerous short films.

Torres co-wrote The Remotes with Dodo Dayao, with Sherad Sanchez, Shireen Seno, and Torres producing. The movie premiered on the 2026 festival circuit, playing at the Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival this fall. There’s currently no release date set.

The world of Blade Runner is about to look very different when Blade Runner 2099 arrives on Prime Video, but fans hoping to see the fallout from Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 might be surprised by the direction the new series takes.

Despite taking place 50 years after the 2017 sequel, showrunner Silka Luisa has confirmed that the upcoming sci-fi series won’t directly continue that film’s story. Instead, it’s designed to introduce audiences to a new chapter of the Blade Runner universe without requiring them to watch either of the previous movies.

Speaking with SFX magazine, Luisa explained: "No, [Blade Runner 2049] is not directly connected to the show," Luisa told SFX magazine, which features the Prime Video limited series on the new cover. "What was an important early mandate was that audiences could come to the show not having seen the films, and this could stand alone."

Blade Runner 2049 followed Ryan Gosling as K, a Replicant who discovers that Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard and Sean Young’s Rachael had a daughter named Ana Stelline. The discovery proved that Replicants could reproduce naturally, something that could completely change the relationship between humans and their artificially created counterparts.

You'd think a revelation that important would play a major role in the franchise's future, but Blade Runner 2099 has its own story to tell.

The new series takes place following a Replicant uprising that has completely reversed the balance of power. Replicants now control society, while humans have been reduced to second-class citizens.

Michelle Yeoh stars as Olwen, a Replicant Blade Runner approaching the end of her life, while Hunter Schafer plays Cora, a human who disguises herself as a Replicant.

Luisa further explained why the creative team decided to separate the series from the previous films: "This could be an introduction to the world of Blade Runner, and it wouldn’t be dependent on you having watched 2049, [or] you having watched the first Blade Runner. In that sense, we had to divorce ourselves from the narrative."

While the series won’t directly address the events of Blade Runner 2049, that doesn't necessarily mean those events had no influence on the world we're about to explore.

Fifty years is plenty of time for society to change, and it's entirely possible that Ana Stelline's existence helped inspire the Replicant uprising. That's an interesting connection to consider, even if the show never explores it.

Fans also shouldn't expect K, Deckard, or Ana to make appearances. The focus is firmly on the new characters and the world they've inherited.

I actually like the idea of exploring a future where Replicants have taken control and humans are the ones struggling to survive. It flips the franchise's familiar power dynamic and creates some interesting possibilities for the story.

The big question is whether Blade Runner 2099 can capture the atmosphere, mystery, and philosophical themes that made the original films so memorable while creating something that feels fresh.

We'll find out when Blade Runner 2099 premieres on Prime Video on November 25.

Ghostface isn’t finished with Sidney Prescott just yet. Neve Campbell has confirmed that she’ll be back for Scream 8, even though the next installment in the hit horror franchise is still in the early stages of development.

The actress recently spoke with the Associated Press and revealed that another Scream movie is on her schedule, saying she has “Scream 8; that’s in the pipeline as well.”

When pressed for more details, Campbell kept things short and simple. “You know I can’t tell you anything about Scream 8,” said the actress, “I’ll be in it.”

That’s good news for longtime fans who want to see more of Sidney Prescott, now Sidney Evans, taking on Ghostface. While Campbell seems ready to return, Spyglass Media and Paramount still have some work to do. Scream 8 doesn’t have a director attached yet, and the project remains in development.

Campbell has appeared in six of the franchise’s seven films, sitting out 2023’s Scream VI before making her big comeback in Scream 7 earlier this year.

Her return proved to be a major success. The seventh film delivered the biggest worldwide opening in the franchise’s 30-year history, bringing in $97.2 million. It also went on to become the highest-grossing Scream movie to date, earning $208 million worldwide.

Scream 7 caught up with Sidney as a married woman and mother whose attempts to build a life away from Ghostface were once again interrupted. This time, the killer targeted her daughter, Tatum, forcing Sidney back into another deadly confrontation.

The sequel also brought back familiar franchise faces, including Courteney Cox and Matthew Lillard, giving longtime fans a few more reasons to revisit the series.

As for where the story goes next, that's still a mystery. What we do know is that Lilla Zuckerman and Nora Zuckerman are writing the screenplay for Scream 8.

The sisters most recently served as showrunners on Peacock’s acclaimed series Poker Face. Their previous television credits also include writing and co-executive producing work on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Suits, Fringe, and Prodigal Son.

After seven movies, you'd think Sidney would have earned a break from masked killers. Apparently, these Ghostface killers aren’t going to stop until one of them finally finishes her off. Which will be never!

Hogwarts is getting a little more crowded, and some of its newest residents are already dead! HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series has announced another round of casting, revealing the actors who will bring the Sorting Hat, several familiar Hogwarts ghosts, and the Fat Lady to life.

Leading the new additions is David Threlfall, best known for playing Frank Gallagher in the original British version of Shameless. The actor will provide the voice of the Sorting Hat, the magical headwear responsible for deciding which Hogwarts house each new student belongs to.

Threlfall spent years leading the hit British comedy-drama, which later inspired the successful American adaptation starring William H. Macy. He should be an interesting choice for the Sorting Hat, a character with plenty of personality and a habit of making important decisions about students' futures.

The Hogwarts ghosts have also found their actors. Leo Bill will play Nearly Headless Nick, the friendly Gryffindor ghost whose unfortunate execution left his head barely attached to his body. Andrew Brooke has been cast as the Bloody Baron, Slytherin's rather intimidating resident ghost, while Daniel Fearn will portray the Fat Friar, the cheerful spirit associated with Hufflepuff.

Another familiar Hogwarts character joining the series is the Fat Lady, played by Laura Smyth. She guards the entrance to Gryffindor Tower from her portrait, allowing students inside only when they provide the correct password. She's a small but memorable part of Hogwarts life, and it should be fun to see how the new series handles her.

All of these characters appear in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, making them natural additions to the show's first season. Their inclusion also gives HBO another opportunity to explore the personality of Hogwarts beyond its classrooms and main characters.

The casting announcements continue to roll in as HBO prepares for the show's planned Christmas premiere, with some Season 2 roles already being revealed.

The new adaptation stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. Joining the young trio are John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.

The Hogwarts student cast also includes Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Elijah Oshin as Dean Thomas, Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil, Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown, Finn Stephens as Vincent Crabbe, and William Nash as Gregory Goyle.

The Weasley family is represented by Tristan Harland as Fred, Gabriel Harland as George, Ruari Spooner as Percy, Katherine Parkinson as Molly, Gracie Cochrane as Ginny, and Harry Gilby as Charlie.

Other familiar faces include Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick, Sirine Saba as Pomona Sprout, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, Louise Brealey as Rolanda Hooch, Bríd Brennan as Poppy Pomfrey, and Richard Durden as Cuthbert Binns.

Outside Hogwarts, Daniel Rigby plays Vernon Dursley, Bel Powley plays Petunia Dursley, and Amos Kitson plays Dudley Dursley. The cast also features Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy, Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, Leigh Gill as Griphook, Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander, Jasper Talbot as James Potter, and Hannah Chinn as Lily Potter.

Based on J.K. Rowling's bestselling novels, the HBO series is written and executive produced by Francesca Gardiner, with Mark Mylod executive producing and directing multiple episodes. The project is produced in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television.

Rowling also serves as an executive producer alongside Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, David Heyman of Heyday Films, Laura Neal, and Jon Brown.

I’m looking forward to watching this show!

After more than a decade of failed attempts to bring Robopocalypse to the screen, Hollywood is giving the sci-fi story another shot. This time, it’s being developed as a television series, with Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman leading the charge.

Based on Daniel H. Wilson’s 2011 sci-fi novel, Robopocalypse was originally planned as a major blockbuster directed by Steven Spielberg. The project had some serious star power attached, with Chris Hemsworth and Anne Hathaway set to star. Unfortunately, the movie ran into delays and eventually fell apart.

Michael Bay later took a crack at bringing the robot uprising to theaters in the late 2010s, but his version never made it into production either. Now, after years of going nowhere, the adaptation is getting another chance, and television might actually be the better home for this story.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Howard's Imagine Entertainment is teaming up with Goldsman's Weed Road Pictures to develop Robopocalypse as a TV series.

Howard is attached to direct the pilot, which Goldsman will write. Goldsman will also serve as showrunner. Spielberg remains involved through Amblin Entertainment, which will executive produce the series.

The producing team also includes Brian Grazer and Jeb Brody from Imagine Entertainment, along with Rachel Wizenberg and Greg Lessans from Weed Road Pictures.

Howard shared his excitement about finally bringing Wilson's story to the screen, saying: “Robopocalypse has all the scale and suspense of a major action story, but what drew me to it are the thought-provoking themes and humanity at its center.

“Daniel created a future that feels both startling and increasingly plausible, with characters who must figure out what connects us when the technology we rely on turns against us. I am also thrilled to work with Akiva again. We have shared some incredibly meaningful creative experiences, and this feels like the right story to bring us back together.”

For those unfamiliar with the novel, Robopocalypse takes place during a devastating war between humanity and an artificial intelligence known as Archos, which turns the world's machines against their human creators.

The story follows a soldier named Cormac Wallace, who discovers an information cube containing records of the war and the experiences of people fighting to survive the robot uprising. Through these accounts, readers follow several characters whose separate journeys eventually come together for a final confrontation against the machines.

There’s plenty of room for large-scale robot battles, survival horror, and the human drama that comes with watching civilization collapse under an AI threat.

That structure also makes Robopocalypse an excellent candidate for a TV adaptation. Instead of squeezing the novel's sprawling storyline into a two-hour movie, a series could spend more time exploring the characters, the rise of Archos, and the different ways humanity fights back.

There's also Wilson's sequel, Robogenesis, which offers additional material if the show moves forward beyond its first season.

Howard and Goldsman have a successful history together, having previously collaborated on A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code. Their reunion on a sci-fi project of this scale is certainly interesting, particularly with Spielberg's Amblin still involved.

The timing also makes the story more relevant than it was when Wilson's novel first hit shelves in 2011. Artificial intelligence has become a major part of everyday life, making the idea of technology turning against humanity feel a little less distant than it once did.

There's no announced release date or cast for the Robopocalypse TV series yet, and the project is still in development. But after watching two major filmmakers struggle to get a movie version off the ground, it's encouraging to see this story getting another opportunity.

Hopefully, Howard and Goldsman can finally get Robopocalypse made. A massive robot uprising told across an entire television season sounds like it’ll be a good time.

Few authors have built worlds as influential as J.R.R. Tolkien and Frank Herbert. One gave readers Middle-earth, complete with its own languages, songs, histories, and legends. The other created Arrakis, a harsh desert planet at the center of one of science fiction’s most ambitious and politically layered sagas.

Because of their shared love of intricate world-building, fans have spent decades comparing The Lord of the Rings and Dune. Some have even described Dune as the science fiction equivalent of The Lord of the Rings.

But while readers continue to debate the similarities between the two iconic franchises, Tolkien himself apparently wanted no part of that conversation.

As it turns out, the legendary author had a surprisingly strong reaction to Herbert’s sci-fi story, and it wasn’t a positive one.

Tolkien first introduced readers to Middle-earth with The Hobbit in 1937 before expanding that universe with The Lord of the Rings, beginning in 1954. His fantasy setting became famous for its staggering depth, featuring detailed histories, cultures, mythology, and languages that Tolkien meticulously crafted over decades.

Roughly ten years later, Herbert delivered something equally ambitious with Dune. Set thousands of years in the future, the novel centered on political factions battling for control of the Spice Melange, a resource essential for interstellar travel and found only on the desert world of Arrakis.

Like Tolkien, Herbert built an expansive mythology filled with unique terminology, political structures, religions, and historical lore. He eventually followed the original novel with five sequels that expanded the saga even further.

Given those similarities, it’s easy to understand why readers often placed the two works side by side. Apparently, many of Tolkien’s friends did as well.

According to a letter Tolkien wrote to his friend and admirer John Bush in 1966, several people had encouraged him to read Dune, even sending him copies of the novel. The letter was later referenced in Tolkien's Library: An Annotated Checklist and resurfaced online thanks to the @SecretsOfDune account on X.

Tolkien tried to approach the subject diplomatically, acknowledging that authors can have difficulty evaluating the work of fellow writers operating in similar creative territory. But even with that disclaimer, he made his feelings very clear:

"Thank you for sending me a copy of Dune. I received one last year from [Sterling] Lanier and so already know something about the book. It's impossible for an author still writing to be fair to another author working along the same lines. At least I find so.

“In fact, I dislike Dune with some intensity, and in that unfortunate case, it is much the best and fairest to another author to keep silent and refuse to comment. Would you like me to return the book as I already have one, or to hand it on?"

That’s about as close as Tolkien ever came to publicly reviewing Herbert’s novel, and he certainly didn’t leave much room for interpretation.

What makes the letter especially interesting is that Tolkien never explained exactly what bothered him about Dune. He simply stated that he disliked it "with some intensity" and chose not to elaborate further.

One possible explanation as to why Tolkien hated it so much lies in the radically different philosophies at the heart of the two stories.

Tolkien, a devout Catholic, often explored themes of faith, hope, sacrifice, honor, and the struggle against evil. While his stories contain darkness and tragedy, they ultimately lean toward the belief that goodness and courage matter.

Herbert took a much more skeptical view of power structures, especially religion. Throughout Dune, religious belief is frequently shown as something that can be manipulated for political gain.

The series digs into corruption, fanaticism, genocide, holy wars, and the dangers of charismatic leaders. Its outlook is far more cynical and morally complicated than anything found in Middle-earth.

Whether those thematic differences fueled Tolkien’s dislike is impossible to know for sure, but they certainly highlight how differently the two authors viewed the worlds they were creating.

The debate between The Lord of the Rings and Dune remains alive today, perhaps more than ever. Peter Jackson's adaptations of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit became some of the most successful fantasy films ever made, while Denis Villeneuve has turned Dune into a modern sci-fi phenomenon with his acclaimed film series.

Both franchises have also expanded onto television with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Dune: Prophecy bringing their respective universes to streaming audiences.

In the end, there’s no definitive winner in the Lord of the Rings versus Dune debate. They’re aiming for very different things.

Tolkien’s work is rich with mythology, language, culture, and the enduring power of friendship and honor. Herbert’s saga is sharper, more political, and deeply interested in how power, religion, and resources shape civilizations. One offers a journey through a legendary past. The other peers into a troubled future.

I personally prefer The Lord of the Rings, though.

David Fincher is bringing in two of his favorite collaborators for his next movie, and that’s great news for anyone who loves a killer film score. Nine Inch Nails musicians Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are officially composing the music for The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, marking their sixth film collaboration with the director.

The news was revealed on the film’s poster, which also confirmed its release plans. The movie will hit IMAX theaters exclusively on November 25 for a two-week run before arriving on Netflix on December 23.

The film brings Brad Pitt back as Cliff Booth, the laid-back stuntman who stole plenty of scenes in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Tarantino wrote the screenplay for the spinoff, which picks up eight years after the events of the original movie.

Reznor and Ross have built an impressive working relationship with Fincher over the years, beginning with 2010’s The Social Network, which earned them an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Score.

They've scored every Fincher film since, including The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Gone Girl (2014), Mank (2020), and The Killer (2023). Their work on The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo also earned them a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media in 2013.

Outside of Fincher’s films, the duo has composed music for Patriots Day, Soul, Challengers, Bird Box, and Queer, proving they can tackle just about any genre. Their creative partnership goes back to 2002, when they worked together on the Tapeworm project. Ross has also contributed to numerous Nine Inch Nails releases over the years.

As for The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, Pitt will be joined by Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino, Timothy Olyphant, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

It's going to be interesting to see what Fincher does with a character who originated in Tarantino's world, especially with Reznor and Ross providing the soundtrack. Their music has played a huge part in establishing the atmosphere of Fincher's films, and hearing what they come up with for Cliff Booth's next adventure should be a treat.

Imagine getting to watch your favorite movie again with absolutely no memory of what happens. Every surprise, every twist, and every jaw-dropping moment would hit you just like it did the first time. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well, one movie theater chain wants to make that happen by hypnotizing its audience.

Dutch cinema chain Pathé is taking moviegoing to a strange new level with an experiment called Pathé REWIND, which aims to use hypnosis to temporarily erase viewers' memories of a movie before they watch it again.

Movie theaters have been trying all kinds of things to get audiences off their couches and back into theaters. We've seen moving seats and environmental effects with 4DX, panoramic screens with ScreenX, and Disney's new Infinity Vision premium format. But messing with people's memories? That's a whole different kind of movie experience.

On November 9th, Pathé will bring 30 participants to its Buitenhof theater in The Hague, Netherlands, to see whether hypnosis can make a familiar movie feel completely new.

The experiment allows participants to choose between four films: The Matrix, Se7en, La La Land, and Interstellar. The group will ultimately watch one movie based on their preferences.

Before the screening, all 30 volunteers will undergo individual online hypnosis sessions with Victor Kraemer, a hypnotherapist with more than 30 years of experience. They'll then receive another hypnosis session immediately before watching the selected film together.

The goal is to temporarily suppress their memories of the movie so they can rediscover its story, characters, and biggest surprises without knowing what's coming.

I get the appeal. Who wouldn't love to experience M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense without knowing the ending? Or watch David Fincher's Se7en and experience that horrifying finale for the first time again? Experiencing the action sequences inThe Matrix for like it was the first time would also be pretty incredible.

Of course, there's one fairly important question here. Can hypnosis actually make someone forget an entire movie?

Hypnosis does have legitimate medical applications, including helping patients manage pain, anxiety, and certain behavioral conditions. However, temporarily wiping out someone's memory of a specific movie is something very different.

The Mayo Clinic also notes that hypnosis can occasionally cause unwanted effects, including anxiety, emotional distress, and sleep disturbances. Those reactions are considered uncommon, but they're still worth considering when you're experimenting with people's memories purely for entertainment.

Back in 1959, horror filmmaker William Castle installed vibrating devices beneath theater seats for The Tingler. There was also Smell-O-Vision, which attempted to bring the scents of a movie directly into the auditorium.

More recently, Lionsgate promoted the Stephen King adaptation The Long Walk with a screening at Los Angeles' Culver Theater where audiences had to walk on treadmills throughout the entire film. Anyone who dropped below three miles per hour was kicked out.

Those gimmicks are strange enough, but at least audiences knew what was happening to them. Hypnosis introduces a whole new set of questions, especially when the objective is to interfere with someone's memories.

How long would the effects last? Would the participants remember the film once the hypnosis wore off? What happens if someone reacts badly to the experience? There's also no guarantee that hypnosis can accomplish what Pathé is attempting.

Pathé REWIND is completely free for the 30 selected participants, although applications closed on October 29th. The theater hasn't revealed which of the four movies will be screened or whether the hypnosis experiment will actually work.

We'll see how it all plays out after November 9th. Personally, I love the idea of experiencing a great movie for the first time again, but I'm not convinced I want somebody poking around in my memories to make it happen.

Still, if this actually works, imagine being able to revisit The Matrix, Star Wars, or even The Lord of the Rings with no idea what you're about to experience! There are so many movies I’d love to experience for the first time again!

Would you let a movie theater hypnotize you to forget one of your favorite films, just so you could watch it again for the first time?

Johnny Depp hasn't ruled out another round as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but he's not interested in returning just for the sake of another sequel. If he's going to sail the high seas again, he wants to make sure the franchise gets a proper sendoff.

While promoting his upcoming holiday film Ebenezer, Depp spoke with Entertainment Tonight about the possibility of returning for Pirates of the Caribbean 6. He didn't confirm anything, but he made it clear that he's willing to work with longtime franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer again.

Depp explained: “If things are exactly where they need to be with regard to how they are going to top off the ‘Pirates’ franchise… the only involvement I really want to have, truly, is just to send them off on a better note.

“I will go to work with [Jerry] Bruckheimer tomorrow for anything. Doesn’t matter… if it’s Jerry, i trust him. We have a deep friendship.”

That's good news for fans who have been hoping to see Depp return as Jack Sparrow. It sounds like he's more interested in giving the character and franchise a satisfying conclusion than simply jumping back aboard for another adventure.

Bruckheimer has also been interested in getting Depp back into the franchise. In summer 2025, he confirmed that the two had discussed another Pirates movie and suggested that the actor's involvement would depend on the screenplay.

“If he likes the way the part’s written, I think he would do it. It’s all about what’s on the page, as we all know… We are still working on a screenplay. We want to make it. We just got to get the right screenplay. We haven’t quite gotten there yet, but we’re close.”

Depp played Jack Sparrow in five Pirates of the Caribbean films between 2003 and 2017, helping turn the Disney adventure series into a massive $4.5 billion franchise. Every installment earned more than $650 million worldwide, with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides both crossing the $1 billion mark.

Despite that success, getting a sixth movie off the ground has been a challenge. Disney was developing two different Pirates projects back in 2020, including a female-led reboot starring Margot Robbie and another film connected to the original franchise. Robbie later revealed in 2022 that Disney wasn't moving forward with her version.

Meanwhile, screenwriter Jeff Nathanson, who previously wrote Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, has been working on the screenplay for the next installment.

In 2024, Bruckheimer offered an encouraging update on Nathanson's progress, saying: “He’s cracked it. He’s got an amazing third act. We just gotta clean up the first and second and then we’ll get there. But he wrote a great, great third act.”

The producer also said that he would love to see Depp return, even if the next movie takes the franchise in a new direction.

“It’s a reboot, but if it was up to me, [Johnny] would be in it. I love him. He’s a good friend. He’s an amazing artist and he’s a unique look. He created Captain Jack. That was not on the page, that was him doing a little Pepé Le Pew and Keith Richards. That was his interpretation of Jack Sparrow.”

Depp's future with Disney became uncertain following his highly publicized legal battles involving his ex-wife Amber Heard. After losing a 2020 libel case against British newspaper The Sun, he was asked to leave the Fantastic Beasts franchise and was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.

In 2022, Depp won the main claims in his U.S. defamation trial against Heard, although the jury also found that one of Depp's attorneys had defamed Heard.

The actor is now returning to major Hollywood studio productions with Paramount's Ebenezer and Lionsgate's upcoming 2028 thriller Day Drinker.

As for Pirates of the Caribbean 6, there's still no official confirmation that Depp will return or that Disney has finalized its plans for the movie. However, both Depp and Bruckheimer seem interested in making it happen, provided they have the right story.

Personally, It’d be fun to see Depp get one more shot at Jack Sparrow. He's such a big part of what made those movies entertaining, and it would be great to see the character get a proper farewell rather than simply disappearing from the franchise.

The real question is whether Disney can put together a story that's worth bringing Captain Jack back for.

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It’s hard to imagine Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd as anything other than good friends. Their chemistry as Marty McFly and Doc Brown helped make Back to the Future one of the most beloved sci-fi franchises of all time. But surprisingly, the two actors barely got to know each other while making the original 1985 film.

In his memoir, In My Own Time, Lloyd opened up about his early relationship with Fox and explained why their real-life friendship took a little longer to develop than their on-screen partnership.

As it turns out, the two actors were simply at very different points in their lives, and Fox had an absolutely insane work schedule.

“We were separated by a generation in age,” Lloyd explained. Fox was also “busy doing essentially two jobs at once,” juggling his role as Marty McFly with his commitment to the hit sitcom Family Ties.

Fox's demanding schedule left little room for socializing. He was filming the television series during the day and working on Back to the Future at night, making it difficult for the actors to spend much time together outside their scenes.

There was also the added pressure of Fox joining a movie that was already several weeks into production. The filmmakers had originally cast Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly before deciding to replace him with Fox, who suddenly found himself stepping into a major Hollywood production that was already underway.

Lloyd recognized just how much pressure his young co-star was dealing with. “Now he was expected to come in quickly and help save the day. It must have been a very heavy burden for him.”

Despite those circumstances, Fox and Lloyd managed to create one of the great movie duos. Their performances made Marty and Doc's friendship feel completely natural, even though the actors themselves were still getting acquainted.

It wasn't until they reunited for Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III that their own friendship really started to take shape.

“It would take two more Back to the Future movies before Michael and I truly got to know each other and become friends.” He added, “But it would come.”

Their friendship has continued through fan conventions, public reunions, and their shared appreciation for the movies that made them such an iconic pair.

It looks like Star Wars: Ahsoka Season 2 has a few more familiar faces waiting to surprise fans, and Eman Esfandi, who plays Ezra Bridger, is teasing the arrival of some beloved characters from the animated side of the galaxy.

During a panel at L.A. Comic Con alongside co-stars Rosario Dawson and Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Esfandi shared some exciting details about the upcoming season, including the return of everyone's favorite troublemaking astromech droid, Chopper.

According to Esfandi, fans can expect a "lot of Chopper" in Season 2, along with "a lot of other well-beloved characters that we get to spend more time with in live-action."

He continued, "I think everyone’s going to be really happy with them. I'm very happy about the new characters we get to spend more time with."

That's a pretty exciting tease, especially considering how many great characters from Star Wars animation still haven't made the jump to live-action. Esfandi didn't reveal any names, but his comments certainly give fans something to speculate about.

The series has already done a great job bringing characters from Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars: The Clone Wars into live-action. Along with Ahsoka Tano, we've seen Ezra Bridger, Sabine Wren, Hera Syndulla, Grand Admiral Thrawn, and even Huyang, the ancient lightsaber-building droid voiced by David Tennant.

The first season also continued Thrawn's storyline from the third and fourth seasons of Star Wars Rebels, bringing several major storylines from the animated series into the live-action Star Wars universe.

Season 2 will also revisit the Clone Wars era, with the first trailer teasing additional scenes featuring Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker alongside his former Padawan, Ahsoka, affectionately known as "Snips."

While fans can look forward to revisiting familiar characters and moments from the past, the new season will also push the story forward in some interesting ways.

During the same panel, Dawson teased what audiences can expect from the direction of the series, saying, “I think especially the way the series… how it comes together… I think the direction we end up going in leads to some really interesting questions and ideas about what the future holds."

With Thrawn heavily involved, Ezra reunited with his friends, and Ahsoka and Sabine facing their own challenges, there's plenty of story left to explore.

I'm especially curious to see which animated Star Wars characters will appear next. There are still some awesome possibilities out there, and seeing more of these characters brought to life could be one of the coolest parts of the new season.

Ahsoka Season 2 premieres on Disney+ on January 20. Who are you hoping makes the jump from animation to live-action?

Mike Flanagan has done something pretty awesome with Carrie, taking Stephen King’s classic horror story and turning it into something that feels incredibly relevant to the world teenagers are growing up in today.

I loved what he did with the story in his Prime Video series, especially how he reimagined the characters and explored the cruelty young people face in an age where humiliation can spread across the internet in seconds.

With Carrie officially renewed for Season 2, Flanagan recently spoke with Deadline about his approach to the adaptation, the connection between horror and adolescence, and why he believes young audiences deserve stories that take their fears seriously.

For Flanagan, the new series was always about more than a teenage girl discovering terrifying telekinetic abilities. He wanted to explore how everyday acts of cruelty can spiral into something devastating.

“What I really wanted this to be was a look at what today’s teenagers have to deal with when it comes to cruelty – and the consequences of choosing cruelty,” he said. “We’re talking about a story that has always been about the choice between kindness and cruelty in small moments that add up to something much larger, and the tragic consequences when we choose cruelty.”

The series stars Summer H. Howell as Carrie White, who is quite different from the frightened, withdrawn girl introduced in King's original 1970s novel. This version begins as an optimistic teenager who, following her father's death, leaves behind an isolated upbringing with her mother and enters high school.

Unfortunately, her new life quickly becomes a nightmare as bullying, social pressures, and a viral scandal push her toward discovering her dangerous powers.

Flanagan even described his version of the character by saying, “In a lot of ways, I think of her as the anti-Carrie.”

I liked that Flanagan didn't just retell a familiar story with modern technology thrown into the mix. He found an interesting new perspective on Carrie herself, making her experiences and relationships feel more complicated. The changes give the story a different emotional impact while keeping the tragedy that makes King's original so powerful.

Flanagan, who has a teenage son, explained that today's social environment played a major role in shaping his adaptation.

“In today’s climate, on planet Earth, we have normalised and encouraged cruelty to such a degree that I think it has honestly reshaped the face of the planet in a few short decades,” he said. “It felt like that was a story worth considering.

“I was thinking about the world he was stepping into, how different it was from the world I entered in the 1990s, and how different that was from the 1970s, when Stephen King was writing about it.”

He also pointed out how previous generations could eventually leave their embarrassing teenage experiences behind. Those moments “came and went” as people grew older.

“They didn’t have a digital shelf life that could follow them, potentially for the rest of their lives, and be viewable by the entirety of the internet.”

That modern approach fits naturally into Carrie. The horror comes from the supernatural violence, but it also comes from the everyday reality of being a teenager whose worst experiences can become public entertainment.

Flanagan believes horror and young adult storytelling are particularly well suited to each other. “Horror goes hand in hand with being a young adult. Adolescence is a period of life that’s particularly conducive to relating to horror stories, and our emotions are at their peak.

“We’re living through a kind of body-horror story as we grow into ourselves and our bodies start to go crazy. I do think there’s a natural marriage there.”

It's an interesting way to look at the genre, especially when you consider how much of growing up involves fear, uncertainty, and trying to understand changes that are completely outside your control.

The series also takes a more complicated approach to its villains, something I appreciated. Characters like Carrie's controlling mother, Margaret White, and her high school tormentor, Chris Hargensen, are given more personal history and motivations.

Their behavior is still the worst, but Flanagan wanted audiences to understand how people become cruel rather than simply dismissing them as monsters.

“This is a story for younger people, and we’re hoping to encourage them, when they come to those moments where they have to choose between cruelty and kindness, to think a little longer than they might and lean towards kindness,” he said.

“It didn’t seem helpful to paint the antagonistic characters as entirely other, entirely unsympathetic. In fact, I thought that would be counterproductive to the goal.”

Not everyone gets that treatment, though. Flanagan admitted that Billy Nolan, Chris's boyfriend, remains the “closest we have to a black-and-white monster on the show.”

Another aspect of Flanagan's approach is his refusal to treat young adult entertainment as something that needs to be simplified for its audience.

He criticized the industry's tendency to underestimate younger viewers, saying that “young adult entertainment has a tendency to talk down to those viewers.”

“I’ve never liked the demarcation between adult entertainment and young adult entertainment that suggests younger viewers aren’t capable of dealing with heavy themes, real anxieties and real-world stakes. “My experience of this generation is that they’re acutely aware of things that even many adults have blinders on to.

“Most of the young adults I know are very aware of the dangers facing our planet politically and environmentally. Many are also acutely aware of the challenges they face entering a depleted workforce.

“Their odds of owning a home, or of converting a university education into a career, are getting slimmer and slimmer. They’re aware of this at younger and younger ages, and it comes with a real weight.”

That philosophy helps explain why his adaptation works so well. It respects its younger characters and audience without softening the disturbing material.

The response to Carrie has certainly been encouraging. The series debuted October 7 and became Prime Video's most-watched show during its premiere week, while also topping the U.S. streaming charts for October 5 through October 11, according to Nielsen.

Those numbers helped secure a second season, and Flanagan already has ideas about where the story could go. In an earlier interview with Collider, he described a three-season run as his ideal plan. “I think Carrie has a wonderful three-step arc,” he said. “It’s a trilogy, really.”

Flanagan also discussed the broader horror genre and why audiences continue responding to such different films. He pointed to Sinners and Weapons from 2025, along with 2026 releases Backrooms and Obsession, as examples of stories connecting with viewers in different ways.

“You look at last year and films such as Sinners and Weapons, and then this year you look at Backrooms and Obsession,” he said. “These are very different films, with very different approaches, speaking to very different fears.

“All of them resonated with audiences in a major way; unpacking why is difficult. Every studio in town has teams of people trying to figure out what makes these stories speak to audiences.

“The thing about the horror genre – and the reason it endures, why it’s one of our most vital and most frequently underestimated genres – is that it reflects some of the most universal emotions we have.

“The first emotion we all feel – we don’t remember it because we’re brand new in the world – is fear. That stays with us for the rest of our lives. It changes form and is triggered by different things, but it connects every human being on the planet.

“Horror is one of the only genres that lets us confront fear head-on. It holds a mirror up to our anxieties, shortcomings and the things about our lives, our world and ourselves that terrify us and make us uncomfortable.”

He believes younger audiences connected with Backrooms and Obsession because their stories reflect fears about the future and the possibility that their dreams might never work out.

Those reactions, he said, were “driven by their anxieties about the world they’re inhabiting and the futility of their wishes,” adding: “The idea that even wanting things in this world might turn around and hurt them is something that really strikes me about Obsession.”

Flanagan has plenty of experience finding the human fears that make horror effective. His credits include The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Fall of the House of Usher, Doctor Sleep, Hush, and Absentia. He's also working on The Exorcist: Martyrs, contributed the first draft of Clayface, and is involved with Henry Cavill's upcoming Warhammer 40,000 adaptation.

Despite the changes taking place across Hollywood, including the Paramount and Warner Bros. merger, Flanagan remains optimistic about horror's future.

He believes the genre's relatively affordable production costs will continue making it attractive to studios. “Will always appeal to studios and producers because it can be made more cheaply [than other genres].

“It can be done without movie stars and without major effects, and it can draw huge audiences without requiring as much money up front. The cynic in me says horror will always be popular for that reason.”

As for Carrie, I'm happy Flanagan is getting another season to continue exploring his version of King's story. I loved how he handled the first season, particularly his willingness to change familiar characters while keeping the emotional heart of the material intact.

With Season 2 moving forward and Flanagan envisioning a possible three-season story, I'm excited to see where he takes Carrie next. He's already shown that there's plenty of room to do something fresh with this horror classic.

Marvel Studios hasn't even released Avengers: Doomsday yet, and the movie is already dangerously close to making more money in ticket presales than DC's Supergirl earned during its entire theatrical run. That's a pretty brutal comparison, especially considering the next Avengers movie is still more than a month away from hitting theaters.

According to Forbes, Avengers: Doomsday has pulled in more than $125 million in advance ticket sales since they went on sale on August 14. Meanwhile, Supergirl finished its worldwide box office run with just $126,466,532.

That puts Marvel's upcoming blockbuster less than $1.5 million away from beating DC's entire theatrical haul before a single opening-weekend screening. Since those presale numbers were reported on October 31, there's a good chance Doomsday has already passed that total.

The advance ticket sales have been impressive. By September, Doomsday had already crossed $50 million in presales, despite Dune: Part Three securing most IMAX screens across international markets. Marvel is offering another premium viewing option through Disney-certified Infinity Vision theaters.

I think we all knew this movie was going to be a monster hit at the box office regardless of the issues it faced. Marvel Studios had to completely rethink its original Avengers: The Kang Dynasty plans following the controversy surrounding Jonathan Majors. Now, Doomsday is shaping up to be one of Marvel's biggest box office successes.

The bigger question is whether it can come anywhere close to the record-breaking performance of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which recently surpassed Star Wars: The Force Awakens to become the highest-grossing movie ever at the domestic box office. I’d put my money on, yes it can.

Marvel has also been giving fans plenty to talk about ahead of the release. The theatrical re-release Avengers: Endgame Encore included four new scenes connecting directly to Doomsday.

Those additions featured a new ending involving Loki, two mid-credits scenes, and a post-credits sequence hinting at a connection between Tony Stark and Victor Von Doom. One particularly interesting revelation showed that Doctor Doom had abducted Bruce Banner.

There's still no announced Disney+ release date for Endgame Encore, although a landing page for it has already appeared on the streaming service.

Marvel clearly has some big surprises planned for the fans, and they are oboviously excited to see how this story plays out.

With Avengers: Doomsday set to hit US theaters on December 18, its advance ticket sales are already making a strong case for a massive opening weekend. The fact that it could beat Supergirl's entire worldwide box office total before opening day is pretty wild.

Netflix has released a new teaser trailer for Blue Eye Samurai Season 2, and we finally know when Mizu will return to continue her bloody quest for revenge!

The Emmy-winning animated series will officially return on January 19, 2027, taking its fierce swordswoman out of Japan and into the dangerous streets of London.

The new promo is mostly a release date announcement, with only a few quick shots of Season 2 footage appearing near the end. A previous teaser gave us a better look at what's coming, including glimpses of Mizu's journey to England, where she'll encounter new enemies, unexpected allies, and plenty of trouble.

The first season of Blue Eye Samurai was absolutely awesome! The animation was beautiful, the action sequences were brutal and beautifully choreographed, and the storytelling was strong. The writing gave us fascinating characters, complicated relationships, and an emotionally charged revenge story that kept me completely engaged.

That's a pretty high bar for Season 2 to clear, but I'm excited to see where the creative team takes Mizu next. Maya Erskine returns to voice Mizu, a mixed-race master swordswoman who has spent her life hiding her identity while hunting down the men responsible for her suffering.

Her pursuit of revenge now takes her to London, where she'll face unfamiliar dangers while confronting the personal demons that continue to drive her.

Meanwhile, things aren't getting any easier back in Japan. Akemi, voiced by Brenda Song, and Taigen, voiced by Darren Barnet, must navigate the dangerous political environment of Edo Castle under a new shogun. Ringo is also searching for a new purpose as the characters' stories continue to unfold. Masi Oka is also returning to the voice cast, although Netflix is keeping additional casting details under wraps.

The series' official description reads: "From a brutal time that fears and hates her, a warrior will rise." I'm especially curious to see how the London storyline plays out. Japan was such an important part of what made the first season visually and narratively compelling, so moving Mizu into an entirely different environment is a pretty significant change.

There's a lot of potential there, though, particularly when it comes to the people she'll encounter and how her experiences in England might change her.

Blue Eye Samurai was created by Amber Noizumi and Michael Green, whose writing credits include Logan, Blade Runner 2049, Murder on the Orient Express, The Call of the Wild, Jungle Cruise, A Haunting in Venice, and American Gods. Both return as writers and executive producers.

Jane Wu serves as supervising director and producer, with Haven Alexander and Nick Read also producing. The series is animated by Blue Spirit studio, with Noizumi, Green, and Erwin Stoff serving as executive producers.

What I loved most about the first season was how well everything worked together. The gorgeous animation wasn't just there to make the sword fights look cool.

It served a fantastic story filled with memorable characters, powerful emotional moments, and some genuinely surprising developments. Every episode gave us another reason to care about Mizu and the people caught up in her violent journey.

I'm hoping Season 2 can maintain that same level of quality while taking the story in some exciting new directions. There's still so much to explore with these characters, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Blue Eye Samurai Season 2 premieres on Netflix January 19, 2027.

Godzilla is back to cause a lot more destruction, and it looks like Japan is in for another brutal fight for survival! Toho has released a final Japanese trailer/making-of featurette for director Takashi Yamazaki's highly anticipated sequel, Godzilla Minus Zero, giving fans a new look at the massive monster action along with footage from the production.

The promo features Yamazaki working on the film, along with interviews with the cast discussing their characters and their experiences bringing this next chapter to life. It also looks like Godzilla isn’t the only kaiju causing trouble this time around, which will make things even more interesting.

The sequel follows the incredible success of Godzilla Minus One, which earned an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and reminded everyone just how awesome a Godzilla movie can be when it delivers both terrifying monster action and a story worth caring about.

Set in 1949, two years after the events of the first film, Godzilla Minus Zero returns to a Japan still recovering from World War II, with American forces helping the country rebuild. Unfortunately, the people who survived Godzilla's previous attack are about to face another terrifying calamity.

Ryunosuke Kamiki reprises his role as Koichi Shikishima, with Minami Hamabe returning as Noriko Oishi, who miraculously survived the destruction of Tokyo in the previous film. The story continues following the Shikishima family as they find themselves caught in another deadly kaiju crisis.

The returning cast also includes Miou Tanaka, Sakura Ando, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yuki Yamada, and Kuranosuke Sasaki.

Yamazaki is once again writing and directing the film while also overseeing its visual effects. He has already proven that he knows how to make Godzilla genuinely frightening, and I'm excited to see what he has come up with for this sequel, especially if other monsters are getting involved.

The film is produced by Kazuaki Kishida, with music composed by Naoki Satô. Toho Studios and Robot Communications are producing the sequel, which premiered at the 2026 New York Film Festival.

Godzilla Minus Zero is currently playing in Japanese theaters, and GKIDS will bring the film to U.S. theaters on November 6, 2026.

The first movie set an incredibly high bar, but Yamazaki is determined to give audiences an even bigger Godzilla experience. I'm especially curious to see how the Shikishima family's story continues and what kind of destruction awaits them.

Middle-earth is in serious trouble when The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power returns for Season 3. The Prime Video fantasy series is jumping five years into the future, and during that time, Sauron has been busy conquering just about everything in his path. Now, the Elves are running out of places to hide, and a massive war is about to consume Middle-earth.

Co-showrunner Patrick McKay recently talked to SFX Magazine about the decision to move the story forward five years and how it brings the series straight into one of the biggest conflicts of the Second Age.

"The five-year jump allowed the story to have scope, for the world to change,” said McKay. "The war has been raging across Middle-earth, and now we’re at a tipping point. Sauron has conquered everything except for two pockets of Elven resistance that are defended by their rings."

That puts the remaining Elves in a pretty desperate situation, with Sauron's forces controlling nearly all of Middle-earth. There's nowhere left to retreat without putting up a serious fight, and Season 3 will bring the show's various characters and storylines into the same conflict.

McKay continued, saying: "This third season is where every single storyline becomes part of the large, epic war between Sauron and the Elves, and hopefully the show is deeper in its emotionality and the psychology of the characters."

Season 2 already left our heroes in terrible shape. Sauron murdered Celebrimbor, claimed the Nine Rings intended for Men, and watched Eregion fall after a devastating siege. The surviving Elves escaped to the refuge that would eventually become Rivendell, but their problems are far from over.

Elsewhere, the Stranger was finally revealed to be Gandalf, while the Balrog was unleashed beneath Khazad-dûm. With those events now in the rearview mirror, the five-year jump allows Season 3 to pick up with the war already well underway.

According to Amazon's official synopsis, Sauron's armies have continued their march across Middle-earth, leaving only a handful of strongholds standing. The Dwarves remain sealed inside Khazad-dûm, while the Elven realms of Lindon and Rivendell are among the few places still resisting his forces.

Meanwhile, Sauron is ruling from his tower in Mordor, determined to tighten his grip on the entire world. The Elves, Dwarves, Free Men, and Wizards will have to find a way to unite against him before he can forge the One Ring to Rule Them All.

It's a pretty exciting direction for the series, especially with the story finally moving toward the major events Tolkien fans have been waiting to see. McKay has also previously said that The Rings of Power "hits its stride" in Season 3, suggesting the creative team is feeling confident about where the story is headed.

The new season brings back Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, Charlie Vickers as Sauron, and Daniel Weyman as Gandalf. One of the more interesting additions is Jamie Campbell Bower, who joins the cast as Celeborn, Galadriel's long-lost husband.

With Sauron gaining power, the Elves fighting for survival, and the creation of the One Ring looming, Season 3 has plenty of material to work with. I'm especially interested to see how the series handles the full-scale war and whether it can deliver the kind of massive Middle-earth battles that fans love.

The Rings of Power Season 3 premieres November 11 on Prime Video.

Dave Bautista is getting back into beast mode for Prime Video’s upcoming God of War series, and he’s already packed on 20 pounds of muscle to transform himself into Kratos.

The former WWE star has been hitting the weights again, and his latest update shows he’s making some serious progress toward becoming the legendary PlayStation character.

Bautista revealed that he’s now weighing in at 250 pounds, a significant change after spending the last few years slimming down. He’s also growing out a thick beard to match Kratos’ signature look, and it sounds like he’s having a pretty good time getting back into fighting shape.

The actor started sharing his transformation he replaced Ryan Hurst as Kratos. In early September, Bautista posted a shirtless photo on Instagram showing off his progress, writing: “3rd week in to weight training again. 2 more months to get to where I need to be. Like ridin a bike! LFG!”

For Bautista, putting on muscle isn’t exactly unfamiliar territory. The former wrestler was once listed by WWE at 290 pounds and competed in mixed martial arts at 265 pounds. He even pushed his weight beyond 300 pounds while preparing for M. Night Shyamalan’s 2023 thriller Knock on the Cabin.

That experience eventually convinced him to make some major changes to his physique. During a 2024 appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Bautista explained why he decided to lose so much weight.

“I started slimming down because I…was uncomfortably big. Now looking back at it, I probably overdid it.” He also admitted that pancakes and French fries helped him reach that size. “At the time, I was just thinking, ‘I gotta get big, I gotta get big.'”

Through a combination of dieting and jiu-jitsu training, Bautista dropped 75 pounds, leaving him noticeably leaner. Fans got a good look at his slimmer physique during appearances promoting The Killer’s Game in 2024. “I’ve sacrificed a lot of muscle. But I’m okay with it, because I just feel more comfortable.”

Now, with Kratos calling, Bautista has a reason to put some of that muscle back on. Considering the character is practically a walking mountain of rage and raw strength, the extra size should serve him well.

Bautista stepped into the role following an unfortunate injury suffered by Hurst, who had originally been cast as Kratos. The actor tore his bicep while performing a stunt in June, approximately four months into production.

The live-action God of War adaptation is based on the popular PlayStation franchise and follows Kratos and his young son Atreus, played by Callum Vinson, on a journey to spread the ashes of Faye, their wife and mother. Along the way, Kratos attempts to teach Atreus how to become a better god, while his son helps him understand what it means to be human.

It’s a story that brings plenty of brutal action, Norse mythology, and complicated family relationships to the screen. Bautista certainly has the physical presence for Kratos, but the real challenge will be capturing the character’s relationship with Atreus and the emotional weight that made the games so memorable.

The series also features a great cast, including Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Ed Skrein as Baldur, Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri, Danny Woodburn as Brok, Sonya Walger as Freya, Island Austin as Thrud, Ben Chapple as Magni, Louis Cunningham as Modi, and Evelyn Miller as Gna.

Bautista has already shown that he can handle physically imposing characters, from Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy to his upcoming role in Road House 2. Kratos, however, gives him the opportunity to combine that intimidating presence with some serious dramatic material.

With 20 pounds already added and the beard coming along nicely, Bautista is looking more and more like the Ghost of Sparta. Now we just need to see him with the Leviathan Axe in his hands.

What do you think about Bautista taking over as Kratos? Is he the right guy to bring the God of War legend to life?

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Marvel apparently had several ideas for Peggy Carter's return in Avengers: Doomsday, but not everything made it into the movie. Hayley Atwell recently revealed that she filmed different storylines for the upcoming MCU event, with some ideas surviving the process while others were ultimately abandoned.

Speaking with The Playlist, Atwell shared a little insight into how Marvel approached bringing Peggy back, although she wasn't about to spoil anything.

"We tried different things, we shot different things, there were different storylines, some picked up, some developed, some dropped away," she explained.

That's an interesting bit of information, especially considering how important Peggy could be to the story involving Steve Rogers. Marvel obviously experimented with several directions for her character before deciding what worked best for the film.

Atwell's involvement in Avengers: Doomsday was initially kept under wraps. She wasn't included in Marvel's original cast announcement, which featured that ridiculously long livestream revealing names through a collection of director's chairs.

Instead, fans got confirmation when she made a surprise appearance during Marvel's Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con 2026.

More recently, Atwell reunited with Chris Evans in a special post-credits scene attached to the Avengers: Endgame Encore theatrical release. The scene features Loki traveling into the past and knocking on the door of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter's home.

It's a pretty intriguing moment, particularly with Doomsday bringing Steve Rogers back into the MCU. After all, Steve's entire ending in Endgame revolved around his decision to return to the past and finally build a life with Peggy. Bringing him back without her would feel like an odd choice, given how much that relationship influenced his story.

Of course, Peggy's MCU history has gotten a little complicated thanks to the multiverse. Atwell last appeared in a Marvel movie in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, playing Captain Carter, an alternate version of Peggy from Earth-838.

Unfortunately, that appearance didn't go particularly well for the character. Captain Carter barely had time to show off her abilities before Scarlet Witch brutally killed her. Atwell later described the cameo as a "disservice" to Peggy, so hopefully her return in Doomsday gives her something more substantial to do.

The big question now is what those discarded storylines involved and how much Peggy will actually factor into the movie. With Steve Rogers returning and Loki apparently making a visit to their past, there are some interesting possibilities for where Marvel could take things.

Whatever survived the editing process, I'm hoping Peggy gets a meaningful role rather than another quick appearance. She's been part of the MCU since Captain America: The First Avenger, and her relationship with Steve deserves a proper continuation if Marvel is going to revisit it.

Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2026.

James Bond is getting ready to jump back into action, and Callum Turner could be the guy slipping into the tuxedo. A new report claims the 36-year-old British actor has landed the coveted role of 007 in Bond 26, taking over from Daniel Craig.

Nothing has been officially announced, but there are a few interesting developments that suggest this casting rumor might actually be the real deal.

According to Roger Friedman at Showbiz411, Turner is the next James Bond. Friedman has some history with the franchise, having been among the first to report Craig's casting in 2005's Casino Royale. That gives his latest report a little more weight, although Amazon MGM Studios hasn't confirmed anything.

The timing is also interesting. Final screen tests took place over Halloween weekend, with Turner competing against several other actors for the role. Slow Horses star Jack Lowden was among the leading candidates, along with The Crown actor Josh O'Connor and a mysterious fourth contender whose identity has been kept under wraps.

Lowden had recently emerged as a favorite, but Turner has been connected to the part for months. He's best known for his performances in Fantastic Beasts and Masters of the Air, and he's already proven he can handle some intense situations. He survived a brutal siege alongside Patrick Stewart in Green Room and competed with Miles Teller for Elizabeth Olsen's affection in Eternity. Playing Bond would certainly take his career to another level.

There's also a curious development involving Turner's business interests. The actor recently resigned as a director of Twentytwo Films, the production company he co-founded in 2025 with his wife, pop superstar Dua Lipa.

That decision doesn't necessarily mean he's preparing to become James Bond, but the timing certainly raises some questions. Taking on 007 would be a massive commitment, potentially keeping Turner occupied with multiple films over the next decade. Stepping away from his responsibilities at the company could free him up for the demanding schedule.

Speaking of Dua Lipa, there's another possibility that could make this casting especially fun. Friedman suggested that she could perform the theme song for Bond 26.

Lipa already has some experience in the spy genre, having played a glamorous assassin opposite Henry Cavill in Matthew Vaughn's 2024 film Argylle.

Bond themes have a long history of attracting major musical talent, including Paul McCartney and Adele. Having the new James Bond's wife perform the song would be a franchise first, although there's currently no indication that Lipa has actually been approached for the gig.

As for Bond 26, it's going to be a major turning point for the long-running franchise. This will be the first installment made under Amazon MGM's creative control following its agreement with longtime Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.

Dune director Denis Villeneuve is taking charge of the new film, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight writing the screenplay. Amy Pascal and David Heyman are producing.

Whoever lands the role has some pretty big shoes to fill. Craig wrapped up his five-film run with 2021's No Time to Die, which shocked audiences by actually killing James Bond. It was something the franchise had avoided throughout its previous 24 official films.

If Turner gets the job, he'll become the seventh actor to portray the iconic MI6 agent in the official film series, following Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Craig.

For now, Turner remains an unconfirmed choice, but between Friedman's report, the recent screen tests, and the actor stepping away from his production company, there's enough here to take the possibility seriously.

After five years without a new Bond movie, it would be great to finally see this franchise moving forward. Turner could be a solid choice in the role.

What do you think? Would Callum Turner make a great James Bond, or were you hoping someone else would get the license to kill?

Disney has released an action-packed first trailer for season 3 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on the novel The Titan’s Curse, the third novel in Rick Riordan’s book series.

In the trailer, we see Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries) being abducted and Percy (Walker Scobell) going on a quest to rescue her. In order to do that, “he must free a goddess in chains, confront the Titan’s curse, and avoid triggering the fall of Olympus,” the season’s logline reads.

The cast also includes Aryan Simhadri as Grover, Charlie Bushnell as Luke, and Tamara Smart as Thalia. Levi Chrisopulos joins the regular cast as fan favorite character Nico di Angelo; Dior Goodjohn (Clarisse La Rue), Daniel Diemer (Tyson), Glynn Turman (Chiron), Courtney B. Vance (Zeus), Jason Mantzoukas (Dionysus), Beatrice Kitsos (Allison Simms) and Kevin Chacon (Chris Rodriguez) also return.

New to the show for season three are Olive Abercrombie as Nico’s older sister Bianca, Dafne Keen as Artemis, Saara Chaudry as Artemis’ liuetenant Zoë Nightshade, Jesse L. Martin as Frederick Chase, Holt McCallany as Atlas, David Costabile as Dr. Thorn, Kate McKinnon as Aphrodite, Ming-Na Wen as Hera, Jennifer Beals as Demeter and Hubert Smielecki as Apollo.

The season 3 official synopsis reads, “If Percy Jackson learned anything after completing two epic quests with Annabeth Chase, it’s that he would be lost without her. So when Annabeth is captured by the forces of Kronos, Percy must embark on a perilous journey to rescue her.

He must free a goddess in chains, confront the Titan’s curse, and avoid triggering the fall of Olympus. With Grover by his side, Percy must join some unlikely questmates to confront a prophecy with dire consequences.”

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 3 will premiere with two episodes on November 20th on Disney+ and Hulu. Two new episodes will drop each following week, with the final episodes arriving on December 11, 2026. Check out the trailer below:

Hulu’s true-crime anthology Good American Family has cast its lead actors for the upcoming second season. Isabela Merced (The Last of Us) will play Lorena Bobbitt, with Patrick Schwarzenegger (The White Lotus) as her one-time husband, John Bobbitt.

Not yet titled, the limited series is inspired by the ripped-from-the-headlines story of the infamous Virginia couple, who incited a media circus that treated trauma as entertainment, launched a thousand dirty jokes and ignited a gender war.

The story revolves around the infamous 1993 incident in which Lorena cut off her husband’s penis with a kitchen knife after an argument at home. She later attributed the act to abuse during their marriage.

Katie Robbins is the show’s creator, writer and executive producer alongside Ellen Pompeo, who starred in the first season, which revolved around the stranger-than-fiction adoption story of Ukrainian orphan Natalia Grace Barnett.

The Bobbitt series marked one of two recent Hulu greenlights for Robbins and Pompeo; they’ve also partnered on Chicks, a dramedy pilot starring Pompeo, marking another outing with 20th TV, which was ordered in June.

The new show will be one in a line of projects to tell Bobbitt’s story; previous example include 2020’s I Was Lorena Bobbitt, part of Lifetime’s Ripped from the Headlines TV movie franchise, which was narrated and EP’d by Lorena, and the 2019 Amazon docuseries Lorena, produced by Jordan Peele.

via: Deadline

The final trailer has been released for the film Hershey, the biopic of chocolatier Milton Hershey, played by Finn Wittrock, and Alexandra Daddario who plays his wife and philanthropist, Kitty Hershey, who co-founded the Milton Hershey School.

They are joined by co-stars Alan Ruck, Richard Kind, David Costabile, and Heléne Yorke. The film is directed by Mark Waters (Freaky Friday, Mean Girls, Just Like Heaven) from a screenplay by T.M. Hayes and Sharon Paul; based on a story by Sharon Paul, Mark Waters, Will Hardy, and Bubba Fulcher.

The synopsis reads: “The story of how one couple's vision started a chocolate empire – and through it, changed the world. From director Mark Waters, Hershey brings to life the powerful story of a man who overcame early failure to build one of the world's most iconic brands.”

All along, this movie has looked like it was made as a Hallmark Christmas movie, which is fine, it just doesn’t feel like a film made for the big screen.

This is a better trailer than we’ve seen before though, and it’s nice to have a few choices for families to go see at the movies during the holidays.

Check out the final trailer below, and watch Hershey in theatres on November 25th.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is trading his Christmas shopping nightmares for a Santa suit, and this time he’s teaming up with Alan Ritchson to save the holidays. Amazon MGM Studios has released the first trailer for The Man With The Bag, an action-packed Christmas heist comedy that puts an unexpected pair in charge of saving Christmas.

Nearly 30 years after Schwarzenegger played a desperate dad hunting down a sold-out Turbo Man action figure in Jingle All the Way, the action legend is returning to holiday movies with a much bigger role. This time, he’s playing Santa Claus himself, and old Saint Nick has a serious problem on his hands.

When a naughty elf steals Santa’s magical bag, Christmas is suddenly in jeopardy. Getting it back requires some criminal expertise, so Santa recruits Vance, a skilled thief played by Reacher star Alan Ritchson.

Vance isn't going into this job alone. With his daughter, Santa, and a crew of misfits joining the operation, he has to pull off the biggest heist of his career to make sure Christmas goes ahead as planned.

Schwarzenegger playing Santa is already fun to see, but pairing him with Ritchson for a holiday heist movie makes this even more entertaining. It's a pretty great combination of action-star muscle and Christmas madness, especially with Santa turning to a professional thief to recover his stolen goods.

The supporting cast includes Berkeley James, Michael Cyril Creighton, Liza Koshy, Kyle Mooney, Jane Krakowski, Ken Jeong, and Awkwafina.

Adam Shankman directs the film from a screenplay written by Allan Rice. The Man With The Bag arrives on Prime Video on December 2. Check out the trailer and see what you think!

Netflix is keeping the doors open at the Undervale! The streaming service has officially renewed its adult animated comedy Haunted Hotel for Season 3, with more ghostly madness and supernatural trouble coming in 2027.

The announcement arrived just in time for Halloween, giving fans another reason to celebrate the return of one of Netflix's entertaining animated horror comedies.

The renewal follows a strong showing for the series. Season 2 landed on Netflix's Global English TV Top 10 list, while the first season has pulled in more than 15 million views since its debut. Clearly, audiences are enjoying their stays at this haunted establishment.

Created by Matt Roller, who previously worked on Rick and Morty, the series follows a single mother attempting to keep the world's most haunted hotel running while dealing with a truly insane collection of residents.

She's joined by her ghost brother, her two kids, and a demon trapped inside the body of a little boy. Throw in an ever-growing population of ghosts, monsters, and other supernatural disasters, and it's a miracle the place is still standing.

The voice cast includes Will Forte, Eliza Coupe, Skyler Gisondo, Natalie Palamides, and Jimmi Simpson. Roller is thrilled to continue the madness, teasing that Season 3 will take the show's wild mix of comedy, horror, and emotion even further.

“I’m so excited to invite viewers back to the Undervale!, said Roller. “Season three is full of the biggest, funniest, scariest, saddest, and Abaddoniest stories we’ve ever told, and I can’t wait for everyone to see them. Candles!”

Roller also serves as executive producer alongside Chris McKenna, Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon, and Steve Levy. Erica Hayes, another Rick and Morty veteran, returns as supervising director.

Animation studio Titmouse is handling production, with Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio, and Ben Kalina also serving as executive producers.

With its strange characters, twisted humor, and endless supply of paranormal disasters, Haunted Hotel has plenty of opportunities to get even crazier in its third season.

Netflix hasn't announced an exact premiere date, but Haunted Hotel Season 3 is officially headed our way in 2027. It'll be fun to see what fresh nightmares the Undervale crew has to deal with next.

There’s a new project brewing from the team behind one of the biggest horror hits in recent memory, and this one takes a sharp turn into dark comedy.

As Zach Cregger is riding high off the success of his Resident Evil film, word has surfaced that he’s already lining up his next move alongside longtime collaborator Roy Lee. The duo are reuniting to produce Little One, a twisted new feature that marks the directorial debut of Alex Kavutskiy.

The film is based on a script written by Kavutskiy himself and centers on a family whose seemingly perfect life begins to unravel after a sudden and unsettling shift in their child’s behavior.

The story leans into eerie territory with a satirical edge, and it carries a tone that feels like it could sit comfortably alongside Cregger’s recent breakout success, Barbarian, while carving out its own identity.

This project also feels like a full-circle moment for Cregger. Before becoming one of the most exciting voices in modern horror, he was a founding member of the comedy group The Whitest Kids U’ Know, which evolved into a cult-favorite sketch series that ran for five seasons. With Little One, he’s stepping back into comedic territory, though clearly with a darker bite.

The project is already gaining momentum, with casting underway and production set to kick off in Los Angeles this June.

Kavutskiy isn’t exactly new to the scene. He’s been building a diverse résumé with projects like the Sundance short Squirrel and the Adult Swim special Cool Dad. He also contributed as a writer on Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat and has an upcoming book titled The Tribe and I Have Spoken, which explores the legacy of Survivor. Little One will be his biggest swing yet, stepping into feature filmmaking with a strong team backing him.

Meanwhile, Cregger is riding a massive wave of success. After wrapping his Resident Evil adaptation, he’s coming off a huge year with Weapons, which pulled in over $269 million globally and even earned Amy Madigan an Oscar for her chilling performance as Aunt Gladys. He’s also developing a prequel to that film, continuing to expand that universe.

Lee, on the other hand, has been just as busy. Alongside Weapons, he celebrated the massive success of A Minecraft Movie, which crossed $960 million worldwide. He’s been keeping busy projects like The Strangers trilogy, It: Welcome to Derry, and The Long Walk. Up next, he’s producing the supernatural horror film Hokum, set for release on May 1st.

With Little One, there’s a strong sense that this creative team is aiming to blend unsettling themes with sharp humor in a way that could really land.

Marvel Studios may have found its Iceman! Ben Wang, who starred in Karate Kid: Legends and will also appear in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, is reportedly in talks to play Bobby Drake in the MCU's upcoming X-Men movie.

According to Deadline, Wang is being considered for the role, although a deal hasn't been finalized. He isn't the only actor who has been in the running, either. Gabriel LaBelle (The Fabelmans), Jackson Kelly (The Body), and Rhenzy Feliz (The Penguin) have also auditioned to play the fan-favorite mutant.

Iceman has been part of Marvel Comics since 1963, making his debut in The X-Men #1 as one of the team's five original members. Bobby Drake can manipulate temperature, water, and ice.

You’ll remember Shawn Ashmore playing Iceman in Fox's original X-Men films, where Bobby had a romantic relationship with Rogue. The character's comic book history has since explored his sexuality, establishing him as gay and giving him relationships with characters including Christian Frost, the brother of Emma Frost. It'll be interesting to see how Marvel approaches Bobby's character in the MCU.

Wang has built a solid career with other projects including Disney+'s American Born Chinese and The Long Walk. Joining the MCU as Iceman would be another big role for the rising young actor.

The X-Men cast also includes Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier, Maya Boyd as Storm, Asa Germann as Angel, Adam Driver as Mister Sinister, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, and Samara Weaving as Emma Frost.

Marvel's X-Men is scheduled to hit theaters on May 5, 2028.

What do you think about Ben Wang potentially playing Iceman in Marvel's X-Men?

I caught The Avalanche at the FilmQuest Film Festival, and this movie was such a fun, wonderfully awesome surprise! Written and directed by Johnny Coffeen, this psychological horror comedy throws two former lovers into an increasingly bizarre nightmare and somehow manages to make the whole ordeal ridiculously entertaining.

I wasn't expecting to laugh nearly as much as I did! The film is a wonderfully strange mix of dark comedy, creepy supernatural horror, and mind-bending mystery, all wrapped up in a story that gets progressively more unhinged as it goes along.

Imagine David Lynch making a twisted relationship comedy where the universe seems determined to psychologically torture two people who already have enough problems with each other. That's pretty much the kind of madness we're dealing with here, and I had a blast watching it unfold. It's clever, creepy, hilarious, and just the right amount of WTF.

The story follows Benny (Lou Taylor Pucci) and Zoey (Alex Essoe), two ex-lovers who wake up dressed in formalwear inside a house that's been completely buried by a massive avalanche. Neither remembers how they got there, and with no obvious way out, they're left trying to figure out what the hell happened.

Sounds like a pretty miserable situation, right? Well, things only get stranger from there. Disturbing apparitions begin showing up, and something dark and sinister seems to be lurking around the house. But rather than turning into a relentlessly grim survival thriller, the movie takes a much more entertaining approach.

Benny and Zoey spend a good chunk of their time cracking jokes, bickering, while trying to make sense of the absurdity surrounding them. The increasingly creepy mystery keeps throwing new questions their way, and watching these two attempt to navigate the madness becomes a hilarious exercise in figuring out just how much supernatural insanity two people can put up with before completely losing it. And believe me, the movie has plenty of weirdness waiting for them.

The biggest reason The Avalanche works so well is the fantastic chemistry between Pucci and Essoe. These two are an absolute joy to watch together, and their performances are what make the film so entertaining from beginning to end.

The comedy isn't just something that occasionally pops up to lighten the mood. It's a huge part of the movie's personality, running through practically the entire experience. Their constant banter, sarcastic exchanges, playful jabs, and hilariously frustrated reactions to their predicament keep the laughs coming even as the supernatural craziness escalates.

There's something so amusing about watching two people deal with an impossible, potentially horrifying situation while still finding time to flirt, have fun, and annoy the hell out of each other. They have that wonderfully messy chemistry of former lovers who know exactly how to push each other's buttons.

The humor never undermines the horror. It actually makes the creepy moments more entertaining because you're having such a good time hanging out with these characters when something genuinely unsettling comes along to screw up their situation even more. As the pressure mounts and their camaraderie begins to crack, the movie finds even more interesting ways to play with the tension between them.

Coffeen also has a pretty awesome filmmaking trick up his sleeve that makes the whole experience even more interesting. Throughout the film, the aspect ratio gradually shrinks from a traditional 16:9 widescreen presentation into a tight 1:1 square frame, making it feel like the walls are literally closing in on the characters.

It's such a clever visual choice, and I love how it mirrors the increasingly suffocating situation Benny and Zoey find themselves in. The movie is already confined to a single location, but this little bit of cinematic trickery makes that confinement feel increasingly uncomfortable as the story progresses.

Throw in the eerie sound design and the wonderfully unsettling score from Andrew Scott Bell, and you've got a movie that can shift from laugh-out-loud comedy to seriously creepy territory without missing a beat.

Coffeen embraces the surreal weirdness of the story, filling the house with strange happenings, unsettling imagery, and a growing mystery that keeps you guessing about what's actually going on. I especially enjoyed how the film uses its supernatural elements to play around with the characters' complicated relationship.

There's a whole lot of emotional baggage buried beneath the jokes, and as things get more chaotic, those unresolved issues start working their way into the madness. It's a strange combination of relationship comedy and psychological horror, but that's exactly what makes it so much fun.

One of the things I had the most fun with in The Avalanche was watching just how far Coffeen was willing to take the insanity. Every time Benny and Zoey think they might be getting a handle on their situation, something else comes along to make things even more bizarre.

What I also found interesting about The Avalanche is how much of the story revolves around the complicated history between Benny and Zoey. As their predicament forces them to confront aspects of their past, the movie starts peeling back the layers of their relationship, revealing that there's a lot more going on between them than their amusing exchanges initially suggest.

I enjoyed watching that part of the story develop because it gives the characters something meaningful to wrestle with beyond simply figuring out how to escape. The emotional complications add another interesting dimension to the mystery, and by the time everything comes together, the film delivers a satisfying conclusion that gives the whole experience a lot more weight than I initially expected.

The Avalanche confidently embraces its strange personality. This could have easily been a relentlessly bleak psychological horror movie about two people trapped in a house with something terrifying lurking in the shadows, but Coffeen clearly has a much more entertaining experience in mind.

He takes a creepy supernatural mystery, mixes in a wonderfully dysfunctional relationship, and lets the comedy run wild without sacrificing the unsettling atmosphere. That's not an easy balance to pull off, but the movie manages it surprisingly well.

I genuinely enjoyed the ride. It's funny, charming, creepy, inventive, and just plain entertaining, with enough strange surprises and psychological madness to keep things interesting right through the end. This is easily one of my favorite movies at FilmQuest.

If you enjoy offbeat indie horror movies that mix dark comedy with supernatural mystery and aren't afraid to get a little nuts, The Avalanche is absolutely worth checking out. I walked away from this one with a big grin on my face, and I love when a horror movie manages to do that while still giving me the creeps.

Hollywood is full of dirty secrets, and Brad Pitt is back to clean up the mess in a new trailer for The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth. Netflix and IMAX have released fresh footage and a new poster for director David Fincher’s upcoming crime film, which brings Pitt’s fan-favorite stuntman back for another round of trouble in Los Angeles.

The film picks up in 1977, eight years after the events of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, when Cliff Booth had his memorable run-in with the Manson family. Times have changed, and Cliff has found himself a new gig as a Hollywood studio fixer, taking care of the kind of problems nobody wants the public to know about.

Murder, blackmail, theft, and extortion are all part of the job now. Cliff might not be the stuntman Hollywood once needed, but his particular talents for handling dangerous situations still come in handy, especially when the usual rules don't apply.

What makes this sequel so interesting is the creative team. Quentin Tarantino wrote the screenplay, but Fincher is directing this time around. That's a pretty awesome combination, especially with Fincher's work on films like Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac, Gone Girl, and The Killer.

Tarantino introduced Cliff as a laid-back stuntman who could handle himself in just about any fight. Now Fincher gets to explore what happens when that same guy starts making a living cleaning up Hollywood's messes. It's a great premise for a crime thriller, and seeing these two filmmakers put their talents into the same project is reason enough to be excited.

Joining Pitt are Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Peter Weller, Corey Fogelmanis, JB Tadena, and Karren Karagulian.

The first full trailer arrived a few months ago, and this latest promo gives fans another look at the trouble Cliff is getting into. Netflix has also taken an interesting approach to the release, giving the movie an exclusive IMAX theatrical run before bringing it to streaming.

The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth opens in IMAX theaters worldwide on November 25, 2026, before arriving on Netflix on December 23, 2026. Tickets are already on sale, and you can find participating theaters through the intl.cliffboothfilm.com

I loved Pitt's performance as Cliff Booth in the original movie, and putting him in a late-'70s Hollywood crime story directed by Fincher sounds like a damn good time. I'm especially curious to see how Fincher handles Tarantino's character and dialogue.

Check out the new trailer and poster, and let us know what you think.

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One of the things I love about Trick ’r Treat is the showdown between Sam and Mr. Kreeg, played by Brian Cox. It's one of my favorite sequences in the movie, with the grumpy old man going to war against a pint-sized Halloween monster.

But there's a hilarious behind-the-scenes story involving Cox, director Michael Dougherty, and horror legend John Carpenter that makes the whole sequence even better.

As it turns out, Cox was determined to look like Carpenter in the film. So determined, in fact, that he insisted on wearing facial prosthetics and a wig, even though Dougherty initially wasn't sold on the idea.

During a Q&A at the FilmQuest Film Festival, Dougherty was asked about his favorite scenes to shoot for Trick ’r Treat. He said it was a tie between sending a school bus over a cliff and filming the big fight between Sam and Cox's character.

Dougherty explained: “I would say that my favorite scene to shoot in Trick ’r Treat is a tie. I really enjoyed throwing the school bus over the cliff. It was a really fun day because how often do you get to do that?

“We actually threw a school bus. It was rigged so that it was supposed to just go off a cliff. It was hilarious to see. But shooting the whole sequence with Brian Cox and Sam, that whole fight between them, was another favorite.

“Because here I am working with the original Hannibal Lecter, right? And then attacking him with my Halloween murder puppet. It was just so absurd.”

That really is a wonderfully ridiculous way to describe the scene. You've got Cox, who played Hannibal Lecter in Manhunter long before Anthony Hopkins took on the role, getting absolutely terrorized by a little creature wearing orange pajamas and a burlap mask.

It's one of those sequences that perfectly captures what makes Trick ’r Treat so much fun. It's creepy, violent, funny, and wickedly insane.

But Cox apparently had a very specific vision for how his character should look, and it involved transforming himself into the director of Halloween and The Thing.

Dougherty continued: “Especially because Brian Cox demanded that he look like John Carpenter. Which is why in the movie he's actually wearing prosthetics. He's wearing a prosthetic nose that gives him a little bit of a hook, and a scraggly gray wig.

“Initially, I didn't want to do it, but he insisted on it. So he went through hours of makeup to look like John Carpenter. I told Brian, ‘You already look like a grumpy old man.’ But he was obsessed.

“I had no idea Cox was wearing prosthetics to resemble Carpenter! It's such a strange and funny creative choice, especially considering how much Trick ’r Treat owes to the classic Halloween movies that came before it.”

Dougherty didn't explain exactly why Cox was so determined to resemble Carpenter, but the actor apparently wasn't willing to let the idea go. He wanted the look, and he got it. That meant spending hours in the makeup chair before filming scenes that required him to get physically thrown around by Sam.

Dougherty said the fight took about a week and a half to choreograph and shoot, giving him plenty of time to enjoy the absurdity of having an acclaimed actor battling his murderous Halloween mascot. When the production finally wrapped Cox's scenes, the actor had apparently had enough of the makeup.

Dougherty shared: “For about a week and a half, I got to choreograph this knock-down, drag-out fight. Then we finally called cut, and we wrapped Brian Cox. He said, ‘Never again!’

“He reached up and ripped off the prosthetics, which was kind of disturbing because it looked like he was ripping off his skin, like the aliens from V, revealing his true self.”

I can just picture Cox, exhausted after days of fighting a killer puppet, finally deciding he'd had enough and tearing the makeup off his face, and I love that Dougherty compared the moment to the aliens revealing their true reptilian appearance in V. That's such a perfect movie-geek observation.

The whole story makes me appreciate the Mr. Kreeg sequence even more. It's already one of the standout moments in Trick ’r Treat, with Sam unleashing all kinds of punishment on a man who has absolutely no respect for Halloween.

Knowing that Cox was secretly trying to channel John Carpenter underneath all that makeup adds another wonderfully fun layer to the scene.

It's also a reminder of how much personality went into making this movie. Between Dougherty's love of classic horror, Cox's unusual character choice, and the practical creature work bringing Sam to life, there's a real sense that everyone was having fun creating something twisted and memorable.

Ryan Reynolds might be getting ready to bring another team of Marvel superheroes into the MCU, and this time, he could be giving his Canadian roots some love.

A new rumor has surfaced saying that the Deadpool & Wolverine star is writing a project centered on Alpha Flight, Marvel's cult-favorite Canadian superhero team with a long history tied to the X-Men and Wolverine.

According to Cartier Films, Reynolds is reportedly developing a script involving Alpha Flight, although it's unclear whether the project would become a standalone Marvel movie or be incorporated into Deadpool 4. Either option could be pretty entertaining, especially with Reynolds handling the writing.

The Alpha Flight team was created by John Byrne and made its first appearance in Uncanny X-Men in 1979. They were originally introduced as Canadian government superheroes sent to bring Wolverine back home after he joined the X-Men.

Alpha Flight eventually became Canada's answer to the Avengers, with a lineup that includes Guardian, Northstar, Aurora, Snowbird, Shaman, and Sasquatch. Guardian even wears a red-and-white costume inspired by the Canadian flag, so there's no mistaking which country these heroes represent.

Byrne actually never had much affection for the team. He initially created them as temporary adversaries for the X-Men, but their popularity eventually convinced Marvel to give them their own comic book series. Even then, Byrne wasn't particularly enthusiastic about writing their adventures.

That history should give Reynolds plenty of material to work with. Alpha Flight has some fun and strange characters, and the idea of Deadpool interacting with Canada's government-sponsored superhero team sounds like a perfect opportunity for his brand of comedy.

We've already seen Reynolds have fun with an unconventional superhero team in Deadpool 2, where X-Force was assembled for a mission that went spectacularly wrong. Alpha Flight could receive similar treatment, although it would be cool to see Marvel actually develop these characters into a team that sticks around.

There's also a potentially bigger reason to introduce Alpha Flight into the MCU, and it involves Wolverine. Hugh Jackman returned as Logan in Deadpool & Wolverine, and Marvel reportedly wants to keep him in the role for as long as possible. But Jackman obviously can't play Wolverine forever, regardless of how many jokes Reynolds makes about him doing it until he's 90.

With Avengers: Secret Wars expected to bring major changes to the MCU, Marvel will eventually have an opportunity to introduce a new Wolverine. Alpha Flight could play an interesting role in that transition, particularly because of the team's history with Logan.

One possibility is that Marvel introduces a new actor as Wolverine in its upcoming X-Men reboot, then explores his Canadian past through an Alpha Flight project. The character could even make his debut in a post-credits scene before getting a larger story involving the team.

It would also be pretty funny if Marvel cast an actual Canadian actor as Wolverine this time. Jackman has been incredible in the role, but Deadpool would certainly have something to say about finally getting a Canadian Logan.

Reynolds has previously talked about how he believes Deadpool works better as a supporting character in a team rather than constantly leading his own solo movies. An Alpha Flight project could give him the chance to explore that idea while introducing a group of lesser-known Marvel heroes to a much larger audience.

Of course, there's still the question of how Deadpool would fit into the MCU's future. Wade Wilson and Wolverine currently exist in a version of the old Fox X-Men universe, and Marvel will need to figure out how those characters connect to whatever comes after Secret Wars.

Deadpool's ability to break the fourth wall and jump between universes makes that easier than it would be for most characters. There's even the lingering mystery of Thor crying over Deadpool, which could eventually play into Wade's larger MCU story.

For now, this Alpha Flight project remains an unconfirmed rumor, and Marvel Studios hasn't officially announced a movie or series involving the team. It's also unclear how far along Reynolds' reported script might be.

Still, the possibility of Reynolds bringing Alpha Flight to the MCU is a fun one. Marvel has already shown with Guardians of the Galaxy that obscure comic book teams can become major franchises, although Eternals proved that success isn't guaranteed.

Alpha Flight has the advantage of its connection to Wolverine, along with a colorful roster of characters who could be a great fit for Reynolds' sense of humor.

Whether this becomes Deadpool 4, a standalone Alpha Flight movie, or something else entirely, I'd be interested to see what Reynolds could do with these Canadian superheroes.

Bringing the massive universe of Warhammer 40,000 to live-action television is no easy task, but Mike Flanagan and Henry Cavill seem to have figured out an interesting way to tackle it. Flanagan recently teased that the upcoming Prime Video series has found a surprising entry point into the franchise, and he's having a blast bringing it to life.

While speaking with Deadline, Flanagan was asked about his involvement in the highly anticipated adaptation, but he wasn't about to spoil anything.

“Henry Cavill would be furious if I divulged anything about what we’re working on,” he quipped. “All I can say is that Warhammer is a fascinating world. The challenge, as anyone familiar with it knows, is finding a way in – it’s so big. There are 700 novels, discounting the [table top] game, the interactive elements and so much of the rest of the lore.”

That's a lot of amount of material to work with, and figuring out where to begin is probably one of the biggest challenges facing the creative team. Fortunately, Flanagan says they've cracked that problem.

He revealed that the show has found “a very cool and unexpected on-ramp into it, which I think is very exciting. I’m sworn to secrecy on all of it, but I’m having the time of my life working on it.”

That's an interesting tease, especially considering how many different stories, factions, and characters exist in the Warhammer 40K universe. Whatever direction they're taking, it sounds like they're approaching the material from an angle fans might not expect.

Cavill previously shared his own update on Instagram, confirming that he's still set to star in the live-action Warhammer 40,000 series while revealing that the creative process has made some significant progress.

“Importantly, some of you have been asking if I will still be starring in the lead role in the live action TV series. Rest assured, I most certainly will! Who that character is, however, shall remain a secret for now!”

Cavill has been actively involved in developing the adaptation since Amazon officially came aboard in 2024. As a longtime fan of the tabletop game and its massive mythology, he's helping shape the project creatively rather than simply showing up to play a character.

The actor also addressed collaborating with Flanagan on the story, saying: “We have already been working with [Mike Flanagan] to craft the creative, and we're making some considerable advances in story.”

Flanagan's involvement is exciting given his work on The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and Doctor Sleep. He knows how to create compelling characters in horrifying situations, which could work incredibly well in a franchise whose famous motto is, “In the grim darkness of the far future, there is nothing but war.”

Cavill also revealed that United Artists has joined the production. The decision came naturally after his experience working with the studio on Highlander, giving the Warhammer 40,000 adaptation another creative partner as development moves forward.

Meanwhile, a recent financial report from Games Workshop confirmed that the series has completed its initial story outlines. With that work finished, Flanagan is expected to begin writing the scripts next.

The report also reaffirmed that Cavill and Vertigo Entertainment remain involved, with the project continuing under Amazon's long-term agreement to bring the franchise to the screen.

Of course, the biggest mystery is still who Cavill will play. There are plenty of iconic characters he could bring to life, and fans have been throwing around possibilities ever since the adaptation was first announced.

Cavill certainly understands the source material while Flanagan knows how to make audiences care about characters caught in terrifying circumstances. That's a pretty great combination for a universe filled with brutal warfare, religious fanaticism, monstrous aliens, and cosmic horror.

There's still no release date or confirmed story details, but the fact that the creative team has found its way into this enormous franchise and is making real progress is encouraging. It’ll be interesting to see what they have planned.

I can't wait to find out what Cavill and Flanagan are cooking up for Warhammer 40,000.

What if Matt Hagen's increasingly disturbing behavior in DC's Clayface wasn't entirely his own doing? A creepy new fan theory suggests that the technology responsible for turning him into a shapeshifting monster may also be controlling his feelings, particularly his obsession with Dr. Caitlyn Corr.

In the DCU horror film, Matt Hagen suffers horrific facial injuries at the hands of a gangster before receiving an experimental treatment from Caitlyn. The procedure repairs his damaged face, but it comes with a pretty messed-up side effect. Matt develops grotesque shapeshifting abilities, and his life quickly spirals into a bloody nightmare.

Rather than embrace his second chance, Matt sets out on a violent revenge mission. As his behavior becomes more erratic, he also develops an unhealthy fixation on Caitlyn. However, one fan thinks there might be a biological explanation for his obsession.

The theory centers on the nanites used in Caitlyn's experimental treatment. Before using the technology on Matt, she tested it with her own DNA. That detail has led to speculation that the nanites may have developed an attachment to Caitlyn before ever entering Matt's body.

One fan offered this interesting explanation: "I have a wild theory that it's the nanites who are attracted to her, not Matt himself as Caitlyn have been experimenting on the nanites by regularly using her DNA on the nanites before Matt came to her,"

Another fan took the idea even further, suggesting that Caitlyn may have unknowingly programmed Matt's obsession into the very technology that saved his life.

"I actually believe this theory, and if it's true, it makes Caitlyn's role in Matt's downfall WAY darker than people realize. She had been experimenting with the nanites using her own DNA before Matt ever entered the picture.

“So what if the nanites were already conditioned to recognize her as their original template, and Matt's obsession with her was the technology influencing him rather than genuine love?

"Think about it: every time his body healed, reshaped itself, or reacted to her, we assumed it was Matt making those choices. But what if the nanites were driving his attachment all along? What if Matt never truly fell in love with Caitlyn, but was biologically programmed to crave her?

“That would mean Caitlyn didn’t just create Clayface. She might have accidentally created a monster that could never stop coming back to her."

That's a pretty unsettling possibility, and it adds an interesting layer to Matt's transformation. If the theory holds up, his obsession with Caitlyn isn't simply a case of romantic feelings turning into something dangerous. It could be the result of the nanites recognizing her DNA and influencing Matt's behavior without his knowledge.

It also makes Caitlyn's involvement in creating Clayface considerably more tragic. She wanted to help Matt recover from a horrific injury, but her experiments may have unintentionally created a biological connection that neither of them could control.

Of course, there's another explanation that's arguably more disturbing: Matt is responsible for his own actions.

The film makes it clear that he's given an opportunity to rebuild his life, yet he chooses violence and revenge. His obsession with Caitlyn could simply be another example of his inability to accept rejection and let go of what he wants.

Still, I really like this fan theory. The idea that Matt's changing body might also be manipulating his emotions fits nicely with the film's body horror. It raises an interesting question about how much control he actually has over himself once the nanites begin transforming him.

Whether the filmmakers intended that interpretation or not, it gives fans another creepy way to look at Matt Hagen's downfall.

What do you think? Could the nanites be responsible for Matt's obsession with Caitlyn, or was he always heading down this destructive path?

Chris Pratt takes on the role of a former Navy SEAL who puts his young nephew through an intense training program in Way of the Warrior Kid, an upcoming Apple Original Film based on the popular book series by former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink.

The first trailer has arrived, offering a look at a fun and inspiring story about a struggling kid learning to stand up for himself, face his fears, and discover what he's capable of.

Pratt plays Uncle Jake, a decorated Navy SEAL recovering from an injury who spends the summer with his nephew Marc, played by Jude Hill (Belfast), and Marc's mother Sarah, played by Linda Cardellini.

Marc is having a rough time. He's getting bullied at school, struggling with sports, and having trouble making friends. Uncle Jake decides it's time to help the kid turn things around with a training program inspired by his military experience called Operation Warrior Kid.

That means physical challenges, discipline, martial arts, and plenty of lessons about courage. But Jake has some personal struggles of his own, and helping Marc might be exactly what he needs as well.

Willink also appears in the trailer as an intimidating jiu-jitsu instructor. If you're familiar with Willink, you know he's a pretty perfect fit for that role.

The film is directed by McG (Charlie's Angels, Terminator Salvation) from a screenplay by Will Staples (Without Remorse). The supporting cast includes Ava Torres, Levi McConaughey, Darien Sills-Evans, Carl McDowell, and Parker Young.

For Pratt, playing a Navy SEAL isn't exactly new territory. He also stars as James Reece in Prime Video's The Terminal List, based on the novels by former SEAL Jack Carr. The show's second season recently arrived on Prime Video.

Pratt has also reportedly been considered for Paramount's upcoming G.I. Joe movie, which has Danny McBride attached to direct, although nothing has been confirmed on that front.

As for Willink, he served in the Navy from 1990 to 2010 and commanded SEAL Task Unit Bruiser during the Battle of Ramadi in Iraq, earning both the Silver Star and Bronze Star. His unit included Chris Kyle, whose story inspired American Sniper.

Since leaving the military, Willink has built a career as an author, leadership consultant, and host of Jocko Podcast. He also co-founded Echelon Front, a company that teaches leadership principles developed through his military experience.

Willink published the first Way of the Warrior Kid novel in 2017 after becoming frustrated with the limited reading options available for his own children. The story follows an 11-year-old boy who can't even complete a single pull-up before his uncle introduces him to a completely different way of approaching life's challenges.

The series eventually expanded to five books, including Marc's Mission, Where There's a Will, Field Manual, and Letters from Uncle Jake. The original novel has also received a movie tie-in edition.

Way of the Warrior Kid is about teaching kids that they have more control over their lives than they might realize, and that becoming stronger starts with taking responsibility, putting in the work, and refusing to give up.

The movie will be released on November 25, 2026, exclusively on Apple TV. 

Anime has officially become a massive global business, with Japan’s anime industry hitting a record $28.2 billion in worldwide consumer spending in 2025. That’s a 15.8% jump from the previous year, with both international and domestic markets seeing impressive growth.

When I was in high school, I used to get so much crap from people for watching anime. Back then, I never would’ve imagined it becoming this mainstream, and it’s pretty awesome to see how far it’s come.

The funniest part is that my dad, who gave me plenty of grief for watching anime growing up, now watches almost nothing but anime himself! It’s hilarious, and it drives my mom nuts!

But it’s easy to see why anime has become so popular. The storytelling is fantastic, the characters are great, and there are so many great shows and movies out there. People are discovering what anime fans have appreciated for decades, and they’re loving it.

According to preliminary figures from the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA), worldwide spending on Japanese anime reached $28.2 billion in 2025. Hasegawa Masahiro, editor-in-chief of the AJA’s annual Anime Industry Report, revealed the numbers during TIFFCOM, the industry market held alongside the Tokyo International Film Festival.

The 15.8% increase marks the industry's fastest annual growth on record, narrowly beating the 15.7% increase reported in 2024. International spending remains the biggest piece of the business, climbing 17.2% to $16.1 billion. Overseas audiences now account for 57.1% of the anime market, compared to 56.5% the previous year.

What makes these numbers particularly interesting, though, is what's happening in Japan. Domestic anime spending jumped 14.1% to $12.1 billion, a major improvement over the previous year's 4.6% growth.

For years, anime's international popularity was growing much faster than its home market. That changed in 2025, with Japanese audiences spending significantly more while overseas demand continued to rise.

International anime revenue first surpassed domestic revenue in 2023, and the gap has continued to grow. Hasegawa noted that currency exchange rates and global market conditions also affect these figures, so the international growth isn't simply about individual shows becoming more popular.

The AJA tracks anime spending across everything from movies, television, and streaming to merchandise, music, and live events. It also measures how much money animation studios actually earn.

That studio revenue reached another record of $3.2 billion, up 8.4% from the previous year. International business accounted for 27.9% of studio revenue, compared to 25.5% in 2024.

While that percentage might seem small considering anime's global popularity, studios don't always work directly with international distributors and other overseas partners. That's also beginning to change as studios take greater control of their creations.

“The idea of studios holding the rights to their own works and managing them to generate revenue is growing year by year,” Hasegawa said.

You don't have to look far to see how much Japanese anime has taken over entertainment. Shows like Attack on Titan, Death Note, One Piece, and Demon Slayer have built enormous international fan bases.

In fact, Japanese anime accounts for 100 of IMDb's 300 most-voted television series, including nine of the top 20. Attack on Titan leads the anime pack with 726,000 votes, ranking ahead of Rick and Morty. Death Note holds the No. 3 spot, while One Piece comes in at No. 9.

Other anime titles in the top 20 include Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Demon Slayer, One-Punch Man, Naruto Shippuden, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Hunter x Hunter.

Japanese anime is also regularly finding success at international box offices and on global streaming charts, something Hasegawa sees as proof that the industry has reached a major turning point. “Just last week, I saw a report that a Japanese anime was No. 2 globally,” he said. “I believe the breakthrough has truly been achieved.”

Japan has even bigger ambitions for its entertainment industry. The government wants overseas content sales to reach $126.9 billion by 2033, with anime contributing $38.1 billion toward that goal.

For perspective, Japanese content generated $38.7 billion in international sales in 2024, with anime responsible for roughly one-third of that total. Reaching those targets means finding new ways to make money beyond streaming subscriptions and movie tickets.

In Japan, anime has long supported a massive business built around toys, collectibles, clothing, music, events, and other merchandise. Internationally, much of the industry's success has come from audiences watching the content itself.

The next opportunity is bringing more of that merchandise-driven business to fans around the world, especially with family-friendly anime that appeals to multiple generations. “By taking the structure that has been built up in Japan overseas, I believe we can grow toward the JPY6 trillion target,” Hasegawa said.

Studios also identified two important areas for international growth: improving localization to fit different languages, cultures, and legal requirements, and strengthening efforts against piracy.

Of course, all this growth also raises questions about the people actually making the anime we love. Ishikawa Kazuko, president of both the AJA and Nippon Animation, emphasized the importance of giving creators and production teams better working conditions as the industry continues expanding.

“Above all, it is essential that we build a better environment in which the creators who make the works, and everyone involved in production management, can devote themselves to creating with peace of mind,” Ishikawa said.

Record-breaking revenue is great, but hopefully that success also translates into a better future for the artists and animators bringing these stories to life.

As someone who grew up loving anime when it was still considered pretty geeky and weird by a lot of people, seeing it become one of the biggest forces in entertainment is just awesome.

There's a reason audiences keep coming back. Anime offers incredible stories, creative worlds, exciting action, and characters that stick with you.

The rest of the world has caught on, and judging by these numbers, anime still has plenty of room to grow.

Source: Variety

Big changes could be coming to Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and it sounds like the MonsterVerse series may be getting a major overhaul for Season 3. After spending two seasons exploring the world of Godzilla and King Kong, the show could shift its attention to an entirely different group of Titans.

Apple TV and Legendary Television are reportedly looking to reinvent the series with a new creative team and a fresh direction. However, there's a catch. Season 3 hasn't officially been greenlit, so the show's future remains uncertain.

The plan involves bringing in new writers and finding a replacement for showrunner Chris Black, who co-created Monarch: Legacy of Monsters alongside Matt Fraction, an executive producer on the first season.

It's unclear whether the changes will extend to the cast or if the existing characters will continue their stories. There's also no explanation for why Apple TV wants to make such a significant creative shift.

One of the biggest questions concerns Godzilla and Kong. Both monsters have played important roles in the series, but their involvement in a potential third season is now up in the air. It's possible Legendary wants to keep its two biggest monsters focused on the theatrical side of the franchise, especially with Godzilla x Kong: Supernova on the way.

Of course, the MonsterVerse has plenty of other creatures worth exploring, and giving some of those Titans more attention could be a cool way to expand the mythology.

Season 2 certainly left the door open for more stories. The latest chapter brought the characters back to Kong's Skull Island, introduced a mysterious village connected to a powerful sea Titan, and continued exploring the consequences of Monarch's secrets across multiple generations.

The season also introduced Rodan, creating another possible direction for the story while leaving several major questions unanswered.

The series originally followed a family investigating its connection to Monarch after Godzilla's devastating battle in San Francisco exposed the existence of giant monsters to the world. That personal story helped connect the human characters to the larger MonsterVerse mythology.

Whether those characters remain part of the show under a new creative team is anyone's guess. Meanwhile, the franchise's television expansion is moving forward with a separate Monarch spin-off starring Wyatt Russell as a younger Colonel Lee Shaw.

Set in 1984, the series will follow Shaw as he attempts to stop the Soviets from unleashing a destructive new Titan. Joby Harold is serving as showrunner and continues to develop multiple projects set within the MonsterVerse.

On the movie side, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova is scheduled to hit theaters on March 26, 2027. The upcoming film stars Kaitlyn Dever, Jack O’Connell, Delroy Lindo, Matthew Modine, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Sam Neill, and Dan Stevens, who returns as veterinarian Trapper Beasley from Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

As for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, its future depends on whether Apple TV and Legendary can find the right creative team and a direction they're happy with. If those pieces don't come together, Season 2 could end up being the show's final chapter.

I'd like to see the series continue, especially if it means bringing some lesser-known Titans into the spotlight. Godzilla and Kong are great, but there's a whole world of monsters out there that could make for some awesome stories.

What do you think? Would you rather see Monarch: Legacy of Monsters continue following its original characters, or would you be interested in a fresh story centered on new Titans?

A behind-the-scenes photo from Heidi Klum’s Halloween costume workshop may have just spoiled some surprises from director Matt Reeves’ upcoming sequel, The Batman: Part II. It appears we finally know who's playing Harvey Dent, and we may have our first look at what the villainous Two-Face will look like in the film.

The unexpected reveal comes from makeup effects artist Mike Marino and his studio, ProRenFX, which recently worked on Klum’s elaborate severed-hand Halloween costume. While showing off the work that went into creating the costume, the team apparently overlooked a few interesting items sitting in the background.

As spotted in photos shared by DC Film News on X, a plaster cast appears to show Brian Tyree Henry with the horrifying facial damage associated with Two-Face. There are also molds labeled “Zsasz” and “OWL 3,” potentially revealing two more villains who could have major roles in the movie.

Marino is no stranger to Reeves' version of Gotham City. He's the artist responsible for transforming Colin Farrell into The Penguin, so his involvement in the sequel makes these discoveries particularly interesting.

The biggest revelation is Henry's apparent involvement as Harvey Dent, a role that has been the subject of conflicting reports for months.

When Sebastian Stan joined the cast, early reports suggested he'd be playing Gotham City's district attorney. That changed in June when another report claimed Stan was actually playing the serial killer Victor Zsasz, while Henry had been cast as Dent.

Things became even more confusing in August when a French interview appeared to identify Stan as Harvey Dent, although the publication later corrected the quote.

Now, the makeup cast featuring Henry's likeness and Two-Face's disfigured appearance offers the strongest evidence yet that Henry is the actor bringing Harvey Dent to life.

One of the exciting things here is that the prosthetic suggests we'll actually see Dent's transformation into Two-Face during the sequel. The character's tragic downfall is one of Batman's most famous stories, and watching Reeves bring his own take on that origin to the screen could be pretty awesome.

In DC Comics, Dent becomes Two-Face after mob boss Sal Maroni throws acid in his face during a courtroom confrontation. However, that particular storyline would need some changes for Reeves' universe since Maroni, played by Clancy Brown, was killed in HBO's The Penguin.

That leaves the question of who might be responsible for Dent's disfigurement in this version of the story.

Meanwhile, the mold labeled “Zsasz” gives us another reason to believe Stan could be playing the infamous Batman villain. Victor Zsasz is a particularly nasty serial killer who carves a tally mark into his skin for every person he murders.

Stan's shaved-head appearance had already sparked speculation about the role, and this latest discovery certainly adds some weight to that theory.

But there's another possibility worth considering, especially because of that mysterious “OWL 3” label. Could the Court of Owls finally be coming to Gotham?

Introduced in 2011 by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, the Court of Owls is a secret society of Gotham's wealthiest and most powerful families that has manipulated the city for generations. They also employ deadly assassins known as Talons, who carry out their orders.

Batman fans have wanted to see this sinister organization adapted for the big screen for years, and Reeves' grounded, crime-driven Gotham feels like a great place to introduce them. If the Court is involved, there's even a chance Stan could be playing one of its Talons rather than Zsasz.

Of course, none of these discoveries officially confirms the characters or their roles in the story. The photos are interesting, but until Warner Bros. or Reeves reveals more, there's still room for surprises.

Still, it's pretty wild that a Halloween costume project may have given Batman fans their first glimpse of Two-Face's design, evidence of Victor Zsasz, and a possible connection to the Court of Owls.

Heidi Klum's Halloween makeup team may have accidentally spoiled some major reveals for 'THE BATMAN: PART 2’ 👀

Casts spotted in the shop:

• Sebastian Stan's Victor Zsasz⁰• A Court of Owls mask⁰• Brian Tyree Henry denture cast for Harvey Dent/Two-Face⁰• An old man cast,… pic.twitter.com/GtEp6yClPT

— DC Film News (@DCFilmNews) November 1, 2026

Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games, Silver Linings Playbook) played the X-Men character Mystique four times on the big screen between 2011 and 2019, and despite the positive experience, she is certain she’s done with any role that involves such extensive makeup and prosthetics.

Lawrence said in a recent video interview with Allure magazine, “My favorite part of playing Mystique was the stunts. It was so fun to train in that way and learn how to move. I had the same stunt double, Renee Moneymaker, who was Katniss. She is one of my best friends, so that was great. My least favorite part was most certainly the paint.”

When Allure then asked if she would consider doing heavy prosthetic work like Mystique again, Lawrence quickly responded:

“Never say never, but absolutely fucking not. You know how air brushing is very cold? And I am ticklish. I learned how little sleep I can operate on and what can happen to the human mind when you’ve actually reached your breaking point. And patience!”

In a separate interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Lawrence recalled the difficulty of having to sit in a makeup chair for eight hours during the making of X-Men: First Class, which marked her debut as Mystique.

“For First Class, it was all body paint and glue. It was eight hours every time and ticklish. You’ve had air brushing, right? Imagine two tiny, cold, compressing air brushes all over your body. I am a hero. No one will understand what I went through.”

Lawrence added that even just for her Mystique screen test before she landed the role she had to dye her hair several different colors in one day, from red to brown, black and blonde. The dye ended up permanently damaging her hair.

It sounds rough, but she made it through, and gave a series of great performances. Lawrence recently returned to the role of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, out this month, and she’s wrapped production on Martin Scorsese’s thriller What Happens at Night, which will probably be released in 2027.

via: Variety

Taika Waititi isn’t taking the negative reviews of his latest film, Klara and the Sun, particularly well. The filmmaker recently took aim at movie critics on social media, calling them “sad lost souls” while suggesting they’re failed artists who couldn’t make it in Hollywood. Ouch!

Waititi took to Instagram on Saturday to share the film’s poster, which highlighted a pretty significant divide between critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. While the movie holds a 78% audience score, critics have given it a rough 28%.

Clearly, Waititi has more faith in the audience than the professional reviewers, and he made his feelings about critics very clear in his Instagram caption:

“I haven’t read a review of anything aimed at me or my peers in almost 15 years. But I do listen to the people. So this Halloween, let’s spare a thought for those sad lost souls who couldn’t achieve their dreams of becoming artists, and thus became critics. The same people who also hated Jojo Rabbit. Irrelevant. Out of touch. Obsolete. In the bin.”

That's a pretty harsh response to people who simply didn't like his movie! I guess insulting critics and calling them failed artists is one way to win them over.

I haven't seen Klara and the Sun yet, so I can't say whether the critics are right or if audiences are onto something that reviewers are missing. But attacking people for sharing their opinions about a movie seems like a strange reaction, especially coming from a filmmaker with Waititi's experience.

You'd think someone who's spent this much time working in Hollywood would have developed thicker skin by now. Critics aren't always going to love what you make, and that's just part of putting your work out into the world. Apparently, these particular reviews hit a nerve.

Waititi also brought up his 2019 film Jojo Rabbit, suggesting that the same critics who disliked that movie are now going after Klara and the Sun. It's worth pointing out that Jojo Rabbit actually received plenty of positive reviews and went on to earn six Academy Award nominations, winning Best Adapted Screenplay.

As someone who reviews movies and writes about them, I find his comments pretty interesting. I certainly don't consider myself particularly relevant in the grand scheme of things. I write about movies because I love movies. It's fun to share my thoughts, and if people connect with what I have to say, that's awesome.

The reality is that we're living in a time when traditional movie critics seem to be becoming less and less relevant. Audiences have endless ways to discover movies, share opinions, and decide for themselves what they want to watch. You don't need a professional critic to tell you whether something is worth your time.

Still, that doesn't mean critics shouldn't be allowed to dislike a movie without being personally insulted by the person who made it. A review is just someone's opinion, whether it's coming from a professional journalist, a YouTuber, or some random movie geek posting their thoughts online.

Outside of the controversy, Klara and the Sun explores the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence through the story of an AI companion. Earlier this month, Waititi discussed the growing role of AI in Hollywood and how he believes the technology should be used.

“There’s a big discussion about AI coming in: Will people use it? How much will they use it? I know it’s probably inevitable that we end up using it in our industry, but as long as it’s used by humans as a tool, as opposed to a replacement — I don’t want to replace humans. I want to work with them,” he said.

It's an interesting subject for a filmmaker to tackle, and I'm curious to see what Waititi has done with the material.

As for his war of words with critics, everyone is entitled to their opinion, including the people reviewing his movies. Waititi doesn't have to agree with them, but dismissing them as failed artists simply because they didn't enjoy his work feels unnecessary.

What do you think about Waititi's comments? Are movie critics becoming irrelevant, or do they still have an important place in the entertainment industry? And if you've seen Klara and the Sun, do you think the critics got it wrong?

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Disney Animation wants Jordan Peele to make a movie for them, and I love the idea of the Get Out director getting the chance to scare the hell out of a new generation of Disney fans. Seriously, give this guy a creepy animated fantasy and let him have some fun with it!

Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer Jared Bush recently expressed his enthusiasm for working with the Oscar-winning filmmaker, and while there’s no official project in development, it’s an exciting possibility. 

Peele has already proven he knows his way around animation, and he once pitched Disney a movie based on one of its coolest and darkest animated properties, Gargoyles.

During an interview with Collider, Bush made it clear that he wants Peele involved with Disney Animation, saying, “Oh my God. I need Jordan Peele to come to Disney Animation immediately.”

Bush praised Peele's willingness to take creative risks and explore unusual stories, which makes him an interesting fit for a studio that could use a little more darkness in its animated films.

Remember when Disney movies were actually kind of terrifying? The studio used to put some pretty disturbing stuff in its animated classics, and those moments are part of what made the movies so memorable.

In Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Evil Queen transforms into a horrifying old witch and falls off the edge of a cliff. Pinocchio features children being turned into donkeys and sold into slavery. Fantasia unleashes the demonic Chernabog during its unforgettable "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence.

Then you've got Maleficent transforming into a massive fire-breathing dragon in Sleeping Beauty, and the Headless Horseman chasing Ichabod Crane through a haunted forest in The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. That stuff was awesome nightmare fuel, and I loved it!

Disney pushed things even further with 1985's The Black Cauldron, which featured the skeletal Horned King attempting to resurrect an army of undead warriors. The film was a major box office disappointment, but it remains one of Disney's most interesting dark fantasy experiments.

It's a shame the studio hasn't done more with that property, especially considering the wealth of material in Lloyd Alexander's original fantasy novels.

Disney hasn't completely abandoned witches, monsters, and creepy fantasy worlds. Bush co-wrote the upcoming animated film Hexed, which takes audiences into a magical world filled with witches and a sinister queen. But its colorful presentation and playful humor lean more toward whimsical fantasy than actual horror.

There's certainly a place for that kind of storytelling, but I'd love to see Disney make another animated movie that isn't afraid to get a little frightening.

With Get Out, Us, and Nope, Peele has shown how effectively he can blend horror, humor, suspense, and interesting characters. His movies are dark, unpredictable, and disturbing, which are all qualities that could make for a fantastic Disney animated film.

Peele also has animation experience. He co-wrote, produced, and voiced a character in the 2022 stop-motion horror comedy Wendell & Wild, directed by The Nightmare Before Christmas filmmaker Henry Selick.

He also voiced Bunny in Pixar's Toy Story 4 alongside his longtime comedy partner Keegan-Michael Key, who played Ducky. So he's already familiar with Disney's animation world.

But here's what makes this whole thing particularly interesting. Peele already tried to make a Disney movie.

Back in 2018, Peele approached Disney about directing a live-action adaptation of Gargoyles, the awesome 1990s animated series about ancient creatures who awaken in modern-day Manhattan and protect the city from supernatural threats.

Unfortunately, Disney executives were hesitant to move forward with his vision, and the project never happened.

Disney later pursued another live-action Gargoyles adaptation with James Wan's Atomic Monster production company, but that version also fell through.

I still think Gargoyles is one of Disney's most underused franchises, and Peele seems like a great filmmaker to bring it back. The original series had gothic horror, mythology, monsters, tragic characters, and some surprisingly mature storytelling. There's so much there for a filmmaker like Peele to play with.

An animated Gargoyles movie directed by Peele could be something really cool, especially if Disney gave him the freedom to embrace the darker elements that made the original show so good.

Of course, he wouldn't necessarily need to revisit an existing property. An original animated horror fantasy from Peele could be just as exciting.

Disney has spent years making colorful, funny, family-friendly animated adventures, and there's nothing wrong with that. But I'd love to see the studio bring back the creepy, unsettling side of its storytelling that made so many of its classic films unforgettable.

Peele could be the perfect filmmaker to help make that happen. Disney says it wants to work with him, and he's already shown interest in working with Disney.

Now somebody just needs to make the damn movie happen.

Marvel star Robert Downey Jr. posted a fun video over the weekend in celebration of Halloween, where the actor revealed that he and Pedro Pascal got together for the holiday and dressed in each other’s MCU costumes.

They weren’t the official costumes from the movies, but Downey wore a Mister Fantastic jumpsuit from The Fantastic Four, and Pascal donned a green hooded cape and Doctor Doom mask from the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday.

In the video, Downey has his hands over his face, and Pascal has the mask on. Then they both reveal their faces, and Downey quips, “Cross dressing,” and Pascal laughs. Another video was posted of the pair with their arms linked, walking down the street on Halloween night amid the trick-or-treaters.

It’s fun and lighthearted, and gets us even more excited for Avengers: Doomsday to arrive on December 18th.

Check out the posts below:

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James Gunn has confirmed that The Suicide Squad is officially part of the DCU canon, but making everything fit neatly into the new universe isn't exactly his biggest concern. In fact, the DC Studios co-CEO thinks fans might be getting a little too caught up in the details.

The 2021 film arrived years before Gunn took charge of DC Studios, so naturally, its place in the new DC Universe has raised some questions. One of the biggest involves Bloodsport shooting Superman with a Kryptonite bullet, an incident that seems to conflict with what we learn in Gunn's Superman.

During an episode of The Suicide Squad: Is It Canon? podcast, Steve Agee, who plays John Economos in Peacemaker, brought up a fan question about whether Bloodsport really did shoot Superman in the DCU.

Gunn acknowledged that there are a couple of continuity issues to work through: "There's a couple of things potentially that get in the way of being canon. One is time."

The timeline is a little tricky. Superman takes place in 2025, and the movie establishes that the Man of Steel has only been operating as a superhero for three years.

Meanwhile, The Suicide Squad was released in 2021 and presumably takes place around that time. If Bloodsport already put Superman in the hospital back then, the dates don't quite add up.

Gunn's solution is pretty simple. He could move the events of The Suicide Squad forward to 2023 or 2024, he said: "I don't think that's the biggest deal in the world.”

The other issue involves Superman's first defeat. In Superman, which Gunn describes as "most definitively canon," the hero suffers his first loss at the hands of Lex Luthor's Ultraman.

So how does that work if Bloodsport previously shot him with a Kryptonite bullet and sent him to the hospital According to Gunn, getting shot doesn't necessarily count as losing a fight.

"I don't necessarily think that flying around, not only perhaps taking your flying dog out for a walk or whatever he was doing and being taken down with a Kryptonite bullet and going to the hospital is a battle," explains Gunn. "It's not necessarily defeat. He was just shot."

That's actually a pretty reasonable distinction. Superman getting ambushed with a Kryptonite bullet isn't quite the same thing as being beaten in a superhero battle. Bloodsport managed to injure him, but that doesn't mean he defeated him in combat.

Of course, DC fans enjoy picking apart continuity, especially when a franchise is trying to establish an interconnected universe. Gunn seems to understand the curiosity, but he's also encouraging everyone to relax a bit.

"People are always asking me about timelines. I think we have to chill out a little with the timelines," stated the DC boss. "It's not possible to make things perfectly line up."

With characters and stories carrying over from the previous DC era, there are bound to be a few details that don't fit perfectly. Gunn obviously isn't interested in throwing out an entire movie just because a couple of dates need adjusting.

It also means fans can continue treating Bloodsport's encounter with Superman as part of DCU canon, even if the exact timing remains a little flexible.

For now, Gunn is moving ahead with his DC Universe, and the next big theatrical chapter will be Man of Tomorrow, which is scheduled to hit theaters on July 9, 2027.

Anthony Mackie has been waiting for his chance to throw down with Robert Downey Jr., and he’s finally getting his wish in Marvel’s upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. The only catch? Instead of fighting Iron Man, Mackie’s Captain America will be facing Downey as the MCU’s newest major villain, Doctor Doom.

During an interview with SYFY Wire while promoting the audio production Exoplanet, Mackie shared his excitement about the upcoming confrontation, saying, “I’ve always wanted to fight Robert Downey Jr.”

Well, it looks like he's getting his shot. Downey’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom was a big surprise to fans, and he will pose a major threat to heroes across the multiverse.

For Sam Wilson, that means stepping into another massive fight while continuing to establish himself as Captain America.

According to Mackie, Avengers: Doomsday picks up just months after the events of Captain America: Brave New World, with Sam determined to bring Earth's Mightiest Heroes back together before things get completely out of hand.

Mackie explained, “Basically, you find Cap coming off the heels of Captain America: Brave New World and being invested in the idea of getting the Avengers together to fight this mortal doom. You find him literally months after Brave New World coming into this new expedition and getting the Avengers back together, getting the crew back together.”

Sam is taking responsibility for rebuilding the Avengers and leading them against a villain powerful enough to threaten the entire multiverse. Of course, getting everyone on the same page might be a challenge.

Sam will find himself crossing paths with Bucky Barnes again, with Sebastian Stan returning to the role. Following the events of Thunderbolts, Bucky is now associated with a team calling itself the New Avengers, which could make Sam's attempts to assemble his own crew a little complicated.

There's also the return of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, meaning we'll have two Captain Americas involved in the same movie. Marvel hasn't revealed exactly how Steve fits into the story, but his presence should make for an interesting dynamic with Sam.

Directors Joe Russo and Anthony Russo, who previously delivered Avengers: Infinity War, are back to handle the massive Marvel crossover. With Downey playing Doctor Doom and heroes from different corners of the MCU coming together, they've certainly got plenty to work with.

Marvel is still keeping Doom's ultimate plans and the larger story under wraps, including how all these different superhero teams will come together.

What makes Mackie's potential showdown with Downey so much fun is the history between these actors. They spent years in the MCU playing heroes on the same side, even when the Avengers weren't exactly getting along. Now Mackie gets to face the actor who helped launch the entire franchise, only this time he's the enemy.

But, with Sam having absolutely zero powers, it won’t be much of a fight. Doom will easily obliterate him with his pinky finger. Sorry Anthony, Sam is going to die!

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.

Ryan Gosling might be bringing some hellfire to the MCU sooner than expected! A new Marvel rumor claims the actor will make his debut as Johnny Blaze, aka Ghost Rider, in Avengers: Secret Wars before getting his own standalone movie.

According to Marvel scooper @blueminutes on X, Gosling's Ghost Rider will first appear in Avengers: Secret Wars, giving fans their first look at his version of the supernatural antihero. Fellow insider @MyTimeToShineHello appeared to support the report with a simple response: “True.”

True https://t.co/hwVV5yXSWo

— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) October 30, 2026

Of course, Marvel Studios hasn't confirmed the character's involvement in Secret Wars, so this remains a rumor for now. Still, introducing Ghost Rider in one of the MCU's biggest upcoming crossover events could be a pretty awesome way to bring Johnny Blaze into the franchise.

There are also story details about Gosling's solo Ghost Rider movie, which will reportedly take a different approach to the character's life before things go straight to hell.

According to the report, Johnny Blaze starts out living what appears to be the perfect life. He's married with two kids, works at a local auto repair shop, and lives in a small town where everyone seems to love him.

Things start getting strange when Johnny begins experiencing terrifying nightmares filled with monsters. His seemingly ideal existence starts feeling more like a trap, with the rumor describing him seeing his life “like a prison. And there’s a spirit in him that’s begging to break out.”

That's an interesting direction for Ghost Rider, especially if Johnny has no idea what's really happening to him or what's lurking inside. It could make for a fun supernatural mystery before the character fully embraces his fiery alter ego.

There have also been reports about which Marvel villains might appear in the film, with Mephisto, Lilith, and Blackheart all mentioned as possible antagonists. None of those characters have been confirmed, though, and Marvel has yet to announce any additional cast members.

Gosling's casting as Ghost Rider was officially announced earlier this year during Marvel Studios' Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con, where the actor surprised fans by appearing onstage.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige later revealed that Gosling himself was the driving force behind getting the project made. The standalone movie will be directed by Shawn Levy, with Jonathan Tropper writing the screenplay. It's currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 28, 2028.

If the Secret Wars rumor turns out to be true, fans won't have to wait until 2028 to see Gosling transform into the Spirit of Vengeance. It would also give Marvel an opportunity to introduce the character to a massive audience before sending him off on his own supernatural adventure.

After two decades of tracking serial killers, hunting down some seriously twisted criminals, and keeping fans glued to their screens, Criminal Minds is coming to an end once again. Paramount+ has decided that the upcoming 20th season of Criminal Minds: Evolution will be the show's last, bringing its five-season streaming revival to a close in 2027.

I have to admit, this is one of those shows I never expected to get hooked on. I normally don't watch these kinds of crime procedurals, but something about Criminal Minds pulled me in, and I've stuck around for 19 seasons. I've been on this crazy ride with the BAU for years, and while I'm a little sad to see it end, I'm actually fine with this latest incarnation wrapping things up. It's been a fun run.

According to Deadline, the cancellation decision came recently under Paramount+'s new leadership, making it the first official cancellation under Casey Bloys, Co-Chair and Chief Content Officer for Skydance Direct to Consumer.

Interestingly, the decision reportedly came at the recommendation of the previous Paramount+ leadership team, which had renewed Criminal Minds: Evolution for Season 20 back in March, before Season 19 even premiered.

What's surprising is that the show is apparently still performing well. It's currently sitting in Paramount+'s Top 10, so this doesn't appear to be a straightforward case of audiences losing interest.

The decision could have more to do with production costs and whether a traditional broadcast-style crime drama makes financial sense for the streaming service.

Criminal Minds: Evolution is also the last remaining Paramount+ continuation of a former network hit, following shows like SEAL Team, Frasier, and NCIS: Tony & Ziva.

Former Paramount+ Head of Originals Jane Wiseman, who recently exited following the merger, previously described her team as “big fans” of Criminal Minds: Evolution and expressed interest in developing more shows like it.

Paramount+ already has plenty of CBS programming available to stream the following day, while its new sibling HBO Max has found success with shows like The Pitt, which combines longer seasons and annual releases with premium streaming production.

Unfortunately, fans shouldn't expect Criminal Minds: Evolution to deliver a carefully planned series finale. Season 20 already wrapped production earlier this fall, before the cancellation decision was made. That means the writers didn't have an opportunity to craft a proper conclusion for the characters, and the show could potentially leave some storylines unresolved.

Longtime executive producer and showrunner Erica Messer addressed the news in a statement that makes it clear the decision caught the creative team off guard.

“It’s hard to put into words what Criminal Minds has meant to all of us who have been fortunate enough to be part of this extraordinary journey, first on CBS for 15 seasons and then on Paramount+ for five.

“While suddenly navigating the end of this chapter, I’m filled with gratitude for our remarkable cast, writers, directors and crew who have poured their hearts into this show, and for the incredible fans around the world whose unwavering loyalty has kept Criminal Minds going for two decades. We’re looking forward to sharing Season 20 with everyone, and celebrating the legacy of this special show we’ve all built together.”

Of course, Criminal Minds has survived cancellation before. CBS originally ended the series after 15 seasons, only for Paramount+ to bring the Behavioral Analysis Unit back with Evolution.

That revival gave the series another five seasons and pushed its total run to an impressive 20 seasons, tying it for fifth place among the longest-running television dramas. The only shows ahead of it are Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order, NCIS, and Grey's Anatomy, all of which are still going.

The current cast includes Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, RJ Hatanaka, Adam Rodriguez, and Paget Brewster, who have helped keep the BAU going through some major changes over the years.

It's disappointing that the creative team won't get to end the series on its own terms, but twenty seasons is a hell of a run, and there are only so many horrifying serial killers these FBI profilers can chase before it's time to call it a day.

I've enjoyed following these characters for all these years, even when the cases got ridiculously disturbing. There's something about the cast and their chemistry that kept bringing me back.

Maybe Criminal Minds will find another way to return someday. It certainly wouldn't be the first time this franchise came back from the dead. But if Season 20 really is the end, I'm good with that.

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 20 is scheduled to premiere on Paramount+ in 2027.

Martin Scorsese nearly made a Cleopatra movie starring Angelina Jolie, and according to the legendary filmmaker, we can blame Seth Rogen and the infamous Sony hack for killing it.

During the first episode of Tribeca's original series Crafty, Scorsese opened up about the abandoned project and how the fallout from Rogen's controversial 2014 comedy The Interview derailed his plans.

“We were gonna do Cleopatra at one point, and then they made fun of [Kim Jong Un], and he got mad and blew up everybody at Columbia,” Scorsese said. “Seth Rogen, right? And then he got mad, and [it] ruined Cleopatra.”

For anyone who needs a refresher, The Interview starred Rogen and James Franco in a comedy about two Americans recruited to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

In November 2014, Sony Pictures was hit by a massive cyberattack carried out by hackers who wanted to prevent the film's release. The attack exposed thousands of private emails, internal documents, and embarrassing conversations between Hollywood executives.

Among the leaked messages were emails from producer Scott Rudin to then-Sony executive Amy Pascal, including one in which Rudin described Jolie as “a minimally talented spoiled brat.”

The resulting controversy created a massive headache for Sony, and Scorsese says his planned Cleopatra film became one of the casualties.

“We were gonna do it,” Scorsese also said. “Angelina Jolie. We were going. She was gonna be Cleopatra VII. It was gonna be really wild.”

The film was being developed with a screenplay by Eric Roth, who later wrote Scorsese's 2023 crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon.

The movie was part romance epic and part “political thriller with assassinations and sex,” according to the movie’s original screenwriter Brian Helgeland. He said: “It had elements of a political thriller with assassinations and sex, but it’s an epic that’s divided between her love affairs with Caesar and Marc Antony. Lots of true events surprised me when I was writing it.”

While Rogen obviously wasn't personally responsible for canceling Cleopatra, Scorsese's recollection makes it sound like the Sony hack brought an abrupt end to a project that was moving forward.

Scorsese spent his career exploring powerful, complicated people, and it's easy to imagine a fascinating historical epic that could have been unlike the usual Hollywood treatment of the Egyptian ruler.

Unfortunately, we'll probably never know exactly what Scorsese had planned. Still, it's crazy to think that a comedy about assassinating Kim Jong Un may have helped prevent Martin Scorsese and Angelina Jolie from bringing Cleopatra to the big screen.

Prime Video has turned Reacher into one hell of an action franchise, and it looks like there could be even more stories worth exploring. With the hit series continuing to expand and Neagley already getting a second season, Lee Child has another character in mind who could carry her own show. I'm all for it.

The bestselling author recently spoke with Collider about the future of the Reacher franchise while promoting his latest Jack Reacher novel, Chain Reaction. During the conversation, he brought up Major Susan Turner, a U.S. Army commanding officer who has an interesting history with Jack Reacher and could make an excellent lead for another Prime Video spinoff.

Child explained: “I was glad that Andrew brought back Susan Turner. Good character, but also a spin-off opportunity because we've already got Neagley, and Amazon tends to want as much as possible if it's working. And so, do they want another spin-off? In which case, she'll do.”

That's actually a pretty interesting idea. Susan Turner has already proven herself to be a compelling character in the books, and there's plenty of potential to build an action series around her military career and the dangerous situations that come with it.

Turner first appeared in Child's 2010 novel 61 Hours before returning in 2013's Never Go Back. Movie fans will also remember the character being played by Cobie Smulders opposite Tom Cruise in the 2016 film Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.

After 13 years away from the novels, Turner finally returns in Chain Reaction, the latest installment in the long-running book series. Child's brother, Andrew Child, has taken over as the lead writer of the novels, and Lee seems particularly happy that he decided to bring Turner back into the story.

With 30 Jack Reacher novels and counting, Amazon certainly isn't running short on material. Season 4 of Reacher, starring Alan Ritchson, has already arrived, Season 5 is in production, and the series has been renewed for Season 6. Meanwhile, Neagley, starring Maria Sten, has earned strong reviews and a second-season renewal.

So why not add Susan Turner to the mix? One thing that makes this idea interesting is that Turner hasn't appeared in the Prime Video series yet. Amazon could introduce her in an upcoming season of Reacher before spinning her off into her own show, much like it did with Neagley. Or the studio could simply launch a standalone series and let audiences get to know her from there.

There's also the question of who would play her. Smulders did a solid job in the movie, but the Cruise films and Ritchson's television series exist in separate continuities. Amazon would likely cast someone new for the role, although bringing Smulders back would be a fun surprise.

Whoever takes on the character would need to bring the same kind of commanding presence that Ritchson and Sten have established in their respective shows.

Of course, Child suggesting another spinoff doesn't mean Amazon is developing one. Nothing has been announced, and the studio already has plenty on its plate with the next two seasons of Reacher and Season 2 of Neagley.

Still, I like the idea of expanding this franchise beyond Jack Reacher himself. Turner has the military background, experience, and personality to lead a show that could deliver the kind of action and storytelling fans have come to expect, while offering something different from the main series.

For now, fans can catch up with Susan Turner in the new novel Chain Reaction, while all four seasons of Reacher and the first season of Neagley are streaming on Prime Video.

Would you be interested in a Susan Turner spinoff, and who would you cast in the role?

Getting paid 50 times the normal wage sounds like a pretty sweet deal, until you find out your new job might actually kill you. Netflix has released the official trailer for its upcoming Korean supernatural thriller series Dead-End Job, and it looks like a wild mix of workplace horror, dark comedy, and some seriously twisted survival scenarios.

The story follows Byeon Hyeok-jun (Lee Jae-wook), a debt-ridden man in his 30s who's desperate to get his finances under control. When he discovers a mysterious employment agency offering ridiculously high-paying part-time jobs, he figures he's finally caught a break. Unfortunately, the money comes with some horrifying strings attached.

As Hyeok-jun puts it, "I'm more scared of being broke than I am of ghosts." That's a pretty terrible attitude to have when your new workplace is crawling with supernatural horrors.

The trailer gives off some serious Squid Game vibes, only instead of competing in deadly children's games, our unlucky hero is taking on bizarre jobs that turn into terrifying encounters. Each episode looks to throw him into another insane situation where earning a paycheck means surviving whatever nightmare his employers have cooked up.

The series also features Go Min-si, Kim Min-ha, Lee Hee-joon, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Choi Hyun-wook, with an appearance by Ko Chang-seok.

The show was created by Han Jun-hee, who also co-directs alongside Kim Da-min. The scripts come from Kyung Min-sun and Lee Shin-ji, with Kyung previously working on the Korean series Tarot. The show was made by Shotcake and produced by Yum Eun-ha.

Dead-End Job also made its initial premiere at the 2026 Busan Film Festival before heading to Netflix.

I like the idea of taking the everyday misery of trying to make enough money to survive and turning it into an actual supernatural nightmare. The combination of shady employers, absurdly high wages, and increasingly dangerous assignments could make for a fun horror series, especially if it leans into its dark comedy.

Netflix will release Dead-End Job globally on October 30, 2026, just in time for Halloween.

What happens when a former CIA agent trades international espionage for a laid-back life in Ibiza, only to get dragged back into the dangerous world he left behind? That's the idea behind The Burnout, a new action comedy from Miramax that has landed Timo Tjahjanto as its director.

According to Deadline, Tjahjanto has signed on to direct the film after wrapping up work on The Beekeeper 2 for the studio. The project is being described as The Big Lebowski meets Jason Bourne, which is a pretty wild combination that could make for a seriously entertaining action comedy.

The story follows a washed-up former CIA agent who's traded his dangerous career for a carefree existence in Ibiza. He's perfectly happy living the burnout lifestyle, but his peaceful retirement comes to an end when he's reluctantly pulled back into action.

Putting someone like that in the middle of a deadly espionage adventure could be a lot of fun, especially with Tjahjanto directing.

The story also has some similarities to the Nobody films starring Bob Odenkirk, particularly the idea of a seemingly ordinary guy being forced back into his violent past. Tjahjanto directed Nobody 2, so he's already got experience with this particular brand of action entertainment.

The screenplay was written by Tom O'Connor, with Hunter Toro currently handling revisions. Miramax VP of Film Production & Development Arianna D'Andrea brought the project to the studio.

Tjahjanto is a great choice for this kind of movie. The Indonesian filmmaker has built a reputation for delivering brutal, creative, and incredibly entertaining action sequences.

He first caught the attention of genre fans when he teamed up with Gareth Evans to direct the "Safe Haven" segment of V/H/S/2. He followed that with the absolutely insane Netflix action thriller The Night Comes for Us, a bloody tribute to 1980s Hong Kong action cinema that became Netflix's first Indonesian original film.

He also directed the horror movie May the Devil Take You, with both films premiering at Fantastic Fest. He's also currently working on an untitled Indonesian thriller for Netflix, so the filmmaker has plenty of projects keeping him busy.

The big question now is who will play the washed-up CIA agent. The right actor will make or break this movie. They need the perfect actor to slip into character as a lazy, carefree slacker, who also happens to be a highly trained killer who's still extremely good at his job.

Tjahjanto certainly knows how to deliver the action, and seeing him tackle a movie with a more comedic personality sounds like a fun change of pace.

Source: Deadline

The '80s are back, and they're bringing some seriously nasty kills with them! The official trailer for Brute 1986 has arrived, giving horror fans a taste of the brutal carnage awaiting a glam metal band that makes the unfortunate decision to film a music video in the middle of nowhere.

Following the blood-soaked Brute 1976, director Marcel Walz (Blood Feast, Blind) is taking the franchise into the era of big hair, loud music, and creative slasher kills. This time, he's drawing inspiration from the classic horror movies of the 1980s, and the results look like a nasty good time.

The story follows Leather Kobra, a glam metal band that heads into the desert with its crew to shoot a music video in an abandoned Western town. The group ignores the posted no-trespassing signs, which turns out to be a spectacularly bad decision.

The town isn't nearly as deserted as it looks. A sadistic group of killers known as the Birdy family has made the place its home, and they aren't interested in entertaining visitors.

The official synopsis reads: “A glam metal band and their crew venture to an abandoned desert town to film a music video. Unbeknownst to them, a deranged family of violent misfits lives there, and they don’t take well to uninvited visitors. As they begin killing off their unwanted guests, the band, unable to escape, plots revenge.”

Rather than simply becoming another group of helpless victims, the surviving band members decide to fight back. Of course, they're going up against a family that has turned murder into a particularly gruesome art form.

The film stars Gigi Gustin (Night of the Missing), Sarah French (Blind), Pancho Moler (3 From Hell), Lew Temple (The Devil's Rejects), and Heather Grace Hancock (Wicked City).

The screenplay comes from Joe Knetter, whose previous credits include Brute 1976, Blind, and Twilight of the Dead. Walz shared his enthusiasm for the project with Bloody Disgusting, explaining how his favorite slashers influenced the sequel:

“The whole team and I had so much fun on this movie,” director Marcel Walz tells Bloody Disgusting. “I’m a huge fan of the slasher genre, especially Friday the 13th Part 6, The Burning, Halloween, Sleepaway Camp, and many more. That being said, we also knew we can’t make a pure ’80s horror, but we transferred our love of those movies to the screen.”

With its glam metal soundtrack potential, isolated desert location, twisted killers, and revenge-driven story, Brute 1986 looks ready to deliver some wonderfully trashy old-school slasher entertainment.

Brute 1986 is coming from Cinephobia Releasing, with an official release date yet to be announced.

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Imagine watching Halloween on TV as a kid, then revisiting the horror classic years later and discovering that several scenes you remember are completely missing. You're certain you saw them, but they're nowhere to be found in the movie.

Well, you're not going crazy. John Carpenter actually filmed 12 minutes of additional footage for the original Halloween, and those scenes created some interesting confusion among horror fans over the years.

On October 30, 1981, Halloween made its network television debut on NBC, but audiences weren't watching the same movie that terrified theatergoers in 1978.

NBC needed a version suitable for broadcast television, which meant cutting some of the violence and nudity. However, removing that material created another problem. The network still had a two-hour time slot to fill, so Carpenter and producer Debra Hill came up with a pretty interesting solution.

While working on Halloween II, they brought back Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis to shoot approximately 12 minutes of new scenes specifically for the television broadcast.

These weren't deleted scenes from the original production. They were entirely new sequences filmed years after the movie's theatrical release, and some actually changed how audiences understood Michael Myers and his story.

One of the most interesting additions involves Dr. Loomis confronting hospital officials about Michael Myers. Loomis tries to convince them that Michael is far more dangerous than they realize, giving audiences a better understanding of why he's so obsessed with stopping him.

Another scene features Loomis visiting six-year-old Michael, adding more history to their relationship However, the biggest addition comes when Loomis returns to Michael's abandoned room at Smith's Grove Sanitarium and discovers the word "Sister" scratched into the door.

That little detail is important because it connects directly to Halloween II, which introduced the revelation that Laurie Strode and Michael Myers are siblings.

The original 1978 theatrical version of Halloween never established that family connection. It was introduced in the sequel, so adding the clue to the television version helped tie the two movies together.

There's also a new scene featuring Lynda visiting Laurie to borrow a blouse, only for Annie to call and ask to borrow the same thing. It's a small character moment that gives the teenage friends a little more screen time before Michael starts killing them off.

That scene also presented a funny continuity problem. Curtis had cut her hair since filming the original movie, so the filmmakers had her keep a towel wrapped around her head to hide the difference.

The real fun comes from how these changes affected fans over the years. For people who first experienced Halloween on NBC or through subsequent television broadcasts, those additional scenes were simply part of the movie. When they eventually watched the original theatrical cut, certain moments were suddenly missing.

You can imagine the arguments between horror fans trying to figure out whether Loomis actually discovered the "Sister" message or whether they had somehow confused the original movie with its sequel.

Both sides were right. They had just watched different versions of Halloween. The television cut was also an unusual combination of newly filmed material and edited theatrical footage, since NBC had to remove content considered too graphic for network audiences.

It's interesting that Carpenter went back to his original horror classic and added scenes that gave it a slightly different connection to the sequel. The new footage didn't completely change the movie, but it did offer more insight into Loomis and Michael while introducing a major piece of franchise mythology that wasn't there in 1978.

October 30, 2026, marked 45 years since that NBC broadcast, and the alternate television version remains an interesting piece of Halloween history.

It's also a great reminder of how different watching movies used to be. Before streaming services made multiple cuts and editions easy to track down, the version that aired on television might have been the only one you knew.

HBO has released the first poster for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, giving fans their first glimpse of the new Hogwarts Castle and a closer look at the Boy Who Lived. The poster also confirms that the highly anticipated Harry Potter series will premiere on Christmas Day, December 25.

The artwork features a close-up of Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, with Hogwarts reflected in his glasses. It's a cool way to introduce the new version of the iconic castle, which looks a little different from the one fans know from the original films.

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This version of Hogwarts has a more grounded appearance, resembling something you might actually find in the Scottish Highlands. It still retains the familiar architecture and magical atmosphere, but with a less stylized design

Another noticeable change is Harry's lightning-shaped scar, which looks much more like a healed injury than the clean, recognizable mark seen on Daniel Radcliffe in the movies. It's a small detail, but one that gives this version of Harry a slightly different appearance.

Fans have also pointed out that McLaughlin's eyes are blue rather than green, as described in J.K. Rowling's books. It's a familiar complaint, considering Radcliffe also had blue eyes in the original films.

With the premiere less than two months away, HBO should have plenty more to show fans before the series arrives. The studio is already moving forward with Season 2, which will adapt Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Several new cast members have been announced for the second season, including Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart, Bonnie Hill as Ginny Weasley, Lenny Rush as Dobby, Billy Barratt as Tom Riddle, Rafe Spall as Arthur Weasley, Molly Hewitt-Richards as Moaning Myrtle, and Jasper Ambrose as Colin Creevey.

As for the first season, HBO's official synopsis reads: "There is nothing special about Harry Potter - at least that's what his Aunt Petunia always says. On his 11th birthday, a letter of admittance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opens up a hidden world for Harry: one of fun, friendship and magic. But with this new adventure comes great risk as Harry is forced to face a dangerous enemy from his past."

Joining McLaughlin in the main cast are Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, and Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy.

The supporting cast includes Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Gracie Cochrane as Ginny Weasley, Leigh Gill as Griphook, and Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander.

The series is written and executive-produced by Francesca Gardiner, with Mark Mylod serving as executive producer and directing multiple episodes. Rowling and David Heyman are also executive producers. The production comes from HBO in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television.

This new adaptation has a lot to live up to, especially with an entire generation of fans who grew up with the original movies. But getting another interpretation of Hogwarts, its characters, and the magical world could be a lot of fun.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone premieres on HBO Max on December 25, 2026.

The Sentinels are coming to Avengers: Doomsday, and thanks to Hot Toys, we've got our most detailed look yet at the massive mutant-hunting robots that will be appearing in the upcoming Marvel movie. The company has revealed its new Sentinel Jumbo Sofvi Figure, and this thing is freakin' awesome!

Standing over 23.6 inches tall (60 cm), the collectible gives fans a great look at the Sentinel's design, featuring its classic metallic purple and gray color scheme. It's a great-looking update of the iconic Marvel villains, and I can't wait to see these giant robots tearing things up on the big screen!

The figure is part of Hot Toys' Sofvi Masterpiece Series and features 18 points of articulation, including movement in the head, arms, elbows, wrists, chest, thighs, and knees.

It also comes with LED light-up eyes that can switch between green and orange, interchangeable face and chest plates, and battle-damaged pieces. Collectors can even remove the faceplate to reveal the mechanical details underneath.

There are also six interchangeable hands, including fists, open hands, and energy-blast-firing hands, giving fans plenty of options for displaying the massive robot in action.

One of the coolest additions is a 4.5-inch Doctor Doom miniature, complete with a rocky terrain display base. The miniature recreates a scene in which Doom raises the Sentinels from the ground, giving us a little tease of what to expect when these mechanical monsters make their appearance in the film.

Hot Toys shared the following official description:

“Standing as one of the most formidable and iconic mechanized threats in Marvel history, the towering Sentinels are ready to unleash devastation on the big screen in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Today, Hot Toys is thrilled to announce the Sentinel Jumbo Sofvi Figure, expanding the Sofvi Masterpiece Series lineup — which focuses on high-quality vinyl figures with unique artisanal charm.

Constructed from vinyl material, the figure merges the bold appeal of Sofvi figures with intricate detailing and premium paint applications in a striking metallic purple and gray color scheme. The newly developed head sculpt features an intimidating LED light-up function in the eyes, offering switchable green and orange lights to recreate the Sentinel’s active scanning and extermination modes. For more display options, the figure comes with interchangeable face plates and chest plates, allowing collectors to swap between a clean, regular look and a battle-damaged appearance. Furthermore, the face plate can be removed entirely to expose the inner mechanical details beneath.

Standing at a colossal 60cm tall, this figure features 18 points of articulation across the head, upper arms, elbows, wrists, chest, thighs, and knees. It also comes with six interchangeable hands, including clenched fists, opened hands, and energy-blast-firing hands — giving collectors the ability to capture Sentinel’s menacing stances and hero-crushing scenes. Additionally, the set includes a Doctor Doom miniature figure posed with his arms open and paired with a rocky terrain-themed miniature base to recreate the scene where he raises the Sentinels from the ground.

Towering, destructive, and packed with display options, the Sentinel Jumbo Sofvi Figure is an absolute must-have centerpiece for your Avengers: Doomsday collection! Pre-order now to unleash the mutant hunters.”

The Sentinels have always been some of the X-Men's most intimidating enemies, and seeing them brought into Avengers: Doomsday is pretty exciting. Their connection to Doctor Doom also raises some interesting questions about how they'll factor into the story and what kind of trouble they'll cause for the heroes.

As cool as this Hot Toys figure looks, I'm even more excited to eventually see footage of these giant robots in action. Watching an army of Sentinels go up against Marvel's heroes could make for some seriously awesome action sequences.

For now, this collectible offers a fantastic look at their new design, and it's going to make one hell of a centerpiece for Marvel collectors.

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James Spader is back as Ultron in Marvel’s VisionQuest, but fans already have another question for him… Will the villain also appear in Avengers: Doomsday? Apparently, Spader can't go anywhere without someone trying to get an answer out of him.

It's been 11 years since Spader first brought the murderous AI to life in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and even after all that time, Marvel fans are still hoping he'll return for another Avengers movie.

During an interview with Swiss outlet OutNow.ch, Spader talked about how frequently people approach him looking for information about upcoming Marvel projects, even ones he knows nothing about.

"I can't tell you the amount of people that come up to you… if you've been in one of the Marvel films. In the interim, people would come up on the street, and they'd say, 'So just tell me… are you going to be in such and such?'

“And they'd mention some film I'd never heard of. And they're still doing it to this day! Doing this press tour for this, 'You can tell [me], does Ultron show up in Doomsday?'"

The funny thing is, Spader admits he hasn't really kept up with the MCU since Age of Ultron. That makes him a pretty unlikely source for Marvel spoilers, but fans keep trying anyway.

As for whether Ultron will actually appear in Avengers: Doomsday, nothing has been confirmed, and there really haven’t even been any rumors of his involvement.

Still, VisionQuest is the final Marvel release before Doomsday, so it easy to see why fans think there's an opportunity for the Disney+ series to connect with the upcoming Avengers movie.

Seriously, though, it’s just having Spader back in the role! Ultron's return in VisionQuest has already earned a positive response, and Spader is one of the best parts of the series.

Part of what makes his comeback interesting is how much the character has changed. Under the direction of VisionQuest creator Terry Matalas, Ultron is exploring a very different side of his personality, something that even caught Spader off guard.

Speaking about his experience returning to the character, Spader explained: "Any of the things that I might have thought about him when I did the film just were so much more of in the show, in VisionQuest.

"I was constantly surprised, even though Terry and I had discussed the whole show, from beginning to end. I still wasn't prepared for the perfect thing that you're always aspiring to as an actor, always, is that it has a life when you start to perform it that you never really imagined."

Considering Ultron originally wanted to wipe out humanity, seeing him take a different path is an interesting direction for the character. Spader's performance was one of the most memorable parts of Age of Ultron, and it's great that Marvel has found another reason to bring him back.

Whether that leads to a confrontation with Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Doomsday is anyone's guess. For now, Spader isn't giving anything away, assuming he even knows the answer.

The first two episodes of VisionQuest are now streaming on Disney+.

Would you like to see Ultron return in Avengers: Doomsday, or would you rather Marvel end his story arc in VisionQuest?