Christopher Landon, the director behind horror hits Freaky and Happy Death Day, is helming a new technologically-tinged thriller that puts a deadly spin on modern dating. The first trailer for Drop reveals Emmy nominee Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus) as a widow forced into a terrifying game when anonymous messages threaten her children’s lives unless she kills her current date. And just like that, the movie’s premise promises to blend contemporary anxieties about technology with classic thriller elements. Produced by genre powerhouse Jason Blum and action mogul Michael Bay, Drop marks Landon’s return to theatrical releases following 2023’s Netflix ghost story We Have a Ghost.

Drop’s trailer showcases Fahy as Violet, a single mother window venturing back into dating, only to have her evening turn deadly when mysterious AirDrop messages appear on her phone. Her date, played by Brandon Sklenar (1923), becomes both a potential victim and suspect as the technological terror escalates. The cast also includes Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, and Ed Weeks, while Truth or Dare writers Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach sign the script. The project brings together an impressive producing team, including Jason Blum’s Blumhouse, the producer behind hits such as Five Nights at Freddy’s and M3GAN, alongside Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes banner, known for A Quiet Place and The Purge horror franchises.

[RELATED: Netflix Confirms 2025 Sequel to One of Their Biggest Horror Movies]

Drop represents a significant shift for Landon, who departed the troubled Scream VII production in December 2023. The filmmaker took to social media then, describing the experience as “a dream job that turned into a nightmare.” The silver lining is that leaving Scream VIII allowed Langon to work on Drop, which appears to blend his proven ability to create tense horror scenarios with timely commentary on digital-age anxieties, a combination that has served him well throughout his career.

Christopher Landon’s Evolution Through Modern Horror

Landon’s journey through the horror genre begins as a screenwriter. He first made his mark with 2007’s Disturbia, a modern technological update of Hitchcock’s Rear Window that was both a critical and commercial success. It grossed over $118 million worldwide and earned praise for its fresh take on surveillance paranoia. Langon also served as a writer on multiple entries in the Paranormal Activity franchise before making his directorial debut with 2014’s Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones.

The filmmaker truly came into his own with 2017’s Happy Death Day, a clever fusion of slasher films and time-loop narratives that starred Jessica Rothe as a college student forced to relive her murder repeatedly. It proved a major commercial success, grossing over $125 million worldwide against a modest $4.8 million budget. The 2019 sequel, Happy Death Day 2U, took an even more ambitious approach by incorporating science fiction elements, though its $64 million worldwide gross represented a significant drop from its predecessor. Nevertheless, Happy Death Death has kept a strong cult following, with Landon currently developing a third installment.

2020’s Freaky further cemented Landon’s reputation for genre hybridization, combining the body-swap comedy format with slasher horror. Starring Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton, the film earned strong reviews for its creative premise and execution, with critics particularly praising Vaughn’s committed performance as a teenage girl trapped in a serial killer’s body. However, its theatrical release was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting its box office potential despite positive word-of-mouth. Drop will give Landon the opportunity to win big at the box office again, especially since the filmmaker is on his turf of digital nightmares.

Drop will be available on April 11, 2025.

The post Freaky Director’s Next Movie Finally Has a Trailer (But It’s Not Happy Death Day 3) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Time is running out to catch one of 2017’s most acclaimed thrillers, as Brawl in Cell Block 99 leaves Netflix on January 25. Director S. Craig Zahler’s brutal prison drama follows Bradley Thomas (Vince Vaughn), a former boxer who must navigate increasingly dangerous prison environments to protect his family after a drug deal gone wrong. While the film’s theatrical run was limited, it earned widespread praise for its uncompromising vision and Vaughn’s dramatic transformation, marking a sharp departure from his typical comedic roles. In addition, the movie’s ultraviolence helped with the word-of-mouth that allowed it to become a streaming success.

Brawl in Cell Block 99‘s critical success stemmed from its authentic approach to both character development and action. Zahler specifically sought out Vaughn for his imposing 6’5″ frame and untapped dramatic potential, moving away from more obvious casting choices. To prepare for the physically demanding role, Vaughn underwent extensive training to perform his own fight sequences, which were captured without computer-generated effects or stunt doubles. This commitment to realism helped Brawl in Cell Block 99 to stand out, with the film maintaining a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes across 99 reviews.

[RELATED: Netflix Confirms 2025 Sequel to One of Their Biggest Horror Movies]

After premiering at the 74th Venice International Film Festival, Brawl in Cell Block 99 went on to make several prestigious year-end lists of best movies, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The A.V. Club. The Museum of Modern Art even added the film to their permanent collection, recognizing its artistic merit. In addition, Vaughn’s performance earned him a Saturn Award nomination for Best Actor.

How a $4 Million Prison Thriller Became a Critical Phenomenon

Shot over a tight five-week schedule on Staten Island, Brawl in Cell Block 99 demonstrates how creative constraints can fuel innovation. Working with cinematographer Benji Bakshi, Zahler developed a distinct visual approach, choosing a narrower aspect ratio than his previous film, Bone Tomahawk, to focus on intimate character moments. Furthermore, the film’s color palette progressively darkens as the story descends into its hellish third act, reflecting Bradley’s journey through increasingly dangerous prison levels.

According to Zahler, he drew inspiration from classic prison films, particularly Don Siegel’s Riot in Cell Block 11, but sought to bring new elements to the genre. Despite its modest $4 million budget, the film’s commitment to practical effects and extended takes lends the violence a visceral quality rarely seen in modern thrillers. Zahler and his team achieved this through careful choreography and multiple takes, with the actors risking injury if mistakes occurred during the intricate fight sequences.

Brawl in Cell Block 99‘s theatrical run might have been disappointing – grossing just $79,000 worldwide – but this reflects the challenges in marketing independent R-rated genre films that challenge genre conventions. While the film’s departure from Netflix might make it more difficult to access temporarily, Brawl in Cell Block 99 will likely be picked up by a different streaming service soon. Still, just in case, there’s no time better than now to watch a truly unique thriller that showcases Vince Vaughn’s talent as few movies do.

Brawl in Cell Block 99 will remain on Netflix until January 25, 2025.

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Let’s face it, the found-footage genre is one of the most polarizing subgenres out there. Audiences tend to either love the look and feel of the rawness of a found-footage flick or they can’t stand the shaky cam and even shakier logic of some of the dumbest characters in cinematic history. But for those of us that love the genre no matter what, there is nothing better than stumbling across an underrated found-footage film and wondering how we could have possibly gone so long without watching it. The only catch is that those movies can also be the first to be forgotten about.

When The Blair Witch Project came out in 1999, it legitimized the entire found-footage genre and became one of the most iconic movies of all-time, even though you never see the monster or horrifying witch. Since then, countless horror movies have been made with the hopes of becoming the next great viral sensation. But that is usually easier said than done. For every Rec, Hell House, or Paranormal Activity, it seems like there are a hundred bland and uninspired films attempting to take its place. While that ratio doesn’t exactly inspire confidence for found-footage fans, it is all part of the fun to try and find that great underrated gem. You just have to remember to not forget about it. Luckily for you, we’ve remembered some of the best found-footage films that might have wandered off your radar.

The Den

Before the age of widespread high-speed internet, video calling was seen as something of a luxury as opposed to a viable form of reliable communication. Even with increased internet speeds, the idea of being able to chat with strangers from anywhere in the world was still a little scary. That’s where The Den comes in. The 2013 film centers around Elizabeth Benton (Melanie Papalia), a grad student who aims to chat with as many strangers as possible with the hopes of finding as many meaningful connections as possible. But she quickly learns that people on the internet aren’t always as friendly as they seem and must fight for her life when she uncovers a twisted and deadly conspiracy.

[RELATED: 5 Horror Movies to Watch For in 2025]

As a low budget film that primarily takes place in one small apartment, The Den won’t ever ‘wow’ audiences with its insane visuals, and that’s okay. Since we only see Elizabeth through a webcam, it can also be somewhat difficult to have a complete picture of who she is as a person. We have a pretty good idea, but that’s just from what we can see from the webcam, and that’s the brilliance of it all. Capitalizing on the fear of the still somewhat-new technology of video calling, filmmaker Zachary Donohue crafts a suspenseful albeit by-the-numbers found-footage horror that still remains relevant today. While it’s not one of the 10 best horror movies of the 2010s, it is worth a watch.

Butterfly Kisses

While this movie likely wins the award for the least fear-inducing horror movie title, it certainly packs enough of a dread-filled punch that you’ll forget all about what sounds like it should be a G-rated movie. Butterfly Kisses tells the story of Gavin York (Seth Adam Kallick), a filmmaker who discovers a box with the words “Don’t Watch” written on it. Like any good horror movie, Gavin ignores the obvious warning and finds out that the box is filled with videotapes that will slowly become his new obsession. The videotapes are a film project by students Sophia (Rachel Armiger) and Feldman (Reed DeLisle), detailing their quest to uncover the truth of an urban legend known as Peeping Tom.

The most fun aspect of Butterfly Kisses is the urban legend that is the cornerstone of the entire story. The legend explains that if a person is willing, they can summon Peeping Tom by staring down a tunnel at midnight, for exactly one hour straight, all while not blinking. If successful, the person will be rewarded with summoning Peeping Tom. Though it’s not exactly a worthwhile prize. Peeping Tom will get closer to the victim each time they blink until he eventually gets close enough to kill them. Butterfly Kisses is an engrossing film that plays with the idea of how urban legends form and how quickly they can consume your life if you’re not careful.

Butterfly Kisses can be streamed on Tubi.

The Taking of Deborah Logan

If you have ever known anyone who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, then you’d know that it can be pretty scary to see someone you care about transform into a completely different person. The Taking of Deborah Logan explores the hardship of a family member dealing with losing a loved one to the horrible disease. But like any good horror movie, there is still more than meets the eye. The Taking of Deborah Logan follows a documentary crew who are making a film about Alzheimer’s patients when they come across Sarah Logan (Anne Ramsay) and her mother Deborah Logan (Jill Larson), who has been afflicted with the disease. But as the film crew follow Deborah around, they uncover something sinister in her house that threatens to not only take her life, but everyone around her as well.

The Taking of Deborah Logan is a harrowing film that offers up an captivating performance from Larson that will send a chill down your spine. She is mesmerizing as the feeble yet charismatic titular character… that is until her disease grabs a dark hold of her. Even as the movie plays out in what appears to be a predicable fashion, it takes a sharp left turn that’ll leave you speechless. As the directorial debut from filmmaker Adam Robitel, The Taking of Deborah Logan is one found-footage film that deserves to be remembered.

Stream The Taking of Deborah Logan on Tubi.

The McPherson Tape

Originally titled UFO Abduction, The McPherson Tape is one of those films that almost benefits from becoming forgotten about. Released in 1989, it is painfully obvious that the film was made a shoestring budget; a $6,500 budget to be exact. Such is the case of most great found-footage films, the low budget only enhances the authenticity of the story. If you didn’t know any better, you might actually buy that The McPherson Tape was a tape that was actually discovered. The 66-minute film follows the story of a small family who are celebrating a birthday, and as they record their party, they are horrified when the night is interrupted by a bizarre UFO event that brings the festivities to a halt and puts their lives in jeopardy.

The McPherson Tape is the classic case of less is more. There aren’t any actors you’d recognize or performances that will leave you impressed. But the raw emotion of the movie and the events that appear to be happening in real-time might just leave you a little shaken. This underrated and forgotten found-footage gem might not be a looker, but it has such a believable premise that a larger budget and fancier cameras would have worked against it. Just about all of us have been to a birthday party where something unexpected happens and the mood suddenly shifts. The McPherson Tape is exactly like that… just with aliens.

Stream The McPherson Tape on Tubi.

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum

Some found-footage films can become a bit of a chore to sit through for a number of reasons, such as poor characters, lack of logic, and dull scares. Fortunately for horror fans, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum avoids all three of those mistakes, which makes it the perfect found-footage movie. This 2018 South Korean gem follows a crew of horror-based YouTubers who explore the world’s scariest locations during live broadcasts. Joined by a small group of newcomers, the crew explore a supposed haunted mental asylum that is alleged to have a secret room that once you enter, you’ll never leave.

As one of the most fun movies on this list, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is a blast to watch. There are a perfect amount of likable characters mixed in with the occasional sleezeball who will likely give you someone to root against. The entire cast all play their respective roles really well, especially when confronted with the ghostly apparitions that stalk them throughout the walls of the asylum. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is a movie that has some of the most well-made scares of any found-footage film in the last 30 years. Since Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is framed as a YouTube video gone awry, it can be fairly easy to forget that it’s all a movie.

Stream Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum on Tubi.

Final Prayer (The Borderlands)

This 2013 found-footage horror film is something of a slow-build, but once the whole story has been fully developed, it’ll leave quite the impression. Written and directed by Elliot Goldner, Final Prayer follows a small team of Vatican investigators who have been tasked with investigating an old church in the English countryside, which is rumored to be the site of a miracle. While the church appears to be nothing newsworthy, the investigators slowly begin to realize that something is terribly wrong about the whole situation. But as they look more closely, they reach a point of no return that forces them to finish the job, one way or the other.

At the center of Final Prayer, a blossoming friendship between the two investigators only enhances the horror that engulfs the film. Gordon Kennedy as Brother Deacon and Robin Hill as Gray Parker play their parts perfectly and help pull you in a viewer. It’s easy to forget that both men are in the middle of something insidious because they really are endearing characters. Final Prayer is another found-footage film that is well worth the patience as you wait for the events to unfold. Once the ending hits, you won’t believe it’s the same movie you’ve been watching for the past 80 minutes.

Stream Final Prayer (aka The Border Lands) on Tubi.

The Devil’s Doorway

Similar to Final Prayer, The Devil’s Doorway is another found-footage movie draped in enough religious lore that it’ll have you looking for a Bible. Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but The Devil’s Doorway is a hell of a movie that is often criminally overlooked, and without any big named actors, it is somewhat easy to lose track of the movie. Directed by Aislinn Clarke, the movie follows Father Thomas Riley (Lalor Roddy) and Father John Thornton (Ciaran Flynn), two priests who are sent by the Vatican to look into reports of a miracle. According to witnesses, a statue of the Virgin Mary weeps human blood inside a remote Catholic asylum for immoral women. But as the two priests investigate, they discover widespread terror that includes everything from sadistic nuns to even demonic possession.

At a brisk 76 minutes, The Devil’s Doorway may not have a long runtime, but the underrated found-footage film has enough packed into it that you certainly get your money’s worth. What starts out as a religious mystery quickly turns into a depraved horror film that is dripping with dread. With a title like The Devil’s Doorway you can probably guess where the movie is heading, but it does such a masterful job of crafting a compelling story. Like The First Omen and Immaculate, the movie will make sure that you never look at a nun the same way again.

Stream The Devil’s Doorway on Shudder.

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The long in the works movie adaptation of The Devil in the White City just took a big step forward. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 20th Century Studios has picked up the film for development. Leonardo DiCaprio is in talks to star while Martin Scorsese is in talks to direct. If the project moves forward, it will mark the seventh feature film collaboration between the two, whose latest Killers of the Flower Moon was released in 2023. According to the report, this new film is in the earliest stage of collaboration and does not yet have a script.

The Devil in the White City is based on Erik Larson’s 2003 true crime book The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America and follows World’s Fair architect Daniel Burnham and serial killer H.H. Holmes. The novel “intertwines the true tale of the 1893 World’s Fair and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death.” The book’s road from page to screen has been a long one. Back in 2010 it was reported that DiCaprio was developing a film based on the book with DiCaprio looking to play the role of Holmes. There have also been versions of the project with Tom Cruise involved as well as Kathryn Bigelow attached to direct.

[RELATED: Star Wars Creator George Lucas Addresses Martin Scorsese’s Comments About Marvel Movies]

Most recently, it was reported back in 2019 that Hulu was developing the book as a series. That version would have had Keanu Reeves set to star with Todd Field directing the first two episodes and both DiCaprio and Scorsese as producers. However, Hulu announced in 2023 that the series was no longer moving forward, putting the adaptation in limbo once again.

Will The Devil in the White City Adaptation Happen?

While this update on the film adaptation of The Devil in the White City is promising, as was noted above this is far from the first time that there’s been some sort of announcement or update about the project — and with the project being in the early stages of development, it’s unclear when audiences could even expect it. It also wouldn’t be the first time a Scorsese project didn’t quite make it to the finish line. It was announced last spring that Scorsese and DiCaprio were already working on a different project together: a new Frank Sinatra biopic. Last year, it was announced that Scorsese would be directing the film with DiCaprio set to star as Frank Sinatra while Jennifer Lawrence would play Sinatra’s second wife, actress Ava Gardner. However, while the film had been set to start production last November, soon after its announcement Sinatra’s daughter, Nancy Sinatra, expressed disapproval of both leads and by mid-August of last year, the start date for filming was cancelled.

Additionally, Scorsese has said he wanted to make a film about the life of Jesus, confirming in 2024 that there was a completed screenplay. However, that film has also been postponed.

Keep checking with ComicBook for updates on The Devil in the White City.

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Fans of zombie movies will soon be able to stream an all-time zombie classic on Netflix, with the impending arrival of 2016’s Train to Busan soon being added to the streaming platform. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, Train to Busan takes place during a zombie outbreak, with the movie centered on the passengers of a train in South Korea running from Seoul to Busan. With the zombie virus spreading among passengers on the train, a small group of passengers do their best to survive, including Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), Yoon Sang-hwa (Ma Dong-seok), his pregnant wife Seong-kyeong (Jung Yu-mi), and Seok-woo’s daughter Kim Su-an (Su-an.) Train to Busan is set to be part of the collection of movies and TV shows added to Netflix in February, with the movie arriving on the platform on February 11th.

Upon its release in 2016, Train to Busan became a phenomenon in South Korea, and its popularity has been equally strong internationally, with North American distributor Well Go USA facilitating its U.S. and Canadian release in 2017. Train to Busan was subsequently followed in 2016 by an anime prequel, titled Seoul Station, and a direct sequel, Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula in 2020. Additionally, a Hollywood-produced English-language has been in the works for several years, with Indonesian filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto attached to direct.

RELATED: 10 Best Horror Movies of the 2010s

For Western audiences specifically, Train to Busan is also notable as the introduction for many to South Korean action movie star Ma Dong-seok (also credited in English as Don Lee). Ma has since expanded his profile greatly in the popular Roundup series as its rough-and-tumble protagonist Ma Seok-do, along with Netflix’s post-apocalyptic action movie Badlands Hunters. Ma was also seen in the role of Gilgamesh in the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Eternals, and is also attached to the forthcoming martial arts action ensemble Non-Stop alongside Jet Li, Tony Jaa, and Iko Uwais.

The zombie genre has seen a huge resurgence in popularity since the beginning of the 21st century. The long-running TV series The Walking Dead significantly helped drive the modern zombie craze, while it has also maintained huge popularity in everything from comedies like the Zombieland films to action-horror combos like Army of the Dead and 2025’s upcoming 28 Years Later.

Train to Busan‘s recognition as one of the best modern zombie movies is testimony to the zombie genre being internationally popular, while the film itself has long been praised as being especially innovative in bringing a zombie outbreak scenario into the environment of speeding train. With Train to Busan‘s impending arrival on Netflix, fans of the movie and general zombie fans alike can soon make plans for some fun Netflix horror movie nights, even likely to include viewers discovering the modern zombie cult classic for the first time.

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The story of Thor is one of the most interesting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chris Hemworth’s version of the hero is definitely a beloved character, but he’s not on the level of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man or Chris Evans’s Captain America, despite being presented on the same level in the superhero community. A big reason for this is because of the quality of the Thor films – there are few individual franchises in the MCU whose reception is more negative among the fandom than the four movies starring Thor, his Asgardian allies, and their powerful foes.

There are multiple reasons why the Thor movies don’t have the same love as the Captain America series or Guardians of the Galaxy. However, a big one is that many feel like these movies didn’t do justice to Thor’s pantheon of characters. These five Thor characters got ruined by the Marvel movies, leading to checkered reputation of the God of Thunder.

Thor

The perfect place to start is with Thor himself. To begin with, Marvel Studios doesn’t really know what to do with powerful beings, especially heroes, so Thor’s powers and fighting skills wax and wane over the Thor and Avengers films. Sometimes, he’s a superlatively powerful god and other times he’s on the same level as Iron Man. This sort of inconsistency is the biggest problem with Thor in the MCU.

Related: The MCU Needs To Stay Away From This Wolverine Story

Thor is sometimes a wacky frat boy and other times he’s a Viking warrior with millennia of fighting experience. The hero is basically whatever the writers need him to be at any given time. So, in his first two movies, he’s a powerful god dealing with the problems in Asgard, and in his last two, he’s silly. Each Avengers movie has a totally different Thor in them, despite all being played by the same actor. His character arc in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame gets a pass, but other than that, the inconsistency of Thor throughout the MCU has made sure he’ll never reach the same level as the comic version of the character.

Jane Foster/Mighty Thor

Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster was never really a character in the MCU; she was a romantic foil for Thor, which honestly wasn’t very different from the Jane in the source material. However, something happened to Jane in the comics that changed the character forever – she became The Mighty Thor after Thor Odinson lost his worthiness of Mjolnir, and starred in the bestselling Thor comics in decades.

Fans loved Jane Foster as Thor and many of them were excited that there was a chance to see her in the MCU Movies. Of course, the problem was she was a part of Thor: Love and Thunder, a movie that many fans and critics feel may be as bad as Thor: The Dark World, which up until Love and Thunder was considered the worst Thor movie. Foster’s Thor was never going to get the kind of development that she got in the comics, but Love and Thunder barely tried to develop her role. Porter did her best with Jane in the movie, but she could only work with what she was given. Jane Foster in the comics has become a three dimensional character, fighting against the greatest threats in the Marvel Universe. Movie Jane rarely even reached two dimensions, at best.

Odin

Casting Anthony Hopkins as Odin made a lot of Thor fans happy. Hopkins did a great job with the character – he’s Anthony Hopkins – but he could only do so much with the material he had. Odin in the MCU was the gruff king, and then he died.

This is a vast oversimplification of Odin in the comics who

is a warrior king, feared by enemies and allies alike. He’s an intelligent monarch, one who has spent millennia dealing with threats of all kinds. Odin is crafty, always one step ahead of everyone. In the MCU, Odin is a cliche who never really seems dangerous. He never feels like a mastermind, instead he was a put upon king who everyone can take advantage of. Anthony Hopkins’ skill was completely wasted as Odin.

Miek

Miek was introduced to MCU fans in Thor: Ragnarok, but in the comics Miek never met Thor. Miek came from the blockbuster story Planet Hulk, which introduced Sakaar, the setting for Ragnarok. A gladiator in both stories, Miek played a huge role in the Planet Hulk and World War Hulk storylines in the comics. He became one of Hulk’s first allies on Sakaar, helping him escape the gladiatorial games, and then helped lead the army that freed planet from the clutches of the Red King. In the end, Miek mated with a Brood alien, and was secretly responsible for the destruction of Sakaar, all because he wanted to keep fighting while Hulk wanted to settle down.

Miek was a master manipulator in the comics, and in the movies he was… there. That’s pretty much all you can say about Miek in the MCU. The alien doesn’t really do anything in the movies except hang around with Korg and Thor. Miek in the comics was a pivotal character in two of Marvel’s best stories of the 2000s; but in the MCU, Miek wasn’t even an actual character.

Volstagg

This could be any of the Warriors Three, but Volstagg has always been the best of the trio, so he was the one ruined the most. Played by the late great Ray Stevenson in the MCU, but right away longtime Thor fans realized that something was missing. In the comics, Volstagg is known as Volstagg the Voluminous and is a rotund warrior known for his love of food, drink, and fighting. He’s a fun character, always ready with a jest, and the MCU never really captures that part of the character. Stevenson never managed to showcase the size – both in body and personality – of Volstagg.

The Warriors Three were never going to be as cool in the MCU as they were in the comics, which meant that MCU fans were never going to understand why comic fans loved them so much. Volstagg and his compatriots were never more than background characters, and that’s a tragedy.

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Star Wars is ripe territory for fan theories, though they don’t always last very long. The fandom has hosted some incredible armchair writers over the years, and has always pivoted with new information and revelations. Many of the most popular theories have been shot down in recent years with the release of the sequel trilogy and the Disney+ shows, but the new ones cropping up are exciting. Meanwhile, the theories with the largest scope are still on the table — and will remain so unless Lucasfilm tackles some uncharacteristically big questions about the origins of the galactic infrastructure.

Star Wars works best by appealing to a wide audience, so it rarely gets as deep into the minutiae of worldbuilding as other sci-fi franchises. If anything, that just leaves more room for fans to explore and flesh out their own ideas. Here are ten of the best Star Wars fan theories that are still viable at the time of this writing.

Shmi’s Death

One of the biggest turning points in Anakin’s path to the Dark Side came at the end of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, when he witnessed his mother’s death. Shmi Skywalker was freed from slavery but was then kidnapped by Tusken Raiders and tortured, for reasons we don’t fully understand. Fans now suggest that Shmi’s death was orchestrated by Palpatine as part of his plan to corrupt Anakin and turn him to the Dark Side.

This idea picked up a lot of traction after Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett premiered, allowing the audience to spend more time among the Tusken Raiders. They are known to attack moisture farms like the one Shmi lived on, but it’s unclear why they held her and brutalized her for so long without demanding a ransom or taking further action against her farm. It’s possible that Palpatine was exerting some mental influence on this tribe to make the treatment of Shmi worse. He may also have influenced the prophetic dreams that sent Anakin looking for her.

This all becomes extra tragic if you believe that Palpatine is the one who used the Force to conceive Anakin with Shmi. However, some fans dislike this idea because it removes Anakin’s culpability for the murders he committed here. It doesn’t need to be true, but it could be.

Clone Wars Propaganda

There are two animated series that cover wartime events between Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith — Star Wars: Clone Wars, which aired from 2003 to 2005, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars which aired from 2008 to 2013. Reddit user u/onex7805 suggests that the first series was a faithful depiction of the war, while the second was in-world propaganda created by the Galactic Republic. This is a really interesting idea, and it’s consistent with what we see in other Star Wars media as well.

Stormtrooper Armor

There are two popular and interesting theories about the purpose and efficacy of stormtrooper armor. It doesn’t seem to protect its wearers very well, but many fans have suggested that this wasn’t its main point. Instead, they figure the armor was meant to project strength and intimidation while hiding any humanity that might be lurking within the helmet. It’s a way for the cloners on Kamino and the Empire to make their armies look more terrifying.

This doesn’t contradict an interesting theory by Reddit user u/stormtrooper1701 — that stormtrooper armor actually does perform very well considering what it’s up against. They point out that a direct hit from a blaster is incredibly destructive to property and the environment, so the same must be true for living beings. If it weren’t for the armor, stormtroopers might be blown to bits much more easily.

Franchise Crossovers

There are several popular fan theories online that suggest Star Wars takes place in the same universe as other movies or media, and some of them make pretty compelling cases. One of the strongest is Men in Black — the movie tells us that George Lucas is secretly an alien refugee living on Earth. It would make sense that he wrote his movies about his real experiences a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. There are other connections, as well, such as some similar character designs for aliens and a fictional language that sounds suspiciously like Huttese.

Movies about aliens visiting Earth are easy to connect to Star Wars, which is why some fans think E.T. may have come from the Galactic Empire, for example. Meanwhile, connections to Doctor Who are subtle but common. There are many canonical stories that connect Star Wars to Marvel Comics, and in fact, many fans expect Disney to start exploiting this connection soon in movies and TV shows. However, the genre-bending connections get more and more tenuous, such as this one suggesting that The Lord of the Rings‘ Middle-earth is an ancient version of Tattooine.

Grogu’s Origin

We’ve learned a lot about the origin and backstory of the Mandalorian foundling Grogu — a.k.a. The Child, a.k.a. Baby Yoda — but there are still some built-in mysteries surrounding his species and its connection to the Force. One theory that took off when The Mandalorian first premiered suggests that Grogu was born through the will of the Force — and perhaps that’s how all members of this species are born.

All the sources on the Star Wars timeline agree that Grogu was born 41 years before Star Wars: A New Hope, which is the same year that Anakin Skywalker was born. The movies tell us that Anakin was an immaculate conception and that either Darth Sidious or his master Darth Plagueis used the Dark Side of the Force to create him. This theory suggests that there was an equal and opposite reaction and that Grogu was created in the same way through the light side of the Force.

[RELATED: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Finale Proves That Callback Connections Are the Franchise’s Achilles Heel]

What makes this theory really exciting is its potential to reveal more about Grogu and Yoda’s species in general. It could be that these beings are always born through the Force, and only when they are needed. However, all Star Wars writers have always shied away from revealing anything about Yoda’s species — even its name — so it’s hard to imagine them revealing something this big in The Mandalorian & Grogu.

Palpatine’s Return

While the details of Yoda’s species are the kind of mysteries we want to see teased out slowly, there’s a more ominous fan theory that it may be used to explain one of Star Wars’ most hasty and disliked plot points in the modern era: Palpatine’s return. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker shows us that Palpatine survived Star Wars: Return of the Jedi or was resurrected, and he lived in secret for a generation before making his play for power again. However, the particulars of this plan are left vague, and it feels extremely disconnected from the rest of the sequel trilogy’s plot.

The theory is that Grogu has been built up to become the connective tissue between this storyline and the rest of the fandom. Fans suggest that Grogu’s cells were used by Palpatine’s remaining loyalists for cloning experiments that were intended to bring the Emperor back — and perhaps to imbue him with new powers. They would have been hunting The Child to continue this work, and their failure would explain why Palpatine returned in an imperfect form in the later movie.

Skywalkers

Star Wars has not moved its timeline forward since 2019, and fans are itching to know what the next era in galactic history will look like. One popular theory connects the titles of the two most recent movies to suggest a new trend — there will be no more “Jedi” after the Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Instead, Force-users will now be referred to as Skywalkers, which is why the finale was titled The Rise of Skywalker.

This may seem like a small, semantic change, but it could actually signal a wide range of interesting developments. If Force-users were freed from the connotations of the title Jedi and all the traditions of that order, they could develop a whole range of new practices and philosophies, perhaps even splintering into groups that develop independently and eventually go on to learn from each other. The catch-all term “Skywalker” would be a neat nod to the past and would also make sense of Rey’s self-appointed name in the end. Fans have compared this to the way that “Caesar” started as one man’s name, but went on to become a title for Roman leaders.

Balance

There’s a small subgenre of fan theories that neatly explain plot holes and inconsistencies by suggesting that the Force itself seeks balance at all times. It bothers some fans that, during the prequel trilogy, the massive and powerful Jedi order was unable to sense Palpatine and stop him, while a single under-trained Jedi was able to do so just a few years later. This theory essentially suggests that the more Jedi there are, the less powerful each one will be, as the Force will seek to maintain balance between the Dark Side and the light. This means Luke was tapping into a much larger well of potential energy and Palpatine had much less influence over him.

Similarly, some fans think that Palpatine’s rise was inevitable in a time when the Jedi were so numerous and so involved in worldly affairs like politics and trade. They argue that a Jedi Order which couldn’t stop a single Sith was somehow imperfect, and it needed to be toppled to make room for something better. This could be an interesting idea to explore in the future, if it can be done without excusing any of the emperor’s crimes.

Droid Villains

Looking ahead, there’s an interesting theory out there suggesting that whenever the Star Wars timeline does move forward again, its next big arc will be a conflict between droids and organic life. This idea has been circulating for at least a few years now, but it has become even more appealing since the finale of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew revealed that the planet At Attin was under the control of one massive AI. There has also been a recent trend in Star Wars media commenting on the relatively low social and economic status of droids throughout the series, with Solo: A Star Wars Story essentially depicting them as an oppressed class.

The Force may be powerful, but it would have some trouble contending with a hive mind, or even a coordinated force of self-improving droids. Add to that the moral complexity of the droids’ plight and you could have a very interesting story on your hands — likely one with a solution more nuanced than blowing up another planet-killing space station.

Attachment

Finally, fans may have stumbled upon a practical reason for one of the Jedi Order’s more lofty, philosophical teachings — their quest to sever all worldly attachments. Of course, early on Lucas drew this from Buddhist teachings and other real-world philosophies, but it became a very central part of the story when attachment to Padme helped drive Anakin to the Dark Side in the prequel trilogy.

Reddit user u/Nofrillsoculus suggests that this was precisely why potential Jedi needed to be found and indoctrinated early. A Force user with loyalties and ties to their family, nation, or planet will almost certainly become corrupted, and the galaxy would gradually devolve into a nonstop struggle between Force-sensitive warlords, or Sith. The Jedi want to avoid this, but there’s still something sinister about the idea of them tracking down every single Force-sensitive child and pulling them away from their lives as early as possible.

The Star Wars franchise is streaming now on Disney+. The next release will be Andor Season 2, hitting Disney+ on April 22nd.

The post 10 Star Wars Fan Theories That Will Change How You Watch the Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Warner Bros. is placing their bets on Ocean’s Fourteen. According to a new report, David Leitch — the filmmaker behind the flashy and stylish action movies Atomic Blonde (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019), Bullet Train (2022), and The Fall Guy (2024) — is in talks to direct the next Ocean’s movie. Leitch would take over from Ocean’s trilogy director Steven Soderbergh, who produced the female-led Ocean’s 8 spinoff from Gary Ross that revived the long-dormant franchise in 2018.

George Clooney, who is also producing via his Smokehouse Pictures, is reprising his role as conman Danny Ocean alongside fellow high-rollers Brad Pitt as pro thief Rusty Ryan, Matt Damon as pickpocket Linus Caldwell, and Casey Affleck as Virgil Malloy, one half of a bickering twin brother duo with Scott Caan’s Turk.

Clooney and Pitt recently reunited for Jon Watts’ Wolfs, and Leitch directed Pitt in Bullet Train and Damon in Deadpool 2. (A former stunt performer, Leitch’s credits as a stunt man include the Damon-led Bourne Identity and as a double for Pitt in 2001’s Ocean’s Eleven.)

Soderbergh’s star-studded heist trilogy assembled a crew that included Basher (Don Cheadle), Frank (Bernie Mac), Livingston (Eddie Jemison), Yen (Qin Shaobo), Saul (Carl Reiner), and benefactor Reuben (Elliott Gould), with Julia Roberts in the mix as Danny’s wife Tess and Andy García as casino owner Terry Benedict. In the nearly two decades since 2007’s Ocean’s Thirteen, Mac and Reiner have passed away; the latter made a cameo alongside Damon’s Linus in Ocean’s 8, but their scenes ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor.

The finished cut of that film featured two cameos from Danny’s crew: Reuben and Yen, who were in leagues with Danny’s conwoman sister, Debbie (Sandra Bullock). It remains to be seen if Ocean’s Fourteen might bring over some of Debbie’s crew, which included the likes of Lou (Cate Blanchette), Daphne (Anne Hathaway), Amita (Mindy Kaling), Tammy (Sarah Paulson), Constance (Awkwafina), Rose (Helena Bonham Carter), and Nine Ball (Rihanna).

In 2021, Cheadle said that Soderbergh was considering a fourth Ocean’s movie before Mac’s death in 2008.

“We were talking about it, and then Bernie passed, and very quickly we were like, ‘No, we don’t want to do it,'” Cheadle told Entertainment Weekly at the time. “But I just did a movie [No Sudden Move] with Stephen and he said, ‘I think there may be a way to do it again. I’m thinking about it.’ And it didn’t go much further than that. But I don’t know; I don’t know who all would be in it. I imagine the main group of us would be in. It would be interesting to see.”

The following year, it was announced Warner Bros. had begun “actively developing” a new Ocean’s movie as a period piece with director Jay Roach (Bombshell) and Barbie star and producer Margot Robbie and Fall Guy star Gosling. It’s unclear if the 1960s-set prequel is moving forward. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. has earmarked dates for untitled films: March 26, 2027, July 23, 2027, and Dec. 17, 2027.

The post Ocean’s 14 Gets New Director (But Which Stars Will Return?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Will Smith’s starred in so many famous movies that it’s sometimes hard to ever comprehend the features he’s never gotten off the ground. Who can think about projects that never were when famous Bad Boys or Independence Day quotes are rattling around in your brain? Like any movie star, though, Smith has become attached to a slew of high-profile productions that never saw the light of day. In some cases, it sounds like it was better to leave the project on the cutting room floor in favor of superior Smith titles like I Am Legend or Enemy of the State.

Others still fascinate the brain for a multitude of reasons. Maybe it’s because a certain unmade production promised to explore a new exciting side of Smith as an actor. Perhaps another would’ve teamed him up with an extraordinary filmmaker. Others just had enticing plotlines that could’ve been cool to see Smith navigate. Whatever the reason, these seven unmade Will Smith movies are insanely compelling to contemplate. If only we’d gotten some of these titles instead of, say, Bright or Emancipation.

Oh, and sorry The Matrix, but we’re exploring lesser-known unrealized Will Smith star vehicles. Everyone knows Smith could’ve been Neo. These other unmade features are much more under the radar!

Steven Spielberg’s Oldboy remake

Long before Spike Lee and Josh Brolin’s Oldboy remake hit theaters, director Steven Spielberg and Will Smith very nearly collaborated on an English-language remake of Park Chan-wook’s 2003 masterpiece. Oldboy does not need an English-language remake, the original feature works perfectly as is. However, the idea of these two men specifically engaging in such a bleak movie tantalizes the mind. How would the star of crowd-pleasers like I, Robot depict Oldboy’s grisly twist? Alas, the world would never know. This project collapsed in late 2009, depriving the world of seeing Smith go full Oldboy.

The Legend of Caine

In the late 2000s, Smith was attached to star in The Legend of Caine, a fresh take of the Cain and Abel Bible story. Naturally, since this project was announced a month after Twilight’s premiere, The Legend of Caine would’ve told this ancient story with vampires. In 2012, Sony picked up the project, and, in yet another twist, Smith wanted to direct. To date, this man has only two directing credits under his belt: one for directing an episode of All of Us in 2006 and another for helming a 2017 YouTube video. Everything about this bonkers project sounds so weird that it would be a dream to see it come to the big screen.

The Suspicion Remake

In early 2010, Smith was angling to anchor a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s beloved 1941 thriller Suspicion, The project saw a newlywed couple thrown into chaos when the wife believes her new spouse might murder her for a significant inheritance sum. Smith would’ve played the spouse role originally inhabited by Cary Grant. The thought of a Hitchcock film getting remade by producer Michael Bay is a horrifying thought. However, the prospect of Smith playing such a morally murky role is even more enticing.

[RELATED – No, Will Smith’s Not Starring in The Matrix 5 (but the Movie Could Still Happen)]

Fantastic Voyage

One of the many incarnations of a modern Fantastic Voyage remake saw attached director Shawn Levy announce he’d only go through with the VFX-heavy project if Will Smith starred in it. The thought of mixing Smith and a retro-sci-fi-adventure yarn like Fantastic Voyage sounds a recipe for summer blockbuster fun. Plus, Smith could be a consistently engaging and distinctly human anchor against a heightened trip inside the human body, just like he provided a great relatable fixed point in past sci-fi projects like Men in Black.

The City That Sailed

For the longest time, Will Smith was attached to a very stylized family drama entitled The City That Sailed, which concerned a dad stuck in Manhattan who misses his daughter (stuck overseas) so much that Manhattan breaks loose and begins to float towards the man’s offspring. Deadpool & Wolverine helmer Shawn Levy was once attached to the project, which doesn’t quite sound like the ideal filmmaker to handle this material. Get somebody better at mixing raw pathos with deeply fantastical material like J.A. Bayona or Vera Drew, and this movie could really sail to creative heights.

Harvey

In 2009, Steven Spielberg announced he was pursuing a remake of the Jimmy Stewart star vehicle Harvey, with the two main choices for the film’s lead role reportedly being Tom Hanks and Will Smith. While Hanks has constantly been compared to Stewart, Smith most certainly hasn’t. That makes the idea of him anchoring Harvey much more interesting, since it would immediately offer something new compared to the original film. Plus, Smith and Spielberg clearly wanted to work together, and it’d be great to see what kind of cinema emerges from that collaboration.

Brilliance

Will Smith won’t let the project Brilliance go. First attached to the production in the mid-2010s, this high-concept sci-fi movie would’ve seen Smith directed by future Captain America: Brave New World director Julius Onah. Anyone who’s seen Onah’s excellent 2019 film Luce knows this filmmaker works great with actors. Seeing what Smith would’ve done under Onah’s watch captivates the mind. Smith’s fervent conviction to this production also makes one curious how Brilliance would turn out. After all, he was re-attached to headline Brilliance as late as 2022 when it got a new director in the form of Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

The post 7 Unmade Will Smith Movies We Still Want to See (Besides The Matrix) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The next chapter of Kevin Costner’s American Saga is on the horizon. In July, Costner’s Territory Pictures and distributor New Line Cinema announced that Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 — which had been set for an Aug. 16, 2024 release date — was being put out to pasture after the first chapter of the $50 million Western bombed at the box office over the June 28-30 weekend. In a statement, a New Line Cinema spokesperson said Horizon 2 was pulled from theatrical release “in order to give audiences a greater opportunity to discover the first installment of Horizon over the coming weeks, including on PVOD and Max.”

Horizon 2 eventually premiered out-of-competition at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 7, and it was announced today that the delayed sequel will hold its U.S. premiere during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Feb. 7. SBIFF will also host a post-screening Q&A with Costner, who wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the second chapter of the four-part Western epic.

RELATED: Kevin Costner Has a Promising Update on Horizon 3

A free screening of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is set for 2:00 p.m., followed by the Horizon 2 premiere at 6:00 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre. Costner will participate in a second Q&A following a showing of the behind-the-scenes documentary Beyond the Horizon within the SBIFF Film Center at 8:20 p.m. on Feb. 13.

The Horizon 2 release date in theaters has not yet been announced. Parts one and two, which shot back-to-back, were originally slated to release just weeks apart — Chapter 1 on June 28, and Chapter 2 on August 16 — until the first installment wrangled just $11 million in its opening weekend, finishing third at the domestic box office behind Inside Out 2 and A Quiet Place: Day One. Horizon: Chapter 1 became available digitally on Premium VOD on July 16 and ultimately finished its six-week run in theaters with $38 million.

Horizon found an audience on Max and eventually on Netflix, where it climbed to No. 2 on the Netflix Top 10 after premiering on the platform in December.

“The audience response to Horizon, and enthusiasm for seeing our story continue in Horizon 2, has been incredibly gratifying,” Costner’s Territory Pictures said in a July statement. “Kevin made this film for people who love movies and who wanted to go on a journey. The support that we have received from film fans, and the theater owners, as they experience the first chapter of this saga only serves to reinforce our belief in them and the films that we have made, and we thank them for coming on board for the ride.”

The statement continued, “We welcome the opportunity for that window to be expanded as we know it will only serve to enhance the experience of seeing Horizon 2.“

The three-hour first chapter of Kevin Costner’s epic western saga — which stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Jamie Campbell Bower, Will Patton, and Costner — follows a group of families, friends, and foes over the course of the Civil War. Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is now streaming on Max and Netflix.

The post Horizon 2: Kevin Costner’s Delayed Sequel Gets Surprise Release Update appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s safe to say that streaming services are way beyond frustrating at this point. The promise of having countless movies and TV shows at your fingertips has been steadily outweighed by constant price increases and titles you love being pulled at a moment’s notice. Just this week Netflix announced another price hike, and that’s on the heels of the big Disney+/Hulu increase from the end of last year. Getting quality entertainment has become expensive, especially if you want to avoid ads (though the ad-supported likes of Tubi and Pluto TV are great alternatives).

Fortunately, there’s a good service out there with an incredible film library that doesn’t cost a cent. It also doesn’t have ads breaking up the movies. While it may sound too good to be true, I promise this is a real service. It’s called Kanopy.

Kanopy, from the company Overdrive, is a service that actually partners with public libraries around the country to bring cinema to everyone, free of charge. The only “catch” to using it is that you need to sign up for a library card, provided your local library is enrolled (most major public library systems are).

Once you sign up for Kanopy, everything is free to check out. You get a number of “tickets” added to your account, and that number resets each month. For example, I get 30 tickets a month to watch movies or shows on Kanopy. A regular film rental usually costs two tickets, though every now and then a really popular title will cost four. Like an on-demand rental, I’ll have that movie available to me for 48-72 hours after checking it out. This part changes from library to library. You might get more tickets or the cost of titles might be different, but it’s the same system.

That’s it. That’s Kanopy in a nutshell. It’s completely free, very easy to use, and it supports public libraries. Not to mention it’s got a great lineup of films and shows from all decades, genres, and parts of the world.

Kanopy has several popular films from A24 and Neon, as well as some classic Hollywood entries and acclaimed documentaries. There’s a goal with this library to educate through film, so there’s a lot to explore, but there are also tons of movies you’re already familiar with.

Here’s a list of just a few titles currently available on Kanopy, that’ll hopefully show you just how varied its lineup really is: Point Break, Punch-Drunk Love, Gladiator, Drive, The Third Man, Oldboy, Hundreds of Beavers, Titanic, Past Lives, Anatomy of a Fall, the original Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The Apartment, Train to Busan, Eraserhead, Wayne’s World, Ella Enchanted, His Girl Friday, Some Like It Hot, and so many more.

[RELATED: Netflix Losing Some of Its Biggest Blockbusters in February]

Kanopy also has a loaded roster of British TV shows from the BBC that can be harder to find other places here in the States. And like other streaming service, Kanopy is adding and dropping titles on a monthly basis, keeping its roster fresh and new.

From popular blockbusters to hidden treasures you didn’t know you needed, Kanopy has something for everyone. And unlike Netflix, there aren’t going to be any price hikes thrown at you when you least expect them. This is an actual service, in the truest sense of the word, and you definitely need to give it a try.

You can sign up with your library card now at kanopy.com.

The post One of the Best Streaming Services for Movies Is Totally Free (But There’s a Catch) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Robert Eggers’ breakout movie was The Witch, an experience in terror that screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015 but wouldn’t be unleashed on audiences for a full year. The critical acclaim Eggers earned from the picture offered him the chance to explore projects he dreamed of bringing to life, namely a new take on F.W. Murnau’s 1922 movie Nosferatu. After some initial setbacks, Eggers pivoted to original films like The Lighthouse and The Northman, with his focus on those projects, along with the coronavirus pandemic and writers’ and actors’ strikes pushing back a Nosferatu revival even further. After years of waiting, Eggers’ Nosferatu arrived in theaters on Christmas Day 2024 and cemented itself as one of the year’s most talked-about experiences in terror. Nosferatu is available now on Digital and hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 18th.

Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake. Starring Bill Skarsgård (IT franchise, Barbarian), Lily-Rose Depp (The Idol, The King), Nicholas Hoult (Renfield, The Menu), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nocturnal Animals, Bullet Train), Emma Corrin (Deadpool & Wolverine, The Crown), and Willem Dafoe (The Northman, The Lighthouse).

ComicBook caught up with Eggers to talk about the film’s development, collaborating with his cast, and developing the iconic look of the monstrous Count Orlok.

ComicBook: This film has been a passion project of yours for years. Even when it got more real, like a decade ago, when it seemed like this actually could happen, the movie went through some changes, delays, casting changes. Is what we saw in your Nosferatu essentially the core vision that you had initially, or did it go through a lot of evolutions over the years?

Robert Eggers: No, I mean, I don’t know that I could have succeeded in articulating it as well, whether it turned out well or not, had I made it 10 years ago, but this is the movie. Over the years, it was mainly sharpening, getting rid of exposition, but it was like, “A little more ship, a little less ship, we can’t afford this much ship.” That kind of thing.

The cast is so fantastic in this. Lily-Rose I wasn’t super familiar with and she totally blew me away. Once you got the cast involved, how did they alter the vision of the movie? What did they bring that you hadn’t anticipated that left an impact on the final product?

I think that I have such a very clear vision of what I want that they are giving that life. But then, of course, you’re working with an actual human being and things do turn out differently. I think, while I pre-plan the shots with Jarin Blaschke, my cinematographer, and we’re often acting the scenes out, the two of us, like in our kitchen or in his office, trying to figure it all out, and a lot of the times it’s done as rote.

But I think, for example, the most show-stopping scene with Lily, her second really big possession scene towards the end with the brown-and-white striped dress, that was something that we rehearsed to death. And then when we were shooting it, it was not working right. We had to stop the scene and figure out how to do it differently so that then we had to re-rehearse it this other way, but it is much cooler than anything I had imagined.

One of the main things that Bill brought to the performance, because I was so obsessed with Nosferatu being demonic and masculine and phallic and evil, is still finding some vulnerability. I think that makes the character so … I’m so embarrassed that I was not keen to explore that aspect of him, just because I was so tired of self-loathing, sad vampires. but you needed a little bit of that as well.

The scene with Lily, that possession, was a transformative point in the movie that it solidified how fantastic the movie was. What were the things that weren’t working? Was it just blocking? Was it just the tone? What was it that you felt didn’t work?

Well, we had done so much with her body earlier that we were feeling it was going to be, even though we were shooting out of sequence, but we finally, once we actually saw it lit, it was perhaps repetitive. And also, she’d always rehearsed in a corset and with skirts, the actual dress was even more restrictive and covering her. So we were like, “This needs to be all about the face,” and I’m so glad. But the other thing is, because she had been working with Marie-Gabrielle Rotie, the choreographer, for months on all these different techniques, she was able to readjust, because she had been doing a lot of those facial things for other scenes in different ways and things that she had tried. So we were like, “Okay, remember that thing and this thing? Let’s go back and finesse those for this.”

Knowing how long you wanted to make this movie and how, it seemed like The Lighthouse came out, The Northman came out, you would mention like, “Yeah, I still want to do Nosferatu.” Now that the movie is done, what was the most satisfying part of the whole process, of checking that item off your bucket list? Was it the actual filming of it that was the fulfilling part? Was it when you finally locked the edit? Was it seeing how audiences were connecting to the movie and reacting to it?

It’s obviously finally sharing it with the world and seeing that a significant amount of people are connecting because you’re doing creative work like this to share what it is to be human with other human beings. Maybe that’s weird for a Gothic vampire movie, but it’s still hopefully talking about ourselves to each other.

Speaking to Orlok’s design, you knew people were going to have some complex reactions to it, given how different it is from previous incarnations of the character. Did you anticipate that there would be so much attention paid to a mustache? Of all of the different tweaks and changes, that people would just be like, “Wow, never thought I’d see Orlok with a mustache,”?

I knew it would be divisive because I knew that some people would be too attached to Max Shreck. But it’s like, I love Max Shrek. It’s one of the most iconic makeup designs in history. So why should we be doing it again?

And also, frankly, if he was a Transylvanian nobleman, there’s no f-cking way in hell or heaven that he would not have a mustache. And if you can’t wrap your mind around that, I’m sorry.

What does it feel like that you’re part of the legacy of Nosferatu and years from now, people are going to be comparing Eggers to [F.W.] Murnau to [Werner] Herzog. How do you feel on a personal level?

No comment on that one, buddy.

I’ll check back with you in a few decades and we’ll get we’ll get a better reaction. Lastly here, anytime someone has a big hit in the genre world, it’s like, “Oh, well, you’re going to jump to a Marvel or a Star Wars movie.” I know that’s not of interest to you, there’s been some like chatter kicking around about you may be involved with a new Labyrinth thing. I don’t know if there’s any truth to that, if you can’t comment on that either, or if that’s just fans making stuff up.

The thing is that I always have a ton of things in development, because you need to to survive in this industry and you don’t know what is going to hit next. But I definitely want the next film I make to be an original movie.

Nosferatu is available now on Digital and hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 18th.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You can contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or Instagram.

The post Nosferatu Filmmaker Robert Eggers Reflects on Fulfilling His Dream With the Reimagining appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Every single month brings changes to Netflix’s streaming lineup here in the United States, as the streaming giant is constantly adding and removing titles as licenses renew and expire. Each time Netflix releases its monthly newsletter of upcoming new additions, the excitement about what’s to come is always joined by the disappointing list of titles that are set to leave its roster in the coming weeks. This February is no different.

On Wednesday, Netflix released its newsletter for February 2025, revealing all of the new additions set to be made throughout the month. The newsletter also included the titles that will be departing in February, and there are a couple of massive movies on their way out.

On February 11th, which is just in a couple of weeks, Netflix will be losing a total of five movies in the Fast & Furious franchise, including the acclaimed Fast Five. That day alone will mark a huge loss for action fans with a Netflix subscription, especially since the Transformers films just made their exit last month.

Unfortunately, Fast Five isn’t the only generational blockbuster set to depart Netflix in February. On the last day of the month, the service will be losing Christopher Nolan’s Inception, which still stands as one of the best original tentpoles in a number of years.

TV fans will be frustrated about the February changes as well, with a couple of key titles on the way out. After adding two of the later Brooklyn Nine-Nine seasons in February, Netflix will lose the first two seasons of the show at the conclusion of the month. February 28th will also see the departure of all six seasons of The Mindy Project.

You can check out the full list of Netflix’s February losses below!

Leaving 2/1/25
Cocaine Cowboys 2
Plus One
Run All Night

Leaving 2/11/25
The Fast and the Furious
2 Fast 2 Furious
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Fast Five
Fast & Furious 6
The Pope’s Exorcist

Leaving 2/14/25
The Catcher Was a Spy
White Boy

Leaving 2/15/25
47 Meters Down: Uncaged
Blackhat
Pearl

Leaving 2/20/25
Book Club
Southpaw

Leaving 2/21/25
All Good Things

Leaving 2/24/25
U Turn

Leaving 2/25/25
Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Seasons 1-2

Leaving 2/28/25
21 Bridges
A Haunted House
A Haunted House 2
Aloha
The Angry Birds Movie
Blended
Cinderella Man
Due Date
Green Lantern
Inception
Legends of the Fall
Little
The Mindy Project: Seasons 1-6
Oblivion
The Other Guys
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Sixteen Candles
Stand by Me
Without a Paddle

The post Netflix Is About to Lose Some of Its Biggest Blockbusters (and a Great TV Series) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

We finally have our first look at Ben Affleck’s long-awaited sequel film The Accountant 2, as well as confirmation about its release date. Fans have been waiting for the sequel to the much-loved 2016 film The Accountant and now can look forward to the sequel’s exclusive theatrical release on April 25th. The Accountant 2 will have its world premiere at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival on Saturday, March 8th at The Paramount Theatre.  

In The Accountant 2, we will see Ben Affleck return as Christian Wolff, an autistic certified public accountant who makes his living by ‘fixing’ fraudulent financial records for criminals and terrorist organizations dealing with internal embezzlement. Joining Affleck this time is Jon Bernthal, who will reprise the role of Christian’s brother.  

What Is The Accountant 2 About?

As per the official synopsis for The Accountant 2:

‘Christian Wolff is brought out of hiding by Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) after someone close to them is killed by unknown assassins. To solve the murder, Wolff must recruit the help of his estranged but highly lethal brother Brax (Jon Bernthal).’ 

The Accountant 2 also stars Daniella Pineda, Allison Robertson, and J.K. Simmons. With Gavin O’Connor returning to direct the film, and Affleck and Matt Damon among the producers. However, it seems that Anna Kendrick, Jeffrey Tambor, Jean Smart, and John Lithgow will not be returning for the sequel.  

In The Accountant (2016) we watched Wolff as he uncovered a major financial discrepancy while working for a (ironically) legitimate company, which led to him being targeted by both the authorities and dangerous criminals. As Wolff tried to get closer to uncovering hidden truths, we found out that he’s an expert at killing as much as he is with numbers. Although the film received mixed reviews it made $155 million worldwide with a budget of only $44 million and has become a cult-classic in Affleck’s filmography. It was also the most-rented digital film of 2017 and ranked No. 1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Movies chart when it was released on the platform.

With the news of The Accountant 2, it’s important to note director Gavin O’Connor has expressed the desire to turn The Accountant into a trilogy: “I’ve always wanted to do three because the second one’s going to be more with — we’re going to integrate his brother into the story,” O’Connor shared with CinemaBlend. “So there’ll be more screen time for Bernthal in the second one. And then the third movie’s going to be, I call it, ‘Rain Man on steroids.’ The third movie is going to be about the two brothers, this odd couple. The third one is going to be a buddy picture.”

The Accountant 2 has a theatrical release date of April 25th.

The post The Accountant 2 Reveals First Look and Confirms Premiere Date (It’s Soon) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After a lot of delays, the film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone is finally taking shape. On Wednesday, four new cast members were announced for the lead roles — Thuso Mbedu, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, and Tosin Cole. They join the five previously announced cast members Viola Davis, Cynthia Erivo, Idris Elba, Lashana Lynch, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Three more cast members are in negotiation, according to a report by Variety — Regina King, Diaana Babnicova, and Bukky Bakray. The movie is based on the best-selling novel by Tomi Adeyemi, and will be directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. It is currently scheduled to hit theaters on January 15, 2027.

Children of Blood and Bone is a young adult fantasy inspired by Nigerian myths and folklore. It is set in the fictional kingdom of Orïsha which is inhabited by an oppressed class of magic users called divîners, in addition to non-magical people. The heroine, Zélie Adebola, is thrust into a quest to restore the magic suppressed in the kingdom and restore balance.

Zélie will be played by Mbedu, who worked with the director before on The Woman King. Cole will play Zélie’s older brother Tzain, while Stenberg and Idris will play the children of the king, Princess Amari and Prince Inan. Stenberg’s casting is particularly poetic since Adeyemi has said she was inspired to write this book in part by the racist backlash Stenberg’s casting in The Hunger Games.

Davis will play the character Mama Agba, while Erivo will play Admiral Kaea, Elba will play Lekan, Lynch will play Jumoke, and Ejiofor will play King Saran. King is in negotiations to play Queen Nehana, Babnicova to play Folake, and Bakray to play Binta. Production is reportedly expected to begin within a few weeks.

Children of Blood and Bone was first published in 2018 and was followed by Children of Virtue and Vengeance, then Children of Anguish and Anarchy. Altogether, the series is titled The Legacy of Orïsha Trilogy. So far, Paramount Pictures has only committed to one film adaptation, leaving the fate of sequels up to its success.

The film rights to this adaptation were originally optioned by Fox 2000 Pictures, but the project was lost in the shuffle when Disney acquired 21st Century Fox. It was transfered to Lucasfilm where it sat unused for several years. Finally, the film rights lapsed and Paramount acquired them instead, prompting this new flurry of work on the movie.

Children of Blood and Bone and Adeyemi’s other books are available now in print, digital and audiobook formats. The film adaptation is scheduled to hit theaters on January 15, 2027.

The post All 9 Confirmed Cast Members for the Children of Blood and Bone Movie appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars fans are no strangers to debate when it comes to their beloved franchise, and to be honest, some of those debates go back to the beginning, with the release of Star Wars: A New Hope back in 1977. One of those OG Star Wars debates has now resurfaced: why Jek Porkins had to die.

Jek Tono Porkins (aka “Piggy”) was a member of the Rebellion’s famous X-wing “Red Squadron,” who fought in the infamous “Battle of Yavin” against the first Death Star. Porkins was one of two pilots (the other being Darklighter) who made a strafing run shooting at the Death Star’s gun turrets. However, (as later retcons would reveal) Porkins’ X-wing hadn’t been properly cleared for battle when the Death Star ambushed the Rebel base; after being hit with some debris during his shooting run, Porkins lost flight control and radar and ended up getting obliterated by enemy fire.

Porkins had one of the most gruesome deaths in Star Wars, and like so many minor characters in the Original Trilogy, he sprung an entire cult following based on curiosity about who he was, based on the brief hints we get from his very limited screen time (see also: Boba Fett). Porkins have been of particular interest because the character was played by actor William Hootkins. Hootkins had a run of minor-but-memorable appearances in popular ’80s and ’90s movies, including playing Major Eaton in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, “Eckhardt” in Batman, and Munson in Flash Gordon. Those roles made Hootkins one of those “know I know that face” actors, and it still blows fans’ minds to know the same ill-fated X-wing pilot from Star Wars is the same man who assured Indy the Ark of the Covenant was being looked after by “Top, men,” is the same guy that Jack Nicholson’s Jack Napier/Joker told to “Think about the future,” before shooting him down with that big revolver.

Now, fans are once again wondering what the in-universe reasoning was for Porkins to die in A New Hope. There have actually been new projects since the film was released that have examined more of Porkins’ life and the events leading up to his death. As stated, it was revealed (in the Star Wars Customizable Card Game) that Porkins’ X-wing didn’t pass full inspection before he had to rush into battle against the Death Star, providing tragic reason for his demise.

Porkins has also become another hot-button character in Star Wars lore, as he is a minor nexus of contradicting continuity. That includes multiple in-canon differences in Porkins’ official call sign (“Red Six” vs. “Blue Four” vs. “Gold Six”), as well as contradicting accounts of how he died (crashing on the Death Star’s surface or being shot down by turrets vs. being shot down by enemy TIE fighters). Those discrepancies in canon are just one more reason that Jek Porkins is still being debated by Star Wars fans, and since they’re not getting straightened out anytime soon (or ever), Jek’s legacy will also live on.

Star Wars movies are streaming on Disney+.

The post 47 Years Later, Star Wars Fans Are Still Debating Why This Character Had to Die appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Nearly 20 years after Weta Digital replaced actor Doug Jones with a CG-animated Silver Surfer in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Marvel Studios is using motion capture to transform actress Julia Garner into the Sentinel of the Spaceways. The Ozark Emmy winner and Wolf Man star is playing the Shalla-Bal version of the character in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is also using the technology — used in everything from Gollum in The Lord of the Rings to the Na’Vi in Avatar to the Hulk in The Avengers — for co-star Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s own rocky transformation into the Thing.

Opening up about her closely-guarded Marvel role in an interview with the fashion and lifestyle publication Who What Wear, Garner confirmed that the Silver Surfer will be a motion-capture creation (rather than just CGI).

RELATED: MCU Schedule: Every Marvel Studios Movie and TV Show Release Date in 2025 and Beyond

“You have to imagine everything when you’re doing it, as if you’re auditioning,” she said. “Even though we had the sets, I didn’t have my costume or hair and makeup or anything.”

Performance capture, like superhero fare, is new territory for Garner. The actress is known for her roes in dramas like The Americans and The Assistant, and will next be playing the spacefaring herald of the planet-devouring Galactus (Ralph Ineson).

“Going into the Marvel space was a big interest,” she said. “I feel like what a lot of actors don’t value enough is trying to reach every kind of audience. I think that’s really important. I’d be crazy to expect that everybody is going to watch Inventing Anna or Ozark or The Assistant. But to reach all kinds of people and build fans from everywhere? I was really excited to step into that universe.”

Garner’s gender-swapped Silver Surfer is a departure from the character who debuted in 1965’s Fantastic Four #48: Norrin Radd, who volunteered to serve Galactus as his herald to spare his homeworld Zenn-La — and Shalla-Bal, the woman he loves — from Galactus’ hunger. (An alternate-universe female Silver Surfer appeared in the Earth X series.)

“With the Silver Surfer, there’s still something very mysterious about it,” Garner said. “That mystery is very important to me as an actor. It’s such an iconic character, and it felt very different for me. I’ve never played a character like that.”

Marvel’s Fantastic Four reboot, directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision), is “set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world,” per the synopsis, and introduces Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they “face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer. And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.”

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is in theaters July 25.

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Harry Potter fans can be pretty defensive of their favorite series, but some of their critiques would definitely improve the franchise if they were incorporated. One of those ideas cropped up this week on Reddit, in a discussion of “unpopular opinions” about Harry Potter. User u/British_Historian laid ut a great case for why the “killing curse,” Avada Kedavra, should have had more limitations placed on it by the author. That way, there would be a use for more creative spellcasting in combat, while leaving the ultimate act of evil for only the most dramatic moments. Instead, spamming this spell “turned a lot of duels into laser lightshows.”

Avada Kedavra, “the killing curse” is introduced in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as one of the three Unforgivable Curses. When cast successfully, it will instantly kill its target without any damage to their body. It cannot be blocked with a well-timed shield charm, but it can be dodged or blocked with a physical barrier like a wall. We are told the curse requires “a powerful bit of magic behind it,” which seems to mean true murderous intent. There are also implications that using it somehow damages the caster’s soul, which is how Voldemort created his Horcruxes, but it’s not clear what the practical outcome of this damage would be.

Many commenters agreed with u/British_Historian, pointing out that earlier scenes had suggested dueling would be more dynamic and outrageous. In the second book, for example, Malfoy conjured a snake and sent it to attack Harry. The characters spend years learning a wide array of spells, but by the end of the series, most fights come down to Avada Kedavra against sunning spells and disarming spells — all in the forms of light beams.

[RELATED: 7 Harry Potter Characters Ruined by the Movies]

This may have been due in part consideration of the target audience, as u/WuPacalypse pointed out. The books were for children and young adults, and the movies were rated PG. It was convenient to depict death as a flash of green light with no blood, screaming, or any tangible violence at all. If antagonists had been using spells like Sectumsempra left and right, parents would have thought twice about bringing their kids along to the theater.

Still, spells to incapacitate opponents could have taken the places of a lot of green killing curses — especially the ones that missed. It may also have been interesting to see characters try and fail to cast Avada Kedavra, staggered by the pain it caused or unable to manifest the sheer will it required. This would have dovetailed nicely with the series’ distinction between downright evil villains like Voldemort and cowardly, insecure ones like Malfoy or Peter Pettigrew.

There are a lot of problems with the Harry Potter series, and the overuse of the killing curse is probably pretty low on many fans’ list. Still, it’s something to consider as we prepare for the new TV series adaptation to premiere in 2026 on HBO and Max.

The post This Harry Potter “Unpopular Opinion” Would Change the Movies for the Better appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The sequel to Alien: Romulus could be bringing back the franchise’s most famous character in an unexpected way, as Ellen Ripley is rumored to appear in the film. Industry insider Daniel Richtman, aka DanielRPK, shared the information in a Patreon post, noting that if this happens, the filmmakers would be incorporating digital de-aging to pull it off. “For the next Alien movie, they’re considering bringing back Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) using de-aging technology,” the post reads. It is important to keep in mind that this is a rumor and should be taken with a grain of salt for now.

Richtman’s post does not specify if the plan would be to have Weaver film her scenes on-set and be digitally de-aged in post, or if another actress will have their face replaced with a young Weaver’s likeness. The use of the phrase “de-aging technology” lends credence to the belief that the former scenario is the one in play, but the wording is vague enough that both are possible.

Released in August 2024, Alien: Romulus was critical and box office success, grossing $350.8 million worldwide against an $80 million production budget. A follow-up was quickly announced in October 2024, but the project has not received an official release date as of this writing. Director Fede Álvarez has cautioned fans it might take a while for the sequel to come to fruition, as he won’t move forward on anything until he feels he has “a story that is worthy of everyone’s time and is worthy of the title.”

[RELATED – 3 Alien Franchise Sequels That Didn’t Get Made (But Should Have)]

At one point, Weaver was set to reprise Ripley in an Alien film. Director Neill Blomkamp was developing an Aliens sequel that would have disregarded the events of Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection. However, that project, which would have teamed Ripley with Newt and Hicks again, never got off the ground. In the years since, Weaver has discussed the possibility of returning to the franchise. While she said it’s “not impossible” that she could return, she’s also “yet to read a script that said ‘you have got to do this.’”

While Alien: Romulus earned praise for taking the series back to its horror-infused roots with several unnerving sequences, the film was also hit with criticism for relying too heavily on nostalgia. The decision to digitally recreate the late Ian Holm’s face for the android character Rook generated a substantial amount of controversy — particularly over the ethical concerns of reviving a dead actor with modern technology. Since Weaver is still alive, this isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison, but it could still be seen as another example of the filmmakers being too dependent on the past as opposed to paving a new way forward. Álvarez has claimed he wants to explore “uncharted waters” with the Romulus sequel; the appearance of a digitally de-aged Weaver would seemingly negate that.

There’s also the question of how Ripley would fit into a Romulus sequel’s story. Romulus is considered an interquel in the franchise — on the timeline, it’s set between Alien and Aliens. During the events of Romulus, Ripley is floating through space in stasis, and she won’t be found until several years later as Aliens begins. Logistically, there doesn’t seem to be a spot for her in a Romulus follow-up, but Álvarez and his team could come up with a way to make it work. This would be a considerable risk, but there would be plenty of excitement surrounding Weaver’s long-awaited return to the role that made her a household name. It’ll be interesting to see if this rumor amounts to anything as development on the Romulus sequel continues.

The post Alien: Romulus Sequel Rumor Teases One Character’s Return (But Not How Fans Think) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While Marvel has not officially announced Doctor Strange 3, it sounds like the studio is developing the sequel behind-the-scenes, collaborating very closely with star Benedict Cumberbatch. In an interview with Variety, the actor — who has played Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2016 — briefly touched on the possibility of headlining another solo film. “They are very open to discussing where we go next,” Cumberbatch said, describing the conversations he’s had with Marvel Studios. “Who do you want to write and direct the next one? What part of the comic lore do you want to explore so that Strange can keep evolving?”

Cumberbatch expressed excitement about the prospect of continuing to portray Strange, alluding to the plethora of creative opportunities available. “He’s a very rich character to play. He’s a complex, contradictory, troubled human who’s got these extraordinary abilities, so there’s potent stuff to mess about with.”

Through a combination of starring roles, supporting turns, and cameos, Cumberbatch has played Strange in six MCU movies, with a seventh (2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars) on the way. He remains hopeful that a third solo Doctor Strange film will eventually get made. Following the release of 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the actor shared his interest for future appearances, stating that he’s “still having a wild time playing [Strange]” even after all this time.

[RELATED – Predicting Marvel Studios’ Three Mystery 2028 Releases]

As fans await confirmation regarding Doctor Strange 3, there are signs the film is in the works. In October 2024, rumors suggested Sam Raimi, who helmed Multiverse of Madness, would return to the MCU to direct Doctor Strange 3. Disney has multiple release dates claimed for untitled Marvel movies; there are two in 2026 (February 13 and November 6) and three in 2028 (February 18, May 5, and November 10).

It’s encouraging that Cumberbatch is heavily involved with Doctor Strange 3 development. Not only does it highlight his enthusiasm to continue playing Strange, it illustrates Marvel’s interest in maximizing the character’s potential on-screen. After playing one role for so long, there’s always a risk things could become stale from a creative perspective. Cumberbatch’s comments indicate Marvel is committed to keeping the actor, a two-time Oscar nominee, around for the foreseeable future. By asking Cumberbatch which filmmakers he personally wants to work with and which comic storylines he’d like to explore on-screen, the studio is attempting to create an environment where he can continuously challenge himself within the expansive MCU sandbox.

With Marvel having these kinds of talks with Cumberbatch, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before Doctor Strange 3 gets added to the MCU release calendar. As for where it might fit on the studio’s slate, it may be too late at this stage for it to secure one of the 2026 dates (unless Marvel is planning to fast-track it in order to hit that November window). Doctor Strange 3 hitting theaters in 2028 could be more practical, and that would present the filmmakers with interesting narrative possibilities. Whoever directs would be able to explore how Strange handles the aftermath of Avengers: Secret Wars, allowing Cumberbatch to tap into the character’s fascinating traits and sensibilities.

The post Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange 3 Update Is Even Better Than We Hoped For appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Punisher has had many memorable moments in movies and television, including three unforgettable standouts. Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher, is well-known as one of Marvel’s most uncompromising antiheroes, with his predilection for killing and engaging in far more brutal methods than any Marvel superhero indulges in. Frank Castle has been played in live-action by Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane, Ray Stevenson, and Jon Bernthal, each of whom has brought a unique interpretation to the character.

With three movies, a solo streaming series, and two crossover appearances with Daredevil on his two streaming shows, the Punisher has made an unforgettable mark on comic book movies and TV. Here are the Punisher’s three greatest moments in movies and TV.

Frank Castle vs. The Russian – The Punisher

The most memorable scene of Jonathan Hensleigh’s 2004 actioner The Punisher is the movie’s wildly brutal yet darkly hilarious fight scene between Thomas Jane’s Frank Castle and the hired hitman known as The Russian (pro-wrestler Kevin Nash.) Taking place in Frank’s Tampa apartment after a pleasant dinner with his new neighbors, Frank is tossed and pummeled around the apartment by the hulking assassin, even narrowly avoiding a hand grenade explosion that the whole building feels.

Set to “La Donna e Mobile”, the fight scene was described during production as “the horrific clown show”, which perfectly captures the fight scene’s blend of humor and brute force. It also didn’t come without some real pain for the actors, with Kevin Nash accidentally being stabbed for real in the fight. In the end, Frank triumphs over his massive adversary, and his fight scene with the Russian continues to stand as one of The Punisher’s best movie moments.

Opening Action Scene – Punisher: War Zone

2008’s Punisher: War Zone saw the late Ray Stevenson take over as Frank Castle in Lexi Alexander’s reboot, and Frank’s new mission kicks off with an blood-splattering start in his raid of a meeting on a criminal compound. Frank enters the meeting like a slasher movie villain, killing the lights and activating a flair to make the presence of the Punisher known before going to work. And, by Punisher standards, going to work involves a lot of knife slashing, limb snapping, neck breaking, and opening fire on the mob while swinging upside down from a chandelier, all in the most over-the-top fashion imaginable.

Punisher: War Zone sadly bombed in theaters upon its release in 2008’s holiday season, but it has since built up a comic book movie cult following, with even comedian Patton Oswalt among its fanbase. Lexi Alexander has spoken many times of striving to bring the cartoonish, absurd levels of gore in the Punisher comics to life in live-action, and few could argue that Punisher: War Zone doesn’t succeed thoroughly in that endeavor. Between the movie’s financial failure and Ray Stevenson’s passing in 2023, Punisher: War Zone was sadly the one and only time he got to show what he could do as the Punisher. Nonetheless, the Marvel cult classic showed he not only captured the essence of Frank Castle splendidly, but also snagged the best entrance of any live-action Punisher, by far.

RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Set Photo Reveals First Look at Jon Bernthal’s Punisher Return

Daredevil & Punisher’s Rooftop Showdown – Daredevil

For the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jon Bernthal became the newest incarnation of the Punisher, making his debut in Daredevil season 2, before being spun-off into The Punisher series. While Bernthal has given an all-around fantastic performance as Frank with many memorable moments and action scenes, his rooftop scene with Charlie Cox’s Daredevil in the season 2 episode “New York’s Finest” (S2E3) is his best. While it’s one of the quieter Punisher scenes in any big or small screen iteration, paradoxically, that’s what makes it so great, with the focus being on the differing crime-fighting ideologies of Frank Castle and Matt Murdock.

As Daredevil, Matt seeks to battle the criminals of Hell’s Kitchen with as much mercy as possible, in order to give them a chance “to try again.” However, Matt’s restraint is something that Frank sees as doing more harm than good, since it gives criminals like the ones who murdered his family a chance to prey on the defenseless again. As Frank puts it, “You hit them and they get back up! I hit them, and they stay down!” Daredevil season 2 devotes much of its story to Frank and Matt’s polar opposite methods, but their extended rooftop debate is the real heart of their relationship on the show, and forms a strong foundation for Daredevil and Punisher meeting again in Daredevil: Born Again. Even for all his great Punisher action scenes on Daredevil and in his own series, Jon Bernthal’s most shining moment as Frank Castle remains his rooftop verbal sparring match with The Man Without Fear.

Both seasons of Marvel’s The Punisher can be streamed on Disney+.

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Filmmaker Robert Eggers has found the next movie to follow up his smash hit Nosferatu. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Eggers is reuniting with Focus Features for Werwulf, and as the name suggests, it’s a werewolf project sticking to the horror and otherworldly themes Eggers has become known for. Werwulf has been slotted for a 2026 release on Christmas Day, which is the same day Nosferatu made its way to theaters and shot to second place at the box office. Early reports state Werwulf will be set in 13th century England and be made in color instead of black-and-white.

Focus Featuers, a division of Universal, has been behind all of Eggers’ projects, which include the aforementioned Nosferatu, The Northman, and The Witch and The Lighthouse, one of his earlier projects. Werwulf is co-written by Eggers and Sjón, who he teamed with on The Northman writing duties. Chris and Eleanor Columbus will executive produce.

[RELATED: Spongebob Squarepants Animation Recreates “Graveyard Shift” With Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu]

Nosferatu is a Dracula adaptation starring Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Foe, Bill Skarsgard, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Some have labled Nosferatu the best Dracula adaptation of all time, which is a pretty lofty claim. Nevertheless, there will assuredly be interest in Werwulf after the success of Nosferatu. The latter netted over $40 million at the box office during its five-day opening the week of Christmas.

Eggers recently revealed how the final scene in Nosferatu between Count Orlok and Ellen Hutter was originally different from what made the final cut. When asked about the protagonists’ embrace at the end and whether it turned out to be a good conclusion to the story, Eggers said that this had always been the plan.

“Even as I was struggling to figure out the blocking of Orlok’s demise, that final shot was always going to be the final shot,” Eggers told Variety. “It’s nice to have our own version of the ‘Death and the Maiden’ motif. I think it looks pretty nice.”

However, there was more to the scene than what was shown in the final film, something that Eggers said initially was “too demented,” before elaborating that things were far more bloody for Orlok.

“Well, if you look very closely at that shot, Orlok is still bleeding out of his eyes, ears and nose,” he said. “There are some maggot holes in his back. We also rigged it so that he would be bleeding out of his anus, but it was very comical. When we started rolling, we had to literally put a cork in it.”

Nosferatu is available on digital and arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 18th.

The post Robert Eggers’ Next Movie Revealed (and Its the Perfect Nosferatu Follow-Up) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Director Takashi Miike‘s horror movie Audition is highly regarded among genre fans and often lands on best Japanese horror movie lists, and for good reason. Thanks to Peacock, more audiences can revisit the cult classic or experience the movie for the first time now that Audition has been added to the streamer. Based on the Japanese book by Ryu Murakami, Audition follows widower Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), whose producer friend comes up with an idea to audition women for a lead role in a film, except there is no film. The women are being brought in under false pretenses as Shigeharu’s friend is running the scam to help Shigeharu find a new wife. Eventually, Shigeharu meets Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina), and the two develop feelings for each other. Everything takes a turn when the truth about Asami and her past comes to light, leading to shocking violence.

For anyone who has never seen Audition, the movie is most satisfying when you go in blind without looking up any further details about its plot or twists. What we can tease is the surprising way the story establishes its characters through a dramatic and sometimes comedic plot that builds up a mystery before suddenly diving into the deep end of grotesque horror.

The 1999 horror drama, which celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2024, is not for the squeamish. The first theatrical screenings for Audition came with reports of audience members allegedly fainting, walking out, and some calling Miike “sick” (via Arrow Video). Naturally, the response piqued the interest of viewers wanting to witness the brutality for themselves, and the curiosity spread.

[RELATED – Peacock Cancels Horror Series After Just One Season]

Audition is the perfect example of a successful slow build that cleverly draws you into an unforgettable, jarring finale. While some audiences balked at the extreme violence, many critics and fans over the years have discussed at length why the movie is so impactful and special to the genre. Despite some of the first reactions to the film, Audition won the out-of-competition FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Prize at the 2000 International Rotterdam Film Festival and left other festival attendees excited about Miike as a new talent to watch. Fantastic Fest honored the filmmaker nearly 20 years later in 2019, where he received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Miike began filmmaking in 1991, but Audition helped launch his international career. He has made over 100 films and maintains a loyal cult following. Miike’s other well-known movies include Ichi the Killer (2001), Gozu (2003), One Missed Call (2003), the Dead or Alive trilogy, and 13 Assassins (2010).

Audition is also available to stream on Shudder, Tubi, and Screambox.

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Yesterday, Robert Egger’s Nosferatu launched on Blu-ray with a 4K Steelbook option, and now Wolf Man (which just premiered in theaters this past weekend) has its own Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital) go up for pre-order. So, if you’re down for some classic horror featuring vampires and werewolves, these releases are for you! You can find Wolf Man in 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray here on Amazon and here at Walmart now. The Steelbook set is currently up for $37.99, though you should ignore the December 31st release date as it is only a placeholder. The actual release date will be announced in the coming weeks along with information on special features.

The film’s official description goes as follows: ‘From Blumhouse and the director of The Invisible Man comes a modern take on the classic monster story, Wolf Man. Seeking a fresh start, Blake moves his wife Charlotte and daughter Ginger to his childhood home in rural Oregon. Upon arrival, they encounter a brutal animal attack, forcing the family to barricade themselves inside the house as an unseen creature prowls the perimeter. As the night wears on, Blake’s injuries worsen, and his bizarre behavior turns monstrous. To protect her daughter, Charlotte must decide whether to confront the danger outside or the growing horror within.”

Barbie and Fall Guy Star Ryan Gosling was Almost a “Wolf Man”

Ryan Gosling, the man everyone fell in love with in 2023 after his hilarious performance in the summer blockbuster Barbie, was really the driving force behind the new Wolf Man. Ryan Gosling apparently pitched a Wolf Man remake after Director Leigh Whannell had successfully rebooted another one of the studio’s classic monsters in 2020, Invisible Man. The star was then attached to play the lead role, which eventually went to Christopher Abbot (Girls, Sanctuary). 

“I was working with Ryan Gosling, initially,” Whannell explained to The Hollywood Reporter. “He was attached to star, and we were developing it and developing it. Then, there were scheduling issues, so I was like, ‘You know what? I’m just going to move on to another project.’ And then it suddenly came back around, which I was happy about, because I was able to continue with the script that I had already written. I was able to just pick it right up.”

Whannell continued, “Ryan, unfortunately, because of his schedule, wasn’t able to [continue], but it was definitely a twistier road than I’ve taken in the past. In the case of Upgrade and Invisible Man, it was A, B, C. It was very linear: write the movie, look for financiers, find the cast, shoot the film. So this was definitely the most winding road to making a film, but I’m so happy that I got to make it.”

Wolfman is in theaters now.

The post Wolf Man 4K UHD Blu-ray Steelbook Now Available for Pre-Order appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new trailer for Mickey 17 sheds additional light on the story for director Bong Joon-ho’s upcoming sci-fi film. Providing a basic overview of the movie’s premise, the preview establishes protagonist Mickey Barnes’ (Robert Pattinson) plight of working as an “expendable.” The job forces Mickey to partake in dangerous missions; on one, he is purposely exposed to a deadly virus on an uncharted planet, while another sees him lose a hand in space. Whenever Mickey dies in the field, a new copy of his body is printed, allowing him to continue performing these tasks. Things start to go haywire when the titular Mickey 17 encounters another one of his “multiples.”

The trailer also places a spotlight on Mark Ruffalo’s villainous turn as Kenneth Marshall, who attempts to kill the two Mickey multiples running around so everything can return to normal. The Marvel star looks to be enjoying himself as he chews scenery with lines like, “You’re an expendable! You’re here to be expended!” This new look at Mickey 17 highlights the overarching conflict between Marshall and the Mickeys, with the two multiples doing everything in their power to fight for their survival. Check out the trailer above.

Warner Bros. unveiled the new Mickey 17 trailer after recently changing the film’s release date one last time. Back in December 2024, the studio had Mickey 17 trade places with Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. Mickey 17 is set to premiere on March 7th, and it will play in IMAX theaters. The ability to show the film in IMAX was one of the reasons why WB moved Mickey 17 from January to the spring, where the premium format screens will be available.

[RELATED – Robert Pattinson Tried to Impersonate a Jackass Star in New Movie (And Everyone Hated It)]

Audiences got their first look at Mickey 17 in September 2024 when the movie’s initial trailer was released. That preview highlighted the film’s darkly comic tone, featuring a montage of Mickey repeatedly dying set to Dean Martin’s classic tune “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head.”

Like its predecessor, the new Mickey 17 trailer shines a spotlight on the film’s twisted sense of humor. There’s something morbidly hilarious about the sequence where Mickey happily exposes himself to an airborne virus while scientists monitor him from the safety of indoors. The Mickey 17 trailer also makes no attempts to hide over-the-top elements like Ruffalo’s almost cartoonishly evil bad guy. But the preview emphasizes the movie’s emotional core, teasing a poignant story about clones fighting for their right to live. The trailer’s use of the song “It’s My Life” underscores the film’s themes, as the two Mickeys try to prove they’re living people and not just disposable things to be tossed aside.

That Mickey 17 looks to combine humor with heart to tell a thought-provoking narrative shouldn’t come as a surprise. Bong’s previous works, most notably Best Picture winner Parasite, illustrate his ability to blend genres and tones in order to craft compelling films that resonate with audiences. Based on what we’ve seen from Mickey 17 so far, it looks like it will be another unique and entertaining entry in the director’s stellar filmography. Given Bong’s penchant for compelling storytelling and sharp eye for visuals, cinephiles will want to see Mickey 17 on the biggest screen possible.

The post Mickey 17: Two Robert Pattinsons Fight Back Against Mark Ruffalo in New Trailer appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Filmmaker Robert Eggers made a name for himself with entirely original genre experiences like The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman, but last year’s Nosferatu was undeniably his biggest success, as the film earned tremendous praise from audiences and critics alike. Understandably, the film’s success opened up a number of opportunities for him, resulting in reports that he could be developing a new take on the cult classic Labyrinth. Eggers himself has addressed those reports, noting that he has a number of projects in some stage of development, though that it would likely be an original story that comes to fruition next. Nosferatu is available now on Digital and hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 18th.

When asked by ComicBook if the reports of a new Labyrinth were true, Eggers confirmed, “The thing is, I always have a ton of things in development because you need to to survive this industry and you don’t know what is going to hit next. But I definitely want the next film I make to be an original movie.”

The nature of Hollywood often means that when a filmmaker can find success in the genre world, major studios will attempt to bring those ambitious cinematic sensibilities into a major franchise. With Eggers having cast doubt on entering the world of tentpoles like Star Wars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Labyrinth might be the closest he gets to an iconic property after having revived Nosferatu.

[RELATED – Before Nosferatu, Robert Eggers Tried to Make a Frankenstein Movie but “It Definitely Sucked”]

The original Labyrinth starred Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie and was directed by Jim Henson. The movie followed Sarah (Connelly) venturing into the titular maze in hopes of rescuing her baby brother from the Goblin King (Bowie), as she encountered a variety of bizarre, whimsical, and macabre characters along the way. Like many other ’80s adventures geared towards younger audiences, the movie’s attempt at exploring fantastical worlds resulted in some evocative and traumatizing sequences.

As fans wait for updates on possible updates on a new Labyrinth, they can check out Nosferatu, a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake. Starring Bill Skarsgård (IT franchise, Barbarian), Lily-Rose Depp (The Idol, The King), Nicholas Hoult (Renfield, The Menu), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nocturnal Animals, Bullet Train), Emma Corrin (Deadpool & Wolverine, The Crown), and Willem Dafoe (The Northman, The Lighthouse).

Nosferatu is available now on Digital and hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 18th. Stay tuned for updates on a possible Labyrinth revival.

Would you like to see Eggers deliver a Labyrinth reboot? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The post Nosferatu Director Weighs in on Reports of Developing a New Labyrinth appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Jon Bernthal is embarking on Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey. The Marvel’s Punisher star and The Bear Emmy winner has joined the cast of Nolan’s next film, a mythic action epic adaptation of Homer’s poem. Bernthal is the latest to be added to the star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon (Oppenheimer), Tom Holland (the Spider-Man films), Zendaya (Dune), Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises), Robert Pattinson (Tenet), Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther), and Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road).

“Christopher Nolan’s next film The Odyssey is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology,” Universal Pictures announced in December. Set for July 17, 2026, The Odyssey “brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time.”

RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Explained, From MCU Connections to Who’s Returning for the Marvel Series

Nolan’s followup to his Best Director and Best Picture Oscar-winning Oppenheimer will reportedly begin production in February.

Homer’s Odyssey tracks Odysseus and his travels across the Mediterranean Sea in an attempt to return home to Ithaca after the decade-long Trojan War. Odysseus angers Poseidon, and is then pursued “with wrath implacable.” The epic poem features such mythical characters as Telemachus, the son of Odysseus/Ulysses and Penelope; the goddess Athena; the one-eyed giant Cyclops Polyphemus, blinded by Odysseus; the lustrous enchantress Circe; the lustful goddess Calypso; and vengeful sea god Poseidon.

Since his breakout role as Shane on The Walking Dead, which he followed with a stint as the vigilante Frank Castle on Marvel’s Daredevil and his Marvel-Netflix spinoff series The Punisher, Bernthal has appeared in films directed by Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street), Denis Villeneuve (Sicario), Taylor Sheridan (Wind River), James Mangold (Ford v Ferrari), and Ava DuVernay (Origin). He’ll next reprise his role as Brax Wolff opposite Ben Affleck in The Accountant 2 and will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Marvel TV series Daredevil: Born Again as the Punisher.

Deadline first reported the news of Bernthal’s casting.

The post Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Adds Another Major Marvel Star to Its Cast appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Alien (1979) thrived as a sci-fi/horror film by taking the mystery of space exploration and the vast unknowns of the universe to weaponize them as a claustrophobic nightmare. The original xenomorph monster wasn’t ever named in the film: it was just a twisted form of parasitic life that some oblivious and unlucky humans stumbled across. However, as Alien has grown into a major staple of the horror genre in the last 40+ years, there have been the typical efforts to expand and (over-)explain the mythos established in the first film — including the full origin story of the xenomorphs. After three Alien sequels were released during the 1980s and 1990s, Ridley Scott finally returned to the franchise in the early 2010s to answer the question of how that Space Jockey ship ended up on LV-426 full of facehugger eggs. However, in providing that answer, Scott only ended up sparking a whole new set of questions.

The latest three Alien movies (Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, and Alien: Romulus) have expanded the scope of the xenomorphs’ storyline. Those films introduced “the black goo,” into the franchise – a mysterious mutagen material that can wildly alter biological lifeforms, and/or create the “perfect” hybrid organism, known as the xenomorph. It’s clear from Alien chat threads that the fractured origin story of the xenomorphs still confuses many fans. Here’s the breakdown of how it all fits together.

Alien’s Xenomorph Origin Explained

The Engineers & the Black Goo

The Engineers were an alien species that pre-dated humanity by millions of years. Prometheus’ opening scene (where an Engineer sacrifices himself to kickstart Earth’s “Genesis” moment), implies that the white-skinned humanoids are the biological progenitors to all life on Earth – including humans. What has never been revealed is how, when, and where, the Engineers harnessed the potential life-creating power of the black goo, or where the substance originates from.

It’s never technically confirmed if the black goo is a naturally occurring substance or if it is a scientifically engineered material; as of Alien: Romulus there is a definite “chicken or the egg?” question about whether xenomorphs were originally created from the black goo’s mutation effects on other life forms, or if the goo was originally extracted by from some kind of biological source, and xenomorphs are just the “perfected” result of its mutagenic properties.

Romulus introduced “The Offspring,” a human/xenomorph hybrid created from a pregnant human woman using a black goo compound (reverse-engineered and altered by Weyland-Yutani scientists) on herself. The resulting hybrid creature clearly had Engineer characteristics in the mix, which adds another wrinkle to this mystery: it could be that Engineer DNA is the core component of the black goo – it could also be true that Weyland-Yutani scientists added Engineer DNA to their mix, in a bid to achieve to create a goo that augments and enhances human physiology, instead of creating monsters (the “Prometheus” serum).

Tampering with the black goo is a big question still looming over the modern franchise; Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, and Alien: Romulus have each featured different versions of the black goo, which were each experimented on by very different factions. Prometheus introduced the weaponized canisters of black goo that the Engineers developed and stored in off-world lab facilities, used to either eradicate life from entire planets and/or create new mutated lifeforms to populate worlds. Alien: Covenant revealed a black goo compound that rogue android David (Michael Fassbender) further developed while stranded on the Engineer homeworld; however, the black goo David developed resulted in the creation of the skinnier, fleshy, white-skinned “Neomorph” version of the creatures; David then perfected the process by introducing the intermediate step of the facehugger parasites, which could infect hosts with mutant DNA in the form of embryos that grow into the far more powerful, black-skinned, mesoskeleton-coated xenomorph drones (like “Xenomorph XX121” in the original film).

[RELATED: Alien: Romulus director teases bold new direction with sequel film]

Gap in Evolution

Admittedly, the Alien franchise still has a major gap to fill in explaining the backstory leading to the original film. The final scene of Alien: Covenant reveals that David escaped the Engineer homeworld aboard the Covenant ship, and brought facehugger embryos along with him. The hole in the story is found when trying to explain how David – creator of the facehugger eggs – went from seemingly roaming the stars, experimenting with creating the perfect lifeform, to having those eggs show up on an Engineer ship that crashed on LV-426. The implication is that the Engineer corpse on LV-426 is millions of years old – in the larger post-Prometheus continuity it would be easily inferable that the LV-426 crash was another case of a bio-weapon accidentally getting loose, and then laying dormant until another opportunity for infection arose.

While some fans get hung up on the timeline discrepancy of David’s experiments vs. the LV-426 crash, Alien has left room for the two events not to be directly connected. Prometheus and Alien: Covenant both had major Easter eggs implying that the Engineers were very aware of (and even revered) the xenomorphs in their culture. The final sequence of Prometheus revealed that an infected Engineer will birth an “Aethon” (or “Deacon”) sub-species of xenomorph, which has similar characteristics (long dome-shaped head, no eyes, extendable jaw), so obviously the Engineers had experience with that threat. We can settle this whole discrepancy by positing that David was not the first scientist to unlock the facehugger/egg method of using the black goo – and that the “Space Jockey” Engineer was an older example of that facehugger/egg process that fell into obscurity after the ship crashed and was lost on LV-426.

That kind of explanation is the more exciting one, arguably: it opens several windows of possibility for the Alien franchise to explore in the future. David’s continuing story is one; the story of how that ship crashed on LV-426 is another – as is the question of what happened to the Prometheus serum in the decades between Alien: Romulus and Aliens. That’s not even counting what other bold new swings the franchise could take next, beyond explaining every detail of what’s already occurred.

Alien movies are available to stream on Hulu-Disney+.

The post Alien Fans Are Still Confused by This Big Xenomorph Origin Question appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Even Doctor Strange’s all-seeing Eye of Agamotto didn’t see it coming. During its San Diego Comic-Con presentation in July, Marvel Studios announced that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — not as Iron Man, but as the Fantastic Four villain Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027). The news came as a surprise for Downey’s Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame co-star Benedict Cumberbatch, who revealed his reaction to Downey’s Doctor Doom casting in a new interview.

Cumberbatch told Variety he was watching Marvel’s Comic-Con panel live when Downey was unmasked as the actor playing Victor von Doom. He then immediately texted Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige: “‘What the f—?'”

“And then quickly added, ‘Good what-the-f—,'” Cumberbatch said. “I mean, good what-the-f—.'”  

RELATED: Marvel’s Doctor Strange Star Reuniting With Sam Raimi for New Movie

The actor, who first starred as master of the mystic arts Stephen Strange in 2016’s Doctor Strange, reprised his role in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok and two Avengers movies before going on to appear in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home and a Doctor Strange sequel, 2022’s In the Multiverse of Madness. Cumberbatch also confirmed that plans have changed, and he won’t be in Doomsday despite previously confirming his involvement in the fifth Avengers movie. Instead, Strange will be on a “hiatus” by the time of Doomsday, but will be back in time for Secret Wars in 2027.

In fact, Strange is “quite central” to the Anthony and Joe Russo-directed Secret Wars, which caps off Marvel’s Multiverse Saga and Phase Six of the MCU. (In the 2015 comic book storyline of the same name, Strange was the Sheriff of Agamotto and Right Hand of God Emperor Doom, who reshaped reality to his will after reality-destroying incursions.)

“I’m really excited not only to work with the Russo brothers again, but also to have 
Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom,” Cumberbatch previousy told the outlet TV Groove. “I think there’s going to be some really cool developments ahead, and I’m excited to see what happens next.”

While Cumberbatch and Downey won’t reunite until Secret Wars, former Captain America actor Chris Evans is reportedly set to return in Doomsday in a mystery role. (After retiring Steve Rogers in 2019’s Endgame, Evans made a cameo in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, his character from 2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s FF: Rise of the Silver Surfer.)

Marvel Studios has dated the Downey-led Avengers: Doomsday for May 1, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars for May 7, 2027.

The post Benedict Cumberbatch Reacts to Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Casting: “What the F—?” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Benedict Cumberbatch has conjured some spoilers concerning Doctor Strange‘s presence in Avengers: Doomsday. The actor plays Stephen Strange, who was once the Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He’s headlined two Doctor Strange movies so far, with a third film in the pipeline and an important role to play in Marvel’s Multiverse Saga. Just last month, Cumberbatch reminded fans that Doctor Strange was headed for Avengers: Doomsday in a showdown with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, but those plans appear to have hit a major roadblock. Because now Cumberbatch has let it slip that Doctor Strange won’t be a part of Avengers: Doomsday after all.

“Is that a spoiler?” Benedict Cumberbatch told Variety. “Fuck it!” The actor went on to reveal that plans changed for Doctor Strange when Jonathan Majors — who played the time-traveling Kang the Conqueror and was being setup as the central villain in the Multiverse Saga — was found guilty of assault and harassment of his ex-girlfriend, leading to Jonathan Majors being fired by Marvel Studios. The company pivoted by recruiting Robert Downey Jr. to make his MCU return as Doctor Doom, renaming Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to Avengers: Doomsday, and bringing directors Joe and Anthony Russo back to helm Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

[RELATED: Marvel Just Revealed How Chris Evans’ Captain America Return Could Make Sense]

Cumberbatch noted the reason Doctor Strange was removed from Avengers: Doomsday was due to “the character not aligning with this part of the story.” However, he said Doctor Strange is “in a lot” of Avengers: Secret Wars, which follows Avengers: Doomsday, so at least that should be good news to fans’ ears.

“He’s quite central to where things might go,” Cumberbatch teased. He also alluded to Doctor Strange 3, which is rumored to have Sam Raimi return as director. However, Cumberbatch didn’t divulge anymore than to say how he’s enjoyed the collaborative nature of working with Marvel Studios.

“They are very open to discussing where we go next,” he said. “Who do you want to write and direct the next one? What part of the comic lore do you want to explore so that Strange can keep evolving? He’s a very rich character to play. He’s a complex, contradictory, troubled human who’s got these extraordinary abilities, so there’s potent stuff to mess about with.”  

Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars a year later on May 7, 2027.

The post “Is That a Spoiler?”: Benedict Cumberbatch Comments on Doctor Strange in Avengers: Doomsday appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Blending horror with comedy is both a tried-and-true formula for success and also a balancing act that can easily fall on its face. Lean too much into horror and the comedic elements feel jarring, lean too much on comedy and the impact of a movie’s terror is entirely overlooked. Given that humor and fear are some of the most primal emotions, attempting to conjure those in an audience is more difficult than many expect, which is exactly what the new movie Companion feels like such a success: it manages to deliver compelling characters we invest in, both reveling in their demise and cheering for their persistence.

In an alternate reality or the not-too-distant future, Iris (Sophie Thatcher) falls for Josh (Jack Quaid) in a way that mirrors the most endearing of rom-coms. Their relationship does run into trouble, though, as not all of Josh’s friends approve of the couple, namely due to the fact that Iris is actually a sentient robot, a fact that only Iris herself learns of in the film’s opening act.

One of 2024’s more thrilling horror-comedies was Abigail from filmmakers Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin. Despite the film’s effectiveness in its own right, the majority of Abigail‘s marketing materials teased how the titular little girl was a vampire, a fact which her kidnappers only learned about after a significant amount of the film’s run time had passed. Similarly, Companion‘s marketing materials have undercut the impact of Iris realizing she’s a robot, but as compared to last year’s vampire-centric movie, this film has plenty more twists and turns than what has already been revealed ahead of its release.

In addition to the film’s marketing materials teasing a major plot twist, it also boasted that it was produced by Barbarian filmmaker Zach Cregger. While Companion was written and directed by Drew Hancock, it does make good on the implication it is just as twisted as Cregger’s 2022 breakout hit. Whereas Barbarian had some entirely visceral, narrative-changing reveals, Hancock’s movie doesn’t have to rely on such dramatic tonal shifts and offers up a much more empathetic experience. Companion isn’t without its heroes and villains, but Hancock’s script and direction will see the audience shifting their allegiances ever so slightly over the course of the narrative.

It’s no surprise that Thatcher has earned herself a major following in the genre world, having impressed audiences with her work on Showtime’s Yellowjackets and in films like The Boogeyman and Heretic. What really makes her performance in Companion, though, is her nuance and restraint in conveying a range of emotions as Iris. She brings the required warmth and charm to make audiences root for Iris and Josh’s relationship, but it’s not until key points in the narrative in which the robot’s operating system is tweaked that we understand the full reach of Thatcher’s skills. More specifically, as Iris’s attributes are manipulated, Thatcher modifies her physical and vocal performance to become more or less humanized, helping sell the idea that Iris is arguably more human than some of the other characters in the movie. Similarly, with Quaid having won over audiences as the affable Hughie in Prime Video’s The Boys, he gets to channel all of his boyish charm to romance Iris, while also offering glimmers of potentially using that charm to distract people from his true tendencies. The supporting cast of Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén, and Rupert Friend all also do their part in selling layered, complicated, and often hilarious figures.

The premise of the movie might feel reactionary or timely, but there’s a long history of sci-fi films exploring what would happen if A.I. gained sentience. Whether it be 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Terminator, Ex Machina, or the recent crowdpleaser M3GAN, the notion of technology outpacing humanity has frightened us for decades. This doesn’t at all mean that Companion feels redundant, though, as it instead highlights how the movie manages to find a much more grounded entry point for a premise. Not only is Josh’s depression and desperation entirely believable, but so is the concept of a tech company developing human-passing automatons. Also making Companion stand apart is how fully invested in Iris’s journey we become. Plenty of non-human characters have excited fans in horror movies, though while there’s much delight to be had in witnessing artificial lifeforms laying waste to the humans in front of them, we empathize with Iris in ways entirely unique to her journey.

Companion is undoubtedly a genre movie, not only in its premise but also in its execution, yet the one realm in which it might not fully excite horror fans is in its overall sense of terror. Namely, there’s not really anything outright scary, and that’s not entirely a bad thing. Witnessing a culture in which robots can pass for humans is frightening, but almost all of the film’s tension comes from Iris and what her fate could be. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, depending on a viewer’s tastes, but anyone anticipating an R-rated adventure full of motorized mayhem should temper expectations. Luckily, we’re instead given a smart, silly, and nuanced take on romance and relationships in the digital age which manages to offer up equal amounts of laughs and violence. The entire cast is quirky and endearing, but Companion is fully Sophie Thatcher’s vehicle as her Iris helps cement the words of Rob Zombie into stone by proving she is more human than human.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Companion lands in theaters on January 31st.

The post Companion Review: A Horror-Comedy That Keeps Audiences on Their Toes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While filming his role for Bong Joon-Ho’s upcoming film Mickey 17, star Robert Pattinson altered his voice to make himself sound like Jackass icon Steve-O — a choice that did not go over well with everyone else involved with the project. In an interview with Elle, Pattinson discussed his admiration for Steve-O, citing the daredevil’s extremely cheap salary for Jackass Season 1. While developing his take on the titular Mickey, Pattinson drew parallels between Steve-O and the character, noting they’re both “really brave [without] acknowledging that it’s bravery.” This led him to work on a Steve-O impression for Mickey’s voice, but Bong was caught off-guard. “[T]he first time I did it, Bong was just like, ‘Whoa—what’s that voice you’re doing?'” Pattinson said.

The reactions made Pattinson realize that he perhaps took “too large a swing” with his homage to Steve-O. “[W]hen you haven’t prepared someone, at all—it was at a script read through, and there’s like 40 people around the table, and every single person looks up, and they’re like, ‘Oh! Oh, you’re doing a thing?'” the actor said.

In Mickey 17, Pattinson plays Mickey Barnes, a down-on-his-luck everyman who voluntarily signs up to be an “expendable” in order to get off of Earth. The catch is that this is a dangerous profession, and every time Mickey dies on the job, a new copy of his body is made with most of its predecessors’ memories intact. As seen in the official Mickey 17 trailer, things become complicated when two versions of Mickey — the 17th and 18th — accidentally cross paths, threatening to throw the entire operation into chaos.

[RELATED – Robert Pattinson Calls Out His Public Lies Like Watching Clown Die in Explosion]

The sci-fi dark comedy is Bong’s first film since he helmed Best Picture winner Parasite. Mickey 17 has endured a complicated road to the big screen, as it has seen its release date delayed several times. At one point, it was supposed to come out in March 2024, but Warner Bros. constantly moved it around the calendar before ultimately scheduling it for March 7th.

While Pattinson toned down his Steve-O impression, he still significantly changed his voice for Mickey 17 (as can be heard in the trailer). Listening to the actor say his lines, it’s hard to believe this is the same person who played a brooding Bruce Wayne in The Batman, but this has become par for the course for Pattinson. Through his work in everything from big-budget blockbusters like The Batman to smaller character dramas such as Good Time, he’s established himself as a talented performer with the range required to play a variety of characters. This skill set has made him an in-demand name the past several years. Pattinson is set to reunite with his Tenet director Christopher Nolan for 2026’s The Odyssey.

Given the pedigree involved, Mickey 17 is one of the more anticipated films in the early part of this year, and it will be interesting to see how the final product comes together. The trailer did a solid job of establishing the movie’s premise and tone, promising a unique offering that could be equal parts entertaining and thought-provoking. Even without the Steve-O impersonation, Pattinson’s performance should be one of Mickey 17‘s highlights, and perhaps one day footage of that infamous table read will emerge so everyone can hear it.

The post Robert Pattinson Tried to Impersonate a Jackass Star in New Movie (And Everyone Hated It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With February just around the corner, Netflix is getting subscribers prepared for a whole new month of additions ahead. On Wednesday, Netflix sent out its regular monthly newsletter, revealing the full calendar for arrivals throughout February, and there’s quite a bit for folks to look forward to.

Highlighting the entire month is the final episodes of Cobra Kai. Netflix’s Karate Kid sequel series has just five episodes left in its six-season run, which comes to a close on February 13th.

You can check out the full list of Netflix’s February additions below!

February 1st

Cult of Chucky
From Prada to Nada
Happy Feet
Happy Feet Two
Home Improvement: Seasons 1-8
It (2017)
Magic Mike XXL
Miss Congeniality
The Nice Guys
Parasite
Queen & Slim
Richie Rich
Space Jam (1996)
Spanglish
Two Weeks Notice
The Wedding Planner

SAKAMOTO DAYS (JP) — NETFLIX ANIME (new episode)
Once the greatest hitman of all, Taro Sakamoto retired in the name of love. But when his past catches up, he must fight to protect his beloved family.

February 2nd

The Founder

February 3rd

Bogotá: City of the Lost (KR) — NETFLIX FILM
After moving to Bogotá for a chance at a better life, a young Korean man rises through the Colombian black market — risking peril for a shot at success.

February 4th

The Graham Norton Show: Best Bits: The Week of January 24, 2025

February 5th

Alone Australia: Season 1

Celebrity Bear Hunt (GB) — NETFLIX SERIES
Holly Willoughby hosts this competition show set in the Costa Rican jungle, where 12 celebrities become prey for that fearsome hunter — Bear Grylls.

Envious: Season 2 (AR) — NETFLIX SERIES
Vicky finds herself torn between two possible paths: marrying and building a family project with Dani, or allowing herself to explore a relationship with Matías. At times, that country club life she once dreamed of no longer seems so appealing, but the desire sparked by the possibility of a new love terrifies her. More neurotic and frazzled than ever, she begins to go back and forth between both worlds, unwilling to let go of either. Desperate, she will have to make a decision and face the consequences.

Grimsburg: Season 1

Kinda Pregnant — NETFLIX FILM
Jealous of her best friend’s pregnancy, Lainy wears a fake baby bump…and accidentally meets the man of her dreams.

Prison Cell 211 (MX) — NETFLIX SERIES
Caught in a prison riot, a human rights lawyer poses as an inmate to survive. As he blends in, chaos and personal loss unveil the darkness within him.

Sintonia: Season 5 (BR) — NETFLIX SERIES
As Doni, Nando and Rita face new moral dilemmas as adults, will their convictions alter their paths, or is friendship stronger than what divides them?As Doni, Nando and Rita face new moral dilemmas as adults, will their convictions alter their paths, or is friendship stronger than what divides them?

[RELATED: Everything Coming to MAX in February 2025]

February 6th

Apple Cider Vinegar (AU) — NETFLIX SERIES
Two young women advocate for wellness remedies to cure deadly illnesses, unraveling their lives as they unknowingly — and knowingly — mislead the world.

The Åre Murders (SE) — NETFLIX SERIES
A Stockholm detective under internal investigation heads to a ski resort to unwind, until a young girl’s disappearance compels her back to work.

Cassandra (DE) — NETFLIX SERIES
A family moves into a vintage smart home and discovers that it’s under the control of a virtual assistant — who will stop at nothing to keep them there.

Golden Kamuy -The Hunt of Prisoners in Hokkaido– — NETFLIX SERIES
With two map pieces secured, Sugimoto and Asirpa continue their hunt for the remaining 22 tattooed convicts whose bodies hold the key to hidden treasure.

Supreme Models: Limited Series

Sweet Magnolias: Season 4 — NETFLIX SERIES
It’s a very Serenity holiday season as the Magnolias weather a tragedy, a town crisis and a fierce storm in the weeks from Halloween to Christmas.

February 7th

A Different World: Seasons 1-6
The Conners: Season 6

The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan (IN) — NETFLIX SPORTS SERIES
Tracing the cricketing rivalry between India and Pakistan, this documentary series explores their intricate past and uncertain present on the pitch.

Pokémon Horizons: Season 2—The Search for Laqua Part 1 (JP) — NETFLIX SERIES
After traveling with the Rising Volt Tacklers, Liko, Roy and Dot decide to improve their knowledge as Trainers and learn more about their Pokémon pals.

Wrong Side of the Tracks: Season 4 (ES) — NETFLIX SERIES
In the final season of this acclaimed series, Tirso is drawn into a serial killings case and seeks revenge for the tragedy that devastated his family.

February 8th

SAKAMOTO DAYS (JP) — NETFLIX ANIME (new episode)
Once the greatest hitman of all, Taro Sakamoto retired in the name of love. But when his past catches up, he must fight to protect his beloved family.

Spencer

February 10th

Aftermath
American Pickers: Season 16
Rambo (2008)
Rambo: Last Blood

Surviving Black Hawk Down (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
In shocking detail, US soldiers and Somali fighters recall the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu and the now-famous downing of three Black Hawk helicopters.

February 11th

Felipe Esparza: Raging Fool — NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL
In a furiously funny special, Felipe Esparza riffs on his tough-love Mexican mom, keeping a marriage spicy and why dairy is more dangerous than drugs.

The Graham Norton Show: Best Bits: The Week of January 31, 2025
Peninsula
Train to Busan

The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep — NETFLIX FILM
Monster hunter Geralt of Rivia gets drawn into an epic conflict between land and sea in this animated film from “The Witcher” universe.

February 12th

Death Before the Wedding (PL) — NETFLIX FILM
When Maja brings her fiancé home, her traditional parents must overcome their cultural biases amidst a crisis at their dairy farm. Can love find a way?

Honeymoon Crasher (FR) — NETFLIX FILM
When his fiancée dumps him at the altar for her ex, a young man is left with no alternative but to go on his romantic honeymoon with his mother.

February 13th

Cobra Kai: Season 6: Part 3 — NETFLIX SERIES
Granted one final chance to finish the Sekai Taikai, Daniel, Johnny and the team lay it all on the line in the ultimate championship showdown.

Dog Days Out — NETFLIX FAMILY
When their humans are away, cute and curious pup Holm and his dog pals love to play with their best friends — their favorite toys!

The Exchange: Season 2 (KW) — NETFLIX SERIES
After their big break into Kuwait’s male-dominated stock market, will Farida and Munira keep rising to success — or lose everything they’ve worked for?

La Dolce Villa — NETFLIX FILM
Successful businessman Eric travels to Italy to stop his daydreaming daughter Olivia from restoring a crumbling villa. Italy, however, has different plans for him as it delivers on its legendary promise of beauty, magic, and romance.

Resident Alien: Season 3
Trial by Fire

February 14th

I Am Married…But! (TW) — NETFLIX SERIES
After a meet-cute ends in a whirlwind romance, a couple must learn to navigate the messy reality of married life that’s nothing like a fairy tale ending.

Love Is Blind: Season 8 — NETFLIX SERIES
A new group of singles face the ultimate dating experiment. Will they find their soulmates and get married, or will looks get in the way of love?

Melo Movie (KR) — NETFLIX SERIES
A movie buff falls for an aspiring director, igniting a romance that fizzles out too soon. When their paths cross again, can love find its way back?

Valeria: Season 4 (ES) — NETFLIX SERIES
As the four friends enter a more grown up era of love, careers and life, Valeria must finally work out her feelings — especially those involving Víctor.

Dhoom Dhaam (IN) — NETFLIX FILM
On their wedding night, a timid momma’s boy and a daring wild child find themselves on the run from ruthless goons, finding love and chaos in a night of crazy adventures— all while searching for the elusive Charlie!

Love Forever (SE) — NETFLIX FILM
A Stockholm couple plans to get married on the gorgeous island of Gotland, where family-imposed traditions turn their most important day into a disaster.

The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (ID) — NETFLIX FILM
A playboy stages a dating show to earn his inheritance by granting his father’s last wish: for his son to marry the most beautiful girl in the world.

Umjolo: There is No Cure (ZA) — NETFLIX FILM
After losing her title for publicly exposing a scandal, a former pageant queen works on a tell-all book — all while her love life remains unwritten.

February 15th

SAKAMOTO DAYS (JP) — NETFLIX ANIME (new episode)
Once the greatest hitman of all, Taro Sakamoto retired in the name of love. But when his past catches up, he must fight to protect his beloved family.

February 16th

Don’t Let Go
Gold
Ted 2

February 17th

Gabby’s Dollhouse: Season 11 — NETFLIX FAMILY
Gabby, Pandy and the kitty crew are back for more feline fun, cool crafts and imaginative adventures — and there’s a new room in the dollhouse, too!

February 18th

Court of Gold — NETFLIX SPORTS SERIES
For the first time ever, top medal contenders in men’s basketball granted behind-the-scenes access at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Court of Gold gives an unfiltered, insider look at Team USA, France, Serbia and Canada as they gear up and battle for gold in Paris. International basketball has caught up to the U.S. and the competition and stakes are higher than ever.

The Graham Norton Show: Best Bits: The Week of February 7, 2025

Offline Love (JP) — NETFLIX SERIES
Young singles spend ten days in a foreign country, relying on fate alone to fall in love. Without any digital devices, will they be able to find the one?

Rosebud Baker: The Mother Lode — NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL
Rosebud Baker delivers a raw and hilarious look at motherhood in all its chaotic beauty — filmed both before and after giving birth.

February 19th

My Family (IT) — NETFLIX SERIES
A terminally ill father prepares his chaotic family to care for his two young kids and face life without him — but they must put old quarrels to rest.

To Catch a Killer

February 20th

Operation Finale

Zero Day — NETFLIX SERIES
After a cyberattack sabotages transportation and power infrastructure across the U.S., former President George Mullen is asked to find the culprit.

February 22nd

SAKAMOTO DAYS (JP) — NETFLIX ANIME (new episode)
Once the greatest hitman of all, Taro Sakamoto retired in the name of love. But when his past catches up, he must fight to protect his beloved family.

February 23rd

The 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards — NETFLIX LIVE EVENT
Kristen Bell hosts as the biggest names in film and TV light up the stage for the 31st annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. (Live event in English.)

February 25th

Full Swing: Season 3 — NETFLIX SPORTS SERIES
This immersive documentary series follows the world’s greatest golfers — on and off the course — during a season of relentless competition.

The Graham Norton Show: Best Bits: The Week of February 14, 2025

Really Love
Watcher

February 26th

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Seasons 5-6

Miss Italia Mustn’t Die (IT) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Behind the glitz of Miss Italia, director Patrizia Mirigliani fights to save the iconic pageant, now wavering amid scandals and changing beauty standards.

February 27th

Demon City (JP) — NETFLIX FILM
Framed for his family’s murder and left for dead, an ex-hitman will stop at nothing to exact revenge on the masked “demons” who have taken over his city.

Running Point — NETFLIX SERIES
When a scandal forces her brother to resign, Isla Gordon is appointed president of the Los Angeles Waves, one of the most storied professional basketball franchises, and her family business. Ambitious and often overlooked, Isla will have to prove to her skeptical brothers, the board, and the larger sports community that she was the right choice for the job, especially in the unpredictable, male-dominated world of sports.

Toxic Town (GB) — NETFLIX SERIES
Brave mothers fight for justice in a drama based on the true story of the Corby poisonings, featuring Jodie Whittaker, Aimee Lou Wood and Claudia Jessie.

The Wrong Track (NO) — NETFLIX FILM
When chaotic single mother Emilie hits a new low, she looks to her brother for help. He has a brilliant plan: to enter a cross-country ski marathon.

February 28th

Aitana: Metamorphosis (ES) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
In this documentary series, Aitana reveals intimate moments and untold thoughts about her journey from regular teen to international pop sensation.

Despicable Me 4
Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Squad 36 (FR) — NETFLIX FILM
A police agent launches his own investigation when a series of killings claims the lives of officers from an elite unit he was forced to leave.

The post Netflix: Every Movie and TV Show Being Added in February 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It appears that the conversation about the death of physical media was a bit premature, because Blu-ray sales have been hot lately – especially when it comes to limited edition Steelbooks. Deadpool & Wolverine Steelbooks sold like crazy, and there have been super quick sellouts on releases like the Terminator 40th anniversary and Godzilla Minus One 4K Steelbooks. The Alien: Romulus 4K Steelbook has also been a big seller, and you can get in in on the fun here on Amazon and here at Walmart, where it is currently priced at $47.75 (28% off). That’s just a couple bucks off the all-time low we saw around the holidays. The list of bonus features can be found below.

• DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
• Return to Horror: Crafting Alien: Romulus
• Inside the Xenomorph Showdown – Experience the film’s climactic zero-gravity sequence from every angle as filmmakers break down what it took to make the moment spectacular. From sets and performances, to wirework, stunts, and VFX, see how it all came together.
• Alien: A Conversation – A special conversation with Ridley Scott and Fede Alvarez for the Alien 45th Anniversary theatrical re-release.
• Alternate / Extended Scenes – Check out scenes that didn’t make the final cut.
• Optional English SDH, Japanese S, Spanish, and French subtitles for the main feature

Note that a VHS edition of Alien: Romulus exists, and it was available to pre-order here at Walmart for $59.96, but is currently sold out and unlikely to return. This is obviously a collector’s item, but if you actually own a VCR keep in mind that the VHS is fully functional. It also features some fantastic cover art by Matt Ferguson. Additional details about the VHS release are available here.

Another Alien Movie on the Way?

Given the strong box office performance of the film, it seems likely that another entry into the franchise.will happen, though nothing has been confirmed at this point. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter recently, Alvarez was asked about a potential Romulus sequel. While it wasn’t on the forefront of his mind during the film, he definitely thought about ways the story could be extended after the fact.

“Yes, I definitely can. We tend to do that naturally, not even thinking about sequels. For us, movies have not become franchises, tentpoles, and sequels,” the director said. “This is a language that I’ve only learned in the last ten years of my life working here. For me, it’s always been about story. So, once we finished, we started thinking, ‘What do you think happens when or if they get to your Yvaga? Is it going to be great? Or is it a terrible place?’ We tend to believe it’s probably a terrible place that they think is great and fantasize about, so we naturally started thinking about where it goes and what’s going to happen. And then, a few minutes in, we go, ‘Oh, that sounds like a sequel.’

The post Alien: Romulus Limited Edition Steelbook 4K Blu-ray Is 28% Off appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Will Smith has offered another tease for his mysterious Matrix-related project, confirming a January premiere that will take place at a special event in major U.S. cities. On his official Instagram page, the actor posted a collection of behind-the-scenes videos and photos featuring him dressed as Neo in The Matrix. It appears that whatever Smith is working on involves recreating iconic sequences from the seminal sci-fi film; multiple clips showcase Smith filming on a dojo set, while another looks to be his version of the lobby shootout. In one of the photos, Smith seems ready to film a bullet time dodging sequence.

The Instagram post’s caption includes the URL for willsmith.com/whiterabbit. Upon clicking, visitors can RSVP for some kind of event at one of five locations. Smith’s project will be screened at movie theaters in the Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, and Chicago areas on Wednesday, January 29th. The event takes place at 10 p.m. EST. Check out Smith’s post in the space below:

Earlier this month, Smith made waves with a cryptic post that first teased this Matrix-inspired endeavor. At the time, some believed he could have been hinting at his involvement in a new installment in the sci-fi franchise, but that isn’t the case. While The Matrix 5 remains in development, with Drew Goddard penning the script, Smith is not attached to star. As of this writing, there have been no casting announcements for the next Matrix film.

[RELATED – 10 Classic ‘90s Movies That Changed Everything for Hollywood]

Famously, Smith turned down the role of Neo when Lana and Lilly Wachowski were developing the original film, opting to make Wild Wild West instead. In the past, Smith has publicly discussed his decision, admitting that he “probably would have messed The Matrix up” had he signed on. While The Matrix became one of the most influential sci-fi films of all time, Wild Wild West was critically panned and only grossed $222.1 million worldwide against a $170 million production budget.

Smith’s post does not provide much clarity on what his Matrix project is. One possibility is that it’s a new music video — perhaps for a song where Smith contemplates the “what if?” scenario of him starring in The Matrix. It’s also plausible this could be a Super Bowl spot; commercials for the NFL’s big game frequently draw from pop culture staples, as advertisers try to make the biggest splash on such a massive stage. Typically, companies like to unveil their Super Bowl ads ahead of time. This year, the Super Bowl takes place on February 9th.

Whatever this is, it’s clear it’s something Smith is very excited about. The fact that he’s staging a special premiere event in movie theaters across the country suggests the project is worthy of all the pomp and circumstance that entails. It’s easy to understand why Smith feels it’s deserving of the big-screen treatment; The Matrix is still one of the most visually stunning blockbusters in history, and it will be interesting to see what Smith has in store — especially for people who attend one of the screenings next week.

The post Will Smith’s Latest Matrix Tease Includes Major Cities (And a January Premiere Date) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Netflix has officially confirmed that Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia will receive an exclusive IMAX theatrical release before arriving on the streaming platform. During Netflix’s Q4 2024 Earnings Interview on January 21, 2025, CEO Ted Sarandos provided significant details about the release strategy for the upcoming fantasy epic, emphasizing that the theatrical run will be limited to a two-week window. This update comes just days after reports emerged about the film’s Thanksgiving 2026 IMAX debut, clarifying Netflix’s theatrical strategy for what promises to be one of the streaming platform’s most ambitious projects to date.

“Our core strategy is to give our members exclusive first-round movies on Netflix,” Sarandos explained during the earnings call. “The Narnia IMAX release is a release tactic. We routinely release movies in theaters a couple of weeks before [they come to Netflix] to qualify for awards, to meet festival requirements, and to pump publicity a bit.” The CEO emphasized that while these theatrical releases are common practice, the Narnia release is specifically designed as “a two-week special event.” In addition, this approach appears to be focused exclusively on IMAX screens, with Sarandos noting that “it’s very differentiated from other runs because I doubt anyone has a screen as big as an IMAX screen. Doing it with IMAX greatly simplifies our release process.”

The streaming giant’s strategy for Narnia follows its established pattern of theatrical releases, though generally on a more limited scale. Recently, Netflix announced plans for Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein to receive a theatrical run, while past releases like Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, The Gray Man, and Red Notice all received brief theatrical windows before streaming. However, the scale of the IMAX release for Narnia, planned for approximately 1,000 global locations, represents one of Netflix’s most extensive theatrical commitments to date.

[RELATED: Greta Gerwig Breaks Silence on Barbie’s Oscar Snubs]

While producer Amy Pascal previously announced a July 2025 production start date, Sarandos’s recent comments suggest the timeline might not be firmly set. “I’m incredibly excited to be working with Greta in this movie,” the CEO stated. “We are super excited to get it into production so we can talk about how great this movie is, more so than which screen it’s on.” His emphasis on still needing to “get it into production” raises questions about whether the July 2025 production start remains on track. Nevertheless, Sarandos maintains enthusiasm for the project and its director, adding, “She’s an incredible director, and this is a really exciting project.”

What We Know About Netflix’s The Chronicles of Narnia Reboot

The path to bringing C.S. Lewis’s beloved fantasy series back to screens has been long and winding since Netflix acquired the rights to the books in 2018. The project gained significant momentum in July 2023 when Greta Gerwig, fresh off the phenomenal success of Barbie, was announced as writer and director. Pascal describes the adaptation as “a very new take on Narnia” that’s “all about rock and roll,” suggesting a potentially bold reimagining of the classic material.

Gerwig’s involvement represents a significant step forward for Netflix’s ambitious plans to adapt all seven books in Lewis’s series through a combination of films and television shows. The director is currently committed to helming at least two installments. This marks a departure from previous adaptations, including Disney and Walden Media’s trilogy released between 2005 and 2010, which only managed to bring three of the seven books to the screen before the series was discontinued.

The project also represents a significant evolution in Gerwig’s career, moving from intimate character studies like Lady Bird and Little Women to the blockbuster success of Barbie, and now to epic fantasy. She has spoken about approaching the material with “extra care,” citing her personal “reverence” for Lewis’s work. While casting details remain under wraps, the production has already received an encouraging endorsement from William Moseley, who portrayed Peter Pevensie in the Disney adaptations.

Until further notice, Greta Gerwig’s The Chronicles of Narnia comes to IMAX on December 2026.

The post Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia Reboot Gets Major Update From Netflix Boss appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday has taken an intriguing turn with Chris Evans joining Robert Downey Jr. in the cast. While Downey Jr.’s role as Doctor Doom was revealed at San Diego Comic-Con, Evans’ character remains a mystery, meaning MCU fans are trying to piece together all the puzzle pieces to uncover what Doomsday is about. A compelling new fan theory suggests Evans could reprise his role as Steve Rogers/Captain America, linking the events of Avengers: Endgame directly to the upcoming film’s multiversal crisis. The theory provides a potential explanation for Doctor Doom’s emergence while addressing one of the MCU’s biggest unresolved plot threads.

The theory connects to a pivotal moment from Avengers: Endgame, where Steve Rogers embarked on a mission to return the Infinity Stones to their proper timelines after the Time Heist. This crucial task was meant to prevent alternate realities from spiraling into chaos, as the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) explained to Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo). However, instead of returning to the present after completing his mission, Rogers chose to remain in the past to live out his life with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). While this decision provided a touching conclusion to Cap’s story, the temporal implications of his choice were never fully explored in subsequent MCU entries.

[RELATED: New Black Panther Rumor Has Marvel Fans Fuming (But Some Are Happy With It)]

The time travel mission was complex, requiring Rogers to visit multiple historical points. Unfortunately, the logistics of this mission were never shown on screen, leaving room for speculation about what might have gone wrong during these delicate temporal operations. To make matters more complicated, according to Marvel’s established time travel rules, Rogers’ decision to stay in the past should have created a branch in the timeline, yet he appeared as an elderly man in the same timeline he left. Something seems off in the whole ordeal, so Avengers: Doomsday might address this event directly.

Did a Marvel Fan Guess What Avengers: Doomsday Is About?

Reddit user LollipopChainsawZz‘s theory presents an intriguing possibility: Avengers: Doomsday could be set in an alternate 1950s timeline created by Steve Rogers’ temporal displacement. The theory suggests that Cap’s decision to remain in the past had unintended consequences, leading to a butterfly effect that resulted in the emergence of the Fantastic Four, Doctor Doom, and the Baxter Building instead of the Avengers. This would explain why Tony Stark never became Iron Man in this timeline – instead, his genius took a darker turn, leading him to become Doctor Doom.

The theory aligns with the MCU’s current Multiverse Saga. Throughout Phases Four and Five, Marvel has explored the consequences of timeline manipulation, from Loki‘s TVA to the multiversal incursions in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The concept of branching timelines has also been central to recent MCU storytelling, with projects like What If…? demonstrating how small changes can lead to drastically different outcomes. Having Rogers’ past actions serve as the catalyst for Doomsday would raise the emotional stakes by making one of the MCU’s most beloved heroes inadvertently responsible for its greatest crisis.

The concept of Rogers having to fix a reality he accidentally broke could provide precisely the kind of meaningful story that would justify revisiting the character after his bittersweet departure in Endgame. Plus, this narrative direction would serve to tie The Fantastic Four: First Steps into the larger MCU, as the upcoming movie is set in an alternate version of the 1960s. It’s an inspired idea that could help the Multiversal Saga to gain new meaning while allowing beloved characters to return.

Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to premiere in theaters on May 1, 2026.

The post New Marvel Theory Could Reveal Chris Evans’ Role in Avengers: Doomsday appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut Blink Twice has arrived on Prime Video amid swirling controversy over its perceived parallels between the movie and the Jeffrey Epstein case. The psychological thriller stars Channing Tatum in a startling departure from his typical roles as Slater King, a seemingly reformed tech billionaire whose private island paradise harbors dark secrets, a premise that sparked immediate comparisons to real-world events. These similarities and the uncomfortable themes the movie deals with led MGM Studios to take the unusual step of issuing a comprehensive content warning in August 2024, addressing the film’s depictions of power abuse and sexual violence to inform viewers willing to watch it in theaters.

Blink Twice’s Epstein parallels became so prominent that Kravitz directly addressed them in multiple interviews. Speaking with IndieWire, the director emphasized that despite surface-level similarities, the film’s island setting and powerful male antagonist weren’t inspired by any specific case. “That [Epstein] situation, that particular place and person, that documentary or whatever it was, came out not even halfway through writing [Blink Twice],” Kravitz explained. She emphasized that the island setting was chosen to isolate characters and explore broader themes, drawing inspiration from classic literature like Lord of the Flies and the biblical Garden of Eden rather than contemporary events.

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To stay ahead of the controversy, MGM Studios took the unprecedented step of creating BlinkTwiceResources.com, a dedicated support website for viewers. This decision came alongside a formal statement acknowledging the film’s “mature themes and depictions of violence — including sexual violence.” Furthermore, the studio partnered with RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) to provide resources for affected viewers, marking a significant shift in how Hollywood handles potentially triggering content. Social media response to these measures was largely positive, with many praising the studio’s proactive approach to viewer welfare.

Is Blink Twice Worth Watching Despite the Controversy?

Despite its challenging themes, Blink Twice distinguishes itself through Kravitz’s assured direction and a career-defining performance from Tatum. As Slater King, Tatum delivers his most nuanced work to date, crafting a complex portrait of a seemingly reformed playboy whose charitable public image masks darker intentions. The actor, typically known for heroic or comedic roles, demonstrates remarkable range in a performance that gradually reveals layers of manipulation beneath a veneer of self-aware charm.

The film’s technical achievements match its thematic ambitions. Kravitz is a natural filmmaker, employing dynamic camerawork and meticulous framing to build suspense. Her direction particularly shines in the film’s careful pacing, which plants subtle visual cues throughout the first two acts that take on new meaning as the story’s true nature emerges. Finally, the sound design and editing work in concert to create an atmosphere of mounting unease, while compositions frame the island paradise in increasingly threatening ways.

Beyond its technical prowess, Blink Twice offers a timely examination of how social media shapes power dynamics in the modern era. Through Naomi Ackie’s compelling performance as Frida, a celebrity-obsessed waitress, the film explores how online culture creates pressure to accept questionable situations in pursuit of a curated lifestyle. This contemporary angle, combined with strong supporting performances from Adria Arjona and Alia Shawkat, elevates the material beyond typical psychological thriller territory into a sharp commentary on how systems of oppression adapt to changing social consciousness.

Blink Twice is now streaming on Prime Video.

The post Controversial Channing Tatum Movie Blink Twice Is Now Streaming on Prime Video appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Netflix has confirmed the release window for their highly anticipated Troll 2, scheduling the Norwegian monster saga’s next chapter for 2025. The announcement came through the streaming giant’s latest letter to shareholders, marking the first significant update since the sequel was greenlit in 2023. The original Troll, directed by Roar Uthaug, became Netflix’s most-watched non-English film, having amassed an impressive 103 million views in its first 91 days and earning a “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie’s success has showcased Netflix’s growing strength in international markets, with the film becoming a global phenomenon despite its regional roots and Norwegian-language presentation.

The original film follows the awakening of a colossal creature from Norwegian folklore when something stirs deep inside the mountain of Dovre after being trapped for a thousand years. What sets Troll apart from other monster movies is its unique blend of Scandinavian mythology with modern kaiju sensibilities, creating a fresh take on the genre that typically draws from Japanese traditions. The movie’s success demonstrates Netflix’s ability to deliver high-quality genre content beyond the English-language market, with the film reaching the Top 10 in 93 countries, including major markets like the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea.

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The sequel will see the return of director Roar Uthaug and writer Espen Aukan, along with producers Espen Horn and Kristian Strand Sinkerud. While specific plot details remain under wraps, Horn and Sinkerud have confirmed that Troll 2 will continue drawing from Norwegian folklore, maintaining the cultural authenticity that made the first film special. “Making Troll was a lifelong dream come true, and the reception our Norwegian movie has received around the world has been unbelievable,” Uthaug shared when the sequel was announced.

Troll 2 Is Not the Only Exciting Project Coming to Netflix in 2025

Netflix’s 2025 slate represents one of their most ambitious programming schedules to date, featuring a mix of highly anticipated sequels and original content. Among the most notable announcements is the return of Daniel Craig as detective Benoit Blanc in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, continuing the successful whodunit franchise. The streaming service is also betting big on star power with The Electric State starring Millie Bobby Brown, Happy Gilmore 2 featuring Adam Sandler, and RIP reuniting Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.

Beyond the blockbuster scene, Netflix used its letter to shareholders to underline it remains committed to prestige filmmaking thanks to projects from acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro, who will offer a unique interpretation of Frankenstein, and new films from Academy Award winners Kathryn Bigelow and Noah Baumbach. On the series front, Netflix is preparing for the return of their biggest hits, including the final seasons of Squid Game, You, and Stranger Things and the sophomore season of Wednesday. Unsurprisingly, Netflix is also expanding its international content with shows like Delhi Crime from India and Alice in Borderland from Japan, which are getting to their third season.

The streaming service is also making significant moves in live programming, securing 52 weeks of WWE content and the SAG Awards, while maintaining its commitment to documentary content with projects like Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 7 and Errol Morris’s Chaos: The Manson Murders.

Troll 2 is scheduled to debut on Netflix in 2025.

The post Netflix Confirms 2025 Sequel to One of Their Biggest Horror Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America, has been one of the most important characters in the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe. From foiling the Red Skull’s plan to bomb major American cities during WWII to saving the world from the Chitauri to bringing down HYDRA to, well, just being an amazing superhero across multiple movies, Captain America has been involved in some of the biggest and most impactful storylines in the MCU. But it’s not just Cap’s enhanced abilities or his shield that have made him such an amazing hero – it’s also his heart. While his old-fashioned morality may have made him stand out compared to his more modern teammates in the Avengers, Captain America’s “always do the right thing” mentality established him as one of the most honorable heroes in the MCU.

However, despite his prominence in the series, there’s still quite a bit about him that we don’t know, leaving audiences with plenty of questions that have yet to be answered. After disappearing following the events of Avengers: Endgame, we haven’t heard or seen anything from Rogers, other than the occasional reference to him, leaving several plotlines involving him a mystery to us, and it doesn’t seem Marvel Studios has any plans to give us answers. Let’s take a look at three Captain America cliffhangers that the MCU will never resolve.

What Happened During His Quest to Return the Infinity Stones

A major part of Avengers: Endgame involves Earth’s Mightiest Heroes going on a time heist to retrieve the Infinity Stones so that they can bring back everyone lost from Thanos’ fateful snap. After a mission well done, Steve Rogers is tasked with going back in time to put the Infinity Stones back in their proper places to ensure the timeline isn’t impacted. Steve does come back to the present, but not as his youthful self – he appears nearby, and considerably older, when it’s revealed that he went back to his past to marry Peggy Carter and live happily ever after.

It’s a beautiful way to wrap up Cap’s MCU storyline, but it leaves us with so many questions. Did he experience any hiccups traveling across time to drop off the Infinity Stones? After all, he would have had to confront his old nemesis the Red Skull when dropping off the Soul Stone on Vormir. And how did he reconnect with Peggy? For all she knew, he had died in the plane crash seen at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger. How did she take the news that not only did he survive, but that he came from the future?

[RELATED: Avengers: Endgame Iron Man Deleted Scene Resurfaces and Marvel Fans Are Shocked]

What Steve Rogers Has Been Doing After the Events of Avengers: Endgame

When Steve is seen at the end of Avengers: Endgame, he makes it pretty clear that his superhero days are over, having chosen married life and giving up the mantle of Captain America to Sam Wilson / the Falcon. Even though he had disappeared from public life, Steve is still very much remembered by the world. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier featured numerous characters speculating about his whereabouts; Spider-Man: No Way Home saw a massive red, white, and blue shield being erected on the Statue of Liberty; and there’s even a Broadway production about Captain America called “Rogers: The Musical” that was seen in Hawkeye.

But other than some references and nods to Steve, we’re never given any information as to what he’s been up to since returning from his mission to return the Infinity Stones. The guy certainly deserves a happy retirement, but would it kill the powers that be at Marvel Studios to simply have a character say something like, “Cap called me, he said he had a nice time fishing in Bermuda,” or something? What’s even weirder is that it seems like he hasn’t even been in contact with any of his Avengers colleagues. The occasional text would be nice, Steve.

Why He Picked Sam Wilson to Take Over as Captain America Instead of Bucky

When the elderly Steve Rogers appears at the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame, he gives his shield to Sam Wilson / the Falcon, indicating that he wants him to be the next Captain America. Sam is understandably reluctant to take on the title, and this plays a major role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, wherein he doesn’t fully accept the responsibility until towards the end of the series. Sam, of course, will still be Captain America in the upcoming film, Captain America: Brave New World.

Steve passing on the title of Captain America to Sam actually happened in the comics, so it’s nice that the MCU is staying true to the source material in that regard. However, do you know who took on the role of Captain America before Sam in the comics? Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. the Winter Soldier. Steve has known Bucky for far longer than Sam, so why did he pick Sam to follow in his footsteps? Perhaps the two had a conversation about this before Steve revealed his decision to Sam; Bucky’s mind has been tampered with by HYDRA, so it’s possible that they concluded that Bucky’s somewhat unstable mental state would disqualify him from the role. Whatever the case, some clarification on the matter would be nice.

The post 3 Captain America Cliffhangers MCU Fans Will Never See Resolved appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After a long wait, the highly anticipated remake of 1984’s The Toxic Avenger will finally be released this year. Cineverse has announced that it has acquired all U.S. and Canadian theatrical, home entertainment, and streaming rights through a deal with Legendary Entertainment, and will release the film in its uncut and unrated form. The film’s writer and director Macon Blair said in a statement (via Variety), “I’m beyond grateful to the team behind ‘The Toxic Avenger’ who were so supportive and steady-handed as we searched for the perfect distribution partner for our film. It’s so cool that folks will have the chance to see this in theaters, it’s a fun rowdy movie you wanna see with a crowd. Mutant hero smashes bad guys with a mop: perfect entertainment for the whole family!”

The Toxic Avenger opened to considerable acclaim at Fantastic Fest in 2023, but it struggled to attract a distribution deal due to its graphic violence, leaving the picture stuck in limbo and fans wondering when, if ever, it would be released.  Cineverse chairman and CEO Chris McGurk stated that, “The Toxic Avenger isn’t just a great film; it’s an important one…This is the kind of movie that major studios are averse to release because it dares to push boundaries, but Cineverse is rooted in championing bold, uncompromising storytelling. We believe audiences are ready – and eager – for films like this to take center stage.”

[RELATED: The Toxic Avenger Reboot Gets Red-Band, Jaw-Ripping Teaser]

Fans were worried that the only way the film would ever be released was with significant cuts to its more over-the-top scenes. Luckily, the surprising box office success of the uncompromising Terrifier 3 in 2024 – which is the highest-grossing unrated film of all time – proved that there was a large audience for films that push the boundaries well beyond what’s shown in mainstream movies.

The Toxic Avenger tells the story of Winston Gooze (played by Peter Dinklage), a meek janitor at a health club who, after falling into a pit of toxic waste, becomes a large deformed hero determined to take on the greedy and corrupt. In addition to Dinklage, the film has a star-studded cast that includes Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, and Julia Davis.

Just like the original Troma film produced and directed by Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman (who are also producing the remake), the new Toxic Avenger promises not to skimp on the gore and dark comedy. Blair stated, “Our goal was always to preserve the heart and spirit of the original Toxie (which was seared into my brain at a very young age) and try to make something that Troma fans would dig and at the same time do something with the character that feels fresh. Lloyd and Michael at Troma have been a blast to work with, absolutely everyone at Legendary are stars, and I can’t wait to start working with the champs at Cineverse to bring this version of Toxie to fans new and old.”

The Toxic Avenger will receive its unrated wide theatrical release in 2025.

The post The Toxic Avenger Reboot Finally Gets a Release Update (And Terrifier Fans Will be Excited) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Back in Action, Cameron Diaz’s first movie in over a decade, is now a massive hit on Netflix. Following its release on the streamer on January 17th, the film ranks No. 1 on Netflix’s Top 10 Movies chart for the past week. According to the data, Back in Action racked up 46.8 million views in its debut and was streamed for 88.9 million hours. Those figures lap the competition; the second-place film, animated sequel The Secret Life of Pets 2, scored 8.9 million views and 12.7 million hours. Back in Action was also the top film in 85 different countries.

Apparently, Netflix users were in the mood for Cameron Diaz action movies this week. Coming in fourth place was Knight and Day, director James Mangold’s 2010 offering that paired Diaz with Tom Cruise. Enjoying its second week in the Top 10, Knight and Day had 5.2 million views and 9.5 million hours viewed.

In Back in Action, Diaz reunites with her Annie co-star Jamie Foxx; the two play a pair of former CIA operatives who are forced to leave their quiet civilian lives behind and embark on a dangerous mission after their cover is blown. Foxx excitedly announced the project back in 2022, hyping up Diaz’s return to acting. The aforementioned Annie was actually her last role before she stepped away from the industry.

[RELATED – Cameron Diaz Would Return for a Mask Sequel Under This Condition]

Diaz’s Hollywood comeback isn’t temporary, as the actress has a few other projects on her plate. She is starring alongside Keanu Reeves in Jonah Hill’s Outcome, which is currently in post-production. Diaz is also set to reprise her famous role of Princess Fiona in the upcoming Shrek 5, scheduled for release in December 2026. She’s even expressed willingness to return for a Mask sequel as long as Jim Carrey agreed to it.

Despite receiving largely negative reviews (26% on Rotten Tomatoes), Back in Action proved to be a sizable draw for Netflix subscribers, who were probably thrilled by the prospect of Diaz headlining a star vehicle again. It will be interesting to see if the film’s success paves the way for an eventual sequel. Netflix is no stranger to developing follow-ups to movies that click with audiences (see: Extraction, Murder Mystery), so it wouldn’t be far-fetched for the streamer to pursue a Back in Action 2 — especially considering Back in Action netted more views in its debut than massive hit Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (41 million views, 80.7 million hours viewed).

Back in Action also marks another win for Foxx’s partnership with Netflix. The actor has starred in many Netflix movies that have performed well; the likes of Day Shift, They Cloned Tyrone, and Project Power all topped the streamer’s charts when they debuted. It stands reason to believe both parties will want to continue collaborating with each other, whether it’s Back in Action 2 or something else entirely.

The post Cameron Diaz’s First Movie in Ten Years Is a Certified Hit on Netflix appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Netflix’s Carry-On is officially one of the streamer’s most-watched movies ever, but whether the film will get a sequel remains to be seen. As of January 21st, the Taron Egerton starring, Jaume Collet-Serra directed action thriller is the third most popular English-language film for Netflix of all time with 160.1 million views (that’s 320.1 million hours). It comes in behind 2021’s Don’t Look Up with 171.4 million views and 2021’s Red Notice, which tops the list at 230.9 million views. 2022’s The Adam Project and 2018’s Bird Box round out the top five as numbers four and five on the list respectively.

However, despite the film’s massive success for Netflix, a sequel has not yet been announced. In Carry-On, Egerton as a TSA agent at LAX who is blackmailed by a mysterious traveler (Jason Bateman) so that he will allow luggage containing a nerve agent onto a flight to New York City on Christmas Eve. Without getting into spoilers, the film ends in a place where the story could continue. However, Collet-Sera has indicated that no plans currently exist for a sequel — though he’s not opposed to one.

“We don’t have any plans or a sequel,” Collet-Sera told Variety. “But if audiences wanted a sequel, families wanted a sequel, and if we had an idea that would spark and live up to the original maybe we would do something. But right now, there are no plans.”

[RELATED: Carry-On Star Weighs in on Possible Sequel After Massive Netflix Success]

Producer Dylan Clark did suggest, however, that there are some characters in Carry-On that it would be easy to see more stories with — particularly Danielle Deadwyler’s detective Elena Cole.

“There are no plans, but it’s fun to quietly talk about these things,” he said. “These characters are great. Look at Danielle Deadwyler’s character, you can see a world in which there’s a movie about her.”

Will Carry-On Get a Sequel?

At this point, it’s unclear if Carry-On will actually get a sequel. Of the ten films on Netflix’s all-time list, only four have had any sequel-related announcements. A sequel for 2020’s We Can Be Heroes — number nine on the list — was announced to be in development back in 2021 but there have been no official updates on the film to date. Bird Box did get a spin-off sequel in 2023’s Bird Box Barcelona, but it was met with. mixed reviews as compared to its predecessor. A sequel to The Gray Man is still in active development according to co-director Joe Russo, and Red Notice actually has two sequels in the works with the films expected to be filmed consecutively. It’s currently unclear what the status of those sequels are.

However, if viewership is enough to push Carry-On to get a sequel, then the odds are good. Netflix CEO ed Sarandos spoke about the success of the film during the streamer’s recent Q4 earnings call.

“This was a great example, I think, of a movie born on Netflix that can generate an enormous audience and tons of buzz. In fact, one of the producers called me over the break to tell me that this is exactly what it feels like to have a big movie in the theaters which was a great thing to hear.”

Sarandos also noted how Carry-On ended up in the cultural dialogue about what constitutes a Christmas movie int he same vein as Die Hard, but was particularly impressed at how the movie was successful being promoted within Netflix.

“I think it actually draws a lot of attention to how powerful the platform is to promote to our own members,” He added. “Netflix can talk to our members where they are, which is on Netflix, to tell them about a great new movie that they’re gonna love.”

Carry-On is now streaming on Netflix.

The post Carry-On Is Officially One of Netflix’s Most Viewed Movies Ever (But Where Is the Sequel?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Netflix is raised its prices for U.S. subscribers on Tuesday, January 21st, effective immediately. According to a report by Variety, the streamer broke the news in its quarterly letter to investors alongside announcements of its earnings in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024, which included its biggest-even increase in subscribers for a single quarter. This is the first time Netflix has raised the price of its ad-supported tier since its introduction, and the company’s first price hike overall since October of 2023. Netflix said that the money from increased subscription prices will go to improving its services and content offerings.

Under the new pricing structure, Netflix’s “Standard with ads” plan will go from $6.99 per month to $7.99 per month. “The Standard” plan will also rise from $15.49 to $17.99 per month, and the “Premium” plan will go up from $22.99 per month to $24.99 per month. Even the “Extra Member” add-on, which allows “Standard” and “Premium” users to access the service outside of their own households, will rise in price from $7.99 to $8.99 per month.

“As we continue to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members, we will occasionally ask our members to pay a little more so that we can re-invest to further improve Netflix,” read Netflix’s letter. “To that end, we are adjusting prices today across most plans in the U.S., Canada, Portugal and Argentina (which was already factored into the 2025 guidance we provided in October 2024).”

[RELATED: Winter 2025’s Best Anime OP Is … From a Netflix Romance?]

While the letter suggested that these price hikes would start immediately, the previous prices are still in place at the time of this writing. The letter also noted that Netflix acquired 18.9 million new subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2024 — the biggest gain ever in a single quarter. The company reported that 55 percent of new subscribers joined on the ad-supported tier, and outlined plans to increase advertising revenue in 2025.

The streamer also highlighted some of the big releases it has coming this year, which will hopefully help the company hang onto subscribers. That includes new seasons of both Squid Game and Wednesday as well as the series finales of You and Stranger Things.

Netflix last raised its prices in October of 2023. While it has not increased the subscription cost since then, it has done away with its cheapest ad-free tier and introduced “Standard with ads,” effectively making it the only option for customers at that price point. The streamer continues to dominate the streaming market, even if announcements like this one cause a stir on social media.

The post Netflix Increasing Prices for Subscribers Again (Including the Version With Ads) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Ryan Gosling could be joining the galaxy far, far away, as the actor is in talks to headline director Shawn Levy’s Star Wars movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gosling is “in negotiations” for the lead role, but details about the character he would play are being kept under wraps. Story details are also unknown, though The Hollywood Reporter notes it is a “standalone movie” that is not part of the Skywalker Saga. If Gosling officially signs on, the expectation is his casting will help fast-track Levy’s Star Wars movie. It could be ready to begin production by early as this fall, assuming everything stays on track.

Levy entered talks to helm a Star Wars film back in 2022, however, the project was never added to Disney’s official release schedule. Over the past couple of years, it was unknown how far along in development the movie was. In fact, Levy had been working on a different movie; following the $1 billion success of Deadpool & Wolverine, the director was planning to collaborate with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman on the comedy Boy Band, which Reynolds is currently writing. Gosling joining the Star Wars movie means it becomes the top priority for Levy moving forward.

Back in December, Levy provided a brief update on his Star Wars movie, sharing that he was working with screenwriter Jonathan Topper. In the past, the filmmaker has expressed his desire for any Star Wars project he makes to be standalone. One of his goals is to make sure he doesn’t have to “serve another movie” or make a Star Wars film “that is redundant to others.”

[RELATED – Skeleton Crew Further Proves Star Wars Is Better Under Disney]

Signing on for a Star Wars movie would mark a change of pace for Gosling. While he’s done his fair share of genre fare (most notably sci-fi sequel Blade Runner 2049), he hasn’t dipped into any of the typical Hollywood franchises yet — despite frequently being rumored for a variety of high-profile roles. That doesn’t stem from a lack of interest on Gosling’s part; he has expressed a desire to play Marvel’s Ghost Rider.

Snagging Gosling, a three-time Oscar nominee, would be a major boon for Lucasfilm. In the time since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the studio has struggled mightily to put together a new film slate. Several reported projects have stalled in various stages of development, including the Rey/New Jedi Order movie, which lost writer Steven Knight in October 2024. Having an A-lister like Gosling onboard would help generate enthusiasm for Star Wars’ movie future, which is very cloudy after 2026’s The Mandalorian & Grogu. He is a beloved talent with the range to play a number of classic Star Wars archetypes.

Levy’s film gaining traction could provide a clue as to the direction Lucasfilm will go regarding Star Wars movie development. It’s been said the studio is considering “several movies” centered around Rey, which would essentially be some kind of continuation of the Skywalker Saga. Of course, one of those projects could still come to fruition, but that’s proven to be a hurdle difficult to clear. Perhaps Lucasfilm has decided the better course of action would be to pursue standalone works, which could be more appealing to in-demand talent like Gosling. It will be interesting to see how Levy’s movie and the future of Star Wars shapes up from here. If Levy’s film starts filming soon, more news is surely right around the corner.

The post Ryan Gosling in Talks for New Star Wars Movie (And Filming Could Start Soon!) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you — but there’s nothing to smile about for Joker: Folie à Deux. The Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga-fronted bomb tied Sony’s Spider-Man Universe spinoff Madame Web, video game adaptation Borderlands, the Dennis Quaid-led Ronald Reagan biopic Reagan, and Francis Ford Coppola’s costly mega-flop Megalopolis for the most nominations at the 2025 Razzie Awards. The Golden Raspberry Awards, which sent ballots to 1,202 Razzie Members (movie buffs, film critics and journalists) to vote on the worst films of 2024, revealed those five films lead this year’s nominations with six noms each.

Joker 2, Madame Web, Borderlands, Reagan, and Megalopolis are all nominated for the “$4.97 gold spray-painted” statuette awarded to Worst Picture of 2024. (They averaged a 23 percent “rotten” score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.) The Joker sequel, with a budget estimated to be between $190–200 million, received a “D” CinemaScore — the worst for any comic book movie — before suffering the worst-ever second weekend drop in the genre’s history and finishing its box office run with $206 million (a steep plunge from the $1 billion its predecessor took in five years earlier).

Phoenix, who won an Oscar for his role as Arthur Fleck in 2019’s Joker, is nominated in the Actor category alongside Zachary Levi (Harold and the Purple Crayon), Jack Black (Dear Santa), Dennis Quaid (Reagan), and Jerry Seinfeld (Unfrosted), while fellow Oscar winner Gaga is up for Actress alongside Johnson (Madame Web), Bryce Dallas Howard (Argylle), Jennifer Lopez (Atlas), and two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (Borderlands).

Black received a second nomination in the Supporting Actor category for his voice role as Claptrap in Borderlands, as did co-star Kevin Hart’s Roland, and Tahar Rahim as the villain Ezekiel (Madame Web), Shia LaBeouf for Clodio Pulcher (Megalopolis), and quadruple nominee Jon Voight, who made a boner by appearing in Megalopolis as well as Reagan, Shadow Land, and Strangers.

Supporting Actress names Oscar winner Ariana DeBose for her roles in Argylle and Sony’s Kraven the Hunter, Emma Roberts (Madame Web), Leslie Anne Down (Reagan), FKA twigs (The Crow), and Amy Schumer (Unfrosted). Madame Web director S.J. Clarkson’s feature debut earned her a Worst Director nom, as did Jerry Seinfeld’s feature directorial debut on Netflix’s Pop-Tart origin story Unfrosted. The directing nominees include Coppola, Eli Roth (Borderlands), and Todd Phillips (Joker 2).

Phoenix and Gaga’s Arthur/Joker and Lee/Harley Quinn are recognized as Worst Screen Combo, which includes the following: “Any Two Obnoxious Characters (But Especially Jack Black)” for Borderlands, “Any Two Unfunny ‘Comedic Actors'” for Unfrosted, “The Entire Cast” for Megalopolis, and Dennis Quaid and Penelope Ann Miller for “Ronnie and Nancy” in Reagan.

Joker 2 also earned a nomination for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel, and will compete against the remake of The Crow, Disney’s Lion King sequel/prequel Mufasa, the SSU installment Kraven the Hunter, and Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon 2: The Scargiver. And finally, the Joker sequel is nominated for Worst Screenplay alongside Reagan, Kraven and Madame Web, and Megalopolis.

In a press release, the Razzies boasted that Madame Web (11 percent), starring Dakota Johnson in the title role as the clairvoyant Cassandra Webb, was touted as a “serious Razzies contender” in scathing reviews that described the Sony movie as a “Marvel knock-off” and the “kind of superhero B-movie you’d find buried in the Walmart dollar bin.”

Megalopolis (45 percent), the star-studded passion project from the director of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, is an “incoherent $120 million mess” dubbed “WTF the Movie,” while Reagan (18 percent) is described as “a love letter to the 40th President that ‘borrowed’ its plot structure from Citizen Kane (with Jon Voight imitating Bullwinkle’s nemesis Boris Badenov as its narrator).”

The Razzies knocked Joker: Folie à Deux (31 percent) as a jukebox musical that “had its protagonists express their mental illness and villainy – by singing and dancing,” and Borderlands (10 percent) as “a big budget video-game-based bomb that racked up 90% negative reviews” on Rotten Tomatoes and reportedly lost over $100 million at the box office.

The 45th Annual Razzie “Winners” will be announced in a video press release on Oscar Eve, Saturday, March 1. See the full list of Razzie nominees below.

2025 Razzie Award Nominations Complete List

Worst Picture
Borderlands
Joker: Folie a Deux
Madame Web
Megalopolis
Reagan

Actor
Jack Black / Dear Santa
Zachary Levi / Harold and the Purple Crayon
Joaquin Phoenix / Joker: Folie à Deux
Dennis Quaid / Reagan
Jerry Seinfeld / Unfrosted

Actress
Cate Blanchett / Borderlands
Lady Gaga / Joker: Folie a Deux
Bryce Dallas Howard / Argylle
Dakota Johnson / Madame Web
Jennifer Lopez / Atlas

Supporting Actor
Jack Black (Voice Only) / Borderlands
Kevin Hart / Borderlands
Shia LaBeouf (in drag) Megalopolis
Tahar Rahim / Madame Web
Jon Voight / Megalopolis, Reagan, Shadow Land, Strangers

Supporting Actress
Ariana DeBose / Argylle and Kraven the Hunter
Leslie Anne Down (as Margaret Thatcher) / Reagan
Emma Roberts / Madame Web
Amy Schumer / Unfrosted
FKA twigs / The Crow

Director
S.J. Clarkson / Madame Web
Francis Ford Coppola / Megalopolis
Todd Phillips / Joker: Folie a Deux
Eli Roth / Borderlands
Jerry Seinfeld/ Unfrosted

Screen Combo
Any Two Obnoxious Characters (But Especially Jack Black) / Borderlands
Any Two Unfunny “Comedic Actors” / Unfrosted
The Entire Cast of Megalopolis
Joaquin Phoenix & Lady Gaga / Joker: Folie a Deux
Dennis Quaid & Penelope Ann Miller (as “Ronnie and Nancy”) / Reagan

Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel

The Crow
Joker: Folie a Deux
Kraven the Hunter
Mufasa: The Lion King
Rebel Moon 2: The Scargiver

Screenplay

Joker: Folie a Deux
Kraven the Hunter
Madame Web
Megalopolis
Reagan

The post Joker 2, Madame Web Lead Razzie Nominations for “Worst” 2024 Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While February is still 10 days away, most major streaming services are already getting a head start on informing their subscribers of the programming additions the new month will have in store. Services like Disney+ and Hulu released their February addition lists earlier this month, and now Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max is getting in on the action.

Tuesday saw Max release the full list of new movie and TV additions set to hit its streaming lineup over the course of February, and there’s quite a lot to look forward to. The entire list is headlined by the highly anticipated return of The White Lotus, as the show’s third season will hit HBO and Max on February 16th.

You can check out the full list of Max’s February additions below!

February 1st

42
Accidentally Brave
Bad Boys
Bad Boys II
Brian Banks
Cabin in the Sky
Cleats & Convos with Deebo Samuel, Episode 114 (B/R)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Deepwater Horizon
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932)
Dredd (2012)
Duplicity
Entertainment (2015)
Experimenter
Final Destination (2000)
Final Destination 2
Final Destination 3
Final Destination 5
Ivanhoe
Jackie
Jezebel
Jupiter’s Darling
Just Mercy
King Solomon’s Mines
Kitty Foyle
Kusama: Infinity
Lady Be Good
Lassie Come Home
Life Partners
Lili
Little Women (1949)
Love & Basketball
Mad Money
Malcolm X
Mary of Scotland
Massacre
Mechanic: Resurrection
Mildred Pierce (1945)
Mister Roberts
Mr. Church
Mrs. Miniver
Neptune’s Daughter
Noma: My Perfect Storm
One Way Passage
Safe in Hell
Shadow on the Wall
Skate Kitchen
Skiptrace
Sleepwalking
Speed
Story of Louis Pasteur
Support the Girls
Take Out
Taxi Driver
The Bank Job
The Color Purple (1985)
The Conjuring
The Guilty
The Harvey Girls
The Host
The Last Circus
The Last Days on Mars
The Last Time I Saw Paris
The Life of Emile Zola
The Lost Patrol
The Notebook
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Search
The Tall Target
The Wave
The Window
The Woman in Red
They Were Expendable
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
Traitor
Unknown
Vacation from Marriage
Waitress
Watch on the Rhine
We Are the Best!

February 2th

The Edge with Micah Parsons, Episode 122 (B/R)
We Baby Bears, Season 2C (Cartoon Network)

February 3th

90 Day Fiancé Pillow Talk: Before the 90 Days, Season 7 (TLC)
Common Side Effects, Season 1 (Adult Swim)
Dog Detectives, Season 1 (Animal Planet)
Very Scary Lovers (ID)

February 4th

Celebrity IOU, Season 9 (HGTV)
The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper, Season 3 (CNN Originals)

[RELATED: Everything Coming to Disney+ in February 2025]

February 6th

Destinations of the Damned with Zak Bagans, Season 1B (Discovery)
Izzy Does It, Season 1 (HGTV)
The Takedown: American Aryans (Max Original)

February 7th

Lu & The Bally Bunch, Season 1A
How I Left the Opus Dei (El Minuto Heroico: Yo También Dejé El Opus Dei) (Max Original)
We Live in Time (A24)

February 8th

Luther Vandross: Never Too Much (CNN Films)

February 9th

Puppy Bowl XXI Kickoff (Animal Planet)
Puppy Bowl XXI (Animal Planet)

February 11th

Central Intelligence
Central Intelligence: Extended Edition
Father Stu

February 12th

Guy’s Grocery Games, Season 37 (Food Network)

February 13th

Home Sweet Rome, Season 1B (Max Original)

February 14th

Silly Sundays, Season 1A
Waitress: The Musical

February 16th

Have I Got News for You, Season 2 (CNN Originals)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Season 12 (HBO Original)
Love & Marriage: Huntsville, Season 9 (OWN)
Pearl: The X-Traordinary Origin Story
The White Lotus, Season 3 (HBO Original)

February 17th

90 Day Fiance, Season 11 (TLC)
Evil Lives Here, Season 17 (ID)
Tournament of Champions: The Qualifiers (Food Network)
Watchmen: Chapter II (2025)

February 18th

We Beat The Dream Team (TNT & HBO Original)

February 19th

Exposed: Naked Crimes, Season 3 (ID)
Moonshiners: Master Distiller, Season 7A (Discovery)
Renovation Aloha, Season 2 (HGTV)

February 20th

Bea’s Block, Season 1B (Max Original)

February 21th

Elevation (2024)

February 22nd

House Hunters Renovation, Season 18 (HGTV)

February 24th

End of Watch
Homestead Rescue, Season 12 (Discovery)

February 25th

Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest (HBO Original)
Wipeout, Season 2B (TBS)

February 27th

Cóyotl: Hero and Beast (Cóyotl: Héroe y Bestia), Season 1 (Max Original)

February 28th

Christina on the Coast, Season 6B (HGTV)
Morbius
Toad and Friends, Season 1A

The post Everything Coming to Max in February 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Before DC’s All-In initiative saw the shake-up of several creative teams on its books, writer Tini Howard tackled her final arc with Catwoman. From Catwoman #39 (2022) to Catwoman #68 (2024), Howard wrote for Catwoman, seeing Selena Kyle blackmail crime bosses, reunite with old flames, survive prison, and finally pull off her most deadly heists to date.

Catwoman is no stranger to adrenaline rushes or dangerous heists; however, the scores she takes on in Catwoman #59 through #68 are almost all death sentences. Thankfully, Catwoman has been given the gift of nine lives after the events of Gotham War. While Catwoman does not often have superpowers in the comics, her film counterparts have had some special abilities similar to this.

In Batman Returns, Catwoman Has Nine Lives

Specifically in Batman Returns, Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman dies and comes back to life after a supernatural encounter with some alley cats. As the film progresses, Catwoman survives several more deadly experiences and realizes she has nine lives to use up. At the climax of Batman Returns, she even uses a few of them to take down the man who killed her, evil industrialist, Max Shreck (Christopher Walken). However, she still has one life left after seemingly dying, and the film ends by confirming she is still around.

Even outside of Batman Returns, Catwoman has been depicted onscreen as someone who can defy death thanks to supernatural powers. Just like in Batman Returns, Halle Berry’s Patience Phillips is brought back to life thanks to a supernatural encounter with cats after her death in Catwoman (2004). While the comics often depict Catwoman as a world-class thief without the aid of powers, there has been a precedent from other media to give her abilities like the nine lives.

Tini Howard’s Catwoman Has Nine Lives For Nine Deadly Heists

While much of Tini Howard’s run on Catwoman is grounded in reality, the final arc leans into the mythical. Like in Catwoman (2004), Howard’s Catwoman is gifted supernatural abilities thanks to a feline goddess. In the case of Howard’s Catwoman, though, the execution of these powers falls more in line with Batman Returns’ iteration of Catwoman, as she is not just brought back to life. She is also gifted nine extra lives.

However, where Pfeiffer’s Catwoman uses these nine lives to exact revenge on the men who wronged her, Howard’s Catwoman uses her nine lives to pull off her deadliest heists. This includes stealing corium from a highly radioactive nuclear reactor, working with the Suicide Squad, going to the deepest parts of the sea, facing off against a cannibal, exploring the far reaches of space, and much more.

The stakes are high for Catwoman, and while she is using her nine lives to pull off her deadliest heists, those lives are running out as she powers through each death-defying mission. It’s a powerful send-off for Howard, one that allows her to put Catwoman in some of her most dangerous situations to date.

You can read Catwoman over at DC.

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Sydney Sweeney has been cast to star in A24’s The Masque of the Red Death, written and directed by Charlie Polinger. According to Deadline, the film is a “wildly revisionist and darkly comedic take” on Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, which chronicles Prince Prospero’s attempt to avoid the Red Death plague by hosting an extravagant ball in his abbey. The plan is for the film to begin production at some point this year, though an exact window has yet to be confirmed. The Masque of the Red Death does not have a release date as of this writing.

Over the course of her career, Sweeney has appeared in several horror movies, most notably last year’s Immaculate, in which she plays a nun who discovers the unsettling truth behind the Italian convent she joins. The Masque of the Red Death is the latest addition to Sweeney’s busy schedule, as she’s set to return for Euphoria Season 3 (which is slated to begin production this month) and will headline Edgar Wright’s Barbarella remake.

Poe’s short story has previously been adapted numerous times across various mediums, including film, theater, and comics. Arguably the most notable of these was a 1964 movie directed by Roger Corman, which starred Vincent Price as Prospero. After all this time, Poe’s works continue to influence contemporary creatives; Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher contains several references to the writer’s works.

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A24 seems like the ideal studio for this version of The Masque of the Red Death. Thanks to critically acclaimed works such as The Lighthouse, Midsommar, and Heredity (among many others), the studio has cemented itself as a home for creative horror films that resonate with cinephiles. Masque of the Red Death sounds like it will be a worthwhile addition to A24’s ever-expanding library. Based on the description, it could be a satirical piece that provides some biting social commentary on the class system, balancing the horror elements with some intriguing food for thought. It will be interesting to see how the film puts its own spin on Poe’s original text, which is a gothic horror staple.

Similar to Opus (which recently received a trailer), The Masque of the Red Death represents A24 taking a shot on an up-and-coming director. After directing several shorts, Polinger helmed his feature-length debut, The Plague, which is now in post-production. Starring Joel Edgerton, The Plague follows a young social outcast who faces the “ruthless hierarchy” of his water polo camp. Thematically, The Plague could have some common ground with The Masque of the Red Death, as both deal with class structures of “haves” and “have nots.” Hopefully, The Masque of the Red Death proves to be an entertaining and compelling adaptation, helping Polinger rise the ranks of horror auteurs.

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Sam Raimi is returning to his horror roots. The Spider-Man trilogy and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness filmmaker is directing and producing Send Help, a new horror-thriller from Disney’s 20th Century Studios. Rachel McAdams, who reprised her MCU role as Dr. Christine Palmer in the Raimi-directed Doctor Strange 2, is set to star opposite 20th Century’s Maze Runner star Dylan O’Brien. Deadline first reported the casting news.

Send Help is described as a survival horror thriller about “two colleagues who become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash,” the synopsis states. “On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it’s a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.”

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2022’s Doctor Strange sequel was Raimi’s first film behind the camera since Disney’s Wizard of Oz prequel, 2013’s Oz the Great and Powerful. The Evil Dead director has also produced such horror films as Poltergeist (2015), Don’t Breathe (2017), Crawl (2019), The Grudge remake (2019), and Evil Dead Rise (2023) via his Ghost House Pictures. Send Help is from 20th Century and Raimi’s newly formed production company, Raimi Productions, behind recent thrillers 65 (2023), Boy Kills World (2023), and Netflix’s Don’t Move (2024).

Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, who penned 2003’s Freddy vs. Jason and 2009’s Friday the 13th remake, wrote the original script as their first project since the Dwayne Johnson-starring Baywatch reboot in 2017.

O’Brien recently starred in Caddo Lake, the Max original thriller film produced by M. Night Shyamalan, and as a young Dan Aykroyd in Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night. In addition to his role as Thomas in 20th Century’s blockbuster Maze Runner trilogy and Stiles in TV’s Teen Wolf, O’Brien’s credits include Love and Monsters, Infinite, and the upcoming thriller Anniversary about a movement called “The Change” that tears apart a close-knit family as it envelops the United States.

McAdams is best known for her roles as Regina George in the original Mean Girls and Allie in The Notebook. Recent credits include True Detective, Game Night, Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret., and FX’s Dave.

In October, it was reported Raimi is in talks to direct Doctor Strange 3 for Disney’s Marvel Studios after replacing Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson on the second movie that starred McAdams alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Benedict Wong. McAdams isn’t expected to return for the third movie, which has yet to be formally announced by Marvel Studios. Raimi, who infused the multiverse-spanning movie with a horror touch, has also expressed interest in directing a future Batman movie and a potential Spider-Man 4 with Tobey Maguire.

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