It’s no secret that the G.I. Joe franchise hasn’t had the best of luck when it comes to movies. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, G.I. Joe: Retaliation and Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins were all critical disappointments, and the latter movie bombed especially hard at the box office. Now Paramount Pictures is looking to reboot the property once again, and it reportedly is taking an unexpected approach for more than one reason to make this happen.

According to THR, Max Landis, who’s written movies like Chronicle and Bright, has been selected to pen a treatment for a new G.I. Joe movie. Landis, the son of director John Landis, has been largely been absent from Hollywood in recent years after being accused of sexual and emotional abuse by several women in the late 2010s. He last wrote a screenplay for 2020’s Shadow in the Cloud, and while the Chloë Grace Moretz-led movie ended up being completely rewritten by Roseanne Liang, he retained his writer credit.

But Landis’ hiring isn’t the only unusual move being made on the new G.I. Joe take. The article mentions that Paramount is also having The Righteous Gemstones’ Danny McBride write a separate script for the reboot. Some sources who spoke to THR claim that the studio intends to take Landis and McBride’s scripts and blend them into one, though a studio source stated that their scripts are for different projects.

Max Landis isn’t the only controversial creative whom Paramount has hired in recent months. In the aftermath of Skydance’s acquisition of the studio, Brett Ratner, who has also been accused of sexual misconduct and recently directed Amazon MGM’s Melania documentary, was announced to be working on Rush Hour 4. Whether or not writing a new G.I. Joe movie will be the first step to him making a Hollywood comeback remains to be seen, assuming it gets greenlighted.

Which brings me back to the two reported G.I. Joe scripts. Granted, it’s not uncommon for studios to take this approach with tentpole pictures, but usually just one script is chosen to be turned into the actual movie. To merge two scripts together is significantly rarer, and I frankly worry that taking this course of action with Landis and McBride’s scripts could result in the G.I. Joe reboot coming off as disjointed at the very least.

Still, one can’t fault Paramount for wanting to revisit G.I. Joe given that the Hasbro-owned franchise remains popular more than 60 years after the toy line launched. The last major update on this front came in 2023 when it was revealed at the end of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts that the robots in disguise live in the same universe as the secret military organization. However, nearly three years later, there hasn’t been any movement on a Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover movie, though the two properties are now expected to co-mingle in an adult animated series called Energon Universe.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on the future of the G.I. Joe film series. You’re welcome to stream the previous movies with your Paramount+ subscription, or read about how Paramount just scored a major victory against Netflix to acquire Warner Bros.

To be frank, I got my money’s worth from my HBO Max subscription this year. Overall, I watched 53 TV shows (most of which aired on the 2025 TV schedule), and quite a few of them live on HBO or HBO Max. Now, I’m not surprised that my two favorite series of the year came from this platform. That makes a lot of sense, as the prestige around this network and streamer exists for a good reason. However, what did surprise me was the two specific shows I picked, because they couldn’t be more different.

So with that being said, let's talk about why the outrageous megachurch comedy The Righteous Gemstones and the hardcore medical drama The Pitt were my two favorite TV shows of 2025.

The Righteous Gemstones Was Hands Down The Funniest And Most Outrageous Show I Watched This Year

On a whim, my friend and I started watching The Righteous Gemstones. I had seen clips of the song “Misbehavin’” on TikTok, and at the time, the final season of Danny McBride’s comedy was airing. So, we started from the beginning and dove into this world of Southern megachurches and the Gemstone family.

I sincerely think that one of the reasons this show works so well is that it leans into the absurdity of everything with full force. McBride’s Jesse, Edi Patterson’s Judy and Adam DeVine's Kelvin are ridiculous characters. However, because they were being played by comedic geniuses, I couldn't help but laugh with them as they said some of the wildest lines of dialogue I’ve ever heard.

Tony Cavalero and Tim Baltz, who played Keefe and BJ, respectively, were also kings of physical comedy, and almost any time they were in a shot simply reacting to what was going on, I was laughing. Not to mention, Walton Goggins’ Uncle Baby Billy had me laughing so hard I was crying on numerous occasions.

Literally, this entire cast understood the assignment of Gemstones, and they gave it 110% the whole time.

The final season, which aired in 2025, was particularly excellent. Along with bringing the classic and crude Gemstone humor we know and love, it also shocked audiences with a full-on Civil War flashback episode that starred Bradley Cooper. What this proved, alongside the classic interlude episode in the middle of the season, was how well-developed the lore of this show was, and how fascinating the history surrounding the Gemstones is.

Overall, I think what really makes The Righteous Gemstones the best is that it's utterly creative and original. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen on television, it has such a distinct, shocking and brilliantly dumb sense of humor, and it was all around one of the most joyous TV watching experiences I had in 2025.

The Pitt Is The Heaviest And Most Grounded Series Of 2025

If you are looking for the exact opposite of The Righteous Gemstones, look no further than The Pitt. It’s not a comedy, it’s a drama. And instead of being an outlandish and hilarious take on the world we live in, it’s a very serious and very realistic take on what's going on in the medical world right now.

Taking place over the course of one day, each episode of The Pitt shows us one hour of a shift, and that goes on for 15 episodes. It feels like we’re working alongside Noah Wyle’s Dr. Robby, Katherine LaNasa’s charge nurse Dana and the group of doctors and nurses who make the ER click every day.

With each episode, I found myself holding my breath and hanging on tight, hoping that these employees and their patients could make it through the day. While I felt like I couldn’t handle more than one episode at a time because of how intense it was, I also couldn’t get enough. My friend and I were so enthralled, in fact, that we watched the final four episodes of the show, which follows the hospital after a mass casualty event, in one go.

We were able to do that because while the situations and injuries are scary and intense, the show does a brilliant job of telling beautiful stories with the patients that also highlight more and more about the doctors helping them. That creates a wonderful and complex tapestry of this ER, and it made me care so much for everyone there. Therefore, it was impossible to look away.

Overall, The Pitt masterfully balances heartfelt storytelling with no-nonsense medical issues. It’s a painfully and beautifully human show that I sincerely cannot get enough of, and you better believe I’ll be ready to clock in when Season 2 of The Pitt premieres.

One Common Reason Why I Loved Both These Shows

Now, in almost every single way, The Pitt and The Righteous Gemstones have nothing in common. However, I did realize that they share a reason why I love them. That reason lies in the details both shows use to create immersive experiences.

In The Righteous Gemstones, Danny McBride and his team built the wild world of this very rich and religious family. From the absolutely incredible Civil War flashback episode that immersed us in a battlefield where the Gemstone scheme began, to the over-the-top megachurch, the sets were jaw-droppingly detailed, precise and (at times) hilarious. Pair that with the jewel-toned costumes and silly looks they all rocked, and the knockout performances from the cast, and you get a 100% immersive television experience.

The Pitt is also incredibly immersive. It takes the medical details so seriously that healthcare workers praise the show, and thanks to its format, we get to spend every minute of a shift with these workers. It’s so immersive that I feel like I’m clocking in for a shift in the ER.

While both these watching experiences couldn’t be more different, they are equally immersive, and that’s where common ground is found. The Pitt and The Righteous Gemstones were my favorite shows of the year because they both transported me to these places and made me feel like I was part of these characters’ worlds.

So now you should go watch these HBO shows that got the world talking on HBO Max. All four seasons of The Righteous Gemstones live there, and so does Season 1 of The Pitt, with Season 2 set to premiere January 8 on the 2026 TV schedule.

Ever since Grand Theft Auto made the jump to 3D back in 2001, the outrageously popular video game franchise has given gamers some of the most cinematic gaming experiences of all time. While the stories, graphics, and sandbox open worlds have certainly helped in this regard, a lot of that “cinema” quality comes from the games’ A-list casts.

Here are 32 celebrities who appeared in Grand Theft Auto games, be it as a protagonist (or antagonist most of the time) or as DJs for the franchise’s iconic radio stations. There is a lot to go over, so let’s get to it…

Samuel L. Jackson (Frank Tenpenny)

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas took the franchise to new heights back in 2004, and a lot of that was due to the show-stealing performance by Samuel L. Jackson as crooked Los Santos police officer and primary antagonist Frank Tenpenny. The corrupt cop, who made life miserable for protagonist Carl “CJ” Johnson, was a villain you loved to hate.

Ray Liotta (Tommy Vercetti)

Before the late Ray Liotta voiced Tommy Vercetti in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City in 2002, none of the protagonists had a voice, or personality for that matter. That all changed when gamers took control of the revenge-driven mobster and walked the neon-lit streets and crowded beaches of this landmark game.

Burt Reynolds (Avery Carrington)

The supporting casts in each of the Grand Theft Auto games have been just as legendary as the primary heroes and villains, and the late Burt Reynolds helped make Grand Theft Auto: Vice City one of the best in this regard. His portrayal of cowboy land developer Avery Carrington was lights out. It’s just a shame we didn’t get more.

William Fichtner (Ken Rosenberg)

In addition to showing up in most of Michael Bay’s best movies, William Fichtner has appeared in a pair of the best Grand Theft Auto games. First introduced as anxiety-ridden and paranoid attorney Ken Rosenberg in Vice City, Fichtner would reprise the role in San Andreas, where Ken was just as insane.

Joe Pantoliano (Luigi Goterelli)

Joe Pantoliano, aka Joey Pants, was just one of many actors known for playing mobsters to show up in Grand Theft Auto III with his portrayal of Luigi Goterelli. The club owner, who is the first to give silent protagonist Claude some work in Liberty City, was made all the better by Pantoliano’s explosive dialogue.

Michael Madsen (Toni Cipriani)

The late Michael Madsen, best known for his work in some of Quentin Tarantino’s best movies, had a supporting role in Grand Theft Auto III. Madsen’s Toni Cipriani, a high-ranking member of the Leone Family crime syndicate, was a major player in the early goings of the game.

Cara Delevingne (DJ Cara)

Though Cara Delevingne’s character is never seen in Grand Theft Auto V, DJ Cara is one of the most engaging and hilarious DJs on the game’s vast collection of radio channels. Her transitions and commentary between tracks for Non Stop Pop FM are worth checking out, even if you don’t want to play the game.

Kyle MacLachlan (Donald Love)

Donald Love, the morally ambiguous owner of Love Media and Liberty City developer who gives the player some wild missions along the way, was voiced by Kyle MacLachlan in Grand Theft Auto III. Willing to do anything and everything to obtain power and money, Love was one of the strangest and most mysterious characters of the franchise.

Dennis Hopper (Steve Scott)

It’s hard to imagine anyone but Dennis Hopper providing the voice of Steve Scott in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The shark-obsessed and ambitious adult film director was one of the main allies Tommy Vercetti made along the way, even if his missions got out of hand!

Philip Michael Thomas (Lance Vance)

Lance Vance started as one of Tommy Vercetti’s most trusted allies, only to become his biggest rival in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City when he wanted a larger slice of the pie. Having the character voiced by Miami Vice star Philip Michael Thomas was just one of the many callbacks to the iconic ‘80s show.

Chris Penn (Eddie Pulaski)

Chris Penn played secondary antagonist Eddie Pulaski, one of the crooked C.R.A.S.H. officers, in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Officer Tenpenny’s right-hand man, this diabolical cop went to great lengths to get under CJ’s skin.

Debbie Harry (Doris)

Legendary punk and fashion icon Debbie Harry showed up in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City when she provided the voice of Doris. The Blondie singer did a great job of giving the Kaufman Cab dispatcher a whole lot of attitude, which led to some great interactions with Tommy Vercetti.

Danny Trejo (Umberto Robina)

Danny Trejo was already on his way to becoming one of the most well-known character actors in Hollywood when he portrayed Cuban gang leader Umberto Robina in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The crime boss gave Tommy Vercetti a number of missions throughout the midsection of the 2002 game.

Katt Williams (Himself)

Grand Theft Auto IV didn’t see as many celebrities voicing characters as previous iterations, but there were still a fair number of big stars in the game. In the case of Katt Williams, the comedian played himself in one of the in-game stand-up routines that protagonist Niko Bellic could watch throughout the game.

Jason Sudeikis (Richard Bastion)

Long before he played Ted Lasso (both in those wild NBC commercials and the popular Apple TV+ series), Jason Sudeikis played a very different type of American character in Grand Theft Auto IV. Sudeikis, who was still on SNL at the time, voiced Richard Bastion, the host of a right-wing call-in show on WKTT talk radio.

Wil Wheaton (Various Characters)

Stand By Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation star Wil Wheaton voiced various characters in the Grand Theft Auto universe. In 2004’s San Andreas, Wheaton was the voice of Richard Burns, a reporter for WCTR, a role he reprised in Liberty City Stories the following year. He would also voice an alien in Grand Theft Auto V.

Ricky Gervais (Himself)

Ricky Gervais brought his brand of comedy to the digital world in Grand Theft Auto IV when he performed an extended stand-up routine in one of Liberty City’s comedy clubs. The 10-minute in-game activity has the comedian’s signature wit and knack for telling uncomfortable jokes in a hilarious way.

Michael Rapaport (Joey Leone)

Michael Rapaport was one of the big-name actors who made the Grand Theft Auto III cast one of the best of all time when he played Joey Leone. The son of Salvatore Leone was one of the player’s earliest contacts, and his missions remain some of the best in the game’s early stages.

Robert Loggia (Ray Machowski)

Though he didn’t reprise his iconic Scarface role (or at least something similar to Frank Lopez) in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Robert Loggia did have a great part in Grand Theft Auto III one year earlier. There are some wild characters in the 2001 game, but corrupt police officer Ray Machowski was in a league of his own. Kudos to those who still have his bulletproof Patriot in the garages after all these years.

Will Forte (Martin Serious)

Saturday Night Live alum (and WWE Raw host) Will Forte showed up in Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and the Damned, the first of two DLC expansions for the 2008 game. In the game, Forte provides the voice of Martin Serious, a shock jock in the vein of Howard Stern on WKTT talk radio.

Robert Davi (Juan Cortez)

Robert Davi, who appeared in movies like The Goonies and Raw Deal in the ‘80s, showed up in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as Juan Cortez, a retired Central American colonel and drug kingpin. The mysterious character, who admired Tommy Vercetti a great deal, provided for some wild (and difficult) missions.

Danny McBride (Duane Earl)

Danny McBride gave players one of the funniest radio DJs in the state of San Andreas when he voiced Duane Earl in Grand Theft Auto V. Host of the Beyond Insemination program on Blaine County Radio (this only became available after leaving Los Santos), Earl was right up there with McBride’s most well-known character, Kenny Powers.

Axl Rose (Tommy ‘The Nightmare’ Smith)

In addition to featuring Guns N’ Roses’ legendary “Welcome to the Jungle” track (it was also in the game’s trailer), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas also had the band’s lead singer, Axl Rose, portray a radio DJ. Tommy “The Nightmare” Smith could be heard on K-DST radio, aka, The Dust.

Lee Majors (Mitch Baker)

Lee Majors gave his voice to one of the coolest characters in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City with his portrayal of “Big” Mitch Baker, the leader of a biker gang and owner of the Greasy Chopper bar. A major player late in the game, Baker worked with Tommy Vercetti for multiple jobs, including the Love Fist concert.

Tom Sizemore (Sonny Forelli)

On top of playing some of the craziest characters in Hollywood history, the late Tom Sizemore also voiced an unforgettable villain in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Sonny Forelli, the primary antagonist and leader of the Forelli Crime Family, was willing to do anything and everything to make life messy for Tommy Vercetti, which ultimately cost him in the end.

Phil Collins (Himself)

Phil Collins, yes, the Phil Collins, played himself in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. The PSP game, which later came to PS2, featured the “In the Air Tonight” singer in a daring mission where the player had to thwart an assassination attempt. If the player beats the mission and pays $6,000 for a ticket, they can watch a full performance of Collins’ most popular song.

Ice-T (Madd Dogg)

Los Santos rapper Madd Dogg has one of the craziest and most unforgettable arcs in all of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. From having his lyric book and career stolen from him to thinking about ending things before going to rehab to becoming the biggest rapper on the planet, he goes through it. The story is made even better with rapper-turned-actor Ice-T bringing the character to life.

Faizon Love (Sweet)

Though Sweet may be the most annoying character in the entire Grand Theft Auto franchise (well, outside of Roman Bellic), Faizon Love’s performance in San Andreas is great. The Friday and The Parent ‘Hood actor went all-in with his portrayal of Sean “Sweet” Johnson, the older brother to the game’s protagonist. Sweet could be a lot at times, but Love added so much to the character.

James Woods (Mike Toreno)

Every Grand Theft Auto game has a character that’s so out there, they live in a world beyond good and evil. In the case of San Andreas, that responsibility falls into the lap of Mike Toreno, an undercover agent working for an unnamed and shadowy government agency voiced by James Woods. It’s hard to think of another actor who could play Toreno better than the Casino and Once Upon a Time in America actor.

Charlie Murphy (Jizzy B.)

Though we didn’t get to see too much of Jizzy B. before CJ took him out in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, this performance by the late Charlie Murphy made the owner of the Pleasure Domes nightclub a character many of us still think about 20-plus years later. The Loco Syndicate member was mean, vicious, and a little pathetic, but he was so much fun to watch.

Peter Fonda (The Truth)

The late, great Peter Fonda portrayed one of the wildest and most bizarre characters in Grand Theft Auto history when he took on the role of The Truth in San Andreas. A spiritual character who wasn’t shy of violence (or at least having CJ do his dirty work), the free-thinking and otherworldly ally was there for some of the game’s signature moments.

David Cross (Zero)

There’s a large portion of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas players who have never beaten all of Zero’s missions, so don’t even try to lie about it. Though most of us didn’t see his story to completion, the electronics expert and owner of Zero RC voiced by comedian David Cross is still beloved to this day. Just don’t ask us to beat the infamous “Supply Lines” level.

HBO doesn't have a monopoly on prestige television, but they are the king of it. The network loves to work with the same people who have proved they have what it takes to make great shows. That includes many of the same great actors who appear on more than one show. Some of these actors have appeared in three or four (or more) shows over the years, but for this list, we're sticking with at least two, usually the ones they are best known for. Actors like Wendell Pierce, Cynthia Nixon, and many more.

Wendell Pierce - The Wire And Treme

Wendell Pierce first broke out as the best-dressed detective in the Baltimore Homicide Unit on The Wire. Pierce's character, Bunk Moreland, appears in every episode of the show. A couple of years after The Wire ended in 2008, the show's creator returned to HBO with Treme, and it was a natural fit to include Pierce, who is a New Orleans native, in the cast.

Carrie Coon - The Gilded Age And The White Lotus

2025 was a huge year for Carrie Coon on HBO. Not only did she return for Season 3 of The Gilded Age as the determined high society lady, Bertha Russell, but she also killed it on the third season of the anthology series The White Lotus. She stole the show with her monologue in the final episode of that show, while continuing to dominate New York society in the 1880s in The Gilded Age.

Steve Buscemi - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

Steve Buscemi's first appearance on HBO came when he joined the cast of The Sopranos as Tony Blundetto, Tony Soprano's cousin, in Season 5 of the legendary peak TV-era show. He wasn't on the show long, but a couple of years later, he played a much bigger role on Boardwalk Empire. He played the fictional mob boss Nucky Thompson in the period piece created by Sopranos writer Terrance Winter.

Evan Rachel Wood - True Blood And Westworld

Evan Rachel Wood started her career as a talented child actor and made her first appearance on HBO as a recurring character in True Blood. She made an even bigger splash on the network as one of the main characters in Westworld. Wood also appeared in the miniseries Mildred Pierce on HBO.

Alexander Skarsgård - True Blood And Big Little Lies

Alexander Skarsgård is a true HBO regular. His first show for the network, the limited series Generation Kill, aired in 2008 and he returned to the network that same year as a series regular in the vampire hit True Blood. While still starring on that show, he made a one-off appearance in the series finale of Eastbound and Down. He was a main cast member on Big Little Lies, playing a very dark character (and earning an Emmy in the process), before he took on a notable guest-starring role in Succession, earning two more Emmy nominations.

Sydney Sweeney - Euphoria And The White Lotus

Sydney Sweeney burst onto the scene alongside her castmates in the teen drama Euphoria on HBO in 2019 and in 2022, she also appeared in Season 1 of The White Lotus. She earned not one, but two Emmy nominations that year, one for each show.

Edie Falco - Oz And The Sopranos

The HBO show Oz was an early entry in the "peak TV era" from the network, running for six seasons in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The cast of Oz was stacked and included Edie Falco as Officer Diane Whittlesey. That isn't the show she is most famous for on the network, of course. As Falco's time was coming to a close, she landed the role of a lifetime as Carmela Soprano in The Sopranos, and her amazing performances earned her three Emmy awards.

Aidan Gillen - Game Of Thrones And The Wire

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish in Game of Thrones is one of the great TV villains of all time, and the character was played brilliantly by Aidan Gillen. It wasn't Gillen's first major role on HBO, as that came a few years earlier when he played the ambitious politician Tommy Carcetti on the final three seasons of The Wire.

Cynthia Nixon - And Just Like That And The Gilded Age

itsCynthia Nixon has been a staple on HBO for decades now, starring as Miranda Hobbes in And Just Like That... and it's predecessor. She's also one of the stars of the incredible period drama The Gilded Age as the spinster-turned-wealthy widow Ada Forte, née Brook.

Michiel Huisman - Game Of Thrones And Treme

Treme, which ran for four seasons on HBO, had a whole host of actors who were HBO regulars. Michiel Huisman, who played the musician only known as "Sonny" on the New Orleans-based show, was also starring in a little show called Game of Thrones at the same time on the network, playing Daario Naharis.

Michelle Monaghan - True Detective And The White Lotus

It must be incredibly rewarding for any actor to have the opportunity to star in two anthology shows on HBO. Michelle Monaghan knows exactly how it feels. She first starred in Season 1 of True Detective and, more recently, was part of the stellar cast of Season 3 of The White Lotus.

Michael K. Williams - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

The late Michael K. Williams left behind an incredible legacy at HBO. He was, of course, one of the most incredible TV characters of all time as Omar Little on The Wire, and he followed that up with a great turn as a gangster in 1920s New Jersey in Boardwalk Empire. Those weren't his only appearances on the network. He popped up in a one-off scene on The Sopranos in 2001, then later in the miniseries The Night Of. His final television credit before his tragic death was on the HBO show Lovecraft Country.

Alexandra Daddario - The White Lotus And True Detective

Before earning an Emmy nomination for her great turn as newlywed Rachel Patton in Season 1 of The White Lotus, Alexandra Daddario had a recurring role on another HBO anthology series, True Detective, during its first season. She even had a cameo early in her career in The Sopranos.

Murray Bartlett - The White Lotus And The Last Of Us

It's easy to see why The White Lotus was such a monster hit when it aired its first season, with Murray Bartlett stealing the show as the hotel manager who gets caught in a serious downward spiral as the show goes on. He's hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Later, he was cast in "Long, Long Time," one of the most beloved episodes of The Last of Us, as Frank, the deceased lover of Bill, played by Nick Offerman. While it was only one episode, it was so good that we had to include it here. Bartlett was also a regular cast member on the HBO show Looking.

Danny McBride - Eastbound And Down And The Righteous Gemstones

What is there to be said about Danny McBride's various sitcoms on HBO? After making his name in supporting roles in movies like Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder, he arrived on HBO in the now-legendary Eastbound and Down. His next hit for the network was Vice Principals alongside Walton Goggins, and then as Jesse Gemstone on The Righteous Gemstones.

Clarke Peters - The Wire And Treme

It's hard to believe that The Wire is one of those shows that never won an Emmy. That goes double for the excellent cast, including the great Clarke Peters, who played Lester Freamon in all five seasons of the show. Like some of his co-stars on the show, he also appeared in Treme on HBO.

Jeanne Tripplehorn - The Gilded Age And Big Love

Jeanne Tripplehorn is a veteran actor whose career stretches back to 1992's Basic Instinct. She was a big part of Big Love on HBO as Bill's only legal wife in the show about polygamy in Utah. Tripplehorn also starred in a recurring role on The Gilded Age as a disgraced high society outcast who happens to be one of the kindest characters on the show. She was also nominated for an Emmy for her role as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in Grey Gardens on HBO.

Jeffrey Wright - Westworld And Boardwalk Empire

Jeffrey Wright is one of the best actors of his generation, and he's had an opportunity to show off just how great he is in multiple HBO shows. First, he won an Emmy for his role in the miniseries Angels in America. Later, he had a recurring role on Boardwalk Empire, before his fantastic turn on Westworld, for which he was nominated for three more Emmys, but sadly didn't win one. In 2025, he reprised his voice role in The Last of Us video game in the HBO adaptation.

Jamie-Lynn Sigler - The Sopranos And Entourage

Jamie-Lynn Sigler occupies an interesting spot here. Of course, she's best known for her role as Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos. Her next role on HBO came in a role that was a fictionalized version of herself dating Turtle in Entourage.

Walton Goggins - Vice Principals And The White Lotus

Walton Goggins has been one of the hardest-working actors in Hollywood for many years, and in 2025, he really upped his profile with his fantastic performance in Season 3 of The White Lotus. It was his third major show on HBO after Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones.

Lena Headey - Game Of Thrones And The White House Plumbers

She played one of the greatest villains of all time on Game of Thrones, and Lena Headey returned to HBO in 2023 in the underrated miniseries The White House Plumbers, where she played Dorothy Hunt, wife of one of the Watergate burglars, E. Howard Hunt.

Pedro Pascal - Game Of Thrones And The Last Of Us

Like a lot of actors, Pedro Pascal put in a ton of work early in his career with one-off roles in every show you can imagine. Then, in 2014, he was cast as Oberyn Martell on Game of Thrones, and his career blew up. More recently, he's been breaking hearts on The Last of Us on HBO.

Indira Varma - Game Of Thrones And Rome

The Game of Thrones cast was absolutely stacked, including the great Indira Varma, who played Ellaria Sand in 13 episodes of the show. That wasn't her first time in an HBO show, however. In 2005, she starred as Niobe in two seasons of Rome, the incredibly underrated (and expensive to produce) historical drama created by John Milius.

Jim True-Frost - The Wire And Treme

Jim True-Frost's character in The Wire has one of the most interesting character arcs on a show full of great arcs. His performance as Roland Pryzbylewski was, like so many others on the show, nothing short of excellent. Like others on The Wire, True-Frost also starred in Treme. He even had a cameo in Boardwalk Empire as legendary lawman Eliot Ness.

Kim Dickens - Deadwood And Treme

Kim Dickens has a stellar television resume, and two jewels on that CV are both HBO shows. First, she was one of the main characters, Joanie, in Deadwood. Later, she starred on Treme.

John Hawkes - Deadwood And Eastbound And Down

The original cast of Deadwood was a bunch of heavyweights, including John Hawkes, who played Sol throughout the run of the show. A few years later, the versatile actor returned to HBO in a completely different kind of role as the brother of Kenny Powers in Eastbound & Down. Most recently, he put in a fantastic performance in Season 4 of the anthology series True Detective.

Rose Leslie - Game Of Thrones And The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife is one of the more under-the-radar shows in HBO history. Rose Leslie led the cast of the show that was canceled after one season, despite a passionate fanbase. Of course, Leslie first became a star on HBO as Ygritte on Game of Thrones.

Bobby Cannavale - Boardwalk Empire And Vinyl

Bobby Cannavale really made his name on HBO as the volatile gangster Gyp Rosetti in Boardwalk Empire, though his first gig on the network was in a small role on Six Feet Under. After Boardwalk Empire, he teamed up with the creators of Vinyl, starring in the lone season of the short-lived show.

Edi Patterson - The Righteous Gemstones And Vice Principals

The Righteous Gemstones and Vice Principals are two shows that were perfect for Edi Patterson. She's wonderful at playing quirky characters, fitting in great with the cast of both of those shows.

Domenick Lombardozzi - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

Herc in The Wire is an obnoxious character that is hard to love, but Domenick Lombardozzi's performance charms everyone who watches the show. He repeated the feat later on Boardwalk Empire.

Regina King - Watchmen And The Leftovers

If anyone on this list needs no introduction, it's the great Regina King. She is a force of nature in everything she does, including two excellent HBO shows, The Leftovers and the one-and-done Season of Watchmen.

Michael Imperioli - The Sopranos And The White Lotus

Some people might remember Michael Imperioli as Spider in Goodfellas, but most will first know him as Christopher Moltisanti, Tony's frustrating nephew in The Sopranos. He returned to HBO in Season 2 of The White Lotus and once again reminded fans of the network how great he can be.

Of the TV shows that are ending in 2025, one that I'm going to really miss is The Righteous Gemstones. The series just wrapped up its four-season run this past weekend, and I'm already hoping for more adventures featuring the titular family of televangelists. That includes more NSFW jokes for John Goodman and incredibly catchy songs. Co-creator and cast member Danny McBride wouldn't openly commit to making a potential follow-up film, but he has an idea I think is actually more exciting.

While we'll always be able to revisit the Gemstones and their adventures with a Max subscription, McBride threw out an ambitious idea for a live show featuring the cast of the TV series. McBride mentioned it during his conversation with Decider, when asked about potentially writing a movie:

Imagine attending an actual service held by Gemstone Ministries, and how wild that would be to witness in person. I would purchase a capuchin to forcefully feed me pretzels and wear a baptism romper just for the occasion! (BJ fans will understand those references.) I'd also love to be able to join a chorus of people in belting out some of the notable songs from the show. That would truly feel like a religious experience, despite the clear sacrilege of the entire notion of showing up to celebrate a show with a fake church service.

Of course, the idea sounds great, but is it actually viable? Cast member Walton Goggins, for example, is one of Hollywood's biggest names. I doubt he'd be able to pause his busy schedule for a traveling road show, and you can't do this without the man who played Uncle Baby Billy. I'd also question how willing 72-year-old John Goodman would be for this type of project. Fellow cast member Adam DeVine seemed to have the same skepticism when the interviewer mentioned Danny McBride's plans for a stage show:

I think Adam Devine is onto something, as Danny McBride mentioned to Deadline that he'd like to take a break before working on whatever is next in his ongoing relationship with HBO. That said, I think that organizing a traveling stage show would almost be more ambitious than doing a movie, especially with the theoretical scheduling issues one might have to work out with Walton Goggins and other stars.

That's not to say I don't think Danny McBride shouldn't move heaven and Earth to try and make it happen, because I would love to witness a spectacle like that. I could also easily see HBO signing on to record one of the shows for a special to air on the network. Just imagine being amongst a crowd of people singing "Misbehavin'," and how incredible that would be to witness, be it in person or via TV.

One question I would have is how a stage show would balance the Gemstones characters with how they act in public and behind the scenes. Maybe between stage performances, we'd get scripted moments on the jumbotron in which the characters don't realize they're being recorded or something of that nature.

I'd also have to wonder how beloved characters who are on the show but not part of the Gemstones Ministries service would be included. Perhaps my favorite character, BJ, could have a pre-show with some competitive pole dancing? Can actor Tim Baltz actually perform all of those moves? I'm not sure, but I would love a chance to find out!

For now, The Righteous Gemstones is finished and available to stream in its entirety on Max. Here's hoping fans receive some sort of follow-up to this show, whether it's a movie or the live stage show Danny McBride is pitching.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for The Righteous Gemstones series finale, "That The Man Of God May Be Complete." Stream it with a Max subscription and read at your own risk!

The Righteous Gemstones completed its four-season run this past weekend, evoking bittersweet feelings. After all, it's not often that we see a comedy go out at what may be the peak of its success. The final season is filled with strong performances from A+ guest stars like Michael Rooker and Megan Mullally, and there was even a monkey involved in a storyline. Even series co-creator and co-lead Danny McBride was surprised by what he and his team pulled off, including convincing John Goodman to be part of a 69 joke.

When Goodman teamed up with McBride for The Righteous Gemstones, I don't imagine he thought he'd one day do a wild sex scene with co-star Megan Mullally. McBride actually heard some chatter about how Goodman reacted when he found out about it. Ahead of that, however, he talked to Deadline about what a dream it was to collaborate with the A-lister:

For four seasons, John Goodman played the great Elijah Gemstone as a well-mannered preacher, which is a far cry from how he portrayed Dan in The Conners' final season. While it seems Danny McBride forged a firm working relationship with Goodman, he still couldn't believe was able to get the veteran actor to sign off on having a sexual act be his running joke of the final season.

There's no shortage of John Goodman movies, with crazy moments, that are worth checking out. However, The Righteous Gemstones might be the project with one of his wildest scenes in his acting career. Danny McBride talked about scripting in the scene in which the Gemstone children walk in on their father "69ing" Lori Milsap, and how Goodman allegedly responded to it:

The actor allegedly brought it up to the production team in a big way but ultimately went through with the scene. With that, the season subsequently featured jokes about Elijah Gemstone being a big fan of that one specific sex act. I'm not sure if it's any worse or about the same as Baby Billy actor Walton Goggins needing a "dick double" for his scenes, but, man, just contemplating it makes me appreciate how rare of a show The Righteous Gemstones is.

As for what Danny McBride plans to do now that the televangelist comedy is over, that's up in the air. I know I'm already ready to watch his next HBO follow-up, but the actor confirmed he was taking a break. It feels like that's for the best, considering how tough of a series this will be to follow up, unless he pitches an Uncle Baby Billy spinoff. The Gemstones will hopefully not be forgotten as time goes on (but I'm sure that those who've seen that "69" scene will never forget it).

The Righteous Gemstones is available to stream on Max along with Danny McBride and David Gordon Green's other collaborative projects. I would highly recommend Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals to anyone who hasn't seen it yet, especially if they enjoy the raunchy humor of this latest show.

Spoilers for the sixth episode of The Righteous Gemstones’ fourth season, “Interlude IV” as well as past episodes lie ahead.

In 2019, viewers were blessed with HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones, and the Danny McBride-created show has been nothing short of a funny, raunchy and occasionally sentimental delight. All good things must come to an end, though, as the Gemstones are about to preach their final sermon this year. Having watched the televangelist comedy since the beginning, I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic and have been reflecting on the series’ four-season run. There’s also one aspect of it that I know I’ll miss most of all.

The fourth and final season of Gemstones, which has been airing amid the 2025 TV schedule, has been nothing short of comedic perfection. Further world-building abounds, as new characters played by Michael Rooker, Megan Mullally and even Bradley Cooper enter the mix. Established players are also going through a heap of changes, including BJ, as the fan favorite, is reeling from a tragic accident. With all that said, it’s not the present-day, I’m looking to focus on here – it’s the titular family’s past that I want to talk about.

What I'm Going To Miss Most About The Righteous Gemstones And Why...

Every season of The Righteous Gemstones includes an episode titled “Interlude.” These particular installments serve as reprieves from the Gemstones’ current exploits and flashback to earlier times in the raucous brood’s lives. All of these particular stories are novelties, as they feature younger actors playing siblings Jesse, Judy and Kelvin as opposed to Danny McBride, Edi Patterson and Adam DeVine, respectively. Also present is family matriarch Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles), who’s deceased in the present-day timeline.

Alternate actors aren’t simply what make these episodes so interesting, though. The reason I’ve always been excited for them is to see how they tie into the main, overarching story of each season. I really appreciate the fact that these aren’t merely bottle episodes but installments that help provide much-needed context for the major narrative at hand. Additionally, they also help a great deal when it comes to the series’ aforementioned world-building efforts.

There may only be four “Interlude” chapters, but they’ve produced some of the most notable moments in the history of the show. Considering that Gemstones is nearing its end, why don’t we take some time to reflect on a few of those key plot points?

Let’s Talk Out Some Of The Biggest Moments From The “Interlude” Episodes

2019’s “Interlude,” set in 1989, establishes the occasionally tense relationship between family patriarch Eli Gemstone and his eccentric brother-in-law, “Baby” Billy Freeman. That dynamic sparks a few notable confrontations between the two characters and, aside from that, it’s hard to forget the sight of a young Jesse going on a tirade at sister Judy’s birthday party.

The drama heats up even more in “Interlude II,” in which Eli reunites with fight promoter and former employer Glendon Marsh in 1993. It’s a tense situation, as Marsh (a crime boss) tries to threaten Eli into laundering money through his struggling church. In the end, though, Marsh is shot down by a dementia-stricken Roy Gemstone. The episode also establishes the firm friendship between Eli and his right-hand man, Martin Imari. Also, the third installment in this series is just as compelling, as it depicts the animosity between Eli and his sister, May-May. One of the standout scenes, though, sees young Jesse getting revenge on a boy who humiliated Judy by embarrassing him in front of his peers.

“Interlude IV,” which just recently aired, is as explosive as it is sweet. It provides further context for the friendship between the late Aimee-Leigh and her best friend, Lori Milsap, whose marriage is crumbling. That all comes to a head when her husband, Cobb, breaks into the Gemstones’ home and vandalizes it. Most notably, Cobb not only scares young Kelvin – the only person in the house at the time – but he also steals the golden Bible that’s been handed down for generations.

Years ago, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I heard Danny McBride and John Goodman were teaming up for a TV comedy about a televangelist family, but I’m so glad they did. It’s one of the best shows to stream on Max, in my humble opinion, and that’s due to the writing, acting and direction. The “Interlude” installments are also a major part of the show’s charm and, while I’m sad there won’t be anymore of them, I’m glad to have the four that exist.

The Righteous Gemstones airs on Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO. At the same time, episodes are available to stream with a Max subscription.

The aughts were, in many ways, known for the thriving studio comedy, with funny movies being amongst some of the best of the 2000s. Movies like Superbad and Forgetting Sarah Marshall did numbers at the box office, and actors like Steve Carell, Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig emerged as movie stars. However, no comedy was remembered quite like Tropic Thunder, which separated itself by featuring stars outside of the comedy genre and thriving on its satirical themes. It remains a favorite of many, and is remembered for its controversial performance by Robert Downey Jr. Even if the role wasn’t serious, the Iron Man actor took the role very seriously, and according to Danny McBride, he never broke character.

McBride was recently interviewed by GQ, where he broke down some of the most notable roles throughout his career. Of course, his performances in The Righteous Gemstones and Eastbound & Down were mentioned, along with his character Cody in Tropic Thunder. The Ben Stiller-directed film was known for its all-star cast, but Downey is often singled out for his performance as Dirk Lazarus, and was even nominated for an Oscar. According to McBride, this is all for good reason, as the Oppenheimer star even found a way to urinate in character. He said:

The character Downey was playing differed so greatly from himself that he felt the need to make sure he got every element of the role right, including some of the unsanitary parts. This is even more meta when you consider that Downey was playing a method actor in Tropic Thunder who went to extreme lengths to embody a role. The performance is supposed to satirize the ridiculousness of method acting, and how something like this can go very wrong. Modern audiences may have missed the point of Downey’s character doing blackface being a criticism of the practice, but the performance and commitment can not be overlooked.

The idea of Tropic Thunder 2 has floated around over the years, but it’s unlikely that something so controversial could be made today. However, if it were to happen, Downey has over a decade of career-defining roles behind him, and possibly would be up for the challenge of making the character more relevant. The Marvel alum recently won an Oscar, and maybe he could implore his seasoned technique to a studio comedy sequel. There is certainly an audience for it, and based on this anecdote by Danny McBride, he would be game to work with a committed actor like Downey again in a heartbeat.

For some actors, having a “hot mic” could be something super embarrassing, especially when it allows for other actors to hear you get into character. However, this Tropic Thunder incident seemed to have the opposite effect for eavesdroppers. McBride ended up respecting Downey even more for his intensity, and the movie was probably funnier because of it.

Fans can revisit Robert Downey’s performance in Tropic Thunder now with a Paramount+ subscription. You can also see Danny McBride in The Righteous Gemstones, which is streaming for Max subscribers. For more information on other projects heading to streaming in the near future, make sure to check out our 2024 movie release schedule.

It’s a good time to be a horror fan, as the genre has been experiencing a thrilling renaissance for a number of years now. Some of the best horror movies returned to theaters with new sequels including Scream and Halloween. The latter property produced a bonafide trilogy from director David Gordon Green and writer Danny McBride. And McBride recently reacted to fans hoping for more Michael Myers movies from that dynamic duo.

Halloween fans were thrilled when it was revealed that Jamie Lee Curtis was once again playing Laurie Strode for Blumhouse’s 2018 sequel. That blockbuster broke records for the franchise, leading to two more movies from David Gordon Green and Danny McBride. The latter actor/writer recently spoke to Us Magazine, where he was asked about fans hoping that they return to the franchise sooner rather than later. He offered his perspective, saying:

There you have it. While he’s not totally ruling out a return, it sounds like Danny McBride is ready to have some space from the Halloween franchise. And that might serve as an opportunity for another filmmaker to put their own spin on Michael Myers. Bring on the next bloody adventure!

Danny McBride’s comments make a great deal of sense, as he, David Gordon Green and the cast/crew were focused on their Halloween trilogy for a number of years. They brought Jamie Lee Curtis back as Laurie Strode, and started a new timeline by ignoring all of the Halloween sequels. From there we got to see three generations of Strode women as they grappled with their interpersonal relationships and fought off Michael Myers.

While Blumhouse’s Halloween trilogy was a big success, the movies aren’t without their criticism. Particularly Halloween Ends, which didn’t have much of Michael Myers, and focused the story on a new character Corey Cunningham. In that same interview Danny McBride addressed this, saying:

That's a fair point. The 2018 Halloween and its first sequel Kills both took place on the same night, when Michael Myers returned to Haddonfield and went on a grisly massacre. Director David Gordon Green wanted to switch things up in Ends to make sure the trilogy wasn’t repetitive, resulting in a threequel that felt and looked quite different from its predecessors. 

The horror genre was built on long-running franchise, so it seems like only a matter of time before Michael Myers returns to the big screen. We’ll just have to see if the same filmmakers behind Blumhouse’s trilogy return, or if we see another take on John Carpenter’s beloved original movie. 

2023 has already been a good year thanks to the release of Knock at the Cabin, M3GAN, and Scream VI. The latter project is still in theaters now and making money at the box office. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Ben Best, known best for his collaborations with Danny McBride on productions like Eastbound & Down, has died. The actor and producer sadly passed away this past Sunday from unknown causes. He was 46 at the time of his death.

During his career, Ben Best worked closely with Rough House Pictures, the production company run by Danny McBride, Jody Hill and David Gordon Green. It was the company that formally announced Best’s passing and, in a statement (via Instagram), it paid loving tribute to the late creative:

The post also included a picture of Best, in which he’s relaxing in front of what appears to be a trailer. You can check out the post for yourself down below:

After meeting Danny McBride during their days at UNC, Ben Best became his writing partner, along with David Gordon Green and Jody Hill. Best, McBride and Hill have collaborated on a number of productions over the years, but Eastbound & Down is arguably their most well-known project -- and for good reason.

The HBO series, which premiered back in 2009, centered on former major league baseball player Kenny Powers, played by Danny McBride. With his career having been tarnished due to his ego and poor work ethic, Powers returns to his hometown in North Carolina, where he becomes a substitute physical education teacher. And all the while, he makes attempts to restart his career. The series received mostly positive reviews during its run and has since developed a cult following. The show ultimately ended its run in 2013 after four seasons.

Ben Best wore a number of hats while working on Eastbound & Down. Aside from being co-creator and an executive producer, he also has several writing credits on the series. He also memorably played the role of Clegg, an old friend Kenny reunites with when he returns to town.

Clegg was only one of the acting credits Ben Best had under his belt. He also appeared in notable comedies like Superbad, Land of the Lost and Observe and Report. One of his most unique film roles, however, arguably came in the 2006 black karate comedy The Foot Fist Way, which Best wrote alongside McBride (who starred as the lead) and Jody Hill. In the movie, Best played low-rent Chuck "the Truck" Wallace, the idol of McBride’s character. While the film didn't become a hit with mainstream audiences, it also developed a cult following and is a testament to the unique comedy style of Best and his collaborators.

We here at CinemaBlend extend our condolences to the loved ones of Ben Best during this time.

The world has experienced a dire dearth of the signature comedic stylings of one Danny McBride, whose attempts to pull off back-to-back productions for horror sequels Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends were totally thwarted by pandemic delays. McBride and director David Gordon Green are currently wrapped with the former Michael Myers sequel, and as everyone waits for Ends to start filming and potentially conclude the franchise, the two filmmakers have landed a follow-up project that's (s)not what I expected, but I'm majorly excited about all the same: a Garbage Pail Kids TV series!

That's right, one of the rudest, crudest and lewdest form of collectibles will soon become a streaming TV series, because pop culture demands such things. Danny McBride and David Gordon Green are teaming up once again as co-creators and co-writers on a Garbage Pail Kids animated TV series for HBO Max, according to THR. Aiding them in this trash-covered journey will be Josh Bycel of Hulu's Solar Opposites fame. But guess what? This won't be the normal R-rated fare that McBride is known for.

The Garbage Pail Kids series will skew younger than the Halloween films for sure, with HBO Max aiming to make the animated project something that can be watched by family members of all ages. The idea was inspired by the childhood love that both Danny McBride and David Gordon Green had for Garbage Pail Kids as well as Saturday morning cartoons in general. So that's likely the kind of vibe we can expect from it. Except, you know, probably with as much raunchy, ribald and gross-out humor that the creative team can get away with under the "family-friendly" umbrella.

For anyone who somehow didn't grow up adoring these hellacious Cabbage Patch Kids parodies, the Garbage Pail Kids started off as a line of Topps trading cards in 1985, with each card featuring one of the titular kids, whose name was a word-play reflection of whatever his or her malady, mutation, disposition or abnormality was on display. The backs of the cards usually either had fun details or were meant to serve as pieces of a larger tableau, but the main draw for these cards (at least for me) was seeing what ridiculousness they'd come up with next, whether it be a super-clever name like Sy Clops or the inclusion of gross scratch-n-sniff inserts. Here's hoping Danny McBride figures out a way to bring Smell-o-vision to life with this new animated series.

This will be the second Garbage Pail Kids cartoon series, with the first being produced back in the trading cards' initial heyday of 1987. But even though that show featured parodies of popular U.S. fare such as David Cronenberg's The Fly and Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones, the 13-episode series never actually aired in the States due to the subject matter being deemed too controversial. It is, however, available on DVD through Paramount Home Entertainment.

No news yet on when to expect Garbage Pail Kids to hit HBO Max, but stay tuned for more from yours truly, Nasty Nick, as well as Drippy Dan(ny) McBride and Doomed David Gordon Green.

What do Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph, Eastbound and Down’s Danny McBride, and Broad City co-creator Abbi Jacobson have in common. If you guessed that they are all some of the most unique comedic voices of our time, you wouldn’t be wrong, but it’s not what we’re going for here. The correct answer is they all headline Netflix’s The Mitchells vs. the Machines cast alongside Mike Rianda, who makes his directorial debut in the new Phil Lord and Christopher Miller-produced animated film.

In the new Netflix movie, which was produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the Mitchells set off for what appears to be a normal cross-country family road trip before they find themselves being humanity’s last hope after a rogue artificial intelligence (voiced by Olivia Colman) captures every other living soul in a tech uprising. But outside of the family at the center of the story, The Mitchells vs. the Machines features a remarkable voice cast featuring comedians, singers, basketball players, and even a pug with a bigger social media presence than most celebrities.

Abbi Jacobson - Katie Mitchell

At the center of The Mitchells vs. the Machines is Katie Mitchell, an aspiring filmmaker whose decision to go to the film school in California leads to the family taking the fateful road trip. If Jacobson’s voice sounds familiar it probably has something to do with her successful Comedy Central series Broad City, which she co-created with co-star Ilana Glazer, first as a 2010 webseries and then again on cable from 2014 to 2019. The new animated film isn’t the first time Jacobson has worked with Netflix (she voices Princess Bean on Disenchantment) nor is it her first experience with Lord Miller Productions (she’s Nya in The Lego Ninjago Movie).

Danny McBride - Rick Mitchell

Providing the voice of Mitchell family patriarch who’s prone to clash with his teenage daughter Rick Mitchell is Danny McBride. Prior to landing a role in The Mitchells vs. the Machines, McBride made a name for himself in movies like Pineapple Express, The Foot Fist Way, and Hot Rod, but to some, the multi-talented actor/writer/director/producer will always be known for one role and one role only: Kenny Powers on Eastbound & Down. Danny McBride, who co-created the popular HBO series back in 2009, has since gone on to lead some of the network’s other comedies like Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones.

Maya Rudolph - Linda Mitchell

Linda Mitchell, the loving and supportive movie that serves as the glue that keeps the family together in The Mitchells vs. the Machines is voiced by Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph. Prior to her voice work in the new Netflix movie, Rudolph brought characters to life in titles such as Shrek the Third, Big Hero 6, and the upcoming Luca. In addition to her voice acting, Rudolph has been a part of some of the biggest comedies of the modern era, including Bridesmaids, Booksmart, and the 2013 coming-of-age story The Way, Way Back.

Mike Rianda - Aaron Mitchell

Rounding out the Mitchell family portion of The Mitchells vs. the Machines’ cast is writer-director Mike Rianda who voices Aaron, the dinosaur-obsessed son of Linda and Rick. Primarily known as a writer, creative director, and occasional voice actor on the Disney Channel original animated series Gravity Falls, Rianda has also provided the voice of characters in the animated short Princess of the Magical Tears and a 2014 Gravity Falls short.

Eric Andre - Dr. Mark Bowman

Eric Andre brings to life Dr. Mark Bowman, the scientist and tech genius behind PAL Labs who inadvertently causes the machine uprising in The Mitchells vs. the Machines. While his voice may sound familiar to certain audiences following his portrayal of Azizi in the 2019 remake of The Lion King, to others Andre is remembered for his unique brand of absurdist and surrealist comedy as seen on his long-running Adult Swim series The Eric Andre Show and his 2021 prank comedy film (also on Netflix) Bad Trip.

Olivia Colman - PAL

Another member of The Mitchells vs. the Machines’ voice cast with a history at Netflix is Olivia Colman. Before lending her voice to PAL, the emotionally damaged artificial intelligence with a bone to pick with humanity, Colman won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II on The Crown, which is just one of the awards the talented actress has won over the years. Other notable awards include an Oscar for her performance in The Favourite and multiple others for her work on The Night Manager, Hyde Park on Hudson, and The Lobster.

Fred Armisen - Deborahbot 5000

Not all of the PAL robots are bad in The Mitchells vs. the Machines and that’s where Fred Armisen’s Deborahbot 5000 comes in and helps out the family in their quest the save humanity. In addition to appearing on Saturday Night Live from 2002 to 2013, Armisen has led a number of television shows over the years with the most notable being Portlandia and Documentary Now. Over the years, Armisen has also appeared in multiple movies including Easy A, The Little Hours, and Battle of the Sexes to name only a few.

Beck Bennett - Eric

Another longtime Saturday Night Live standout to appear in The Mitchells vs. the Machines is Beck Bennett, who provides the voice of the other damaged PAL robot, Eric. Prior to landing a spot on the SNL cast in 2013, Bennett had his first brush with fame after appearing in the hilarious “It’s Not Complicated” AT&T commercials where he interviewed children about a number of topics including cell phone services. On the film side of things, Bennett has shown up in dark comedies like Brigsby Bear and family-friendly animated musicals like Sing.

Conan O’Brien - Glaxxon 5000

Voicing the advanced PAL Labs robot Glaxxon 5000 in The Mitchells vs. the Machines is Conan O’Brien. In addition to hosting multiple late night talk shows including a brief and controversial run on The Tonight Show between 2009 and 2010, O’Brien has appeared in countless television shows, mostly in cameo roles as himself, though he did voice The Riddler in the Lord Miller-produced 2017 animated film The Lego Batman Movie. Before that, O’Brien served as a writer on both Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons before taking over for David Letterman on Late Night from 1993 to 2009.

Charlyne Yi - Abby Posey

Charlyne Yi provides the voice of Abby Posey in The Mitchells vs. the Machines. Prior to portraying Aaron Mitchell’s neighbor and love interest in the Netflix animated film, Yi popped up in a number of comedies over the years starting with 2007’s Knocked Up (and its sequel This Is 40) before joining the casts of The Disaster Artist and Always Be My Maybe. No stranger to animation, Yi lent her voice to characters on shows like Steven Universe and Summer Camp Island.

Chrissy Teigen - Hailey Posey

Chrissy Teigen voices Hailey Posey, the Mitchells’ fearless neighbor who appears to be perfect in every possible way. Over the years, Teigan has become one of the most popular and influential celebrities with appearances on a string of successful television shows starting with the first season of Deal or No Deal back in 2007. She’s gone on to host shows like FABLife and Lip Sync Battle.

John Legend - Jim Posey

Playing Hailey Posey’s husband, Jim, in The Mitchells vs. the Machines is Chrissy Teigen’s real-life husband John Legend. An EGOT winner, Legend has appeared in countless movies and television shows over the years, giving outstanding performances in titles like La La Land and Ask the StoryBots.

Blake Griffin - PAL MAX Prime

Blake Griffin, the 2011 NBA Rookie of the Year and six-time NBA All-Star provides the voice of the ultra-sleek PAL MAX Prime robot in The Mitchells vs. the Machines. It doesn’t get brought up all that often but Griffin’s acting career goes back farther than his days in the NBA, having appeared in two episodes of the ABC Family drama series Greek back in 2008. Throughout his professional career, Griffin has jumped over to the acting world on several occasions, showing up on episodes of 90210, The Book Club, and a few shows, as well as Whitney Cummings’ 2017 comedy The Female Brain.

Doug The Pug - Monchi

And then there is Monchi, the Mitchell family dog in The Mitchells vs. the Machines, who is “voiced” by the internet sensation that is Doug the Pug. Although this is social media pup’s first movie role, he’s been a hit for a few years now, providing parodies of shows like Stranger Things, Toy Story, and even Spider-Man. According to People.com, Doug the Pug provides every snore, bark, and other bodily noise for his on-screen counterpart in the new Netflix animated film.

This may seem like a large cast, but this isn’t every actor who appears in The Mitchells vs. the Machines. In addition to all of the aforementioned names, Sasheer Zamata, Elle Mills, Alex Hirsch, Griffin McElroy, and Jay Pharoah also appear in what looks to be one of the best 2021 Netflix movies thus far. And in the event you want to know what’s coming to theaters later this year, check out CinemaBlend’s list of 2021 movie premiere dates while you’re at it.

After the Harry Potter films wrapped, much of the cast we’re looking for ways to expand their horizons on film with projects much different from J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. And following her decade run as the booksmart witch Hermoine Granger, Emma Watson jumped to more mature roles in films like Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Bling Ring and This Is The End. But while working on the R-rated Seth Rogen comedy, the British actress reportedly quit the film early after refusing to be part of one raunchy sequence, and Rogen recently recalled the situation.

Since 2012, rumors have swirled regarding Emma Watson storming off the This Is The End set due to a scene that involved Channing Tatum wearing a leather thong and playing a gimp to Danny McBride. Seth Rogen has now confirmed the incident but assured there is no ill will between him and the Harry Potter star. In Rogen’s words:

According to the rumors, Emma Watson was well aware what she would be in for on the day she left the This Is The End set early. The actress was 22 at the time when she apparently had a “freak out moment” after Channing Tatum did some breakdancing in the scene. She was also uncomfortable with stars reportedly drinking and smoking weed during filming.

During his recent interview with GQ Magazine, Rogen approached the rumor with empathy for Watson, who apparently returned to set the next day to say her goodbyes. The Harry Potter actress also helped promote the film and made it to the premiere of This Is The End with the entire cast. Rogen continued with:

And to be fair, the This Is The End scene was very raunchy. Chances were Emma Watson had not been in a situation quite like that on a set prior to that point. She may have been overwhelmed with being there on the day or had other personal reasons for leaving. One should also keep in mind that Watson was playing herself in the movie, so that may have made it more difficult for her to disappear into the world of a movie where all of its actors are playing exaggerated versions of themselves. You can check out the NSFW gimp sequence below:

Emma Watson has not signed on a new film since starring as Meg March in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women back in 2019. She is reportedly focusing on her relationship with boyfriend Leo Robinton at the moment. Some reports surfaced that she was quitting acting early this year, but her agent has since assured fans that her career is very much alive and kicking.

Horror as a whole has been in a renaissance for years, with plenty of exciting projects hitting theaters and even getting award attention in the process. But the genre is all about franchises, and there are few quite as iconic as Halloween. David Gordon Green and Danny McBride brought the slasher back to theaters with their 2018 sequel, which broke records and inspired Blumhouse to green light two more sequels starting with Halloween Kills. And now we know a bit more about its setting and overall plot.

2018's Halloween ignored the franchise's myriad sequels, and directly followed up on John Carpenter's original 1978 classic. We saw a Laurie Strode who was still struggling with trauma 40 years after being attacked by Michael Myers, and how that affected her relationship with her daughter Karen and granddaughter Allyson. Danny McBride is writing the trilogy alongside director David Gorgon Green, and recently provided details on its story, saying:

Well, this is exciting. Halloween Kills' cast list showed how many returning characters are popping up in the highly anticipated sequel next summer. It turns out this is because Haddonfield is gearing up to fight against The Shape themselves, and smart money says they won't all make it out alive. It's going to be a long year of waiting for the movie to arrive in theaters.

Danny McBride's comments to Empire are definitely exciting for the generations of fans eager for information regarding Halloween Kills' contents. The theatrical cut is nearly complete and ready to hit theaters, but the movie was recently pushed back a full year amid global health concerns. While this news is disappointing, the first footage and details about Halloween Kills are being released to help satiate the moviegoers.

The first footage of Halloween Kills was recently dropped, which confirmed Danny McBride's comments about the movie picking up exactly where the last one left off. Check out the first clip below, which shows Laurie Strode with Karen and Allyson, and seemingly gives a reason for Michael's survival after being trapped inside Laurie's burning home.

Halloween Kills will feature a ton of returning characters, who will help Laurie and her family battle The Shape. Actors Nancy Stephens, Charles Cyphers, and Kyle Richards are all reprising their roles from John Carpenter's original Halloween. What's more, Anthony Michael Hall and Robert Longstreet will play adult versions of Tommy Doyle and Lonnie Elam respectively. The survivors from Michael Myers' original rampage through Haddonfield are standing up against him, and I can't wait.

Overall, it sounds like Halloween Kills is going to be like a horror version of Avengers: Infinity War, where the various characters attempt to take down and extremely powerful foe. And since John Carpenter recently hyped up the movie's body count, there's no telling how many of them will be killed by The Shape when the highly anticipated sequel finally arrives in theaters.

Halloween Kills is currently expected to hit theaters on October 15th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

There is a recent trend of music movies and particularly biopics about famous musicians and it seems like every other week we hear about a new film that will tackle the life of some famous artist. At the current rate, eventually everyone who’s ever topped the charts will get their own movie, including Yeezy himself, Kanye West. But who could possibly play him? Well, Kanye West apparently asked Danny McBride to play him in a movie, as the actor recalled:

Kanye West is a rapper, a songwriter, a record producer, an entrepreneur and a fashion designer and now we may be able to add casting director to his list of skills and occupations because he hit on a positively inspired choice of who could play him in a movie. Yes, apparently Kanye West once actually called actor Danny McBride, asking him to play him in a movie about the acclaimed musician’s life.

If that sounds rather strange and out of left field to you, like a skit on Saturday Night Live, you’re not alone. As Danny McBride told The Guardian, he was stunned to receive such a phone call from Kanye West for all the obvious reasons. It sounds like it was a truly surreal experience and Danny McBride still doesn’t seem to know for sure why Kanye wanted him to play him, but he has some ideas.

Danny McBride guessed that perhaps it is his ability to portray a certain sense of ego that Kanye West picked up on and felt was necessary for a film about his life. If so, that’s a pretty keen observation from Kanye. There is a Greek aphorism that says “know thyself” and while an abundance self-awareness is not the first thing most people would ascribe to Kanye West, he might have a better read on his ego than it appears.

Danny McBride has had a successful career frequently playing arrogant, egotistical characters with a level of often misplaced, self-confidence that borders on narcissism. Kenny Powers on Eastbound & Down and Neal Gamby on Vice Principals are great examples of this. Danny McBride could pull of the personality. The parallels don’t stop there either.

Kanye West has recently been holding his own church services and Danny McBride’s most recent role was on HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones, where he plays a member of a world-famous televangelist family.

Danny McBride may not have Kanye’s musical talent and he’s obviously not an African American, which is part of Kanye’s life experience, but I don’t know if it would count as whitewashing if the subject of the film picked the actor who would play him. For whatever reason, Kanye West obviously saw something in Danny McBride that made him reach out to the actor about playing him and I’ve got to say, I want to see it.

If Kanye West was making a biopic about himself, I wouldn’t expect a straightforward stuffy affair and casting Danny McBride would obviously make for a more fantastical film. Maybe it would be something like I’m Not There where different actors, male and female, played Bob Dylan. So will this actually happen?

For the moment it doesn’t seem like it, but Danny McBride did reveal that Kanye West actually traveled to meet him to discuss it. Danny McBride said:

Consider my ticket bought.

Check out our 2020 Release Schedule to see what’s headed to theaters this year and for the latest in weird movie news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

In its 14 seasons, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has had a wide range of guest stars like Mindy Kaling, Josh Groban, Sinbad and Matchbox 20's Rob Thomas. In the early days, the FX comedy's guest stars were mainly lesser-known comedians and actors, basically people who were friends of It’s Always Sunny's co-creators and stars Kaitlin Olson, Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, and Danny DeVito. With Season 14 wrapping, the show has gained many loyal followers, making it easier for the gang to spread their wings with other projects.

When not working on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Kaitlin Olson and Glenn Howerton have had regular television gigs on major networks. Charlie Day has gained sizable movie credits over the last few years working with a-listers like Jamie Fox, Jennifer Aniston, and Sterling K. Brown, while Rob McElhenney has continued to expand his producer and acting credits. In moving beyond the world of their show, the Always Sunny team has made Hollywood connections that could lead to even more awesome guest stars on the series.

Below are 14 actors we would love to show up on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Some were chosen because of their connections to the team behind It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, while others were picked mainly because of how perfectly their acting and comedic abilities could fit within the It’s Always Sunny world.

Terry Crews

Terry Crews has over 20 years of acting experience, appearing in big-screen comedies like White Chicks, Click, Bridesmaids, and Scary Movie 5. He currently appears as the pec-popping Terry Jeffords on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

It’s easy to see that Terry Crews would be Mac’s dream guy. Look at him: he cultivates mass like no one else, especially Dennis, so why not cast Crews as Mac’s potential boyfriend? Let Mac have his dream romance, only to have it all go downhill by the end of the episode due to the gang’s interference. Terry Crews is great at playing both over-the-top characters and the "straight" man in a comedy duo, so he could go super-quirky or far too normal when meeting the codependent gang.

Danny McBride

Danny McBride is an actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He’s best known for his HBO series Eastbound and Down, Vice Principals, and The Righteous Gemstones, as well as his movie appearances in Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder, and This is the End.

Danny McBride knows how to create great television, and screwed-up characters that retain likability. He could bring his ribald comedic prowess to the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia set. McBride and Kaitlin Olson worked together in a movie called Arizona, so there is already a connection there that could bring McBride’s wacky energy to FXX. The question is, would he work on a TV show that isn't HBO at this point?

Taika Waititi

Taika Waititi is a New Zealand comedian and filmmaker responsible for acclaimed comedies like Jojo Rabbit, What We Do in the Shadows, and Eagle vs Shark. He has also directed Thor: Ragnarok and the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder.

Taika Waititi may not seem like a natural fit for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which would make his guest appearance all the more fun and hilarious. Waititi may be too busy writing and directing movies to give more than a five-minute cameo, but it would be a glorious five minutes. His potential appearance on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is also more of a possibility with Taika Waititi’s TV version of What We Do in the Shadows also appearing under the FX Networks umbrella. Network camaraderie could make this dream a reality.

Ali Wong

Ali Wong is a stand-up comedian whose star is on the rise. She has appeared in films like Always Be My Maybe, and shows like American Housewife and Big Mouth.

Ali Wong’s persona and blend of comedy would work very well in the Always Sunny universe. We can easily imagine Wong playing someone like a bank manager unwittingly forced to listen to some off-the-rails stories about why the gang is seeking a business loan. She wouldn’t just sit there as a prop to make faces, of course, but would hopefully become an increasingly more aggravated force of nature, similar to Kerri Kenney’s guest appearance as a therapist in “The Gang Gets Analyzed.”

George Lopez

George Lopez is best known for his bold stand-up comedy act, but he also has screen credits that includes the TBS show George Lopez, Reno 911!, The Smurfs, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Never the one to shy away from controversial comedy, George Lopez fits right in with the gang. He could play literally anyone on an episode and it would be the right choice, though hijinks with Danny DeVito would be amazing. In most of George Lopez’s network sitcoms, he’s had to play to more of a family-friendly audience, but on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, he could run free and not shy away from any problematic storytelling.

Emily Deschanel

Emily Deschanel is an actress best known for her role as Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan in the Fox series Bones. She made her television return this summer in Animal Kingdom.

There are a wide range of possibilities for Emily Deschanel’s guest appearance, but it would obviously be the most fun to set up some storyline where Emily Deschanel has to interact with real-life husband David Hornsby, who plays Cricket (as well as writes and co-produces). Could any normal person love a street rat like Cricket? Probably not, but we would love to see them interact on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Deschanel could also play anyone from a new McPoyle to a random civilian forced to interact with the gang.

Rob Lowe

Rob Lowe has had a long film and television career that started in the '80s. He’s most known for his appearances in The Outsiders, St Elmo’s Fire, Wayne’s World, The West Wing, and Parks and Recreation, and he'll soon star in Fox's spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star.

Nowadays, Rob Lowe has something of a squeaky clean television image, but watching him get driven completely mad makes him perfect guest-star material for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Getting Lowe on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia might be very possible, considering Mary Elizabeth Ellis (The Waitress) used to star with Lowe on the short-lived The Grinder, which also starred Fred Savage, who used to be one of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s producers and recurring directors. Having Lowe on the show would be basically a two-step process.

Amy Sedaris

Amy Sedaris is a well-known comedian, writer, and actress. She’s most known for her role on Strangers with Candy, and currently leads the truTV series At Home with Amy Sedaris.

Amy Sedaris excels at creating unusual characters. We would love to see her add her unique brand of comedy to the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia world. Additionally, Kaitlin Olson getting screentime with Sedaris could be the stuff of comedy gold. Amy Sedaris could easily become a long, lost Reynolds family member; maybe Dennis and Dee have another aunt they forgot to mention.

Wanda Sykes

Stand-up comedian Wanda Sykes is best known for her roles in Black-ish, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Evan Almighty.

Can you imagine Wanda Sykes’ poor character having to deal with the gang? Whoever she would play, I'd expect lots of frustration dealing with not only Frank, but whatever antics Dennis and Dee have in store. Sykes’ skills would possibly best be suited for someone forced to interact with the gang through the criminal justice system, perhaps as a community service coordinator who keeps having to discipline the characters for all the times they fail to do their assignment. Sykes would bring a lot of agitated fun and cleverness to an It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia appearance.

The Workaholics Trio

For years, people have compared Workaholics to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The stars and creators of Workaholics – Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine, and Anders Holm – have often expressed their admiration and love for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and they even gave a nudge to the series during Workaholics Season 7 with Anders Holm wearing a Paddy’s Pub T-shirt.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Workaholics actors have collaborated in the past, so this should be a natural transition. Additionally, it would kind of be funny if Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine, Anders Holm, and even Jillian Bell play alt-universe versions of Charlie, Mac, Dennis, and Dee. Thus bringing everything full circle to It's Always Sunny's comparison-connection to Seinfeld.

Scott MacArthur

Scott MacArthur is a mostly comedic actor best known for his appearances on The Mick, The Righteous Gemstones, and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.

Kaitlin Olson's underrated Fox comedy The Mick ended far too soon, only lasting two seasons. Besides Olson's stellar job as the lead, the show had a great supporting cast, including Scott MacArthur. It’s time that everyone gets The Mick reunion that the world deserves. Of course, we would love to see Olson and MacArthur reunite on screen, but we would also like to see how he interacts with the other cast. Scott MacArthur should fit right along in the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia world. Almost too well, even.

Kit Harington

Kit Harington is a dramatic actor, best known for his role as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, though he's shown off his comedic chops opposite Andy Samberg in HBO's comedic mockumentary special 7 Days in Hell.

The team behind It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia loves Game of Thrones, and they have used that love to develop a bond and a couple collaborations with Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B Weiss. We would love to see the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Game of Thrones crossovers continue with Kit Harington. Harington’s dramatic persona interacting with the very comedic world of It’s Always Sunny is enough to win him the Iron Throne, which is likely just one of Charlie's toilets.

The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia world has the potential for almost any comedic or dramatic actor to excel. It gives them a freedom that not too many shows afford. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 14 is currently airing, so we could easily see one or two of these guest stars in future episodes.

As it turns out, Michael Myers is extremely hard to kill. So despite Laurie Strode’s best-laid plans, the Shape will return to do battle with her once again in not one, but two sequel films to last year’s Halloween. The first of those sequels is next year’s Halloween Kills and although that film was just announced last month, it is set to start filming very soon, as co-writer Danny McBride explained:

They’re really not wasting any time are they? The sequel to last year’s Halloween will go before cameras not long after it was officially announced. In less than a month, Halloween Kills will begin filming and while it seemed like it took a while to get confirmation that Halloween was getting a sequel in the first place, once that confirmation came, things were ‘off to the races,’ just as Danny McBride said.

Clearly a lot of the pieces for Halloween Kills must have already been in place prior to the official announcement. That includes the script for the sequel, written by Danny McBride, director David Gordon Green and Scott Teems, which was obviously good to go. We've heard from director David Gordon Green that there was always a plan to do more Halloween movies, so that makes sense.

That was one of the cool things about the announcement to begin with. We heard rumors that Halloween was getting a sequel or sequels, but we didn’t know for sure and as soon as we found out, the movies already had titles, directors, writers and release dates and in a few short weeks the first one will be filming.

So if Halloween Kills begins principal photography sometime in September, the filmmakers will have about a year’s time to work on it before next Halloween. And although Universal Pictures announced both Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends at the same time, these two sequels will not be shooting back to back.

As Danny McBride told Polygon, the script for Halloween Ends, which he is writing alongside David Gordon Green, Paul Brad Logan and Chris Bernier, is almost finished and the plan is to shoot that film in that same late summer/early fall time period next year.

This is highly encouraging for horror fans and fans of the Halloween franchise because it really seems like the creatives and the companies behind these films and this property have a plan in place and know what they are doing with this franchise. Sure there could be rewrites or reshoots, but at the current moment, the way Danny McBride portrays it, things are moving along swimmingly.

The plot to Halloween Kills is still a mystery but we know that it will continue the saga of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode. The film will once again star Jamie Lee Curtis and it is possible that Charles Cypher could also reprise his role as Sheriff Leigh Brackett from the original 1978 film.

Halloween Kills slashes into theaters on October 16, 2020. If you’re interested in seeing Danny McBride onscreen, you can check out his new series The Righteous Gemstones on HBO. For movies still to come this year, keep an eye on our premiere guide.

As far as horror franchises go, there are few quite as beloved as Halloween. John Carpenter's original movie changed the film world when it arrived in 1978, making Jamie Lee Curtis a star in the process. The property has never really been far from theaters, although its been given new life thanks to the vision of director/writer David Gordon Green. 2018's Halloween was a massive success, and it was recently revealed that two more movies are coming, forming a full trilogy.

The news about Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends is sure to make fans of the franchise happy, as Laurie Strode's life and conflict with Michael Myers will be given more life on screen. But there is one concern: will Halloween Ends actually end the property forever? Danny McBride is helping to write the trilogy, and recently answered that question, saying:

Well, there you have it. Danny McBride seems to think that the Halloween franchise and Michael Meyers are iconic enough to stand the test of time. As such, they're figures that can be reinvented and interpreted by different filmmakers once the current trilogy wraps up.

Given Halloween's long tenure in theaters, there is certainly precedent for this type of attitude. While Halloween II continued Laurie Strode's night of terror, the following four movies pivoted away to other characters. And when H20 brought Jamie Lee Curtis back to her signature role, the timeline has once again altered. Furthermore, every sequel was ignored in the timeline for Blumhouse's 2018 addition. So clearly, the property is up for interpretation.

Related: There Were Always Plans For More Halloween Movies

Of course, Danny McBride does make a good point: the movies that John Carpenter is involved in tend to have something special. He was an executive producer on the new Halloween, and also scored the movie. Later in the conversation with Collider, David Gordon Green explained how Michael Myers has become a part of pop culture; a modern monster. As he tells it,

The Halloween franchise will likely continue for many years to come, although the movies might not continue with the same cast. The current trilogy will likely be Jamie Lee Curtis' final appearances as Laurie Strode, so there is some finality attached to David Gordon Green and Danny McBride's upcoming sequels. Luckily, we've got two more years of new movies coming, just in time for the titular holiday.

Halloween Kills will arrive in theaters on October 16th, 2020, and Halloween Ends will follow on October 15th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Picture having the opportunity to meet your greatest cinematic idol - in particular the director of your favorite film of all time. Now imagine that meeting being the opportunity for you to pitch said creator on a new film to continue the classic's legacy. That's exactly the scenario in which Halloween co-writer Danny McBride found himself in the making of the recent horror blockbuster, and while his concept eventually won out, he was seriously afraid of John Carpenter treating him like a young punk. McBride recently offered his account of the encounter, saying,

You could imagine the pressure on Danny McBride and Halloween co-writer/director David Gordon Green, as they were walking into a meeting with the man who created the epic horror that is Michael Myers. With a reputation for not suffering fools, John Carpenter can be intimidating to those who don't know what they're doing. Lucky for them, and the rest of the world, they knew exactly what they were doing.

As David Gordon Green explained to Vice during a paired interview with his fellow filmmaker, he and Danny McBride had a clear vision in mind when it came to the Halloween sequel they wanted to make. This was shown in their decision to ignore every single sequel in the series, as they wanted to be the only sequel to John Carpenter's 1978 original. Such a choice not only gave audiences something new and fresh to look forward to, it gave the series a new lease on life; one that Carpenter clearly appreciated, given his ultimate involvement with the project as a producer and composer. Considering his history with the franchise only extended to writing Halloween II and producing Halloween III: Season of the Witch, it's not a huge shocker that he was okay with the bulk of everything else being junked.

All it took to win over John Carpenter for Halloween's 2018 sequel was two things: a chance to indulge in his passion for music, via the film's score, and the opportunity to set the franchise's history straight. Danny McBride and David Gordon Green gave him both opportunities, and the rest is now noteworthy cinema history.

Whether any potential follow ups past this point will have that much luck remains unknown. But for now we at least have two Halloween films that John Carpenter personally approves of - both now available on home video for your personal enjoyment.

Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for Blumhouse's Halloween!

Like horror villains themselves, horror franchises never die; so even before the success of the new Halloween, it was inevitable that we would see Michael Myers again. As David Gordon Green's film enjoys box office success, thoughts and speculation turn to the all but certain sequel. One of the film's writers, Danny McBride is already brewing ideas for the sequel too. As he explained:

Danny McBride and the people behind Halloween seem to be taking their time regarding an approach to a potential sequel. They naturally had some ideas, but didn't want to commit too much time or thought to them until a sequel was actually plausible. Now, in the wake of Halloween's success, those ideas can be allowed to grow.

It was probably smart to just focus on one thing at a time, and put all their energy into their first movie-- because there was no guarantee they would get to make another one. So while there may not be a firm plan, as Danny McBride told Deadline, there are some ideas about what they could do with a sequel. And given how well their ideas turned out in this Halloween, it will be exciting to see what they have in store a sequel.

Danny McBride didn't divulge any details of what the potential sequel ideas are, so we're left on our own to speculate but there is some information to go on. Director David Gordon Green has mentioned that there were some unused ideas, and potential future plans for the character of Cameron Elam, played by Dylan Arnold in the film.

Cameron was Allyson's boyfriend in the film, who despite being not being a good boyfriend, still managed to escape Michael Myer's blade. It sounds like there are ideas for him to play a bigger role in the sequel that would presumably again feature the Strode family and Andi Matichak's Allyson.

The ending of Halloween had some ambiguity, leaving open the possibility that Michael Myers survived to slash another day. I would like to see what the franchise could do without Michael Myers, but it seems likely he will return and I'm sure Danny McBride & Co. can come up with a great story for him to do so.

Actress and franchise heroine Jamie Lee Curtis also seems on board for a sequel, if director David Gordon Green calls her up for one and he should probably start dialing. Halloween enjoyed a huge opening weekend and its now the biggest slasher movie of all time, so a sequel is probably headed for the fast track.

Halloween is now playing. Check out our release schedule to see the biggest movies still headed to theaters this year and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest updates on the future of the Halloween franchise.

In addition being a genuinely good movie, part of what is great about Blumhouse's Halloween is that John Carpenter, the man who wrote, directed and scored the original 1978 film, was a part of it. Beyond just adding an air of legitimacy to the reboot-quel by producing and returning to help score the film, he also had an influence on the story. John Carpenter advised to not revisit the ending of the original film, as screenwriter Danny McBride explained.

It sounds like at one point in the development of the film, there was a possibility that it might have begun with Dr. Loomis shooting Michael Myers out the window, and would have maybe shown a different perspective where you see him get up and escape. John Carpenter felt that was unnecessary, and the audience would be able to catch up and follow along without any need to rehash what happened at the end of his original film.

The film was originally set to begin with a prologue that contextualized the film, but production constraints made that impossible. The prologue sounds slightly different than the flashback idea, but perhaps the idea morphed over time due to John Carpenter's notes, and scheduling issues eventually resulted in the final film.

Danny McBride also told Deadline John Carpenter advised director David Gordon Green to keep the film simple and relentless. That is perhaps part of why the new Halloween feels like it fits with the original, more than some of the other sequels that didn't keep things as simple. Keeping it relentless is exactly what fans wanted from Halloween, and shows what Michael Myers is: a never ending force of chaos.

John Carpenter's score for the original Halloween is iconic, one that even those unfamiliar with the franchise have likely heard. Danny McBride has been open about the importance of having John Carpenter return to the franchise, to once again help provide the terrifying music to Michael's rampage. Just like the film itself, the new score is everything you would want it to be, echoing the original, while working for the new narrative.

This story just goes to show that, as CinemaBlend writers have maintained, original architects matter to celebrated franchises-- a lesson Hollywood should take to heart whenever continuing, rebooting or remaking such properties. That lesson has a stellar box office to back it up, too. Halloween made a killing at theaters during its opening weekend, earning a franchise best that has all but guaranteed a sequel won't be too far away.

Halloween is now playing. Check out our release schedule for all the biggest movies still to come this year.

With the summer months in the rear view, the time has come to look forward to fall movies. This includes projects specifically for the season, like Blumhouse's upcoming Halloween. The canon-defying sequel will see the return of OG scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, who is returning to play a hardened and battle ready Laurie Strode. Although John Carpenter returned to write the new movie's music, Halloween is being handled by a new team of superfans, including David Gordon Green and Danny McBride. The latter is serving as a writer, joining his favorite franchise of all time. But despite loving the original Halloween so much, he was too freaked to come face to face with villain Michael Myers. As he tells it,

Smart man. Michael Myers has a habit of isolating and murdering his victims, so Danny McBride knew better than to get alone with The Shape. If only Laurie Strode's friends had the same idea back in the original movie.

Danny McBride's comments to EW continues to highlight what a superfan the Vice Principals actor is to the Halloween franchise. In many ways, John Carpenter's 1978 movie helped to shape the slasher genre, and inspired countless horror movies in the decades since. Halloween's music, characters, and cinematography have all remained iconic, including the horrifying ways in which Michael Myers stalks his victims.

As Halloween was filming, Danny McBride and the rest of the team continued highlighting how much they were trying to emulate the original. The franchise's complicated canon was quickly scrapped, making Blumhouse's new movie a direct sequel to John Carpenter's classic. The upcoming movie will reportedly rely heavily on tension, rather than gore. The first footage certainly proves this, portraying Michael Myers as an agent of chaos, who both kills and spares residents of Haddonfield at random. But there's one victim he's got his damaged eye on: Laurie Strode.

The anticipation for Halloween has only grown since the project was first announced, and the early reception for the movie has been very high. All will be revealed when Blumhouse's Halloween will arrive in theaters on October 19, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Forty years after the events of the original Halloween, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) finally is able to confront her demon -- singular -- as David Gordon Green resurrects "The Shape" known as Michael Myers for a vicious, relentless and satisfying continuation of the battle between the unexplainable threat, and the survivor who keeps standing in his way.

As has been written about since production began, Halloween -- which just held its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival -- is positioning itself as a direct sequel to the original film, ignoring any continuity established by the Halloween sequels that followed in steady progression. (Yes, that means that Michael no longer is related to Laurie, a story beat that bothered several fans.) And director David Gordon Green proves to be a close study of original director John Carpenter, conjuring gory and unexpected kills and ratcheting up the tension as Michael Myers returns to his lethal ways on Halloween night.

This time, Laurie is prepared. She's practically John Rambo, having turned her forest hideaway into a training ground. The initial attack by Michael Myers has turned this once-meek schoolgirl into a prepared warrior, though her paranoia has cost her a normal life with a family. Twice-divorced, Laurie stays close with her granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak), but has a strained relationship with her own daughter Karen (Judy Greer), due to the fact that Laurie always thought the Boogeyman was destined to come and get them.

Well, he is. Provoked by two podcast hosts investigating Michael Myers for a Serial-esque series, Michael breaks free from a hospital transport bus -- who in their right minds thought it wise to try and transport Myers ANYWHERE the night before Halloween? You had him in custody for 40 years. It couldn't wait one more week? Anyway, he's on the loose, and shedding innocent blood left and right.

The new Halloween is mean and nasty, and takes no prisoners with regards to its kills. David Gordon Green and co-writer Danny McBride surpass the body count of Carpenter's original before Michael even reaches Haddonfield, and the kills are disturbingly brutal, involving hammers, head butts, long kitchen knives, boots, and much more.

If we're being totally honest, the best character in the new Halloween is a young boy named Julian (Jibrail Nantambu). He's being babysat by one of Allyson's friends, and he's the only character in the movie who seems to understand that he's in a horror film. He yells at characters who do dumb shit (and a lot of people do dumb shit in this movie). He predicts, accurately, who will die, and he knows where to look to spot the monsters that lurk. The movie is better whenever Julian is on the screen.

For the rest of the time, Halloween presents an updated Halloween, one that enhances the model established by Carpenter that doesn't look to reinvent any wheel, but instead to just do what it's supposed to do very well. Jamie Lee Curtis transforms Laurie into a credible badass, honed by her PTSD into a vigilante on a mission. Judy Greer gets a scene-stealing moment. And Green slips in some outstanding nods and visual cues to the original that had our Midnight audience howling with glee. If this is closure for the Halloween series, it goes out on a bloody bang.

With remakes and reboots of franchises certainly not going anywhere anytime soon, neither are the potential haters. Trolls can be as terrifying as jump scares for filmmakers involved in reboots, especially when they're accused of "ruining childhoods" through attacks on social media. The soon-to-be-released new Halloween could the latest victim to the internet's fury, if the sequel doesn't deliver to hardcore fans' liking. As the release nears, Halloween writer Danny McBride feels some of the pressure from nostalgic fans that will undoubtedly see the film, and spread a good or rotten word about it. In his words:

In his recent conversation with Indiewire, Danny McBride perfectly explains the polarity of opinions that often come along with adapting already adored franchises. Despite his lengthy career on TV and as a writer, McBride is still likely best known for his appearances on Seth Rogan-led films such as Pineapple Express and This is the End. So this transition into building upon a horror classic with fellow comedy writers David Gordon Green and Jeff Fradley is a bold move. But if the magnificently horrifying trailer is any indication, the filmmakers have completely embraced paying tribute to John Carpenter's 1978 movie, with some deep-cut references already spotted by fans. The new Halloween is a direct sequel to the first movie, ignoring all other entries into the franchise and marks the return of Jamie Lee Curtis as scream queen Laurie Strode.

Unfortunately, filmmakers and stars are often met with backlash on social media when fans are unhappy with the end-product of their projects. After the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in December 2017, the movie received quite a bit of hate on social media with director Rian Johnson and actress Kelly Marie Tran getting the bulk of it. So much negativity was directed on Tran that she decided to leave social media altogether. 2016's Ghostbusters reboot starring funny-women Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon also was disgraced by some male fans, who discerned that replacing the characters with women was "ruining their childhood." That particular comment plagued the project, with McCarthy and her other costars stricking down these comments as sexist.

Whether or not you thought these releases were childhood ruining, Halloween looks to be a franchise addition that is going to deliver some amazing fan service to those who grew up loving the original. The new sequel will pick up right where the original left off, closely using it as an inspiration. The comment section is often rid with hate anyways, so the hurtful words of few likely doesn't reflect the public as a whole. Halloween comes to theaters on October 19, 2018.

HBO is bringing Danny McBride back on board for a brand new project, and he's not the only comedy veteran who has signed on. The Vice Principals actor will team up with John Goodman for a pilot that will see them taking on the world of televangelism. Yes, really. Here's what you need to know about the prospective new show.

The project is called The Righteous Gemstones, which is bizarre enough that it has to be fabulous. If ordered to series, the show will tell the story of a televangelist family famous all over the world, but it's not a family that lives a wholesome life. Although the family does have a history of charitable work in the name of Jesus Chris, there's also a history of greed and deviancy that will undoubtedly provide a lot of laughs given the people who will bring the story to life.

Danny McBride created the project and will write the script, direct the pilot, and star, according to THR. Considering his comedic background, it's safe to say that he'll deliver something hilarious with the Righteous Gemstones pilot. He'll play a guy by the name of Jesse Gemstone, which is a giveaway that the "Gemstones" of the title aren't jewels or minerals. Jesse is the oldest son of the Gemstone family and the one who will take over after his father... if he can escape his father's shadow.

Despite living under his formidable father, Jesse wants to forge his own way, and in doing so, requires loyalty from the people around him. He prefers to be surrounded by followers and doesn't take crap from any of them. A man in touch with modern folks in the church, he adapts his father's messages to a larger audience.

It will obviously take an expert actor to work opposite Danny McBride in the Gemstone family; fortunately, John Goodman should be more than capable of doing the job. Goodman will star as Eli Gemstone, a.k.a. the head of the family and televangelist leader. Almost always unwilling to compromise, he is a force to be reckoned with in the televangelist game. He has a reputation all over the world thanks to his weekly TV show, and he holds nothing back when leading the charge for salvation. He's losing a bit of his touch by the time The Righteous Gemstones picks up, but he is still to be obeyed without argument from anyone.

Given that John Goodman is currently attached to The Conners on ABC, it should be interesting to see how he balances work on the two shows if The Righteous Gemstones scores a series order. The HBO show would presumably run for fewer episodes per season than most network shows, and The Conners will be an ensemble series comprised of the cast of Roseanne aside from Roseanne Barr herself, so it could be as simple as budgeting his time to work as a regular on both. Maybe The Righteous Gemstones could finally get him that Emmy!

We'll have to wait and see. The Righteous Gemstones has only just been ordered to pilot, so there's no saying at this point if it will become a show. That said, Danny McBride is a proven force to be reckoned with on HBO, and I'd be surprised if the premium cable network didn't give him a shot with a full season. For what you can watch while we wait for news of The Righteous Gemstones, be sure to check out our summer TV schedule.

Blumhouse has been teasing fans about the first official trailer for David Gordon Green's Halloween for quite some time, and it did not disappoint. The Stronger director seems to have a very clear understanding of the franchise's tone and themes, and the preview has all of us on edge for the latest terrifying rampage of Michael Myers.

Of course, while the Halloween trailer has our blood pumping, and has officially made the wait for October 19 even more excruciating, it's also a clear love letter to John Carpenter's original Halloween as well. With that in mind, we have put together a list of deep cut references to the original that show up in this trailer -- which we can only assume means there will be plenty more in the actual film. On that note, let's get started with a clear nod to the late Annie Brackett.

Annie's Autopsy

The folks over at Blumhouse clearly did their homework when it came time to call back to the original Halloween and pick out details to include in this new film. One of the first elements that makes its way into the Halloween reboot trailer is the autopsy for Annie Bracket (portrayed by Nancy Loomis in the first film). Though it's not obviously Annie at first glance, the sketch of the dead girl notes marks on her neck where she was choked, as well as a slash wound where Michael finished her off when he ambushed her from the back of her car on the way to pick up her boyfriend, Paul.

Dr. Sam Loomis

In another clear bit of homage to the original Halloween, this trailer offers up a courtroom sketch showing us Dr. Sam Loomis (the late, great Donald Pleasance) testifying in court about how he shot Michael Myers six times ("I SHOT HIM IN THE HEART!") while saving Laurie Strode in the Doyle house. However, the trailer also goes one step further than that. Not only does this preview for David Gordon Green's Halloween include a shot of Sam Loomis as a means of honoring the hero of the first movie, but it also includes the same gunshot sound effects that ring out when Loomis fires at Michael in the first film.

Barking Dogs

What do Michael Myers and The Terminator have in common? Well, aside from the fact that they are both largely silent killing machines, it seems that dogs really do not like either of them. In one awesome shot in the Halloween trailer, we see the documentary crew approach Michael in the sanitarium yard, and one of the guard dogs becomes wary of the captive killer as soon as the aging and cracked mask is unveiled to him. Not only does this create a seriously tense moment, but it also suggests the idea that the evil inside of Michael returns the moment that he sets his eyes on the mask.

Laurie And Michael Aren't Siblings

One of the most polarizing narrative elements to ever appear in the Halloween franchise was the idea that Michael Myers and Laurie were siblings, and that his need to murder her stemmed from an ancient Celtic ritual. That idea wasn't present in the original Halloween (it developed in Halloween II), but it defined many of the lesser sequels over the years. Now, with a blank slate ignoring all of the Halloween films except for the original, the folks at Blumhouse have opted to do away with the sibling storyline and use a specific moment in the trailer to tell the audience that Michael is just a murderer, and Laurie is just a random victim.

Laurie's Scar

From the moment Jamie Lee Curtis appears onscreen as Laurie Strode in the Halloween trailer, it's clear that the former babysitter still has many scars from her night against The Shape back in 1978. These scars are mental and psychological, but they are also physical, as well. In fact, the clearest example of this comes when we get a look at Laurie's bare arm, and see a long scar running down her triceps. As fans of the first Halloween will note, this is from the moment after she found her dead friends in the Wallace house, and Michael stabbed her -- which, in turn, sent her flying over the railing to hit the stairs one floor down.

Escaped Inmates On The Road

Remember the scene from the original Halloween in which Michael Myers escapes from Smith's Grove Sanitarium and steals Dr. Sam Loomis' car? There's a very similar sequence in this movie in which the psychopathic killer escapes from a transport bus, which leads to a scene in which some innocent bystander stumbles upon a group of mental patients wandering aimlessly on the road. The way the scenes are shot are nearly identical, with the headlights illuminating the inmates as the car pulls up to witness the scene. Now we're just left to wonder how close Michael is to that scene, or if he has already started to head towards Haddonfield at that point.

The Rest Stop Bathroom

This one is more of a reference to Halloween H20 (arguably an underrated entry in the Halloween canon) than the original film, but it's still worth noting. There's a scene in the Halloween reboot trailer in which The Shape gets his hands on his new mechanic jumpsuit, and then attacks a woman in a rest stop bathroom. We have seen various versions of this scene take place in the franchise over the years, but it most clearly resembles a very similar sequence in H20 in which Michael steals the car from a mother and her daughter in a nearly identical bathroom. That said, this version of the scene is way scarier, and things end much worse for the victim.

Michael Bumping Into Trick Or Treaters

The beauty of setting a movie like this on Halloween is that it allows Michael Myers to walk through the streets of Haddonfield, Illinois in a costume and nobody really notices. Just like in the original film, Michael wanders through the streets and bumps into kids, and the moment is punctuated by the terrifying, screeching sound effect that accompanied most of the deaths in the first film. We don't specifically know who these two kids are that Michael runs into in the movie, but the moment appears to be directly lifted from the scene when Michael bumps into Tommy Doyle's bullies in John Carpenter's film.

The Ghost Costume

One thing that sets Michael apart from many other classic movie slashers is the fact that he's basically a kid in terms of his mental capacity. He has a knack for theatricality, which included donning a ghost costume to get close to Lynda (P.J. Soles) in the original movie. Now, it looks like the ghost outfit has returned in David Gordon Green's take on Halloween, and while we're not entirely sure how the outfit will factor into the story this time (either Michael is under there, or a victim is under there), it shows some great reverence to a legendary scene from the first movie.

The Needle Wound

Laurie Strode is not the only character in this movie who will show the scars of the first film. In fact, while Michael spends most of this trailer out of view or covered by the mask, a quick shot from the preview tells us that David Gordon Green intends to honor the wounds that he sustained while attacking Laurie in 1978's Halloween. More specifically, we get a good look at the hole in the side of the neck of the mask, which was put there when Laurie stabbed Michael in the living room of the Doyle house when he tried to get her from behind the couch

John Carpenter's Original Music

The last detail that we need to note is not one specific moment from the trailer, but an idea that permeates most of this preview. Every Halloween movie featuring Michael Myers (we don't talk about Halloween III: Season of the Witch anymore) includes a version of John Carpenter's original score, but pretty much all of them have found a way to remix it using different instruments or tones. That said, Blumhouse's Halloween appears to be going in the opposite direction by bringing Carpenter back to compose music that's nearly identical to the theme that played in the original when those now-iconic credits started to roll.

It started as an independent horror hit, turned into a richly successful genre staple, and is now set to have its history rewritten yet again. You certainly can't say that the Halloween franchise is boring, with 11 movies that span from the 1978 original through to this fall's new sequel. This could be intimidating, whether you're a long time fan looking to catch up, or a newbie looking to get in on the fun with the new movie this October. If only there was a guide that could tell you what you need to know to safely wade into the world of Michael Myers...

Well, now there is! And, we're proud to present our latest Newbie Guide, which is a road-map through the history of the villain once known simply as "The Shape." Included will be a rundown of each film in the series, as well as several viewing trees you can enjoy between now and October 19th's release of the new Halloween sequel. It may be early in the year, but in the spirit of the task ahead, feel free to slip on a mask and have a couple Fun Size candies handy, as we present the world of Halloween! Let's start with a list of all the Halloween movies, in the order they were released.

Halloween

The one that started it all. For over a decade, Michael Myers has been locked in a psychiatric facility, all thanks to that time he murdered his family as a child. But on Halloween night, Michael escaped and started to terrorize the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois. In particular, he finds himself drawn to the film's protagonist, young Laurie Strode, for reasons unknown to anyone. With time running out, and the body count mounting, the only man that has any chance of stopping him is the psychiatrist that knows him best - Dr. Samuel Loomis.

Halloween II

Set later on the same night as Halloween, Halloween II sees Michael Myers still stalking Laurie Strode, who winds up in the hospital after the night's traumatic events. Soon enough, Michael is up to his old tricks again, and Dr. Loomis isn't too far behind him.

Halloween III: Season Of The Witch

The only entry in the series that doesn't deal with Michael Myers, Halloween III: Season of the Witch was supposed to start an anthology approach to the series. A doctor finds himself entangled in a conspiracy involving Halloween masks, witchcraft, and a mass sacrifice, in the week leading up to Halloween night.

Halloween IV: The Return of Michael Myers

Returning the franchise to a Michael Myers-centric mode, Halloween IV: The Return of Michael Myers finds Michael waking up from a ten year coma and pursuing a new target: his niece, Jamie Lloyd. With the return of Michael also comes the return of our hero, Dr. Loomis, as he fights to protect Michael's niece from her uncle's murderous rage.

Halloween V: The Revenge of Michael Myers

One year after Michael's previous rampage, he awakens from another coma to pursue his niece, Jamie Lloyd. Now silent, thanks to the trauma of Halloween IV, Jamie is institutionalized at a children's hospital, as her doctors hope she'll recover her ability to speak. Though she may not be able to speak, she's discovered a new ability that may come in handy.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers

The long, cursed history of Michael Myers is revealed at last, as a survivor from Halloween returns to protect an infant of particular interest to Michael: young Tommy Doyle. The origins of this infant, as well as Michael's ability to survive almost anything, are all tied into one, sinister storyline that sees the final standoff between Michael and Dr. Loomis.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

Long thought to be dead in the mythos of the Halloween series, Laurie Strode is reintroduced into the fray. After faking her death in a car accident several years ago, her life has found her the headmistress of a private school, full of fresh faces and new victims for Michael Myers to mow down. That is, if Laurie can't stop him first.

Halloween: Resurrection

The latest in internet reality television, Dangertainment, has a hell of a show lined up for its audience. Six contestants have one night to unlock the secrets of Michael Myers, in the one place that may hold all the answers: his family home. But, of course, Michael may have a couple of secrets that those contestants would die to know. The trouble is, they just might.

Halloween (2007)

A total reboot of the series, Rob Zombie's Halloween remake shows us something we've never seen before: the origins of Michael Myers' psychosis, the course of treatment he underwent with Dr. Samuel Loomis, and his eventual escape from captivity. All of which lead up to that legendary night: the night he came home to hunt Laurie Strode.

Halloween II (2009)

A year after the night he came home (again), Halloween II sees Laurie haunted by the events of Halloween. Over time, she and Michael Myers start to develop hallucinations involving Michael's departed mother, and his younger self. What they mean is not clear, but as the night goes on, Laurie, Dr. Loomis, and Michael will have one last killer showdown.

Halloween (2018)

Ignoring all sequels in the canon, Laurie Strode has moved on from the night he came home, as Michael Myers has been in custody since 1978. With a family of her own, and four decades between her and those events, Laurie is doing pretty ok. But Michael is about to return, forcing his would-be prey into one final confrontation to end things once and for all.

The Michael Myers Run

Written in 10 days and budgeted at $300,000, Halloween was the film that launched Michael Myers into the public consciousness. The film would go on to make tons of money, and launch a franchise that would keep running through decades of scares at the hands of every babysitter's worst nightmare. While it's an inconsistent narrative, there is a thread that can be followed through 20 plus years of the original Michael Myers run, which is made up of the following films:

From a storytelling perspective, the Michael Myers run is definitely a bit of a mixed bag. With the various parties that had maintained the series through its original run, there have been different focuses to Michael's hunt for blood. In particular, his shift between fixating on initial target Laurie Strode, to his niece Jamie Lloyd, and then back to Laurie is a bit of a hopscotch game. But if you're looking to take away the sum total of Michael Myers' original killing spree, these seven films are the whole ball of wax. Please note that the third numbered installment of the series is missing, due to it being an infamous attempt to switch to an anthology format. Now, if you're looking for a little more focus in your Halloween viewing run, we've also broken things out into two different runs showcasing each of Michael's targets, starting with Laurie.

The Laurie Strode Run

Playing the role of Laurie Strode was one of the best boosts Jamie Lee Curtis's early career as a scream queen could have ever gotten. Her character was the focus of the first two films, but only returned when Halloween H20: 20 Years Later saw fit to revisit her character later down the line. This led to her infamous final entry, Halloween: Resurrection, which gave a total closure to the character's part in the Halloween universe, and for the time seemed to close the series out. The films in that run are as follows:

If you're looking for the most sensible run in terms of our protagonist having a well woven story, Laurie Strode's run is the best option. While there's a big gap between Halloween II and Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, the latter film does adhere to the continuity set up in Halloween 4: The Revenge of Michael Myers. However, the fourth through sixth films aren't required in order to tell Laurie's story, as the only mention of her is in the fourth film, which states she died in a car crash. That in itself is explained away in Halloween H20, so with these four films you get Laurie's entire arc. Though, without deep spoilers, we'll just say that only part of Halloween: Resurrection deals with Laurie's resolution, so if you're only here for Jamie Lee Curtis, you'll know when to turn the film off.

The Jamie Lloyd Run

With the Halloween series returning to the Michael Myers story, and producers John Carpenter and Debra Hill cashing out of the franchise, the series was about to make its second major change in focusing on protagonist Jamie Lloyd. Of course, this choice was also precipitated by Jamie Lee Curtis rejecting the opportunity to return, as her career had hit its stride by that point. Making her feature film debut in the role of Jamie was Danielle Harris, who would strangely enough return to the franchise in Rob Zombie's remake duology. The Jamie Lloyd films are as follows:

If consistency is what you're looking for, the Jamie Lloyd films are not going to be of much help. This comes from a massive cliffhanger in Halloween 4 going completely ignored in Halloween 5. And, much like Laurie Strode before her, Jamie Lloyd has a bit of a truncated finale in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, despite her character being a crucial part of the film's themes. Still, these three films do offer a beginning, middle, and end to Jamie's conflict with her murderous uncle.

The Oddball Run

While the history of Halloween may be fractured, it's mostly a stable line of films. The exceptions are few, but they are certainly powerful outliers in the series, with one entry standing out in particular. If it wasn't for Halloween III: Season of the Witch failing, we'd never have gotten the return of Michael Myers, as John Carpenter and Debra Hill wanted to take their franchise into a direction that would allow an anthology approach to take center stage. Though that's not the only film on this oddball run, as the whole line-up is composed of the following:

With Halloween III: Season of the Witch, the supernatural is the focus, with the story focusing on ancient Irish witchcraft as the source of the film's evil. Part detective story and part horror thriller, the film was maligned as a disappointment back in the day, but has become a dark horse favorite through critical re-evaluation. However, if you want more Michael Myers, and have blown through the original compliment of films previously, you can take comfort knowing that Rob Zombie has made two films that expand upon and twist the Myers lore into something darker, yet familiar. All three of these films are unconventional looks into the Halloween series, but make a great supplement to your viewing.

How The New Halloween Handles The Previous Movies

All of this knowledge has been building to the ultimate question: which movies in the Halloween series do you absolutely have to see before David Gordon Green and Danny McBride's Halloween (2018)? The answer is quite simple: all you need to see is Halloween (1978) and you're set. According to all of the interviews and materials that have covered the new film, Michael Myers was apparently captured after the events of the first film, and has been dormant ever since.

Another interesting aspect the film will bring to the Halloween mythos is something that the CinemaCon footage had hinted at in late April 2018: the reason why Michael Myers was after Laurie Strode in the first place will be changed. So, everything short of Michael's origin story in Halloween is wiped off the slate, and if you're looking to just get prepared for this year's new soft reboot, then the original film is your only required reading.

However, if you've got the time, we would recommend still dipping your feet in the Halloween canon of the past, simply because it's an interesting historical record of what happens when a franchise changes hands, as well as storylines, while still trying to maintain a singular continuity. Not to mention, having the Oddball Run in tow would show just what happens when new voices join in, in order to tell a different but familiar story for a new audience.

No matter how you prepare, we hope that you enjoy your Halloween journey, as the latest film's October 19th release date will be here before you know it. So, don't be afraid to get to know Michael, Laurie, and the rest of the folks in the series, as their stories have been indirectly leading up to this.

Warning: this article contains spoilers for the original Halloween and plot details from the upcoming sequel. Don't read any further if you want to remain entirely in the dark.

The Shape will return to Haddonfield, Illinois later this year when David Gordon Green's Halloween finally premieres on October 19, and all eyes are on the Stronger director to do some phenomenal work with John Carpenter's horror universe. That said, there's one significant change that the Halloween reboot is making to the source material, and it has us concerned about where this film could take the Michael Myers world: Michael is in custody when the reboot begins. It might not seem like a big deal, but allow me to explain.

As many fans already know, the ending of the original Halloween is as mysterious as it is terrifying. Michael Myers corners Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) in the upstairs bedroom of a quiet Haddonfield home and begins to strangle her to death. Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) then appears out of nowhere (having seen the terrified children that Laurie saved running from the house) and empties his gun into Michael. The escaped psychopath falls from the upstairs window to the ground, below, and Loomis breathes a sigh of relief as he has finally killed his patient of 15 years. Check out the shot of Michael lying on the ground below.

However, the victory is relatively short-lived, as Loomis looks down once more after comforting Laurie to find that Michael has (once again) disappeared.

What follows is a montage of every location that Michael stalked throughout the run of the original Halloween as John Carpenter's now-iconic music swells and the sound of his breathing gets louder and louder. Finally, the camera rests on the Myers house, and the screen cuts to black as the movie ends with no indication of where Michael has gone. Utterly creepy, and instantly iconic.

The issue with this ending is that the new Halloween, based off of the information that we learned about it at CinemaCon, is going to slightly alter that finale by revealing that Michael was actually taken into custody shortly after Loomis shot him. From there, the reboot will see him escape on the 40th anniversary of his initial rampage to see him venture back to Haddonfield for a showdown with Laurie.

Setting this film up in such a way undoubtedly makes exposition and table setting easier for the folks at Blumhouse, but it also arguably cheapens one of the best moments from the original movie. If we're to accept the new film's take on the story as canon, then that creepy breathing led directly to Sheriff Brackett and his deputies actually finding the masked killer. There will be no more mystery over where he went or how safe Laurie and Loomis are, and (because the reboot is ignoring the sequels) we know that he won't slaughter several more people at a nearby hospital. He just went back to Smith's Grove.

Am I saying that Halloween cannot tell a great story with this framework? Absolutely not. In fact, it's still entirely possible that this change will make the John Carpenter original work even better in retrospect. Having said that, Halloween will most certainly need to earn this change to the existing narrative, because as it stands now, the idea of Michael getting away and disappearing into the night remains one of the most iconic endings in movie history.

Of course, that's our take on the matter. What's yours? Do you like that Michael Myers will be in custody at the beginning of the Halloween reboot? Do you think he should still be at large when the film opens? Let us know what you think in the poll, below, and check out David Gordon Green's Halloween when it debuts in theaters later this year on October 19.

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The following story contains spoilers for the upcoming sequel to Halloween, so stop reading now if you don't want any details.

This has become a trend, as of late. Sequels come around, and connect to the first or second installment of a popular film franchise. Only, in the process, they ignore the sequels that exist already, and just build on the story that they want to follow. This is what David Gordon Green and Danny McBride are attempting to do with John Carpenter's classic horror masterpiece, Halloween, as they introduce a new chapter that builds off of the original without acknowledging the baggage of, say, Halloween 3: Season of the Witch.

Jamie Lee Curtis took the stage at CinemaCon in Las Vegas to tease her return to the role of Laurie Stroud 40 years after she originated the part at the age of 19. She celebrated that outside of Star Wars, this was the only example of the same actor playing he same part 40 years later. Then, she transitioned over to footage, and hot damn, was it amazing.

The hook of the movie blends the new wave of true-crime documentary case solving (so popular on streaming platforms now) with the classic aesthetic of John Carpenter's original. We meet a documentary crew who is heading back to Illinois to profile Laurie and her family 40 years after the attack by Michael Myers. In the process of researching and filming their true-crime doc, they encounter Michael in the high-security hospital that has detained him since the events of the first movie. And, in the yard of the facility, they present Michael with a gift... his original mask.

From there, we catch up with Laurie, who actually admits that she has been hoping (for 40 years) that Michael would escape. Why? So she can kill him, she states, and she fires a live round into a mannequin she has stationed around her house for target practice. The footage looks worn and dusty in the best ways, dated, as if it also has been waiting 40 years to be let loose. Which is exactly what happens. A prison transport bus flips. Michael was on it. And now he's on the loose, heading for Laurie.

The footage in the Halloween presentation was visceral and scary, with a visual hue that tilted back to the look of the original. The scares were both tense and intense, with Michael threatening Laurie's granddaughter as she sat in a bathroom stall (Michael actually reaches over the top of the stall and drops a handful of human teeth to the ground before he starts hammering on the door, to be let in). There's a spectacular closest scare at the end of the footage. All in all, it looks riveting, terrifying and perfectly in line with the original film.

David Gordon Green directs this new Halloween, from a screenplay he cooked up with Danny McBride and Jeff Fradley. This looks like the ideal extension of the original story, and I can't wait for this trailer to drop so I can look it over again and again. Halloween opens in theaters on October 19.

It's an exciting time for the horror genre. Rather than stale slashers and boring franchises, the genre has been challenging things by crafting new and exciting stories and making plenty of money in the process.. Many of the best modern horror movies have come to us from Blumhouse Productions, including movies like Get Out, Creep, and Hush. Now Blumhouse is turning its head to one of the most classic horror franchises ever: Halloween. A new sequel is set to arrive this coming holiday, and we've just gotten our first look at Michael Myers' mask, courtesy of its poster. Much like the killer and Laurie Strode, the mask has definitely aged.

Does anybody else have chills? It looks like the infamous Halloween mask is going to be looking quite different in the upcoming sequel. Considering everything we've heard about the new Halloween, this makes complete sense.

While Blumhouse's Halloween will be the 11th installment in the franchise, it's totally changing up the narrative and timeline. Every single sequel will be ignored, making the new Halloween a direct sequel to John Carpenter's 1978 classic. As such, writers Danny McBride and David Gordon Green have the ability to take some risks and make changes to both Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie Strode and her nemesis.

Fans of Halloween have been able to see a few glimpses of Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie Strode, with her shoulder length grey hair and general sense of hardness. But this is the first time that we've seen the face of Michael Myers since the film was announced. While Laurie has aged 40 years since surviving her attack in the first film, the villain's mask has done the same. You can see the way its folded and cracked through the decades, which adds a new sense of terror to its appearance. Laurie has no doubt been thinking about that face all these years, and it should be interesting to see what happens when they finally meet again.

Hardcore fans of the Halloween franchise might be surprised by this new mask, as it's not like anything from the original franchise. The mask changed and sometimes even emoted as new sequels were released, but it was always in good shape-- even in H20 and Resurrection.

Indeed, Michael's new mask actually bares the most resemblance to the Rob Zombie Halloween movies. Those aren't necessarily beloved by the the fandom, as Zombie made the property far more gory and nasty than ever before. As such, there is the possibility that some cinephiles will take umbrage in the appearance of the mask in this year's Halloween. Let's just hope that they ultimately reserve judgement for after it actually arrives.

Halloween will hit theaters October 19th, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The horror genre is in a bit of a renaissance at the moment. Rather than stale and predictable sequels, filmmakers have been making original and terrifying additions to the genre. Some of the best projects from recent memory came to audiences from Blumhouse Productions, including Get Out, Happy Death Day, and the Purge franchise. Now the studio is turning its head toward classic properties, with a new Halloween sequel currently in the can and arriving this October. With OG actors like Jamie Lee Curtis and Nick Castle returning, Halloween is retconning all of the sequels out of existence. But according to writer Danny McBride, the other movies will be referenced throughout the new sequel.

Well, this is exciting. While the Halloween sequels will no longer be canon for the upcoming movie, it appears that we'll get references and homages to nine sequels that followed John Carpenter's original. The question is: how?

Danny McBride's comments to Flickering Myth are sure to be exciting for the hardcore Halloween fans out there, who might be miffed that none of the sequels were going to be included in the new movie's mythology. There were some real moments of greatness in the sequels, especially H20. That sequel featured a heavily flawed and alcoholic Laurie Strode, and also introduced her son. But that's all going to be left in the past, with Laurie now having a daughter and granddaughter in the new timeline.

Of course, the Halloween franchise isn't new to changing its timeline and ignoring sequels. The fourth and fifth movies revolved around Laurie Strode's secret daughter Jamie (who was given up for adoption), but when Jamie Lee Curtis returned to the franchise in H20, Jamie was written out of existence. Meanwhile, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Meyers brought back the character of Tommy Doyle (played by Paul Rudd) from the original film, although he was never seen from or referenced again.

Fans will just have to patiently wait while the editing process begins for Halloween. With principal photography wrapped, the new sequel has never felt more near. But ultimately it will arrive in time for the Halloween, so cinephiles and horror fans will have to patiently await its release.

Halloween will arrive in theaters October 19, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The fake Crocodile Dundee movie by Tourism Australia was one of the more fun and memorable promotions in recent memory. The prospect of a sequel/reboot of a well-known property arriving seemingly out of the blue was intriguing. It also had to be exciting for the all-star cast of Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home to be a part of something that was secretive and would have people talking, knowing all along that this was really an elaborate marketing campaign. For the star of the ad, Danny McBride, who played Brian Dundee, the response to the ad took him by surprise, as he explained:

When the first trailer debuted, those in the film community suspected right away that something might be up, but I imagine the reaction was much different for the average person who doesn't follow movie news or read sites like this one. With all the reboots and nostalgia-mining taking place in Hollywood right now, it would be easy to believe that many thought this looked like a real movie, and a bad one at that. But perhaps the trailers did their job too well; with all the star power, humor and cinematic presentation, people took this as a real movie and one they'd like to see. As Danny McBride told Business Insider, not everyone thought Dundee looked terrible. In fact, a lot of folks were excited to see it and are still championing for it to become a reality.

I have never seen the original Crocodile Dundee films, but just based on the trailers for Dundee, you could see why people think this should become a real thing. Danny McBride was perfect playing his quintessentially Danny McBride character as a fish out of water who was the last person you would imagine to be the son of the legendary Mick Dundee. We get plenty of action and blockbuster films with doses of comedy thrown in these days, but adventure comedies that really lean into the funny elements are rarer. Perhaps that's part of the reason for Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle's success.

So while on the surface if someone were to pitch you a new Crocodile Dundee movie, you might think it looks stupid, but the trailers actually sold something that looks like fun. Sadly, it does not look like Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home will become a real movie, at least not now. But that doesn't mean Danny McBride isn't interested in teaming up with Chris Hemsworth. He even has an idea of what project they can work together on, saying:

Yes please! Danny McBride excels when he has another fun actor to play off of, a la Walton Goggins in Vice Principals. Chris Hemsworth has continued to prove in Thor: Ragnarok and even this tourism ad that he can do comedy just as well as he does action. So if he and Danny McBride were to pair up for an action-comedy adventure, be it a post-apocalyptic Mad Max type film, a buddy cop film or just about anything else, I'm there. If they were to actually team up for a Dundee reboot, even better. And hey, Chris Hemsworth already sounds like he's on board for it.

In the weeks leading up to this year's Super Bowl, a story started to break surrounding a Crocodile Dundee reboot starring Danny McBride as the long lost sun of Paul Hogan's 80s icon. As time went on, more and more cast members were added to the project, including Chris Hemsworth, Margot Robbie, Hugh Jackman, and even Russell Crowe . However, the project, called Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home, was soon debunked and revealed to actually be an ad for Australia Tourism. Yet, even after that revelation was made, some folks were still hoping that Dundee would turn out to be an honest-to-goodness action comedy, and there are several good reasons for why a reboot is a good idea.

Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home should totally become a real movie, if only because it's an idea that went from sounding patently ridiculous to one that was so absurd it could have worked. To the point, there's even a petition up to turn the Danny McBride vehicle into an actual motion picture. Now a big reason why Dundee looks like it could be a lot of fun to turn into a feature film is because despite the fact that it's a tourism ad, it genuinely looks like a fun parody of "lost kid of..." sequels. It also mocks the concept of big ticket tourism ads, which sometimes become product placement in big budget films themselves. Put both of those concepts together, and we could have a perfect fish-out-of-water buddy comedy starring Chris Hemsworth and Danny McBride.

Secondly, as we've also seen in the previous "trailer" for Dundee, the non-film has an all-star cast. The notable Australian talent also includes the aforementioned names plus Liam Hemsworth, Luke Bracey, Isla Fisher, and countless others, and they all look as if they're having fun contributing to the legacy of Crocodile Dundee, which last saw itself in theaters back in 2001 with Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles. Again, despite the fact that the face value concept sounds absolutely silly, everyone approaches it with such conviction that a full, fleshed-out story could turn absurdity into an ingenious comedy hit. Take a look at the fake trailer that ran before the Super Bowl, below, and try to argue otherwise:

Now as to the actual story of Dundee, I understand that would definitely take some effort putting together. There are a lot of characters introduced with the trailer, but no specific narrative involved past the fact that Brian Dundee is returning home, and Wally Jr. is helping him find his way. Still, with those two teamed together, an adventure involving helping Brian not die in the vicious Australian outback is enough of a foundation for a rip-roaring adventure comedy. With Russell Crowe playing J.P. Steele, a sort of Rupert Murdoch wannabe and Hugh Jackman portraying the standard stern Prime Minister, one could assume that Brian and Wally's adventures run afoul of the natural order. Which leaves the rest of the colorful cast to team up with our two leads to protect the Outback, and the legacy of Mick Dundee. Of course, this wouldn't be anything without the participation of the original Crocodile Dundee himself, Paul Hogan. Since he participated in the ad, it's to be assumed that it wouldn't be too hard to get Mick to come out of retirement for a little fun and games.

It's not likely that Dundee will become a real movie, at least not from where things stand right now. (Although Chris Hemsworth has mentioned he wouldn't be opposed if there was a good script.) Plus, some fans are probably happy the fun Super Bowl moment ended up being an ad. However, if Paramount still retains the rights to the film, the studio could do worse than this type of remake, considering how light the company's stable of properties is at the moment. It's just too fun of an opportunity to pass up. Not to mention, the tourism boom that followed Crocodile Dundee in the 80s could repeat itself, thus vindicating Tourism Australia for the decision to even create Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home in the first place. In short, there are lots of reasons to say yes and fewer reasons to say no.

For now, Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home resides in our dreams, and in a Super Bowl ad campaign. But if the swell of support on the internet continues, and if stars like Chris Hemsworth start getting excited in the right manner about the project, there could still be some reality in this fake project.

Last week out of the blue, it broke that a new Crocodile Dundee project was on the way starring Danny McBride as Brian Dundee, the son of the original legendary bushman, Paul Hogan's Mick Dundee. Although advertised as a movie, there was understandably some skepticism about if this was legitimate, especially considering the announcement of its existence came only months before it's supposed to hit theaters. Well for those of you who doubted its authenticity, it turns out you were right on the money, as Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home is just an elaborate advertising campaign.

Following the release of two teasers, the second of which showed Chris Hemsworth playing Brian Dundee's partner on this adventure, Brisbane Times reports that Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home is part of elaborate advertising that Tourism Australia will run during the Super Bowl next month. Tourism Australia and Screen Australia, the production company that's listed on the previews, are keeping up the facade that this is an actual movie that will be released in summer 2018, but contrary to what Paul Hogan said about Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home being used to "bring Dundee to a new generation," it appears that this project is just a way to convince people to visit the Land Down Under. It's also worth noting that Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home's director, Steve Rogers, has previously directed commercials for Nike, Old Spice and Audi, to name a few.

Arriving 17 years after Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles was released, Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home follows Brian Dundee, a loudmouthed American, heading to Australia to find his father, who's missing in the Outback. To do that he'll turn to Chris Hemsworth's Wally Jr., who is the heir to his father's outdoor tour company and knows everything there is to know about exploring Australia's terrain. This kid of story might have worked as a quasi-sequel poking fun at its predecessors, akin to the 21 Jump Street movies, instead you should expect this "tale" to be told as an elaborate tourism campaign across the most high-profile football game of the year. Perhaps after the game has aired, a full video of this Crocodile Dundee project will be made available online.

Aside from the lack of information surrounding Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home, one big tipoff that this wasn't a legitimate movie is that Danny McBride and Chris Hemsworth (who is a Tourism Australia ambassador) have packed schedules. McBride has been working on the new Halloween movie and Hemsworth only just recently wrapped shooting Avengers 4. Fitting in time to shoot an advertising campaign is one thing, but a movie just wouldn't have been possible given what's on their plates. Still, it will be interesting to see how this both compares to the previous Crocodile Dundee movies and convinces people to travel to Australia for their vacations.

The Super Bowl airs Sunday, February 3 on NBC, and for those of you wondering what actual movies are coming out this year, head over to our 2018 release schedule.

Normally when a movie is being made, the studio announces it years ahead of time. Rarely does news of a movie's existence come out only months before it's released, but that's seemingly what happened a few days ago when it was revealed that a new Crocodile Dundee story starring Danny McBride has been slated for a summer 2018 release. Quite frankly, we're still not entirely sure if this is a legitimate movie or some elaborate hoax, but either way, now we can look forward to Chris Hemsworth, a.k.a. Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, taking part in this project as Wally Jr., the son of John Meillon's Walter Reilly from the original Crocodile Dundee movies.

As we learned late last week, Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home will follow Danny McBride's Brian Dundee, the son of Mick Dundee, the main protagonist of the original Crocodile Dundee movies. When the elder Dundee goes missing in the Outback, it's up to Brian, the loudmouthed, American son no one knew Mick had, to head to Australia and find his father. To accomplish that, he'll team up with Wally Jr., who is the heir to his own father's outdoor tour company and prides himself on knowing everything there is to know about the land down under. Needless to say, though, that he'll have his hands full keeping Brian out of trouble, but you can check out the video below to see them meeting for the first time.

Yeah, we don't blame Chris Hemsworth's Wally Jr. for repeating "Really?" while looking at Brian Dundee. On surface level at least, it's hard to imagine this guy being the son of a legendary bushman. In any case, Hemsworth has previously shown off his comedic chops in Ghostbusters and a few Marvel movies (most notably Thor: Ragnarok las fall), so starring in Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home should be another great opportunity to provide some laughs, even though Wally Jr. will presumably serve as the straight man alongside Danny McBride's foolishness as Brian Dundee.

The first Crocodile Dundee movie was released in 1986, and two sequels followed in 1988 and 2001, respectively. And in case it wasn't clear, Paul Hogan will be back as Mick Dundee in Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home. Nevertheless, despite the teasers looking movie-quality and the project's website being called DundeeMovie.com, we're suspicious that this is a story that will actually be released in theaters in summer 2018. After all, Chris Hemsworth and Danny McBride have been busy with the upcoming Avengers movies and the new Halloween movie, respectively, so when would they have had time to shoot a feature-length fourth Crocodile Dundee installment? I'm intrigued by the theory going around that this is just some elaborate ad campaign that will air during the Super Bowl next month, but until that Sunday comes round, we remain in the dark about what's really going on here.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news about Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home, and in the meantime, you can find out what movies are definitely being released in theaters this year by scanning through our 2018 premiere guide.

Here's some news no one was really expecting: A new Crocodile Dundee movie is coming...or at least it looks like one is. Crocodile Dundee was a series of films that followed a legendary bushman of the Australian Outback, Mick Dundee, and his often fish out of water adventures in big cities. Now a new mysterious project has surfaced that seems to be a new Crocodile Dundee movie. It stars Danny McBride as Dundee's son Brian, and it just released a new teaser trailer. But is it legit? Check it out for yourself below.

Called Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home, the project stars Danny McBride as Brian Dundee, the son of Mick Dundee that no one knew he had. When the elder Dundee goes missing in the Outback, the only person that can possibly find him is his loudmouth American city boy son. Brian will have to channel his Aussie roots and embark on a new adventure in the land down under. Original Dundee actor Paul Hogan is set to reprise his famous character.

It certainly appears to be a legitimate movie arriving in theaters "this summer," but looks can be deceiving.

While there's always the chance that is a real project that people can actually watch in theaters one day, there are a few reasons why this writer feels confident doubting that. For one thing, we're entering Super Bowl season, which means ad campaigns are gearing up to promote their commercials that will be airing during the game. This new Dundee teaser could be an elaborate ruse to sell Outback Steakhouse or Bud Light or Doritos or whatever. Super Bowl ad campaigns have big money behind them, often attracting A-List celebrities for big budget commercials. It's entirely possible that Dundee is just another fun, if not elaborate, commercial campaign.

There's also the fact that this project has no announced director, writer, producers, or even what studio is making it; Danny McBride and Paul Hogan are the only names attached. McBride has been knee deep in developing the new Halloween movie, so unless he has has a Time-Turner, it's unlikely he was able to do that and film an entire movie in secret. To be fair, Dundee does have a website and it looks pretty official -- complete with pics from the production -- but there are some tells. The production photos are only from the trailer, for instance. Also, the title is really bad to be anything but deliberately winking.

So, will Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home turn out to be real and throw egg all over my face? Maybe. We'll probably know more by the time a certain Sunday in February rolls around, so be sure to check in with CinemaBlend and we'll update you with new information as soon as it is available.

The horror movie explosion is not slowing down, as the genre has continued to produce more and more films that kill at the box office while getting great reviews. So it only feels fitting then that Halloween, one of the most iconic films of the genre, is gearing up for a comeback. John Carpenter is onboard as an executive producer, while Danny McBride is co-writing the script with David Gordon Green. It might seem a little odd that a comedian like McBride is writing a horror film, but McBride is a longtime horror buff and recently revealed some of his all-time favorite scary movies.

Seeking to ignore all of the other films in the franchise, Halloween will be a direct sequel to the original film.One of the reasons this might work out for the best is because the original Halloween is one of Danny McBride's favorite horror movies. It better be, considering that he's writing an all-new entry in the series that will hopefully deliver what fans have been wanting.

In addition to Halloween, Danny McBride also named The Shining as one of his favorites as a kid. Another respectable choice for sure, but McBride also name-dropped a unique pick in the form of Chopping Mall. The horror, which was about robots trying to kill teenagers in a mall, wasn't successful critically or commercially, but it has gained a strong cult following over the years.

Hopefully, Danny McBride's confession of his horror tastes to the Charleston City Paper is enough to satiate any fans worried about another lackluster Halloween movie. So far, it looks like this Halloween is making all the right steps to being a worthy successor to the 1978 film. Being a direct sequel, Jamie Lee Curtis will reprise her role as Laurie Strode and this time, she'll be joined by a daughter played by Judy Greer. Like the original, Halloween will aim to build up tension and suspense, rather than just earning it's R-rating through intense gore.

With Blumhouse, the company responsible for some of the biggest horror films of the last few years, behind it, Halloween is looking more promising by the day. Halloween is currently scheduled to hit theaters on October 19, 2018.

The horror genre is a in a bit of a renaissance right now. With Blumhouse continually producing innovative and exciting movies, there has been a wealth of fantastic new franchises and one shot films, such as The Conjuring, Get Out, and Don't Breath. Next year one of the first and most iconic horror properties will arrive in theaters once more: Halloween. The upcoming sequel will feature original scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis once again playing Laurie Strode, and will reportedly ignore all of the myriad sequels that have hit theaters over the past 40 years. Comedian Danny McBride is writing the new project, and recently explained how it will take inspiration from the original 1978 film, saying:

It certainly looks like Danny McBride knows his Halloween mythos, and therefore understands how the first film became such a classic. Because rather than featuring tons of stabbings and gory death sequences, the film slowly built tension until it finally reached a fever pitch during Laurie's confrontation with Michael Meyers.

Danny McBride's comments to the Charleston City Paper are to be a relief for hardcore Halloween fans. It's been quite a long time since Michael Meyers was on the silver screen, and the last few installments weren't exactly true to the franchise. Rob Zombie directed two films retelling Laurie Strode's encounters with Michael, but it didn't build tension like McBride is describing. Instead, the film was translated into a modern setting, and Zombie directed a gory and harrowing set of films that were nothing like the rest of the franchise.

But the new Halloween movie will go back to basics, ignoring every single sequel, including John Carpenter's Halloween II. The legendary horror director will be involved in the process for the first time since Halloween II was released back in 1981. While the plot is currently a mystery, the film will follow Laurie 40 years after she survived the attack in Haddonfield. The only other cast member currently revealed besides Jamie Lee Curtis is Judy Greer, who will be playing Laurie's daughter Karen. Laurie had has two other children in previous timelines, but all of those are being ignored for Danny McBride's upcoming sequel.

The new Halloween movie will arrive in theaters October 19, 2018, just in time for the holiday. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your tirps to the movies in the New Year.

We're in a bit of a horror movie renaissance at the moment. While the early 2000s saw stale found footage and torture porn movies dominating the genre, new and innovative properties have been released over the past few years. Almost all of the most successful modern horror movies are produced over at Blumhouse, and soon the company will try its hand at one of the most classic horror properties ever: Halloween. Blumhouse is producing the upcoming Halloween sequel, bringing back OG scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis as her character Laurie Strode. But how did they manage to get Curtis to return to the franchise after over a decade? Writer Danny McBride recently revealed his process, and how writing a compelling version of Laurie was the key to getting the actress involved.

Danny McBride's comments to Yahoo prove how smart their strategy for getting Jamie Lee Curtis on board was. Because while McBride quickly got the approval of franchise creator John Carpenter, he knew it might be a harder sell for the iconic actress. So they fleshed out a new, adult version of Laurie Strode that Curtis could sink her teeth into. And it worked- Laurie Strode lives once again.

It would certainly make sense that Jamie Lee Curtis would have some trepidation to playing Laurie Strode again. While she starred in the first two Halloween movies, she was absent from the property until 1998's H20. This is Laurie's most badass appearance, as she went toe to toe with her brother Michael Meyers and seemingly decapitated him in the film's final moments. But that was all retconned with 2002's Halloween: Resurrection, and Laurie was unceremoniously killed off in the opening sequence, seemingly marking Curtis' final performance as the character.

It should be interesting to see what the new Halloween movie does with Laurie Strode. The film will ignore all of the property's sequels, including Halloween II. We'll meet a totally new Laurie who survived her attack from Michael in the first film. It's also unclear if Michael Meyers will still be her brother in the new sequel. Just about all we know is that Laurie will be in it, alongside her daughter Karen (Judy Greer).

The new Halloween sequel will arrive in time for next year's Holiday on October 19th, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.

Halloween is finally coming back to the silver screen, and that means one very exciting thing for horror fans: Michael Myers will soon return to stalk helpless babysitters and fight his estranged sister, Laurie Strode -- who will once again be portrayed by Jamie Lee Curtis. The announcement that Curtis will return to the next Halloween focused heavily on what we can expect from Laurie (same clothes, same porch, etc.), but Michael was more or less kept in the dark. With that in mind, we have gone through the history of the franchise and pulled out a few key aspects that David Gordon Green's upcoming Halloween film needs to do in order to get the iconic slasher right. Take a look at what we have to say about this film, and let us know what you want to see from the next depiction of Michael Myers in the comments below.

On that note, let's dive in and discuss how next year's Halloween should handle Mr. Myers' decidedly stunted emotional and mental maturity.

Remember That He's A Child In A Man's Body

Although Michael Myers gets older with each passing installment in the Halloween franchise, it is worth remembering that he does not mentally or emotionally evolve in any way, shape, or form. For all intents and purposes, Michael stopped maturing the moment he stabbed his sister Judith on Halloween night in 1963, and he has remained a six-year-old (at least in his head) throughout all of his subsequent rampages. This is something that was most notable in the original Halloween, and then fell off in later films in the primary Halloween timeline. Michael spent much of his first Halloween as a serial killer setting up elaborate traps, staging bodies in unique ways, and tilting his head back and forth to marvel at his work like a child with a piece of macaroni art. That spirit should be reclaimed in the reboot.

Bring Back His Heavy Breathing

Building off of the idea that Michael is a 6-year-old boy in an adult man's body, the new Halloween should return to one key storytelling device used in the first film: Michael's heavy breathing under the mask. Although the sound effect was pretty much retired after the first film to give him a mute and expressionless persona, the use of Michael's breathing remains one of the absolute creepiest sounds ever to grace a horror movie to this very day. It not only helps convey the idea that there is something animalistic lurking underneath that mask, but it arguably also gives every kill in the first movie a far more visceral feeling than anything seen in the subsequent sequels. We still don't want Michael to say a word (we got that from the Rob Zombie Halloween), but the breathing is a way to bring him back to his terrifying roots.

Ditch The Curse Of Thorn Subplot

Despite the original Halloween's incredibly straightforward premise (an insane killer chooses a girl at random and stalks her on Halloween), the sequels increasingly complicated the film's mythology with the polarizing Curse of Thorn subplot -- which (in the simplest of terms) made Michael the member of a Celtic cult bent on preventing the apocalypse. This subplot defined almost all of the non-Laurie Strode sequels (primarily Halloween 4 through Halloween 6), and it did a proper job of mucking up the franchise's previously simple concept. In 1998, Halloween: H20 (which bears many similarities to the upcoming Halloween) wisely moved on from the Curse of Thorn subplot, and that's the way it should stay. The Curse of Thorn feels like something rooted in a horror film from the cliches of the 1980s and 1990s, and it arguably has no place in the modern version of this franchise.

Keep Him Completely Emotionless

There are certainly people out there who enjoy Rob Zombie's take on Michael Myers in the rebooted Halloween franchise, but that angry, chatty version of Michael is not the type of villain that we need to see in the 2018 version of Halloween. At his core, Michael was initially envisioned as a completely blank canvas upon which we could project all of our own emotions and fears -- hence the white mask and completely expressionless demeanor. In fact, his name was only uttered once throughout the run of the first movie, and he's only known as "The Shape" in the film's final credits. That's what the series needs to get back to; Michael Myers is the human embodiment and personification of pure evil. If the Halloween franchise intends to return to its roots, then a return to the emotionless Michael is a great way to sell that idea.

Make Sure Michael Stick To The Shadows

The fact that people fear what they cannot see more than anything else has become an unwritten rule of horror, and no other entry in the Halloween franchise used that concept more effectively than John Carpenter's original. In that particular film, Michael's biggest strategic advantage against the people trying to elude him was his knack for stealth. In subsequent entries, that idea was frequently thrown out the window to have Michael methodically walking towards his victims in open light. His measured walking no longer works as an effective scare tactic, which means that it is time for Michael to return to the shadows and stalk Laurie Strode from an unseen location. After all, there are few moments in horror movie history more iconic than the slow reveal of Michael coming out of the closet after Laurie finds her murdered friends in the first film.

Don't Make Michael Invincible

Let's be honest and face a genuine fact: the "immortal serial killer" scare doesn't work on us the way it used to. The idea of someone like Michael or Jason Voorhees sustaining an inhuman amount of damage and pressing forward scared us in the 1980s and 1990s, but these days the trope has become worn out. If anything, it's almost comical. To that end, the new Halloween movie needs to bring its particular brand of horror down to Earth (a la Don't Breathe or Hush) and give us a version of Michael Myers who can be hurt -- it's just incredibly difficult to do so. Moreover, the new Halloween should also take the time to note the iconic slasher's advanced age (he will be well into his sixties during the film's story), and acknowledge that he may be slower than he was in 1978.

The next installment in the Halloween franchise will debut in theaters next fall on October 19, 2018. Before then, take a look at our list of upcoming horror films that we're absolutely dying to see and let us know what you want to see from this new take on Michael Myers in the comments section below!

One of TV's most insane comedies is finally coming back, as HBO's Vice Principals will soon be here to wrap up its glorious two-season run. While it will be hard for Season 2 to overshadow some of the madness that we watched last summer -- particularly 90% of Walton Goggins' time on-screen -- we can't wait to see what goes down. CinemaBlend spoke with star and co-creator Danny McBride earlier this year, and he shared with me why Season 2 will feel quite different from Season 1 in some ways.

That's a very cool way for Vice Principal to handle things, as far as attempting to make each season feel like it has a unique vision, despite telling the same interconnected story of two school administrators that are power-hungry to the point of sociopathy. Especially when they actually produced and filmed both seasons back-to-back, which made some things easier, such as continuity, and other things harder, such as having to spend double the time putting it together than they would have by separating the seasons.

Much like Danny McBride and Jody HIll's Eastbound & Down did before the duo moved on to their second HBO collaboration, Vice Principals Season 1 had a very cinematic feel that made the story feel like it was far bigger than what was essentially an over-the-top revenge tale. Sometimes, the scope of the show made the comedy larger than life, and other times, it made viewers question if this was even really a comedy. (At least it did for me, since things got quite dark quite often.)

So it'll be interesting to take note of what feels different when Season 2 kicks off with David Gordon Green behind the camera. (Not to mention with a different cinematographer.) While Jody Hill is known solely for comedy efforts, Green started out making super-series films like George Washington before jumping into stoner farce with Pineapple Express and then jumped back into drama for Joe and others, with his upcoming film Stronger centering on the Boston Marathon bombing. It's never easy to tell what you'll get from Green, so maybe Danny McBride and Walton Goggins' madcap antics will look even more dramatic in Season 2. That can't be good for Kimberly Herbert Gregory's Dr. Belinda Brown, unless she's the one seeking true revenge in this season.

The overall plot details for Season 2 haven't been plentiful, but we know that the major conflict this go-around will involve Danny McBride's Gamby and Walton Goggins' Russell trying to hold onto the power they'd only recently gotten a hold of. For anyone wanting a small tease on how things will end up, especially considering Season 1 ended on Gamby getting shot, Danny McBride told me this.

Which has to mean "the entire planet will go up in flames," right? Or, at the very least, the school will explode into a billion pieces, with Russell's hands on the detonator.

It's pretty rare for TV shows to use just one filmmaker over the course of an entire season, although it is more common on cable for a show like this, which was fully conceived and created by the same close-knit group of people. Danny McBride and Jody Hill have been working together ever since they made waves with 2006's The Foot Fist Way, and David Gordon Green joined the duo for a bunch of episodes of Eastbound & Down. We love that their collaborative efforts stayed strong, and we're hoping for more in the future, even though it won't come in the form of Vice Principals Season 3.

With new co-star Dale Dickey as Nash, the VP of discipline appointed when Gamby was out recovering, Vice Principals Season 2 will make its big and long-awaited premiere on HBO on Sunday, September 17, at 10:30 p.m. ET. Expect appearances from guest stars such as Scott Caan, Fisher Stevens, Maya Love and Susan Park. To see when everything else is heading to the small screen soon, check out our fall premiere schedule.

Did you know there was a sequel to the iconic coming-of-age dramedy Stand By Me? And that it was a zombie movie? Well, that's probably because you didn't see it. Danny McBride, he of Eastbound and Down and the upcoming Alien: Covenant, admitted that he filmed an unofficial Stand By Me 2 when he was a kid, experimenting with film, and described it as such:

Sounds amazing, right? No one thinks that the body of Ray Brower -- the kid who Gordy (Wil Wheaton), Chris (River Phoenix), Teddy (Corey Feldman) and Vern (Jerry O'Connell) trek out to find one afternoon -- would come back to haunt the people who saw his corpse. It sounds morbid. And possibly funny. This is Danny McBride, after all. So, how can we watch Stand By Me 2? I have bad news, as McBride told Stephen Colbert:

That's too bad. But also understandable. Danny McBride was in sixth grade, messing around with his friends. He doesn't need the equivalent of a student film bouncing around. He's too busy promoting major blockbusters like Alien: Covenant, where he plays a spacecraft pilot who goes toe-to-toe with the latest version of the dreaded Xenomorph.

Hear Danny McBride tell the true story of the making of Stand By Me 2 in this full interview with Stephen Colbert:

Stand By Me didn't need a sequel. Alien: Covenant IS a sequel. You can see it in theaters starting this Friday, May 19.

One would assume that an intense horror movie would make for an intense on-set experience. After all, buckets of guts and blood-curdling screams typically aren't anyone's version of a fun time. However, it turns out that working on a great horror film can be an incredibly fun experience, and the sense of joy that Danny McBride discovered on the set of Alien: Covenant is something that he wants to incorporate into his work on the upcoming Halloween film. I recently had the chance to talk to the comedian about how his work on Ridley Scott's sci-fi epic has prepared him for Michael Myers' next adventure, and he explained the sheer amount of fun he had while delving into the horror world, saying:

Working with a legendary director like Ridley Scott presents a unique challenge in its own right, but delving into an entirely new genre when you're known primarily for comedy was likely a relatively daunting prospect for Danny McBride. Much to his surprise, the Eastbound and Down actor quickly learned that horror movie sets are incredibly fun places to work -- especially when the blood and guts start flying. While few key narrative traits can carry over from the Alien franchise to the Halloween franchise, merely remembering to enjoy oneself is clearly an invaluable lesson that will likely make McBride's next horror endeavor considerably easier.

Everything that we currently know about Danny McBride's take on the Halloween universe (which is admittedly not much) has us incredibly excited about where the story will go from here. The Shape's new killing spree will primarily use Halloween and Halloween II (the two best installments in the franchise) as its jumping off point, and it will apparently exist within the original continuity of John Carpenter's original vision for the franchise. It looks like we can say goodbye to Rob Zombie's hulking and dour incarnation of the endlessly iconic Michael Myers after all. With the promise of a fun on-set experience, it seems that we can look forward to screams and laughter in equal measure.

Danny McBride easily stands out as one of the best elements of Alien: Covenant, so I think it's safe to say that we're excited to see what he brings to the table for Halloween. Ridley Scott's latest Alien film opens everywhere on May 19, and Halloween is currently in development.

In the beginning, Ridley Scott's Alien was a franchise that built itself on a solid foundation of characters who were fun to watch, yet easy to identify with. After all, if some space creature is going to make its business the deaths of the crew members you're watching on the screen, you're going to want to relate to them before they meet such an untimely death. To a certain extent, the franchise moved away from such moments with each passing film, at least until Prometheus brought some of that spark back to the world of Xenomorphs and man. But now, with a newly released prequel video for Alien: Covenant, we're getting a sense that this film just might be going back to that particularly charismatic well. Take a look for yourself, below.

Thanks to 20th Century Fox's YouTube channel, the prologue to Alien: Covenant, entitled "The Last Supper," has made its way to our eager eyes. While it's short, it's a perfect appetizer to the bloody, severely frightening entree that Ridley Scott's latest film in the series promises to be. There's not a lot of material that looks like it's teasing out the overall story to Alien: Covenant's plot line, but you can already start to see some personal dynamics forming. Not to mention, you get a fair amount of smart-assed Danny McBride doing his thing, helping lend this short film an air of familiarity and comfort; two things that will be in short supply to the crew of the Covenant on their latest journey.

Some details that look like they might be important are buried throughout "The Last Supper," starting with James Franco's Branson reporting that he's not feeling so well. Considering Franco's role has previously been reported as consisting of sporadic appearances throughout Alien: Covenant, as well as appearances in viral marketing material, it looks like his fever might be exacerbated by the impending cryo-sleep. Also, it should be noted that besides Michael Fassbender's Walter, the entire crew of the Covenant looks to be made up of couples. Loving, content, paired off couples, except for the android man that stands alone and can strike a person's back with increased force and no compunction. Something tells us this isn't going to be a good combination down the road.

But perhaps the biggest point of notice, besides Billy Crudup's potentially dangerous crew member who's constantly overshadowed, is the fact that it's almost completely a remake of one of Alien's most memorable scenes. With the 1979 original having its own "last supper" of sorts, the sight of a crew member choking on some food is a trigger that make one think a Chestburster is about to be born. Even Danny McBride's line about the food not being that bad is something the original film did first. For reference, the original dinner table scene can be seen below.

Perhaps this is the biggest reason why "The Last Supper" is a prologue to Alien: Covenant, rather than a flat-out clip from the film. By using those dormant connections and memories to Alien's fateful events, we're given a shorthand of sorts to help us attach ourselves to these characters. Now, when we see something attach to them, it'll probably mean something, as we've already grown to know and like these characters. Here's hoping we'll get at least one more of these prologues before we see Alien: Covenant tear apart the world of the ship's crew in the near future.

Alien: Covenant invades theaters on May 19th.

Last year, Eastbound & Down's Danny McBride and Jody Hill stuck with HBO for the comedy-until-it's-not Vice Principals, which focused on two ego-driven monsters trying to destroy their boss by any means necessary. And while most critics agreed on how insane and funny Season 1 was, some of the unflattering stereotypes used to demonize McBride and co-star Walton Goggins' lead characters attracted some negativity. CinemaBlend spoke with McBride about the recently released Season 1 Blu-ray, and when I asked if that reaction would affect how the already filmed Season 2 is handled, here's what he said:

A lovely side of humility coming from the man who is also Kenny Powers. Vice Principals already isn't a show that's going to be for everyone, given its profane and ribald nature, and free from narrative context, it's not so surprising that a TV show about two Southern white men trying to ruin the life of a black woman would make people fussy. But as Danny McBride has pointed out, he and Jody Hill knew what they were doing when they wrote Vice Principals, and everything that happens works to serve the point that Gamby and Russell are terrible people - one far more so than the other - that no one should really be rooting for; they're just the ones carrying the story. That's not the most common way to craft a TV show, so an uncommon way to put it together makes sense.

By knocking out the entirety of both Vice Principals seasons at once, Danny McBride and Jody Hill were able to go full speed ahead with all of the turbulent mayhem that Gamby and Russell invoke into the lives of everyone they know, particularly Kimberly Herbert Gregory's Dr. Belinda Brown, without having to stop and think about what people are saying about the show. That's always a good headspace to be in.

And, when I asked about how filming Vice Principals compared to how Eastbound & Down went, he again brought up the advantages and positive aspects of doing a dual-season production.

It certainly does feel like a series that was created by jumping from one landmine of comedy to the next. On the downside, Danny McBride did bemusedly tell me he had to take a little time off after filming Vice Principals, as he had a constant feeling like he needed to be stressed out about something. Hanging out with Walton Goggins' Lee Russell for that long will do that to anyone.

Vice Principals doesn't yet have a Season 2 premiere date set for HBO's permanent record, but you can relive Season 1 with the Blu-ray set that was released earlier this week, which features everything you would want from a cast and crew as hilarious as this: bonus scenes, outtakes and commentaries. And while we're waiting to hear more about Season 2, head here to see what the actor told me about his and David Gordon Green's new Halloween flick, and then skip over to our midseason premiere schedule to see what else is hitting the small screen soon.

Horror movies have experienced an insane renaissance over the course of the last few years, but the slasher subgenre has fallen oddly silent. Supernatural horror is currently reigning supreme, but whatever happened to a good, old-fashioned, knife-wielding maniac? That all seems poised to change with the upcoming Halloween film that's currently slated to hit theaters in 2018. Comedian Danny McBride is currently hard at work on the project, and it seems that the highly anticipated sequel will lean heavily into the mythology of the first two Halloween films. McBride explained:

Danny McBride recently spoke to CinemaBlend's own Nick Venable about the upcoming release of the Vice Principals Season 1 Blu-ray, and the conversation eventually turned to his involvement in the new Halloween film. So now we can confirm that we will, in fact, see a continuation of the Michael Myers story when the new Halloween debuts (unlike Halloween III: Season of the Witch) and the story won't be a Rob Zombie-esque retelling of the slasher's 1978 killing spree. It's not much to go by, but it's enough to pretty much guarantee that we will see the Halloween franchise's central villain return to his status as "The Shape" that terrified us in the first two films. McBride continued:

Of course, if Halloween II is the jumping off point for the upcoming film, then it will at the very least need to rationalize how Michael Myers could go from a charred husk to able-bodied slasher after Dr. Sam Loomis blew him up.

However, while the film is not a remake, McBride doesn't necessarily specify if certain films have been stricken from the series. The Halloween franchise has one of the most disjointed continuities in all of horror, so it remains to be seen whether or not films like Halloween: Resurrection, will receive any acknowledgment.

With that in mind, McBride's comments don't give us much information regarding when the new film may take place. The first two Halloween movies take place on Halloween night 1978, and from there (if the other sequels are disregarded) the story could go in any number of directions. On the one hand, we could see a period piece sequel that takes place shortly after that first night of carnage. On the contrary, it's entirely possible that we could see Michael Myers emerge from hiding (not unlike Halloween H20) on the 40th anniversary of his first killing spree.

We will bring you more updates related to the upcoming Halloween movie as more information becomes available. The film is set to debut in theaters on October 18, 2018.

Before you see what McBride has in store for Michael Meyers, be sure to check out the hilarious madness of HBO's Vice Principals Season 1, which you can find on Blu-ray/DVD right now, with Season 2 set to debut later this year.

2016 was a good year for horror, producing hits like The Conjuring 2 and Lights Out, and while 2017 has gotten off to a great start with the genre thanks to Rings and The Bye Bye Man, there are plenty of other scares on the way with movies like Get Out, Amityville: The Awakening and Saw: Legacy. As for what's coming in the years afterwards, horror fans can look forward to at least one big franchise finally returning. John Carpenter, director of 1978's Halloween, has announced that a reboot of his classic movie is in the works.

On his Facebook page earlier, John Carpenter announced that Halloween will be rebooted for a 2018 release, and he'll be working on it with David Gordon Green and Danny McBride. According to Carpenter, the two of them came to his office recently with Jason Blum, shared their vision of a new Halloween story and he was blown away by it. Green and McBride will write the script together, and Green will handle directing duties on his own. As for Carpenter, he will remain an executive producer and "offer my advice and feedback as needed." However, he did suggest that he might do the music as well.

David Gordon Green has directed a variety of films over his Hollywood career, including George Washington, All The Real Girls, Your Highness, Snow Angels, and Prince Avalanche. Danny McBride, who worked with Green on Pineapple Express and Eastbound & Down, among others, is primarily known for his comedic performances in projects like Tropic Thunder, Sausage Party and Vice Principals. However, he's dipping his toes into more intense material later this year with Alien: Covenant. Horror isn't exactly a genre these two have a lot of experience with, but if John Carpenter was so impressed with their Halloween idea that he okayed a reboot, it's hopefully a damn good story.

1978's Halloween introduced Michael Myers to the world, a mask-wearing, knife-wielding serial killer who murdered his family and now turns his homicidal attentions to others. That original movie spawned seven sequels (although Halloween III: Season of the Witch did not feature Michael) and a 2007 remake, which earned its own sequel in 2009. With the news about how the Friday the 13th reboot has reportedly been scrapped, it's somewhat amusing that Halloween has swooped in to take its place as the horror classic gearing up for a re-imagining, and it will be interesting to see what David Gordon Green and Danny McBride have in store to make this story unique from its predecessors.

The Halloween reboot will slash its way into theaters on October 19th, 2018. Let us know how you feel about this classic being retold once again on the big screen in the comments below.

When we learned that Danny McBride would have a major role in Alien: Covenant we thought we might be in for a significantly different Alien movie. It turns out, we're in for a significantly different Danny McBride. The actor is best known for comedy, so we fully expected that McBride's character would at least bring some gallows humor to what will surely be a dangerous and deadly affair. However, McBride says that's not the case. There's nothing funny about Alien: Covenant.

While many were surprised to hear Danny McBride's name attached to Ridley Scott's new Alien movie, it sounds like nobody was quite as surprised as McBride himself. The Eastbound and Down actor tells HitFix that when he realized that Ridley Scott wanted him for Alien: Covenant he fully expected to be the comic relief character. However, once he saw the plan for the film, everything changed.

So, while Alien: Covenant is something very different for Danny McBride, that appears to be the main reason he's excited to do it. We know that McBride will be playing the pilot of the spaceship in the film, the Covenant, from which the film gets its title. The ship is on a mission looking for habitable planets to colonize when they come across a world that seemingly has only a single inhabitant, David, the android played by Michael Fassbender in Prometheus.

The description of Alien: Covenant as a "dark horror movie" is likely music to the ears of fans of Rodley Scott's original film which kicked off the Alien franchise. While both it, and James Cameron's follow-up Aliens, are viewed as classics today, they are also very different films. If your preference is for the horror film rather than the space marine action movie, then Alien: Covenant sounds like a return to form.

There is still an additional Alien movie on the horizon as well, which sounds like it will be more of a follow-up to James Cameroin's Aliens. Sigourney Weaver is still very excited to make it happen. That project is being spearheaded by Neill Blomkamp, and while it was delayed to make room for Ridley Scott's project first, it still sounds like that one will come to us eventually.

Are you excited to see Danny McBride in a straight non-comedic role? It will certainly be a change from what we're used to, but it could also open up entirely new roles for the actor. We'll get our chance to see McBride play it straight when Alien: Covenant is released August 4, 2017.

Eastbound & Down may have wrapped its four-season run over two years ago, but that doesn't mean we've ever stopped quoting the bulletproof tiger Kenny Powers, and nor have we had a reason to. But that may change later this month when Danny McBride returns to HBO for the bawdy and morally deficient comedy Vice Principals, which he co-created with his Eastbound cohort Jody Hill. It's everything I was hoping it would be, with a large splash of total insanity mixed in for flavor.

Of all the ways I could describe Vice Principals, "complicated" is not a word that would come up. Danny McBride plays Neal Gamby, the ego-driven official for a high school that is bidding farewell to a vacating principal. There isn't a doubt in Gamby's mind that he won't get the promotion, even though it's a position also being sought out by the wily and conniving Lee Russell, played with expected aplomb by Justified vet Walton Goggins. However, both men are passed over for the gig in favor of the earnest, confident and good-natured Dr. Belinda Brown (Kimberly Hebert Gregory), and they're made to share the vice principal title. That's when the madness begins.

For Gamby and Russell will stop at nothing to achieve their misguided vengeance by making their new boss' life an absolute hell on every level. Seriously. No, seriously. The first episode, while solid in its own right, is almost like a prologue to the debauchery that follows, and you might be fooled into thinking these two main characters are just a couple of douchebag bullies who like to play pranks. By the time your head is wrapped around the second episode, though, it becomes quite apparent that Russell should be in maximum security loony bin instead of a position of power over impressionable teenagers.

Six episodes of Vice Principals were available for review, and there are so many fantastic moments within them that should stay as unspoiled as possible for ultimate comedic impact. But there is, of course, more to talk about where Vice Principals is concerned, thanks to a stellar supporting cast.

Gregory is great as Principal Brown, who earns a fine line of sympathy that adds to the sporadic (and assumedly unintentional) discomfort of watching two Southern white guys dupe and terrorize a black woman. Gamby's ex-wife (and mother of his child) Gale is played by Busy Philipps - and you really wonder just how that relationship ever worked out - and she's now remarried to the genial simpleton Ray, played by Boardwalk Empire vet Shea Whigham in a relatively rare comedic role. Gamby's lunchroom worker buddy Dayshawn is portrayed by Sheaun McKinney, who will hopefully get the same kind of breakout success that JB Smoove did after his first season of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Then there's Georgia King, who is mostly charming as Gamby's uninterested crush Ms. Snodgrass, the school's new English teacher. And, of course, we have Bill Murray temporarily hanging around as the vacating principal.

Vice Principals is the latest in a line of collaborations between Danny McBride and Jody Hill, who first found fame together with the 2006 cult comedy The Foot Fist Way, and it has all the recognizable hallmarks. McBride doesn't go two sentences without saying something extremely crass. Seemingly a quarter of the dialogue is an iteration of the word "fuck." Main characters are constantly thwarted in their goals by more qualified and less conceited characters. But one difference is we get the magnificent Walton Goggins here in a character destined for his own spinoff down the line, so that gives it the edge over everything else.

HBO doesn't always shoot for straight-up comedies, often going for mixed-genre fare like Girls and Togetherness, but Vice Principals is further proof that the network should tip its scales more on the side of over-the-top hilarity. There are very few comedies anywhere on TV right now that can compare to the tag-team majesty of Veep and Silicon Valley, and while Vice Principals isn't quite that strong (yet), it is definitely deserving of its place on the same network. Even Kenny Powers would postpone a return to the Majors to watch a couple of episodes.

Vice Principals will debut Season 1 on HBO on Sunday, July 17. Do not be truant. Do not be tardy. Do not miss what could be the best comedy of the summer.

One of the more intriguing casting announcements coming out of Ridley Scott's new Alien picture was that Eastbound & Down star Danny McBride would be on board the titular spacecraft Covenant. Now, he's told us exactly what he'll be doing there. It appears he'll have a fairly important role in Alien: Covenant, as McBride will be the ship's pilot.

Danny McBride is mostly known for playing comedic characters, usually of the overly loud variety. This made the announcement that he'd been cast in Ridley Scott's Alien Covenant seem like a very odd choice. As per usual, there were no details about the character released along with the announcement. However, in an interview with Rolling Stone, Mcbride has revealed how his character fits into the plot. He said:

The basic premise of Alien: Covenant which Danny McBride mentions here was already announced. The Covenant is a ship looking for a new planet to colonize. On their travels, they come across a planet which appears to be perfect for their purposes. It does have one apparent inhabitant, however: Michael Fassbender's android character David, last seen in Prometheus. We know there will be other inhabitants as well, of course. The kind that like to lay eggs in your gut and then destroy you.

In addition to Danny McBride and Michael Fassbender, the cast of Alien: Covenant will include Katherine Waterston and Billy Crudup. We also recently learned that Noomi Rapace, who played Dr. Elizabeth Shaw in Prometheus, and was the only character other than David to survive the film, will be making a return, although it had been previously reported that she would not.

Danny McBride's assertion that he runs the ship certainly makes it seem that he'll be a major part of Alien: Covenant. It's possible that as the pilot, he could be in charge of the ship itself, but not necessarily the mission. It's not clear how much of the film will take place on the ship as opposed to the planet they land on. Prometheus was the name of the ship too, and that film mostly took place outside of the craft. McBride could be a vital character since they may need his skills to get out of the movie alive, though of course, there's no guarantee that will happen.

What do you think of Danny McBride in a dramatic science fiction role, as opposed to his standard comedy? Can you envision him as the man in charge of a colonization spacecraft? We'll all get our chance to see that when Alien Covenant is released in August of 2017.