The recently released The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces a new take on Marvel’s First Family and, along with them, comes another iteration of the Silver Surfer. Julia Garner plays the Shalla-Bal incarceration of the intergalactic herald. Of course, Garner isn’t the first actor to have ever been digitally encased in silver to play a version of the character. Doug Jones previously played a version of the protector nearly two decades ago. Now, Jones is weighing in on Garner playing a different version of the fan-favorite character.

Doug Jones played the Norrin Radd version of the shiny hero in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription). More specifically, the imposing Jones provided the physical performance for the character, while Laurence Fishburne voiced Radd. Jones was among the veteran FF actors to attend the First Steps premiere in Los Angeles. It was there that he expressed his excitement for the movie, and he also shared positive thoughts about new version of the Surfer hitting the big screen:

After Doug Jones shared those comments with TheWrap (which were posted to X), he was able to see the film for himself during the premiere that evening. Jones took to his Instagram account to drop a post that included some sweet photos. Not only on that, but he also praised the film and commended his big-screen Surfer successor on her work. I love seeing Jones send such support and for pointing out that Shalla-Bal is also an established Marvel Comics character.

Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer casting was first reported upon back in April 2024 and, at that point, it was met with a myriad of responses. There was a sum of comic book fans who seemed enthused by the notion of seeing a different version of the Surfer in a film. However, there were others who responded negatively to the notion of a female iteration of the character being chosen for the FF’s first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. Interestingly enough, Garner initially wondered how she could be in contention for the role as she thought the Surfer was just a male character. All of that aside, it speaks volumes that Doug Jones would be so supportive of Garner amid the backlash.

Shalla-Bal may be a different character, but she still serves the same purpose that Radd did in his movie debut. In First Steps, Shalla-Bal prepares the coming of the plant-devouring warlord, Galactus, who wants Reed Richards and Sue Storm’s child, Franklin for his own purposes. With that, the Surfer comes into conflict with the titular team in the 2025 movie release, and that results in what I find to be an entertaining story.

Having seen the film for myself, I can definitely say that Julia Garner gives a strong performance. Whether or not the character appears again at some point remains to be seen, but I’d surely be down for it. Not only that, but I’d also be down to see the always-jovel Doug Jones land a new Marvel role within the MCU. While I think about the characters he might be a great fit for, check out The Fantastic Four: First Steps in theaters now.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe introduced an entire generation of superhero movie fans to some of the comic book publishing giant’s most iconic characters, such as Iron Man and Thor. However, many of the heroes and villains we know from those Marvel movies in order have found their way to the big or small screen. Let’s honor some of the actors who brought them to life before they were inducted into the MCU.

Tobey Maguire (Spider-Man)

Some Marvel Comics fans have criticized the casting of Tobey Maguire in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, considering he was far older than when Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive arachnid at the time. While Tom Holland certainly fit the bill of a teenage vigilante better years later, Maguire is still remembered today as one of the best to play the role. Not to mention, he wore, arguably, the best cinematic Spidey outfit of all time.

Jessica Alba (Invisible Woman)

Following her Golden Globe-nominated breakthrough role on Dark Angel, Jessica Alba could be seen just about everywhere in the early 2000s. Ironically, she made her comic book movie debut in Tim Story's Fantastic Four as a superhero known for being unseen: Sue "Invisible Woman" Storm, who would be inducted into the MCU with Vanessa Kirby's portrayal.

Ben Affleck (Daredevil)

Ben Affleck would make an amusing, if not polarizing, impression when he joined a long line of live-action Batman actors for Zack Snyder's short-lived DC Extended Universe. More than a decade earlier, the Oscar winner cut his teeth in the world of superhero acting by playing the title role of 2003's Daredevil before Charlie Cox took over the role for the MCU in his own hit series.

Djimon Hounsou (Black Panther)

Djimon Hounsou has a small role in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy as Korath the Pursuer, but had voiced the Black Panther in a BET original animated series four years earlier. The Academy Award nominee would later share the screen as Korath with the MCU's T'Challa, Chadwick Boseman, for an episode of the animated anthology series, What If...?

Wesley Snipes (Blade)

Marvel's popular vampire hunter character would, technically, make his MCU debut when Mahershala Ali made a vocal cameo as Blade in the post-credit sequence of 2021's Eternals. However, the first actor to play the Daywalker in his own trilogy of Blade movies, Wesley Snipes, beat him to the punch by making a full, live MCU appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Dolph Lundgren (The Punisher)

It is hard to imagine Rocky IV star Dolph Lundgren with jet black hair, but he donned it to play Frank Castle in a straight-to-video feature adaptation of The Punisher in 1989. The role of the vengeful vigilante would be passed down a couple more times before Jon Bernthal took over as the MCU's official iteration, but the Swedish actor would later return to comic book movie acting as King Nereus in the Jason Momoa-led Aquaman movies.

David Hasselhoff (Nick Fury)

Samuel L. Jackson's performance as Nick Fury has become so definitive that Marvel would use his likeness in the Ultimate universe comics. However, the eye-patched secret agent's main iteration better resembles David Hasselhoff, who would, indeed, play him in 1998's Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., a made-for-TV movie that was intended to be a pilot for an original series on Fox.

Jennifer Garner (Elektra Natchios)

Jennifer Garner played a lighter interpretation of Matt Murdock's assassin lover, Elektra Natchios, in 2003's Daredevil and in her own spin-off film from two years later. While the Alias star would also reprise the role in Deadpool & Wolverine, the official MCU iteration, introduced in Season 2 of the Daredevil series, is played by Élodie Yung.

Chris Evans (Human Torch)

Chris Evans is one of the few MCU actors who can say he previously played a superhero from a different corner of the Marvel Multiverse. Years before he was cast as Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger, he starred in the 2000s Fantastic Four movies as the Human Torch, which he referenced to hilarious effect in Deadpool & Wolverine. The MCU later introduced its own official iteration of Johnny Storm, played by Joseph Quinn.

Lou Ferrigno (Hulk)

Before Bruce Banner's mean, green alter ego became the product of putting Mark Ruffalo in a performance capture suit, he was brought to life in live-action on the hit TV show, The Incredible Hulk, by Lou Ferrigno, standing in for David Banner actor Bill Bixby whenever he would get angry. The legendary bodybuilder also lent his voice to the role in the Incredible Hulk animated series and made a cameo as a security guard in both 2003's Hulk and the Edward Norton-led MCU debut.

J.K. Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson)

One of the few actors known for playing the same Marvel character both in and outside of the MCU is J.K. Simmons. The Academy Award winner stole the show as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies before reimagining the role as a conspiracy theorist and podcast host in the Tom Holland-led films.

Doug Jones (Silver Surfer)

The MCU would introduce a unique version of the Silver Surfer played by Emmy winner Julia Garner in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Doug Jones, a master of roles requiring performance capture and heavy makeup transformations, shares credit for portraying the first "live-action" iteration of the metallic-skinned alien from 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer with Laurence Fishburne, who provided the voice.

Robert Hays (Iron Man)

It is hard to imagine anyone else in the role of Tony Stark other than Academy Award winner Robert Downey Jr., but Iron Man was the star of his own animated series years earlier in the mid-1990s. Voicing the wealthy vigilante was Robert Hays, who is best known for starring in the classic spoof movie, Airplane!, as Ted Striker.

Neil Patrick Harris (Spider-Man)

In 2003, MTV aired a TV show very loosely connected to Sam Raimi's Marvel movies called Spider-Man: The New Animated Series. Instead of Tobey Maguire, the actor providing the voice of Peter Parker was none other than future How I Met Your Mother cast member Neil Patrick Harris, who later contributed to the 2010 video game, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.

Eric Allan Kramer (Thor)

Years before Chris Hemsworth's definitive performance as Thor in the MCU made him a household name, Eric Allan Kramer of Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Good Luck Charlie fame became the first actor the play the role in live-action in the 1988 TV movie, The Incredible Hulk Returns. However, I feel obligated to mention that Vincent D'Onofrio's role in Adventures in Babysitting as Dawson, who bears a striking resemblance to the God of Thunder, predates Kramer's portrayal by a year.

Rosemary Harris (Aunt May)

With all due respect and admiration for Marisa Tomei, the Oscar winner is certainly not the first person you would picture to play Peter Parker's Aunt May, as she does in the MCU. However, Rosemary Harris is not only the spitting image of the comic book character, but also gives a moving, iconic performance as May opposite Tobey Maguire's Peter in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy.

Matt Salinger (Captain America)

One of the most notable screen iterations of Steve Rogers that pre-dates Chris Evans' portrayal comes from 1990's infamous straight-to-video feature, Captain America. Playing the title role is Matt Salinger, who, believe it or not, is the son of The Catcher in the Rye author J.D. Salinger, as the actor discussed with The Guardian.

James Avery (War Machine)

Most people know actor James Avery best from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air cast as Philip Banks. Around that same time, however, the actor lent his voice to the animated Iron Man series as James "Rhodey" Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine, years before Tony Stark's buddy was portrayed in the MCU by Don Cheadle... and Terrence Howard, of course.

Nicholas Hammond (Spider-Man)

Before the role was brought to life by Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland, the first actor to play Peter Parker in live-action was Nicholas Hammond. The Sound of Music star led CBS' Spider-Man series and its two made-for-TV companion films in the late 1970s.

Jennifer Connelly (Betty Ross)

Liv Tyler appeared in 2008's The Incredible Hulk as Betty Ross, the colleague and love interest of Edward Norton's Bruce Banner. Years earlier, in 2003's Hulk, she was played by Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly, who was also subtly inducted into the MCU as the voice of Karen, the AI built into Peter Parker's high-tech suit in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Thomas Jane (The Punisher)

Three actors were brought in to play Frank Castle before Jon Bernthal was cast in the role for the MCU. The second, after Dolph Lundgren and before Ray Stevenson, and first to bring the vigilante into the 21st Century, was Thomas Jane in 2004's The Punisher, which sees the anti-hero take on a corrupt businessman responsible for his family's tragic deaths.

Cree Summer (She-Hulk)

Cree Summer is the prolific voice actor behind many well-known animated roles, such as Susie Carmichael from Nickelodeon's Rugrats. She was also the second person to voice Bruce Banner's cousin, Jennifer Walters, on the animated Incredible Hulk TV show almost a couple of decades before Tatiana Maslany was cast in the lead role of Disney+'s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

Michael Chiklis (The Thing)

Jamie Bell and Emmy winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach (who also appeared on Jon Bernthal's The Punisher series) both played CGI versions of Ben "The Thing" Grimm in their respective cinematic adaptations of the Fantastic Four comics. However, Michael Chiklis admirably went the old-fashioned route and donned a heavy amount of prosthetics to play the orange, rock-skinned superhero in Tim Story's movies from 2004 and 2007.

Sam Elliott (Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross)

Following William Hurt's passing, Harrison Ford stepped in to play Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross for the MCU in Captain America: Brave New World, in which the military general-turned-U.S. president becomes the Red Hulk. However, you could argue that the most intimidating portrayal of the character is still that of Sam Elliott in 2003's Hulk.

Peter Hooten (Dr. Strange)

With the title's otherworldly, psychedelic imagery, it is not very surprising to learn that Marvel's Doctor Strange comics were first adapted for live-action in the 1970s. CBS attempted to launch a series focused on the Sorcerer Supreme with a pilot led by actor Peter Hooten, who was, of course, succeeded decades later by Benedict Cumberbatch as the MCU's official iteration.

Lisa Rinna (Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine)

While better known today as a star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lisa Rinna also has the honor of being the first actor to portray Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in live-action in 1998's Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. In the MCU, the Italian-American noblewoman and CIA director is played by Seinfeld cast member Julia-Louis Dreyfus.

Conan Stevens (Man-Thing)

In 2005, SyFy aired a scary "movie of the week" inspired by the Marvel comic book character Man-Thing, played by Conan Stevens, who is essentially the publisher's equivalent to DC's Swamp Thing. The humanoid plant creature was painted in a far more sympathetic light in the Disney+ original Halloween special, Werewolf by Night, in which he was portrayed in motion capture by Carey Jones.

Ed Asner (J. Jonah Jameson)

Emmy winner Ed Asner's definitive TV role for years was cantankerous journalist Lou Grant on beloved TV sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the character's more earnest self-titled spin-off. In other words, he was a perfect choice to voice J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man: The Animated Series in the 1990s.

Eric Bana (Bruce Banner)

The first live-action, theatrically released feature film adaptation of Marvel's The Incredible Hulk comics, director Ang Lee's Hulk, cast Australian actor Eric Bana as Bruce Banner. The brilliant physicist would later return to the big screen as part of the MCU, first portrayed by Edward Norton in his 2008 solo flick before Mark Ruffalo took over the role in subsequent installments.

Ed Gale (Howard The Duck)

Howard the Duck, one of the most bizarre characters in Marvel Comics' history, exists in the MCU, having first appeared in the post-credit sequence for Guardians of the Galaxy, voiced by Seth Green. The fowl extraterrestrial crimefighter made his feature debut, however, in a self-titled film from producer George Lucas, in which Ed Gale, a little person also known for playing Chucky in Child's Play, wore a duck costume on set while Chip Zien provided the voice.

Ioan Gruffudd (Mr. Fantastic)

Before Pedro Pascal added the MCU to his ongoing list of franchises by playing Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, English actor Ioan Gruffudd played the stretchy superhero otherwise known as Mr. Fantastic in Tim Story's Fantastic Four movies.

Sticky Fingaz (Blade)

Mahershala Ali is actually not Wesley Snipes' direct successor to the role of Blade. Rap artist Sticky Fingaz played the vampire hunter in a short-lived TV series from 2006.

At the end of Hocus Pocus 2, Doug Jones' Billy Butcherson is given a loving goodbye. With the Sanderson sisters having been defeated, all of their spells are undone, and that includes the one that has resurrected Billy as a zombie. He peacefully fades away to a mysterious afterlife.

It works as a conclusion to the character's story – but if it turns out that there is more story to tell, Doug Jones is more than happy to be a part of adventure, be it Hocus Pocus 3 or some form of spinoff.

The actor was asked about his potential future as Billy Butcherson during an interview with Collider. His reply wasn't exactly filled with a great deal of optimism that something will actually happen, but he noted that he would be game to reprise the role. Said Jones,

If there were to be some kind of Billy Butcherson spinoff, it likely wouldn't be a sequel simply because of the aforementioned conclusion the character gets in Hocus Pocus 2. That being said, his return in the sequel arrives with the reveal that he remained awake since 1993, and perhaps he didn't spend 29 years under dirt...

Doug Jones isn't brimming with confidence that such a project will ever come together, and he doesn't express inside knowledge about how he couldn't return for Hocus Pocus 3, but he emphasized that he would be interested in being a part of either:

In June 2023, a profile piece about Disney executive Sean Bailey noted that Hocus Pocus 3 was among the projects the studio was working on – but limited information about the movie has been made available since then (Bette Midler has said that conversations about the sequel are being had "very gingerly and very gently."). Screenwriter Jen D’Angelo has teased the sequel saying that filmmakers have "only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham's mother witch" from Hocus Pocus 2.

While we wait for Hocus Pocus 3 to come into focus (sorry, had to do it), fans can rewatch both Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 with a Disney+ subscription, as both titles are available in the streaming service's library.

While a new vision of one of the most “hellish” comic book heroes is upon us, for many fans, the 2004 Hellboy cast will always be the definitive iteration. Two decades ago, Academy Award-winning writer and director Guillermo del Toro created one of the best non-Marvel or DC-based superhero movies out of Mike Mignola’s Dark Horse comic about a demon who grows up on Earth into a protector of humanity.

Before Jack Kesy takes over the role of the big, red hunter of all things paranormal in the upcoming Hellboy: The Crooked Man – coming to VOD in the U.S. on October 8th, but hitting U.K. theaters September 27th – celebrate the original performance by Ron Perlman. In fact, let’s take a look what the actor and the rest of the Hellboy cast from 2004 have been up to since.

Ron Perlman (Hellboy)

Despite previously expressing interest in doing a Hellboy 3, Ron Perlman would only play the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense’s top agent once more (not counting two animated, direct-to-video movies) in 2008’s Hellboy II: The Golden Army. He would appear in three more Guillermo del Toro movies (Pacific Rim, Nightmare Alley, and 2022’s Pinocchio), reaching a total eight collaborations between them, which also includes the second installment of the Blade movies.

The former Sons of Anarchy cast member is also known for the 2011 film noir movie favorite, Drive, leading the Amazon drama Hand of God, lending his voice to the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts cast as Optimus Primal, and playing a main antagonist in the Poker Face cast. Perlman has a few films in post-production, including Thug and Cottonmouth.

Selma Blair (Liz Sherman)

Hellboy’s love interest, the pyrokinetic Liz, is one of the best-known roles of Selma Blair, in addition to being in the Legally Blonde cast as Vivian Kensington and one of the best ‘90s teen movies, Cruel Intentions. Some of her notable roles since have included Caprice in the NC-17 movie, A Dirty Shame, Kris Jenner in Season 1 of American Crime Story, and the killer Kendall in Mom and Dad with Nicolas Cage.

Her battle with Multiple Sclerosis was documented in the award-winning 2021 documentary, Introducing Selma Blair, but she has been in remission since that year. She has yet to return to acting, but has made appearances on several TV programs, such as when she participated on Dancing with the Stars in Season 31.

Doug Jones (Abe Sapien)

Half-man, half-fish Abe Sapien (also voiced by David Hyde Pierce in 2004’s Hellboy) is one of many creatures Doug Jones has played in a Guillermo del Toro movie, including Fauno in 2006’s Pan’s Labyrinth and The Amphibian Man in the Best Picture Oscar winner, The Shape of Water, from 2017. He has also disappeared into many other roles from great horror movies – such as the Ghoul from 2016's Mike Flanagan movie, Ouija: Origin of Evil – and has worked on Del Toro’s FX series The Strain and What We Do in the Shadows.

More recently, Jones reprised his role from the Hocus Pocus cast as Billy Butcherson in Disney+’s 2022 sequel and played Saru on Star Trek: Discovery from 2017 to 2024. He also played Count Orlok in a 2023 movie that has no connection to Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu remake and, according to Deadline, started filming a thriller called The Weight of Darkness in April 2024.

Rupert Evans (John Myers)

Rupert Evans made his major motion picture debut in Hellboy as John Myers – a B.P.R.D. agent created specifically for the movie as an audience surrogate. He did not return for The Golden Army but would encounter a few odd circumstances in movies like 2014’s The Canal and The Boy from 2016, and as Harry Greenwood on The CW’s reboot of Charmed from 2018 to 2022.

The British actor also had a main role on Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle and guest-starred alongside Netflix’s Bridgerton cast as Edmund Bridgerton in Season 2. Evans can currently be seen on PBS’s six-part crime series, Moonflower Murders, and has a historical drama series in production called Truth & Conviction.

Karel Roden (Grigori Rasputin)

The main antagonist of 2004’s Hellboy is none other than Grigori Rasputin, who was a real-life mystic and faith healer who acquired considerable power and influence from his ties to the Russian Empire. This highly exaggerated depiction of the historical figure is portrayed by Karel Roden, who had previously worked with both Del Toro and Perlman in 2003’s Blade II and starred in Bulletproof Monk the following year.

Also in 2004, the Czech Republic native appeared in the second installment of the Jason Bourne movies (The Bourne Supremacy) and went on to appear in films like 2007’s Mr. Bean’s Holiday, the 2008 Guy Ritchie movie, RocknRolla, and the 2009 horror favorite, Orphan. Roden is also known for TV shows like AMC’s McMafia from 2018 and 2022’s MGM+ original A Spy Among Friends and he has an upcoming Terrence Malick project called The Way of the Wind in post-production.

Brian Steele (Sammael)

Doug Jones is not the only Hellboy cast member known for disappearing into his roles, as it was Brian Steele dressed as Sammael in practical shots of the hellhound. He previously made his debut in the early ‘90s as the titular sasquatch in the sitcom spin-off of Harry and the Hendersons, before playing Kothoga in 1997’s The Relic, Sharkmouth in Men in Black II, and a werewolf in 2003’s Underworld.

His notable creature portrayals since include the T-600 in Terminator Salvation, a couple of the titular aliens from Predators, both a Were-hyena and a Minotaur in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, and various creations in Hellboy II. He also played “The Entity” in the recent underrated horror movie, 2020’s The Empty Man, and most recently starred as The Robot in Netflix’s Lost in Space reboot.

Jeffrey Tambor (Thomas Manning)

The director of the B.P.R.D., Thomas Manning, who often butts heads with Hellboy, is played by Jeffrey Tambor. The veteran actor would later voice the father of a “monstrous” woman in 2009’s DreamWorks animated movie, Monsters vs. Aliens and a writer of paranormal stories in the 2011 sci-fi comedy, Paul.

In between his reprising his Emmy-nominated role in the Arrested Development cast in Netflix’s 2013 and 2019 revival seasons, Tambor earned two Emmy Awards for starring in Transparent as middle-aged transgender woman, Maura. Due to allegations of inappropriate behavior on set which the actor has claimed are false, Tambor was fired from the Amazon series in 2017 and his career has since slowed down, with his last major roles being a guest spot on The Orville and the Disney+ original movie, Magic Camp in 2020.

John Hurt (Professor Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm)

The B.P.R.D’s original director and Hellboy’s adoptive father, Professor “Broom,” is played by John Hurt. The two-time Oscar nominee (for Midnight Express and The Elephant Man) had previously experienced “things that go bump in the night” most notably in one of the best sci-fi movies, 1979’s Alien, in which he, iconically, became the first victim of the chestburster, which he later poked fun at in the spoof movie classic, Spaceballs.

After Hellboy, the English actor starred in more acclaimed comic book movies (including 2005’s V for Vendetta, Hellboy II in an opening flashback, and 2014’s Snowpiercer), the fourth Indiana Jones movie, two more Harry Potter movies as Ollivander, and the masterful spy movie, 2011’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. His final acting credit was 2017’s Damascus Cover, before he passed away that year at 77.

There are some who actually argue that one of the best things about 2019’s Hellboy is David Harbour’s performance in the title role. While fans also hope to see good things from Jack Kesy’s work in the upcoming superhero movie, Hellboy: The Crooked Man, as far as I am concerned, the character will always belong to Ron Perlman.

I think Doug Jones' role as Saru in Star Trek: Discovery is one of the best things he's done in his career, so imagine my disappointment when I saw him absent for a chunk of what would be the show's final season. The Kelpien was promoted off the ship to ambassador, while the demoted Captain Rayner took his place as Michael Burnham's First Officer. Given that, and the way the season ended with Saru's wedding, I'd wondered if Jones would've been written off the series had it returned for Season 6, but the actor shared the real story with me recently.

I had the honor of speaking to Doug Jones to promote the upcoming release of Star Trek: Discovery's final season on digital August 26th and physical DVD and Blu-ray on August 27th. I noted to the acclaimed character actor that Saru's storyline felt like a goodbye to the character if it returned for Season 6, but the actor assured me that it was a creative decision he requested the writers and showrunner Michelle Paradise develop:

Saru serving as Michael's closest confidant was all well and good, but as Doug Jones said, he was also a Captain. As such, it made sense to move him away from the sidekick role and put him in another position that could help him find his way into future upcoming Star Trek shows that will be available with a Paramount+ subscription. So, for those who felt like I did and assumed Saru would've left had Season 6 happened, we got this one wrong!

Jones initially told the public that promotion for Hocus Pocus 2 impacted his availability for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, but that wasn't the whole story. The 64-year-old actor revealed that after the long process of filming Season 4, he needed a break and wanted to spend some time with his wife:

As viewers at home, it's easy to forget that the characters on screen are actors with personal lives. I don't think anyone can fault Doug Jones for wanting to reduce his role in Season 5 so he could spend more time with his wife. A sweet sentiment, even if there were fans at home hoping to see more of Saru and T'Rina together.

Rest assured, however, that if Doug Jones had not found out on a cruise ship for Trekkies that the show was canceled, he would've been back in full force for future Star Trek: Discovery seasons. The actor shared he had a couple more seasons on his contract, so he was ready to do more:

Of course, being under contract for more seasons doesn't mean that they'll be granted, though it was interesting to hear that there was at least some hope Star Trek: Discovery would get that far. As Alex Kurtzman noted in a previous interview with CinemaBlend, five seasons in the modern age of streaming is a huge achievement all the same, but I would've loved to see it for a couple more years. At least we still have some of the characters joining the upcoming Starfleet Academy, and hopefully, Saru and others will pop up there in the future.

Star Trek: Discovery may be over, but it's still available to stream on Paramount+. I was just watching an episode on Pluto TV the other day and was thinking about how much fun it would be to rewatch, so I may just do that and fall in love with Saru all over again.

Warning: SPOILERS for the Star Trek: Discovery series finale are ahead!

Although Star Trek: Discovery’s series finale mainly focused on Michael Burnham, Doug Jones’ Saru also got some time to shine. First, the Kelpien got one last “Action Saru” moment when he faced off against Primarch Tahal, and then weeks after the main conflict was resolved, friends and loved ones gathered for his and T’Rina’s wedding. Jones told CinemaBlend he was pleased with the way Saru’s story ended in “Life, Itself,” and also he shared with us his on-point envisioning of the characters future after the series finale.

Before the Discovery series finale was released to Paramount+ subscription holders on the 2024 TV schedule, I had the pleasure of speaking with Doug Jones about his experience shooting this last hurrah. Remembering how the decision to cancel Discovery came after the cast and crew shot Season 5, with Jones learning about this on the Star Trek Cruise shortly before it was announced to the public, I asked him if he had any idea on what would have happened with Saru had Season 6 been made, and he told me:

Between the aforementioned events from the series finale and Saru resigning from Starfleet at the beginning of Season 5 to become an ambassador for the United Federation of Planets, like Doug Jones said, he seemed to find himself. That being said, the actor could also see Saru joining a Starfleet mission if his presence was needed. So in a reality where Discovery Season 6 moved forward, the writers could have needed to come up with that special circumstance that required him to step away from being an ambassador for a little bit and don his captain’s uniform again.

And then, of course, “Life, Itself” capped off with an extended epilogue set decades later that showed Michael Burnham sending the Discovery and its AI Zora on a Red Directive mission, thus serving as a tie-in to the “Calypso” Star Trek: Short Treks episode. Since there was no mention of what Saru was up to during that time period, assuming he’s still alive, I asked Doug Jones where he envisioned his character’s life going in those intervening decades, assuming he hadn’t already been told that information by someone like showrunner Michelle Paradise. Jones confirmed that wasn’t the case, saying:

Saru is definitely cut out for being a mentor, and with Tilly telling Michael and Rayner at the wedding that she’ll be setting up a mentorship program at Starfleet Academy, I can only hope that the Kelpien is one of the first people she approaches to join it, even in just a guest capacity. Speaking of which, the upcoming Star Trek TV show Starfleet Academy spinoff is confirmed to take place in the 32nd century, so the stage is set for Discovery characters to appear there, though Mary Wiseman wouldn’t tell us if she’s involved in the show.

However, earlier this year, Doug Jones confirmed to our own Mick Joest that following Star Trek: Discovery’s conclusion, he’s “pursuing more human characters” and won’t perform as many prosthetic-heavy roles. Still, with Starfleet Academy coming up, I was wondering if Jones would be willing to make that one of his exceptions and reprise Saru in the spinoff if the opportunity came along. He answered:

So while Saru’s life following the conclusion of the Star Trek: Discovery series finale’s main story will have to be left up to fans’ imaginations for now, at least the possibility remains that some of that curtain could be pulled back on Starfleet Academy. So far the only actor officially on board for the spinoff is Holly Hunter, who will play the captain and chancellor of the education institution. If it’s announced at any point that Doug Jones will appear on the show, we’ll let you know.

Until then, keep visiting CinemaBlend for more news concerning Star Trek TV and film plans. Next on the slate is Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2, which premieres people with a Netflix subscription on July 1.

Warning: SPOILERS for the Star Trek: Discovery series finale are ahead!

Early on in Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Doug Jones’ character Saru resigned from Starfleet to become an ambassador for the United Federation of Planets. As a result, he missed out on most of his old crew’s search for the Progenitors’ technology, but fortunately, he wasn’t left out of the action in the show’s final episode. As fans with a Paramount+ subscription saw last week, Jones got to perform one last Action Saru moment through his tense showdown with the Breen known as Primarch Tahal in “Life, Itself,” and the actor shared with CinemaBlend about what he “loved about that scene.”

In addition to sharing his thoughts about the Discovery series finale and revealing a touching epilogue moment he shared with Sonequa Martin-Green, among the other topics Doug Jones discussed in my interview with him was how it felt getting to show off the Kelpien’s badass side for the final time on Discovery, a.k.a. Action Saru. However, this time around, Saru had to be intimidating from after, as he and Primarch Tahal were communicating over a video call. As Jones recalled:

As Michael Burnham was finding the Progenitors’ technology with Moll, and as Rayner was leading the Discovery crew in repelling the Breen dreadnought once controlled by Primarch Ruhn, Saru, with Nhan as his pilot, was tasked with making sure Primarch Tahal didn’t arrive at the battle site to escalate the conflict, nor discover the advanced technology and seize it for herself. Initially, Saru approached the problem with diplomacy, telling Tahal that the Federation would establish a trade route between her border and the L’Tar Nebula if she turned around, which would improve her chances of taking the Imperium Throne.

Tahal didn’t accept Saru’s offer, but her response was enough to confirm to him that Tahal already had bases establish in the L’Tar nebula, otherwise she would have accepted his deal. So after getting her attention again with an insult, Saru declared that he’d established ties with numerous planets in that region, and unless he ordered them to stand down, they would attack those bases and Tahal’s forces would be weakened. The only way she’d get out of this mess would be by turning around, and Saru had to sell his bluff with arguably the most intense expression he’d ever delivered on Discovery. Tahal did indeed fall back, although she sent a scout ship to investigate the battle site, but Saru and Nhan clocked it coming.

Like Doug Jones said, this wasn’t a situation where Action Saru was going to be throwing punches or running to rescue a crewmate. He had to channel all those badass vibes strictly through dialogue and sell to Primarch T’Hal that he meant business. And as the actor also pointed out, this is a Saru who’s come a long way from the more timid version of the character in Season 1, so what better way to highlight that development by giving an opportunity to be arguably his most intimidating before Star Trek: Discovery wrapped up?

Star Trek: Discovery is over, but this era of the franchise’s timeline will continue to be explored through the spinoff Starfleet Academy, which has cast Holly Hunter as one of the lead characters. If Doug Jones ends up reprising Saru on that series, we’ll let you know. Meanwhile, look at the other upcoming Star Trek shows that are slated and catch up with current programming with the 2024 TV schedule.

Warning: SPOILERS for the Star Trek: Discovery series finale are ahead!

Another chapter of Star Trek history has come to a close. On Thursday, the final episode of Star Trek: Discovery was released to Paramount+ subscription holders on the 2024 TV schedule, and among the characters whose stories came to a close was Doug Jones’ Saru, who’s been part of the series since it premiered in 2017 on what was then called CBS All-Access. Although there were a handful of episodes Jones missed in Season 5, he still played an overall important role in the story through his new role as an ambassador for the United Federation of Planets.

Despite no longer being part of the Discovery crew, Saru thankfully wasn’t kept out of the action in "Life, Itself." After the conflict with the Breen was finished, the Progenitors’ technology was sent beyond the event horizon and that big Enterprise Easter egg was dropped, his wedding with T’Rina served as a celebratory event for his comrades to enjoy. Ahead of the Discovery series finale’s arrival, I spoke with Jones about his experience working on the episode. In addition to sharing his thoughts about how Saru’s story ended, he recalled an emotional moment he shared with Sonequa Martin-Green, who plays Captain Michael Burnham, while they were shooting the epilogue that I thought was touching.

Doug Jones Is Pleased With How Season 5 Ended Things For Saru

Star Trek: Discovery was announced to be ending in March 2023, but the cast and crew didn’t know about this when they were working on Season 5. In fact, Doug Jones learned about this on the Star Trek Cruise shortly before the public heard about the show’s fate. That being said, the actor found capping off the main story with Saru and T’Rina’s wedding to be a beautiful creative choice, with the actor saying the following when I asked him what it was like shooting the ceremony:

T’Rina, the Vulcan president of N’Var, was one of the first people from the 32nd century with whom Saru formed a connection, and by Season 4, they admitted their romantic feelings for one another. Now these two are joined together in matrimony, and even though Doug Jones and the rest of Star Trek: Discovery’s cast and crew weren’t aware when they were shooting Season 5 that this would be the final hurrah, he was nonetheless with this putting a pin in Saru’s story if the show did indeed end there. As he explained:

This time, it was indeed the end, but in a show of generosity, Paramount+ gave the Star Trek: Discovery team additional time to shoot an epilogue for “Life, Itself.” This resulted in Doug Jones getting to return for his true final outing as Saru on this series, and earlier this year, he told CinemaBlend he felt “closure” when he watched the extra scene. Now we know why.

The Emotional Moment Doug Jones Shared With Sonequa Martin-Green While Shooting The Epilogue

Following the conclusion of the main story of “Life, Itself,” Star Trek: Discovery’s last episode jumped forward several decades, and we see that Michael Burnham is now a Starfleet admiral, she and Book had a son together who’s now becoming captain of his own ship, and the Discovery ship is being sent on a Red Directive mission tied to the “Calypso” Short Trek that will require the AI Zora to be on her own for centuries. While on the bridge and speaking to Zora for the last time, Michale envisioned reuniting with her cremates when they were younger, including Saru. Doug Jones started off by telling me how pleased he was to see how Michael’s life turned out with the words:

As one would imagine, Jones getting back together with his Discovery cast-mates on the bridge set was an emotional affair, especially when it came to his last scene with Sonequa Martin-Green. That kicked up a notch in between takes of the actors hugging each other in character, with Jones sharing with me the kinds words they kept repeating to each other:

Is anyone else suddenly feeling verklempt? Seriously, considering how many scenes Doug Jones and Sonequa Martin-Green shared with each other over Star Trek: Discovery’s five-season run, I’m glad they they legitimately developed an affectionate relationship with each other. It makes it all the more sad that it’s unlikely we’ll ever see Michael and Saru together again, although I suppose with the Starfleet Academy spinoff on the way, anything is possible.

Star Trek: Discovery may be over, but there are still plenty of upcoming Star Trek shows coming up. Along with the aforementioned Starfleet Academy (which stars Holly Hunter), Lower Decks Season 5 (which is also ending) and Strange New Worlds Seasons 3 and 4 are on the docket for Paramount+, and Prodigy Season 2 will premiere to people with a Netflix subscription sometime later this year. Let’s also not forget the the Michelle Yeoh-led Section 31 movie will also hit Paramount+, and filming on that project wrapped in March.

Star Trek: Discovery is in the midst of airing its final season on the 2024 TV schedule, though that wasn't known by the cast and crew when they were in production. Unfortunately, the decision was made afterward. While Season 5 has naturally lent itself to one last adventure in many ways,  there are other instances in which some characters probably could've been highlighted more had writers known. Doug Jones, for example, has been missing for a chunk of this season, but it turns out he had a reason in addition to some good news from fans. 

With fans waiting to watch the series' final episodes with a Paramount+ subscription, some have reached out to Doug Jones, wondering where Saru is in these recent adventures. The actor took some time to reply to a curious viewer on X, explaining the reason why he hasn't been in Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 too much: 

As a member of the original Hocus Pocus cast, Doug Jones was obliged to appear on the press tour for the Disney+ movie. It's a shame the timing lined up with when Star Trek: Discovery was in production. However, as CinemaBlend learned, Jones only learned the series was canceled when he was on a fan cruise long after production wrapped. 

The good news is that Saru will return later in the season, though Doug Jones didn't specify when that would happen. Last we saw him he was in the process of wedding planning with T'Rina. He's been largely removed from the action of Star Trek: Discovery, but that seems to be because the show knew Doug Jones would need time away elsewhere. 

With no idea what to expect from Saru in the final episodes, I know I'm hoping we'll get to see his marriage to T'Rina. The actor hinted ahead of Season 5 that Saru's relationship was headed in a direction fans wanted, and he also mentioned that seeing the epilogue of the series gave him closure. Could this be because he finally got to see the payoff for Saru's romance with T'Rina? 

It's possible, but I can also see Jones finding closure in a satisfying ending to a series that he dedicated years of his life to. The character actor has had some wonderful roles in Guillermo Del Toro movies, but I'd argue his greatest performance to date has been playing Saru. Whatever the ending for Doug Jones' character is, if he's happy with it, I'm sure I will be as well. 

Star Trek: Discovery streams new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays. With the Breen starting a conflict with Starfleet, I'm expecting the series to have its foot on the gas all the way until the end, and I can't wait to see how it all wraps up. 

For five seasons, Doug Jones has played Star Trek's first Kelpien, Saru, and done a bang-up job with the role. I'd rank the character my favorite of the new era of shows, and he's definitely in the conversation of one of the best Star Trek characters of all time. This is thanks, no doubt, to Jones' long history of acclaimed work as a character actor and someone who has spent most of his career in prosthetics. As the actor ages, though, what are his plans for these roles going forward?

I had the great opportunity to speak to Doug Jones about his plans post-Saru, ahead of the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5. The actor has hinted before that after the role was done, he'd be potentially retiring or stepping away from doing roles that involve heavy prosthetic work. So, when I asked him if that was still the case, he said the following:

It looks like after Star Trek: Discovery, we can expect to see Doug Jones prioritize roles using his actual face and not one that requires hours of makeup to achieve. Readers who have watched What We Do In The Shadows actor might've seen this already, as he played the vampire Baron Afanas, who we've seen revert back to his normal form. It appears we will see more of Jones in those roles going forward rather than some of the iconic characters he's played over the years.

It's big news, to be sure, considering the legacy Jones has as a creature actor. As Saru, fans watched him transform his character, leaving behind his anxious feelings and becoming a strong and capable captain in later seasons. He was so beloved as Abe Sapien in Hellboy that he almost had a cameo in the reboot, and who can forget his role as Amphibian Man in the Oscar-winning movie The Shape Of Water?

Those who don't have a Paramount+ subscription ahead of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 better get one because it might be one of Doug Jones' last performances in prosthesis. Many might also want to see the crew's final adventure, which I likened a lot to Voyager. I'm also very interested in the ending, which Jones said gave him closure over the series' unexpected cancellation. Hopefully other fans feel the same way and it gives us all a reason to be excited about upcoming Star Trek shows.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 kicks off on Paramount+ with a two-episode premiere on Thursday, April 4th. Tune in to see the possible last ride with the crew, and to potentially get a glimpse of what's in store for the future.

The news of Star Trek: Discovery's cancellation came as a shock to many, including the cast. By now, it's well known the cast and crew of the Paramount+ series had no idea it would be ending with Season 5, but fortunately they were allowed to go back and film a proper ending. Had Saru actor Doug Jones known the show would be cancelled, he probably wouldn't have decided to be on a Star Trek-themed cruise when the announcement broke. Of course, that's not how things played out, but Jones told CinemaBlend it ended up being a beautiful experience.

I had the privilege of speaking to Doug Jones and David Ajala ahead of the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, and I remembered that Jones was on the famous Star Trek Cruise when the show's cancellation was announced. I asked the actor about the experience and found out how it played out for him while many others on board the cruise were blissfully unaware of what was coming:

I can imagine the anxiety Doug Jones had in that moment knowing what he was about to face. He had only just found out about Star Trek: Discovery ending, and before he could even process that, he had to go in front of crowd and do an interview as the news rolled out across the internet. Here he thought he'd probably drop some teases about Season 5's story or what's happening with Saru and T'Rina, and instead he could be in the hot seat with a lot of worried fans until the ship goes back to port.

Jones confirmed he was nervous about going to the panel, but faced the music anyway and sat in front of fans who, by that point, all knew Star Trek: Discovery's fate. He was dreading the experience, but shared with CinemaBlend why it ended up being beautiful:

As worried as he was, Doug Jones ended up having a lovely time with the fans in spite of the bad news. Good on Star Trek fans for not turning into an angry mob with pitchforks, though considering the franchise's overall emphasis on diplomacy as opposed to violence, I don't think it ever would've come to that. Still, it could've been a really miserable time for Jones being surrounded by disappointed fans on the Star Trek Cruise, but thankfully, it wasn't.

As for the ending of Star Trek: Discovery, Doug Jones has confirmed he's seen it and that the ending gave him some closure over the early conclusion. I'm sure he's also taking solace in the fact that it was recently confirmed that the upcoming Star Trek series Starfleet Academy will be set in the 32nd century.

This means that the door will be open for the cast to reprise their roles on the upcoming series, assuming they don't all die in some awful accident in the final scene. I don't think that will happen, especially given that Doug Jones seemed pleased by the ending. I guess he could just have a twisted sense of humor and think it's hilarious to see the show end that way, but I'm going to believe we're in for a pleasant ending for this series.

Catch the two-episode premiere of Star Trek: Discovery on Thursday, April 4th with a Paramount+ subscription. Having seen a few episodes of the upcoming season in advance, I can assure readers it's something they don't want to miss, and hopefully it'll end up being a great way to close out the series.

2024 is here, Trekkies, which means that before too long, we'll see the final chapter of the series that kicked off Star Trek's massive resurgence. Discovery is ending and, while many of us have only peeped the episode titles for Season 5, the actors have seen much more. Series cast member Doug Jones recently revealed that he saw the finished epilogue from the finale and mentioned that after watching it, he felt "closure." 

The veteran actor was one of many Star Trek alums who took part in Trek Talks 3, an annual charity event that's held in support of the Hollywood Food Coalition. It was during his interview that Jones shared that he had a chance to check out the final scene of Discovery. He explained just how he got the opportunity to see the footage, saying:

Personally, I'm very eager to see the final chapter of the series (which is on the schedule of upcoming Trek series). So I love hearing that Doug Jones teared up watching the epilogue. I would expect nothing less from someone who has been on the show since 2017 and has been one of the biggest cheerleaders for the franchise's new era. Had he done anything other than cry, I honestly would've been very worried.

The epilogue for Star Trek: Discovery was filmed after Season 5's completion so that the long-running series could have an ending that tied all of its storylines together. It's been revealed that Season 5 will have a different vibe compared to its predecessors and looks to be a little more action-heavy. I wouldn't imagine the epilogue will feature many explosive moments but rather some answers to questions regarding what comes next for many of the series' core characters. 

One major plot thread that remains unresolved right now has to do with the mystery surrounding the Short Treks episode "Calypso." The short follows a space traveler who locates the Discovery ship in space, but none of the crew are present at the time. According to the ship's AI Zora, no one had been on board for a thousand years. 

CinemaBlend learned that Calypso would be addressed in Season 5, before it was officially revealed Star Trek: Discovery was canceled. I'm, of course, unsure whether or not such clarity will be provided in the epilogue and that we'll learn what happened to the ship that caused it to be separated from the rest of the crew. At this point, I'd sooner just want assurance there will be ways for the cast to return in the chance that future Trek shows available with a Paramount+ subscription are made. But, before I get too ahead of myself, I'll just take a moment to appreciate Doug Jones' sweet comments, which suggest that fans are in store for something special.

We'll get to see how Star Trek: Discovery ends soon enough, as Season 5 premieres on Paramount+ in April. Also, be sure to look over the 2024 TV schedule for information on other shows that are set to return or debut throughout the year.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer family sadly lost a member of its family this past week. Veteran actor Camden Toy passed away at the age of 68. Toy was widely regarded for the considerable amount of creature work he did, including his roles on Buffy and spinoff series Angel (which are streamable for Hulu subscribers). Following his death, fans have taken to social media to pay tribute to Toy and to make note of his incredible work. Joining franchise devotees was actor Doug Jones, who notably guest-starred on the supernatural teen drama alongside Toy. 

It goes without saying that Buffy fans are incredibly passionate. They don’t mind sharing in joy with one another as well as comforting each other amid sadder moments. Following the death of the series alum (who passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer per THR) fans shared kind thoughts about him and his impeccable performances. One such person to express thoughts was an X user named @madelexne: 

The Bedeviled actor’s roles on the former WB/UPN series are legendary at this point. During the course of the show, he helped bring the demon Gnarl as well as the Prince of Lies to life. However, one of his most unsettling alter egos is probably that of one of the demonic Gentlemen, who appeared in the Season 4 episode, “Hush.” While discussing the late actor, @kirstyhannam made mention of his great roles: 

Another user named @dieselkeds also mentioned the passing of this giant within the horror realm. She dropped the following message: 

As mentioned, someone who was fortunate enough to be working alongside the performer on that fourth season episode was Doug Jones, a star some may have forgotten was on Buffy. He played a fellow member of the Gentlemen quartet, which is a role that predates Jones’ many great performances in Guillermo del Toro films. The Hocus Pocus cast member took to Instagram to share a tribute for Toy, and his sentiments couldn’t be any sweeter: 

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast was joined by some seriously talented guest stars over the course of the series’ six-season run, and the late actor was definitely one of them. In addition to his work on the pop culture phenomenon. He also appeared in horror movies like All Souls Day and Carnies and, in terms of non-scary fare, he appeared on The Bay, Shameless and The Mentalist. His death definitely leaves a void within the horror landscape, but what’s most comforting right now is that Doug Jones and so many others are paying tribute to him.

We here at CinemaBlend extend our thoughts to the family and loved ones of Camden Toy during this time. 

Star Trek: Discovery is gearing up for Season 5, and the upcoming season has already confirmed the return of the show's most cryptic character: Kovich. Legendary director David Cronenberg, who plays Kovich, may be well-known in Hollywood to many, but apparently, Doug Jones hasn't seen him too much in person. The actor recently shared a funny story about not knowing he was on set the first time they filmed together. 

I spoke to Doug Jones about Star Trek: Discovery in promotion of the release of Season 4 on Blu-Ray, and during our conversation, got on the subject of working with David Cronenberg. Jones confirmed that the famed director and Discovery actor was a joy to work with and admitted that he initially didn't recognize him when they were filming his first scenes: 

It's not too much of a surprise that Doug Jones wouldn't know David Cronenberg at first glance, as the acclaimed director isn't exactly known for his acting. While he's appeared sporadically in a handful of projects throughout his career, his role on Star Trek: Discovery as Kovich is one of his longest-running. There might even be some Trek fans out there who didn't recognize him but were fans of The Fly or any number of his other memorable movies. 

And while his directing credits may be more known than his acting roles, Doug Jones assured CinemaBlend that David Cronenberg performs as well as any seasoned actor. In fact, Jones noted that Cronenberg is not one to make mistakes while performing, as much as Jones might want him to every now and again: 

David Cronenberg had a pretty meaty episode alongside Doug Jones in Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 episode "...But To Connect." Kovich, Saru, Stamets, and others debated on what to do when the ship's A.I., Zora, became sentient and capable of making decisions that defied the orders of humans aboard the ship. That episode, as well as the 105 minutes worth of bonus features, should convince fans to pick up the Season 4 Blu-ray, especially at this time when we're waiting on upcoming Trek shows. 

And of course, anyone with a Paramount+ subscription can stream Star Trek: Discovery and all the scenes featuring David Cronenberg and Doug Jones to their heart's content. Season 5 is coming in 2023 as well, and based on what we know about it so far, it looks like fans are in for a treat. 

Star Trek: Discovery’s Season 4 ending featured some big moments for major characters and apparently influenced the story for Season 5. That may be odd for some fans to hear, considering that Season 5 appears to be full of action and unlike anything we’ve seen to date from the series. Doug Jones recently confirmed that there is some connective tissue between the two seasons, and explained how Season 4 influenced the story. 

I was honored to speak to Doug Jones in relation to Star Trek: Discovery 4’s physical media release, and in speaking to the actor about the previous season, we discussed Season 5 and how the first look appeared to show a season loaded with action. I asked him if those tuning in with their Paramount+ subscriptions should expect a season that’s a departure from previous ones, and learned the following: 

Doug Jones said a lot that Star Trek: Discovery fans no doubt are interested in if they’re waiting on Season 5. Perhaps the biggest reveal is that while the trailer for Season 5 is action-packed, it’s possible that the action isn’t moving quite as rampant in the actual season as the trailer may imply. Fans worried that the series might’ve shifted too far from its roots to provide something new should breathe easy, as Jones seemed to reassure that the bones of what makes Discovery great are still there. 

Season 5 of Star Trek: Discovery looks ambitious and sounds that way too based on its synopsis. We’ve learned Michael Burnham and the crew will travel in search of an ancient power that others around the galaxy are also pursuing. It sounds like a race between multiple parties to obtain this big and powerful item, which is unlike anything that the show has done previously. 

With that said, Doug Jones explained to CinemaBlend that Season 4 of Star Trek: Discovery set up Season 5 in a big way. The actor explained that the adventure with the DMA and the story of making contact with Species 10-C proved a key thing for the series which made Season 5 possible: 

If “anything is possible” is the main takeaway from Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 to Season 5, one has to wonder what’s in store. Personally, I’m just hoping for more updates on Saru and President T’Rina, as they’ve quickly become the new “it” couple of the franchise. I’m also eager to see what surprises are in store for this season and what surprises may not have been revealed in the first-look trailer. 

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 is on its way to Paramount+ as part of the 2023 TV schedule, but we’re still waiting on an official release date. Pick up Season 4 on Blu-ray, SteelBook or DVD right now, and relive the fun of one of the most exciting seasons of the series to date. 

Some of the most celebrated director/actor pairings in cinematic history include the frequent collaborations of Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro, Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson, and Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, to name a few. However, one of my personal favorite examples is Guillermo del Toro and Doug Jones — a pairing that I do not think gets quite enough attention in comparison. Of course, this could be because, in each of their collaborations, the actor is impossible to recognize.

The Academy Award-winning filmmaker and master of horror and fantasy often employs the Hocus Pocus cast member to play non-human characters under heavy amounts of makeup and prosthetics. Yet, the results are always a wondrous and unique pleasure to behold and are key as to why the actor has become an icon among horror movie lovers despite how few times we have ever seen his face on screen. It would be nearly impossible to choose a favorite among those examples, but I am going to try in this ranked list of Doug Jones’ most awesome performances in some of the best Guillermo del Toro movies — starting with an honorable mention from the small screen.

Honorable Mention: The Master And The Ancient (The Strain)

Years before becoming the creator and host Netflix’s grotesque and disturbing anthology series, Cabinet of Curiosities, Guillermo del Toro’s first major TV project was the FX’s series adaptation of his own novel series that he co-wrote with author Chuck Hogan, The Strain — a chronicle of humanity’s war against a cataclysmic outbreak of vampirism. 

Doug Jones made his first appearance on one of the best horror TV shows streaming on Hulu in Season 1 as the original Master (the one whom all bloodsuckers answer to) and later landed a recurring role as the leader of the seven original vampires called The Ancients in several more episodes. Both characters are among the few speaking roles that have allowed Jones to really show his chops in a Del Toro project.  

5. Edith’s Mother And Lady Sharpe (Crimson Peak)

Doug Jones also pulls double duty in Guillermo del Toro’s star-studded ode to victorian ghost stories from 2015, Crimson Peak, as the ghosts of both the forboding mother of Mia Wasikowska’s character, Edith, and Lady Sharpe — the mother of Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain’s characters, Thomas and Lucille. 

I might have ranked these tortured spirits higher if not for how reliant their appearances and even some of their more essential movements are on CGI. However, Jones does make both roles quite disturbing and, easily, one of the most essential reasons to watch this box office disappointment, but neither are my choice for his scariest work, which I will get to soon.

4. Fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth)

One of the most recognizable Doug Jones characters from a Guillermo del Toro movie is technically a speaking part, but it is actually Pablo Adán’s voice and not his that you hear guiding young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) as she escapes her cruel reality and goes into a bizarre and startling fantasy world. 

Nonetheless, it is the profound emotional range that the actor evokes while under such heavy amounts of David Martí and Montse Ribé’s Oscar-winning makeup that make the title role of 2006’s Pan’s Labyrinth (directly referred to as “Fauno”) such a memorable creature and the Spanish-language film such a timeless modern classic. However, to be honest, The Faun is not even my favorite role of Jones’ from the movie alone.

3. The Pale Man (Pan’s Labyrinth)

Pan’s Labyrinth also sees Doug Jones giving two top-notch performances for the price of one, but I chose to keep them separate on this list because I especially have a lot to say about his performance as The Pale Man and believe it deserves its own moment of praise. 

One of the more prevailing thoughts I had while rewatching the film recently was just how unbelievably frightening he is as the grotesque creature who chases after Ofelia for stealing some of his grapes despite the role’s wordless simplicity. Every reason you need to explain why Jones is in so many great horror movies is in that haunting scene.

2. Abe Sapien (The Hellboy Movies)

However, the scariest Doug Jones’ roles are not necessarily his best roles and, in fact, the one I first picture whenever I think of him is Abe Sapien from Guillermo del Toro’s thrilling adaptations of Mike Mignola’s popular Dark Horse comic book series. 

The actor originally shared the role of this highly sophisticated and endlessly charming aquatic being with Frasier cast member David Hyde Pierce, who chose to go uncredited in 2004’s Hellboy as the character’s voice, believing the role truly belonged to Jones. I agree, which is why I am glad he was able to fully embody the character when 2008’s Hellboy II: The Golden Army showed a deeper side of his humanity, and wish Abe’s proposed spin-off could have happened.

1. The Amphibian Man (The Shape Of Water)

Then again, I suppose we could say that the Abe Sapien movie did happen after all, considering the glaring similarities between Doug Jones’ Hellboy character and his role in Guillermo del Toro’s beatiful Best Picture Oscar winner from 2017. 

However, what makes The Amphibian Man stand out from the actor’s other famous aquatic creature and all of his characters, in my opinion, is his ability to say so much while saying nothing at all and while wearing a deeply uncomfortable, but stunning, outfit. Only Jones could make the otherwise irreverent love story between a half-man, half-fish and a non-speaking custodian (Sally Hawkins) at the center of The Shape of Water such a moving experience.

I could also talk forever about all the great performances that Doug Jones has given outside of his collaborations with Guillermo del Toro and without all the makeup, too. For instance, he was really creepy as the victim of a mysterious creature’s kidnapping in one of Mike Flanagan’s best (and most underrated) movies, Absentia, from 2011. He also gave a brief but memorable performance in John Dies at the End from 2012 and he was truly something to freak about when he played a demonic ice cream man in 2010. No one is better at standing out in a film or TV cast without even being truly seen than this man of many talents.

Star Trek: Discovery had a stellar ending to Season 4 with a lot of fresh developments (and one huge cameo), but the season finale ended in a way that made it so viewers weren’t immediately sure where the series will head in Season 5. Fans received a brief synopsis and new picture of Michael Burnham during Star Trek Day, and now we have another new nugget of information via Doug Jones. The Captain Saru actor seemingly confirmed Season 5 is going in a direction that fans want, specifically in regards to one storyline. 

For anyone worried that Saru’s budding romance with Ni’Var President T’Rina would fizzle and fade before the beginning of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, worry no longer. That is, provided Doug Jones is saying what it sounds like in a recent interview with Collider, in which he commented on what’s going on with Saru in T’Rina in Season 5 in broad strokes:

Doug Jones didn’t come out and explicitly say that Saru and T’Rina are still together in Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, but it’s hard to read it any other way based on that comment. He’s clearly a fan of his character’s courtship. He’s not alone in that sentiment, as many loved seeing Saru find love with the Ni’Var leader, but given the newness of it all and how slow they were taking things, it seemed possible they wouldn’t last. 

Assuming Saru and T’Rina are still a couple in Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, it would be interesting to see just how much things progressed. Saru, of course, has his obligations to Starfleet as well as a member of the Ba’ul and Kelpian High Council. Viewers last saw him serving as Captain Michael Burnham’s First Officer aboard the Discovery, though it’s unknown if he’s off elsewhere in Season 5, back with the High Council, or even commanding his own ship once again as a Captain of Starfleet. 

The point being, Saru is juggling a lot of plates, and on top of all that, he’s dating the President of one of the Federation’s core nations. His obligations, paired with T’Rina’s, might make it hard for them to connect in Season 5 as much as fans may want. Of course, we could be pleasantly surprised and see that the two progressed much further since we last saw them. I’m hoping for the latter, though realistically, keeping my expectations low because I know there’s a bigger story to tell in Star Trek: Discovery. 

As for what that story is, we know that Starfleet is in search of an ancient and powerful artifact deliberately hidden away for centuries. Unfortunately, there are others outside of Starfleet that are also aware of this great power, and there’s a sense that this power could be mishandled if the wrong people find it. 

It sounds like Season 5 is going to be one big epic adventure, but perhaps there can be some moments squirreled away for romance this season? Especially since we don’t know where things stand with Michael and Book either! They seemed reconciled after Booker’s breakup and betrayal, but who knows where things will end up now that he’s off ship. 

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 is currently filming, and will likely be available to anyone with a Paramount+ subscription sometime in 2023. There are still some other new Trek shows that will arrive before then, so be sure to check out what’s on the horizon if you’re a fan!

The Sanderson sisters are coming back! It’s been nearly 30 years since Hocus Pocus entered our lives and became required viewing each Halloween. Now there will be a sequel to add to your annual holiday traditions, as Hocus Pocus 2 is set to hit Disney+ sometime this fall. Filming wrapped in January on the movie that will see three high school students joining forces to stop the soul-sucking trio in modern-day Salem.

The actresses who portrayed the three witches in the first movie will reprise their roles, and it appears we’ll see Winnie, Sarah and Mary in a couple of other iterations as well. The veteran actresses are joined by some fresh new talent that should make fans more excited, if that’s even possible. Let’s take a look at the updated cast list for the highly anticipated Hocus Pocus 2. 

Bette Midler (Winifred 'Winnie' Sanderson) 

The legend herself, Bette Midler, is back as Winnie, the oldest Sanderson sister. After nearly three decades, she’ll certainly be looking to have more children … on toast! A star of stage and screen for the past seven decades, Midler is known for movies such as The First Wives Club, 2019’s The Addams Family and its 2021 sequel, in which she voiced Grandmama. She most recently appeared on Broadway in 2017 in Hello, Dolly!.

Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah Sanderson)

Sarah Jessica Parker plays the youngest sister, Sarah, and yes, she’s still beautiful and boys will still love her! This is the second iconic role that Parker has revisited lately, as she’s also currently starring in HBO Max’s And Just Like That…, the sequel series to the HBO hit Sex and the City. Since Hocus Pocus, Parker has starred in movies like The First Wives Club (with Bette Midler), Mars Attacks!, The Family Stone and two Sex and the City movies. She’s no stranger to Broadway herself, as she debuted at age 11 in The Innocents, and is currently starring opposite husband Matthew Broderick in Plaza Suite.

Kathy Najimy (Mary Sanderson)

Rounding out the starring trio is the middle Sanderson sister, Mary, and Kathy Najimy will return in the role of the witch known for sniffing out children. Outside of Hocus Pocus, Najimy is well-known as the uber-optimistic Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act, and the voice of Peggy on King of the Hill. She’s been in a number of movies, including Hope Floats, Dumplin’ and Single All the Way, and she also held recurring roles in such TV series as Veronica’s Closet, Numb3rs, Younger and Veep (which means this sequel will reunite her with some familiar faces).

Doug Jones (William 'Billy' Butcherson)

The three leading witches aren’t the only familiar faces returning for the sequel. Doug Jones will also be seen again as Billy Butcherson, Winifred’s ex-boyfriend, whom she poisoned after she found out he cheated on her with her sister Sarah. Winnie brought him back as a zombie in Hocus Pocus, and apparently he’s still amongst the undead nearly three decades later. Jones is well known for his disguised roles, and he's a frequent collaborator with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, appearing in the films Mimic, Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Crimson Peak, and The Shape of Water. He also plays Saru on Star Trek: Discovery and has a recurring role as Baron Afanas on What We Do in the Shadows.

Taylor Paige Henderson (Young Winnie Sanderson)

In her first major movie role, Taylor Paige Henderson will play Young Winnie. Taylor previously voiced Earwig in the movie Earwig and the Witch. I wonder how this sequel will utilize the witches in their younger years.

Juju Brener (Young Sarah Sanderson)

Playing Young Sarah is Juju Brene, who has been acting in small roles since 2016. She played Lily in the 2021 Morgan Freeman film Vanquish and was in Miley Cyrus’ music video for “Younger Now.” In addition to joining the Hocus Pocus franchise, Juju is set to star in the book-to-movie adaptation of The Furry Fortune. 

Nina Kitchen (Young Mary Sanderson)

Newcomer Nina Kitchen will play Young Mary in Hocus Pocus 2. This will be Nina’s first acting credit. Fingers crossed this launches her to stardom!

Whitney Peak (Becca)

Whitney Peak will play Becca, one of the three high school students who will attempt to stop the Sanderson sisters in Hocus Pocus 2. Peak can currently be seen in the HBO Max revival of Gossip Girl as Zoya. Before she joined the ranks of Manhattan’s private school elite, Peak played Alpha Jessica in the Apple TV+ mystery drama Home Before Dark and recurred as Judith on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. She also played Stella in Aaron Sorkin’s Molly’s Game.

Lilia Buckingham (Cassie)

The second teen who will be going up against the veteran witches is Lilia Buckingham, who will play Cassie. Buckingham, a former competitive dancer, got her first acting credit from a small role on an episode of Modern Family. She then began working with the Gen Z media network Brat TV, where she appeared in series including Chicken Girls, Total Eclipse and Zoe Valentine.

Belissa Escobedo (Izzy) 

Rounding out the high school trio is Belissa Escobedo as Izzy. Escobedo got her start on the 2020 ABC comedy The Baker and the Beauty, where she played little sister Natalie. Following that series’ cancellation, she had a small role on American Horror Story and played Bianca in the Hulu original movie Sex Appeal. She's also in the cast of the upcoming DC Comics movie Blue Beetle.

Tony Hale (Jefry Traske)

Tony Hale joins the Hocus Pocus 2 cast as Jefry Traske, the mayor of Salem. Hale is well-known for his comedic turns as Buster Bluth on Arrested Development and Gary Walsh on Veep, but also had notable roles in The Mysterious Benedict Society and Chuck. He’s also a notable voice actor, playing the voice as the inquisitive Forky from Toy Story 4 and Forky Asks a Question, and his other voice work includes HouseBroken, Crossing Swords, Rugrats, Harley Quinn and many more. Hale's movie roles include Being the Ricardos, Clifford the Big Red Dog and Love, Simon. 

Sam Richardson

Tony Hale’s Veep and HouseBroken co-star Sam Richardson will also appear in Hocus Pocus 2. Richardson stars in The Afterparty and also lends his voice to a number of movie and TV projects, including Ralph Breaks the Internet, M.O.D.O.K., Woke, BoJack Horseman and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He co-created and co-starred in Detroiters with Tim Robinson and has appeared on Robinson’s Netflix sketch comedy series I Think You Should Leave. Richardson has appeared in films including The Tomorrow War, Hooking Up, Promising Young Woman, 2016’s Ghostbusters, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates and Horrible Bosses 2. 

Hannah Waddingham

Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham, or should we say Rebecca Welton from Ted Lasso, joins this witchy sequel in an unknown role. She appeared in Seasons 5 and 6 of Game of Thrones as Septa Unella. Waddingham is also a star of the stage, appearing on both London's West End and New York's Broadway. She’s been in productions including Spamalot, Into the Woods, The Wizard of Oz, and Kiss Me, Kate. 

Froy Gutierrez

Most recently, Froy Gutierrez played Jamie Henson on Freeform’s Cruel Summer, and he’s appeared in the Hulu series Light as a Feather, MTV’s Teen Wolf in Season 6, and the first season of One Day at a Time on Netflix. Hocus Pocus 2 will surely serve as a way to further boost his acting profile.

Ginger Minj (Drag Winnie)

Drag Race star Ginger Minj will reportedly play a drag queen version of Winifred in Hocus Pocus 2. She was the runner-up on Season 7 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and then competed on Seasons 2 and 6 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. Minj has appeared in three Netflix productions — Dumplin’, AJ and the Queen and the animated series Super Drags. She has released three studio albums, and Kathy Najimy made a guest appearance on her music video for “Gummy Bear.”

Kornbread Jeté (Drag Mary)

Kornbread Jeté competed on Season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race early in 2022. She will portray a drag version of Mary, and I'm looking forward to seeing how that turns out.

Kahmora Hall (Drag Sarah)

Playing the drag queen version of Sarah is Kahmora Hall. She was the first contestant eliminated from Season 13 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, but she returned as a guest for an episode of Season 14.

With this great mix of old favorites and new characters in the Hocus Pocus universe, it’s no wonder fans are so excited for this fall. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we’ll see Max, Allison or Dani in the new film, despite Vinessa Shaw expressing willingness to return. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on the movie, which will be available for streaming with a Disney+ subscription. In the meantime, check out the other Disney+ movies available now.

While Disney is known for its box office power, the studio had a few movies that failed to make money, before becoming cult classics. Case in point: 1993’s Hocus Pocus, which generations watch every year in October. A sequel is on the way for Disney+, and one Hocus Pocus 2 actor has offered the first glimpse at a beloved returning character.

When Hocus Pocus 2 was first announced, fans were thrilled to learn that the trio of Sanderson Sisters would be back. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy recently wrapped filming on the streaming project, but they won’t be the only OG’s that appear. Legendary character actor Doug Jones will also be reprising his role as Billy Butcherson. Check out his awesome makeup below,

Get out your salt and look out for his head, because Billy is once again rising from the dead in Hocus Pocus 2. And Doug Jones looks pitch perfect as Winifred Sanderson’s blighted ex-boyfriend. Now the question is: how big of a role will he have in the highly anticipated sequel?

The above image comes to us from Instagram, but originated in a now-deleted post on Doug Jones’ personal Twitter. But despite it being deleted, the viral had already started circulating around various social media outlets. Because with so little information about Hocus Pocus 2 made public, moviegoers are eager for any updates. And Jones just looks awesome back as Billy.

Of course, this isn’t the first piece of Hocus Pocus 2 to make its way onto the Twittersphere. There have been a number of set videos happening throughout production, which recently wrapped. Fans have been able to get a peek at the Sanderson Sisters flying, and a new musical number sung by the one and only Bette Midler.

Still, much of Hocus Pocus remains a mystery for the time being. While Disney previously released the first look at the trio of stars in costume, not much else is known. Doug Jones is the only other returning actor confirmed to appear, although fans are hoping to see appearances from the likes of Thora Birch or Vinessa Shaw. We’ll just have to wait and see what director Anne Fletcher has up her sleeve.

Hocus Pocus 2 is just one of the many highly anticipated Disney+ movies coming down the line, to the delight of fans. The Enchanted sequel will also be released on the streaming service, with the starring cast returning. Not to mention all the TV content, like the various shows set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Hocus Pocus 2 is expected to arrive on Disney+ sometime this year. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

While spooky season is over according to the calendar (and pockets of the internet), there are those who want to keep the fun going just a little longer. Which is good, because Disney+’s Hocus Pocus 2 is currently filming, and there’s a ton of new information as to who’s going to star in the film. It includes some old favorites, along with a lot of new stars hailing from shows like Ted Lasso and Veep!

Before we get too deep into the faces of old and new in Hocus Pocus 2, it’s a good time to go over the plot of the new film. Recently announced, along with the news of the Anne Fletcher directed sequel currently being filmed in Rhode Island, the synopsis for the next chapter was also dropped by the good people at Disney+. So we’ll quickly run through what is, and isn’t, going to be a part of Hocus Pocus 2’s story, before we move onto who we’ll be seeing run amok this time out. 

What’s Hocus Pocus 2 Going To Be About?

The return of the infamous Sanderson sisters is, pretty much, predicated by what you’d expect in Hocus Pocus 2. With Disney+’s official announcement of production on the sequel came a synopsis that sounds familiar, but still ready for new excitement to take hold. Here’s the official rundown: 

As you can see, there’s some good news and bad news for Hocus Pocus fans who have been waiting for this sequel for some time. If you were hoping that Hocus Pocus 2 would be an adaptation of author A.W. Jantha’s Hocus Pocus and the All New Sequel, that’s not in the cards. However, there are some returning faces from the original 1993 film, as well as a load of new folks joining in on the fun. Let’s start things off with the list of returning players in Hocus Pocus 2.

OG Hocus Pocus Characters Are Back, Including Billy Butcherson

Surely, you can’t have a Hocus Pocus 2 without the original Sanderson sisters returning to the field of play. But, in addition to that trio of terrifying treats, this sequel is going to see legendary creature actor and Star Trek: Discovery cast member Doug Jones aka fan-favorite Billy Butcherson coming back as well! So far, we should expect the following Hocus Pocus actors to return for the Disney+ follow up: 

• Bette Midler
• Kathy Najimy
• Sarah Jessica Parker
• Doug Jones

That there is a list of exciting potential for Hocus Pocus 2 adventure! So let’s run through our returning cast members, and see what they’ve been up to as of late. 

Bette Midler As Winnie Sanderson

Winifred “Winnie” Sanderson was expertly played in Hocus Pocus by the iconic Bette Midler. Honestly, how could you have a Hocus Pocus 2 without inviting the divine Ms. M along for the ride? Though the same could be said for her equally powerful sisters, and lucky us everyone’s back in style.

Kathy Najimy As Mary Sanderson

While it’s obviously fitting that Kathy Najimy returns to play Mary Sanderson in Hocus Pocus 2, there’s another exciting reason her casting in the sequel is exciting. We won’t spoil it for now, but let’s just say that her recurring guest role on HBO’s Veep could lend an extra magical ingredient to this second spell of adventure.

Sarah Jessica Parker As Sarah Sanderson

Sarah Sanderson may have been the more social and less strategic witch of the Hocus Pocus trio. But much like the Three Stooges (that seemingly inspired the Sanderson sisters), you’d be crazy to invoke only part of this group. Not even her return for HBO’s And Just Like That could have prevented Sarah Jessica Parker from enchanting a new batch of children with her siren song.

Doug Jones As Fan Fave Billy Butcherson

Though we have no word on whether any of the original kids from Hocus Pocus will be back in some capacity, we do know our first returning cast member outside of the Sanderson sisters trio. And it’s Guillermo del Toro mainstay/Star Trek: Discovery crew member Doug Jones, who originated the zombified role of Billy Butcherson almost 30 years ago and is still a popular Halloween costume years later. Now that his mouth isn’t sewn up, and Mr. Jones has built quite the resume in the ensuing decades, maybe we’ll get to see Billy chatting a bit more about his own story, and the legend of the Sandersons. 

As of this moment, these are the faces from the Hocus Pocus legacy that will be coming back for more. So that means the pressure’s kind of on the roster of new faces coming into view to give them a magically hard time. If you thought the returning cast was cool, just wait until you see the new kids on the broom for Hocus Pocus round 2!

Hocus Pocus Sequel's New Cast Members Include Ted Lasso Star Hannah Waddingham, A Veep Mini Reunion And More

The only thing more exciting than the returning participants in Hocus Pocus 2's cast are the newcomers we've been teasing. Ted Lasso and Veep are just the start too, as there's quite a few young up and comers joining the fight as well. Here's the full list of new actors joining the world of Hocus Pocus 2:

• Hannah Waddingham
• Sam Richardson
• Tony Hale
• Whitney Peak
• Lilia Buckingham
• Belissa Escobedo
• Juju Brener
• Froy Gutierrez
• Taylor Henderson
• Nina Kitchen

Hannah Waddingham

Friends, it’s time for biscuits with the boss. Coming over from the cast of Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso is Rebecca Welton herself. Though we have a feeling actor Hannah Waddingham's new gig in Hocus Pocus 2 might be more reminiscent of that time she shamed Cersei Lannister on HBO’s Game of Thrones, it’s all gravy so long as Ms. Waddingham gets to wield some magic. 

Sam Richardson

The Veep connections start to pay off here, as one of Hocus Pocus 2’s new cast members happens to be Richard Splett himself, Sam Richardson! It also helps that Richardson added some paranormal experience to his resume in 2021, as he was previously seen in this year’s  horror-comedy whodunnit Werewolves Within. 

Tony Hale As Mayor Jefry Traske?

Continuing those good Veep vibes is the casting of Tony Hale, another member of the HBO comedy’s wise-cracking tribe. Hale is also a Disney+ vet, having starred as part of the company's original series adaptation of The Mysterious Benedict Society. If the DisInsider’s recent report is to be believed, Hale’s Hocus Pocus 2 character is the mayor of Salem, Jefry Traske.

Whitney Peak

Building off of that same DisInsider cache of supposed knowledge, Hocus Pocus 2 will be centered around a trio of characters named Becca, Izzy, and Cassie. While we don’t know if that’s 100% the full story, or who will play those exact roles, actor Whitney Peak is one of the presumptive teenagers who will light the Black Flame Candle this time around. Interestingly enough, Ms. Peak’s previous credits include Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot. 

Belissa Escobedo

Rounding out the presumed cast of new leads for Hocus Pocus 2 is actor Belissa Escobedo, who was recently seen getting scary with FX’s American Horror Stories. Also an alum from ABC’s The Baker and The Beauty, Escobedo is another member of the Disney family waiting to give the Sandersons what for! 

Froy Gutierrez

You may know him as Nolan Holloway on MTV’s Teen Wolf, or as Cruel Summer’s Jamie Henson on Freeform. Froy Guiterrez is about to find himself in the middle of magical mayhem, thanks to his casting in Hocus Pocus 2. Good thing he’ll have that experience from Hulu’s Light as a Feather to fall back on in these uncertain times. 

The rest of the newcomers to the Hocus Pocus 2 cast include a range of actors so fresh this movie is among some of their first major credits. Starting her acting career on an episode of TV’s Modern Family, actor Lilia Buckingham is one of the three young leads at the heart of this new adventure. So is actor Taylor Henderson, who is making her live action debut after being heard as the English dub voice of Earwig in this year’s Earwig and the Witch. 

Meanwhile, young Juju Brener has a look that recalls the role of Emily Binx, sister to Thackery and victim of the Sanderson sisters. Could we be seeing the Binx family yet again, thus opening the door for Thackery to return as a result? And last, but not least, is actor Nina Kitchen, who, according to her IMDb, is making Hocus Pocus 2 her first screen credit ever. Talk about making a magical entrance, as Kitchen could see this long-awaited sequel kickstarting her young career.

Is There Room In Hocus Pocus 2’s Cast For Thora Birch And More OG Cast Members?

At the end of our Hocus Pocus 2 celebration, one point must be restated for clarity. As of this moment, it doesn’t look like Max, Allison, or Dani will be a part of the new film’s story. Though we did see Vinessa Shaw express willingness to return for the sequel, as well as Thora Birch celebrating Hocus Pocus 2’s announcement in a way that indicated she’s also game. Still, nothing official is in the works at this moment. Though if you really want to learn about Max and Allison’s daughter, and her run in with the Sanderson sisters, you can check out the novel Hocus Pocus and the All New Sequel.

Then again, the vague synopsis for Hocus Pocus 2 does call for high school aged kids, and Poppy Dennison is 17 years old in the sequel novel. The possibilities are endless at this moment, and even if it turns out that this is the story we’re going to see adapted for the screen, you’ll be ready to experience it all in living breathing color. Which, naturally, isn’t set in stone just yet. 

While we don’t have an official release date for Hocus Pocus 2, we do know that it’ll be a Disney+ original! Set to be released in the fall of 2022, an educated/hopeful guess would say that one weekend next October will see the Black Flame Candle lit once more. It’s nothing to worry about, as it’s all just another bunch of hocus pocus; and one that fans have been waiting almost three decades to enjoy. So keep your Disney+ subscription in order as you wait, and don’t forget to check out the beloved movies already uploaded to Disney’s Digital library. 

Ask any casual moviegoers who they would choose as their favorite horror movie villain and they will likely provide you with an answer without hesitation, but challenge them to name the actor played the character, and you might have them stumped. Die-hard fans of horror movies, however, celebrate horror movie actors such as Bruce Campbell or Jamie Lee Curtis (to name a few) just as passionately as the villains or victims they portray on screen, but who among them is truly the most iconic is a debate more fierce than the titular conflict in Freddy vs. Jason. 

Well, I figured we could make an attempt to settle that argument (or at least give the debaters some food for thought) by ranking my own personal favorite Scream Queens and Scream Kings of all time based on their prevalence in the horror genre, acting ability, and the size and loyalty of their fanbase. I decided to keep the official list (ordered from really good to all-time best) at an appropriate quantity of 13.

13. Adrienne Barbeau 

Adrienne Barbeau’s movie career began with 1980’s The Fog - her second collaboration with then-husband, writer and director John Carpenter - before working with other horror auteurs, like George A. Romero (1982’s Creepshow) and Wes Craven (1982’s Swamp Thing), made her into a cult icon whose instantly recognizable voice can be heard as the narrator of Tales of Halloween. Barbeau still contributes to the genre that made her famous, most recently on the anthology series American Horror Stories, and next in movies like Hellblazers and The Pitch-Fork.

12. Tony Todd

Co-starring in Hellblazers and The Pitch-Fork is Tony Todd, who recently appeared in Nia DaCosta’s 2021 sequel to 1992's Candyman, to reprise the titular ghostly slasher - which he originated after taking over Duane Jones’ role in Tom Savini’s 1990 Night of the Living Dead remake. Having since starred in classics like the Final Destination movies or the more recent slasher throwback, Hell Fest, in 2018, and racking up a 240-credit career that is predominantly horror, Todd is easily one of the most beloved Scream Kings alive.

11. Doug Jones

Appearing in his own insane amount of credits with rarely ever showing his face is Doug Jones - a.k.a. Billy Butcherson in the Hocus Pocus cast, and most creatures you see in a Guillermo del Toro movie (i.e. Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water), to name just a few. This master of disguise (and master contortionist) has given audiences new appreciation for the movie stars who stay hidden in plain sight.

10. Linda Blair

Speaking of acting under heavy makeup, Linda Blair gave a rare, Oscar-nominated performance as the possessed Regan MacNeil in 1973’s The Exorcist at only 14 - forever associating herself with one of the scariest and best horror movies ever. She would revisit the role twice - in the 1977 sequel Exorcist II: The Heretic and 1990's spoof Repossessed, with Leslie Nielsen - and starred in several other favorites (like 1981’s Hell Night and the original Scream) continuing to insure herself as horror royalty. 

9. Christopher Lee 

Also known for revisiting a famous role multiple times is Sir Christopher Lee, who (along with his frequent co-star, Peter Cushing) essentially became the face of Hammer’s gothic dramas by playing its iterations of Frankenstein's Monster or the Mummy, before originating other iconic roles in the likes of Horror Express or The Wicker Man (the original from 1973). When he passed away in 2015 at 93, his most cited characters in memoriam might have been Saruman in The Lord of the Rings movies, or Count Dooku from the Star Wars movies , but to those who knew him best, he will always be their Dracula, whom he played ten times, beginning with 1957's Horror of Dracula. 

8. Bela Lugosi

Of course, the first image most associate with Dracula is the dagger-eyed, Romanian-born Bela Lugosi in Universal’s 1931 classic, that immediately made him a horror icon. Before giving his final performance in Ed Wood’s infamous 1957 sci-fi flick Plan 9 from Outer Space, he even became a part of Universal’s Frankenstein franchise as Ygor, and as the Creature himself in the 1943 crossover Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman.

7. Boris Karloff 

Of course, the first image most associate with Frankenstein’s Monster (not Dr. Frankenstein, to be clear) is Bela Lugoi’s frequent co-star Boris Karloff, in Universal’s 1931 classic that immediately made him a horror legend. He also played the titular villain of 1932's The Mummy, and even got to portray the reversal of his best known role as a descendent of Dr. Frankenstein in Frankenstein 1970. His booming voice later became well-known among a young demographic for the 1966 animated special How the Grinch Stole Christmas! as both the narrator and the voice of Dr. Seuss’ curmudgeonly creation.

6. Barbara Crampton 

While not a household name like Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi, Barbara Crampton has just as much notoriety in the horror community as either of them for a career that is defined by, practically, all distinguished horror subgenres. From gross-out body horror in H.P. Lovecraft adaptations Re-Animator and From Beyond, the fun B-movie schlock in Chopping Mall, or clever home invasion thrills in You’re Next, she has literally done it all and, now in her 60s, she is far from finished, having recently appeared in a few Shudder movies (including Jakob’s Wife), the platform’s Creepshow TV series, and a new zombie video game called Back 4 Blood.

5. Robert Englund

Video games also appear on Robert Englund’s filmography, including 2011’s Mortal Kombat, in which he reprises Freddy Krueger from the A Nightmare on Elm Street movies. Chewing the scenery for years as the badly burned, razor-gloved boogeyman would lead to a career of more blood and guts than you could ever dream of. In other words, Englund has also done it all when it comes to horror and still continues expand on his prevalence there to this day, such as joining the cast of Stranger Things Season 4 being one of his coolest new ventures.

4. Sigourney Weaver 

While Robert Englund is, admittedly, not known for much outside of horror, Sigourney Weaver is known for plenty more, but the first of her three Oscar nominations was for playing the undisputedly badass Ellen Ripley in 1986’s Aliens - the action-packed sequel to Alien. The 1979 sci-fi slasher skyrocketed her to the A-list, making her appearances in further thrillers like The Village, The Cabin in the Woods, or A Monster Calls all the more crowd-pleasing. Weaver is once again playing Dana Barrett in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, proving she is always game to return to the genre that made her one of Hollywood’s most powerful stars.

3. Vincent Price 

Another horror icon known to employ a healthy sense of variety is Vincent Price, who became one of the genre's most famous faces in the 1950s for major roles in the original versions of House of Wax, The Fly, and House on Haunted Hill, as well as several Edgar Allan Poe adaptations. “The King of Grand Guignol” later had the honor of “rapping” in Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and narrating a 1982 short film called Vincent (about a boy obsessed with the actor himself) which was written and directed by Tim Burton, who would cast him in Edward Scissorhands: his final theatrically released film.

2. Bruce Campbell 

No one has deserved to inherit the B-movie “King” title from Vincent Price like Bruce Campbell - co-producer and "final man" of the Evil Dead movies, who went on to be the ultimate horror movie hero in several more creepy and cheesy classics like Bubba Ho-Tep or My Name is Bruce (which he directs and plays himself in). Fans were saddened to see Campbell retire the Ash Williams character after Ash vs. Evil Dead's cancellation, but he is reprising the chainsaw-handed Deadite killer in the upcoming Evil Dead video game and is producing Evil Dead Rise, the franchise’s latest installment, with Sam Raimi.

1. Jamie Lee Curtis 

Also producing (and starring in) the newest installments of her flagship franchise is Jamie Lee Curtis, whom I previously called the all-time greatest horror Scream Queen. But, I also feel she is most qualified to be the all-time greatest horror movie actor, in general, since her debut role as Laurie Strode in 1978's Halloween set the modern precedent for great acting in horror movies. Despite confessing to not necessarily loving the genre, it still cannot get enough of her, which she seems proud of, especially considering her upcoming directorial debut, Mother Nature, is a Blumhouse-produced thriller.

Before we go, let's take a look at some honorable mentions of horror royalty who nearly made the cut.

Honorable Mentions

Anthony Perkins - Psycho (1960)

Heather Langenkamp - A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) 

Duane Jones - Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Dee Wallace - The Howling (1981)

Kane Hodder - Friday the 13th movies (1988- 2003)

Lin Shaye - Insidious (2011)

Well, long live the King and Queen of horror, who I am surprised have never appeared in a movie together. (Make it happen, Hollywood!) Of course, naming Bruce Campbell and Jamie Lee Curtis the ultimate in horror movie royalty is just one opinion among the many others that make the genre so wonderfully versatile. Whether it is slashers or ghost stories, there is always something different for everyone to enjoy, especially when their favorite actor is in the lead.

While many would agree that (most) Christmas movies are best when reserved for the Christmas season, if you ask me, of all the films set on holidays, Halloween movies are the one kind that can be enjoyed all year long. Just ask any Disney+ subscriber you know how many times they have streamed Hocus Pocus since it launched in November 2019. Include yourself in that pool, too, and make sure to be honest.

But, hey, no need to worry because there is no shame in repeat viewings of one of the most celebrated movies in the realm of both Disney nostalgia and cinematic celebrations of All Hallow’s Eve in history. In fact, it appears that a sequel to Hocus Pocus is in development almost three decades since the original - in which three children accidentally resurrect a trio of legendary witches in Salem - was first released. Can you picture Max Dennison, his sister Dani, and love interest Allison battling the Sanderson Sisters now as adults?

You might be not be able to, come to think of it, if you have not been keeping up with the main Hocus Pocus cast and their subsequent career efforts. Well, since Hocus Pocus 2 seems to really be more than just a bunch of “hocus pocus” after all, let us prepare take a look at the biggest stars of the 1993 family classic and what magic they have been conjuring onscreen or even offscreen, starting with the most wicked witch of them all… in the Disney catalog, that is.

Bette Midler (Winifred Sanderson)

She plays one vile, treacherous villain, but Bette Midler is truly one of the most talented and celebrated stars of the stage and screen with multiple nominations and wins from every major award you could think of. She followed up Hocus Pocus by playing herself on sitcoms like Seinfeld and The Nanny, made enemies with one of her Sanderson Sisters in The First Wives Club, had her own short-lived, self-titled sitcom in the early 2000s, and more recently played real-life activist Bella Abzug in The Glorias. In addition to reprising Grandma in the upcoming The Addams Family 2, Bette Midler also seems ready to bring Winifred Sanderson back from the dead for a new installment.

Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah Sanderson)

The Sanderson Sister antagonized by Bette Midler in 1995’s The First Wives Club was Sarah - played by a then 27-year-old Sarah Jessica Parker in Hocus Pocus. Her defining role, which won her two Emmys and four Golden Globes, was Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO hit Sex and the City 1998-2004, which she reprised in two feature-length spin-offs, and later found a way to return to her dancing roots by producing the series City.Ballet for AOL. The now 55-year-old actress, and wife of Matthew Broderick, more recently received praise for the another HBO dramedy, Divorce, with Thomas Haden Church as her onscreen ex.

Kathy Najimy (Mary Sanderson)

One of the more underrated performers from Hocus Pocus and comedy in general, I believe, is Kathy Najimy, who reprised her role as Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit the same year she played the brighter than Sarah, but still quite dim, Mary Sanderson. Perhaps her best known role is the voice of Peggy on King of the Hill, which she starred on at the same time as shorter-lived fashion industry-based sitcom Veronica’s Closet, but most of her appearances since have been recurring TV roles, like on HBO’s political satire Veep, or additional voice work, like in Wall-E or her reprisal of Mary Sanderson on Robot Chicken.

Omri Katz (Max Dennison)

The peak of Omri Katz’s popularity as an actor is, undoubtedly, playing Max Dennison - the virgin who lit the Black Flame candle - but he is still remembered by some for his earlier role on primetime soap opera Dallas in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s and as the lead of Twin Peaks-esque kids show and cult classic Eerie, Indiana. Following guest spots on Freaks and Geeks and General Hospital, Katz would retire from acting in the early 2000s, but has been sure to acknowledge the fanbase he acquired from Hocus Pocus by participating in recent cast reunions. These days, he makes a living running the cannabis culture business, The Mary Danksters.

Thora Birch (Dani Dennison)

You might not have realized Thora Birch is still acting decades after playing Max’s spunky sister at 11 years old, which led to more mature films like Now & Then, the Academy Award-winning American Beauty, and her Golden Globe-nominated performance in Ghost World opposite Scarlett Johansson. She would also take on spookier circumstances than Hocus Pocus, most notably her recurring role as a leading member of the Whisperers on Season 10 of The Walking Dead. That same year, in 2019, Birch appeared in the critically acclaimed The Last Black Man in San Francisco, so do not be so quick to wonder what happened to Dani Dennison when she has been right under your nose this whole time.

Vinessa Shaw (Allison)

The same goes for Vinessa Shaw, who is now 44, but has barely aged a day since she played Max’s classmate and crush Allison. Like her Hocus Pocus co-star Thora Birch, Shaw would quickly go take on more adult-oriented content, including playing a sex worker in Stanely Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, as well as roles of a scarier variety, like 2006’s The Hills Have Eyes remake or the 2017 Netflix original psychological thriller Clinical. Also, be sure to look out for her next time you watch 2010 western 3:10 to Yuma, Steven Soderbergh’s Side Effects, or Season 2 of the hit Showtime drama Ray Donovan with Liev Schreiber.

Sean Murray (Thackery Binx)

You know, there was a moment during my recent rewatch of Hocus Pocus when I thought that Thackery Binx was played by Devon Sawa of Casper and Final Destination fame until I discovered it was Sean Murray. Though, to be fair, the 43-year-old actor, who first broke into cinema opposite Robert DeNiro and a young Leonardo DiCaprio in This Boy’s Life, looks almost nothing like he did in 1993. The older brother of One Tree Hill star Chad Michael Murray has since found steady work in television, in a recurring role on JAG before becoming a series regular on NCIS as cybersecurity specialist Timothy McGee.

Jason Marsden (Thackery Binx - Cat Voice)

Sean Murray was actually not the only one in Hocus Pocus to play Thackery Binx, whose immortal cat form is actually one of many notable voice acting roles of Jason Marsden (no relation to James, in case you were wondering). While you may have seen his face on ‘90s sitcoms like Boy Meets World, Full House, and Step By Step, his voice is probably a bigger part of your childhood than you realize, having played Max Goof in A Goofy Movie and its sequel, Haku in the English-language version of Spirited Away, and countless animated movies and TV shows based on both DC and Marvel comics. In 2020, he began hosting The Mars Variety Show - a tribute to live performance series of the ’60s and ‘70s he created and streams through YouTube.

Amanda Shepherd (Emily Binx)

There is only one actress, however, who played Thackery Binx’s ill-fated sister Emily in Hocus Pocus’ dark opening and bitter sweet finale, but not the one some previously assumed. While the role was credited online for years to Jodie-Amy Rivera (who was merely an extra), the role was actually the first and last for Amanda Shepherd, who is more recently a Malibu realtor who moonlights as a musician, according to an interview with Cosmopolitan in 2015. Shepherd does take pride in still getting recognized for the Disney role, which she proved by appearing in Freeform’s 2018 TV special celebrating the film’s 25th anniversary.

Doug Jones (Billy Butcherson)

If you failed to recognize Doug Jones in a crowd, he would probably understand since the distinctly limber and chameleonic actor has rarely played a role allowed him to show his face - a reputation that essentially began by playing friendly zombie Billy Butcherson in Hocus Pocus. It is his many, many collaborations with Guillermo del Toro (including Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies, two roles in Pan’s Labyrinth, and the Amphibian Man in the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water) that made him an influential icon in the craft of hiding in plain sight. Jones currently has a starring role as Saru on the CBS All Access exclusive Star Trek: Discovery and will play Count Orlok in a remake of Nosferatu, which is now in post-production.

Garry Marshall (Devil)

One of the funniest bits in Hocus Pocus is when the Sanderson Sisters mistake a middle-age man dressed in a devilish Halloween costume as their “master.” This was a cameo by actor and filmmaker Garry Marshall, who had previously directed Better Midler’s 1988 film Beaches, Julia Roberts in 1990’s Pretty Woman and, later, Anne Hathaway’s The Princess Diaries movies. In 2016, the final year of his life, Marshall produced and guest starred on a series reboot of The Odd Couple and directed Mother’s Day, the last of his holiday-themed rom-coms, before passing away from pneumonia at 81.

Penny Marshall (The Master’s Wife)

Playing Garry Marshall’s wife in Hocus Pocus (for reasons the world may never understand) was Penny Marshall, his real life sister. The former, Golden Globe-nominated star of Happy Days spin-off Laverne & Shirley would later follow in her older brother’s footsteps with a very successful, if not relatively brief, filmmaking career that ranged from fantasy comedies like Big to historical dramas like A League of Their Own - both of which starred Tom Hanks. Even after giving up directing, Marshall would continue to act every once in a while until her death in 2018, due to complications with diabetes, at the age of 75.

What do you think? Was it a little too weird to you seeing the Marshall siblings play a couple in Hocus Pocus, or is that actually far from your own personal problems with the film? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the legacy of Disney’s beloved Halloween tradition, as well as even more inside looks into the careers of your favorite movie and TV show cast members, here on CinemaBlend.

Star Trek: Discovery is a couple of weeks into Season 3 on CBS All Access, and a lot has changed on the series. This is understandable, of course, following the Season 2 cliffhanger, in which the Discovery crew used the spore drive to jump 930 years into the future. In doing so, the series went from 10 years before the start of the original Star Trek to an era completely untouched by past Trek shows.

It was a big change, though one that Doug Jones, who discussed the new season with Collider, says was helpful to the writers of the show. Jones spoke about the massive time jump in Season 3 and how that impacted the writing of the series in a meaningful way that will allow for further change:

Jones continued to say that in Season 3, the Star Trek: Discovery writers have a lot more freedom to shape the world in which their characters are. The writers are able to create more creatures, re-introduce old species, and shift the dynamics between existing civilizations in a way they couldn't in the first 2 seasons. This has already been shown in the first 3 episodes of Season 3, as Michael Burnham and crew learned the Federation essentially dissolved following "The Burn".

One thing Doug Jones didn't mention in the interview is that Star Trek: Discovery did play with Star Trek canon in a few key ways, but its writers were tasked with creating ways to make those new elements make sense with the previously existing canon. The greatest example of this was with the introduction of Spock's adopted sister, whose existence was eventually sworn to secrecy following the events of Season 2.

These are the types of fixes and writing workarounds the Star Trek: Discovery team will have to worry less about in Season 3. Existing in an untouched era may also keep the fans critical of the show off their backs as they're paving their own way as opposed to laying a new track behind previously established canon. Of course, it's always a big ask to get all sci-fi fans on board with just about any show, so perhaps Discovery should just focus on doing the best it can for its story going forward.

Star Trek: Discovery airs on CBS All Access Thursdays at 12:01 a.m. PT. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more on the franchise, and for the latest news happening in television and movies.

As the world continues to hang on each and every exciting reveal from the upcoming Star Trek: Picard, it's easy to forget that Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery should be pretty exciting as well. The CBS All Access series made a massive jump into the future at the end of last season, and will return in new episodes in an era beyond where any Star Trek series has ventured before.

Saru actor Doug Jones is excited about the upcoming season, and explained that the story will really get moving when the adventure returns. Lots of answers are coming, including answers that will update his standing on the Discovery.

Doug Jones is promising the answers to a lot of questions fans had at the end of Star Trek: Discovery Season 2. The official story told to Starfleet by those left behind following the big battle with Control was that the Discovery was destroyed. Only a select few know the truth that the Discovery leapt to the future, all in an attempt to protect its technology from any forces, time-traveling or otherwise, intent on owning it.

Several centuries have passed since then, so it wouldn't be surprising if some within Starfleet learned the truth behind what happened with the Discovery. If so, envoys may be waiting for the ship in order to intercept the crew, as could enemies hoping to deceive the time-travelers who may not even know which way is up. Hell, there's 100 things fans may expect, which is what Doug Jones has told Collider is part of the fun in being a part of this season.

It's something Star Trek fans all around should be excited about, as Star Trek: Discovery is free from the bonds of adhering to past canon. Additionally, it has the ability to create new canon in an untapped era of the Star Trek timeline, which broadens the creative freedom writers can have immensely. No one should really be mad at that, unless of course they were hoping for many more adventures with Anson Mount's Captain Pike.

Star Trek: Discovery Writer Says He Quit After Being Told He Couldn't Use N-Word

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 is in the works, though fans have not been told when to expect the CBS All Access series to return. Stick with CinemaBlend as always for updates on what's happening in the world of television and movies.

Even though fans were upset that it wasn't a true sequel, a new Hellboy reboot is arriving in April. The movie features an all-new cast and ditches most of the characters that starred in the previous two Hellboy movies. This includes Abe Sapien, the aquatic psychic played by Doug Jones. Abe isn't set to appear in the new Hellboy but apparently a cameo was at one point on the table for Doug Jones.

It's fair to say that you wouldn't recognize Doug Jones if you saw him walking down the street. He's best known for roles that require heavy make-up as he usually plays supernatural creatures. He's known for acting with his body and motions, which he put to full use as Abe Sapien in the Hellboy series. A third appearance as Abe was ultimately not in the cards, but Jones almost had a chance to appear in the Hellboy remake.

As Doug Jones told The Hollywood Reporter, there was early talk that he might get a cameo for Hellboy. It's unclear if this cameo would have been as Abe Sapien (which is doubtful), a different creature, or as a human. Seeing as how Jones' specialty is monsters, I'd wager that he would have headed to the makeup chair for any kind of cameo.

However, Doug Jones was too busy sitting in a different makeup chair to commit to a cameo. As Jones continued to tell THR, the cameo offer came while he was still neck deep in Star Trek: Discovery. Jones stars as the alien Lt. Saru on CBS All Access' Star Trek: Discovery, and he was too busy filming episodes of the TV series to pop in for a Hellboy cameo.

When Hellboy arrives in theaters, fans likely won't see Abe Sapien or Doug Jones. The reboot is starting fresh with an all-new cast of characters that includes David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane, Sasha Lane, and Daniel Dae Kim. Even if Abe Sapien does show up for future movies, it likely won't be Jones playing the part. It's just as Jones says: "reboot means recasting."

You won't find Doug Jones in the movie, but there's still other things to see in Hellboy when the comic book movie arrives in theaters on April 12, 2019. To learn more about the film, here's what we know so far. For everything else arriving in theaters this year, be sure to check out our 2019 movie release guide.

Patrick Stewart may be making a grand return to the Star Trek franchise but that doesn't mean Star Trek: Discovery is suddenly chopped liver. The streaming series gained a fair share of franchise fans in its inaugural season, and its run played a big part in drawing a lot of eyes to CBS All Access. No doubt the series will do the same in Season 2, as the drama gears up for another inventive story, the return of a few classic characters, and probably some swearing. With that said, here's all we know about Season 2 and what fans can expect.

When Will Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 Debut?

The exact premiere date for Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 is unknown, although we've been told to expect the show to arrive on CBS All Access in the early half of 2019. Executive producer and now showrunner Alex Kurtzman has been consistent with that date since Season 1 was still airing, and no news has come out to indicate we should expect it any sooner. Additionally, production seems to be chugging along in spite of behind the scenes drama, so, provided no other massive roadblocks come up, Star Trek: Discovery should arrive when expected.

What Will Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 Be About?

Star Trek: Discovery Season 1 ended with the USS Discovery face-to-face with the USS Enterprise, and while it's been confirmed that the Enterprise and its crew won't be around all season, there will be some connection. Former co-showrunner Aaron Harberts said a theme of Season 2 revolves around the family one chooses versus the family one is born into, and with Michael Burnham's adopted brother Spock on board the Enterprise, he'll no doubt have a part to play in this theme. That much was confirmed in the Season 2 trailer anyway, which hinted that Spock is somehow linked to seven mysterious red bursts spread out light years apart. The Discovery will team up with Captain Christopher Pike and his Enterprise crew, in what sounds to be a rescue mission to find the Vulcan.

Another theme teased for Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery involves spirituality, and the struggle between logic and faith. It's an issue Michael Burnham somewhat struggled with in Season 1, as the human raised by Vulcans slowly became more accustomed to her more human desires. No doubt she'll continue to struggle with this balance in Season 2, and it's possible the rest of the Discovery crew might go along for the ride as well. Beyond that, the Discovery is slated to get a new permanent captain, and appearances from Mirror-Georgiou, Voq/Ash, or even Harry Mudd are always on the table. One thing that seems certain, though, is that the adventure is only beginning.

What Have We Seen From Star Trek: Discovery Season 2?

A first-look trailer for Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 was released at San Diego Comic-Con 2018, and with it came the arrival of Anson Mount's Captain Christopher Pike. As previously mentioned, the trailer seemed to revolve around mysterious red bursts and the revelation that Burnham's brother Spock might be in trouble. Given what is known about the Enterprise's role in Season 2, it's possible this is just an arc of Season 2 and not the entire big picture of what's happening in the upcoming season. That said, even the small stories in Season 1 seemed to come full circle by the finale, so it's possible the trailer contains more about Season 2 than we know for now.

The Star Trek: Discovery first look also contains the high-intensity space flying and explosions that appear to indicate the action will be as constant as ever in Season 2. It's doubtful the Klingons are ready to take on the Federation so soon after their conflict in Season 1, but a silhouette spotted in Burnham's helmet at the start of the trailer appears to indicate some alien race could be behind all this drama. Who that might be, however, is anyone's guess, as Star Trek: Discovery has not been shy about redesigning some of the series' most iconic species.

Michael Burnham

Burnham might've lost whatever budding romance she had with Ash Tyler when he awoke as Voq, but Star Trek: Discovery's main character at least got the consolation of being pardoned and reinstated in Starfleet for her role in ending the war with the Klingons. Burnham's heroics have undoubtedly earned her the respect of the majority of the Discovery crew, which means she'll probably get a lot more friendly interactions with crew members who aren't Tilly. Burnham will definitely appreciate the regained acceptance of her peers, even if she won't readily admit it.

Burnham may not have a ton of time to appreciate that kindness, however, as the Season 1 finale threw her right into another complicated situation. Star Trek: Discovery is ready to show some more family drama, as Burnham appears to be on a collision course with her brother Spock. Fans will just have to wait and see what transpires if that encounter happens, as Vulcans aren't typically known for emotional interactions. That said, with Spock half-human and Burnham a human raised by Vulcans, one shouldn't be surprised if their exchange gets a bit more heated than the conversations that took place between Burnham and Sarek. Spock might help Burnham in her quest to balance the Vulcan and human aspects of her life, and, perhaps, together the two can touch on the season's overarching theme of logic vs. spirituality.

Stamets

Paul Stamets had a rougher season of Star Trek: Discovery than most and walked away lucky to be alive after merging with the Spore Drive. Unfortunately, his partner, Lt. Hugh Culber, wasn't so lucky, and we're sure Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery will show Stamets continue to mourn for his lost other half. We're also sure we'll see him work up some other brilliant tech to aide the Discovery and its crew, although it's worth noting the Season 2 trailer only showed him briefly. Perhaps without the Mycelial network on the Discovery, his role in the current season won't be as large as it was in Season 1?

Tilly

Things were looking up for Sylvia Tilly at the end of Star Trek: Discovery, as the quirky crewmember was awarded admission to Starfleet's officer training school. Her mirror counterpart proved she's capable of handling command, although it's safe to say Tilly won't be handling things as her mirror self did if she ever gets the chance to lead. We're not sure how the surprise arrival of the Enterprise will impact Tilly's new development in Season 2, but we're assuming she'll be dropping another f-bomb if it causes a significant delay to her future goals.

Saru

Saru ended Season 1 as the first Kelpian to ever receive the Starfleet Medal of Honor, and as acting Commanding Officer of the USS Discovery. The moment meant a lot to Saru, who had been pining for command of his own ship for a long time. Unfortunately, the moment appears short-lived as the trailer showed Captain Christopher Pike will eventually take command of the vessel not long after their encounter. Saru also managed to bond with Burnham before the season's end, which means Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery will almost certainly see the two on much better terms.

Christopher Pike

Star Trek fans are already familiar with Captain Christopher Pike, as the iconic franchise captain is largely known for being in command of the USS Enterprise prior to James T. Kirk. Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 looks to show more of Pike at his peak, and will show far more of what the Enterprise was like before Kirk's arrival. We'll also, presumably, get to see how Pike interacts with Spock, which is interesting, due to the Vulcan being one of the thin links between the two captains.

Spock and Captain Kirk had a pretty good bromance, but it's hard to say whether or not that'll be true with Spock and Pike. The Enterprise captain appears concerned for his crew member, but that may be the amount of concern he'd show towards any missing crew member from his ship. If fans don't get to see much interaction between Pike and Spock, at least they'll get to see more of the captain in action, which is something the original series didn't show much of outside the pilot.

Spock

The story of Spock in Star Trek: Discovery is interesting, and not just because his adopted sister is playing the lead character. The show has cast Ethan Peck to play a younger version of the Vulcan, despite a rather rampant insistence early on in production that the show would not be casting a new Spock. Originally, it was strongly implied that the series would use past Spock voice work and footage to re-create the character, but, apparently, some things have changed.

That said, perhaps that's still partly true as Jonathan Frakes revealed that Young Spock will, for sure, be around in a couple Season 2 flashbacks. Alex Kurtzman didn't reveal if the Spock Frakes referred to was Ethan Peck or a younger actor brought in to play a more child-like Spock, although he has confessed this will be a different Vulcan than the one portrayed by Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto. Essentially, Peck's version may not quite be the level-headed clear thinking Vulcan he's largely been portrayed as, which might be why he's missing, and possibly in danger.

Sarek

Michael Burnham isn't the only relative of Spock's who is involved in Star Trek: Discovery, as Star Trek fans know his father, Sarek, has a long and strained history with his son. It's been known for a long time that Sarek wasn't the biggest fan of Spock joining Starfleet over the Vulcan Science Academy, but Star Trek: Discovery revealed why the sleight was so significant. Now, we'll get to see if Sarek forgives his son for throwing away an opportunity that Burnham so desperately wanted, but was denied, after the Vulcans gave their father an ultimatum where only one of his children could join. Judging from their relationship in later years, we're assuming whatever interaction happens between the two won't go well, but we could be surprised.

Harry Mudd

Rainn Wilson's Harry Mudd hasn't been confirmed for Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery, although Star Trek fans are guaranteed to see him before the new season begins. Mudd will return in Short Treks, which will give the character a fresh short adventure, as well as further flesh out the Star Trek universe. Mudd's big attack on the Discovery was one of the highlights of Season 1, and while it's exciting to hear he'll get another stand-alone adventure, some fans are hoping he still makes an appearance in the new season.

What's Going On Behind The Scenes?

Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 got thrown a curveball not long into production when it was revealed that Season 1 showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg were being replaced. The duo, who originally took over for Bryan Fuller, were both removed after the budget for the Season 2 premiere was so out of control that all remaining episodes had to have a chunk of their budgets removed to compensate for it. Additionally, it was reported that Berg and Harberts had created a toxic work environment for the writing staff, and were, reportedly, cursing and making threats towards a few people. Executive producer Alex Kurtzman is now in control of the series for at least Season 2, and it is unknown if he will replace himself should the series return for Season 3.

As mentioned, Star Trek: Discovery will return to CBS All Access sometime in early 2019. For a look at what television shows will be arriving before that, be sure to visit and bookmark our handy summer and fall premiere guides. For other things coming to streaming, head on over to our Netflix and Amazon premiere guides.

It's no secret that comic book movies are everywhere. Between the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC Extended Universe, and X-Men franchise, there is no shortage of superheroic adventures hitting theaters. But every studio wants to get in on the action, and as such reboots are on the table. Case in point: the upcoming Hellboy movie starring Stranger Things' David Harbour. None of the original actors are returning for this iteration, including Doug Jones' Abe Sapien. It's unclear if the fan favorite character will pop up in the next movie or a possible sequel, although the actor has some sage advice for whoever eventually takes the mantle of the blue guy.

The man definitely has a point. In addition to encouraging future actors to play with his signature Hellboy character, The Shape of Water star Doug Jones also wants the next Abe Sapien to properly research the character.

Doug Jones' comments to Screen Rant show the actor truly understands the comic book fans. Aside form his work in both Hellboy movies, Jones also played the Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four's 2007 sequel. It sounds like in both projects Jones was careful to do plenty of research, reading up on the source material that he's adapting onto the silver screen. Neither Silver Surfer nor Abe Sapien had previously been seen in live-action, so the pressure was on to deliver an informed performance that comic book fans would be proud of. While Rise of the Silver Surfer was pretty disastrous, you have to respect Jones' work ethic and respect for the genre.

It should be interesting to see how the new Hellboy separates itself from the originals. Guillermo del Toro's franchise was only a few years ago, so the pressure it on to deliver something unique that perhaps improves upon the original two movies. While David Harbour is playing the title character and Ian McShane is the new Trevor Bruttenholm, many of the characters are not being used in the reboot. This includes Abe Sapien, as well as Selma Blair's Liz Sherman. The upcoming blockbuster will focus on mystical villains, hopefully crafting something unique in the process.

Hellboy will arrive in theaters January 11, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Because nostlagia has proven to popular and profitable in entertainment, it seems like everybody's trying to get in on the action. As such, we've seen a ton of popular movies and TV shows given new life, such as Roseanne, Blade Runner, and even the Halloween franchise. One potential project that has been tossed around is a Hocus Pocus sequel, which should delight any self respecting 90's kid. One original actor has voiced his hope that he'll be able to reprise his role: Doug Jones aka Billy Batson. When asked, the Shape of Water actor said:

That's one actor down. Now let's get those trio of witches on the phone.

Doug Jones' interest in a Hocus Pocus sequel is an exciting development, and gives hope that a proper follow up could happen one day. Hocus Pocus is one of the most iconic Halloween movies of all time, and one that really holds up in the decades since its release. It's remained such a mainstay of pop culture that Freeform regularly airs it during the month of October. Because there are now entire generations of fans, a sequel has the potential to make major money for Disney.

Of course, there have been a few bumps in the road. From Doug Jones' comments, you can tell that Hocus Pocus 2 is a conversation that has happened before, although it never came to fruition. The most recent report coming from Disney revealed that a new sequel was being developed, a TV movie that wouldn't star the iconic trio of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. This was met with a pretty significant backlash, with Midler herself throwing shade at the potential movie.

If Disney is able to restructure and craft a story with the OG Sanderson Sisters, then it would be a different story. Those same angry fans would be psyched for a potential sequel, and so would Doug Jones. During his conversation with Digital Spy, Jones went on to say how he's just waiting for a call from Disney to once again play the undead underdog Billy Batson.

While Doug Jones seems eager to jump back into Hocus Pocus in any capacity, let's hope that the rest of the original cast joins them. The House of Mouse could even take it a step further and bring back Thora Birch to play Dani. Honestly, take my money at that point.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on Hocus Pocus' possible sequel as more details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

It's Awards Season, with everything coming down to the Academy Awards in just a few weeks. One of the contenders being watched with excitement is Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water, a sweeping and visual romance that is both unexpected and fascinating. While watching a mute woman and an amphibian man fall in love seems like an unlikely choice for Oscar bait, their love story is something else. Doug Jones' Amphibian Man was so romantic that some sex toys have been made in his likeness. The frequent del Toro collaborator was recently asked what he thought about the toys, to which he responded:

Well, that was honest. Honest and delightful. While Doug Jones seems to have a good sense of humor about the Amphibian themed dildo that's currently on the market, it's not exactly an actor's dream. Considering how serious and somewhat high brow The Shape of Water is, there's no way that Jones or anyone else involved could have expected that specific type of reaction.

Doug Jones' comments to The Wrap at least show that the actor isn't taking it all too seriously. But the juxtaposition between talking about sex toys and gearing up for the Oscars is sure to be a bit jarring. That said, Jones has had plenty of action figures and moldings done of him before. He played the Silver Surfer in the less than stellar Fantastic Four sequel, and also played Abe Sapien in both Hellboy movies. And his dual roles in Pan's Labyrinth as well a his appearance as a Gentleman in Buffy the Vampire Slayer have also spawned plenty of merch.

While Doug Jones might not be thrilled about the new unauthorized merch, sexuality was a major theme of The Shape of Water. When Elisa (Sally Hawkins) and The Creature eventually have sex, it certainly catches the audience by surprise. Anatomically it was puzzling, but eventually moviegoers are able to go along for the ride and witness the two characters' mutual affection. One of them just happens to be a blue water dwelling creature that can't speak. Every relationship has its challenges.

It should be interesting to see where The Shape of Water ends up on Oscars night. It's currently leading the pack with 13 nominations, but it's a strong year with plenty of awesome movies nominated.

You can see how it all goes down when the Academy Awards air March 4, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trips to the movies.

When many people think of Guillermo del Toro and monsters, they likely think of gothic atmosphere and a very specific undercurrent of creepiness. However, they also probably recognize that there's an absolute beauty that characterizes the monsters who inhabit his worlds. That is the feeling at the core of his latest project, The Shape of Water, and the brand new red-band trailer for the upcoming film truly brings the delightfully enchanting love story to life. Check out the trailer below to see for yourself.

Not exactly the type of story one would immediately expect from a movie focusing on a Black Lagoon/Abe Sapien-esque creature, is it? The Shape of Water centers on a young mute woman named Elisa working at a secret government facility in Baltimore in 1962. Soon discovering that the facility houses a mysterious, fish-like creature from South America, Elisa eventually forms a profound bond with the supernatural being and takes it upon herself to free it from its forced captivity. What follows is a race against time to stay one step ahead of the hapless government officials who set out to recover the beast and punish whoever free it from its tank. This trailer shows plenty of dark imagery and visceral moments (hence the red-band label), but the core dynamic between Elisa and the monster remains the fundamental throughline of this story.

If that early footage of The Shape of Water is not enough to get you excited about Guillermo del Toro's upcoming film, then the sheer amount of buzz associated with the project might do the trick. A handful of critics have already had the opportunity to see the film at early screenings, and many have begun to hail it as one of the director's best pieces of work in years -- even going so far as to compare it to Pan's Labyrinth. That's high praise, to say the least, and it arguably bodes well for the film's future with other critics and mainstream audiences.

In addition to the creative vision of del Toro and the strong word of mouth, The Shape of Water has also assembled a phenomenal cast of performers to bring its charming story to life. With Godzilla actress Sally Hawkins in the lead role, the film has enlisted the acting chops of Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, and Richard Jenkins to fill out its supporting cast. Additionally, Guillermo del Toro has once again teamed up with Hellboy veteran Doug Jones (who provided the physical performance for Abe Sapien) to bring the physicality of The Shape of Water's creature to life. In fact, this almost feels like a version of that ill-fated Abe Sapien spinoff movie, doesn't it? The sheer number of the fantastic ingredients present in this movie is mind-boggling, so we will just have to wait and see how it all comes together when the film finally makes its wide theatrical debut!

The Shape of Water will debut in theaters on December 8. Until then, take a look at CinemaBlend's movie premiere guide for more information on the rest of 2017's biggest film releases and let us know what you think of The Shape of Water in the comments below!

The lock on the secrecy surrounding Star Trek: Discovery is finally starting to loosen, and new casting and character announcements have started hitting the web. In addition to confirmation of Michelle Yeoh's casting, two new cast members have been added to the highly anticipated show, one of whom will be making franchise history. Star Trek Discovery has cast Anthony Rapp as the first originally conceived gay character is the history of Star Trek in TV or film.

Anthony Rapp, star of films like Dazed and Confused and Rent, will be playing Lieutenant Stamets, an "astromycologist, fungus expert, and Starfleet Science Officer" aboard the titular starship Discovery. Stamets will also be an openly gay character, a first for the 50-year-old franchise. Former showrunner Bryan Fuller,who still holds executive producer duties, had previously said that there would "absolutely be a gay character on the show," and had expressed how far gay rights had come since his days working on Star Trek: Voyager.

While Rapp will be playing the first gay character to be originally conceived that way, he will not be the first gay character ever. Star Trek Beyond made headlines earlier this year when it revealed that its iteration of the classic Trek character Sulu is gay. This proved to be a controversial move with some franchise vets happy with the decision, while others didn't like changes being made to an established character. Original Sulu actor George Takei, who is gay himself, was of the latter opinion, believing that it would be "more impactful" to introduce an all new gay character who could be "fleshed out from scratch." Enter Lieutenant Stamets.

Lieutenant Stamets won't be the only officer on board the Starship Discovery, as character actor Doug Jones was also announced to be joining the show. Jones will be playing Lieutenant Saru, an alien official whose species will be all new to the Star Trek universe. Jones is no stranger to disguising himself on set. He's held a number of makeup heavy roles such as Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, and Falling Skies, to name just a few.

It was also confirmed that Michelle Yeoh has joined the cast, having previously been rumored to be playing a high-ranking officer. That is indeed the case, as Yeoh will be playing Captain Georgiou, the Starfleet Captain aboard the Starship Shenzhou, and not the Discovery leader that some were hoping.

These are just three characters, and there are plenty of more positions to be filled aboard the Starship Discovery and other ships. The show still hasn't announced the lead character, reported to be a female lieutenant, so plenty of more casting news is sure to come. Stick with CinemaBlend for all your Star Trek: Discovery news as we wait for the show's 2017 premiere on CBS All Access.

Crimson Peak and Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro often has several irons in the supernatural fire, though his fans are never 100% sure which in direction his storytelling senses are going to send him. In the wake of last year's Crimson Peak, the filmmaker has flirted with a Pinocchio adaptation, Pacific Rim 2 (which someone else will direct), and the ever-possible Hellboy 3. Now, instead of any of those, we're learning that Guillermo del Toro is moving forward on The Shape of Water, and he already has a ridiculously impressive ensemble in his hip pocket.

In a press release today announcing the start of principal photography, Fox Searchlight confirmed that The Shape of Water will be Guillermo del Toro's next picture. Co-written by Game of Thrones scribe Vanessa Taylor, the movie is being described as "an other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War-era America circa 1963." Beyond that, we don't know much beyond the movie's incredible cast, which is led by:

Sally Hawkins

An Oscar nominee for Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine, Hawkins has been turning heads since playing the impossibly perky Poppy in 2008's Happy-Go-Lucky. IMDB says she'll be playing Elisa, but we don't know yet the true nature of the character.

Michael Shannon

General Zod, himself, will take a break from haunting Superman to possibly fight off spirits in Del Toro's next drama. OK, we don't know if The Shape of Water will involve ghosts, but given the director's penchant for the supernatural -- on display in movies like Crimson Peak and The Devil's Backbone -- then it's a safe gamble that there might be Cold War-era spirits on the screen with which Shannon will have to contend.

Richard Jenkins

From the Character Actor Hall of Fame, we borrow Richard Jenkins, a brilliant performer whose previous credits range from the Oscar worthy (2007's The Visitor) to the insane (Will Ferrell's Step-Brothers). Jenkins was recently spotted in the genre exercise Bone Tomahawk, and will be part of the upcoming LBJ, starring Woody Harrelson and directed by Rob Reiner.

Doug Jones

Doug Jones might be Guillermo del Toro's lucky charm, though every time they work together, the actor's usually buried under layers of prosthetics. After turns as Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies, and a role in Pan's Labyrinth, Jones will return to Del Toro's team for an unspecified part in The Shape of Water. Either way, we're just happy he's part of this ensemble, even though there's a very good chance we won't see his face in the final film.

Michael Stuhlbarg

Our favorite role of Michael Stuhlbarg's remains A Serious Man, though he's been collecting parts in stellar ensembles over the years, from Trumbo and Seven Psychopaths to the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. Basically, any cast can only improve by adding Stuhlbarg, so we feel better about The Shape of Water already.

Octavia Spencer

Finally, Octavia Spencer continues to choose eclectic roles following her Oscar win for The Help. With the Divergent series sputtering to a close, Spencer is filling her time in the NASA historical drama Hidden Figures, and the Christian drama The Shack. What will her role in The Shape of Water involve? We can't wait to find out. The Shape of Water is eyeing a 2017 release date. We'll bring you the latest details as they arrive.

The last time Silver Surfer was seen on the big screen, he was serving as the villain-turned-ally in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Although the film’s ending left room for Silver Surfer to return at some point, that never happened. 20th Century Fox eventually abandoned that continuity in favor of rebooting Marvel’s First Family this August. However, had the first Fantastic Four film series continued, we may have gotten to see the Surfer lead his own spinoff film.

When asked by Comicbook.com about the Silver Surfer film that had been talked about several years ago, Doug Jones, who physically played the Surfer (Laurence Fishburne provided the voice), revealed a script had been written for the Surfer’s own adventure. Said Jones:

Comic book fans will recognize Straczynski as the scribe for heroes like Thor, Spider-Man and Superman, so the Surfer’s solo film would have been in good hands. Alas, it was not to be due to how the preceding two films in this universe were received. Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer earned mostly negative reviews, and now Fox has even taken them off digital platforms like iTunes and Amazon in order to draw attention to the reboot.

This wasn’t the first attempt at making a Silver Surfer movie. Back in 1999, director James Gunn was approached by 20th Century Fox to create a treatment for the Sentinel of the Spaceways, which he called "cosmic as hell." Gunn decided to turn down this Silver Surfer for a Spy vs. Spy feature (which also didn’t get made), but he got to make Guardians of the Galaxy 15 years later, so everything evened out. Fortunately for Jones, his comic book forays weren’t just limited to Silver Surfer. In addition to playing Abe Sapien in the Hellboy films, he was recently seen as Deathbolt on Arrow and The Flash. Jones admitted in the interview that he would jump at the chance to play the Surfer again, but he’s not holding his breath for Fox to get in touch with him.

As it stands now, the only superhero spinoffs Fox is interested in making is for the X-Men series like Deadpool and Gambit, so when we’ll see another live-action version of Silver Surfer is uncertain. That said, if Fox wants to build their own cosmic universe, the shiny space traveler is their best way to accomplish this.

He may not be the most recognizable comic book villain, but Jake Simmons (a.k.a. Deathbolt) is distinctive among the other Arrow and The Flash evildoers. Not only is he one of the few villains to appear on both CW shows, debuting in the Arrow episode “Broken Arrow” and returning in The Flash Season 1’s penultimate episode “Rogue Air,” but he’s so far the only metahuman whose powers didn’t originate from the particle accelerator explosion. After being taken out by Captain Cold on The Flash, it seemed like fans wouldn't be seeing him again, but actor Doug Jones believes it’s possible that audiences could see Deathbolt return at some point.

During his chat with Comicbook.com, Jones cited his belief that there may be a way the character can be brought back due to the ambiguous nature of Simmons’ grisly end. Said Jones:

As a refresher, Simmons was one of the five metahumans prisoners the S.T.A.R. Labs team was transporting away from the facility in “Rogue Air.” After Snart and his sister Lisa sabotaged the prisoner transport truck, Simmons and his fellow proto-Rogues attacked the Scarlet Speedster and his allies. He was close to killing Flash with his plasma beams, but got blasted in the face by Snart’s trademark gun because, according to Snart, Simmons owed him money. Simmons’ face was blackened by freezer burn and he fell to the ground with a horrified expression. That’s the last time he was seen conscious, but it was never verified whether he was truly iced (pun intended).

Jones notes that in one take of the scene, Liam McIntyre’s Marc Mardon, a.k.a. Weather Wizard, asked Snart “Why did you kill him?” In the aired episode, however, he asked, “Why did you shoot him?”, which leaves some wiggle room on whether that cold blast did him in or if he was just incapacitated. Given that it hasn’t been divulged how Simmons is a metahuman, and the fact that death in the world of comic books isn’t necessarily permanent, the writers could do a little retconning to bring Simmons back if they wanted to. However, if they decide that Simmons’ time has come and gone, at least Jones had the opportunity to nearly kill two superheroes on Arrow and The Flash. Not many actors get to brag about something like that.

The Flash Season 2 will air on The CW later this fall.

The Flash is dipping into Arrow’s lineup of enemies once again. Several weeks ago, it was announced that Hellboy actor Doug Jones will be playing the metahuman Jake Simmons, a.k.a. Deathbolt, in Episode 19 of Arrow’, titled “Broken Arrow.” We’ve now learned that this energy-charged villain will be paying a visit to Central City in the coming months for Episode 22 of The Flash.

This weekend, Jones tweeted a picture of himself reading a script for The Flash, teasing that Deathbolt will be appearing in the penultimate episode of Season 1, titled “Rogue Air.” This will be the second time The Flash has borrowed one of Arrow’s bad guys, the first being Robert Knepper reprising his role as Clock King in the episode “Power Outage.” Deathbolt is distinctive for being the first metahuman bad guy that will appear on Arrow, although Team Arrow has already gone up against superpowered foes before like Deathstroke and Solomon Grundy. He has the ability to “harness and weaponize plasma energy.” It hasn’t been specifically stated whether Deathbolt’s powers came from the particle accelerator explosion or elsewhere, but since he’s appearing on The Flash, the former is looking more likely.

The episode’s title also hints that we will see more development of the Flash’s team of enemies The Rogues. Several of its most notable members from the comics have already been introduced, including Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Weather Wizard and Pied Piper. The Trickster (both the James Jesse and Axel Walker versions) will debut in the March 30 episode “Tricksters,” and Captain Boomerang appeared in the Arrow episodes “Draw Back Your Bow” and “The Brave and the Bold.”

Although Captain Cold and Heat Wave have been working together since Episode 10 (and will be joined this week by Cold’s sister Lisa), the Rogues have yet to reach the size they typically are in the comics, so it’s unclear whether fans will see the full formation of the team in this episode or if that will be saved for Season 2. That being said, every episode this season with “Rogue” in the title has featured Captain Cold, so perhaps after the major events of “Rogue Air” transpire, the icy villain will recruit Deathbolt to the team. His powers certainly present enough of a danger to the Scarlet Speedster, so imagine how much damage he could cause if he had allies backing him up.

The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

Oliver Queen has faced many different types of bad guys during Arrow, but most of their skills can actually be learned in real life. Aside from Slade Wilson and his army in Season 2, and Ray Bivolo during the crossover between Arrow and The Flash, most of his adversaries have been talented, but not superpowered. Well, Oliver’s going to have to up his game later this season when he deals with a new bad guy with special abilities. It’s been announced that actor Doug Jones has been cast as DC Comics villain Jake Simmons, a.k.a. Deathbolt.

Debuting in Episode 19, titled “Broken Arrow,” Simmons is labeled by IGN as a metahuman with the ability to “harness and weaponize plasma energy.” It’s unclear if Simmons’ powers are a result of the Central City particle accelerator or if he gained these powers elsewhere. Here's what he looks like, though his appearance may change for live action.

In the comics, Simmons was introduced in 1983 as a wanted murderer who fled from police in a stolen biplane. His plane was struck by lightning and crashed in Meteor Crater, Arizona, where the super villain Ultra Humanite found Simmons and subjected him to multiple electrical experiments. The result was Simmons’ body being charged like a battery, and with the ability to manipulate electric energy, he became Deathbolt.

He is one of the more obscure villains from the DC universe, having only fought Starman and the All-Star Squadon, a group of superheroes from World War II. Although his powers are basically the same on TV, there’s so little source material on Simmons that Arrow will likely put their own spin on the character in a way that works for the story.

So far on Arrow, the only source of superhuman abilities has been the Mirakuru serum, although it’s suspected there’s something unusual going on with Ra’s al Ghul, namely the way he's lived for centuries). Granted, the world of Arrow is no longer grounded in reality thanks to the events of The Flash, but the show itself has primarily stuck to traditional action scenes and impressive stunts. As organized and efficient as Team Arrow is, they don’t have a lot of experience dealing with metahumans, so when Simmons shows up in Starling City, facing him will be one of their more difficult challenges. This might require creating some new trick arrows.

Jones is primarily know for playing characters that require heavy makeup or digital effects, including the Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies. His more recent roles include playing Cochise in Falling Skies and The Ancient in The Strain. He will also be appearing in Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak later this year.

Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW.