River Phoenix, Corey Haim, and Brittany Murphy are three big names who we all lost too soon under tragic circumstances, but they are hardly the only ones. Over the years, going back to the earliest days of Hollywood, some of the biggest stars have died before even making it to 40 years old. This list is dedicated to them, the stars we lost before they even had a chance to the "over the hill."

Corey Haim (38)

Corey Haim and Corey Feldman starred in seven movies together, and they will be forever linked as "The Two Coreys" from their heyday in the late '80s. Haim starred in a slew of Gen X classics like The Lost Boys, Lucas, Dream A Little Dream, and License to Drive. Sadly, once his fame faded a little, he never had a chance to make a comeback before he died of pneumonia in 2010 after battling addiction for years.

James Dean (24)

"Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse," is a famous quote often associated with James Dean, who did just that. Though he only starred in three movies, his star status has remained constant in the seven decades since his death. Dean died in a car wreck in 1955.

Jayne Mansfield (34)

Jayne Mansfield was only 34 when she was killed in a car crash in 1967. Her young children, including future Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay, were in the car with her, and luckily they did survive the crash. For many years, Hargitay spoke little of the event of her famous mother, but opened up in an HBO Max documentary in 2025.

Brandon Lee (28)

One of the most tragic deaths in Hollywood in the 1990s was the shocking death of Brandon Lee was killed while filming The Crow. The movie was going to be Lee's breakout, coming out from under the shadow of his famous father, Bruce Lee. The junior Lee was just 28 when he was killed on the movie set after being shot with a blank.

Marilyn Monroe (36)

Despite her death at just 36 in 1962, Marilyn Monroe's legacy is alive and well more than six decades after we lost one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Movies are still being made telling her tragic story, like the controversial Blonde in 2022 starring Ana de Armas as the screen legend.

Heath Ledger (28)

For many reading this list, there is no question that the first name they probably thought of after reading the headline is Heath Ledger. Ledger's career was rising to a new level when he sadly died of an overdose in 2008. Though he had been a star for about a decade when he died, he was coming off two legendary performances that have since defined the late Australian's career. The first, of course, is Brokeback Mountain, and the second is his Oscar-winning turn as The Joker in The Dark Knight. Ledger won the award posthumously, and fans felt the pain all over again, wondering how many more great performances we would have gotten from the actor.

Brittany Murphy (32)

Brittany Murphy had her breakout role as Tai Frasier in Clueless in 1995, and for the next decade, she continued to wow us in films like Drop Dead Gorgeous, Riding in Cars with Boys, and 8 Mile. Her death at just 32 in 2009 was shocking, and in the years since, it's still as mysterious as it was then.

Chris Farley (33)

Chris Farley was one of the most beloved members of the SNL cast ever, both by fans and by his fellow actors on the show. On SNL, he never failed to make everyone belly laugh at his over-the-top antics, and on the silver screen, whether in a small role like in Billy Madison or as a star in Tommy Boy, he was among the funniest ever. We never got to see enough of the star, though, as he died of an overdose at just age 33 in 1997.

Aaliyah (22)

There is something especially tragic about a plane crash. Especially when you are talking about a pop star. Aaliyah was more than a pop star, though, and she was just getting started in her acting career when she was killed in a crash in the Bahamas in 2001, not long after her film debut in Romeo Must Die.

Michelle Trachtenberg (39)

Michelle Trachtenberg is most famous for playing Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl, but her seemingly endless number of credits proves she was great in a variety of roles. Her sudden death at age 39 in early 2025 shocked everyone, and while we may never be able to close the book on why she died, we will always have her work to look back on.

Bruce Lee (32)

It's almost hard to believe that Bruce Lee was only 32 when he died in 1973. He left an incredible legacy of films both in the US and in Hong Kong and has become a legend since his death. The martial arts master opened so many doors for Asian actors and films that it's impossible to measure his impact on Hollywood. It is exceptional.

John Belushi (33)

The first breakout star in SNL history was unquestionably John Belushi. Even in a cast that included Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and many others, Belushi stood above them all. He parlayed that into a wonderful, yet painfully short movie career with legendary roles in Animal House and The Blues Brothers, which is arguably the best movie based on an SNL character ever.

River Phoenix (23)

In the same way that Heath Ledger's death marks a moment in time for Millennials, River Phoenix's death in 1993 is the same for Gen X. Though Phoenix was only 23 years old, he was already a veteran actor, having gotten his start in Hollywood in commercials in the early 1980s. He rose to prominence with fantastic performances in movies like Stand By Me, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Mosquito Coast, and My Own Private Idaho. Phoenix earned an Oscar nomination for his role in Running on Empty at just age 18.

Brad Renfro (25)

Brad Renfro burst onto the scene as an 11-year-old in The Client, co-starring Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. He put in a brilliant performance and followed it up with another 20 or so credits, including in Ghost World, Sleepers, and Apt Pupil. He tragically died of an overdose in 2008 when he was just 25 years old.

Cory Monteith (31)

There are some who claim there is a curse hanging over the cast of Glee. Whether you believe in such things or not, the show does have an unsettling history when it comes to actors dying young. Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson in the hit show, died in 2013 of an overdose. He was the first young cast member to die, but he wouldn't be the last.

Dana Hill (32)

Who doesn't love a great movie about a vacation gone wrong? National Lampoon's European Vacation, the second movie of the series, is wildly underrated, and Dana Hill's performance as Audrey in it is equally underrated. Sadly, Hill died at age 32 due to complications from diabetes.

Tupac Shakur (25)

Pretty much everyone knows the story of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur's murder in 1996. Though plenty of conspiracy theories surround the events, it remains unsolved. Tupac was best known for his music, but he also had some fantastic acting chops, as he showed in movies like Above the Rim and Poetic Justice. It's hard to believe he was only 25.

Anton Yelchin (27)

One of the more bizarre ways to go on this list is what happened to Anton Yelchin, the young star of the rebooted Star Trek movies. The actor, who played Pavel Chekov in Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond, was killed when he was pinned against a post by his own SUV.

Lee Thompson Young (29)

A generation of kids grew up with Lee Thompson Young as the titular star of the Disney show The Famous Jett Jackson. They followed him as a high school student in the original Friday Night Lights movie, and then in his biggest role as an adult on Rizzoli & Isles. That would be Young's final role as he took his own life in 2013.

Heather O'Rourke (12)

In just twelve short years in this world, Heather O'Rourke made a huge impact. She is most famous, of course, for Poltergeist, and her legendary line "They're heeeeere," she also appears on TV in Happy Days and Webster, and reprised her role in two Poltergeist sequels, the final of which was released after her death in 1988.

Sharon Tate (26)

In 1969, Sharon Tate's murder by the Manson Family became the most notorious crime in Hollywood history. The talented young actor, who was pregnant at the time, was just coming into her own as a star when her life was snatched from her at just age 26. It's a murder that Quentin Tarantino reimagined in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood with the happy ending we all long for it to have been for Tate.

Angus Cloud (25)

In a horrible case of life imitating art, Euphoria star Angus Cloud died of an overdose at age 25 in 2023. The actor rose to prominence on the controversial show about teen addiction, and before his career really got going, we lost him.

Naya Rivera (33)

The circumstances behind the death of Glee star Naya Rivera may never be fully understood. The actress drowned while boating with her young son, and though she was known to be a good swimmer, according to her son, she struggled to get back on the boat after they both went for a swim. Her body was found five days later. Rivera was only 33 when she died in 2020.

Andy Kaufman (35)

Now, should Andy Kaufman be on this list? Many believe that the enigmatic comedian actually faked his own death. Though this isn't true, he was taken by cancer at age 35 in 1984, the late Kaufman would love the idea that people still believed he was alive and in hiding somewhere. It's exactly the kind of prank he would pull while he was living.

Cameron Boyce (20)

Though his career only lasted about 12 years and he died at age 20, Cameron Boyce crammed a ton of acting into his short life. Boyce has almost four dozen credits to his name, though he is certainly best known for playing Carlos in the Descendants film series.

Chance Perdomo (27)

Chance Perdomo's big break came with a starring role in Gen V, the spinoff of The Boys from Amazon Prime. Sadly, he died in a motorcycle crash in Upstate New York before the second season of the show was shot, so we never got enough of Perdomo.

Ryan Dunn (34)

In a lot of ways, the tragic death of Ryan Dunn wasn't all that surprising. That's not to say it was very sad, because it was, but for the Jackass star to go out in a car crash seems very "on brand" for Dunn. He lived life fast and crazy, and that's how he went out. It's not exactly poetic, but there is something that makes sense about it, which is rare for this list.

Jean Harlow (26)

Hollywood's original "blonde bombshell" was the great Jean Harlow. Harlow's most famous role came in the Howard Hughes-directed classic Hell's Angels, and she's also well known for a string of comedic roles in the 1930s, before she died due to Kidney failure in 1937. She was only 26 at the time of her death.

Freddie Prinze (22)

Freddie Prinze is probably best known by most people today as the father of Freddie Prinze, Jr. Tragically, before the younger Prinze was even one year old, the senior Prinze took his own life at just age 22.

Jonathan Brandis (27)

Teen heartthrob Jonathan Brandis, like so many other actors, got his start in soap operas. His most prominent role came as Lucas Wolenczak on seaQuest DSV, which is where he truly became a beloved star. His fame faded somewhat after seaQuest DSV ended, and he tragically took his own life in 2003.

Dominique Dunne (22)

The Dunne family is Hollywood and literary royalty. Dominique Dunne, whose father was writer Dominick Dunne and whose brother is actor Griffin Dunne, was horrifically killed by her boyfriend in 1982 at just age 22. She was the first of two young stars to die from the cast of Poltergeist, along with Heather O'Rourke.

Thuy Trang (27)

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers have become a much-loved franchise over the years, and it all started with the original cast of the first show. Thuy Trang was the first actor to play the Yellow Ranger on screen before she was killed in a car crash with her friend and fellow actor Angela Rockwood in 2001. Rockwood suffered a spinal injury that left her unable to walk, and Trang succumbed to her injuries before making it to the hospital. Like all the actors on this list, she sadly didn't make it 40, as she was just 27.

If you have a Paramount+ subscription, then the TV gates of Star Trek have been opened back up to you since 2017, with shows like Discovery, Picard, Strange New Worlds, Lower Decks and Prodigy (which is now on Netflix) breathing new life into this corner of the franchise. Film-wise though, it’s been eight years since the release of Star Trek Beyond, and development remains stalled on Star Trek 4. Although Simon Pegg, who plays the Kelvin Timeline’s Scotty, is still game to return for this Star Trek sequel, he did acknowledge that it will be “forever tainted” for a specific, yet understandable reason.

On June 19, 2016, a month before the wide release of Star Trek Beyond, Anton Yelchin, who played Pavel Chekov in these movies, tragically died at the age of 27. So regardless of whether Chekov is recast or it’s decided to retire the character, Pegg explained to Katee Sackhoff on The Sackhoff Show that it’ll be sad for him and the other leading actors to tackle Star Trek 4 without their late co-star, though that wouldn’t stop Pegg from agreeing to come back. As he explained:

Simon Pegg’s history with Anton Yelchin stretched back to November 2007, when the first Star Trek movie in this film series began shooting. Naturally when making a movie starting different versions of the crew of the USS Enterprise, Chekov needed to be included, and Yelchin was cast in the role after impressing in movies like Along Came a Spider and Charlie Bartlett. So a certain degree of sadness would be unavoidable when coming back for Star Trek 4, but nevertheless, Pegg would welcome the opportunity to reunite with Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldaña and John Cho.

Even a nearly a decade after Star Trek Beyond, it remains up in the air if Star Trek 4 will ever happen. On the one hand, it was reported in March that The Flight Attendant’s Steve Yockey was writing the script for what’s expected to be the final installment of this saga. On the other hand, Chris Pine was caught off guard by this news in May, and he still doesn’t know where things stand on the project.

Additionally, it was officially confirmed in May that the vaguely-described Star Trek origins movie, which was first reported on in January, would be moving forward. Andor’s Toby Haynes and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’s Seth Grahame-Smith are respectively directing and writing the feature, which will take places decades before the events of 2009’s Star Trek. In other words, the Kelvin timeline is intended to stick around, but we’ll be going backwards within it next rather than forwards. That in turn begs the question of if this means Star Trek 4 is now off the table or if it’s just been pushed back again.

Hopefully Paramount Pictures will provide some kind of official update on Star Trek 4 in the coming months. For now, there are a handful of upcoming Star Trek shows to look forward to, and Simon Pegg can be seen playing Hugh Campbell Sr. in The Boys, which is streamable with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Accidents and tragedy can strike anyone, at any time, and that includes actors. Car crashes, aviation accidents, and even more nefarious actions can befall even the most famous among us. Here is a list of 32 actors who died too soon, and too tragically. 

James Dean

it's hard to believe James Dean was only 24 years old when he was killed in a car crash in 1955. His star was burning bright as one of the most promising up-and-coming actors in Hollywood, having appeared in eight movies ((uncredited in five)) to that point. He starred in three huge hits at the end, including two, Rebel Without A Cause and Giant, that were released after his death. 

Jayne Mansfield

Jayne Mansfield was one of the biggest stars of the 1950s and 1960s, and one of the most notorious celebrities on the gossip pages as well. She was married three times and has five children, including Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay, something not everyone is aware of. Hargitay was only three when she, her mother, and her siblings were involved in the car accident that would take Mansfield's live in 1967.

Natalie Wood

One of the most notorious accidents (depending on what you believe) in Hollywood history caused the death of Natalie Wood. Wood was on a boat with her husband Robert Wagner and their friend Christopher Walken and either fell in or was pushed (again, depending on what you believe) and drowned. It's an enduring Hollywood mystery. 

Ricky Nelson

Ricky Nelson was most famous for his music career, producing a number of hits, first as a teen idol, and then later as a country singer. He first found fame as the son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, starring with his parents and brother on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet in the 1950s and '60s. Nelson was killed on New Year's Eve, 1985 when the plane he was riding in caught fire, and toxic smoke filled the cabin before crashing near De Kalb, TX. 

Carole Lombard

One of the biggest stars in the Golden Age of Hollywood, Carole Lombard was one of the funniest actresses of her day. She was loved by millions and her popularity indirectly led to her tragic death. In 1942 Lombard was killed when the plane she was on while doing a War Bonds tour, helping raise money for the Second World War, crashed, killing all aboard. 

Heather O'Rourke

Nothing is more tragic than the death of a child. Heather O'Rourke's career and life were just getting started when she died at just 12 years old. O'Rourke stole the show in Poltergeist and without a doubt had a very bright future before she died suddenly due to complications of intestinal problems in 1988. 

Sharon Tate

On August 9th, 1969 Sharon Tate fell victim to the most infamous crimes in US history when she and the rest of the people in her house were brutally murdered by members of the Manson Family. Tate, who was pregnant at the time, was married to director Roman Polanski who was out of the country when the attack occurred. 

Anne Heche

Anne Heche's death in 2022 was shocking after she crashed her car into a house,  almost killing the occupant. It was assumed at the time that Heche was under the influence, but the coroner's report showed that she wasn't at the time of the crash, It remains a mystery as to what happened in those frantic moments before the fatal crash, which included Heche hitting two other cars before hitting the house. 

Dominique Dunne

The cast of Poltergeist has had a tough run. Not only did child star Heather O'Rouke die tragically at a young age, but the actress who played her older sister, Dominique Dunne, was killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1982 just months after the classic horror movie was released. It's been dubbed "The Poltergeist Curse."

Sonny Bono

Musician, actor, and congressman Sonny Bono was killed while skiing in Lake Tahoe. It was one of his favorite things to do, but sadly he struck a tree and died from the traumatic injuries. He was serving in Congress at the time of his death after a long career in music and television. 

Brittany Murphy

Brittany Murphy burst onto the Hollywood scene with her breakout role in Clueless. Like other child stars, she faced more than her fair share of difficulties in her personal life. Her life came to a tragic, and somewhat befuddling end when she died under mysterious circumstances in the apartment she shared with her husband in 2009 at age 32. Her husband died mysteriously in the same apartment just five months later. 

Desmond Llewelyn

For almost 40 years Desmond Llewelyn was beloved by James Bond fans for playing Q, the man who hooked up the super spy with all his ridiculous gadgets. Llewelyn was 85 years old when he was killed in a car wreck in 1999. It brought about the end of one of the coolest careers in cinema history. 

Bruce Lee

Chinese-American actor Bruce Lee defined what it meant to be a martial artist and actor. Even half a century after he died in 1973 he remains the archetype of the genre. He died at age 33 due to a cerebral edema, though more nefarious conspiracies are believed by some. No matter what happened, it was a tragic loss for all movie fans. 

Grace Kelly

Princess Grace, or Grace Kelly as she was known in Hollywood, literally lived a fairy tale life. Not only did she become one of the most famous actors in Hollywood, she eventually left that life when she married Prince Rainier of Monaco. It did not end in a fairy tale, sadly. Princess Grace was killed when she lost control of her car on a steep mountain road in the South of France after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. Her daughter Stephanie survived the crash. 

Brandon Lee

There are plenty of conspiracy theories surrounding the "curse" of the Lee family. Two decades after Bruce Lee died unexpectedly at age 33, his son became the victim of an on-set death when a prop gun discharged a projectile at point-blank range, killing him while shooting The Crow in 1993. 

Phil Hartman

The tragic story of Phil Hartman's death is well known. Hartman was murdered in the early morning hours of May 28th, 1998 as he slept. His wife Brynn shot him three times, killing him, before later taking her own life. Even decades later, it's still shocking to remember and hard to come to grips with. 

Aaliyah

Singer Aaliyah was just starting her film career when her young life was cut short. After filming a music video in the Bahamas, Aaliyah and her entourage boarded a plane for Miami. The overloaded plane barely made it off the ground before crashing just off the runway, killing all aboard, including the Queen of the Damned star. 

Vic Morrow

One of the worst one-set tragedies happened on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie when veteran actor Vic Morrow and two child actors were killed in a stunt gone wrong. Morrow was 53 years old when he was killed and the kids, Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen, were seven, and six, respectively. 

Anton Yelchin

Star Trek star Anton Yelchin was just 27 in 2016 when he was killed in one of the freakiest accidents ever. Yelchin was pinned between his own SUV and a pillar outside his home in LA when the SUV slipped into gear while Yelchin was checking on the gate. The truck rolled backward and wedged Yelchin in a spot he couldn't get out of, killing him. 

Sam Kinison

Comedian Sam Kinison was larger than life in every way. His trademark screaming delivery in his standup act made him one of the best ever. He came to comedy somewhat late in his life after leaving his career as a preacher. He was tragically killed when a drunk driver hit his car head-on on a highway near Needles, CA. 

Naya Rivera

Glee star Naya Rivera's death was both tragic and historic. Though it's now fully understood what happened, we do know that Rivera was in a rented boat with her son on Lake Piru when something happened as they swam. She managed to hoist her 4-year-old son into the boat, but couldn't manage to herself in and she drowned at just age 33. 

Paul Walker

In a devastating example of life imitating art, hero, and star of the. Fast and Furious franchise, Paul Walker, was killed when the Porsche he was riding in crashed at a high rate of speed. Tributes for Walker poured in and the franchise's other str, Vin Diesel, often pays tribute to his fallen brother. 

Chance Perdomo

Chance Perdomo was having a career-making moment when his life was cut way too short. While on his way to film Season 2 of Gen V, he crashed on his motorcycle in upstate New York. He was killed by the accident and shortly after it was announced the part would not be recast in respect for Perdomo.

Adrienne Shelly

Adrienne Shelly has possibly become more famous in death than she was in life, with a musical based on the movie she wrote, directed, and starred in, Waitress running for 4 years on Broadway after her death. Shelly was murdered by a contractor in 2006 while she was in her office, a case filled with so much intrigue that Law & Order based an episode on it. 

Bob Crane

Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane lived a wild private life. Publicly he was beloved for his lead role on the show, but behind closed doors, he lived a secret life making home movies of his intimate encounters with women. Lots of them. None of that was known until after Crane was found murdered in his rented apartment in Scottsdale, AZ. The case has never been resolved after his friend and fellow taper Bob Carpenter was acquitted of the murder after a trial. 

Ryan Dunn

"Live fast and die-hard" is an old adage that Ryan Dunn lived up to. The Jackass star was famous for his ridiculous stunts and wild lifestyle, blurring what was real and what was a persona. Sadly, it eventually killed him when he crashed his Porsche 911 after having too much to drink near his home in Pennsylvania. 

Audie Murphy

When actor and World War II veteran Audie Murphy died in a plane crash in 1971, he was one of the most famous men in the country. His star has faded and his far less well-known today, but the two-time Medal of Honor winner turned his military renown into Hollywood fame when he became an actor after the war. In addition to being one of the most decorated soldiers in US history, he starred in more than 40 films. 

Joan Rivers

Actress and comedienne Joan Rivers was a national treasure and even at age 81 she was showing little sign of slowing down. That made her death, caused by a botched surgery in 2014, all the more shocking. She died on the table, was revived, but died again a week later having never woken up from a medically-induced coma. Her death was marked by hundreds of celebrities and she is still very missed for her biting wit and hilarious jokes. 

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer

Carl Switzer was one of the earliest child stars in the Golden Age of Hollywood, best known as Alfalfa in Our Gang. Like too many child stars who left Hollywood behind, his adult life was very difficult. Switzer eventually became a dog breeder and was murdered by a friend and client in a dispute over a dog Switzer was training went missing. 

Steve Allen

Hollywood legend Steve Allen's death is a cautionary tail. Allen was involved in what seemed like a minor car accident while he was backing out of his driveway on his way to see his son. After arriving safely at his son's house, Allen laid down for a nap and never got up. Injuries caused by the accident were to blame, injuries that were imperceptible, it seems, until they weren't. 

Sal Mineo

James Dean famously died before his two biggest films, Rebel Without A Cause, and Giant, were released. His co-star in both movies, Sal Mineo, also had his life cut tragically short when he was murdered in 1976. At just age 37, Mineo was stabbed to death in the driveway of his house by a mugger and never recovered from the injuries. 

Natasha Richardson

Natasha Richardson, who starred in The Parent Trap alongside Lindsey Lohan, was killed doing something she'd never done before - skiing. Richardson, who was married to Liam Neeson at the time of her death, fell while taking a lesson in Quebec and hit her head. She seemingly recovered from the fall, but later complained of headaches and was airlifted to a New York City hospital where she died due to an epidural hematoma, or bleeding on her brain.

We’ve seen a great number of young actors live long and productive lives, with some continuing to find tremendous success well into their later years. However, there have unfortunately been dozens of cases of beloved Hollywood stars dying before they even reached the age of 40.

Below is a list of actors and actresses from the worlds of film and television whose lives and careers were cut tragically short, as well as the events that led to their early passing.

River Phoenix

River Phoenix, the star of movies like Stand By Me and My Own Private Idaho, was one of the most promising young actors in the latter part of the 20th century. However, his life came to an abrupt end in October 1993 when the 23-year-old died of a drug overdose, according to the Los Angeles Times. The impact of his death can still be felt 30 years later.

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe, one of the most well-known actresses of all time, died at the age of 36 in August 1962, after, according to the New York Times, she was found unresponsive in her bed with pills nearby. She was in the middle of production on Something’s Got to Give at the time of her death.

Anton Yelchin

Anton Yelchin, star of films like Star Trek, Green Room, and Charlie Bartlett died when he was only 27 years old. According to the Los Angeles Times, Yelchin was involved in a freak accident in June 2016 that resulted in him being pinned between his SUV and a security gate at his Studio City home.

Brittany Murphy

Brittany Murphy, who made a name for herself with roles in movies like Clueless, 8 Mile, and Girl, Interrupted, has one of the most perplexing Hollywood death stories. According to People.com, the 32-year-old actress passed away in December 2009 as a result of a combination of pneumonia and anemia and multiple drug intoxication.

James Dean

Despite having a career that lasted only five years, James Dean remains one of the icons of Hollywood. Dean was tragically killed in a car accident in September 1955, per the Los Angeles Times, less than a month before the release of Rebel Without a Cause, his most well-known film. He received a posthumous Oscar nomination for his role in East of Eden, which landed in theaters less than six months before his untimely death. 

Heath Ledger

In January 2008, the world was shocked after hearing of the passing of Heath Ledger, who died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 28, according to CNN. Ledger would receive a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor the following year for his unforgettable portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight.

Chris Farley

Chris Farley was and forever will be one of the greatest Saturday Night Live cast members, but like other greats, his life was cut tragically short. Farley, who also starred in movies like Tommy Boy, Black Sheep, and Almost Heroes (released following his death), died in December 1997 from an overdose at the age of 33, according to CNN.

Brandon Lee

In April 1993, at the age of 28, Brandon Lee, the son of Bruce Lee, died after being shot on the set of The Crow. According to the New York Times, a blank discharged from the gun during a sequence, hitting the actor who later passed from his injuries. 

Jayne Mansfield

Jayne Mansfield, a legendary actress, Playboy model, and entertainer made a name for herself with roles in movies like The Girl Can’t Help It, Promises! Promises!, and The Wayward Bus. Tragically, Mansfield died at the age of 34 after her car slammed into the back of a semi truck in southern Louisiana in June 1967, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Bruce Lee

Many of Bruce Lee’s movies are still considered landmark achievements in the martial arts genre 50 years after his passing on July 20, 1973. For years, the 32-year-old actor’s death was attributed to cerebral oedema (brain swelling), but a study carried by Variety years later proposed that his sudden death was the result of kidneys not being able to excrete excess water.

 Andy Kaufman

Andy Kaufman, the unique actor, comedian, and former women’s wrestling champion of the world, passed away in 1982 when was just 35 years old, according to the Los Angeles Times. However, some still think he’s not actually dead.

Tupac Shakur

Legendary rapper and actor Tupac Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas in September 1996, when he was just 25 years old. After years of his murder being an unsolved homicide case, an arrest was finally made in September 2023, according to the AP. It was believed that the Grammy winner was up for the role of Mace Windu, which eventually went to Samuel L. Jackson in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

John Belushi

John Belushi, an early star of Saturday Night Live, as well as movies like National Lampoon’s Animal House and The Blues Brothers, died at the age of 33 in March 1982, per the Chicago Tribune.

Cory Monteith

Glee star Cory Monteith’s life came to a tragic end in July 2013 when he was found dead in a Vancouver, British Columbia, hotel room. ABC News later reported that the 31-year-old actor died of mixed drug toxicity.

Aaliyah

On August 25, 2001, R&B singer Aaliyah was one of several people to perish when a Cessna plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the Bahamas, per NPR. The up-and-coming actress, who had appeared in Romeo Must Die the previous year, was only 22 years old at the time of her passing.

Sharon Tate

Sharon Tate’s murder is possibly one of the most well-known crime stories in the history of Hollywood, as the actress and four others were brutally killed by the Manson family in August 1969, per the Los Angeles Times. Tate, who had appeared in movies like Valley of the Dolls and The Wrecking Crew, was only 26 years old at the time of her death.

Corey Haim

Corey Haim, the star of movies like The Lost Boys, Lucas, and Silver Bullet passed away at the age of 38 in March 2010. According to CNN, the former child actor died of natural causes.

Angus Cloud

Angus Cloud, one of the main stars of HBO’s harrowing drama series, Euphoria, tragically passed away unexpectedly at the age of 25 in July 2023. According to EW, the young actor died as a result of an accidental overdose from the combined use of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and benzodiazepines.

Freddie Prinze

Freddie Prinze, the father of ‘90s teen heartthrob and former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr., was a star in his own right back in the 1970s. Known for his starring role on Chico and the Man and stand-up comedy, Prinze committed suicide in January 1977, according to the New York Times. He was only 22.

Sal Mineo

Best known for his portrayal of John “Plato” Crawford in Rebel Without a Cause, Sal Mineo was another actor from the 1955 movie to die young. According to the New York Times, the 37-year-old actor was stabbed to death in Hollywood in February 1976.

Cameron Boyce

Cameron Boyce (pictured far-right in the image above) was one of the Disney Channel’s biggest stars in the 2010s thanks to roles on shows like Jessie and Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything, as well as the Descendants film franchise. The young actor died in his sleep in July 2019, with Los Angeles-based ABC7 Eyewitness News reporting it was caused by epilepsy. He was 20 years old at the time of his passing.

Bobby Driscoll

Bobby Driscoll, the young child actor who appeared in Disney films like Song of the South before voicing the title role in the 1953’s Peter Pan, suffered what can best be described as a lonely and incredibly tragic death. According to EW, Driscoll died in March 1968 when he was only 31 years old, but at the time, his body was unclaimed and then buried in New York City’s Potter’s Field on Hart Island.

Jonathan Brandis

With big roles in movies like The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, Ladybugs, and Sidekicks, it felt like Jonathan Brandis was everywhere in the early 1990s. However, the former child actor and model wouldn’t survive the next decade, as he committed suicide in November 2003, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. He was 27 years old at the time of his passing.

Anna Nicole Smith

Anna Nicole Smith, who was at the center of the 2023 Netflix series, You Don’t Know Me, led quite the eventful life, one that saw her go from Guess model to Playboy Playmate to B-movie actress to one of the biggest names in reality television. The pop culture figure tragically died in February 2007 when she was only 39 years old. According to the New York Times, her death was ruled an accidental overdose.

Jean Harlow

Jean Harlow, one of the defining actresses of the pre-Code era of Hollywood, died in June 1937 when she was only 26 years old. According to the Guardian, the in-demand star had fought internal inflammation for 10 days prior to her sudden and tragic passing.

Heather O’Rourke

One of the supposed victims of the Poltergeist curse, Heather O’Rourke played Carol Anne Freeling in the 1982 horror film and appeared to have a promising career ahead of her at the time. However, six years later, the child actress would die at the age of 12 due a long-standing bowel obstruction, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

Lee Thompson Young 

Lee Thompson Young, who appeared on shows like The Famous Jett Jackson and Rizzoli & Isles, had a remarkable career on the small screen throughout his teenage years and early adulthood. But his story ended in August 2013 when he committed suicide. According to TMZ, Young died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound when he was only 29 years old.

Brad Renfro

Brad Renfro, the star of movies like The Client, Sleepers, Ghost World, and Bully, died in January 2008 when was only 25 years old. According to People.com, the young actor died of an overdose.

Nelsan Ellis

Nelsan Ellis’ Lafayette Reynolds was one of the best and most unforgettable characters on the long-running HBO supernatural drama series, True Blood, a role that allowed the dynamic actor to show off his remarkable acting talents. Tragically, Ellis died at 39 years of age in July 2017 as a result of heart failure during his attempt to quit his alcohol addiction, according to NBC News.

Ryan Dunn

Ryan Dunn, who rose to prominence on the CKY skate videos and later MTV’s Jackass TV show and movies, was involved in a fatal car crash in June 2011 that claimed his life and that of his passenger, Zachary Hartwell. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Dunn, who was 34 years old at the time of his passing, was driving at speeds reaching 130 mph before crashing his Porsche.

Johnny Lewis

Former Sons of Anarchy star Johnny Lewis, who played Kip “Half-Sack” Epps on long-running FX show, died in September 2012 when he was only 28 years old. According to People.com, the actor fell from a building in Los Angeles moments after beating his 81-year-old landlord to death.

Judith Barsi 

Judith Barsi, who voiced Ducky in The Land Before Time and Anne-Marie in All Dogs Go to Heaven, was killed by her father in a murder-suicide that also claimed the life of her mother, according to the Los Angeles Times. At the time of her death in July 1988, Barsi was only 10 years old. 

Each of these deaths are tragic in their own way, but all leave us asking “what could have been” for these actors whose careers, and lives, were cut tragically short.

Star Trek is a franchise that has entertained fans for decades, both in TV and film. The Enterprise was most recently seen on the big screen with the franchise starring Chris Pine. Now a fourth movie is coming, and Uhura actress Zoe Saldana explains “bittersweet” feelings about returning without late actor Anton Yelchin.

Actor Anton Yelchin starred as Chekov in all three Star Trek movies, and was a real scene stealer during his run. He tragically passed away back in 2016 after a sudden tragedy, prior to the release of Beyond. The recently announced sequel will mark the first installment without Yelchin, and Zoe Saldana spoke to that change, saying:

There you have it. Sounds like the cast of Star Trek will be having some mixed feelings on the set of the mysterious fourth movie. Because while they’ll all be glad to dive back into the science fiction property, there will be a noticeable absence in the form of Anton Yelchin. We’ll just have to see how the story continues without the late actor.

Zoe Saldana’s comments to Entertainment Tonight come from the red carpet of her new movie The Adam Project opposite Ryan Reynolds. Not much is known about the new Star Trek movie, as it was only recently announced to be in active development. And while it’s been years since Anton Yelchin passed away, smart money says he’ll still have a strong presence on the upcoming blockbuster’s set.

As previously mentioned, Anton Yelchin tragically died back in 2016, while he was still in the midst of starring in the Star Trek franchise. In what’s been described as a “freak accident”, he was pinned between his Jeep Cherokee and his home, after it rolled back down his steep driveway. Yelchin was just 27 at the time of his passing, which only adds to the tragedy.

You can see Zoe Saldana’s honest answer about Anton Yelchin and Star Trek below,

In her comments Zoe Saldana praises Anton Yelchin’s craft as an actor, as well as his enthusiasm for all things Star Trek. That enthusiasm likely helped to bring Chekov’s nervous energy to life, resulting in some A+ line deliveries as well as chewing the scenery. We’ll just have to see exactly how the upcoming sequel explains the absence of that beloved Enterprise crew member.

Stark Trek 4 is expected to start filming at the end of 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

The esteemed actors of the Criminal Minds cast not only had the honor of starring on one of the longest-running and most beloved crime procedurals on TV, but also had the pleasure of sharing the screen with many guest stars who would go on to become some of the biggest stars of today. Considering how it ran for a whopping total of 15 seasons on CBS, you can only imagine how many future Hollywood heavies appeared on the series. The following are some of the most recognizable names we dug up after their roles on Criminal Minds completely slipped our minds, starting with one actor who just a few years away from becoming TV royalty.

Aaron Paul (Michael Zizzo) 

In the premiere season of Criminal Minds (when Mandy Patinkin was still on the show), a 27-year-old Aaron Paul played a young man suspected of murder due to his involvement with a local group of Satanists who were framed by the high school student who turned out to be the real killer. In 2008, the actor played crystal meth dealer and manufacturer Jesse Pinkman on AMC’s Breaking Bad, for which he earned three Emmy Awards and a newfound reputation as a leading man on both the small screen and the big screen. 

Dean Norris (Det. John Barton) 

Speaking of Breaking Bad cast members, Dean Norris is still known best to this day for his role as Hank Schrader - devoted DEA agent and unsuspecting brother-in-law of notorious drug lord Walter White (Bryan Cranston) - on the acclaimed drama. He had actually already been cast on the show when he was temporarily demoted to police detective for a 2010 episode of Criminal Minds, on which his character helps the crew locate the last victim of a serial killer with clues he strangely left after taking his own life.

Walton Goggins (John Cooley)

Speaking of strange criminals, Walton Goggins received his sole Emmy nomination (so far) for playing Boyd Crowder on FX’s Justified, which would lead to an increasingly esteemed film career that includes a villainous role in the Marvel movies (namely 2018 Ant-Man and the Wasp) and becoming a frequent player in Quentin Tarantino’s recent filmography. In between his stint on The Shield and joining the Justified cast, the actor played a longtime friend of Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) who almost falls prey to a murderous priest (Carmen Argenziano) in a creepy Criminal Minds episode from Season 4.

Sterling K. Brown (Fitz) 

Sterling K. Brown also became a Marvel movie star in 2018 after appearing in Black Panther, following his Emmy-winning turns on both FX’s American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson as Christopher Darden and NBC’s This Is Us cast as Randall Pearson. Before all of that, in 2015, the St. Louis native appeared as a security guard for the United States embassy in Barbados in a Season 10 episode of Criminal Minds that served as back door pilot for the series’ short-lived spin-off Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.

Mike Colter (Colin Bramwell)

Mike Colter would become a Marvel TV show star in 2015 after appearing on Netflix’s Jessica Jones as the indestructible Luke Cage before getting his own self-title spin-off and, then, reprising the role on the streaming platform’s crossover series, The Defenders. Before that short-lived, but much-loved, phenomenon blew up his career, the Evil cast member played a former Special Forces sniper turned serial killer hired by his former colleague to kill his ex-wife on Season 9 of Criminal Minds.

Evan Peters (Charlie Hillridge) 

Someone who is also known for both Marvel movies (he was Quicksilver in the X-Men movies) and Marvel TV shows (he sort of reprised the Quicksilver role when he joined the WandaVision cast) is Evan Peters, who would initially acquire household name status as a series regular on American Horror Story since 2011. About a year before that creepy anthology premiered, the actor guest starred on Criminal Minds’ sixth season as a young man who was abducted as an 8-year-old by married murderers who would later make him their reluctant accomplice.

Finn Wittrock (Harvey Morell) 

On the other side of that coin, Harvey Morell was the willful accomplice to a killer named Caleb Rossmore (Jeff Newburg), with whom he shared an obsession with the Zodiac Killer, on a Season 7 episode of Criminal Minds. Playing that young killer was fellow recurring American Horror Story cast member Finn Wittrock, who will also add superhero TV shows to his resume when he plays Guy Gardner - a member of the Green Lantern Corps - on HBO Max’s upcoming original series based on the cosmic DC comic book.

David Mazouz (Ryan Hall) 

Speaking of DC TV shows, in 2014, David Mazouz had the honor of joining the Gotham cast as a young Bruce Wayne dealing with the recent murder of his parents for five seasons. Years before the Batman prequel series premiered, the actor also appeared on a Season 7 of Criminal Minds as a boy whose battle with leukemia sends his boxing champ father (Shawn Hatosy) into a murderous rage.

Cameron Monaghan (Jeffrey Charles) 

David Mazouz’s Gotham co-star Cameron Monaghan (who plays a particularly clownish criminal named Jerome Valeska) is also famous for playing Ian Gallagher on the Shameless cast for 11 seasons. You could say that he had some decent preparation for the former, more villainous (and Joker-esque) role when he landed a guest spot on Criminal Minds’ sophomore run as a young boy abandoned by his mother who takes his anger out on three people by bludgeoning them to death.

Elle Fanning (Tracy Belle) 

Cameron Monaghan’s Jeffrey Charles almost claimed a fourth victim - a little girl named Tracy Belle, whom he lures out into the woods before Mandy Patinkin’s Jason Gideon saves her at, essentially, the last minute. Tracy Belle was played on Criminal Minds by Elle Fanning, who - like her older sister, Dakota - would grow up to become one of the most sought after actresses of her generation, known for movies like Super 8 from 2011 and for leading Hulu’s The Great cast as Catherine the Great.

Jessie T. Usher (Daniel)

If we could switch gears for just a moment back to stars of superhero TV shows, Jessie T. Usher is known today as Samuel L. Jackson’s son in Tim Story’s 2019 Shaft movie and Will Smith’s son in the 2016 sequel Independence Day: Resurgence, but especially from Amazon Prime’s The Boys cast as A-Train. Before he had a starring role in anything, he had a guest spot on Criminal Minds’ two-part Season 4 finale in which the BAU investigates a series of murder that leads to make a shocking discovery at a pig farm in Canada.

Ariel Winter (Katie)

Although best known as Alex Dunphy on the Modern Family cast, Ariel Winter also has experience playing a superhero, having voiced a later incarnation of Robin named Carrie Kelley in one of the best DC animated movies, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, in 2012 and 2013. Years before the ABC sitcom made her a star, Winter was on Criminal Minds Season 3 as a young girl abducted and left for dead by her own aunt (Suzanne Cryer) who blamed her niece for ruining her marriage to her pedophile husband (Emmanuel Xuereb).

Melissa Leo (Georgia Davis)

Academy Award winner Melissa Leo (for the 2011 sports biopic The Fighter) would actually make her superhero movies debut in 2021 with the Netflix original action comedy Thunder Force. In Criminal Minds two-part Season 2 finale, the actress played a small town sheriff whose abduction leads to the BAU’s first encounter with prolific serial killer Frank Breitkopft, played by Keith Carradine.

Julia Butters (Gabby) 

Another notable abduction victim from Criminal Minds is the title character of “Gabby,” the 16th episode of the series’ ninth season, which was also the acting debut of then-5-year-old Julia Butters. The starlet would then land a recurring spot on the Transparent cast, a starring role on CBS’s American Housewife, and a memorable, scene-stealing role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as Rick Dalton’s precocious Lancer co-star. 

Sydney Sweeney (Dani Forester)

Fellow Once Upon a Time in Hollywood cast member Sydney Sweeney also made one of her earliest appearances on Criminal Minds as a young girl murdered along with her brother and mother by a serial killer who specializes in taking out whole families in Season 5. She would later achieve acclaim after joining the Handmaid’s Tale cast as Eden Spencer, the White Lotus cast as Olivia Mossbacher, and on HBO’s Euphoria cast as Cassie Howard, to name just a few notable roles. 

Anton Yelchin (Nathan Harris)

In lieu of the many notable roles that prove Anton Yelchin as one of the most exceptional talents of his time (Green Room, Charlie Bartlett, J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek movies, etc.), he gave one criminally underrated performance on Criminal Minds’ second season as a teen with sexually sadistic tendencies. Sadly, Yelchin passed away in 2016 at the age of 27 when his Jeep Cherokee, which appeared to be in park but was really in neutral, rolled backward and pinned him against the security fence outside his Los Angeles home.

People who work in law enforcement likely rarely forget the faces of anyone they investigate, swore to protect, or failed to save. However, if you are guilty of forgetting any of these Criminal Minds characters and the now famous actors who played them,  you are forgiven.

Considering how long medical dramas like ER tend to last, how often cast members rotate, and how frequently it require new actors to play the patient(s) of the week, the cast list is unsurprisingly, but still impressively, large. The aforementioned NBC series lasted 15 seasons (from 1994-2009) and made A-listers out of George Clooney, Don Cheadle, and Julianna Margulies to name just a few, but did you know Chadwick Boseman was a guest star before he became a household name?

The late, Marvel movie alum is far from the only beloved celebrity to make an early appearance on ER. In fact, we found an overwhelming amount of notable names to choose from, but settled on a still sizable 20 to include below, starting with one of the busiest and most respected actresses of her generation.

Jessica Chastain (Dahlia Taslitz)

In her acting debut, two-time Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain played a 19-year-old who appears to have done a faulty job taking care of her brain damaged father on ER’s tenth season. Coincidentally, the It: Chapter Two star will soon appear in The Good Nurse - the true crime story of an MD (Eddie Redmayne) whose “faulty” performance causes hundreds of patient deaths.

Chadwick Boseman (Derek Taylor)

In the final season of ER, a then-31-year-old Chadwick Boseman appeared as a boxer alongside screen legend (and future The Mandalorian star) Carl Weathers as his father. After playing the lead of Black Panther just a decade later, the actor would become a screen legend himself and will be remembered as such long after his untimely death in August 2020, following a private cancer battle, at the age of 43.

J.K. Simmons (Gus Loomer)

Speaking of legendary Marvel movie performances, Palms Springs star J.K. Simmons reprised J. Jonah Jameson for the MCU in Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019. Back in 2004, on ER, the future Oscar winner played a man more concerned with the state of his Hummer than his own health after suffering a crash that he survived, but two others did not.

Danny Pudi (Mahir Kardatay)

Community’s Abed Nadir actor Danny Pudi had a more low-key Marvel movie appearance as a S.H.I.E.L.D. communications technician in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. His second acting gig was a prominent guest role on Season 12 of ER as a man who gets in a violent brawl with his sister’s boyfriend while she is treated at County General for stab wounds in the neck.

Chris Pine (Levine)

Danny Pudi would later appear in 2016’s Star Trek Beyond opposite Chris Pine, playing Capt. James T. Kirk a third time before starring in two Wonder Woman movies as Steve Trevor. This impressive career all started with an appearance on Season 9 of ER lasting mere seconds as a patient still drunk from a Valentine’s Day party… from five days earlier.

Anton Yelchin (Robbie Edelstein)

Chris Pine’s Star Trek co-star Anton Yelchin also made his debut on ER as a 10-year-old survivor of a car crash that killed his parents. Sadly, the talented actor passed away in 2016, at the age of 27, when his own Jeep rolled backward, struck him, and pinned him against the his home’s security fence.

Dakota Fanning (Delia Chadsey)

Another one of Anton Yelchin’s earlier roles was in the Steven Spielberg-produced sci-fi miniseries Taken opposite an 8-year-old Dakota Fanning. The now 26-year-old Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood actress also made her debut on ER as a 6-year-old recovering leukemia patient whose need for further chemo treatment is discovered after suffering a car accident.

Kathy Griffin (Dolores Minky)

Speaking of Quentin Tarantino movies, he actually directed a Season 1 episode of ER starring Kathy Griffin, who had previously worked with the director on Pulp Fiction. The comedian and former Bravo reality show star plays the troop leader for eight young Ranger Scouts who are all sent to County General with diarrhea.

Shia LaBeouf (Darnel Smith)

After ER, Kathy Griffin would a land a starring role on the sitcom Suddenly Susan, on which a young Shia LaBeouf once guest starred on. The former Disney Channel and Transformers star, who later made a name for himself with bizarre performance art (among other things), also appeared on the medical drama's sixth season as a patient with muscular dystrophy.

Josh Gad (Sgt. Bruce Larabee)

Also famous for his work with Disney, following his Tony-nominated performance in The Book of Mormon, is Josh Gad - the voice of Olaf in the Frozen movies. His first gig as part of the Screen Actors Guild was a 2005 episode ER as a combat medic stationed in Iraq with Michael Gallant (Sharif Atkins).

Katee Sackhoff (Jason’s Girlfriend)

Josh Gad also lent his his voice to the animated Star Wars: Rebels series, which also stars Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan Kryze - whom she recently brought to live action on The Mandalorian. Before Battlestar Galactica sparked her career as sci-fi royalty, she starred on a Halloween episode of ER from 2002 which, coincidentally, is the year she appeared in the infamous Halloween: Resurrection. Bonus fact: this was the first of four episodes starring MCU's future War Machine actor Don Cheadle.

Ewan McGregor (Duncan Stewart)

Speaking of Star Wars actors, playing a young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequel trilogy skyrocketed Ewan McGregor to the A-list. The Golden Globe-winning Scotsman actor had already received acclaim for his lead role in Trainspotting a year before playing a desperate man holding Dr. Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) and others hostage at a convenience store on ER's third season.

Nick Offerman (Rog)

Ewan McGregor won his Golden Globe for FX's Fargo, which, in its previous season, had starred Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation's Ron Swanson and Megan Mullally's husband) in a recurring role. The actor made his TV debut as aspiring rock star whose bass player band mate is rushed into County General on ER's mockumentary style Season 4 premiere that was filmed and broadcasted live.

Adam Scott (David Kerstetter)

Nick Offerman's Parks and Recreation co-star Adam Scott (who has made more dramatic turns recently in Black Mass or the HBO series Big Little Lies) can also boast ER as one of his earliest acting gigs. In the medical drama's first season, the then 22-year-old played a man bleeding out of his chest after being hit by a car.

Lin Shaye (Margaret)

Adam Scott also a few horror movies under his belt, as recently as Krampus or as early as Hellraiser: Bloodline, but Lin Shaye of Insidious and A Nightmare on Elm Street fame, a living legend of the genre. The 77-year-old actress, and sister of New Line Cinema founder Bob Shaye, also had the honor appearing on the final episode of ER.

Octavia Spencer (Maria Jones)

Another star I regard as an underrated Scream Queen (for Drag Me to Hell, the title role of Ma, and the grandmother in Robert Zemeckis' The Witches remake) is Octavia Spencer. Yet, years before she became the Academy Award-winning star of The Help, the actress appeared on Season 5 of ER as a pregnant woman thinking of having her third abortion.

Keegan-Michael Key (Witkowski)

While his best friend and writing parter Jordan Peele has since graduated into scarier and dramatic projects more frequently, Keegan-Michael Key is still trucking with plenty of comedic parts on his resume as of late. However, ironically, the now 49-year-old former MADtv star made his TV debut on ER in the eighth season of the popular and often humorless medical drama

Kal Penn (Narajan)

After hitting it big as one-half of the titular duo from the smash hit stoner comedy Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Kal Penn would soon graduate into more serious projects, such as a position in the Obama Administration and playing a doctor on House from 2007-2012. His first time playing a medical professional, however, was in a brief appearance on ER in a 2001 episode from the series' eighth season.

Jared Padalecki (Paul Harris)

Early 2021 sees Jared Padalecki graduate to a new genre, specifically the western, as the title character of The CW's Walker after chasing ghosts and goblins on Supernatural as Sam Winchester for 15 seasons. Yet, while the 38-year-old Scream King was still a series regular on Gilmore Girls, he played a high school student who gets in a car crash with his father, played by Jim Belushi, after arguing over his future as a hockey player on a Season 7 episode of ER.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Firefighter Larkin)

Starring as Jared Padalecki's father on Supernatural was Jeffrey Dean Morgan, whose best known role in the realm of medical TV dramas is on Grey's Anatomy as Denny Duquette, Izzie Stevens' (Katherine Heigl) patient and love interest. However, it was only a few years earlier when the prolific comic book adaptation actor appeared on the seventh season of ER as a firefighter undergoing a leg amputation.

What do you think? Does seeing these celebrities before their prime make you want to rewatch ER from the beginning to point out even more of the stars your may have missed? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the long-running medical drama, as well as even more inside looks into famous guest stars that may have slipped your mind, here on CinemaBlend.

If you’ve been holding out hope for a new Star Trek film, you should probably get ready for some bad news. Despite the popularity of the 21st century reboot, and ongoing discussion of a potential Quentin Tarantino film, it sounds like the franchise on a whole may be on an indefinite hiatus. Star Trek star Simon Pegg thinks there’s more than one reason why we won’t be getting any new movies -- but the biggest one is the lack of “Marvel money.”

Since 2009, there have been three entries into the Star Trek film franchise. There was 2009’s Star Trek, which grossed a respectable $385.6 million. The follow-up, Star Trek Into Darkness, saw a worldwide gross of $467.3 million -- again, not too shabby. The third movie, Star Trek Beyond, came out in 2016 and made $343.4 million. But if you ask Simon Pegg why Paramount Pictures doesn’t seem to be in a rush to offer up another installment, it sounds like the box office revenue just wasn’t quite enough (via GamesRadar+):

The unfortunate reality is that Simon Pegg may very well be right. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a resurgence in film franchises not only with the MCU, but also DCEU, Disney, and Star Wars. By comparison, for example, Avengers: Endgame and Captain Marvel easily crossed the billion dollar threshold last year. Even Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which wasn’t exactly popular with fans, hit a billion dollar gross worldwide. Though the Star Trek films definitely proved to have a box office draw, they simply haven’t been on the same level.

Simon Pegg -- who played beloved engineer Scotty in Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond -- does put some onus on the powers that be for not fully capturing the potential for revitalizing the franchise:

But he also thinks that even if they were able to get a green light for another Star Trek installment, it might be difficult for the cast and crew to get on board following the tragic death of their co-star Anton Yelchin in 2016:

Basically, it seems like the deck is stacked against another big screen Star Trek reboot at this point. That doesn’t mean it will never happen -- just that it’s not something that anyone involved seems particularly keen to explore. We’ll have to see what the future holds for the franchise.

Acting as a posthumous tribute to the late Anton Yelchin, the documentary Love, Antosha will feature family and friends talking about the impact the young actor’s career had on them, as well as the world at large.

Featuring discussion of his film career, as well as his work in other media such as photography and music, it is a true celebration of what Anton Yelchin had accomplished, and what might have been if he wasn’t so tragically taken. The musical angle is particularly interesting, as it’s been revealed that Love, Antosha will have a soundtrack that showcases a side of Anton Yelchin’s career most wouldn’t have known about.

Through his work in a punk band known as “The Hammerheads,” Love, Antosha will find a handful of that group’s work incorporated into the film’s sonic landscape. Learning of Anton Yelchin’s involvement in such a musical endeavor does feel pretty fitting, as it must have helped him prepare for his role as a punk rocker in director Jeremy Saulnier’s Green Room.

Naturally, along with the music’s presence in the film, the band’s members will be featured alongside the likes of Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Kristen Stewart and John Cho, as subjects reflecting on Anton Yelchin’s brief but meaningful legacy.

The information comes from an item in THR, which helps build up the profile for the documentary film. The movie will go into limited release at the beginning of August. Love Antosha had premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and with the third anniversary of his death taking place in recent memory, it’s perhaps the best time to run a film that warmly recalls Yelchin and his artistic spirit.

Though several years have passed, the memory of Anton Yelchin’s artistic contributions is still as strong as ever, especially with a fourth Star Trek film seeming to have floundered. Should that project have ever gotten off the ground, it probably would have been incredibly difficult to figure out how to move forward without his Chekov on board.

At least there’s comfort in knowing that Love, Antosha will show the world the work that came from Anton Yelchin’s love of music and photography, in a way that they’ve never seen before. Though if you’re looking to get a taste of what the film will offer musically, you’ll be able to jump in sooner than you think.

The soundtrack to Love, Antosha has just been released, as both a digital download and a physical CD, in anticipation of its opening in Los Angeles on August 2, with the New York opening taking place the week after.

In the meantime, if you’re wondering what other films are on the market between now and this film’s premiere, you can check out our 2019 release schedule to find out what’s next in line.

Three years ago, actor Anton Yelchin was killed in an unfortunate accident, at the young age of 27. In the wake of his devastating departure, fans and actors alike have mourned the passing of this talented actor who had so much life ahead of him, professionally and personally.

Now, on the third anniversary of his death, the Star Trek franchise has chosen to pay tribute to Anton Yelchin’s passing, with the following post on their social media feed:

Today is the actual day in 2016 that notes the passing of Anton Yelchin, who at the time had completed work on the third Trek film, Star Trek Beyond, as well as part of his work for the first season of the Dreamworks series, Trollhunters. Though several films would be released throughout 2017, with the independent film We Don’t Belong Here marking his final film role released.

This particular anniversary is painful to acknowledge, as recent months have seen Anton Yelchin’s memory resurface through a documentary honoring his life and times, Love, Antosha. Along with that film’s debut came remembrances from co-stars such as Chris Pine, John Cho, and Kristin Stewart, as well as the revelation that Anton Yelchin was actually hiding his suffering from Cystic Fibrosis for almost a decade before his untimely death.

The official Star Trek Twitter wasn’t the only tribute seen this morning, as fan site Trek Core also had their own tribute to Yelchin, courtesy of a recolored photo from his appearance in the reboot trilogy, where he played the role of Ensign Pavel Chekov:

Best known for the role of Checkov in Star Trek’s latest run of films, Anton Yelchin was admittedly nervous to try and live up to the precedent set by Walter Koenig in his initial run as the character. And any young actor jumping into a role as iconic as this one would have to be crazy not to feel that pressure.

However, as seen in the fandom that Anton Yelchin had acquired over his time in that role, as well as in numerous other projects like Fright Night, Green Room, and Thoroughbreds, his performances were strong to the point where that fear was unfounded. Perhaps the greatest impact that Yelchin has made on the Star Trek franchise is the fact that even with the fourth film in limbo, his Enterprise crewmates still think of him when discussing the process of getting another film into the air.

While Anton Yelchin is no longer with us, his career has left his fans with an indelible body of work that shows just how talented he was, both on and off the screen. Though we still mourn him, we also remember him as the bright presence he always brought to his work. And that is the most fitting tribute of all.

The documentary on Yelchin’s live, Love, Antosha is scheduled for an August 2nd release date.

It's hard to believe, but it's been nearly three years since Star Trek's Anton Yelchin suddenly died outside his Hollywood home. In fact, tomorrow marks the three-year anniversary of his untimely death. Yelchin is the subject of a new documentary Love, Antosha, with plenty of his co-workers and friends reflecting on the young actor's life and myriad talents.

Chris Pine recently reflected on Anton Yelchin's work ethic, especially as he was silently hiding the pains of cystic fibrosis on set. Pine was one of many Hollywood to get on camera for Love, Antosha. Twilight actress Kristen Stewart also spoke to her relationship with Yelchin, and the way he pushed her to improve. She said:

Anton Yelchin seemed to inspire and challenge the people he came into contact with during his 27 year-long life. This includes Kristen Stewart, who admits to a deep connection with her Fierce People costar.

While his life was cut short, Anton Yelchin clearly left an impact on the people he came into contact with. Kristen Stewart as one of the many household names to have been affected by Yelchin's life an death, something she was generous enough to share with the world in Love, Antosha. Stewart is appearing in the new documentary alongside names like J.J. Abrams, Zachary Quinto, Jodie Foster, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Willem Dafoe.

Plenty of Anton Yelchin's Star Trek co-stars appear in the documentary, which looks like a thoroughly emotional experience. This includes John Cho, who starred alongside the actor as Sulu in all three blockbusters. Footage from Love, Antosha has been slowly revealed, including a segment (Via ET) where Cho speaks to Yelchin's character, and how that was reflected in the late actor's photography. He said:

In addition to his onscreen roles, Anton Yelchin was a bit of a renaissance man. He played guitar, specifically blues. He was also a talented photographer, with his work being displayed posthumously at a New York gallery in 2018. John Cho was clearly a fan of Yelchin's photography, and how his late co-worker was able to get his subjects to open up and be vulnerable.

Looking at the huge cast of names involved in Love, Antosha, and John Cho's comments do make a great deal of sense. Anton Yelchin pierced the heart of each person seen in the documentary, with plenty of Hollywood's stars taking time out of their schedule to speak to Yelchin's character on camera.

As previously mentioned, Chris Pine recently spoke what it was like working with Anton Yelchin throughout the Star Trek trilogy. The late actor silently suffered from cystic fibrosis during his life, but didn't ask for any accommodations when working on grueling shoots. As Captain Kirk himself put it:

On top of his spirit and talent, Anton Yelchin was able to connect with people through his work ethic, and impress the myriad big name he worked with throughout his film career. Yelchin released a number of films posthumously, starting with Star Trek Beyond. Four other movies arrived after his death, with Love, Antosha adding another credit to his filmography. And one that is far more personal than anything else before it.

You can check out the trailer for Love, Antosha below.

The documentary looks like it's going to be a super emotional viewing experience. Love, Antosha made its debut at Sundance Film Festival back in January of 2019, and fared well with early critics. But average moviegoers will have to wait another few months to see it themselves. But with more emotional testimonies arriving from the people who knew and loved the late actor, anticipation for the doc's release should only continue to grow.

Anton Yelchin died June 19th 2016 in Studio City, California. The 27 year-old actress was the victim of a freak automobile accident, and was pinned between his Jeep Grand Cherokee and a brick pillar outside his house after the car rolled down his driveway. It was a turn of events that shocked his fans and loved ones, especially as his career was continuing to move upward. The timing was also sobering, as he died just a month before Star Trek Beyond arrived in theaters.

This loss was a shadow over the Star Trek threequel's release, as the cast and crew paid tribute to Anton Yelchin while promoting the blockbuster. The young actor's untimely death has also been a motivator for the cast to create a fourth movie, and continue the story in honor of their fallen crew member. But whether or not Star Trek 4 happens is a mystery at the moment.

Star Trek's future might be unclear, but Anton Yelchin is being honored through Love, Antosha. Yelchin's parents helped the documentary move forward, and no doubt encouraged the massive cast to sign on and speak about their experience with the deceased young actor.

Love, Antosha is set to arrive in theaters on August 2nd, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Before J.J. Abrams helped to kickstart the Star Wars franchise with The Force Awakens, he had his eye on another intergalactic property. Abrams brought the Star Trek series back to theaters with his trilogy of movies, starring a talented cast and plenty of lens flares. The fate of the potential fourth movie remains unclear, although the Star Trek family suffered a loss with the death of actor Anton Yelchin.

Anton Yelchin played Pavel Chekov in all three Star Trek movies, although the threequel Beyond was released after his unexpected death at the age of 27. The Star Trek cast recently assembled to celebrate the first movie's 10-year anniversary, and Chris Pine spoke to working with Yelchin. It was revealed posthumously that Yelchin suffered from cystic fibrosis, and Pine remembered a scene where he's sure the young actor was silently suffering. As he put it:

It looks like Anton Yelchin was determined to shoot all of his scenes in Star Trek Beyond. So this included silently suffering through symptoms of cystic fibrosis while shooting a weeks worth of stunt footage. It's this type of dedication that made his tenure as Pavel Chekov such a fan favorite aspect of the trilogy.

Chris Pine's comments to THR just continue to highlight the tragedy of Anton Yelchin's unexpected death. The Russian-American actor clearly had a strong work ethic, and was able to juggle his diagnosis and the long grueling hours of working on a film set. Besides not asking for assistance, Yelchin didn't even share his experience with co-stars like Pine.

Related: Zoe Saldana Recalls Anton Yelchin Being ‘Nervous’ To Do Star Trek Justice

Anton Yelchin's life is being explored through the new documentary Love, Antosha. The doc explores the actor's life and death, with both Chris Pine and J.J. Abrams among the cast who speak to their experiences with Yelchin. You can check the trailer for Love, Antosha below.

Anton Yelchin died on June 19th, 2016 at the age of 27. He was involved in a freak motor vehicle accident in his own driveway, before Star Trek Beyond made it way to theaters. It's particularly tragic that Yelchin didn't get to see the scene that Chris Pine described above, considering the hard work involved.

The fate of the Star Trek franchise is still a mystery. But if a fourth movie is finally green lit, it would mark the first installment without Anton Yelchin's character.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Star Trek. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

A decade ago this week, Star Trek brought the legendary sci-fi franchise that Gene Roddenberry created for audiences in the ‘60s into a more modern context. And the cast and crew involved knew just how daunting a task that was, especially the actor playing the young version of Ensign Pavel Chekov, the late Anton Yelchin.

Anton Yelchin’s thoughts were conveyed by fellow Star Trek co-star Zoe Saldana in a new documentary entitled Love, Antonsha, which reflects on the untimely passing of Yelchin, and the legacy his brief, but luminous career has left behind. Saldana recalled the young man’s bout of nerves as follows:

When the character of Pavel Chekov was initially created, it was in the name of the brand of sci-fi optimism that Gene Roddenberry and his Star Trek brand were always meant to uphold. So obviously, rebooting such a staple of pop culture in the present day is a task that has to be handled very carefully.

This was especially true with Chekov, a Russian member of the multi-ethnicity crew of the USS Enterprise that signaled not only would the Cold War raging in reality eventually end, but that Russia would have a place on the greater world stage in the future. While that prophecy would be fulfilled, Anton Yelchin obviously still felt the weight of keeping this character true to his roots when making Star Trek with J.J. Abrams.

Anton Yelchin’s fears about doing justice to Ensign Chekov is just one of the many stories populating Love Antonsha, which the projects director, Garret Price, apparently didn’t have a hard time gathering. While talking to EW about the projects’ status, as well as sharing the clip of Zoe Saldana recounting her co-star with this beautiful story, Price mentioned that about 60 different A-listers had contributed in some way or another to this collection of memories. And the best part was they didn’t need to be convinced all that hard to say yes.

It’s not difficult to see why Anton Yelchin is so fondly remembered, and that extends even to the Star Trek franchise itself. While he was able to make the first three films in the modern reboot series, there’s still a bit of a discussion as to how his role will be filled, should Star Trek 4 move forward.

A fourth film is a rather questionable prospect at this time, but should any movement be made, it’s safe to assume that J.J. Abrams’ previous remarks about how both Anton Yelchin and Chekov are irreplaceable in the Star Trek universe will inform the decision that pertains to the helm of the Enterprise in its continuing mission.

Love Antonsha will be released into theaters at some point this summer. As soon as we have more information as to when to expect that film, we’ll report back, as well as update our 2019 release schedule accordingly.

It's no secret that superhero movies are everywhere. Comic book adaptations have proven to be the most profitable and popular genre in filmmaking, so there are plenty of studios trying to get in on the fun with their own cinematic universe. But there was a time when this wasn't the case, and back in 2007 DC tried to get together the ill-fated blockbuster Justice League Mortal, directed by Mad Max's George Miller.

Details about Justice League Mortal have slowly trickled out throughout the years, including which characters would have factored into the ensemble project. The cast would have featured The O.C.'s Adam Brody as The Flash, but it also appears that the late Anton Yelchin may have been another name floated around. A concept art just hit the internet, reportedly made for Yelchin's verison of the speedster. Check it out below.

Talk about a different look. It looks like George Miller's plans for Justice League Mortal would have been even more void of color than Zack Snyder's trilogy of DC movies. While Snyder often prefers muted tones, the above art for The Flash's costume is totally grey. You can barely even call the character the Scarlet Speedster, considering how void of the color red he is.

This new image comes to us from Instagram, and mentions Anton Yelchin as the actor it was made for. This might be surprising for moviegoers who are familiar with the ill-fated development for Justice League Mortal. A full cast was assembled (and photographed!), with Yelchin not part of the group. Instead, The Flash was going to be played by Adam Brody, who was having some success in the world of TV acting.

Anton Yelchin was also younger than Adam Brody, making the reports of his involvement all the more suspect. Yelchin would have only been about 18 years old in 2007, and didn't have the following he did later in life. As such, it seems more likely that George Miller would have chosen an older and arguably more famous actor to play the Scarlet Speedster.

Regardless of which actor was going to inhabit the role, the possible costume for The Flash in Justice League Mortal would have thrown hardcore comic book fans for a loop. The Flash almost always has a bright red suit, leaving a trail of red behind him when running at superheroic speeds. This look is void of color, possibly teasing a dark incarnation of the character than Ezra Miller eventually played in Justice League. Of course, that might be changing soon.

Ezra Miller's Flash solo movie has been sitting in development hell from years, suffering multiple set backs and losing quite a few directors along the way. The latest report indicates Miller is trying to help the writing process, and make the film darker in tone. Could he also end up with a grey suit? We'll just have to wait and see.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things DC and Flash, as details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Actor Anton Yelchin tragically passed away due to a freak vehicle accident in June of 2016 at the age of 27, just a month before he was seen onscreen as Chekov in Star Trek Beyond. Although he will live on in the characters he played onscreen, Anton Yelchin’s parents have made a documentary that is about the real man behind the characters. Anton’s mother, Irina Yelchin, explained her and her husband's reasoning for making a documentary about their son, saying:

Anton Yelchin’s parents, Irina and Viktor, seemingly made the documentary as a way to stay close to their son even after he is gone. They didn’t want to let go, and as they told the Los Angeles Times, he is still present in their lives after his death. Anton Yelchin had multiple movies and projects come out posthumously, and his parents kept hearing people sing his praises.

That all made it feel like he never really left and was still a part of their lives. The documentary, which is called Love, Antosha, was seemingly a way to embrace that and keep it going by spending more time with their son. Anton’s mother said that maybe they made the documentary for selfish reasons, but I don’t think many people would agree. Most would see their desire to honor their son as both incredibly sad and completely understandable.

The idea for the documentary actually came from Anton’s parents speaking with actor Jon Voight, who Anton Yelchin starred with in the 2015 film Court of Conscience. Anton’s parents were speaking with him about feeling that their lives were over and the Oscar-winning actor suggested that they make a documentary and live on to keep their son’s memory alive.

The couple reached out to Anton Yelchin’s Star Trek director J.J. Abrams for advice and he suggested someone who actually knew Anton direct the film. They then contacted Anton’s Like Crazy director and close friend Drake Doremus. He felt too close to the subject to do it, but he suggested his friend, Garret Price, take on the documentary.

Because Garret Price did not know Anton Yelchin, the film can be more objective and dig into the good and the bad, and not just be a hagiography of the late actor. Love, Antosha will also touch on Anton Yelchin’s little-known struggle with cystic fibrosis. You can hear Garret Price speaking about Love, Antosha in the video below.

The documentary was a labor of love for Viktor and Irina Yelchin, who had to go through the painful process of looking through old home videos of Anton for the project. In their conversation with the Los Angeles Times, it is not clear that making the documentary helped assuage their pain, but they did indicate that they feel they did right by Anton.

Love, Antosha features interviews with some of the people Anton Yelchin worked with over the years, including J.J. Abrams, John Cho, Martin Landau, Jennifer Lawrence, Jodie Foster and Chris Pine. The documentary premieres at the Sundance Film Festival on January 28.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest movie news, and check out our 2019 release schedule to see what movies you can look forward to this year.

Two years ago, actor Anton Yelchin passed away due to a freak accident, just a month before the release of Star Trek: Beyond, in which the young actor played Pavel Chekov. Anton Yelchin's death cast a cloud over that underseen film, and there has not been a Star Trek movie since. Now it seems the franchise is gearing up to blast off once again, with a galaxy's worth of directions this film series could go in next. But continuing without a key member of the Star Trek family is going to be a challenge, as Montgomery Scott actor Simon Pegg explained:

With the increasing talk of Star Trek 4 of late, the cast will indeed have to face the reality of working without Anton Yelchin. As Simon Pegg tells The Quietus, they will be doing more Star Trek films, but the idea of doing so without the actor, who would have been 29 this year, is difficult to fathom. Anton Yelchin's death occurred right before the release of Star Trek: Beyond, so that film was already in the can. Star Trek 4 will be the first time that the crew of the Enterprise has to work together without the scene-stealing actor.

You can tell how much genuine friendship there is among the cast of these films, and going back to work without such a bright presence has to be strange and sad. This cast has worked together for three blockbuster films and all the press obligations that go with them, so it is natural that a bond would have formed. Going on after such a loss is bound to be difficult, as it is with loss in all walks of life.

Hopefully Star Trek 4 gives the studio and the cast an opportunity to honor the late actor and his character. J.J. Abrams has already said that they have no intention of recasting the role of Pavel Chekov, and that seems like the right call. Chekov was a fun supporting character, but the series can continue on without him and still be Star Trek. The fourth film in this rebooted franchise will perhaps send Chekov off right with some lines of dialogue mentioning where the character is now, offering some meta-commentary tribute in the process.

The fact that there won't be Anton Yelchin's Pavel Chekov in it is one of the only things we know for sure about Star Trek 4. There are as many as three or more scripts currently in the works, with the huge elephant in the room being the possibility of a Quentin Tarantino-directed Star Trek film. I don't know if that is the right direction for this series, but whatever approach Star Trek takes next, hopefully it finds the level of success that Star Trek: Beyond deserved, but did not get. We'll keep you updated on where the Star Trek franchise boldly goes next.

It's been almost two years since Anton Yelchin passed away at the untimely age of 27, following an accident that left him pinned between his driveway and his gate due to a malfunction with his Jeep Grand Cherokee and caused his death. His parents sued the car company that owns Jeep some time after his death, and now it looks as if Fiat Chrysler and Anton Yelchin's family have settled the lawsuit that followed the Star Trek star's passing.

Back in the summer of 2016, Victor and Irina Yelchin ultimately opted to take legal action against Fiat Chrysler after learning that a recall was behind Anton Yelchin's death. Back in June of 2016, we first learned that Anton Yelchin had died after his Jeep Cherokee rolled down his driveway, pinning him to a brick pillar that was attached to his security gate. A wrongful death lawsuit was filed after his parents learned Yelchin's Jeep Cherokee had been recalled earlier that year due to causing multiple injuries and reportedly being behind 266 crashes in the vehicle. Jeep responded following Anton Yelchin's death by recalling more of the vehicles at an accelerated pace, but that didn't stop the lawsuit from moving forward.

At one point, the attorney for Anton Yelchin's family revealed that a recall notice for the Jeep Cherokee was sent to Anton Yelchin, but it was only received at his address seven days after the actor had already been killed by his vehicle. Along with that notice, 800,000 recalls were sent out by the company in April of that year. The issue was with the shifter in the 2014 and 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee models. Because of the way the shifter was set up, it often seemed to be in park when it was actually still in neutral, leading to the car rolling away, which is what happened with Anton Yelchin.

According to TMZ, while a settlement has been reached, the terms are confidential, so we may not ever know what the family learned when the lawsuit was settled. However, whatever the amount of money won't really make up for the loss of Anton Yelchin, an actor who was making great headway in Hollywood and was known for roles in The Smurfs, Star Trek, The Beaver and more. You can see him in his final role in Thoroughbreds in theaters, now. He also did voice work for the Netflix series Trollhunters before his death.

In addition, Anton Yelchin's fellow peers and cast members have not forgotten him. It was only a few days ago when Zoe Saldana shared a touching photo of the Star Trek and its sequels cast, noting the day would have been Anton Yelchin's 29th birthday. He may be gone, but he surely is missed by many.

It's a good time to be a Star Trek fan. With CBS bringing Star Trek: Discovery to your devices this fall, the franchise is once again returning to the small screen, which has always brought the most iconic and beloved aspects of the property. But there is still a film franchise out there, although its unclear if a fourth Star Trek film will actually happen. While the last film, Star Trek: Beyond, was a welcomed change from the dreary and somewhat predictable aspects of Into Darkness, promoting the film was no walk in the park. Karl Urban recently revealed how difficult it was to do interviews and press for the project, considering that actor Anton Yelchin had suddenly died just a few weeks prior.

This certainly sounds terrible, as Anton Yelchin's loss was so fresh when the rest of the cast was forced to do interview after interview regarding the threequel. And it's touching that Karl Urban has since been so public about this process.

Press junkets for major blockbusters can be grueling for actors. The cast is expected to speak to an endless amount of outlets and TV stations, many of which are asking the same old questions. And according to Karl Urban's statement at Star Trek Las Vegas (via Trekie Movie), Anton Yelchin's tragic death was hanging over the press tour. The cast was dealing with their own feelings about Yelchin's passing, and at the same time they were asked about the young actor's death ad nauseam. This was probably like pouring lemon juice onto a fresh wound, as the shock and sorrow of the tragedy were consistently brought up.

For those who don't remember, Anton Yelchin died in a freak accident last June. When exiting his vehicle at his home, the car ended up rolling down the steep hill and pinning the young actor between the vehicle and a pillar outside the residence. He was just 27 years old, and his unexpected death was one of the more shocking celebrity passings of 2016. Yelchin played Pavel Chekov in all three of the recent Star Trek films, and he died a little over a month before Star Trek Beyond arrived in theaters.

It's still unclear if the Star Trek franchise will continue on, but it seems like the majority of the cast is down. Both Zachary Quinto and Karl Urban have expressed interest in reprising their roles, although a major presence would be missing in a future installment in the form of Anton Yelchin.

Trekies can watch Star Trek: Discovery starting on September 24, 2017, and you can catch Karl Urban in Thor: Ragnarok on November 3, 2017.

Memory is a tricky thing, especially when it's being used to prove or disprove a crime has been committed. In Rememory, the crime of murder has undoubtedly been committed, so obviously Peter Dinklage's protagonist has to figure out the who and why behind the inciting event. But the method at the heart of the film's narrative is deadly, as Dinklage's own mind is on the line in the process, as you'll see in the trailer below for the movie that doubles as one of Anton Yelchin's final projects.

Co-starring the late Anton Yelchin, Martin Donovan, and Julia Ormond, Rememory is a race against time, as Peter Dinklage's character, Sam, is trying to find the killer of Donovan's character, Gordon. In order to do so, he'll use an experimental technology that allows him to look through other people's recorded memories, which happened to be developed by the victim himself. Though as we saw toward the end of the trailer, that shiny new tech comes with some serious side effects.

Of course, there's some real life tragedy that tinges this exciting look at Rememory, as it is one of Anton Yelchin's final film performances that have yet to be released to the public. With the small look at his material in this film, it really is sad that we're one film closer to no longer being able to see the burgeoning star on the screen ever again. But the intensity of Yelchin's performance certainly matches the level of effort he brought to his career before his untimely death, and it only further excites us about the prospects of entertainment ahead.

Though it should also be mentioned that while there's a fine ensemble of actors, Rememory is clearly Peter Dinklage's show, and it's an intriguing show at that. While this concept has been done in a similar fashion in the Robin Williams vehicle, The Final Cut, this variant on the theme looks like it's more intent on working the psychological thriller aspect into its narrative. And at the heart of it all is Dinklage, who has already shown time and time again that he knows how to carry a room on screen. Seeing the Game of Thrones actor able to spread his wings and take another lead role after being a consistent part of the HBO show's cavalcade of talent makes us happy. It looks like he's both threatening and haunting in this late summer release.

Rememory looks like another win for Lionsgate Premium, as their digital release platform also yielded some fantastic results with last year's Daniel Radcliffe thriller Imperium. Though this time, it looks like the studio's VOD arm has teamed with an interesting partner to bring the film to home streaming before hitting its theatrical release: Google Play. Through the partnership, Rememory will hit homes on August 24, with the actual theatrical release coming on September 8.

2016 really felt like it was taking away every great, beloved celebrity we have, didn't it? Right when you're finally coming to terms with your favorite actor going on permanent hiatus, you wake up to find that the musician that shaped so much of your life has died as well. Now that this garbage year is finally nearly over, let's take a look back at all the great stars that we had to say goodbye to in 2016.

David Bowie

Died: January 10, 2016

David Bowie wasn't just a musician --- his ferocious adherence to his own individuality and uniqueness in regard to fashion, art, and societal norms helped shape the landscape of pop culture into a more colorful and explosive place. He's churned out countless pop and rock hits over the past half century, and even stepped into acting with memorable turns in movies like Labyrinth and Basquiat. He died of liver cancer just days after releasing his final album, Blackstar, at the beginning of the year.

Alan Rickman

Died: January 14, 2016

Severus Snape had one of the most emotional death scenes in recent memory on the big screen, and actor Alan Rickman's death left just as many Harry Potter fans sad and shaken at the very beginning of 2016. And Rickman wasn't only beloved by hordes of Harry Potter fans --- he was a beloved actor known for bringing depth and snark to iconic roles in movies like Die Hard, Love Actually, and Galaxy Quest. Sadly, the accomplished thespian died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 69.

Harper Lee

Died: February 19, 2016

Harper Lee became one of the most well-regarded American authors after publishing only one book in half a century. Her iconic novel about racial inequality, family, and growing up, To Kill a Mockingbird is still taught in schools to this day. Her second novel Go Set a Watchman was published a year before she died in her sleep at the age of 89 this past February.

Garry Shandling

Died: March 24, 2016

Many comedians today list Garry Shandling as an inspiration to their craft. The television mainstay kept audiences laughing throughout the '80s and '90s with his pair of successful comedy talk shows: It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show. Sadly, Shandling died of a blood clot in late March of 2016.

Patty Duke

Died: March 29, 2016

An icon of the 1960s, Patty Duke was the "it" girl of the decade after delivering phenomenal performances in stage plays like The Miracle Worker and movies like Valley of the Dolls. Duke also hosted her own talk show throughout the decade, and additionally released a pair of top 40 hit songs. Sadly, Duke died earlier this year of a ruptured intestine.

Doris Roberts

Died: April 17, 2016

Legendary actress Doris Roberts was known for a number of prominent film roles throughout the '70s and '80s, but most TV viewers know her as the pushy but lovable Marie Barone from Everybody Loves Raymond. Roberts brought unmatched humor and professionalism to every role that she took on, which made her death from a stroke earlier this year all the more upsetting.

Prince

Died: April 21, 2016

One of the most shocking deaths of the year was that of Prince, the iconic musician behind an entire era of funk music. His biggest hits like "Purple Rain," "When Doves Cry," "Little Red Corvette," and so many others defined a generation of music fans, and went on to influence countless R&B and pop artists today. News of his death due to accidental opioid overdose earlier this year shocked the world.

Muhammad Ali

Died: June 3, 2016

The devastating power of 2016 hit us in full force when it bested even "The Greatest." One of the most decorated and inspiring figures in professional sports, boxing legend Muhammad Ali died at age 74 after years of struggling with Parkinson's syndrome.

Gordie Howe

Died: June 10, 2016

One of the most famous hockey players of all time, Gordie Howe set the standard for how the sport was meant to be played when he first put skate to ice back in the 1940s. Decades later, he still holds many of the NHL's records, and was the inaugural recipient of the league's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Sadly, Howe couldn't outskate fate, and died at age 88 this summer.

Anton Yelchin

Died: June 19, 2016

Anton Yelchin's death this summer may be one of the most upsetting of the year, given that the actor was still so young. The Russian actor gained some popularity as the title character in the high school pharmaceutical dramedy Charlie Bartlett in 2007, and then made it big when he was cast as Chekov in the rebooted Star Trek movie series. Tragically, Yelchin was killed when he was pinned between his car and a brick mailbox.

Gene Wilder

Died: August 29, 2016

The world lost a bit of magic this past August when Gene Wilder was pronounced dead. His comedic talents have kept audiences laughing for centuries, with iconic films such as The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and Young Frankenstein. And he found his way into the hearts of a whole new generation when he injected zany, silly life into Willy Wonka.

Arnold Palmer

Died: September 25, 2016

Known as one of the best golfers to ever play the game, Arnold Palmer had to hang up his clubs for good this fall when he died awaiting heart surgery at age 87. Palmer won over 60 PGA tour titles throughout the '50s, '60s, and '70s, but non-golfers will also remember him for the signature half-lemonade, half-tea drink named after him.

Jose Fernandez

Died: September 25, 2016

September 25 took another major athlete along with Arnold Palmer. Florida Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez died in a boating accident at the young age of 24, after creating a viable future for himself in the Major League by winning Rookie of the Year just three years prior. Even more tragically, Fernandez had just announced that his girlfriend was pregnant with his first child five days before the lethal accident.

Leonard Cohen

Died: November 7, 2016

One of the most prolific songwriters in history --- Leonard Cohen --- also died this year. Along with non-musical writings in the form of poetry and novels, Cohen provided the world with some of the most highly praised songs ever, including his stirring, emotional masterpiece "Hallelujah." Sadly, Cohen's song ended this fall after Cohen died in his sleep at age 82.

Florence Henderson

Died: November 24, 2016

All of America felt like it was saying goodbye to its mom this fall when news broke that Florence Henderson had died. The veteran actress was best known for her role as The Brady Bunch mother Carol Brady throughout the late '60s and '70s. She continued to work in the entertainment industry until dying of heart failure at the end of November.

Ron Glass

Died: November 25, 2016

Ron Glass' death was one of the very few times that both young sci-fi fans and nostalgic baby boomers mourned the same actor, who had a profound impact on the lives of both cultures. Barney Miller fans remember Glass as the ambitious sergeant Ron Harris, whereas fans of the cult favorite space-Western Firefly looked to Glass as the charismatic spiritual leader Shepherd Book.

John Glenn

Died: December 8, 2016

John Glenn is flying higher than ever before now. The legendary pilot became the first man to orbit the Earth in the 1960s, going on to become one of the most famous astronauts ever. Later in life, Glenn transitioned into politics, becoming the senator for Ohio for a couple of decades. Glenn died in early December at age 95.

Alan Thicke

Died: December 13, 2016

Just weeks after losing an iconic TV mom in Florence Henderson, America was hit with another blow when iconic TV father Alan Thicke passed away in December. The Growing Pains patriarch helped raise a generation, and Thicke himself never stopped being a beloved television mainstay, working up until the day of his death at age 69.

Zsa Zsa Gabor

Died: December 18, 2016

Zsa Zsa Gabor had survived more eras of filmmaking than just about anyone, but 2016 finally got to her and she unfortunately died of a heart attack just a couple months shy of her 100th birthday. Gabor became a movie star in the golden age of Hollywood, and lived an insanely glamorous lifestyle to match it. In all, Gabor had nine husbands throughout her life.

George Michael

Died: December 25, 2016

The holiday classic "Last Christmas" took on a whole new meaning in 2016, and not a good one. Pop star George Michael died in his sleep during the holidays, 32 years after his band Wham! released their modern Christmas anthem. Along with his work with Wham!, Michael also had an incredibly successful solo career and was a vocal activist for LGBT rights.

Carrie Fisher

Died: December 27, 2016

2016's final blow is one that hit most movie fans the hardest. Before the holidays, people all over the world worried about Carrie Fisher's health after it was reported that she had a serious heart attack on an airplane. Things appeared to clear up, but unfortunately, Fisher passed away a few days later. Of course, Fisher gained iconic film status for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise, and she went on to become an incredibly accomplished author and beloved personality in her own right later in life.

Debbie Reynolds

Died: December 28, 2016

Of course 2016 had to end with one of the most heartbreaking deaths of all. The day after her daughter Carrie Fisher died, acting legend Debbie Reynolds died as well. Known for her iconic roles in Singin' in the Rain, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and so many other hugely influential films, Reynolds' last words were reportedly that she wanted to be with daughter.

This week marks the debut of Netflix's original series Trollhunters, a long-in-the-making project that boasts filmmaker Guillermo del Toro as creator, as well as a stacked cast including Ron Perlman and Steven Yeun. Perhaps most notably, the lead role was played by Anton Yelchin, who sadly died earlier this year when the vocal performances were still being recorded. Arrow co-creator Marc Guggenheim, an executive producer on Trollhunters, recently spoke with CinemaBlend about the vivid and fantastical series, and when I asked how Yelchin's untimely passing affected things, here's what he told me.

It sucks to deal with any occupational setback, but there's obviously nothing more devastating than someone losing their life. And from a purely business-minded standpoint, such a tragic incident is particularly problematic, as not only is there an unfinished job that needs a resolution, but any kind of delay costs both money and time from the studios and other actors. As Marc Guggenheim implied, it sucks that one's personal reality is still there and needing attention when something as intangible as death is at the forefront of the mind.

Guillermo del Toro was vocal in the past about Anton Yelchin's performance remaining in Trollhunters, and he refused to start over with anyone else. Another actor was eventually brought in to fill out the lines/episodes that Yelchin wasn't able to complete, though, and I'm sure that wasn't the easiest thing for that actor to go through, either. But to have it any other way would mean shelving one of Yelchin's final performances, and that would have been another tragedy of lesser standing. Having seen some of Trollhunters, I can attest to Yelchin being perfect as Jim, the teenager who finds a magical amulet that opens up a whole new and dangerous world.

Marc Guggenheim, who compared the character development in Trollhunters to that of Arrow, had lots of praise for Anton Yelchin's work. Pointing out how hard it is for some actors to put forth 100% in voice-only form, Guggenheim said Yelchin was a natural, and that this role will be one that honors him properly. Here are a few more of his kind words.

Thankfully, you don't have long to wait at all to hear Anton Yelchin's stellar performance, as well as everyone else's, as Trollhunters will make its action-packed debut on Netflix on Friday, December 23, at 12:00 a.m. PT. To see what you can binge on in the near year, check out our 2017 Netflix schedule, and head to our midseason premiere schedule to see what you can watch all over the small screen in the coming months.

2016 has been an absolutely tragic one in regards to celebrity deaths. Almost every week, reports of a tragic or untimely death are made public. From young talent like Anton Yelchin to icons like Gene Wilder and Kenny Baker, you can't turn a corner in 2016 without being confronted with the terrifying concept of death, and how it affects those in the public eye. Now this has happened again, and unfortunately a very young talent has passed away before his time. Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez has tragically passed away at the age of 24.

This news comes to us from the New York Post, which is reporting that Jose Fernandez passed away early Sunday morning as a result of a tragic boat accident. He was one of three people killed as a result of the accident, although the identities of the other victims have not been released. It has been reported, however, that none of the three had been wearing a life vest, but whether or not this would have made a difference is not clear. What is clear is how tragic this young death is, and how strongly it being felt throughout the MLB world and beyond.

Jose Fernandez's tragic death is worse when considering the many struggles the pitcher had endured during his short life. Fernandez defected from Cuba alongside his mother, although it was not his first attempt. Indeed, he had tried to flee from Cuba a total of four times- and those attempts which were unsuccessful led to Fernandez's imprisonment. In the final successful escape attempt, Jose and his mother used a very small boat in order to make their way to America. During this journey, his mother went overboard and Jose dove into the dark waters and saved her from drowning. So for him to lose his life due to a boating accident is particularly tragic and morbid.

Jose Fernandez's death is also terrible considering what was happening in the young pitcher's personal life. Less than a week ago, he posted an image of his pregnant girlfriend with the hashtag #familyfirst. So in addition to the loss of a son, friend, boyfriend, and athlete, a child will be brought into the world without the ability to meet their father.

This entire situation is just terrible. Both the Miami Marlins and his teammates have taken to social media to mourn Jose Fernandez's death, as well as express their disbelief with the tragedy.

The MLB has lost an immense physical talent, but it also seems that humanity as a whole has lost a remarkable person as well. Our thought are with his mother, girlfriend, and loved ones at this time.

Movie fans were stunned in June when Star Trek Beyond star Anton Yelchin tragically died in a "freak" car accident at only 27 years old. The actor had been a rising star in Hollywood for over a decade, and sadly, he was taken too soon. Over a month has passed since his tragic passing, and with August having just begun, Yeltsin's parents are taking legal action against Fiat Chrysler, the company which made the car that killed their son.

An attorney speaking on behalf of Anton Yelchin's parents, Victor and Irina Yelchin, (and reported by AP), recently announced that they have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler. After exiting his Jeep Grand Cherokee on his property's driveway, which was on an incline, Yelchin was killed on June 19 when the car rolled backwards and pinned him against a pillar outside his home and a security fence. That particular Jeep model had been recalled earlier in the year due to gear shifting issues that led the cars to roll away unintentionally, and as of late June, a government investigation found that this problem had led to 266 crashes that injured 68 people. Although they expressed sympathy to the actor's family, Fiat Chrysler didn't comment on the lawsuit.

Along with the lawsuit, Anton Yelchin didn't leave a will behind, so his parents have filed to become the administrators of his estate, which is comprised of $641,000 of personal holdings and $731,000 in equity in his home. Because of Yelchin's tragic death, Fiat Chrysler has accelerated recalls of that Jeep model, but that doesn't change that the actor was taken much too soon. We'll see how this lawsuit plays out in the months ahead, but ideally the company taking increased action will make sure no one else is hurt or killed by these kinds of cars.

Aside from playing Pavel Chekov in the new Star Trek movies, his memorable performances over the last decade included Kyle Reese in Terminator Salvation, Charlie Bartlett's eponymous character, Zack Mazursky in Alpha Dog, Clumsy Smurf in the Smurfs movies and Pat in Green Room. His posthumous projects include the recently-released Star Trek Beyond, We Don't Belong Here and Rememory. As for Star Trek 4, producer J.J. Abrams has confirmed that Chekov will not be recast, so it remains to be seen whether the character will be killed off or be transferred elsewhere. His Star Trek costars, along with other big names in Hollywood, passed on their condolences shortly after his death was made public, but it's still being felt today.

If you want to see one of Anton Yelchin's last performances, Star Trek Beyond is still playing in theaters. We'll keep you updated with the lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler as more information comes in.

News dropped yesterday that even before Star Trek Beyond hits theaters, plans are already in motion to make a Star Trek 4. But with one cast member who will be unable to return, what does that mean for the future of Chekov? Anton Yelchin tragically died last month in a car accident, meaning that his portrayal of the Enterprise helmsman will not be able to be part of any future Star Trek films. So what is the plan to deal with the loss? Producer J.J. Abrams isn't saying anything for certain yet, but it certainly sounds like there are no plans to recast the role.

The early buzz surrounding Star Trek Beyond has been very good, so it's no surprise that Paramount would go ahead and green-light a fourth entry in the newest franchise before the current film has even been released. However, the first question that many would have is what happens to Pavel Chekov? Anton Yelchin passed away after production on Beyond had already wrapped up, so there was no way to write a send off into the current script. It's even possible they could simply recast the role with a new actor and move on like nothing happened. However, J.J. Abrams tells the Toronto Sun that he doesn't really see that as an option.

So, while we don't know what will happen, it seems pretty clear what won't be happening. One way or another Pavel Chekov will be leaving the Enterprise, as the actor has had to do as well. This is likely the best choice. Recasting is always tricky, as audiences rarely accept new actors in film franchises after they've become comfortable with the first one. In addition, replacing Anton Yelchin and simply moving on would likely not be appreciated by fans. So, now that we know that Chekov will be written out, the question becomes: what is J.J. Abrams thinking in regards to a way to do that?

There are the simple ways to do it. Chekov could be transferred to another ship and simply not seen. Alternatively, if they want to pay tribute to him on screen, they could have Chekov be killed in the time between films, and open with a service for the character. They could even potentially make the character's death the thing that drives the plot of the new film, making Kirk and company search out the cause of Chekov's death.

Of course, there's also an interesting path the movie could take. The one thing that we know about the new Star Trek movie is that Captain Kirk will, somehow, cross paths with his deceased father. This implies that time travel will be involved in the movie in some capacity. Perhaps time travel will be the plot solution to the loss of Anton Yelchin. Perhaps the crew will attempt time travel as a response to Chekov's death, or the result of the time traveling could somehow mean the loss of Chekov from the timeline.

At this point, it's impossible to guess, but with science fiction the possibilities are endless.

The loss of Anton Yelchin in a random car accident was a shock to everybody. It's clear that those who knew him are still having trouble dealing with it. Star Trek Beyond 's Zachary Quinto was a recent guest on late night TV as part of the promotion of the new film, and the actor seemed truly at a loss when trying to talk about the tragedy. It's clear that he viewed the man who played Chekov not only as a colleague but also as a friend.

When Zachary Quinto came out on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert the conversation went almost immediately to the host offering his condolences to Quinto for the death of Anton Yelchin. Seeing the actor try to talk about it gets a little emotional. What's worse is that Quinto points out that the release of Star Trek Beyond was already going to be an emotional experience, since it was going to be the first Star Trek movie released since the death of Leonard Nimoy last year.

It's clear from Zachary Quinto's comments that the cast of the Star Trek movies are more than simply actors working together. The man who plays Spock points out that the first new Star Trek movie was started in 2007, which means that these actors have been working together for nearly a decade. Due to the fact that Star Trek has such a massive fan base, these actors are very much attached to these roles. This likely connects them all together more than you'd likely see from most casts. Check out Quinto's complete comments below.

We're sure we'll be thinking about Anton Yelchin's loss as soon as the actor comes on screen for the first time in Star Trek Beyond. We'll miss seeing him as Chekov in the future, but we'll also miss all the other roles that he'll never get to play.

It's been just a couple of days since popular actor Anton Yelchin perished in a horrific accident. The 27-year-old actor left behind a pretty substantial body of work, and while some projects will continue to be released in the months following Yelchin's untimely passing, there are some projects the actor signed on for that he didn't get to complete. One of these was recording the voice for a character on the upcoming series Trollhunters, which is being produced by Guillermo del Toro.

Trollhunters had been coming together over at DreamWorks Animation for some time, but hadn't found a network or seemed to have moved forward in the production process until late last week. Just a few days ago, Netflix announced that the program would be a part of its programming slate, but Deadline reports the project was actually far deeper in the process of coming together than a simple announcement. In fact, reports indicate that Anton Yelchin had not just been signed on for Trollhunters, he had actually completed a large percentage of the work required for the first season of the series to get off the ground.

So far, Netflix and DreamWorks Animation are staying mum about what will happen to the voice work Anton Yelchin accomplished. It's possible that a new actor could take over the vocals for the character, or could take over during the episodes that Anton Yelchin was unable to complete. Yelchin's role on the series was actually pretty important. He starred in Trollhunters as a young man named Jim who lives in a suburb called Arcadia. During the series, Jim, along with his two best friends, finds out that a bunch of trolls leave beneath his hometown. A mystical amulet is somehow also involved.

Anton Yelchin was set to star in Trollhunters opposite a few other big names. Kelsey Grammer and Ron Perlman are also set to do voiceover work for major characters in the Netflix project. Both Perlman and Grammer will play trolls in the upcoming series. Perlman's troll will be a villainous troll named Bular and Grammer gets the worse end of the deal here, taking on the role of a troll named Blinky. Blinky might have a worse name, but at least he gets to be kindhearted.

Obviously, the shock of Anton Yelchin's death is still pretty raw at this point. The young actor was found dead, pinned between his vehicle and his mailbox on Sunday morning. Later news indicated that his Jeep SUV had had a safety recall due to rollaway risk. Eventually, Trollhunters will need to move forward with a new plan in place, but the Netflix show will probably wait to figure out what it wants to do after the shock of the actor's death dies down somewhat.

Fans can see Anton Yelchin in one of his final roles when Star Trek Beyond premieres on July 22. A full list of Yelchin's upcoming roles can be found here.

Our industry lost an extremely talented young performer when Anton Yelchin died in a freak automobile accident on Sunday. The film community spent most of the day celebrating the work that Yelchin had delivered already, advocating that curious viewers check out his spectacular work in movies like Alpha Dog, Fright Night, Like Crazy and the Star Trek reboot series. You only have to look back as earlier as this year to see Yelchin grab the screen in the terrifying Green Room, from director Jeremy Saulnier. The major tragedy of this situation is that Yelchin's fascinating career has been cut short, robbing us of what were sure to be numerous bold choices from this extremely creative actor.

Thankfully, we still have a few Anton Yelchin performances to look forward to, and I'd advise potential audience members to put these on your calendar. Variety catches us up on the intriguing slate of films Yelchin still had in the pipeline. Here what we know about each of them:

Star Trek Beyond

The third in the new series of Star Trek films, Star Trek Beyond returns Anton Yelchin as Chekov, navigator for Kirk's Enterprise crew. Yelchin has been part of this new ensemble since the series re-launched in 2009. From what we know of this new story, Beyond will find the crew near the halfway point of their five-year mission, when an attack disables the Enterprise and scatters the members of Kirk's team. This was supposed to be a celebratory year for Star Trek, as the franchise -- as a whole -- commemorates 50 years of storytelling. Expect tributes to Yelchin, a Star Trek family member, to be part of these events heading into July.

Porto

After Star Trek Beyond which opens in July, Anton Yelchin's film slate becomes a little more suspect. He had finished work on a series of films, though because the actor happily dabbled in the independent world for every studio tentpole he helped prop us, the rest of his schedule likely was looking for film-festival support and distribution assistance. Porto, directed by first-timer Gabe Klinger, is a Portugal-set drama about a romantic encounter between Yelchin's character and a young woman played by Lucie Lucas. IndieWire notes the drama was produced by Jim Jarmusch.

Thoroughbred

A little more mainstream, the psychological thriller Thoroughbred casts Yelchin opposite Olivia Cooke, who later this year will begin filming Ready Player One in London for director Steven Spielberg. Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch) also co-stars in the film, which Deadline reports "focuses on a volatile friendship between two suburban teenage girls who discover that a murder might solve both of their problems."

Rememory

Directed by Mark Palansky, Rememory will be a science-fiction/thriller that, according to IMDB, follows the "widow of a wise professor [who] stumbles upon one of his inventions that's able to record and play a person's memory." Again, Yelchin is surrounded by heavy hitters, as he acts alongside Peter Dinklage and Julia Ormond in this thriller. No release date exists on the film as of yet.

We Don't Belong Here

Finally, Anton Yelchin is set to appear as Maxwell Green in the family drama We Don't Belong Here. The story centers around the matriarch of a dysfunctional family (played by Catherine Keener) who begins to fall apart at the seams when her son disappears. Director Peer Pedersen has assembled a spectacular cast, including Kaitlyn Dever, Maya Rudolph, Riley Keough, Molly Shannon and Cary Elwes. More on We Don't Belong Here as we hear it.

While movie stars, directors, and the like may seem very distant from the world we moviegoers watch, Hollywood is a relatively small and intimate community. As such, when loss occurs it resonates throughout the country, affecting each player where they are. And the Hollywood community is struck with grief today after reports of actor Anton Yelchin's untimely and tragic death. In an attempt to grieve and celebrate the life of the talented young actor, many members of this community have taken to their respective social media accounts. In particular, those involved in the Star Trek trilogy, which will continue with Star Trek Beyond have been especially vocal at this time, starting with the official Star Trek twitter account, which posted a touching tribute. Additionally, Star Trek's website did a lovely write up about his journey through the galaxy.

While the image was visually beautiful and the sentiment was lovely, Anton Yelchin's Star Trek costars and collaborators got a bit more deep. They put a light on the character and talent that Yelchin embodied on a daily basis, and spread their love for the young actor out for all of the world to see. _Star Trek Beyond'_s director voiced his grief for Yelchin, as well as costars John Cho, Karl Urban, and Zachary Quinto. And J.J. Abrams also extended sympathy and kindness...

In addition to the Star Trek company members who have posted their thoughts for Anton Yelchin's tragic passing, filmmaking and writing greats like Stephen King and Brett Ratner have also made their voices heard.

We here at Cinema Blend would like to echo our condolences to Anton Yelchin's family and friends. He was a truly talented young actor and, if the sentiments from his community and colleagues are any indication, a special and friendly person.

You can see Anton's posthumous appearance in Star Trek Beyond starting July 22nd, 2016.

This year seems to be full of tragedy, and the members of the Hollywood elite are no exception. While we've lost plenty of film and TV legends this year, the latest unexpected death has taken one of the younger stars. Unfortunately, actor Anton Yelchin has tragically passed away at the age of 27 years old.

TMZ is reporting that Anton Yelchin passed away early this morning in a tragic vehicular accident. It has been reported that Yelchin's friends traveled to his San Fernando Valley home where they found the young actor pinned between his personal car and a brick mailbox. After the authorities were contacted, it was reported that the engine in Yelchin's car was still running and the car was in neutral. The driveway was apparently rather steep, which is perhaps how the accident occurred. It remains unclear why Anton left his car.

Police officers reportedly do not suspect foul play, but the incident is being called a "freak accident" by various sources.

Anton Yelchin was perhaps best known for playing Pavel Chekov in the recent reboot of the Star Trek series. He appeared in all three of the films thus far, including this summer's anticipated Star Trek Beyond, which will now be released posthumously.

Anton Yelchin was also recently seen as a leading role in the thriller Green Room, alongside Patrick Stewart. He will also be seen posthumously in a drama called We Don't Belong Here alongside SNL greats like Molly Shannon and Maya Rudolph. If the past few years of his career was any indication, there were big things ahead of Anton Yelchin before this tragic passing.

To celebrate his career, comedic timing, and captivating screen presence enjoy some of his finer moments from Star Trek below.

Anton Yelchin was born in Russia. He is the child of two professional figure staters who decided to move to the United States when Anton was still a baby. The family is asking for privacy at this time, according to the Associated Press.

While Yelchin was perhaps best known for his roles in Star Trek, he had an impressive early career as well. He first rose to prominence in the mid 2000's with leading roles in Alpha Dog and Charlie Bartlett. From there, Yelchin would continue his ascent on screen with Terminator Salvation, as well as voicing Clumsy Smurf in all of the Smurf movies, before landing his supporting role in Star Trek.

Anton Yelchin's passing is a loss of light and talent and we here at Cinema Blend are thinking of his loved ones at this time.

When former Sons of Anarchy star Ron Perlman gets cast in something, it's usually because producers are looking for a big hulking beast of a man that will offer up some form of intimidation. (His fantastic sense of humor is a draw, too, of course.) But it's that deep and gravelly voice of his that will be showcased for the fan favorite actor's next role, as Perlman is reteaming with Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro for the filmmaker's long-gestating DreamWorks Animation series Trollhunters, which will debut later this year on Netflix. Oh, and Perlman is joined by the only slightly less awesome Kelsey Grammer and Anton Yelchin, who will also provide vocal support.

As can be expected from anything Guillermo del Toro has his hands on, Trollhunters will be a fantastical and epic adventure that will collide two fictional worlds together. In the seemingly normal suburb of Arcadia, three best friends discover that their hometown sits atop a secret and not at all peaceful world of trolls, and the creatures' ongoing war will play a huge part in the friends' lives. I mean, it's hard to imagine finding just one troll would be anything less than life-changing, so running up on an entire population will definitely usher in some new experiences.

No, Ron Perlman will not be voicing a young teenage boy on the cusp of a different kind of maturity. He will be voicing a sinister troll named Bular, and he will hopefully have to say a lot of silly character names like that throughout the series. Bular will specifically be seeking out Jim (the hero of our tale) and his two friends for battling purposes.

Kelsey Grammer, whose iconic character Frasier Crane was part of two of the most successful sitcoms of all time, will also not play a teenager here. He will voice another troll named Blinky, but he will be nothing like Perlman's evil creature. Blinky is kind-hearted in nature and he befriends Jim and his mates.

And then there's Star Trek's Anton Yelchin, who will take on the protagonist role of Jim, according to Deadline. Jim is just your average neighborhood kid until he finds a magical amulet that leads him to his grand troll-filled discovery which, as previously stated, will change his life forever.

Guillermo del Toro has been working on Trollhunters for years in one form or another, with Netflix getting involved earlier this year when the company expanded its deal with DreamWorks Animation. Just last year, del Toro and fellow author Daniel Kraus released an illustrated novel for Trollhunters, with art from Sean Murray, to favorable reviews. And the early art from the Netflix series has looked really colorful and right about what you'd expect from a trollish animation.

So, even though we're still waiting for Hellboy 3 to throw cigar stumps all over our theater screens at some point, we never complain about Ron Perlman and del Toro teaming up for things. Expect to find Trollhunters hitting Netflix in December 2016. Before that, find everything coming to primetime in the next few months with our summer TV schedule.

Writer/director Jeremy Saulnier’s Green Room is a crazy stressful movie. The entire movie basically hinges on a showdown between a punk band and a crew of murderous Neo-Nazis, and once the tension ratchets up to 10 in the first act, it doesn’t let up until the end credits begin to roll. Watching it, one can’t help but imagine that the intense atmosphere in the tone was reflected on the set, and you’d be 100 percent correct. In fact, Anton Yelchin told us that things got so bad on some days that members of the crew actually had to walk off the set and take a breath before continuing – but it was all worth it, because it just made the film that much better.

With Green Room now out in limited release and set to expand nationwide at the end of the month, I had the pleasure of hopping on the phone with Anton Yelchin to talk about the new film, and I took the opportunity to ask about exactly how the tension in the movie was created on set. The young actor pointed to the fact that the film – which is basically set over the course of 16 hours – was put together in just a little over 20 days, and that led to a high level of "concentration" during production that really put a certain kind of poison in the air. Said Yelchin,

That’s a pretty damn vivid word picture, and hearing it I don’t think anyone would fault Anton Yelchin negatively looking back on the experience of making Green Room. Fortunately, that’s not the case, however. While the pressure was incredibly high, and the atmosphere on set incredibly stressful, Yelchin believes that it was ultimately what the movie needed in order to be as effective as the final cut is:

In the film, Anton Yelchin plays a member of a punk band that is wrapping up a show at a Neo-Nazi compound when they witness the end result of a murder. When they try and fail to call the authorities, they wind up getting trapped in the backstage green room, and must find a way to escape before the gun-toting skinheads kill them all. When you see the film for yourself, you will perfectly understand why the rough atmosphere pays off.

Green Room will expand to theaters nationwide on April 29th.

Justin Lin’s Star Trek Beyond is set to arrive in theaters in just three months, but the marketing campaign for the movie hasn’t exactly been overwhelming. A seemingly hastily put together trailer arrived online back in December, but we haven’t seen a split second of new footage since – even at last week’s CinemaCon, where a new preview was heavily anticipated. This lack of promotion has left some fans concerned about what’s going on behind the scenes of the movie, but now Anton Yelchin – Chekov himself - has arrived to do his part to calm folks down.

I had the pleasure of chatting on the phone with the Star Trek Beyond actor last week in promotion of his new movie Green Room, and at the end of our long conversation about the excellent new thriller, I asked about the progress of the upcoming blockbuster. Anton Yelchin explained that everything is still on course for the sci-fi sequel as far as he knows, and suggested that Bad Robot’s notable history could easily explain the lack of footage that’s been shown. Said Yelchin,

Those familiar with the works of J.J. Abrams’ production company know that they like to play their cards close to the vest at all times, and across all franchises. Both Cloverfield titles were shrouded in mystery before their release; Star Trek Into Darkness gave Benedict Cumberbatch’s character a fake name to protect his identity; and Star Wars: The Force Awakens wasn’t even shown to press before the Los Angeles junket. This could explain why very limited Star Trek Beyond footage has been made available.

We’ve expected more footage from Star Trek Beyond before now, but the drought will likely be coming to an end in May. Paramount Pictures is hosting a special Star Trek Beyond fan day in Los Angeles on May 20th, and it’s expected that the worldwide release of a new trailer will correspond with the event. You can be sure that we will have plenty of coverage coming your way.

Star Trek Beyond will be in theaters on July 22nd, and you can currently see Anton Yelchin in Green Room which is now in limited release but will expand nationwide on April 29th.

Justin Lin’s Star Trek Beyond is guaranteed to feature all kinds of new and different aliens, but now we have our first look at one of the weird species that we can expect to see in the sci-fi sequel. Check out the strange looking extraterrestrial in the still below!

Following up on the same campaign that launched last week, a second video has launched on Omaze that features stars of Star Trek Beyond hanging out on the Enterprise and promoting a special contest to help their favorite charities. The new clip, starring Simon Pegg and Anton Yelchin, also features a quick look at the production of the upcoming blockbuster, including the strange alien head you see above.

You can watch the entire video here:

From the quick glimpse we've seen so far, there's quite a bit we can tell about this as of yet unnamed creature. For starters, it looks like a walrus-esque species, with a facial structure similar to the aformentioned creature. This looks like just the head bust, but we're willing to bet this new character isn't a small one, so there's more rubber where this came from.

Which leads us to the next observation we've made: this creature is a full-on makeup job, and not a CGI creation. So there's a good chance that this face is already spoken for by a current cast member of Star Trek Beyond, and not the face that a lucky future contest winner would wear during their walk on role. Though let's admit it, if any of the contest winners were to be given the opportunity to wear a complex facial appliance like this one, it'd be more of an honor than a curse.

With his sense of humor set to stun, Pegg and co-star Anton Yelchin have respectively picked Time Is Precious and Camp Sunshine as their respective charities to benefit from a portion of this round's proceeds. So not only will any Star Trek fans be winning the chance of a lifetime to visit the set of the next film, but they'll be giving to a good cause for children. So if you've ever wanted to see space, the final frontier, a little up close and green screened, then this is your chance to do some good as well as win big!

Star Trek Beyond is set to open July 8, 2016. If Simon Pegg brings the same wit and energy he did to this pitch video to his script, then we'll all be winners for having experienced another excellent film in the Star Trek canon.

Not to be outdone by Star Wars: The Force Awakens and their Force For Change charity work, that other beloved Star franchise, Star Trek, has developed it’s own philanthropic endeavor in conjunction with the upcoming Star Trek Beyond. And not only do you get to help out a ton of fantastic organizations doing good work, in addition to that warm and fuzzy feeling, you can win a walk on role in Star Trek Beyond.

The cast and crew of the Justin Lin-directed sci-fi film have partnered with Omaze for the Star Trek: To Boldly Go campaign which will raise funds to support nine different causes and organizations handpicked by the cast themselves. For a donation of just $10 you’ll be entered to win one hell of a prize. They’ll fly you and a guest to Vancouver, BC, where Star Trek Beyond is currently filming, put you up in a four-star hotel, and let you run around the set hugging Simon Pegg and Idris Elba (at least that’s what I plan to do when I win). Then you’ll get all gussied up by the hair, makeup, and costume people and be part of a scene in the movie, which is awesome. This contest was just announced, runs from today through 11:59 Pacific Time on September 1, so you better get cracking.

Check out this hilarious video the cast made to celebrate the To Boldly Go launch.

Not only is this video a pretty good time, where you get to see all the core cast members together again, including Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, and Karl Urban, all being weirdoes, but it teases some stuff about the movie as well. They’re obviously on the set, which means this is our first real look at Star Trek Beyond, though, to be honest, it looks a lot like the Enterprise from the first two movies.

Pegg, who we know co-wrote the script with Doug Jung, indicates that, should you win and wind up on set, you’ll encounter some new characters. He likely means Idris Elba’s villain, but could include Sofia Boutella’s as yet unknown character, one of the other potential characters we’ve heard rumors about, like Bones’ ex-wife or a tough rival starship captain, or perhaps someone else entirely.

While it’s not a surprise that Idris Elba is on set, we’ve known he’s going to be in the movie for some time, this is our first look at him in context, and it’s cool to see interacting with other cast members. Also, I never knew that I wanted to see Idris Elba breakdance on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, but now I can check that off of my list of life goals.

From what we know about the plot of Star Trek Beyond, it picks up with the crew of the Enterprise in the midst of their traditional five-year voyage of exploration, which will be a welcome change from the Earth-centric stories of the last two films. Currently filming, Star Trek Beyond is scheduled to boldly go into theaters on July 8, 2016.

The upcoming, untitled Star Trek 3 will, appropriate to the series, be venturing bravely into the unknown. As a new writing team that includes one of the film’s stars is tasked with completely reworking the script from scratch, the film will also be going into things with a new director untested in the genre with Justin Lin. Now, in a recent interview, Chekov himself, Anton Yelchin, reveals his take on the new man at the helm.

In an interview with Nuke The Fridge, Anton Yelchin reveals that Star Trek 3 is, indeed, the next film on his performance docket. As he readies himself to reprise the role of Pavel Chekov, Yelchin divulges that he has actually met with the new director, Justin Lin. Based on what’s he’s saying, he seems to be impressed with what Lin brings to the table. According to Yelchin,

Yelchin would also qualify his meeting with Lin by stating that he thinks the new director will do "something really interesting" with the threequel, citing J.J. Abrams’ apparent vote of confidence in the new helmer as proof.

Understandably, there’s a lot of curiosity regarding what Lin, who comes from the high-paced pedigree of the Fast & Furious films will bring to something like Star Trek. A newcomer to the sci-fi genre, Lin’s most notable directorial film efforts are the fourth through sixth entries in the Fast & Furious film series. However, he does have the 2006 James Franco naval drama Annapolis under his belt.

The fit might befuddle fans, but it seems to make sense to the franchise overseers like J.J. Abrams, who clearly brought Lin on board for his abilities to execute a vision while maintaining the intensity, rather than his genre experience. The fact that Lin is also being tasked with the upcoming next entry in the Bourne films is proof of the behind-the-scenes perceptions of his broader skills.

Yet, despite the sci-fi deficit on Justin Lin’s resume, he could very well have a firm grip on the possibly more-old-school direction that the storyline will allegedly take. In fact, there does seem to be some signs that the various ideas Lin discussed with Yelchin reflect the ongoing collaborative process between Lin, the producers and the screenwriting team of Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. Yelchin’s account of Lin’s approach as being "closer to the kind of ethos" of the original show seems to corroborate a recent comment from Simon Pegg, implying that Star Trek 3 would be making an effort to reflect "the spirit of the show."

As much as J.J. Abrams’ current franchise revival has reinvigorated the property and made it more accessible than it’s ever been, the TV show’s essence of exploration of the unknown has definitely taken a backseat. After coming off somewhat of a divisive second entry with 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness, it does seem that the Star Trek film franchise may be looking to slow down the eye-gouging intensity just a bit to focus on a storyline with more dramatic values. While a director like Justin Lin might seem to be the exact opposite of what’s needed, he may very well have a profound surprise up his sleeves for the legions of Trekkies.

Star Trek 3 trades muscle car engines for warp cores when it assumes standard orbit at theaters on July 8, 2016.

It was less than five years ago that Andrew Garfield was named as the star to play the new big screen version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, but once again Hollywood has found itself looking for a new performer to take the role. The wallcrawler will soon be getting rebooted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, officially ending the Amazing Spider-Man series, and that process is going to require a casting period and finding a new actor. But who should the part go to?

In order to help narrow down the perfect choice to play the next cinematic version of Spider-Man, we’ve put together a list of 10 great young actors who could potentially do the part justice. Read on to see our choices!

Kodi Smit-McPhee

Age: 18

What You Know Him From: Let Me In, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: At the ripe age of 18, Kodi Smit-McPhee is the youngest actor on this list, but that’s really only an extra card up his sleeve. After all, Marvel really should be doing their best to create a contrast between the adult ages of the current Avengers line-up and the youthful Spider-Man. Beyond just being under 20, however, Smit-McPhee has also put on some really stunning performances in his young career, and it’s not hard to have confidence in him doing some comic book-worthy stuff as the nerdy Peter Parker and his heroic alter-ego.

Ansel Elgort

Age: 20

What You Know Him From: Divergent, The Fault In Our Stars

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: Ansel Elgort had one hell of a 2014, earning positive marks for his turns in the young adult science fiction film Divergent and the tear-jerking drama The Fault In Our Stars, and 2015 could get off to a great start by seeing him be cast as the new Spider-Man. He has both youth and popularity working for him, and has even been getting some action-movie exercise thanks to the aforementioned sci-fi franchise. It is possible that same series could wind up creating some scheduling conflicts, but he’d still be a prime choice.

Craig Roberts

Age: 24

What You Know Him From: Submarine, Neighbors

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: It might be weird to see the role of Spider-Man go to another British actor after Andrew Garfield, but Craig Roberts has the talent, attributes, and resume to back him up as a legitimate choice. He has a youthful look that’s right around the Peter Parker-level of nerdy, has his own kind of screen presence, and has proven himself to be a rather talented comedian (and the humor of Spider-Man is certainly one aspect that should carry over from the Amazing Spider-Man movies). His performance in Neighbors also showed that he can do just fine with an American accent, so there’s no issue there.

Douglas Booth

Age: 22

What You Know Him From: Noah, Jupiter Ascending

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: With Jupiter Ascending not doing so hot at the box office, 2015 isn’t off to a great start for Douglas Booth, but that could all turn around if he were to be cast as Spider-Man. Even though he’s only 22, he’s already caught the attention of fantastic filmmakers like Darren Aronofsky and the Wachowski siblings, so it’s not hard to believe that he could wind up charming Marvel Studios Kevin Feige and the rest of the crew at Marvel as well. Booth’s biggest downside is that he’s a bit too pretty to play the nerdy Peter Parker, so they may just need to keep him under the mask a bit more.

Cameron Monaghan

Age: 21

What You Know Him From: The Giver, Shameless

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: Having been acting since he was nine years old, Cameron Monaghan already has a long list of television work on his resume – from Malcolm In The Middle to his current role on Shameless - but his big screen credits have been getting more significant in recent years as well. But while last year saw him playing the best friend role in The Giver, we wonder if a leading role as Spider-Man could be in his future. He has a good look to play Peter Parker – and very different than what Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield brought to the plate – and has the right kind of profile to disappear into the role.

Anton Yelchin

Age: 25

What You Know Him From: Star Trek, Fight Night

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: Given that he already has a fairly significant role in another franchise – playing Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek movies – some might argue that Anton Yelchin’s franchise plate is fully enough at the moment, but one might also make the point that he could be a rather great choice as the new Spider-Man. When The Amazing Spider-Man was in the works, his name was on shortlists right alongside Andrew Garfield’s, and he has not aged out of consideration yet. He can play the nerd, he has charisma, he can be funny – what more do you need?

Taron Egerton

Age: 25

What You Know Him From: Kingsman: The Secret Service

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: It’s quite likely that many of you don’t recognize the name Taron Egerton now, but that may change in a big way after this weekend. The actor is front and center alongside Colin Firth in X-Men: First Class director Matthew Vaughn’s newest film Kingsman: The Secret Service, and his performance has been earning very high marks in early reviews. Admittedly, the actor doesn’t have much of a resume beyond his new movie, but that may just be a perfect opportunity for Marvel – who can snatch him up and get audiences to really identify him as Spider-Man before looking at him as any other character.

Donald Glover

Age: 31

What You Know Him From: Community, Mystery Team

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: As the only actor here over the age of 30, Donald Glover is the oldest actor mentioned on this list – but he’s here simply because he really deserves to be. Controversial as the idea of a black Peter Parker was, Glover got a lot of social media support when casting for The Amazing Spider-Man was going down in 2010, and it’s still hard not to like the idea of him wearing the red and blue suit. While I doubt it will be the case, if Marvel Studios were to consider going with an older Spider-Man for the MCU, I would hope that they would reach out to Donald Glover.

Dylan O’Brien

Age: 23

What You Know Him From: Teen Wolf, The Maze Runner

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: After really launching his career as the star of the MTV series Teen Wolf, Dylan O’Brien has started to really expand his horizons in the big screen world. With him in the lead role, The Maze Runner became one of last year’s big surprise hits – and while that movie is becoming a franchise of its own, O’Brien could really step up his blockbuster game as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man. He showed us some impressive physicality in last year’s young adult fiction adaptation, and while he is perhaps a bit too conventionally good looking, that’s nothing a little bit of makeup can’t help solve.

Freddie Highmore

Age: 22

What You Know Him From: Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Bates Motel

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: Let me be the first to admit it: it would be kind of strange if the same actor played both Norman Bates and Peter Parker. That being said, it’s a credit to Freddie Highmore’s acting ability that I trust he could pull it off. The young actor has been seriously impressive through two seasons of Bates Motel, and it’s not imagine him doing a great job portraying both Peter Parker’s awkwardness and enthusiasm for science and technology. Being the star of his own television series would definitely make it hard for Highmore to play such a key role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it could be worth it for him.

Good day, horror fans. Has anyone had to go back to the store to pick up more Halloween candy after eating the first batch, or is that just me? There isn’t too much going on in theaters around the country this past week, though the VOD scene lit up with the releases of both the meta-remake The Town That Dreaded Sundown and the awesome-looking New Zealand comedy horror Housebound.

In smaller news, Relativity has moved The Woman in Black: Angel of Death from January 30, 2015 to January 2, 2015. Making their way to Blu-ray from Shock Factory are a Lord of Illusions Director’s Cut, as well as the TV remake of Carrie and the big screen sequel The Rage: Carrie II. Universal has acquired and given an April 10, 2015 release date for the thriller Cybernatural, which will take place entirely on a computer screen. And now, they’re coming to get you, Barbra.

George Romero’s Son Wants to Carry on the Zombie Legacy

Like father, like son. Living Dead franchise creator George Romero’s son Cameron wants to tell the origin story of the zombie as his dad envisioned it, and he’s created an Indiegogo project to handle part of the funding. (George will be partially producing it.) Cameron is looking for $150,000 to fund it, and has already reached over $24,800 in just five days. It seems likely that this will get funded by the time its November 15th deadline hits. While part of me wants to balk at this, it is the sub-genre's godfather backing it, both in vision and in genetics. Check out the promotional Indiegogo video below.

Origins will take place in 1962 and will tell the story of Dr. Ryan Cartwright, who "was on the scientific and altruistic path to find a way for humans to sustain life in the event of M.A.D. (Mutual Assured Destruction), a huge topic brought on by the Cuban Missile Crisis." Cartwright eventually creates whatever sets the zombie outbreak in motion as a government project, thus hitting upon the socio-political angle that George Romero put into his zombie flicks. Regardless of whether you think this is a dumb idea or not, all it takes is $10,000 to make yourself a featured zombie death in the film. Totally worth it. Does the ability to tell quality zombie stories run in the Romero family?

Leatherface Prequel May Have Found its Directors

As you all may or may not know, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise is gearing up for its latest installment, titled Leatherface, and it will focus on the disturbed murderer’s teenage years. Prom king in the making, am I right? The screenplay is being written by first-timer Seth M. Sherwood, and the hunt for a director is on. According to Bloody Disgusting, Millennium Films is interested in giving the gig to one of two pairs of directing partners.

First are French directors Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury, the duo most famous for 2007’s gorehound-friendly Inside (À l'intérieur). They’ve also directed the supernatural 2001 fantasy Livid and this year’s Among the Living, along with a segment in ABCs of Death 2 - so they’re absolutely capable of pulling off something that can get messy but still maintain a certain aesthetic. The other filmmakers in question are Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer, the guys behind one of the summer’s most popular festival horrors, Starry Eyes. Previous to this, they directed the ultra-cheap 2009 thriller Absence (that I only know exists because of IMDb) and the documentary Postcards from the Edge: The Chuck Palahniuk Documentary. I can’t speak for what these two are capable of, though Starry Eyes hits theaters on November 14th. What are everyone’s thoughts on either of these pairs getting behind the camera?

Anton Yelchin and Imogen Poots Have Joined A Killer Skinheads Thriller

Back in 2011, actors Anton Yelchin and Imogen Poots starred together in Craig Gillespie’s Fright Night remake, and now they’re reteaming for the indie thriller Green Room. This will be the third feature for director Jeremy Saulnier, who directed the enjoyably bloody Murder Party and the stellar slow burn thriller Blue Ruin. The latter’s star, Macon Blair, has also joined Green Room’s cast, along with Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development), Mark Webber (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), Callum Turner (Queen and Country) and Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders).

This sounds like another would-be generic thriller with a Saulnier twist. According to THR, Yelchin will play the lead singer of a punk band whose middle-of-nowhere concert takes a dangerous turn after the band witnesses a murder. The band soon becomes trapped inside the venue’s green room as a gang of skinheads tries to kill them. Poots will star as the friend of the person who is killed and switches friend groups from the skinheads to the band as the film goes on. Blue Ruin, though it had its faults, is a perfectly paced revenge story, and here’s hoping Saulnier only gets better from there.

Hangar 10 Echoes Area 51 in Conspiratorial New Trailer

I’ve often spent time in this column half-apologizing for the constant free pass I give found-footage and faux docs, and it’s happening again with Daniel Simpson’s Hangar 10 - which now has a spook-filled trailer. The premise focuses on the "famed" claims of UFO sightings in Rendlesham Forest in Suffolk, England, and the three main characters are metal detector enthusiasts who are searching for gold when they see and capture footage of the UFOs in action. Of course, that’s when things quickly go south for the group, as an alien presence makes their days numbered. Quite literally.

Simpson is a relative newcomer, having directed 2010’s Spiderhole, but Hangar 10 has a handful of decent producers who were behind some of the more jarring indie U.K. thrillers of the past decade. I love thrillers like this from across the pond, as there is usually a good hook beneath the stereotypical plot points. The characters don’t get on my nerves in the trailer, and I dig all the UFO stuff. That hardly equals a great feature, but as long as the flick doesn’t cause eye-rolls for its entire runtime, I’m game for the duration. Hangar 10 will touch down in theaters and on VOD on November 7.

Dark Summer Gets Creepy Trailer, Poster and Release Date

I was a big fan of Paul Solet’s 2009 horror Grace, though it certainly has its naysayers. I have a feeling his next film, Dark Summer, will split audiences in much the same way. IFC Midnight has acquired the North American rights to the film, which is described as "a stylized contemporary ghost story about a home-alone teenager on house arrest who experiences a terrifying experience." They’ll be putting it out in theaters and on VOD starting January 9, 2015. Check out the poster below and watch the film’s first trailer here.

Peter Stormare stars as a cop named Stokes who is looking after a teenager, Daniel (Keir Gilchrist), placed on house arrest. The kid is obsessed with finding this girl, but then he gets told, "You will feel what I feel," and then everything starts to go crazy for him. He’s haunted, I guess, and it’s a situation that calls for rhyming phrases and technological mayhem. If it’s anything like Grace, it’s going to go to some pretty dark places as often as possible. And at least it doesn’t also use a Ouija board.

William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet has long inspired filmmakers with its tale of star-crossed lovers. But the director of Gremlins has a new take on this old school romance, and it involves the financial crisis, vampires, and werewolves. Because obviously?

THR reports out of the Rome Film Festival that Joe Dante has announced plans to make Ombra Amore, a romance that's title loosely translates to Shadow Love. The undergrounds of Rome will play home to the film which is a modern take on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, set in financial crisis afflicted Italy and peopled by werewolves and vampires.

Ombra Amore will be made as part of The Rome Film Festival's New Cinema Network special "Great Beauties" section, meant to draw a spotlight on films shot within Italy. Dante is elated about landing Rome as the film's location, saying in a statement, "Rome. The Eternal City of Gods and Monsters, where a she-wolf suckled Romulus and Remus. And what could be more eternal than un-death?" Yet his werewolf will be no she.

Instead of Romeo, Ombra Amore has Peter, described as "a werewolf whose pack is a crew of hotheaded financial traders responsible for Italy's current economic crisis." Conversely, Peter's Juliet is Maggie, a vampire whose aristocratic family is on the brink of financial collapse because of these damned avaricious werewolves. Is it just us, or does this sound like Underworld meets Wall Street?

Ombra Amore will be Joe Dante's follow-up to the horror-comedy Burying the Ex, which made its world premiere last weekend at the Venice Film Festival. It seems a suitably sick prelude to Ombra Amore as this freaky film fest pick follows a couple where boy meets girl, girl dies, girl comes back from the grave as a zombie. Only Lovers Left Alive's Anton Yelchin, Twilight's Ashley Greene and True Detective's Alexandra Daddario star.

Get a taste of the unsavory romance Burying the Ex in the clip below:

Interestingly, Shock Til You Drop points out that Ombra Amore itself has earned a second life. Back in 2011, the film was known as Monster Love, and its Romeo was a dog walker whose meet-cute with his Juliet involved her failed suicide attempt. That script was penned by Greg Pak, best known or penning Robot Stories and Planet Hulk. But no mention of Pak is made in Ombra Amore. So it's unclear how much of this compelling storyteller's take will be left by the time this version lenses.

We'll keep you posted on this project as it develops.

Its title is terrible, but the romantic drama The Driftless Area is fast gathering an incredible cast. Anton Yelchin and Zooey Deschanel are set to star, while John Hawkes, Frank Langella, Ciaran Hinds, Alia Shawkat and Aubrey Plaza will lend support.

Reporting out of the Cannes Film Festival, THR revealed that Aubrey Plaza is the latest addition to the cast. The Driftless Area is currently seeking distribution while its director, Zachary Sluser, shoots the film in Vancouver.

Following a string of short films, The Driftless Area marks Zachary Sluser's directorial debut. The drama is based on a novel by Tom Drury, who co-wrote the screenplay alongside Sluser. Check out the official synopsis for the novel The Driftless Area below:

Anton Yelchin will play The Driftless Area's hero, Pierre, while Zooey Deschanel will portray the lovely but cryptic Stella. John Hawkes, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his chilling performance in Winter's Bone as a icy thug, is set for the role of Shane, a temperamental criminal who has eyes for Stella. At this juncture, there's no word on what roles Frank Langella, Ciaran Hinds, Alia Shawkat or Aubrey Plaza might play. However, Coming Soon has uncovered this first look, which features Deschanel getting close to an awe-struck Yelchin.

No release dates have been announced for The Driftless Area just yet. In the meantime, you can look for Aubrey Plaza in the dark comedy About Alex on August 8th, as well as the zombie comedy Life After Beth, which will hit theater in the U.S. in limited release on August 15th. Alia Shawkat will also pop up in Life After Beth, but also boasts a supporting turn in the SXSW-selected rom-com Wild Canaries, which will play at BAMcinemaFest on June 20th.

Anton Yelchin and Diane Kruger have signed on to star in 5 to 7, a new romantic comedy written and directed by Victor Levin. The project is being produced by Mockingbird Pictures and The Solution Entertainment Group.

The film will star Yelchin as a young novelist living in New York who begins an affair with the wife of a French Dipomat, who will be played by Kruger. The press release about the casting news continues from there saying, "Cultures, world views, personal ethics and dietary preferences clash as love deepens, with remarkable results in this romantic comedy." Levin's previous writing credits include the film Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!, and episodes of shows such as Mad Men, Mad About You and The Larry Sander's Show. Production on the new film is gearing to start up in late February 2013.

Said producers Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn in a statement about the project, "Vic Levin's script has us in tears -- we're just not sure if it's from laughing or crying. We're excited about the grace and intelligence that he, Diane and Anton will bring to their interpretations of his beautiful story."

Yelchin has been off screen for just about all of 2012 (he did voice a character in the stop-motion film The Pirates! Band of Misfits), but will be coming back strong in 2013. Next year he will star in an adaptation of Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas, J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness and The Smurfs 2.

Kruger recently starred in the period drama Farewell, My Queen - in which she played Marie Antoinette - and Pascal Chaumeil's French adventure comedy Un plan parfait. She will next be seen in Andrew Niccol's upcoming adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's The Host, which will be in theaters on March 29th.

It was just a couple of days ago that I admitted fatigue on all things undead, but leave it to inscrutable indie auteur Jim Jarmusch to turn my head with casting news on his latest, Only Lovers Left Alive, a drama about the centuries-long romance between two star-crossed vampires. While most directors' concepts for such a premise would likely include plenty of wire stunts, camp theatrics, and buckets of blood, I can't imagine the Dead Man director doing anything so obvious, which is part of what makes this vampire feature so slyly intriguing.

When the film was first announced, art house-adored actors Tilda Swinton, Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender were slated to star in what Jarmusch described as a “crypto-vampire love story” set in Tangiers and Detroit. The three would play vampires, but as to who the central pair of lovers would be remained a mystery. Celebrated character actor John Hurt also signed on to tackle a feature role, and just this January new surfaced that The Avengers' Tom Hiddleston stepped in to replace Fassbender, but with no further updates on the film's mysterious characters.

Even now, as Deadline reports Anton Yelchin has signed on to the film, which is slated to shoot this summer, there's no word on whom he might play or how his role relates to the rest of the cast. The production team's secrecy here is both vexing and exhilarating, forcing film fanatics to playing a sort of mental puzzle game to figure who would be the most Jarmusch-like pair of vampire lovers?

Will the strangely beautiful Swinton, who has appeared in his last two efforts Broken Flowers and The Limits of Control, make exceedingly angular love to the similarly gorgeous Hiddleston? Or is Jane Eyre a clue that what was once Fassbender's role is to be Wasikowska's gloomy love interest once more? Or will it be the film's youngest pair, Wasikowska and Yelchin who will fall into eternal and torturous love?

Personally, I'm pulling for the first, but betting on the second, as it seems unlikely Yelchin would be cast so late in the game if his role was so key. Regardless, Yelchin is a strong addition to this cast. For though most often remembered for roles in J.J. Abrams Star Trek and the 2011 remake of Fright Night, he has offered solid performances in daring indie efforts, including the 2011 Sundance hit Like Crazy and controversy-courting Mel Gibson drama The Beaver. In short, whatever the configuration of its cast, Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive seems sure to breathe a curious new life into the vampire genre.

Every independent filmmaker wants to claim that their movie took Sundance, or Cannes, or whichever given festival by storm, but Drake Doremus definitely wouldn't be exaggerating. The director's third feature film premiered at Sundance to the kind of glowing, sighing reviews that rarely happen among skeptical festival crowds, and when it took home both the Best Actress prize for star Felicity Jones and the big kahuna Grand Jury Prize in its category, none of us on the ground at the festival were surprised. Featuring Jones and Anton Yelchin as a pair of college students who fall hard for each other and try to keep the relationship together despite the distance between them, Like Crazy is beautifully photographed and deeply felt, cracking open the emotions of love that feel so personal when you're in them that you can't imagine anyone else ever getting it. Doremus gets it, and was rewarded when Like Crazy made that tricky leap from festival success to major studio release-- it hits theaters October 28 through Paramount Pictures.

And now, nearly 7 months after its Sundance premiere, the rest of the world can finally get a look at what everyone else has been swooning about. The first trailer and poster for Like Crazy premiered today at Apple, and you can check them both out below.

Aside from the fact that the volume on this trailer seemed to be turned down bizarrely low-- did you guys also have a hard time making out what they were saying?-- I like the low-key approach of this trailer, setting up the romance but not getting too deep in the plot particulars. It's also a little misleading to emphasize the presence of Academy Award nominee Jennifer Lawrence, since her role in the film is truly tiny, but it's still good to see one Sundance breakout star right alongside two more. Though I wasn't as over the moon for Like Crazy as many of my Sundance cohorts, it's well worth a look when it comes to theaters on October 28, and pretty much bound to break your heart.

With a movie like Fright Night, a remake of the 1985 comedy horror landmark, it's hard to really argue that there are spoilers, since a full plot synopsis for the original is easily available on Wikipedia. But if director Craig Gillespie and his cast, which includes Colin Farrell as the predatory vampire next door, have added anything new to the classic story, you want to be surprised by what comes up, right? If that's the case I might urge you not to watch this new international trailer, which debuted at Empire and is also embedded below. Of course no trailer can completely spoil a movie-- and when it's the saga of an average high school kid going up against his vicious vampire neighbor, you can probably guess how things turn out-- but there are a lot of jokes and moments in this that I think might have been best left unrevealed. Take a look at what I mean, if you dare, below.

While giving away a lot of the movie's best punchlines and surprises, this trailer does at least give you a good sense of the mix of comedy and horror to be found here-- yes, this is a movie in which we see Anton Yelchin and Christopher Mintz-Plasse squabble with each other about the Twilight books, and also one in which Colin Farrell throws a running motorcycle through the back window of a minivan. The movie's tone is one of its trickiest aspects, and though I've seen it I think I'm not allowed to say much more beyond the fact that you will laugh and you will probably also get scared. If you don't believe me on the laughs part, know that Dr. Who himself David Tennant stars as a Criss Angel-style Vegas musician who wears way too much eyeliner and a dumb black wig. If you don't believe me on the scares, I mean, did you see that motorcycle?

Fright Night doesn't open until September 2 in the UK, but lucky for us here in the States it's coming to theaters for us on August 19.

You may have already caught the details from our visit to the edit bay of Fright Night, the DreamWorks project that remakes the 1980s horror comedy. Now IGN has released the first official trailer for the Craig Gillespie-directed film, and you can watch it below. In the updated version, Anton Yelchin plays Charley Brewster, a high school kid who doesn't realize that a vampire named Jerry Dandridge (Colin Farrell) has moved in next door. It's only after Charley discovers the truth, however, that an epic game of cat and mouse begins where Charley has to protect the people he loves and cares about from a soulless monster.

Check out the trailer below.

More Fright Night (2011) Videos

To correspond with the trailer release, Dreamworks has also sent out a brand new still from the film, which you can see below. To see it full size be sure to click on it, and for more from Fright Night be sure to head over to our Blend Film Database.

Starring in a remake is hard enough, but it becomes even harder when you’re remaking a bona fide cult classic. This August, when the Craig Gillespie-directed Fright Night hits theaters, critics and fans are going to be endlessly comparing Anton Yelchin’s performance to William Ragsdale’s, the actor who played Charley Brewster in the original. Luckily for Yelchin, he has a few key character changes on his side.

Two weeks back myself and a group of other journalists were given the chance to visit the edit bay for Fright Night and in addition to getting the opportunity to watch four separate scenes from the film (see my reaction HERE), we were also granted time to speak with the star of the show. Check out the interview below in which Anton Yelchin discusses how Charley’s personality has been altered, balancing the comedy and the horror, and his experiences working with Colin Farrell and David Tennant.

What’s your relationship with the original Fright Night? Are you a fan?

Yeah, I think it’s great. I love it. I think it’s a really smart film because it’s more about the horror genre itself than anything, and so I think that’s what makes it extremely smart and interesting. Even from the opening shot, going through a window on to a TV screen, already it sets up how self-conscience it is. It reminds me of…there’s a [Peter] Bogdanovich movie called Targets. It has that same kind of “genre movie yet not a genre movie,” super self-conscience genre movie quality. And I think Targets is really great – Boris Karloff’s in Targets and it has that aging movie star thing, and I think it’s great.

From what we saw in the footage, a lot of the film has changed quite a bit. For example, it’s Evil Ed that thinks Jerry is a vampire first. Does that same rule apply for the role of Charley Brewster?

Yeah, In the remake, like you said, Charley isn’t the first one to get paranoid. In this one specifically too, he doesn’t seek out Evil Ed’s help, it’s the opposite. I think, ultimately, there’s more of a journey for this Charley to take. In the original he gets scared, then he kind of stays scared, and then he has to fight. Here he starts off sort of super confident, feigning this kind of machismo; high school kid trying to keep up and seem kind of confident and cocky, when the reality is that he and Evil Ed grew up as best friends and that’s what they were in to. And he sort of rejects his friend to try and be more successful in the social end of school and because he then realizes that this mass-murdering vampire is living next door, all of those values, all of those false values that he had, become challenged and he has to actually become confident and strong to fight this horrible force that threatens to destroy everything he cares about. It gets his friend, it attacks everyone around him, it threatens to get his girlfriend, you know? So there’s really a definite arc from someone that is faking his way through something to then actually growing in that place where he can battle this vampire.

How action heavy is this role for you?

It’s very action heavy. It’s exciting; it’s a very fun movie. What’s good about it is that Jerry fucks shit up. I mean, you guys obviously saw that. And it’s gory and violent and at the same time it has a certain amount of heart in the sense that you really feel for the decisions that Charley has to make. It’s not an easy decision for him to reject his friend. You grow to care about his friend because you see what happens to Ed – and in the original it does it really well too, it kind of breaks your heart to see what happens to Ed and it’s the same thing with this movie. So yeah, it has a healthy dose of everything, but definitely a lot of fun action and good action sequences.

How was it balancing the horror elements with the more comedic elements?

Charley is, to a lot of it, these characters, like David Tennant’s character, Peter Vincent, he’s kind of the straight man. But there’s a lot of room to be funny, in the scenes with Chris [Mintz-Plasse] and the scenes with Imi [Poots] and even the scenes with Colin [Farrell]. What’s funny about him at first is that fake, macho thing that he’s doing, but it’s kind of humorous when he starts to trip out and this sort of mania starts to get to him that next door is a vampire. But then very quickly it just gets dark and scary and intense, which is good. I think it transitions from a lighter place to a darker place.

How do the transformations look? Did you get to see the make-up and all of that?

Oh yeah! It’s awesome. All I can say is that it’s definitely gruesome and frightening. It’s good because I think in recent years all the vampires look good and they just have fangs, and you’re like, “Alright,” but here it’s a monster. It’s great because it transitions out of Colin, who is this awesome, handsome dude, into this terrifying, terrifying monster.

Is it physical effects or CGI?

That’s another amazing thing. A lot of it is. There were transitions to the make-up artists. Howard [Berger], I think he won an Academy Award for Narnia, that’s who did [the makeup]. That’s great, because it’s kind of a dying art form, so it’s pretty amazing to see it when it’s all actually there and it’s real and it’s not just people with dots on their faces.

Is this your first experience shooting in 3D?

Yes it was.

Was it any different for you as an actor or was it largely the same?

Realistically it’s not that different. I thought it would be, but it’s not. The rig is a lot bigger because it’s two cameras shooting, one shoots this way [points in one direction] and one shoots this way [points in the other direction]. At times the focus doesn’t… their pulling Z-focus. If one of the cameras is off, it can’t shoot…realistically the amount of times that happened out of the fifty days that we shot, for all the scenes, maybe it happened 10 times at most. And it’s not like it’s a major delay, it’s like a five or ten minute delay, so it’s not really that different… I realized it wasn’t that different.

I’ve heard that those cameras are really huge.

Well, it’s not different for me. It must be different for the operator and I know it’s different for the steadycam operator because the rig is suddenly twice as big and not what he is used to carrying.

It’s not distracting at all because you’re wondering about the camera?

No, not really. I was kind of curious because I kind of like to geek out on the technology, but it wasn’t too different, no.

When they were shooting the original, they didn’t show William Ragsdale the vampire make-up until they were actually shooting so that they could get a natural reaction. Did they ever try that during this production?

In the sequence where he’s – I think you guys saw it, where he has the girl in the chamber – that chamber is actually really creepy. It’s like some rapists cell. Like Silence of the Lambs, uncomfortable, and that was creepy. It definitely had a creepy quality in the things we were shooting, especially towards the end when we’re actually with the vampires. Inevitably you’re scared because you’re already in that mind.

Why is it, do you think, that vampires have become so popular in recent years?

I really don’t know. It must have something to do with the fact that… I don’t know what socially vampires represent now to people. In the old school Nosferatu, the really old one, it was actually similar to this: an all-powerful dark menace that started to consume the place that it was going to, which obviously has a lot to do with the pre-war German psyche; it’s not related to what’s going on [now]. I don’t really know. I was never a Twilight reader. I didn’t even know what it was. I had no idea that it was that huge and that many pubescent girls were in to it. So I don’t really know. It might be that the way that they’ve accessed vampires… it might just be that. Vampires now are accessible to a new audience, especially with the Twilight thing. It’s all about these little girls who want to fuck these vampires. What I like about this one is that it’s actually a scary vampire. It’s not like, “Oh, I’m in love,” like “I’m going to fucking kill you. I’m sorry, I’m a vampire, it’s what we do.” That’s what makes it exciting and fun for me. There’s no romance. It’s not like Interview with a Vampire. He’s scary, he’s a monster and he’s going to destroy you. It’s kind of how he is in the original, except he’s a little more love sick. I think this one specifically targets that original, “We want gore and we want a monster that’s going to kill things.” I didn’t see 28 Days Later, was that vampires?

No, that was kind of zombies.

Yeah, I didn’t see that. I think there’s a lack of vampires destroying things that I can think of. They’re more in love or whatever and this takes it back to the original.

Craig Gillespie’s background is more dark comedy/drama and not really a genre director. Was that a plus?

Yes, absolutely. I think Craig… in Lars [and the Real Girl], Ryan Gosling, it’s totally about the performance, so that was definitely great for me because he’s a filmmaker that likes to work with actors, obviously, and now I know this from experience. Just having seen the movie, it’s just like, “This is someone that likes to have actors give interesting looks, that bizarre look at things.” So that was definitely a plus.

Jerry really has a complete sense of how powerful he is and really plays around with Charley, and just from what we saw from David Tennant in the footage it looks like he’s going over the top and really having fun with it. What was it like working alongside Colin and David?

It’s great because Charley is kind of the straight man for those two – they’re opposing forces, but they’re such characters, you know? And it was a lot of fun, because with David Tennant, Charley is either trying to get him to be on his side – kind of like in the original – or he’s just terrified and coming to him. With Jerry, especially at the beginning, there’s that definite false kind of machismo that Charley tries to put on to counter Jerry, which is a lot of fun to play. It’s all false, it’s not real. It’s him doing what he thinks will make him look tough. And of course Jerry totally sees through it, he’s about a thousand times stronger than he is and more menacing, but it was fun. It was a lot of fun.

Have you seen the script for Star Trek 2 yet? Do you know when it might go into production?

No, I haven't seen the script. I'm not sure. I think we're doing it at some point soon, I don't know when though. No idea.

Have you spoken with JJ Abrams at all?

No, JJ's, I think, doing Super 8 now and he's doing press for it. I haven't because they'll get to it when they get to it. I'd love to get together with those people again, I really love that whole cast. It would it be a lot of fun to do it, but it's kind of one of those things.

In 2009, J.J. Abrams breathed life into a slowly dying franchise when he made Star Trek. Raking in more than $250 million at the domestic box office, the film nearly sextupled the gross of the previous entry, 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis, which made only $43 million, the lowest in the series' history. Abrams had the world in his hand, everyone begging for more and then... nothing. Abrams decided to distance himself from Star Trek and make Super 8 - due out this summer - and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman started writing and producing various films and television shows. Finally, this past winter we got word that the project had a script and Orci even talked a bit about it at WonderCon, but not only do we not know what the status is, neither does Chekov.

Earlier today I had the chance to sit in on a roundtable interview with Anton Yelchin - who played the Russian navigator in Abrams' film - and took the opportunity to ask if he had seen a script yet and if he had received the call announcing when the production may start. His response?

Wanting to know more, I followed up by asking if he has had any contact with J.J. Abrams, he said, "No, JJ's, I think, doing Super 8 now and he's doing press for it. " Going further, he said that while he's looking forward to working with everyone again, he thinks that it will happen when the time is right.

Unless J.J. Abrams is ready to start production on Star Trek: The Next the second that Super 8 hits theaters on June 10 (hint: he won't be), it's hard to imagine that the film will be ready for summer 2012. For comparison purposes, Captain America: The First Avenger didn't go into production until late July next year and now, according to reports from earlier today, the effects teams are starting to "feel the heat" of opening weekend. Take into consideration that the still untitled Star Trek sequel has a June 29, 2012 release date and you begin to think that either the project is going to be moved into winter or won't be seen until 2013.

Look for our full interview with Anton Yelchin, coming soon on Cinema Blend.

Patton Oswalt is known far better for his stand-up comedy and TV appearances than his acting career, but he's actually got two remarkable feature film performances to his credit-- voicing the enthusiastic rat chef Remy in Ratatouille, and playing the lonely and possibly dangerous Giants fan in the indie drama Big Fan. Now he's adding another feature credit to his resume, though this seems to be skewing more toward the kind of comedic side character he's especially skilled at playing.

According to Variety, he'll be joining the cast of Odd Thomas, the supernatural thriller that stars Anton Yelchin as a short-order cook who can also speak to the dead. Oswalt's character is a local artist who designs the sculpture that Odd Thomas wears around his neck; it's unclear whether that necklace gives him the clairvoyant powers. Addison Timlin and Willem Dafoe are also on board, and as reported yesterday Scream 4's Nico Tortorella is in talks to play the Satanic villain.

As diverse and, yes, a little strange as the cast may be, the weirdest thing of all about Odd Thomas is that it will be directed by Stephen Sommers, who last made G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. It gives me no idea what to expect, but then again, that's far more interesting than something you can predict based on the cast alone.

Nico Tortorella plays what you'd have to call the Skeet Ulrich role in Scream 4, the handsome but not-quite-trustworthy ex-boyfriend of the lead virginal female (Emma Roberts) who seems to be conveniently at hand whenever the murders start going down. The role isn't quite as meaty as the one Ulrich played in the original Scream-- and anyway, where exactly did his career go after that?-- but Tortorella isn't wasting time lining up more work to follow it up. According to THR he's in negotiations to play the villain in Odd Thomas, the Dean Koontz novel adaptation set to shoot this summer in New Mexico.

Anton Yelchin is set to star as the titular character, a short-order cook who happens to be able to talk to the dead. In on his secret are his girlfriend Stormy Llewellyn (Addison Timlin) and the local chief of police (Willem Dafoe), but Tortorella will start causing trouble as a police officer who works with Dafoe and is secretly on the side of "the Satanic cult bent on destroying the town." He did a nice job conveying a slight sense of menace in Scream 4, and seems like exactly the kind of good-looking dude you shouldn't trust as far as you can throw him. The movie sounds a little, well, odd, and hard to know what to expect, but the casting thus far seems solid and I'm always up for seeing where Yelchin will go in his fairly unpredictable career as a movie star (remember, he's also got Fright Night coming this summer). Plus it's also the new small-scale effort from Stephen Sommers, who last made G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra. Sounds just strange enough that it might work.

It's barely a few weeks after the film’s announcement and already Odd Thomas is one of the most talked about film’s of 2011--or at least the one with the most news happening around it. The lead role has been given to Star Treker Anton Yelchin, who will play a short order cook who hangs out with ghosts and can sense when there’s bad juju around. Addison Timlin recently took a role once rumored for Lily Collins as Yelchin’s sidekick and girlfriend Stormy Llewellyn, and now even more casting news comes our way.

THR has it that long time actor and full-on BAMF Willem Dafoe is in talks to step into the role of the town’s police chief, the only person besides Stormy who knows about Thomas’s gift. This news comes just a few days after it was announced that Tim Robbins could also be joining the cast, though his role has yet to be revealed.

If Odd Thomas lands both of these actors, this will be the film to look out for in 2012. We’re all well aware of Yelchin’s ability, and Timlin gave strong performances in the indie drama Afterschool and Showtime’s comedy Californication; adding Robbins and Dafoe will only solidify the film’s cred. Keep an eye out for these confirmations in the coming weeks.

For those who are unawares, Lily Collins played Collins Tuohy in last years football dramafest The Blind Side which landed her several more roles in releases for this and next year. You’ll be able to catch her alongside Paul Bettany in Priest when that kicks off the summer on May 13. Fun Fact: she’s also the daughter of LEGENDARY musician Phil Collins.

The 22-year-old up and comer will likely add another film to her lengthening list of projects in the form of Dean Koontz adaptation Odd Thomas, according to Variety. They're reporting that she's beaten out a list of contenders that included Emma Roberts and Kat Dennings to play Stormy Llewellyn, girlfriend to the titular character Thomas, a clairvoyant line cook who will be played by Anton Yelchin-- you all remember him as Chekov in the Star Trek redo from 2009.

At the helm will be Stephen Sommers who most recently gave us one of the worst movies of all-time, G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra. Sommers will be directing his own script he wrote from the Koontz novel. Here's the book's review from Publisher's Weekly if you want to know more: