Sean O'Connell
The Background: Sean O’Connell is a journalist and CinemaBlend’s Managing Editor. He joined the staff as a freelancer in 2011, and gradually climbed the ranks as he helped the site grow in stature. Currently, he manages the site’s junket and interview opportunities. He also co-hosts CinemaBlend’s official podcast, ReelBlend, with fellow Critics Choice Association members Jake Hamilton and Kevin McCarthy. Sean has had his byline published in various respected publications including USA Today, The Washington Post, and Fandango. He’s also the author of three nonfiction books: Release the Snyder Cut, detailing the controversial saga of Zack Snyder’s Justice League; With Great Power, an in-depth retelling of Spider-Man’s history in Hollywood, and; Bruce Willis: Celebrating The Cinematic Legacy Of An Unbreakable Hollywood Icon.
What He’s Into: Sean is a basketball fanatic, and divides his love evenly between the NBA (the Charlotte Hornets are his team) and college basketball (where he drives the bandwagon for the Kentucky Wildcats). He spends most weekends watching his two sons play basketball, and still can't believe they've outgrown him. Sean also loves cooking, and thinks there’s no better feeling than preparing a meal for someone and watching them enjoy it. If Sean didn’t write about movies, he’d probably be involved full-time in the music scene somehow. He grew up playing guitar, switched to drums, and now plays bass for a power-punk garage band called Confetti Cannon. His all-time favorite TV show is Breaking Bad. His all-time favorite movie is Spider-Man: No Way Home. His all-time favorite book is Stephen King’s IT, and his all-time favorite snack is fudge-covered Oreos that he keeps in the freezer.
What He’s Excited About Right Now: The building blocks of James Gunn's DC Cinematic Do-Over, and the overwhelming stack of other people's books he's about to dive into. now that he finished work on his own Bruce Willis book.
Latest articles by Sean O'Connell
Surprise, Reacher’s Already On Set For Season 3 After Shock Renewal News And Alan Ritchson Is Having The Best Time
By Sean O'Connell published
We don't even have Reacher Season 2 yet (soon!!), but Alan Ritchson already is sharing fun photos from the set of Season 3.
Why Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Deserves A Best Picture Nomination
By Sean O'Connell published
It goes without saying that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is one of the year's best films. Will the Academy recognize that, properly?
'May December' Video Interviews With Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore And More
By Jeff McCobb, Sean O'Connell published
Watch the cast of "May December" answer our pressing questions about the Netflix release including AI in the film industry, character research, and more.
Natalie Portman Shares The Funny Story Behind Norah’s Ark, Her Fictional TV Drama From May December
By Sean O'Connell published
Exclusives In May December, Natalie Portman plays an actor researching a role. Her character came from a successful TV show, and here's what we learned about it.
Annette Bening's Nyad Director Told Us Why The Actress Refused To Use Stunt Swimmers, And Her Reasoning Makes Me Appreciate The Film Even More
By Sean O'Connell published
Exclusives Annette Bening went to incredible lengths for Nyad, but this detail makes me that much more impressed.
32 Detective TV Shows You May Have Forgotten About
By Sean O'Connell published
There are so many beloved detective TV shows. But here are ones you might have forgotten, or just never got to.
I Asked Priscilla Star Cailee Spaeny About Filming Her Devastating Finale Scene, And She Told Us How Dolly Parton Helped
By Sean O'Connell published
Sofia Coppola's Priscilla tackles the Elvis myth from the perspective of his wife, and Dolly Parton indirectly helped the movie's conclusion.
Joaquin Phoenix Tells Us About The Time Ridley Scott Tricked Him On The Gladiator Set To Reduce The Actor's Nerves
By Sean O'Connell published
Exclusives Joaquin Phoenix came on ReelBlend to talk about Napoleon and Gladiator, and shared an amazing story about his first day on set.
Taika Waititi's Thor Comments Really Bother Me, But It Has Nothing To Do With Him Grabbing A Paycheck
By Sean O'Connell published
In a candid interview, Taika Waititi admits to taking his Thor gig for the paycheck. But it's what he went on to say that really bothered me.
Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse: What We Know So Far
By Sean O'Connell last updated
Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse will conclude what has been an incredible franchise so far. What do we know about the sequel already?
The Marvel Multiverse: Everything You Need To Know About Kang, Incursions, And The Next Two Avengers Movies
By Sean O'Connell last updated
The Multiverse will be a major focus of the MCU moving forward, so we made a guide for those who need a deep-dive Marvel refresher course.
32 Times Spider-Man Did Something All Teenagers Would Do In The MCU
By Sean O'Connell published
Never forget that the Spider-Man we meet in the MCU is a teenager, and here are 32 times he acted like one.
The Tony Stark Line In Spider-Man: Homecoming That Makes Spider-Man: No Way Home So Much More Heartbreaking
By Sean O'Connell published
The relationship between Tony Stark and Peter Parker runs deep. But this line in Spider-Man: Homecoming has new weight now.
Tom Hardy's Cryptic Message In A Venom 3 Post Has Me Wondering About The Franchise's Future
By Sean O'Connell published
Is Tom Hardy saying goodbye to Venom? And if he does, is this the path forward for Spider-Man?
Joaquin Phoenix Gets Candid About How His Current Acting Process Works For Him: ‘It Might Mean That I'm Just A Bad Actor. And I'll Accept That.’
By Sean O'Connell published
Exclusives With Napoleon in theaters, Joaquin Phoenix returns to ReelBlend to open up about his process.
Ridley Scott Describes His Original Gladiator 2 Opening Scene With Russell Crowe, And Now I Need To See This
By Sean O'Connell published
Exclusives Ridley Scott is hard at work on Gladiator 2, but he reveals details about the opening scene he once had that included Russell Crowe.
Marvel Has A Serious Teasing Problem, And It Really Needs To Stop
By Sean O'Connell published
Marvel Studios can't stop teasing future stories that might never pay off. Make it stop.
32 TV Shows That Helped Launch A Young Actor’s Career
By Sean O'Connell published
From Friends and Growing Pains to Silver Spoons and Freaks and Geeks, these are the TV shows that introduced us to our major stars.
32 Really Fun Movie Side Characters That Needed More Screen-time
By Sean O'Connell published
From Spider-Ham to Emma Watson, these are fun side characters who deserved to have more screen time.
32 Times Captain America Was Way Too Wholesome For Modern Times
By Sean O'Connell published
Captain America remains the most wholesome hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
A Bruce Willis Rumor Connecting Die Hard To Pearl Harbor Has Resurfaced, But Here's What I Believe Really Happened
By Sean O'Connell published
There's a fun Bruce Willis rumor that is making the rounds once again, so let's dig into the possible truth.
Is This The End Of Loki? Yes... And No | 'Loki' Season 2, Episode 6 Video Review & Analysis
By Sean O'Connell, Katie Hughes published
'Loki' Season 2 ends on a heartbreaking, yet hopeful note for Disney fans. Watch as we break it down.
'The Marvels' Ending Explained And What It Means For The MCU Moving Forward
By Sean O'Connell, Katie Hughes published
A lot happened in the last few scenes of Disney's "The Marvels." Watch as we break down the ending and mid-credits scene.