Spoilers ahead for the finale of The Vampire Lestat.

For years now, AMC has worked on a book-to-screen adaptation of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire. We were recently treated to the third season on the network (and streaming with an AMC+ subscription), which was retitled The Vampire Lestat. The season finale's stakes were very high, and the episode was a blast. But I've still got a bone to pick with the last episode.

The Vampire Lestat's reviews praised its unique vision and tone, and the seven-episode season was a wild ride from start to finish. And while I was endlessly fascinated by the contents of Episode 7, "The Failures", I was disappointed that so many narrative threads were left unresolved. Especially because another season hasn't been officially greenlit just yet.

The Season Finale Left Me With So Many Questions

The Vampire Lestat was a joy to watch throughout the season, with the audience finally getting the perspective of Sam Reid's title character after hearing Louis' memories of him for two previous seasons. The season had action and heartache, but also a great deal of intrigue. Namely because Episode 1 featured a mysterious time jump where Lestat was seemingly dead, Louis and Armand were injured, and the entire planet was recovering from an unknown "global catastrophe."

The penultimate episode of the season saw Lestat and Louis reunite... before being promptly decapitated by Armand and Daniel. The stakes were high with vampires gearing up for Lestat's concert, so I thought said catastrophe was coming. Alas, we didn't get any real answers about what happens that would be such a worldwide event.

Maybe this was expecting too much, as the finale episode had plenty of thrilling moments for us to enjoy. Whether it was seeing both Louis and Lestat surviving after being decapitated or the reveal that Armand was behind Regina connecting with Louis, we got so much out of Episode 7. But what we didn't get is the reveal of Lestat's fate, and exactly what occurred that seemingly ended the world as we know it.

While the final moments of the episode saw Sam Reid's character in some destroyed city after recording the narration we heard from him all season, exactly what happened during this apocalypse remains to be seen. What's more, I'm curious about what happened to poor Regina after coming face to face with Louis' severed head.

Clearly there are still questions surrounding Interview with the Vampire, so hopefully AMC will go ahead and green-light a fourth season. Otherwise, fans like me will be left in the dark.

The Vampire Lestat is now available to watch in its entirety as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Fingers crossed that another season ends up happening so that I don't stay bitter about the finale forever.

As a longtime member of Team CinemaBlend, I am rarely happier than when actors and filmmakers who aren’t known for horror projects voice their desires to make spooky movies. Such splendor usually doesn’t happen with name as big as Christopher Nolan, but the Odyssey director and current box office king is apparently down and eager to get behind the camera for a new horror movie.

Nolan’s admission is heavenly music to my ears, even if Hans Zimmer’s “bwomp” bass is also back there somewhere. The director, who didn’t shy away from horrific imagery in his adaptation of Homer’s epic, voiced his feelings about potentially bringing his talents to horror storytelling with The Empire Film Podcast (via Spotify), saying:

Now, I’m not going to pick a fight with the Oscar winner for that blanketed assessment about the number of “really great horror movies” out there. In comparison to the vast overall number of movies that have been produced, then yes, there are relatively few. But “very few” implies a number lower than I’m willing to accept. That said, I would give my third and fourth eyes to know which horror movies he does consider to be really great, and how many of them rank among CinemaBlend’s Best Horror Movies rankings.

One might ask, “If Chris Nolan wants to make a horror movie, what’s actually stopping him?” And the answer to that question is apparently the Brit’s ability to find the right source material. As he explained:

Considering how much technical wizardry Nolan brings to his films, with IMAX cameras often getting a big focus, I can certainly get how the vast majority of horror narratives might not scale up to what he's used to working with. I can't imagine he'd sign up for any kind of limited-location project in the vein of Exit 8 or Cube, and almost definitely wouldn't be interested in going the found-footage route for a Blair Witch update. (I know one already exists, but I'm just brainstorming.)

As such, it stands to reason that Nolan would be most interested in telling an expansive and layered horror story that wouldn't feel so out of placed paired up with one of his non-epics such as Memento or Insomnia, or possibly even Inception, Interstellar or The Dark Knight. Much as I'd love to believe that A Nightmare on Elm Street fits that bill, I don't foresee Nolan following in Wes Craven's footsteps.

But I do have several ideas in mind for horror projects that the Oppenheimer director could knock out of the park if he ever invested his creative efforts into them. Since I can't very well get inside his brain to determine what kinds of original genre stories he might have kicking around, I opted for a list of novel and comic books that I think would make for solid gold Nolan adaptations.

• House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski - House of Leaves is largely considered an unfilmable tome, given the multiple narratives and timelines being depicted through the core text and the ever-present footnotes. But if there's anyone who can pull off the haunting tale of a man who loses himself inside his increasingly expanding home, it's Nolan.
• American Vampire by Scott Snyder, Stephen King & Rafael Albuquerque - While I'd love to throw several Stephen King works out as potential adaptation fare, his folksy charms don't necessarily mesh with Nolan's. Instead, I think this historical approach to vampires in America would lend itself well to the director's talents, and it's definitely different enough from Sinners to not worry about overlap.
• Gideon Falls by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino- Gideon Falls is perhaps my favorite horror comic, written and illustrated by perhaps my favorite writer and artist. So I'd probably slap it into every list I can think of, but I actually do think its massive story about a black barn and those haunted by it (to say the least) would be glorious putty in Nolan's hands.
• A Walk Through Hell by Garth Ennis & Goran Sudžuka - This disturbing tale sees FBI agents taking on the most baffling and depraved case of their careers, and delivers genre thrills while also tapping into true crime elements.
• Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay - Few horror stories get more widescale than tales about infectious outbreaks, and this one comes from one of the best horror authors working, Paul Tremblay.
• Fatale by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips - Brubaker & Phillips are best known for Criminal, but they bring the supernatural and old Holllywood into their neo-noir storytelling for Fatale, which centers on a seemingly immortal woman whom men can't help but desire, except for those in the cult trying to kill her.
• Annihilation (All the Southern Reach books, really) by Jeff VanderMeer - Yes, the first of this unnerving quartet of novels was already adapted by Alex Garland in 2018, but that film was not built to tell the entire story, and left a lot of disturbing details by the wayside as a result. With Nolan's brains and budgetary command, Area X could live anew and better than ever.

I could easily keep coming up with new examples of horror movies that Christopher Nolan should make, but I should probably save my energy to pitch one of these in person whenever I next share an elevator with him. Which will definitely be around a quarter to never, so wishful thinking is what I'll be resting my laurels on in the days to come.

While waiting for him to announce his next project, join the many in seeing The Odyssey currently in theaters.

Denis Villeneuve's Dune movies (which are streaming with a HBO Max subscription) have been universally acclaimed, and fans are gearing up for the release of Part Three this December. The book to screen adaptation will feature Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia Atreides, and the Queen's Gambit actress recently recalled a wild experience she had on the threequel's set. And yes, the story involves a fetus.

What we know about Dune: Part Three has been limited, but that'll change when the blockbuster hits the big screen in a few months. While appearing on Radio Andy's The Julia Cunningham Show, Taylor-Joy revealed that she was shocked at coming face to face with one prop in particular. In her words:

Movie sets really are a strange and unique place. I mean, there's simply no other industry where someone would come to face to with a faux fetus of themselves. But that's exactly what happened when the Menu actress was working on the third Dune movie. Hey, crazy stuff goes down in Arrakis sometimes.

Taylor-Joy made her first appearance as Alia during a brief cameo in Dune: Part Two, where Timothée Chalamet has a vision of his sister while she was still in utero. But she'll have a much more significant role in the third movie, and fans can't wait to see what she's going to bring to the table as the youngest member of House Atreides.

Chalamet recently spoke about how "terrifying" Taylor-Joy is as Alia, so there's added excitement about what she'll bring to the acclaimed sci-fi property. She's only shown briefly in Dune: Part Three's trailers, although one shot shows her terrifyingly covered in blood. Exactly what happens before things get bloody remains to be seen, but the stakes for Villeneuve's third Dune movie definitely feel high.

The 30 year-old actress' career has ben thriving for years now, starting with her Emmy-nominated performance in Netflix's The Queen Gambit. She's kept busy with a variety of projects in live-action, as well as voicing Princess Peach in the animated Super Mario Bros. movies. She'll also continue her genre work as an elf in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

What happens to Alia and the rest of House Atreides will finally be revealed when Dune: Part Three hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. And it should be interesting to see how that movie performs as it shares a release date with Avengers: Doomsday.

Yes, there are spoilers ahead, so walk with caution!

I saw a ton of movies in 2025, a personal record, in fact, but one that I missed was The Long Walk from director Francis Lawrence, based on a novel by Stephen King. After a long 10-month wait for the movie to hit a streaming service, I was finally able to watch it with my HBO Max subscription. First, I loved it. I mean, “love” sounds like a weird way to describe a movie this hard to watch and this dark and disturbing, but I enjoyed it way more than I was anticipating. I loved it all except for one part. I almost had to turn it off when one of the characters breaks his ankle.

I Had A Visceral Reaction

If you've seen the movie, you know that The Long Walk is a brutal movie. Set in some sort of dystopian timeline (the time period is purposefully left open), the film follows a group of 50 young men as they walk until they die. Along the way, one by one, 49 of the 50 are picked off until one winner remains. We get to know about 10 of the walkers, including Richard Harkness, played by Jordan Gonzalez.

Somewhere around the 60-mile mark, in one of the most harrowing scenes in the movie, following the guys up a steep hill, Harkness turns his ankle and either breaks it or severely sprains it. For the next 10 miles, he essentially walks on the side of his foot. Even as I write this, my stomach is churning. I can’t think of anything more painful than that, because I have a long history of spraining my ankle. When I first saw it happen (which I knew was coming), I almost reached for my remote control.

I Felt The Pain In A Very Real Way

It’s not too much to say that I have a slight case of PTSD when it comes to sprained and broken ankles. I relive the moments I did the same thing, and seeing it as starkly and as brutally as it’s shown in The Long Walk was really hard to watch, even though I’d been warned before watching. I spent the spend the first 30 minutes of the movie waiting for it, which added to my stress.

When I was in high school, I severely sprained my left ankle, playing golf of all things. I was in a brace for months, tearing multiple ligaments. In my late 20s, I did the same thing to my right ankle after stepping in a hole in an alley in Boston, walking (sober-ish) out of a bar. I was on my way to a wedding, and I basically ignored getting the injury looked at. In fact, I never did. Instead, I limped around for months like an idiot.

Neither ankle has ever been the same, and for many years, I was prone to rolling one or the other, until I really concentrated on strengthening both. I don’t roll them much anymore, and when I do, the pain, while intense, is usually short-lived. However, I’m incredibly sensitive to seeing ankle injuries in sports and in movies and TV. I really feel it when I see it. I can still remember the sound both ankles made, and I’ll tell you, movies are really good at recreating that sound.

Sadly, Harkness succumbs to the injury and “gets his ticket,” and thankfully there are only a couple of really graphic shots of this ankle before he’s shot, but they were definitely the hardest moments of a bleak movie for me to watch.

It’s a bittersweet day for Heartstopper fans, as the feature-length series finale Heartstopper Forever hits the 2026 movie calendar. While we’re excited to see what’s next for Charlie and Nick’s relationship (and all of our other favorite Alice Oseman-created characters), it also means the end is here. That’s a real shame, too, for how optimistic the LGBTQ+ rom-com’s four seasons have made me feel. Heartstopper Forever reviews are in, and critics are feeling all the feels about the end of this love story.

The series finale movie, which hit the Netflix schedule July 17, continues Heartstopper Season 3's plotlines, including Nick (Kit Connor) preparing to move hours away from Charlie (Joe Locke) for college and the teens trying to figure out who they are — both with and apart from each other. Saloni Gajjar of AV Club gives it a B+, saying the drawback of not having a full season is that Nick and Charlie’s friends are kept on the periphery, but that ultimately doesn’t take away from it being a “warm, fuzzy finale.” The critic says:

The series finale may indeed give us the warm and fuzzies, but Aramide Tinubu of Variety warns in his Heartstopper Forever review that it’s not all doodles and rainbows this time around. The movie offers the boys a mature ending, the critic says, as Alice Oseman ushers Charlie and Nick toward “the heartbreaking and enticing unknown,” explaining:

Victoria Luxford of Collider gives the iconic YA queer couple’s finale a 7 out of 10, also pointing out that the movie can feel rushed at times, mostly at the expense of the supporting cast. However, this season finale gives Nick and Charlie the sendoff they deserve with a beautiful portrayal of two people striving to accept that they deserve to be happy amidst their ever-changing lives. Luxford writes:

Nick Levine of NME gives Heartstopper Forever 3 out of 5 stars, pointing out that it’s not perfect and really would have benefited from a full Season 4. However, it successfully captures the excitement and heartbreak that comes with the end of high school, and it does so in a way that will satisfy the fanbase. Levine’s review reads:

Owen Myers of The Guardian also rates the movie 3 stars out of 5, pointing out a few shortcomings, including its overly modest portrayals of intimacy. However, saying Heartstopper Forever is too wholesome “is like complaining that your hot chocolate is too rich.” Even so, Myers says:

It definitely sounds like Heartstopper Forever is bringing all of the emotion, and while it’s disappointing to hear that the ever-important friend group members don’t get as much screen time as they deserve, critics and audiences seem to be equally satisfied with the series finale. The movie holds a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes on both the Tomatometer and the Popcornmeter.

I can’t wait to revel in the final 114 minutes of this franchise. Heartstopper Forever (and all three preceding seasons of Heartstopper) can be streamed now with a Netflix subscription.

Christopher Nolan's movies are known for their epic scope and brilliant storytelling, and The Odyssey looks like it's going to continue that legacy. The book-to-screen adaptation's cast is incredible, including both Zendaya and Tom Holland. The latter also spoke to his mentor Robert Downey Jr. before starting the movie, but also dropped some knowledge that came from Matt Damon.

What we know about The Odyssey has been fairly limited, although those who have read the source material know what to expect narratively. During an appearance on Today, Holland spoke about joining a Nolan movie for the first time, offering:

Honestly, this makes a ton of sense. While RDJ and Holland have a good mentor/mentee relationship, the Iron Man actor also worked with Christopher Nolan on Oppenheimer. In fact, that's the very project Downey won his Academy Award for. So it certainly seems like the 30-year-old actor spoke to the right person.

While Tom Holland didn't reveal what his Marvel co-star had to say about working with Christopher Nolan, RDJ wasn't the only person who helped him at the start of filming The Odyssey. In the same interview, he name-dropped two of his co-stars, saying:

Working with Christopher Nolan is a dream for many out there, and Tom Holland clearly took his gig at The Odyssey seriously. It sounds like Matt Damon was particularly helpful for him, especially when describing what each actor and crew member brought to the table. In the Uncharted actor's words:

That definitely sounds like an inspiring way to work. Indeed, all of the Odyssey actors have gushed about their experience working with Christopher Nolan and the way that all of the movie's contributors brought their A-game to the project. Lucky for moviegoers, the wait for this new epic blockbuster is finally over.

The Odyssey is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. Fans will be able to judge the movie for themselves, although The Odyssey's reviews were rather positive.

Spoilers ahead for The Five-Star Weekend.

Every streaming service puts out new content, and those with a Peacock subscription were recently treated to all eight episodes of The Five-Star Weekend. The book-to-screen adaptation featured an outstanding ensemble cast led by Jennifer Garner, and also included the likes of Regina Hall, Chloe Sevigny, D'arcy Carden, and Gemma Chan. I know that Elin Hilderbrand's book doesn't have a sequel, but I still need a second season of this new series ASAP.

The Five-Star Weekend is one of the best shows to watch on Peacock right now, and I blew through the entire series in just two days. I loved seeing the women's relationships change over the handful of days shown in the series, but I also think that there are enough narrative threads to pull from to justify a second season. Hear me out here.

I Need Updates On All Of The Five-Star Weekend's Characters

While The Five-Star Weekend wasn't a female rage show, I found the story of the women to be both moving and hilarious. And by the end of the series, the starring cast had all grown and addressed issues in their lives. In addition to Hollis working through her grief, we saw D'Arcy Carden's Brooke leave her husband and come to terms with her sexuality, Regina Hall's Dru-Ann save her career, and Chloe Sevigny's Tatum dealt with her cancer diagnosis.

Tatum's story is one that seems the most obvious to continue with a Season 2, revealing what happened after she got that call from her doctor. Another season could see her fighting cancer, preferably with the other women by her side. Her friendship with Hollis seemed much stronger after their weekend, and I'm curious to see how this continued.

Additionally, I'd love to catch up with Brooke post-separation and see if she's still dating Roberta Colindrez's Sunny, the tour guide she fell for during the weekend in Nantucket. Then there's Hollis' burgeoning relationship with Timothy Olyphant's Jack, which was a heartwarming part of the finale. I even want to see what happened with Dru-Ann's career.

The only character who might not make sense for a Season 2 return is Gemma Chan's Gigi, who was revealed to have had an affair with Hollis' husband, Matthew prior to his death. Although that mystery helped to raise the stakes for The Five-Star Weekend, so maybe there's a way to bring her back into the story... even if there's no second novel to base the story off of.

The Five-Star Weekend is streaming in its entirety over on Peacock as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Fingers crossed that the show's popularity results in the streaming service bringing it back for another batch of episodes. After all, the ladies ended by saying they wanted to travel together.

Spoilers ahead for The Vampire Lestat Episode 6!

Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire has been made into movies and stage plays, but in recent years it's made its way to TV courtesy of AMC. The book-to-screen adaptation has been a wild ride during its three seasons on the air, with the most recent being retitled, featuring a big time jump and getting a new narrator. Reviews for The Vampire Lestat have been super positive, although I've been missing Louis and Lestat's romantic relationship throughout most of the season. They finally got together in the penultimate episode, "Montreal", but now I'm stressed out about Loustat's fate.

While there was a question about how much Louis would be featured in Season 3, Jacob Anderson's character has remained a vital part of the narrative. I was thrilled when he and Lestat finally made up and seemingly got back together last episode... before Armand and Daniel appeared and promptly decapitated them both. And if that's a sign of what's to come in the finale "The Failures", I'm feeling very nervous for the vampire lovers.

Louis and Lestat Finally Reunited, But They're In So Much Danger

The stakes have never been higher for The Vampire Lestat, which is why now is the perfect time for fans to invest in an AMC+ subscription. After doing a séance to speak to Claudia's spirit, Louis and Lestat finally seemed like they were back in a good place. But their decapitation definitely changed things, and I have to wonder how they'll recover... both physically and emotionally.

Throughout this season, we followed Sam Reid's Lestat as a rock star getting into his POV for the first time in the series. While learning about his past, we also saw how hurt he was over what Louis told Daniel during his infamous interview. It took six episodes to get them back together, with the pair finally becoming a unit. At least, until that cliffhanger ending of "Montreal." My joy in their reconciliation was cut short (literally), and now I'm just in fear mode.

Decapitation aside, The Vampire Lestat has also been building toward a larger conflict. The first episode opened in a not-too-distant future, where a "global catastrophe" has occurred, and both Louis and Armand are seen with some serious injuries. We should presumably learn what happens in the upcoming finale, as well as whether or not Lestat actually perishes in the upcoming conflict.

Something bad is coming, and if Lestat actually dies, that'll make his reunion with Louis even more tragic. They only got to be a unit again very briefly, despite their years of history. I was so happy to see the pair back together, but now I'm nervous that tragedy is about to happen.

The Vampire Lestat airs new episodes Sundays as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Hopefully my two favorite vamps manage to survive the forthcoming finale.

Jennifer Garner is starring on one of the buzziest new shows of the summer — The Five-Star Weekend, which hit the 2026 TV schedule earlier this month. Reviews were overwhelmingly positive for the ensemble that includes Regina Hall, Chloë Sevigny, D’Arcy Carden and Gemma Chan. It was Garner herself, though, who drew the most praise, and apparently we have her ex-husband Ben Affleck to partially thank for making it possible.

Over the years, Jennifer Garner has prioritized the three children she shares with Ben Affleck over her career, and that hasn’t really changed as they've gotten older, she told EW. However, thanks to her ex-husband being such a trustworthy co-parent (and some filming compromises that were made), she was able to accept the main role as Hollis in the Elin Hilderbrand book-to-screen adaptation. She said:

Producers must have really liked Jennifer Garner for the role, because they found a way to shoot mostly in Los Angeles. However, the actress would still have to do one month in Nantucket. Enter Ben Affleck, who was able to take in Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 13, to allow his ex to join The Five-Star Weekend. Garner said:

Jennifer Garner has been co-parenting with Ben Affleck for over a decade, since their 2015 split, and it’s lovely that the mom of three knows she can lean on him when she wants to do something for herself. That said, she doesn’t at all regret turning down jobs to focus on her kids. She said:

In addition to her great relationship with Ben Affleck — which we especially saw following his divorce from Jennifer Lopez, when Jennifer Garner brought Affleck care packages, and he spent holidays with his ex and three kids — the fact that Violet, Fin and Samuel are in their teens and early 20s helps as well:

The season of having young children to care for may be coming to an end for Jennifer Garner, and while that’s surely bittersweet, it does mean that options are opening up for her. That’s especially great news for her fans, who get to see her in projects like The Five-Star Weekend. The eight-episode series is available to stream in full with a Peacock subscription.

The Odyssey has been one of my most anticipated 2026 movies. That being said, I rolled my eyes at the runtime of two hours and 52 minutes after I got my ticket. Christopher Nolan’s latest film isn’t his longest movie – that would be Best Picture winner Oppenheimer – but objectively, that’s too long to sit in a movie theater. That is, unless the movie earns it. Well, did The Odyssey? I have thoughts.

Is The Odyssey’s Long Runtime A Problem?

Don’t get me wrong, some of the best movies I’ve ever seen are around three hours. But, right before I go out and see one, I get kind of stressed out. I usually like to get concessions for a movie like The Odyssey. Ugh, but when the moment comes when I have to use the restroom, it’s a tough call. I then have to make the decision to sit there in pain or try to figure out the right time when I can step away.

I’ll never forget when I went to see Dune: Part One. I ended up leaving to use the facilities when a certain character dies. It kind of messed up my first viewing. And then on the other hand, buying a premium movie ticket for something that ends up being both bad and long just sucks. Or, what if I end up sitting close to someone smelly or with a severe phone addiction?

There’s an easy fix for this. I think long movies need to have intermissions like they used to in the old days. Since that doesn’t seem to be on the table, I wince at long movie runtimes. In the case of The Odyssey, I’m very happy to report that I took no issue with it. Personally, I didn’t look at my watch until two hours into it, and the last hour was awesome. (Sure, it also helps that in-movie bathroom decision gods smiled on me that evening).

Personally, I wouldn’t have cut a single scene. If anything, I would have even sat through more! I’m thinking about going to see it again, and let me tell you, that’s very much a rarity for me to say these days. Critics have also been kind to The Odyssey, with the movie currently holding a 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

What My CinemaBlend Colleagues Thought About The Runtime

As I mentioned before, a three-hour movie only works for me if it earns it. And, there was definitely enough within the pages of Homer’s The Odyssey for Nolan to adapt. Plus, he had to make tweaks to the source material to fit into one movie as is. I was curious about what my co-workers thought about the runtime. Here’s what a few of them said:

• “I love long movies when they are well constructed like The Odyssey. Because of the nature of the source material, the movie flows really well from scene to scene, and I don't think it drags at all.” - Hugh Scott, Syndication Editor
• “The Odyssey kept my attention for the entire 3 hours with its fast-paced storytelling and stunning visuals. If I had my way, it would have been 5 or 6 hours and split into two movies in order to more fully develop the side characters.” - Mack Rawden, Editor-In-Chief
• “I get why it's not two movies so that Nolan could end on a high note, but I thought the runtime was too long. I would definitely have taken two movies.” - Jessica Rawden, Managing Editor
• “I'm always wary of long movies; however, I didn't check my watch once watching The Odyssey. Those three hours flew by, and I was left wishing there was more time to dive even deeper into the story.” - Riley Utley, Weekend Editor

Of course, there’s a range of opinions here regarding the specifics, but overall I think we have a consensus: The Odyssey’s runtime works! If you, too, found yourself unsure about venturing to see it because of its length, I hope this helps reassure you it’s worth it. I know I would have appreciated knowing this before heading into it.

Since Anya Taylor-Joy had a surprise role at the end of Dune: Part Two, we’ve been so curious about what to expect from her character. And last week, when Timothée Chalamet unveiled the latest Dune: Part Three trailer, he gave us a better idea. The Dune star called her “terrifying.” But what does Taylor-Joy think about the label?

The footage we’ve seen of Alia Atreides primarily consists of Paul’s sister screaming while covered in blood. So, it’s not completely out of left field for Chalamet to feel this way. But here’s how Taylor-Joy responded to the description of her on set:

In a chat with People at the Los Angeles premiere for her Apple TV series, Lucky, Taylor-Joy said she found Chalamet’s comments “absolutely” complimentary. It sounds like getting people scared as Alia was the goal for the actress. Now, if you missed the Paul actor's comments at the event where Denis Villeneuve was also in attendance, here they are:

Timothée Chalamet’s big tease about Anya Taylor-Joy happened at Dune: Part Three’s global fan event, which CinemaBlend attended at Los Angeles, California’s AMC Burbank. He hadn’t spent any time with the actress on Dune: Part Two, and the first day on set really took him off guard. How? We don’t totally know, but it piques our curiosity.

The third Dune is based on Frank Herbert’s Dune: Messiah, which also heavily features the character of Alia Atreides. In the source material, Alia becomes a political advisor to Paul after he takes the throne. During the book, she resorts to consuming near-deadly amounts of spice in order to expand her powers, and it really messes with her. Dune: Part Three seems to be following a lot of the book, but we’re definitely expecting some changes between the novel and film.

Previously, Anya Taylor-Joy has called her part in Dune 3 a “very intense” one. The actress said this is because Alia “carries the weight and wisdom of generations and generations in her head”.

Meanwhile, Taylor-Joy isn’t the only newcomer to the Dune movies. Robert Pattinson is also joining in the role of Scytale, a character who comes up with a plan to dethrone Paul.

Dune: Part Three will also star Zendaya as Chani, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica and Javier Bardem as Stilgar. Then, there’s also the return of Jason Momoa as Hayt, a ghola created in the image of Duncan Idaho. We’ll get to experience Anya Taylor-Joy’s Alia once Dune: Part Three, which is on the 2026 movie calendar, hits theaters on December 18.

Spoilers from The Five Star Weekend (book and series) ahead!

As book-to-screen adaptations go, I really liked The Five Star Weekend. Bekah Brunstetter's adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand's novel hit all of the right notes, while also making enough changes here and there to keep me interested from start to finish. Yes, I watched all eight episodes of the series (available with a Peacock subscription) in a matter of days when it arrived on the 2026 TV schedule, and after giving it some thought, there's one specific change that the show made that I think I really love more than how it happens in the book.

I've said it before, but as someone who loves to read the book before seeing the adaptation, I really don't mind when changes are made, especially if it's in service of the plot and character development. In the case of The Five Star Weekend, I went into the series hoping for certain aspects of the adaptation to do the book justice, and they really did. A few of the bigger changes from the book involved Hollis' daughter, Caroline (Harlow Jane), and while I was pretty neutral on two of them, the more I think about one, the more I love it.

Caroline Needed To Find Out About Her Father

I didn't mind that Caroline's career path changed from book to screen, or that the story of her affair with her mentor was dropped. The series didn't need that arc to make her role in the show impactful. Given how everything did play out in the show, I think it was the right call to have her find out the truth about her father's affair, both for her sake and her mother's.

In the book, Caroline doesn't find out, which is how Hollis wants it. Though Hollis learns of her husband's affair with Gigi through a different series of events in the book, the TV show maintains Jennifer Garner's character's protectiveness of her daughter and wish to keep the truth about Matthew from her. I like that the adaptation maintained that aspect of Hollis' character, while also finding a way of bringing the truth to light for Caroline.

Hollis Needed To Be More Honest With Her Loved Ones About What's Going On In Her Life

I'm not of the mindset that Caroline "deserves" to learn the truth about her father, to be clear. I don't think Matthew (Josh Hamilton) was some kind of monster because he was unfaithful to his wife, nor do I think people need to know every detail about their parents or their marriage. But in this case, finding out about the affair led to two good outcomes.

The first is that it allowed Caroline to confront her mother about how she's always trying to protect her and pretending like things are ok when they aren't. As we saw throughout the series, Hollis has a way of trying to present herself as fine, even when she isn't. Understandably, she'd do this with her daughter, who's barely out of adolescence, but Caroline finding out on her own and addressing it with her mother allowed her to rip the barely-adhered bandage off of Hollis' grief, confusion and anger over Matthew's affair, and see it for what it is.

Of course Hollis wants to protect Caroline, but she also needs to learn to be more honest about her feelings, particularly with her daughter, and this was a key opportunity to do that.

As Harsh As The Truth Is, Caroline Needed To Know

The other good thing to come from this is that it allowed Caroline to be with her mother in all of those emotions, so they can process them together. It may be a lot for a young adult to have to deal with, and I can still see why Hollis would wish Caroline didn't have to carry around this knowledge, as it'll surely impact how she thinks about her father. At the same time, these two women are alive and trying to move forward. With this situation out in the open, they can grieve without any secrets. I can only view that as a good thing.

The Flashback In The Car

I'll close this topic out by bringing up one of the flashback scenes, when Caroline, Hollis and Matthew are all in the car together, and Caroline is talking about how she envisions her parents moving forward in their lives after she leaves home. In retrospect, the scene had a lot more going on than I realized.

I was more focused on Hollis' reaction to Matthew receiving the text from "G," and her evident denial, but looking back, it also occurred to me that this scene shows how Caroline sees her parents at this point in her life, which was not so long ago. She's innocently oblivious and believes that they'll be happy and in love until the day they die. I think that's pretty normal for someone her age, on the verge of adulthood and about to leave home.

Given time, even if her father hadn't died, Caroline would've come to learn that her parents aren't stationary beings, nor are they perfect, and neither is their marriage. It's tragic that she had to learn this life lesson such a harsh way, but the more I think about it, the more the scene in the car helped me to better understand Caroline's resentment toward her mother for trying to move forward with her life after Matthew's death. She had this idea about what her parents were, and seeing her mother now doesn't line up with her part of that picture.

As great as it might be for her to live the rest of her life believing her parents' marriage was perfect, maybe knowing the truth about it is what's best for her in the long run, and for the relationship she has with her mother going forward. At the very least, she can process the situation with all of the pieces in place, and appreciate her family for what it really was, even if it wasn't always as perfect as she once thought. I liked how Caroline's story in the book played out, but given how things went for her in the show, I really liked how things wrapped up for her and her mother.

I can't believe it, but it's been almost six years since many of us learned who Anya Taylor-Joy was as she broke big in Netflix's The Queen’s Gambit. Since then, the actress has become a full-blown movie star, between starring in a ton of horror films, landing the voice of Princess Peach and joining Dune. This week she’s back on the small screen; however, returning to the small screen in Lucky. This time, the notoriety she's built up since the Netflix hit definitely shows.

If you liked The Queen’s Gambit, I’d gamble you’re going to like her new series. It’s also about a young woman who’s especially gifted at one thing. (No, not chess.) Anya Taylor-Joy's new series is about the daughter of a grifter who’s been expertly trained him in the art of a good con since childhood. The show’s creator, Jonathan Tropper, said this to CinemaBlend about how the return to TV came about.

Oh, how the tables turn! While Taylor-Joy was a relatively unknown actor for hire when she was approached for The Queen’s Gambit, this time she was one of the first names on Lucky . She was approached; she didn't audition. This also marked her debut as a producer alongside the likes of Reese Witherspoon.

As Tropper added, it wasn't just Reese's involvement that got Taylor-Joy involved in the 2026 TV release. It was fate. Even author Marissa Stapley had pictured the actress in the role.

Lucky starts with a longtime couple, Lucky and Cary, who are getting ready to go on the run with millions of dollars in their hands. However, when Lucky wakes up the following morning to find her husband and the money nowhere to be found, she must avert the authorities (and other parties who want the money) all on her own.

When CinemaBlend chatted with Anya Taylor-Joy about the role, she recalled shooting the pilot across twelve days and nights in and around Las Vegas’s Caesar’s Palace. She also told me she was “so proud” of herself after running for twelve hours straight to film one scene in the first episode where Lucky is trying to get out of the famed hotel and disappear.

Lucky’s co-showrunner Cassie Pappas said the actress really put her heart and soul into wearing all these different hats in order to make Lucky as great as it is.

How cool is it that Taylor-Joy got to work on Lucky from the inside out? You've got to love seeing more talented women movie stars like her taking the reins behind the scenes. Pappas also said this of collaborating with her as well:

Lucky also stars Outer Banks’ Drew Starkey as Lucky’s husband and Timothy Olyphant as Lucky’s dad. Annette Bening also plays a chilling mob boss after her named Priscilla and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is FBI Agent Billie Rand, who is on her tail throughout. The TV series was shot not only in Las Vegas but across various terrain in Southern California where Taylor-Joy and the cast got to pull off a series of action scenes and nail-biting car chases.

The two-episode premiere of Lucky hits Apple TV this Wednesday, July 15, with new episodes coming out on subsequent Wednesdays. It's been a long time since Anya Taylor-Joy has made a TV show, but this one seems to be well worth the return to the medium.

Mike Flanagan’s upcoming Carrie series was always going to need more story. Namely because Stephen King’s debut novel is short, the prom has already been burned into pop culture by Brian De Palma’s 1976 movie, and Prime Video ordered eight episodes rather than another two-hour page-to-screen adaptation. Flanagan has earned plenty of trust with King material, but the first details about how he plans to expand Carrie White’s world have given me pause. Honestly, it just sounds too much like X-Men.

In Entertainment Weekly’s first look at Carrie, Flanagan explained that the series will explore the science behind telekinesis and connect its title character to other women with similar abilities. If you've read all of Stephen Kings books like I have, you know the material has roots in his novel, but the showrunner’s description sounds much closer to the foundation of a new superhero movie mythology than the intimate horror story I associate with Carrie. Flanagan explained:

There is something compelling buried in that idea. King’s novel includes reports, testimony and scientific speculation surrounding what happened in Chamberlain, Maine. Previous movies largely discarded that material to stay close to Carrie, Margaret White and the approaching disaster at prom. A streaming series has room to recover pieces that never fit comfortably into those films.

Still, words such as “gene,” “larger universe” and “gifted women” set off my superhero alarm. Put them together, and the upcoming horror series begins to sound less like a frightened teenager discovering something impossible and more like a mutant who has not yet found Professor Xavier’s school. The powers in Carrie should feel isolating and dangerous. Turning them into membership in a secret supernatural sorority risks making the character less singular.

My concern grew when Flanagan revealed that, beginning with Episode 2, each installment will open with a different woman somewhere else in the world and at another point in time discovering her abilities. That could become a clever series of miniature horror stories. It could also feel like the Carrie series keeps leaving Carrie to build lore for a larger mythology.

Upon hearing this, my mind immediately went to Stranger Things 2 and “The Lost Sister,” the divisive episode that sent Eleven to meet another powered test subject. The concept made sense within the show, but the detour felt to many viewers like a backdoor pilot interrupting the story they were already invested in. Carrie introducing a new gifted woman every week could create a similar problem if those segments begin to resemble a setup for a telekinetic team-up.

In my opinion, Carrie White does not need mentors, a mythology lesson or a broader mission. Her story works because she is unprepared for both her abilities and the cruelty around her. The horror comes from watching years of abuse and humiliation collide with power she cannot control.

Flanagan may still pull this off. I mean, I have faith as he's created some of my favorite horror movies and series in recent memory. King reportedly approved the new approach and serves as an executive producer, while Flanagan’s previous adaptations have shown how dramatically he can reshape source material without losing its emotional core. For now, though, the “TK gene” is the first Carrie detail that worries me. I want a tragedy soaked in blood, not the opening chapter of the Telekinetic Cinematic Universe.

Carrie is expected to premiere on Prime Video's 2026 streaming schedule in the fall for subscribers with a Prime Video subscription.

A Dungeon Crawler Carl series is on the way to Peacock, and with the summer gap in programming in the 2026 TV schedule, I figured it was high time to read the first book of a series I've seen so many rave about. I would've read it sooner, but I stayed away for far too long out of fear it was too Dungeons & Dragons coded for me.

This is to say, I'm a pretty geeky guy, and while I'm generally down for the best sci-fi shows and dabble in the Game of Thrones franchise, fantasy generally isn't my thing. I've tried the iconic tabletop game a few times, and even variants like Pathfinder, and it just wasn't for me. As such, I assumed the books wouldn't be my style, but I'm so happy to report I couldn't be more wrong. Mild spoilers about the premise if you find yourself in the same boat, but here's what I got wrong about Dungeon Crawler Carl.

I Assumed The Series Borrowed Heavily From Dungeons And Dragons, But Was Wrong

One might understand how I was led into thinking Dungeon Crawler Carl is a book that appeals primarily to the DnD crowd. There's literally artwork of a guy navigating a dungeon on the cover, and there's a quote on the back of my copy from Felicia Day, who is a major face of the tabletop gaming world. I was judging a book by its cover, which is a rookie mistake, so that's on me.

Some might argue in defense of Dungeon Crawler Carl emulating tabletop RPGs, but the premise itself is way more sci-fi. Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Donut have their worlds turned upside down along with millions of others when the entirety of the world is seemingly destroyed, instantly killing everyone who was indoors when the event happened. Soon after, he discovers the entirety of Earth's existence was effectively done in order to participate in an intergalactic game show, of which trillions tune in to watch.

The dungeon elements are there, but there's a much bigger sci-fi concept behind the dungeon-crawling premise. Really, this is more like a reality TV meets video game premise, and as someone who is preparing to watch Big Brother Season 28 on my Xbox Series X, that's exactly my wheelhouse.

Dungeon Crawler Carl Caters To A Specific Audience, And If You're In It, It's Fantastic

I love Dungeon Crawler Carl, but I do wonder if it'll be able to find a big audience when it premieres for those with a Peacock subscription. The first book, and I only highlight that one because it's the only one I've read, is just drenched in references that gamer millennials who grew up using the internet in the 2000s would fully appreciate.

Then again, I was able to jive with The Amazing Digital Circus, despite it being something my daughter was more into. Maybe those of a younger age will look past the references and see the wild violence that may just rival the best horror movies if executed the same way as it was in the books. I'll be watching either way, but I think for this series to have a long run, it's going to need a big audience.

I'm keeping my eyes peeled for updates on the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and other upcoming book-to-screen adaptations that come along the way. I'm also learning not to judge a book by its cover, a mistake I won't be making again anytime soon.

The Princess Diaries’ Mia Thermopolis may not be an official Disney Princess, but she certainly shares one popular thing many of them sadly have: a dead parent. But I just learned that Mia’s dad is very much alive in The Princess Diaries books. When it came to Meg Cabot's novels being turned into a movie from Walt Disney Pictures, the producers had a big reason for why they felt Mia's dad needed to be dead, and what a revelation!

Why are the characters in Disney movies always without parents? When it came to Cabot’s The Princess Diaries books, she had no intention of following that trend and leaving Mia without a father. However, here's why the storyline changed for the 2001 movie, per Cabot:

If you’re a reader who follows along with all the book-to-screen adaptations, you know that changes between the book and movie are inevitable. A film script just doesn’t have the kind of time to get into as much detail as a novel can, and characters being combined into one role is common. As Cabot also said in a new interview with CBS Mornings:

So, I’m never looking at The Princess Diaries movies the same again whenever I watch them with my Disney+ subscription. While it’s kind of sad that the studio felt they needed to give Mia a darker backstory, they also had a really good reason for it: Julie Andrews. And all they had to say was her name for Cabot to get on board, too.

When Julie Andrews was approached for The Princess Diaries, it became her first Disney film since 1964’s Mary Poppins; it was also a big deal because she only worked on six projects during the '90s. And, four years prior to signing on for The Princess Diaries, Andrews actually had surgery to remove a non-cancerous lesion on her vocal cords that ended up leaving her without the four-octave soprano range she once had.

Ultimately, Walt Disney Pictures made a good decision to give Andrews the bigger role as Queen Clarisse rather than balancing the characters of Mia’s grandma and dad in one movie. But, wow!

Cabot just released a graphic novel version of her classic middle-grade novel as we look forward to the third Princess Diaries movie that's currently in development. Cabot also recently said The Princess Diaries 3 script is “amazing,” and she’s “so excited” for it.

I'm also hyped after hearing that it's going to be shot in Europe and be a “wish fulfillment movie for queens” per the director's most recent update about it in May. Right now, the star of The Princess Diaries movies, Anne Hathaway, is booked and busy on her third press tour of the year, The Odyssey. (She's the lead of five 2026 movies). So, it's unclear when exactly production will begin on The Princess Diaries 3. However, we do know that it's being actively worked on.

I felt like Mia Thermopolis when she learned she was a princess when coming across this story of Mia's dead dad's origins, and I will feel that way again when my burning questions about The Princess Diaries 3 are answered. While we wait, you can grab The Princess Diaries graphic novel on Amazon and see Hathaway in The Odyssey when it hits theaters on July 17.

The Devil Wears Prada is one of the best 2000's movies, which is why fans were so hyped when it was revealed that a long-awaited sequel was finally coming. The Devil Wears Prada 2 hit theaters back in May, and caught up with the beloved cast of characters. That includes Emily Blunt's Emily, and the actress revealed one line of dialogue that made her "shrivel" in front of Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly.

The original movie (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) made audiences fall in love with Emily, and moviegoers were shocked when she was an antagonist of the sequel. But Miranda threw some epic shade at her as a result, saying, "You’re not a visionary, you’re a vendor." During an interview with The New York Times, Blunt revealed her reaction to that savage line, offering:

She's not wrong. While she eventually reached peace with Miranda and Andy at the end of The Devil Wears Prada 2, Emily needed to be put in her place after trying to steal control of Runway. The Devil Wears Prada has lots of great quotes, and the one about Emily being a "vendor" is definitely a memorable one from the sequel.

While Emily Blunt has a great relationship with Meryl Streep in real life, that doesn't mean that she wasn't intimidated when getting read to filth by Miranda Priestly. That's why she "shriveled" on the set, although the scene in question is one of the most delightfully savage in the sequel's 119-minute runtime.

Reviews for The Devil Wears Prada 2 were generally positive, and the audience score was even higher on Rotten Tomatoes. The original movie is what made Emily Blunt into a household name, so it was definitely a full-circle moment for her to reprise that role in the long-awaited sequel. And while Emily was one of the antagonists of David Frankel's follow-up film, she reached peace with Andy by its conclusion. The final shot of the movie features Andy, Miranda, and Nigel working in their respective offices at Runway in a gorgeous ending to the story. Of course, there are some fans who are hoping for a third book-to-screen adaptation.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is currently available to rent or purchase digitally as part of the 2026 movie release list. It'll set to arrive on streaming on Disney+ and Hulu on July 29th, so fans can re-watch that epic "vendor" line over and over again, and see Emily Blunt shrivel in the process.

With The Odyssey's highly anticipated theatrical release right around the corner, the time seems right to look back on some of the book-to-screen adaptations that have been released over the years. That brings us to this week's movie quiz, which is all about classic books that were made into movies. Don't worry, this one only requires a general knowledge of the films and the books on which they're based. So if you still haven't gotten around to reading all of the titles in this quiz, you may still be able to ace it!

For the quiz below, we'll reference a movie, and you guess the book on which it's based. How many clues can you solve?

Spoilers ahead for Episode 3 of House of the Dragon Season 3.

While Game of Thrones' ending remains controversial years later, the fandom is once again back in Westeros thanks to its spinoffs. While A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms recently earned a bunch of Emmy nominations, Season 3 of House of the Dragon is currently airing on HBO (and streaming with an HBO Max subscription). And the most recent episode did something I wish that GOT tried during its time on the air.

House of the Dragon Season 3 has been a doozy so far, with the book-to-screen adaptation showing the ongoing Dance of the Dragons. Episode 3, "Rhaenyra Triumphant," did something unique in that it was told pretty much entirely through Emma D'Arcy's character's POV. And having read a number of the Song of Ice and Fire books, I wish that this was something that Game of Thrones experimented with throughout its time on the air.

"Rhaenyra Triumphant" Focused Almost Entirely On Emma D'Arcy's Character

While Game of Thrones is an ensemble project that followed a massive cast of characters, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books are actually told through the first-person perspective. In each chapter, we follow a different character's story, with only a handful of characters being narrators, such as Jon Snow, Arya, Cersei, and others. This allows readers to really get to know those characters, although it also results in other non-POV characters being more mysterious, like Margaery Tyrell.

Game of Thrones abandoning the first-person narration helped to flesh out the other characters, but I thought that being with Rhaenyra throughout the most recent of HOTD showed that the flagship series should have tried this for at least an episode or two during its eight seasons on the air. It certainly would have pleased longtime fans of the novels like me.

Episode 3 of HOTD Season 3 was telling a very specific story, with Rhaenyra struggling to actually rule now that she's claimed the Iron Throne. It felt almost like a bottle episode, since we were with her almost the entire time, rather than jumping around to various characters. This showed off just how incredible Emma D'Arcy is as an actor, and allowed Rhaenyra's perspective and rising frustrations to take center stage. That includes towards the end of the episode when Corlys clapped back and called her late sons bastards. Yikes.

Bottle episodes are often very memorable when they happen in TV shows. I'm thinking of Girls' "The Panic in Central Park" or Breaking Bad's "Fly." And now that we've seen how successful this was in House of the Dragon, I think Game of Thrones really fumbled the chance to do something exciting when it was airing.

House of the Dragon airs new episodes Sundays as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll just have to see if any more POV episodes happen before its fourth and final season completes the story.

When it comes to drama series set in beachy locales featuring affluent characters in crisis, there are plenty to choose from — and many of them are adaptations of popular novels. The Perfect Couple was one bingeable Netflix series based on a book by Elin Hilderbrand, and now another of the author’s works — The Five-Star Weekend — is available to stream with a Peacock subscription. And while I loved watching Nicole Kidman’s icy matriarch in the 2024 drama, reviews say what Jennifer Garner is serving may be even more delicious.

In The Five-Star Weekend, which hit the 2026 TV schedule on July 9, Jennifer Garner plays Hollis Shaw, a grieving food blogger who gathers friends from different eras of her life for a luxe Nantucket weekend in hopes of healing. Carla Meyer of The Wrap says it perfectly balances authenticity with its clichés in a way that The Perfect Couple was unable to do. The critic writes:

Alison Herman of Variety is similarly more impressed with the latest Elin Hilderbrand adaptation, writing in her review of The Five-Star Weekend that she’s glad this story differentiated itself from The Perfect Couple and other series like Big Little Lies and The White Lotus by not making it a murder mystery or eat-the-rich drama. In freeing itself of those plot necessities, the Peacock series is allowed to dig into the nuances of these female friendships. Herman continues:

The Five-Star Weekend also benefits from an impressive cast, says Cristina Escobar of RogerEbert, who do more than simply serve Hollis’ storyline. Chloë Sevigny, Regina Hall, D'Arcy Carden and Gemma Chan play the other four “stars” on the weekend getaway, which ends up being way more than so many of the “pedestrian housewife melodramas” we see. Escobar writes:

Alise Chaffins of MacGuffin or Meaning gives it 4 out of 5, agreeing that the series shows surprising depth for this type of melodrama. The fleshed-out characters, exploration of female friendships and A+ performances add up to a “truly entertaining” project, Chaffins says, writing:

The critics aren’t all in agreement, though. In his The Five-Star Weekend review, Dave Nemetz of TV Line rates the series a C+, calling the story “more mild than wild.” It’s a “pleasant snooze,” Nemetz says, “but a snooze nonetheless.” In his words:

From the reviews I read, critics mostly seem to like the series, and fans of The Five-Star Weekend novel will surely be interested in seeing how the story is adapted. Also, if you loved The Perfect Couple, it sounds like this one might offer a better story (at least more likeable characters) — albeit without the murder mystery.

All eight episodes of The Five-Star Weekend are available to stream now on Peacock.

Director Christopher Nolan's movies are known for their massive scale and epic stories, and moviegoers will soon be treated to his take on Homer's The Odyssey. The book-to-screen adaptation features an all-star cast led by Matt Damon, who got ripped to play Odysseus on the big screen. And a video recently dropped of co-star Robert Pattinson absolutely gushing about The Martian actor's abs.

What we know about The Odyssey has been limited, but those who read Homer's Greek epic have an idea about what plot points are coming. The Odyssey's trailer showed how badass Damon looks, but in an interview with ET, Pattinson spoke about how fit he looked IRL. You can check out the clip below:

Talk about a glowing response. Clearly, Matt Damon's physical transformation was significant enough that his co-stars were shocked by just how ripped he got to play the protagonist of The Odyssey. Pattinson got jacked for The Batman, but even he was shocked by how defined the 55-year-old actor's abs were on the movie's set. One can only imagine how hulking and strong he'll look on the big screen when Nolan's movie hits theaters later this month.

While it's fun to see just how worked up Robert Pattinson got about Matt Damon's abs, reading his comments is similarly delightful. He spoke about his co-star's insane abdominal muscles, offering:

Talk about impressive. It's one thing for abs to show when one is shirtless or wearing something tight, but Robert Pattinson was flabbergasted by how Matt Damon's muscles were visible even when he was wearing a loose T-shirt. And I can't wait to see how the actor's hulking physique translates and elevates the action sequences in The Odyssey in particular.

We've previously heard reports about how much work Matt Damon put into his physical transformation, reducing his weight to 167 pounds of lean muscle. This took an intense gym and diet regimen, including cutting out gluten completely. It sounds like those efforts paid off, and luckily fans will be able to judge for themselves when The Odyssey hits theaters later this month. There is a ton of hype surrounding the blockbuster right now, thanks to its insane ensemble cast and Christopher Nolan's reputation as a filmmaker. Luckily, the wait is nearly over for it to finally arrive on the big screen.

The Odyssey will be released on July 17th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Aside from Matt Damon's abs, the movie will also feature the talents of Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong'o, and more.

The 2026 movie schedule has already had some bangers, but man, I think I just found my official most-anticipated of the bunch for the second half of the year now that we have a fresh trailer for Dune: Part Three We just got the most epic look at Denis Villeneuve's trilogy finale yet, and it has me thinking about what dark arc is on the horizon for Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides. Thankfully, the actor himself shed some light on what’s coming.

CinemaBlend attended Dune: Part 3’s global fan event at the AMC Burbank in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday morning. We were among the first to see the movie’s new trailer along with witnessing an exclusive conversation between Villeneuve and Timothée Chalamet. Check out the trailer here:

Y’all, the chills I had seeing this in IMAX with an audience! I’m not going to be OK after this movie… and I cannot wait. The new footage really focuses on the fallout of Dune: Part 2, where Paul broke the heart of Zendaya’s Chani by deciding to marry Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan. He did so to take the throne as the Padishah Emperor – officially choosing power and war over anything else.

It certainly seems like Paul is going to the dark side here, so I’m happy that the event’s moderator Brittany Broski asked Chalamet if Paul is stepping into his “villain” era now. Here’s how the Oscar-nominated actor responded:

The writing was on the wall in Dune: Part Two that Paul maybe wasn’t going to be the hero of this story anymore, and in Part Three the ramifications of this will all come to a head. The trailer also sets up what’s going on with Robert Pattinson’s role of Scytale, who decides to execute a plot to dethrone Paul and involve the Princess.

I also think the trailer insinuates that Chani may actually be the one to go head-to-head with the Emperor by the end of the movie after things have gone bitter between them. Chalamet also said this about what’s going on with Paul and Chani during the event:

Part Three's main plotline takes place a couple decades after the second movie, and also features Anya Taylor-Joy as Paul’s sister, Alia. The franchise newcomer has called the role “very intense” and I can see why. While the first Dune: Part Three trailer got me excited, this second one has me moving the movie to the top of my list of 2026 movies I’m hyped for. A big part of that is Paul's nuanced arc across the trilogy being concluded. I mean, and this new poster? Check it:

During the event, we were also treated to an exclusive look at the opening of Dune: Part 3, which will be playing in front of IMAX screenings of The Odyssey next weekend. It had Javier Bardem’s Stilgar and some other men being thrust into an intense battle sequence in the rain. I’d imagine he’s operating under the orders of Paul after embracing him as the messianic Lisan al-Gaib at the end of Dune: Part 2. It doesn't show the whole battle sequence, so now I'm left wanting to watch the whole thing.

We'll have to wait for the final Dune film until December 18!

The Twilight fan in me that was fangirling over Robert Pattinson back in the day is absolutely living for the genuine movie star the actor has become lately. I mean, he’s in some of the most buzzy 2026 movie releases, including The Odyssey. But I wouldn’t blame the guy for wanting to talk about literally anything but Twilight after the many years he spent making and promoting those films. However, R. Patz totally brought up Jacob Black unprovoked at The Odyssey premiere, and I'm shook!

Here’s what happened. While Pattinson was at The Odyssey premiere in London on Monday, he was asked by MTV about playing a character audiences won’t be rooting for. Here’s how he responded:

Guys, Twilight was mentioned! Twilight was mentioned! This truly makes me feel like a proud fan. Robert Pattinson has had a bad rep for shading on these movies for years now, but look at him full-on comparing one of the biggest movies he’s ever been in to the vampire romance phenomenon. It really shows that he is in a different place these days with the cult film series, and doesn’t mind bringing them up anymore. Finally, and thank you!

Now, in The Odyssey, Robert Pattinson plays the role of Antinous. While Odysseus is trying to get home from the Trojan War to reunite with his wife Penelope and son Telemachus (played by Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland, respectively), Antinous tries to tempt Penelope to forget her husband and move on with him. Pattinson has called the character “the worst stepfather you could possibly have” while recalling shooting scenes with Holland on set. So, I can totally see what he's getting at by name-dropping the Twilight movies with his point here.

While the interviewer thought Antinous might be a character no one would be rooting for, Pattinson thinks that the character will actually have his own fans as Penelope wrestles with waiting for her husband or answering this new suitor's calls. It's very much giving New Moon.

Along with Pattinson's glorious Twilight comment, the premiere of Christopher Nolan's latest film meant that the first reactions for The Odyssey have come out, and there’s a lot of positive word-of-mouth about it already. So far, critics have called it things like a “filmmaking feast,” a “sprawling yet intimate story” and “an absolute triumph”. And, yes, Robert Pattinson’s performance in it is absolutely being singled out by many viewers, too.

You can see Robert Pattinson in The Odyssey yourself on July 17. Let the Jacob Black/Antinous comparisons begin!

We’ve been waiting for this one, guys. We’re now less than two weeks away from Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey hitting the 2026 movie calendar — the director’s first project since Oppenheimer — and he literally couldn’t have chosen a more epic tale. First reactions are here for the fantasy flick, which comes with a staggering runtime and massive budget. But by these critics’ accounts, Nolan fans should start getting excited.

So what are people saying after catching early screenings of The Odyssey? Critic Perri Nemiroff says Christopher Nolan expertly weaves the story together to make you feel like you’ve experienced a significant portion of the characters’ lives. Her X (Twitter) post continues:

David Ehrlich of IndieWire notes that The Odyssey is “less despairing” than the Academy Award Best Picture winner from 2023, and despite some druthers, it’s a ride worth going on. In Ehrlich’s words:

Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture wrote an epic reaction of his own on X, praising Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland’s performances. He also writes that this level of storytelling is rare and deserves to be honored. The post reads, in part:

Jeremy Mathai of SlashFilm gives his stamp of approval, and while calling The Odyssey’s cast list lengthy would be an understatement, Mathai casts his vote for the most impactful performance, writing:

For critic Simon Thompson, it was two other actors — in addition to Matt Damon — to draw praise in a movie that he calls “flawless filmmaking.” He says:

Clayton Davis of Variety notes some of the tweaks Christopher Nolan made to the source material, calling out even more of the movie’s stars like Robert Pattinson and Samantha Morton as he declares The Odyssey “another hit for Nolan.” His post reads:

Erik Davis says everyone gets a chance to shine, though Robert Pattinson steals the show for him. Overall, Christopher Nolan’s latest is “the must-see cinematic event of the summer -- and quite possibly the year,” Davis says, writing:

I mean, if those first reactions don’t get you pumped for this movie, I don’t know what will. We’ll learn more when full reviews come out, but these comments are promising to read in the final days before the movie’s release.

Nobody does method dressing quite like Zendaya, and with two movies hitting the 2026 movie calendar this month — The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day — it’s just an abundance of riches in the celebrity fashion department. Zendaya has already gotten into goddess mode with two flowy dresses for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, and now she’s topped that with a corset top and beaded skirt.

Zendaya is set to portray Athena in the book-to-screen adaptation of Homer’s epic, and she was definitely looking the part in a piece from Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli Fall 2026 Haute Couture collection:

Zendaya’s top actually looks like an ancient marble sculpture, though Daniel Roseberry also gave it a futuristic feel with the angles of the piece. Contrasting the smooth bodice is a floor-length skirt of beaded fringe, as thousands of pearly beads hug the actress’ curves on a fabric that transitions from beige to silver as it cascades to the ground.

Her hair is styled in loose braids that top her head like a crown, with her brown curls falling down her back. Her Chopard diamond collar looks more like an extension of the top than a separate piece of jewelry.

The Schiaparelli number was reportedly unveiled just eight hours earlier at Paris Haute Couture Week, where Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach sat front row, according to Red Carpet Fashion Awards. This begs the question of whether or not Roach secured the item and immediately flew to London for The Odyssey’s Monday premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square. It certainly sounds plausible — and given how ethereal the actress looks, I’d say it was worth it.

The Odyssey is one of two movies Zendaya has premiering this month — both of which also star her new husband Tom Holland. The epic fantasy adaptation hits theaters on July 17, just two weeks before the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which has seen its own specially created looks from Zendaya and Law Roach.

The actress was an absolute bombshell in a backless spiderweb dress at a photocall for the upcoming Marvel movie just over a week ago in London. She also showed off the cutest red-and-blue two-piece at the Rome premiere, featuring a sleeveless, midriff-baring red top with thick straps paired with a sequined blue-and-red pencil skirt.

These colorful options followed a period of time where Zendaya was wearing a lot of black, leading fans to worry about MJ’s fate in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

This is a busy year for the actress, as we’ve already seen her star opposite Robert Pattinson in The Drama (which featured theme dressing of “Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue”). We’ve also got Dune: Part Three to look forward to in December, and I have no doubt she’ll be blowing our minds again, fashion-wise.

For now, though, be sure to check out Zendaya in all of her Athena glory when The Odyssey hits theaters on Friday, July 17.

Spoilers ahead for Episode 3 of House of the Dragon Season 3.

Despite Game of Thrones' finale being controversial, the fandom is once again invested in Weteros thanks to its spinoffs A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon (streaming with a HBO Max subscription). The latter has returned for its third season on the air, and the first three episodes have been a doozy. The third episode "Rhaenyra Triumphant" saw Corlys give the new queen a serious clap back, and actor Steve Toussaint explained to me why his sons are so important to the Velaryon patriarch.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is here, and we've already seen a number of major character deaths. There might be more after the last episode, because Corlys got mad when Rhaenyra refused to legitimize Addam and Alan, resulting in him calling her own (dead) children bastards. I spoke with the House of the Dragon cast ahead of Season 3's premiere, where Toussaint spoke to me and other journalists about why his character is suddenly feeling so attached to his sons. In the actor's words:

Honestly, this does track. The death of Rhaenys (and her dragon Meleys) in Season 2 is still being felt in-universe, especially for her widower Corlys. And with his beloved granddaughter Baela not interested in becoming his heir, instead his focus has been put on the two bastards he ignored for most of their lives: Addam and Alyn of Hull. So when Rhaenyra snubbed his family, even after all he's sacrificed, Toussaint's character snapped.

The fact that Corlys called the Queen's kids bastards, especially so soon after Jace's death in Episode 1, is truly wild. I have to assume that there will be consequences, although Rhaenyra does need Addam and Seasmoke for the ongoing war. Later in the same interview, the 61 year-old actor spoke more about Corlys' need for family and connection this season. In his words:

This makes sense, and offers some context as to why Corlys would say something so crazy to Rhaenyra that could get him and his sons killed. Only time will tell how she reacts to this disrespect. But if there's dissension among Team Black, then it could spell disaster for the ongoing Dance of the Dragons.

New episodes of House of the Dragon air Sundays on HBO as part of the 2026 TV schedule. The book to screen adaptation has been especially spicy this year, and it feels like just about anything could happen.

Ever since we learned Sunrise on the Reaping would not only be the latest Hunger Games novel but a film on the 2026 movie schedule, it shot straight to the top of upcoming book-to-screen adaptations I’ve been looking forward to. But how will the new Haymitch actor stack up to Woody Harrelson’s performance in the original trilogy? Well, the latest look at the movie proved why we should be very excited for newcomer Joseph Zada's take on the role.

Joseph Zada Opens Up About Playing A Younger Haymitch

In the Hunger Games movies, July 4th is both Haymitch Abernathy’s birthday and Reaping Day. In celebration of the notable day, Lionsgate just released an in-depth featurette (which you can watch above) about Sunrise on the Reaping, and it’s got me double-circling the movie’s release date on my calendar.

Joseph Zada was officially cast as Haymitch over a year ago, which he calls the “most life-changing experience” for him in the video. Can you imagine going from being a pretty much unknown actor to leading one of the most iconic franchises of the 21st century? With that question in mind, I totally get why he said the following about Woody Harrelson:

Zada is a 20-year-old newcomer who hails from Australia, and most recently starred in the Prime series We Were Liars last summer. Sunrise on the Reaping is no doubt his biggest part so far. So, he got candid about the pressure that comes with playing the character previously made famous by Harrelson. And I totally get why it would be an intense experience.

However, I’m getting more excited about his performance purely from seeing more clips from the film along with other cast members talking about it.

Why I Think Joseph Zada Will Be Spot On In Sunrise On The Reaping

After seeing this featurette, there’s one moment that really has me thinking Zada is going to do the role justice. Late in the new sneak peek, there are side-by-side shots of Zada and Harrelson giving a subtle nod that made me feel completely like I was watching a flashback of the same person. I know it’s a small thing, but it makes me think that Zada really studied his predecessor's performance and made sure to add some of his mannerisms throughout the movie.

The featurette also talks about how the movie will get into the rebellious spirit of Haymitch before he wins the Hunger Games and becomes Katniss and Peeta’s mentors. It's all in the details, and I see them coming to life in front of my eyes. Now, I feel really confident that Zada is going to get it right.

And, hopefully Woody Harrelson will get to return to the role, too, at the end of the movie. In the Sunrise on the Reaping book, an older Haymitch recounts his life, so I would love to see the actor come back as well. Plus, that would help hammer home the parallels between his original performance and Zada's take on Haymitch in this new movie.

Sunrise on the Reaping is set to come to theaters on November 20, so let the countdown begin!

There are popular IPs and then there's the Wizarding World. Generations were brought up on this magical world, including J.K. Rowling's novels, theme parks, stage plays, and (of course) the Harry Potter movies. Fans are gearing up for the upcoming Harry Potter TV show, which won't arrive until December. But that hasn't stopped fan backlash from happening, specifically related to Hogwarts' new crest.

The Potter TV series is expected to be a more accurate book to screen adaptation, with each season covering one of the books. While fans are hyped for more of the source material to be included, there's been some backlash to changes made from the movie. Case in point: Hogwarts' new crest, which looks way different than the one we saw on uniforms and such throughout the movies. One tweet highlighted the design, which you can see below:

While we still have months before Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone debuts on Christmas, the fandom is already judging the TV show with every new glimpse we're given. One such fan took to Twitter to angrily admonish the change in design for Hogwarts' signature crest. That response reads:

Well, they certainly didn't mince their words. The Harry Potter show's teaser showed the characters' return to Hogwarts, albeit with a new set of faces. Expectations are going to be sky high, so the pressure is on for the show to deliver. There's already a ton of discourse about the new Hogwarts logo, with the mix of response including:

• Why is this still happening?
• im gonna get this as a tattoo
• Sad
• I already love it.
• Interesting
• They are abandoning the source material entirely—source material which took DECADES to put together, by the way—opting instead for something sloppily slapped together in a few months

Clearly the reception is already a mixed bag, and that's over just one small change to the Hogwarts that fans know and love. Smart money says that every episode is going to be dissected by the fandom, being compared to both the movies and the novels. So the stakes are very high for the newest installment in the Wizarding World.

With the premiere of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone coming in just a few months, smart money says that we'll be treated to more footage and information shortly. And if this crest discourse is any indication, there's going to be a ton of chatter from fans.

The Harry Potter TV show is expected to debut December 25th on HBO as part of the 2026 TV schedule, so it's going too be a very happy Christmas. For now fans can re-watch the movies over on HBO Max while we wait.

For the most part, working on the Harry Potter movies sounds like a dream. Can you imagine being one of those kids who grew up making those movies? It must have felt like they were actually going to Hogwarts. Plus, the cast of professors and such were played by prestigious and acclaimed actors that must have been a joy to work alongside. But, that doesn't mean everyone involved with the franchise treasures being asked about the experience.

In this instance, I’m talking about Emma Thompson, who played Professor Sybill Trelawney across three of the film adaptations. Here’s what the Oscar-winning actress said when recently asked about her role in the movies:

Thompson’s Harry Potter is often thought of one of the underrated characters in the movies, but since they are so beloved and rewatched, of course she gets prompted about the role all the time. Most recently, she was on the Smartless podcast and host Sean Hayes pointed out how he’s a Potterhead, and loved her in the quirky role of Hogwart’s professors of Divination.

As she pointed out, she doesn’t share the same enthusiasm fans have for those films because she really didn’t spend much time working on them. 30 days, she says. That wouldn't even be a full time gig on a single movie, much less spread across three of them.

And, this isn’t the first time she’s been honest about her feelings about the Harry Potter movies. Last year, she also made a comment about the fantasy films being “not really an important part” of her “creative endeavor” as an actress in her career. She’s also commented before on getting “bored” about signing merchandise connected to her role along with saying years ago that she hasn’t “enjoyed” being part of studio films like Harry Potter because they “could be described as formulaic for money”.

Emma Thompson may be very much beloved and recognized for her incredible depiction of the J.K. Rowling character, but she’d more likely be interested in talking about some of her other roles in the likes of Sense of Sensibility, Nanny McPhee or Saving Mr. Banks. As she she also summed up in a comment in the new interview, she's “fatigued” about the topic, and hey, that’s totally her right.

Sure, you'd expect a Harry Potter story to flow out of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson or Rupert Grint since they were on those sets throughout their upbringing, but Emma Thompson had a different experience. Hey you gotta love and respect the honesty here!

June is Pride Month, and there's plenty of A+ content about queer stories hitting TV and the big screen. Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire has a long history for LGBTQ+ community, and we're a few episodes into the show's third season on AMC. Retitled The Vampire Lestat, the book to screen adaptation has once again caught my attention. Although there's one big thing I'm missing from its firs two seasons on the air.

Reviews for The Vampire Lestat are quite positive, and in many ways it feels like a brand new show. We are now finally in Lestat's POV, which stands in juxtaposition to some of the stories Louis told in the first two season (streaming with a Netflix subscription). It's wild watching Sam Reid's character tour as a rock star, but there is on essential ingredient I wish was still included.

I Miss The Romance Between Lestat And Louis

In the first two seasons of Interview with the Vampire, Sam Reid's Louis tells the story of his long life to Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). The heart of the story is about his romantic connection with Lestat, who transforms him into a vampire and creates a family unit alongside Claudia. Their queerness was noticeably left out of the Interview with the Vampire movie, and in my opinion it helped make the show even more captivating. But The Vampire Lestat is largely set in 2025, after the title character and Louis have become estranged following the release of Daniel's book.

While both Louis and Lestat remain major characters in the new season, I'm missing their love story, which was previously central to the story. It remains to be seen if they end up making up, but right now I'm missing the experience of shipping these two blood suckers.

Interview with the Vampire has brutal kills and an intriguing decades-long story that still captures my attention. Having Lestat take center stage for Season 3 offers a new and exciting perspective on Anne Rice's beloved story, but I still miss the love triangle that was established in the first two seasons between Lestat, Louis, and Armand. Hopefully we get to explore more of this dynamic in the remaining episodes of the season.

Of course, there are plenty of other thrilling narrative threads that are being pulled on in The Vampire Lestat. To start, the first episode's time-jump saw an injured Louis and Armand following Lestat's apparent death, as well as a mysterious "global catastrophe." What's more, I'm curious about the waitress Louis visits who resembles a grown-up Claudia. I'll be tuning in to each new episode... and crossing my fingers that the show's love story returns.

New episodes of Interview with the Vampire air Sundays on AMC as part of the 2026 TV schedule. For now, folks can re-watch the first two seasons over on Netflix.

After Anne Hathaway successfully brought back one of her most beloved characters through The Devil Wears Prada 2, I’ve been curious about what’s been going on with The Princess Diaries 3. Thankfully, Meg Cabot, the author behind The Princess Diaries books, just shared a really exciting update about one of my most-anticipated upcoming Disney movies.

Anne Hathaway officially announced The Princess Diaries 3 was happening back in 2024 (via Instagram), but the actress and producer has also been busier than ever lately, between leading five films on the 2026 movie schedule and announcing that she's pregnant with her third child. Luckily, the book's author has an update about a return to Genovia, as she said:

Shut up! This makes me so happy to hear. Since The Princess Diaries 3 was announced, it sounds like there’s been a lot of work going on behind the scenes to make the movie the best it can be before cameras start rolling. I appreciate the care going into the movie, and what Meg Cabot told THR has me more excited that the film is finally shaping up.

She also said that she’s seen several versions of the sequel since it's been in development, and it’s now gotten to the point where she’s completely satisfied with where the script is now. In her words:

The Princess Diaries 3 is set to be directed by Adele Lim, who previously helmed the 2023 comedy Joy Ride and co-wrote both Crazy Rich Asians and Raya and the Last Dragon. In the director’s latest update from last month, she said that it's been taking so long because she and the other producers are committed to “make the story right” since the franchise is “so beloved by so many people.”

Lim also hinted that the movie will be a rare wish-fulfillment movie about a queen, a “woman in her full power.” She also said they are planning to shoot the movie in Europe to “really show the audience Genovia in its full glory,” and fans of the first two movies can expect “a lot of fun returns.”

When it comes to who’s returning, aside from Anne Hathaway, I have a lot of questions and hopes. The main person I want to see back is Julie Andrews, who has previously said she’d be “happy” to do another one, but the 90-year-old hasn’t been doing much acting lately aside from voice work.

Considering everything on Anne Hathaway’s plate right now, I don’t see this movie fully taking off until next year, but Meg Cabot’s comments definitely have me anticipating the movie even more now.

To me, the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice is a romantic masterpiece that is hard to top. It’s a top-tier romance adaptation, and Keira Knightley’s performance in it is utterly iconic. However, now, a new book-to-screen adaptation of a Jane Austen novel is coming, and I think it could live up to the expectations set by the 2005 movie. That’s right, the trailer for the new Sense and Sensibility is totally for the lovers of Knightley’s Pride and Prejudice.

Now, notably, this new movie is produced by Focus Features, the studio that made 2005’s Pride and Prejudice. So, I figured Sense and Sensibility could have a very similar feel to its fellow Austen adaptation.

However, there’s more to it than that. Daisy Edgar-Jones is leading this project on the 2026 movie schedule with a charm and strong-will that reminds me so much of Knightley’s performance as Elizabeth in the great film from the 2000s. I think she’s going to effortlessly lead this movie as Elinor Dashwood, and this trailer proves that the Normal People star was made for period romances. Sincerely, she was born to be a leading lady in a Jane Austen adaptation, just like the Pride and Prejudice star was.

Of course, we can also compare this upcoming movie to 1995’s Sense and Sensibility, which starred Emma Thompson. However, to me, the overall look and energy of 2026’s adaptation is more reminiscent of 2005’s Pride and Prejudice. That’s thanks to the warm cinematography, the eclectic chemistry between Edgar-Jones and George MacKay, and the Twisters star’s overall performance.

Now, with all that said, let’s dive into some of the details about this new movie that’s described as “a charming, witty, and deeply relatable story of love and sisterhood.” Alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sense and Sensibility stars George MacKay as Edward Ferrars, Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne Dashwood, Caitríona Balfe as Mrs. Dashwood and Fiona Shaw as Mrs. Jennings. Georgia Oakley is the movie’s director, and it was penned by Diana Reid.

Notably, two of Sense and Sensibility’s producers, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, were also producers on Pride and Prejudice. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, both projects were made by Focus Features. So, it’s not shocking that the parallels are so strong between the two films.

However, it also feels like this movie will give us a take on this story that’s very fresh. It has a team of up-and-coming artists behind it, and they’ve assembled an ensemble cast of established stars and promising new names. So, yes, I do think that this will be an “irresistible new take on Jane Austen’s iconic” story, as the film’s synopsis states.

With all that said, it’s time to get excited for Sense and Sensibility. I really think we’re in for a period romance for the ages, and you better believe I’ll be seated in the theater on October 16 to see it. In the meantime, I’ll be re-watching 2005’s Pride and Prejudice.

Spoilers ahead for The Sheep Detectives, streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.

Kyle Balda's The Sheep Detectives hit theaters back in May and became a critical and box office success. The book to screen adaptation has plenty of hilarious comedic bits, but also told a moving story about grief. The movie is now streaming for those with an Amazon Prime subscription, and writer Craig Mazin spoke to CinemaBlend about why he thinks kids can handle its emotional narrative.

The Sheep Detectives is basically Babe meets Knives Out, with the titular animals helping to solve the murder of their shepherd George (Hugh Jackman). While its a funny concept, the sheep also explore the complex emotions that come with losing their caretaker. I had the chance to speak with Mazin and the cast ahead of the movie's release, where I asked the Last of Us writer if he was prepared to hear from young moviegoers in years from now who he made cry with the movie's touching script. He responded with:

Points were made. Every generation has a handful of movies and/or books that they remember crying over as a young person. For children of the '90s like me, Mufasa's death in The Lion King comes to mind. But while The Sheep Detectives might have a similar effect on young moviegoers nowadays, Mazin thinks the way art addresses those complicated emotions is something that is actually helpful. What's more, he thinks kids can handle the tears that might come from the movie.

While George's death is what kickstarts the adventure of The Sheep Detectives, it's not the only loss that might have audiences choking up. Because in the movie's third act Bryan Cranston's sheep Sebastian sacrifices himself to save Lily and Mopple from a pack of dogs. This forces Julia Louis-Dreyfus' character to face the losses she buried into her psyche throughout her life with George and the flock.

I also asked Louis-Dreyfus about The Sheep Detectives potentially affecting young audiences in particular. I name dropped The Lion King during our chat, and the Seinfield star responded by saying:

While death and grief are subject that might be hard for parents to talk about with young children, The Sheep Detectives actually offers the language and story that can help open up these conversations. And for those who have experienced loss, it was a surprisingly accurate portrayal of the grieving process. Add in the many laughs that buoy the movie, and it's a project that the whole family can enjoy.

The Sheep Detectives is streaming on Amazon Prime Video as part of the 2026 movie release list. I'd definitely recommend watching it if you didn't catch the movie in theaters... even if you might need some tissues.

Book to screen adaptations are quite commonplace in the film world, with fans of the source material eager to see their favorite stories on the big screen. Author Colleen Hoover's book It Ends With Us was made a movie (streaming with a Netflix subscription), although the project has become synonymous with the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Anne Hathaway will star in a film version of her novel Verity, and an alleged insider claims that the Oscar-winner needs so create some space from the It Ends With Us.

Anne Hathaway has a very busy year, and the forthcoming Colleen Hoover adaptation is only one of her new projects. We got our first look at Verity in April, and it should be interesting to see how closely it's associated with Blake Lively's infamous movie. A reported insider spoke to In Touch Weekly about the pressure Hathaway is reportedly under for the movie, saying:

While Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement, It Ends With Us continues to make headlines. And as such, some folks are wondering if Verity will be overshadowed or connected to that infamous movie adaptation. If this anonymous insider is to be believed, that's a major concern behind the scenes. The same individual was also quoted saying:

You may be asking, what are those other landmines? After all, Hathaway is an acclaimed actress who isn't associated with any beefs or BTS drama. Perhaps its all about It Ends With Us, and the fact that she's promoting so many projects in one year. The anonymous insider went on to share some concerns that are following Verity after the last Collen Hoover movie. They claim:

Prior to the It Ends With Us legal saga beginning, Blake Lively faced some backlash regarding the way she was promoting the movie. Namely her encouraging fans to wear florals in theaters, which some folks thought stood in juxtaposition to the movie's serious story about domestic violence. But Anne Hathaway's reputation is pretty sterling, so I'm not sure I share this alleged source's concerns.

Verity will hit theaters on October 2nd as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to wait and see how Hathaway promotes the movie.

One big reason I haven't even considered cancelling my Audible subscription anytime recently is because, in addition to the credit I get each month with my membership, Audible is constantly offering great deals on audiobooks to purchase -- sometimes you can buy a great title for just a few bucks. It's not at all helpful for my ever-growing TBR, but in terms of having no shortage of books lined up to listen to at any given time, I really can't complain.

Because today is Prime Day, in addition to there being some great streaming deals going on at Amazon, Audible has a giant list of audiobooks for sale. Some have already had at least one book-to-screen adaptation, while others would make great movies or TV shows.

Not An Audible Member?

If you're not already an Audible member, there's a deal for that too! Before we get to the books, what you need to know is that, the discounted audiobooks are for Audible members with an Amazon Prime membership.

Not A Prime Member But Still Want To Sign Up For Audible?

If you are not an Amazon Prime member, you can sign up for Audible for $.99/month for the first three months right now, and also get the $20 credit, but that credit will go much further if you want to spend it on the deals I'm about to talk about, as the deals below are for Audible subscribers who are also Prime members!

Prime Day Audible Audiobooks On Sale

• I went through the list of books Amazon has on sale for Prime Day.
• I read and listen to a lot of books.
• I've read or listened to some of these. 
• I am also including some books I have not read or listened to, but either plan to or have heard good things about. 

Spoilers ahead for the Season 3 premiere of House of the Dragon.

House of the Dragon is the first spinoff for Game of Thrones, following its controversial finale. Folks with an HBO Max subscription were recently treated to the premiere of Season 3, which started off with a bang with the epic Battle of the Gullet. The epic scene saw the death of both Jace and his dragon Vermax, although actor Harry Collett explained why he wasn't upset about his time on the show ending.

After a long wait, House of the Dragon Season 3 has finally begun. The book to screen adaptation has taken some liberties from the source material, including the details about how Jacaerys died. I had the chance to speak with the cast in round table interviews ahead of its premiere, where Collett shared his POV on his character perishing in the season premiere. In his words:

While HOTD fans who didn't read the book were shocked by Jace's death in the Battle of the Gullett, the same cannot be said for the actor who brought Rhaenyra's son to life on the small screen. He's been emotionally preparing for his time on the show to end, and just seems happy that he was able to join the House of the Dragon cast at all. And smart money says this twist is going to have major implication for the rest of the season.

It's fitting that Collett did all of his dead scenes at the end of his tenure filming House of the Dragon, and one can only imagine how emotional it was on set. Later in the same interview, the 22 year-old actor gushed about his character's ending on the show, saying:

There you have it. Some fans might be bummed about Jace's fate, but that seemingly isn't the case for Harry Collett. He loved how it all turned out, including his character and the dragon Vermax being tragically killed by the Triarchy's forces. We'll just have to wait and see if the actor returns at any point; we'e seen visions/dreams bring back former characters already on the series.

House of the Dragon airs new episodes Sundays on HBO as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Smart money says that Jace won't be the only major character death to come this season.

Spoilers ahead for the Season 3 premiere of House of the Dragon.

Despite Game of Thrones' controversial finale, fans have returned to Westeros thanks to the spinoffs A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon. The latter is finally back for Season 3, and the book to screen adaptation started off with an epic battle for those with a HBO Max subscription. The Battle of the Gullet was awesome, and the way it was shot is truly blowing my mind.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is here, and the showrunner had been teasing The Battle of the Gullet for a while now. The event was largely a naval fight, although a few of HOTD's Dragons got involved in the air as well. I had the chance to speak with the show's cast in round table interviews, where Baela Targaryen actress Bethany Antonia revealed how the dragon riders were kept in the loop. As she put it:

Talk about attention to detail. While it would have been easy to ask the actors who were riding on dragon back to simply imagine what's happening below them when filming, that's not what House of the Dragon did. Instead, they were given the full scope of the sequence, allowing them to visualize the crazy Battle of the Gullet and act appropriately to bring their part of it to life.

Later in that same conversation, Antonia shared more about just how much work went into the dragon rider's POV for House of the Dragon's Season 3 premiere battle. In her words:

"Dragons gone wrong" would also work as an alternate title for House of the Dragon, and especially that first episode of Season 3. Because in the midst of the naval conflict Baela arrived on Moondancer, Jace showed up with Vermax and then (in a plot twist) Rhaena flew in on Sheepstealer. Unfortunately the latter's decision was a huge misstep, because the wild dragon didn't obey her commands. And the episode ended with yet another major character death.

House of the Dragon airs new episodes Sundays on HBO as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll have to see how many more epic battles and dragon fights happen throughout the following episodes.

SPOILERS are ahead for Girls Like Girls, now in theaters!

When it comes to book-to-screen adaptations, we’re used to changes from the source material freaking out fans. But sometimes a different take on the same story for another medium is exactly what the story needs. For example, Hayley Kiyoko’s Girls Like Girls movie is missing one key moment from the novel's (and music video’s) ending; there’s actually a very specific reason why.

Hayley Kiyoko’s Girls Like Girls vision all started with her 2015 pop anthem of the same name. She then turned the song into a music video that went viral and had fans calling for a movie about the video's pair, Coley and Sonya. Since then, she’s been working on adapting it for the big screen, but before that, she turned it into the New York Times bestselling YA novel. Now it's finally here, as one of 2026’s movie releases, and she's “proud” of how she adapted things – even though one unexpected change came up during post-production. In our interview with Kiyoko, she said this of the ending:

Kiyoko is talking about the fight that breaks out between Coley and Trent, whom Sonya has had an on-again, off-again relationship with, in previous iterations of the story. The writer/director even filmed the fight on the set of the latest LGBTQ+ movie, but ultimately decided that she wanted to center the conclusion of the film on its coming-of-age lesbian relationship rather than another guy. As she continued:

Girls Like Girls is Hayley Kiyoko’s first time directing a feature film after spending years helming her own music videos and trying to turn the pop anthem into a movie. When it comes to book adaptations, it’s not very often that the author is also the director. How cool is it that she trusted her gut to tell the story slightly differently and make the kind of changes that felt right for the film all this time later?

Without the violent moment becoming a focal point of Sonya and Coley finally becoming girlfriends, the movie ending is more about Sonya trying to accept her queer identity and Coley being there for her. The last scene is a sweet poolside moment between them instead. Trent is still very much part of the Girls Like Girls movie, but Coley doesn’t need to fight him to get the girl this time, and that's a change the director loved.

Major spoilers for Every Year After are ahead! You can stream the series with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Book-to-screen adaptations changes are bound to rile fans of the source material up. And I get it, I do. Change is hard. When it comes to updates made to Every Year After, which is a show based on Carley Fortune’s book Every Summer After, there’s one big change I’ve seen fans freaking out about regarding Sam and how he learned about Charlie and Percy sleeping together. Now, as someone who has read the book twice and documented EYA’s changes, I have to say, I fully support this change and disagree with the folks who are mad about it.

People Are Really Freaking Out About Sam Not Knowing About Charlie And Percy

Now, the change in question is centered around Sam finding out that Charlie and Percy hooked up when they were younger. In the book, Sam finds out because Charlie told him not too long after it happened, and then he tells Percy he already knew when she tries to confess to him in the present. In the series on the 2026 TV schedule, Sam finds out in the present, and Percy is the one who breaks the news to him.

Many readers of the book were not fans of this timeline update and disapproved of Sam finding out about Charlie and Percy so many years after it happened. Here’s a TikTok from one reader:

To an extent, I get it. This makes it a lot harder to forgive Charlie. It also takes away the fact that Sam had already forgiven Percy. That’s a hard change to deal with, as this TikTok user pointed out:

So, overall, there’s a whole camp who do not approve of this change. I respectfully am not part of this group, and we need to talk about why.

I Actually Think This Secret Being Revealed In The Present Is Better For Every Year After

To be honest, I’ve always had a bone to pick with how the book handles Sam learning about Percy and Charlie. Yes, I get that it logically makes sense that his brother would tell him what happened. They see each other all the time, and I think Charlie telling Sam what happened earlier on makes all this a lot more forgivable.

However, this all goes down very close to the end of the book, and it’s resolved way too fast for how big an issue it is. To be exact, Percy reveals what happens to Sam on page 281 of 304; that’s 23 pages before the book ends. To wrap it all up that fast always shocked me, especially considering the gravity of the situation. We never got to see him react to what Percy and Charlie did; he had already processed it, and the conflict ended before it could even really start.

By having Sam find out in the present in the show, it gives us the opportunity to see him crash out on Charlie and Percy. That’s far more interesting for television, and it gives this incredibly intense story a minute to actually breathe and work itself out. It also makes this particular conflict a lot juicier. Now, it can stretch across seasons, and it opens a door for us to really see how Sam, Percy and Charlie all heal after all of this.

Overall, this change made for the 2026 romance adaptation is actually really impactful, and it left a massive mark on the story that will radiate throughout the series if it gets to go on. Drama is good for TV, and just hearing that Sam already knew about Charlie and Percy would have been far less dramatic. So, yes, I think the angry fans are wrong.

If you're a Gen-Xer who read a certain V.C. Andrews novel (and possibly even its sequels) at an age that was maybe much younger than you should've been, let's just say, you're not alone. As I recall, Flowers in the Attic and its twisted, controversial subject matter had some of us in a vice grip for a time, and though the original 1987 movie adaptation wasn't as faithful to the book as it could have been -- sorry, Kristy Swanson -- the 2014 made-for-TV movie adaptation had my attention more than a decade ago when it arrived on Lifetime. That's the book-to-screen adaptation you can now watch with a Netflix subscription.

In fact, Flowers in the Attic ranks #2 among the movies streaming on Netflix right now, falling just short of the top spot due to the popularity of the disturbing new documentary, Maternal Instinct.

Originally published in 1979, V.C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic centers on four kids whose father dies, and their mother, Corrine, brings them to her estranged parents' wealthy mansion to live, in the hopes of regaining her inheritance.

Chris is 14, Cathy is 12, and the twins are 4 when they arrive at Foxworth Hall. While Mom's downstairs trying to win over the hearts of her wealthy, aging father and stern, devout mother, the kids are being kept a secret from their grandfather and have been locked up in a small bedroom, which leads to the home's expansive attic -- the only place they have to live and play day in and day out.

The kids end up hidden away for years, during which time they're subjected to neglect from their mother, abuse from their grandmother, and malnourishment from being denied access to fresh air or normal lives. Add the confusion of puberty and lack of things like school and normal socializing for the two elder kids, and things get... complicated (in the incestual sense).

Andrews' book would turn into a series (the Dollanganger series), including three sequels and a ghostwritten prequel (Andrews died in 1986), plus additional books published in and after 2014, titled The Christopher Diaries, which were also ghostwritten.

As I mentioned, this story was made into a movie by Jeffrey Bloom in 1987, and starred Kristy Swanson as Cathy. I much prefer the 2014 adaptation, which was directed by Deborah Chow and aired on Lifetime, and is now streaming on Netflix. The cast includes Heather Graham (as Corrine), Kiernan Shipka (as Cathy), and Ellen Burstyn (as the abusive grandmother). I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a great movie -- it's melodramatic, a bit soapy, and a similar level of disturbing as I remember the book being – but if you're looking for an adaptation that'll scratch a nostalgic itch for V.C. Andrews' book, this would be the one I recommend.

Netflix doesn't have the sequels available – Lifetime released Petals on the Wind (with Rose McIver as Cathy), If There Be Thorns (with Rachael Carpani as Cathy), and Seeds of Yesterday in the years following Flowers in the Attic. And then, in 2022, Lifetime adapted Garden of Shadows (the FITA prequel book) into a 4-part miniseries called Flowers In The Attic: The Origin, starring Kelsey Grammer and Kate Mulgrew. You can purchase those adaptations on digital at Amazon, or watch them streaming with the Lifetime Movie Club add-on to your Prime Video subscription.

'Tis the season for beachy reads and summer vibes, right? I've had The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand on my TBR for a while, and with Peacock's book-to-screen adaptation coming up on the 2026 TV schedule in about a month, there are a few key things I know I need the TV show to get right.

I completely understand that adaptations need to make changes from the book, but there are a few things about The Five Star Weekend that I really want to see in the adaptation, so I hope the show keeps them.

Before I get to those things, here's the obvious spoiler warning. If you haven't read The Five-Star Weekend, I highly recommend it! It's about Hollis, a grieving widow who invites one close friend from each phase of her life to celebrate a weekend with her in Nantucket, in the hopes of helping her move forward. Each of the other main characters is dealing with something in their lives that they need to resolve or are trying to take their minds off during the weekend. The TV show adaptation will be available to those with a Peacock subscription on Thursday, July 9. Watch the trailer below, and mind the major book spoilers beyond the video! 🛑

Hollis And Caroline's Relationship

I hope that the core of Hollis's relationship with her young-adult daughter, Caroline (Harlow Jane), is similar to the book. Hilderbrand's story focuses heavily on the importance of female friendships throughout a woman's life, and that includes the relationship shared between a mother and her daughter. In the source material, Hollis (Jennifer Garner) and Caroline are borderline estranged, and from the trailer, it's evident we're going to see that tension. I hope they also focus on how they overcome that, and Caroline's shifting perspective of her mother over the course of the weekend, as it's one of my favorite parts of the book.

Tatum And Kyle's Close Relationship

While most of the women in The Five-Star Weekend are dealing with a range of issues some of which involve romantic relationships, Hollis' childhood BFF Tatum (Chloe Sevigny) and her husband Kyle (David Denman) are an actually-happy married couple. In the book, Tatum is stressing over a possible cancer diagnosis, so her life isn't perfect, but she does have Kyle, and the sparks are still flying for them in the decades since they were childhood sweethearts. I really hope we get to see some of that in the show. I'm also expecting some sparks between Hollis and her high school flame, Jack (Timothy Olyphant).

Dru-Ann's Whole Public Image Crisis

Goodness, did I love Dru-Ann in the book, and I love that Regina Hall is playing her in the TV show. A lot of what Dru-Ann (Hollis's former college roommate) is going through in the book -- being publicly cancelled in her high-profile sportscaster career for comments she made being taken out of context -- takes place over the phone and social media, so I really hope the show finds a way to make it relevant to the plot, as its conclusion was one of my favorite parts of the book.

I just love the way Dru-Ann stood her ground on the things she did and didn't say that got her cancelled, but also showed the strength of her character when she apologized to Tatum for something she did actually say to her years ago. She's such a great character, and I hope the show highlights all of those aspects of her.

Gigi's Mystery And Complexity

It's revealed partway through the book that Gigi (Gemma Chan), the friend Hollis knows from her website, but has never met in person, is actually her husband's mistress. Of course, Hollis has no idea about this when she invites her to the weekend.

I'm honestly ok with however the show decides to reveal the truth about Gigi, both to us (the viewers) and to Hollis. What I do hope is that they find a way to bring the layers of Gigi's character -- her curiosity about Hollis, her grief, her guilt, and anything else going on with her -- to the screen. In the book, Gigi's by no means a saint, but she's also not a monster.

I also hope that there's time and room for us to see how Hollis deals with the information about her husband and their marriage, as her reaction in the book is a bit of a roller coaster, understandably so.

As I said, I know Bekah Brunstetter and the other writers are going to have to change things for the TV series. Now that I've read the book, I kind of hope they do here and there, to build in some suspense and surprises for those of us who've read the novel. But these are just a few things I loved so much from the book, and I hope the TV show does these parts justice.

If you’re looking forward to this series, and you haven’t seen The Perfect Couple – the TV adaptation of another Hildebrand book set in Nantucket – on Netflix, that’s a great series to dive into while you wait!

Spoilers for Every Year After and the book Every Summer After are ahead! Read with caution, and stream the series with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Arguably, one of the biggest changes made to Every Year After (the book-to-screen adaptation of Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After) is the reveal that Sam didn’t know about Percy and Charlie hooking up. In the book, Charlie tells him years before Percy does. Meanwhile, in the show, Sam learns about it in the present. Understandably, the younger Florek brother has an angry reaction to all this, and he’s especially upset with Charlie. With that in mind, Matt Cornett, who plays Sam, told me why he really meant it when he said his brother was dead to him.

When I watched Every Year After, I was shocked by how visceral Sam’s reaction was toward Charlie when he learned what happened between him and Percy. I was extra stunned when he told his brother, “We’re done, understood? You’re dead to me,” in Episode 6. Those are some extreme words, especially toward your only sibling. So, I asked Matt Cornett if Sam really believed what he was saying. In response, he said:

It makes sense why Sam would be more hurt by Charlie during this moment. In the 2026 TV schedule entry, Percy and Sam haven’t seen each other in years, so there wasn’t a chance for her to tell him. Meanwhile, Charlie saw his brother all the time and didn’t say a single word. That hurts. Then you mix it with the fact that Charlie is Sam’s only family left it becomes extra painful, as Cornett pointed out:

While I do believe the brothers will come back together, I do get why Sam had such a loud and passionate crashout at his sibling. What happened feels almost unforgivable. Not only did Charlie sleep with Sam’s first love, but he also didn’t tell him about it for years.

That’s a pretty big change to the book too, seeing as Charlie tells Sam about what he did with Percy not that long after it happened. Speaking to that update for this 2026 romance adaptation, the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star told me:

He’s truly heartbroken and distraught, and during the final episodes of Season 1, it’s clear that Sam doesn’t see a way he can repair his relationship with Charlie. Speaking about the heartbreak that comes with that kind of revelation, Matt Cornett told me:

I also agree that it’s a valuable addition. It makes the conflict surrounding Sam, Charlie and Percy significantly more dramatic, it lets us see Sam’s reaction to their secret, and I think it sets the show up in a very interesting way.

So, looking into the future, Sam and Charlie’s fraught relationship will certainly propel the drama forward. If we get Season 2, it will hopefully cover Charlie’s book One Golden Summer, and I’d hope it dives further into the heartbreak Sam felt when he learned about what Percy and his brother did.

Romance series are all the rage right now — especially those book-to-screen adaptations — with temperature-raising shows like Off Campus hitting the 2026 TV schedule this year following hits like Heated Rivalry and The Summer I Turned Pretty. A new one is now available, as Every Year After can be streamed with a Prime Video subscription, and a lot of critics are mentioning Belly’s love triangle with the Fisher brothers.

The Carley Fortune adaptation tells the story of Persephone “Percy” Fraser and Sam Florek, childhood friends who fall in love but then split after a devastating betrayal. Ten years later, they reconnect when Percy returns to the lake town where they spent their summers growing up. Summering together on the water, you say? Yeah, that sounds like The Summer I Turned Pretty, but in her Every Year After review, Lissete Lanuza Sáenz of Fangirlish says that while there are two brothers and a summer romance, the new series stands on its own merits. The critic says:

Meredith Loftus of Collider rates the series 7 out of 10, agreeing that the comparisons to be made between Every Year After and TSITP are surface-level, with the Carley Fortune adaptation distinguishing itself with its dual timeline and coming-of-age stories. That means the lead actors have to be dialed in, and move over Belly and Conrad (or Jeremiah), because Sadie Soverall and Matt Cornett are firing on all cylinders. Loftus writes:

Sarah Dempster of The Guardian gives it 3 out of 5 stars and writes that much of Every Year After consists of bare-chested hunks celebrating their “hunkery.” The series is difficult to resist, the critic says, and I am not dismayed by her description of the Prime Video show as “sweet, irresistible trash.” Dempster continues:

Not every critic is swooning as hard as those above, however. Angie Han of THR says Every Year After proves that recapturing the magic of The Summer I Turned Pretty is easier said than done. Rather than selling us a romantic fantasy, the series drowns in its own heartbreak, Han says:

Mariah Eakin of The Wrap admits Every Year After will almost certainly be a hit for the streamer, in part because of the familiar and beloved story of a high-schooler palling around with two floppy-haired brothers on summer vacation. However, the series feels uninspired, with a predictable story whose dual timelines are more confusing than novel. Eakin concludes:

While the reviews are not unanimous, it seems that more critics are enjoying Every Year After than not, giving it a collective 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. All eight episodes of Season 1 are available to stream now on Prime Video, whether you’re a fan of Carley Fortune and want to see what changes were made to the book or you’re looking for your next summer romance binge.

Either way, it sounds like it’s at least a good way to pass the time while we wait for The Summer I Turned Pretty movie.

Christopher Nolan movies have been known to push the envelope across a number of production departments, and I expect as such with his upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey. But, one area we don’t talk about enough is the number of unconventional movie scores Nolan movies have had. And some interesting details have just come out around The Odyssey’s own music, and what Christopher Nolan didn’t want for it.

Christopher Nolan's Request For The Odyssey Score

The Odyssey’s score is composed by Ludwig Göransson, who just received his third Academy Award at the 2026 Oscars for his Sinners score. The Swedish composer has been rolling with Nolan on his past few movies starting with Tenet and their last collaboration being on Oppenheimer. Here’s what Göransson had to say about what it was like working with the beloved filmmaker for The Odyssey:

When it comes to sword-and-sandal flicks like The Odyssey, the only way I imagine the score sounding is with a traditional orchestra. So, I totally get why Christopher Nolan wanted to challenge that norm with his own take on the genre. It must have been a bit daunting to Göransson to hear this at first... but then again he's made some rather groundbreaking scores in his career already. As he added:

Ludwig Göransson got his start doing pretty expected scores on the comedy series Community, but has since made some of the most memorable themes in the past decade for the likes of Black Panther and The Mandalorian. It certainly sounds like he rose to the occasion this time as well.

How Ludwig Göransson Made The Odyssey’s Music Unique

So what can we expect from The Odyssey score? Ludwig Göransson said he got some great ideas from Nolan with these words:

Now, this is the kind of ingenuity that makes Christopher Nolan and Ludwig Göransson some of the most celebrated talents in the business! The composer decided to do some research on the types of instruments that were popular during the Late Bronze Age. After he went down the rabbit hole, two of the main instruments used on the film’s score ended up being the aulos (pictured above) and the lyre. They actually used literal bronze as well. You can check out more behind-the-scenes about The Odyssey in the YouTube video below:

The Odyssey already feels like one of the most anticipated 2026 movie releases of the summer, but then tidbits like this come out, and my excitement only grows. I know I’ll be appreciating the score even more once it hits theaters on July 17 now that I know more about the story behind it.

Spoilers for the Season 1 finale of Every Year After are ahead! You can stream the entire season with an Amazon Prime subscription.

In the final moments of Every Year After’s first season, we got quite the setup for what could potentially happen in Season 2. Specifically, we need to talk about that photo Charlie was looking at. Yes, what happened to him after that, as well as Percy and Sam’s last interaction, are important. However, that image is vital because it directly sets up a book-to-screen adaptation of One Golden Summer, which is Carley Fortune’s follow-up to Every Summer After (which is the novel Season 1 is based on).

So, with all that in mind, let’s chat about that photo Michael Bradway’s character was looking at, who took it and why it’s so crucial that you remember it.

Why The Photo Charlie Saw Is So Important In Every Year After

In the final episode of this highly anticipated romance adaptation on the 2026 TV schedule, Charlie sees a photo in his colleague's office of himself, Percy and Sam in the banana boat.

When Charlie wonders who took the photo, his co-worker says he’s not sure and notes that his “wife bought it at a gallery when we were out in BC a few years back.” Now, while these guys don’t know who captured that image, readers of One Golden Summer do.

The photographer's name is Alice Everly, and she’s Charlie’s love interest. Carley Fortune’s book One Golden Summer tells their love story, and a major part of it centers around this image Alice caught of Charlie, his brother and Percy. Therefore, Bradway’s character seeing this photo totally sets up his big romance.

How Every Summer After And One Golden Summer’s Author Reacted To The Photo

Obviously, readers will probably freak out over the reveal of the image (I know I did). So, I had to ask Carley Fortune about it when I interviewed her. In response to a question about how she reacted the first time she saw the iconic photo of the banana boat and its owners, the author of Every Summer After and One Golden Summer told me:

Along with it being cool to see such a vital part of her stories literally come to life, Fortune also noted how it makes her very excited to see what happens next in Every Year After. Sharing her excitement for a potential Season 2, the writer explained:

So, while Season 1 of the show ends with Charlie collapsing by the photo (which is scary), it also alludes to his happily ever after. In One Golden Summer, Charlie does deal with his health in a big way, and Alice plays a vital part in it. Therefore, this introduction felt fitting, and it was both a dramatic cliffhanger to end the season and a lovely nod to the love story that Sam’s older brother should get.

Many changes were made in this adaptation of Every Summer After, and the introduction of Charlie’s story was one of them. As a fan of One Golden Summer, it was one of my favorite additions to Every Year After too, because it let us know that Alice was in and will come back to Barry’s Bay.

Game of Thrones was quintessential water cooler talk during its run on TV, joining the ranks of HBO shows that got the world talking. But while the book to screen adaptation was a sensation, the GOT series finale was controversial. Some fans started a petition for the show to reshoot its final season, and Daenerys Targaryen actress Emilia Clark recently had a five-word response when asked if she'd be down to return and film another ending.

Those with a HBO Max subscription have been able to re-watch Game of Thrones' eights season, including that controversial series finale. Some of the fandom is still bummed about Dany's ending, where she went mad, burned down King's Landing, and was killed by Jon Snow. During a recent interview with CBS Mornings at the Tribeca Film Festival, Clarke was asked if she's return to Westeros for a redo. She responded promptly with:

Honestly, this made me chuckle. While she's kidding and said it with a laugh, these comments echo Dany's murderous ways from the final two Game of Thrones episodes. So it sounds like the Last Christmas actress is still defending her signature character. Although considering how long she played The Mother of Dragons, can you blame her?

Some fans might have assumed that the 39 year-old actress would be open to these hypothetical reshoots. Namely because the face Emilia Clarke made back in 2023 when asked if she liked the show' ending. Nowadays she's got jokes about the ongoing conversation over re-filming the show's finale, and is ready to see all of the characters die like hers.

Despite how some fans think about Season 8 of Game of Thrones, folks have jumped back into Westeros thanks to multiple spinoffs that have arrived on HBO. House of the Dragon Season 3 is about to start, and earlier this year we were treated to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which totally trolled the audience and the seriousness of the other shows. Alas, the discourse about the flagship series hasn't ended; Emilia Clarke is certainly still answering questions.

While I thought the petition to reshoot the entire eighth season was insulting to the hard-working writers that had been entertaining us for years, I see some of the criticism. Having Bran on the Iron Throne was a bold swing, and I noticed along with everyone that travel around Westeros suddenly moved much quicker. Still, I don't envy how the cast is still constantly asked about it.

House of the Dragon Season 3 will premiere on June 21st as part of the 2026 TV schedule. And fans can re-watch GOT in its entirely on HBO Max, complete with Dany's wild ending.

Spoilers for Every Year After and the book, Every Summer After are ahead! Read with caution, and watch the show with an Amazon Prime subscription.

With any book-to-screen adaptation, change is inevitable. As an avid romance reader, I know this, and I love it. Seeing an adaptation on screen and the updates made for it is always exhilarating, and that’s the feeling I got watching the 2026 TV schedule’s Every Year After. That’s because I took a ton of notes while re-reading Carley Fortune’s book, Every Summer After, and watching this show, and now I have a list of changes that stood out to me.

Major Additions Made To Every Year After

When I found out the show Every Year After was one of the major romance adaptations coming out in 2026, I knew it was time for a re-read. I did this while I was watching the show, and the changes that surprised me most had to do with additions. So, let’s go over some of the new things that were created for the show.

Delilah Lives In Barry’s Bay

In the present timeline of the book, Delilah does not live in Barry’s Bay, and Percy hasn’t talked to her in years. In the show, Delilah (Abigail Cowen) and her marriage are an integral subplot. Her relationships with Michael Bradway's Charlie (they have an affair that is not in the book) and The Tavern are also very important. Overall, they expanded her story in a huge way.

Jordie Is A Major Character

As Carley Fortune told me, Jordie is an “offhanded mention” in the book. He’s just a friend of Sam's. In the show, his role is made significantly larger, as he runs the motel Chantal (Aurora Perrineau) and Percy (Sadie Soverall) stay at, and he seems to be in a love triangle with Chantal and Delilah. According to the author of the book, this all happened because of how talented Joseph Chiu is. Explaining what happened after he auditioned for Jordie, the author told me:

So, everyone say thank you to co-creator Amy B. Harris and the Jordie actor for giving us this lovable character!

Chantal Travels To Barry’s Bay With Percy

In the book, Percy’s friend back home is Chantal. However, we only hear about her and how bad Percy is at talking to her. In the show, that’s different because Chantal goes to Barry’s Bay with Percy. As Fortune explained, she creates “a great foil for Percy.”

Overall, Chantal gets to develop relationships with Jordie, Delilah, Charlie and Sam, too, which adds an extra layer of humor and drama.

Percy Inherits The Tavern

Who gets to take The Tavern is never a question that’s addressed in detail in Every Summer After. However, Every Year After makes it a point of contention, as Sue leaves the restaurant to Percy instead of Sam and Charlie. This creates tension that’s nonexistent in the book and adds a very good reason for Percy to stick around Barry’s Bay.

A Few Other Things I Noticed

• Delilah and Charlie have an affair.
• Sam’s plans to propose to Taylor.
• Sue tells Percy that she hated perogi, and Percy makes a big breakfast in honor of Sue after her funeral.
• Percy is an obituary writer, instead of an editor for a decor magazine. She writes Sue’s obit.
• Charlie faints after seeing the One Golden Summer photo.

Big Changes Made To The Timeline

Arguably, some of the biggest changes between the book and the series simply had to do with how plot points were shifted around. To illustrate that, take a look at this tabbed copy of my book, where each tab represents an episode:

As you can see, while a lot of events from the novel are included, it wasn’t necessarily in the order I expected.

Percy Sees Charlie Before She Sees Sam

One of the first people Percy sees when she gets to Barry’s Bay is Sam in the book, and Charlie does not show up in the present until Chapter 11. In the show, she sees Sam from afar and runs into both Charlie and Delilah before seeing him.

The Banana Boat Was Introduced Late

In my paperback copy of Every Summer After, the banana boat is introduced on page 65. In the show, it’s not introduced until Episode 7 (of 8). This is because the boat serves as a fixer-upper project that helps Percy and Charlie bond, and that’s what partially leads to them hooking up. In the book, the brothers had the boat for years before that.

Percy Confesses About What She Did With Charlie Earlier, And Sam Had No Clue

In the book, Percy does not confess about what happened between her and Charlie until close to the end, page 281 of 304, to be exact. In the show, she does it at the end of Episode 5. Also, Sam does not find out about Charlie and Percy until the week of their mom’s funeral in the show. In the book, he learns about it years before Percy tells him.

Therefore, since Sam learns about Percy and Charlie in the present in the series, he does not end up with Percy right after her return to Barry’s Bay. After Sue’s funeral, they go their separate ways. Then, when The Tavern reopens under Percy and Delilah in Every Year After, Sam coming back to see his first love feels like just the start of them healing together.

Sam And Percy Don’t Hook Up In The Car Until After She Tells Him About Charlie

In the present, Sam and Percy have their “I loved you,” “I know” moment in the car on page 186, which is roughly 60% into the book. In the series, this moment happens in the finale, after Percy tells Sam about Charlie.

A Few Other Things I Noticed

• Percy finds out about Sam’s girlfriend, Taylor, immediately in the show instead of after they’ve spent quite a bit of time together.
• Sue’s funeral happens during the finale, and it happens much earlier in the book.
• In the book, Percy goes over to stay with Sam when they’re kids because she was home alone and scared herself watching a movie. That's when they kiss. In the show, this sleepover happens in Episode 3; however, they don’t kiss. That comes in Episode 4, after Percy’s first swim and during the textbook scene (which happens way later in the novel).

Parts Of Every Summer After That Weren’t In The Show

Now, on to what was left out. Overall, every major plot point from Fortune’s book was included in the show. However, there were a few notable omissions.

Charlie Is Not Percy’s First Kiss

In the book, during a game of truth or dare, Charlie kisses Percy on a dare after Sam won’t do it. In the series, that dare happens; however, before Charlie is about to kiss her, he pulls back and says “JK.”

Sam Tries To Propose To Percy When They’re Young

After his summer classes, Sam attempts to pop the question in the novel. Percy turns it down. This notably happens after she hooks up with Charlie. In the show, questions regarding Sam, Percy and marriage are not explored at all.

A Few Other Things I Noticed

• Charlie gives Percy the idea to start swimming in the book. In the show, she fully comes up with it on her own.
• Julien, the cook who works for Sue, is not in the show.

To be clear, this isn’t a definitive list of every change. This is what stood out to me. And don’t take this as a bad thing either. I think it’s amazing that they added and updated so much. It makes the viewing experience really fun for both readers and new fans, and it provides a fresh take on a beloved story. Now, on that note, it's time to go back to Barry's Bay for a rewatch.

It’s a big year for book-to-screen adaptations, but I’ve never heard a story about how a bestseller was turned into a movie like the one for Whalefall. The thrilling novel from Daniel Kraus became a New York Times bestseller back in 2023, and is already a movie on the 2026 release calendar thanks to the very modern way the author pulled in the Whalefall filmmaker into the movie’s premise.

CinemaBlend heard this story while we were at the trailer launch event for Whalefall in Los Angeles, CA on Monday night. Here’s what writer/director Brian Duffield said about how he stumbled on making the movie:

Isn’t it wild how a single post on social media can inspire a filmmaker into making a whole movie? The Whalefall trailer just dropped online by 20th Century Studios and can be seen in the video above. As Duffield continued:

Whalefall is about a young man named Jay (played by Austin Abrams) who used to scuba dive a lot with his father Mitt (Josh Brolin), but they didn’t have the best relationship. When Mitt dies in the ocean, Jay goes on a scuba dive in search for his dad’s remains, but instead he gets swallowed by a whale. Duffield also added this when talking about adapting the material:

Whalefall is a thriller that tackles Jay’s grief associated with losing his father, but on a visual and technical level Duffield needed to make the experience of being swallowed by a whale feel immersive and realistic. He could luckily lean on the research that Whalefall’s author already did for the book. As a book worm myself, I know I'm very excited by the idea of the author being so close to the movie, along with the unique concept itself.

When talking about Whalefall, Brian Duffield also likened it to two of the best space movies The Martian and Gravity, since both movies also involve a person dealing with intense emotions while getting stuck somewhere. It’ll be interesting to see how Whalefall compares to these films with the main character spending most of the movie stuck inside the belly of a whale rather than in space.

Oh, and you know a little movie called Weapons? It was one of our favorite movies of 2025 and starred both Abrams and Brolin. We can’t wait to see this reunion between the actors in a completely different film. Whalefall is coming to theaters on October 16.

On the heels of two historical epics — 2023’s Napoleon and 2024’s Gladiator II — Ridley Scott is making a welcome return to the sci-fi genre with The Dog Stars, with Oscar nominee Jacob Elordi as its lead alongside Josh Brolin and Margaret Qualley. The first full-length trailer has arrived, as seen above, and while I’m not sure this new action movie will be the one to give Scott his Oscar dues, it does look exciting as all hell.

And yeah, a big chunk of my excitement stems from the brief, mysterious, and arguably fetching shots of Oscar and Emmy winner Allison Janney in there. But we’ll get to her shortly.

The Dog Stars' Post-Apocalypse Looks Peaceful Until It Doesn't

Ridley Scott is taking viewers into a far different near future than the settings of his most classic science-fiction films. (Namely Alien and Blade Runner, but we can throw in The Martian and one other of the reader's choice.) Those familiar with the book-to-screen film's source material, Peter Heller's 2012 novel of the same name, are in the loop on the global pandemic that largely wiped out the population. Early on in the trailer, life appears tough but almost strangely idyllic, in a "Back in the good ol' days" kind of way.

As Hig, Elordi is a former pilot making a go at survival with Bangley (Brolin), an ex-Marine with an edge, and Cima (Qualley), a medic with an eye (and heart) for Hig. Unfortunately, it isn't long before the peaceful facade is revealed to be just that, and the bonkers-looking threats are revealed.

The Dog Stars appears to be the first 2026 movie release to go all-in on using night-vision as a visual aesthetic, which seems like a brilliant plan to play into the bizarre looks of the more feral survivors that seem to be overtaking any area they go running into. It seems like they're all still maintaining human traits, though, and haven't gone all Rage virus-zombie. But in those shots, they also look like members of a trippy Toxic Avenger tribute band, so who knows?

Whatever the case, as soon as the trailer gets intense, Jacob Elordi lights it up in what could very well be the role that sends him into a more action-heavy career path. It's a character that Brolin would have been great for had this been made 20 years ago, and Elordi fills the space quite convincingly. His performances in historical dramas and romances don't exactly scream "bad-ss," but it's a good look, and it can only help his Bond chances, if those rumors are to be believed.

Whatever Is Up With Allison Janney's Character, I'm All For It

The fourth-billed star of The Dog Stars, Allison Janney only appears fleetingly - still more so than Guy Pearce and Benedict Wong - but those quick shots are enough to spark some obsessive feelings. Totally normal ones, though! Well, mostly.

I mean, she instantly stands apart from other characters, in that she's basically in head-to-toe Pan Am flight attendant cosplay, while everyone else is dressed in the usual drab looks that accompany apocalypses. She's also tending bar, which feels like it has to be a major luxury in a world so broken. In large part because there's electricity there, as opposed to other settings shown in the trailer. Speaking of...

Okay, so Janney's unnamed character has both booze AND cigarettes, so she must be royalty or something. And bar lights are certainly not the extent of her electricity usage. As seen above, she apparently has access to security camera footage, presumably to make sure none of the wild shirtless people come trying to take her stuff. But how does she have all of this, while everyone else is slumming it?

That's the part I'm really obsessing over, and definitely not Janney in that blue get-up with a martini glass in her hand. Definitely not that. Now somebody open a window in here or something.

The Dog Stars is set to release in theaters on August 28, 2026.

The Vampire Lestat isn’t actually the first season of a new series, so there may be some confusion as it premieres on the 2026 TV schedule. The AMC show is effectively Interview with the Vampire Season 3, shifting to the perspective of Sam Reid’s Lestat de Lioncourt following that emotional Season 2 ending. I was a bit unsure about the new series; IWTV is great, but AMC’s other Anne Rice book-to-screen adaptation Mayfair Witches has been up and down. However, these rave reviews and a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score have made up my mind.

Interview with the Vampire was already considered one of the best vampire shows before it shifted to Lestat’s POV under a new title, and according to Ben Travers of IndieWire’s review of The Vampire Lestat, the new horror series deserves a place on the list, too, for an “unchecked bravado” that’s hard to find these days. The critic gives it a B+, writing:

Critics were given 6 of the season’s 7 episodes to screen, and Rotem Rusak of Nerdist rates them 4.5 out of 5 stars, writing that Lestat takes us on a “fangulous journey” that’s unlike anything else on TV. Rusak praises Sam Reid for the depth he brings to his character, and she applauds how the series honors Interview with the Vampire’s LGBTQ+ history. In the critic’s words:

Judy Berman of Time’s The Vampire Lestat review calls it an “alternately rollicking and gutting work of apocalyptic camp,” writing:

Lacy Baugher of Den of Geek gives it 4.5 stars out of 5, writing that it’s a thoroughly enjoyable evolution to what is, “hands down, one of the best adaptations in television history.” The events of the series expand, reframe and even contradict what we learned on Interview with the Vampire Seasons 1 and 2, playing into the idea that this is a story being told, sometimes by unreliable narrators. Baugher lauds Sam Reid’s talents, writing:

Sherin Nicole of RogerEbert calls this “gothic alt-rock opera” delicious and malicious, as we realize that the Lestat we knew from IWTV was merely Louis’ interpretation — a version both villainized and idealized — and in The Vampire Lestat we are meeting the real character for the first time. Nicole says:

It isn’t just the critics above who are praising The Vampire Lestat for its bold storytelling and title change — the series premiered to a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. If you were a fan of Interview with the Vampire’s first two seasons (which can be streamed with a Netflix subscription or on AMC+), you’ll want to waste no time jumping into Lestat’s take on immortality

New episodes drop at 9 p.m. ET Sundays on AMC and can be streamed with an AMC+ subscription.