It’s a rare thing for a single performance to encapsulate an era, but I think there’s a fair argument to be made that Michael Douglas’ work in Wall Street is a terrific example of it. There were still a few years left in the 1980s when the Oliver Stone movie first arrived in theaters, but Douglas’ turn as the villainous, avaricious Gordon Gekko is a perfect representation of the hyper capitalism that defined the penultimate decade of the 20th century (summed up in the iconic line “Greed, for the lack of a better word, is good”).

It’s a sharp and vicious performance – and the story of how it was cultivated is pretty shocking. During a recent interview on Turner Classic Movies (via People), Douglas spoke about how things didn’t go swimmingly in early days of making Wall Street, with the actor being on the receiving end of some brutal criticism from his director. He explained that he had a sitdown with Stone that featured some extremely blunt feedback, saying,

For those who need some context here: Michael Douglas wasn’t some kind of up-and-comer or just a promising performer at this point in his career. By the mid-1980s, he was already a big name with titles on his filmography including The China Syndrome and Romancing The Stone (not to mention he had all of the clout that came with being the son of big screen legend Kirk Douglas). These were some harsh words from an acclaimed director to his veteran star.

As for Douglas’ response, he was a bit blindsided, in part because he was not accustomed at that point in his career to watching back his own performance (a tendency that a lot of actors share). He wasn’t checking out footage, but Stone urged him to do so:

The two men watched a couple of scenes together, including a key moment in which Gordon Gekko is really trying to sink his metaphorical teeth into Charlie Sheen’s Bud Fox and make him an acolyte. Michael Douglas didn’t see much wrong with what he was seeing, but Stone insisted that the performance was wrong.

In the interview, Douglas doesn’t get into exactly what it was that wasn’t working in his performance, but he does say that it manifested a certain antagonism between him and the director, and that was an energy that he was able to use in his performance and give Gekko an extra darkness. Said the actor,

Michael Douglas and Oliver Stone have only made one movie together since then – the 2010 sequel Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps – but that film didn’t make quite the same kind of pop culture impact.

If you haven’t seen Wall Street or haven’t seen it in a while, it’s a movie worth revisiting. While it’s not presently available on any subscription streaming service, it is widely available for digital rental and/or purchase, and physical media collectors can easily find the film available on Blu-ray.

Ever since Rob Reiner’s shocking death in December 2025, I’ve been working my way through the late filmmaker’s incredible body of work. This experience recently led me to The American President, a riveting political drama that also happens to be one of the best romantic comedies ever made. I haven’t watched this movie, which inspired the film's writer, Aaron Sorkin, to create The West Wing, in years, and so it’s safe to say that there was a lot that I didn’t remember.

That said, there’s one aspect of this movie starring Michael Douglas as the commander-in-chief and Annette Bening as a savvy political strategist that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since the credits rolled. It wasn’t the inclusion of Sorkin’s famous “walk and talk,” nor was it the sheer unlikability of Richard Dreyfuss’ character and his desire to be president. Instead, it’s the glaring omission of one of the most important roles in the government.

For Some Reason, There’s No Vice President In The Movie

There are a lot of movies about the President of the United States, and you know what most have in common? More often than not, the Vice President, the first name in the presidential line of succession, plays some kind of role in the story as it unfolds. Awesome ‘90s action flicks like Air Force One have a VP, as do wholesome comedies like Dave. But not The American President. Nope, the Prez’s running mate is nowhere to be seen.

It’s not like the VP is out of the country on some tour of Asia or Europe trying to broker deals with allies on a global scale. It’s not like they’re doing some behind-the-scenes work at the White House or in a coma. They’re just not there. Not mentioned, not referenced, this unknown and unheard of person simply doesn’t exist.

I attempted to get to the bottom of this mystery, but searching on the internet led to nothing but page after page of history lessons on famous Vice Presidents. My copy of The American President, which shares a disc with Dave (this has to be the best combo pack ever), doesn’t include commentary, so there was no luck there either. Still, though, I can’t stop thinking about this strange omission.

I Totally Misremembered This Aspect, Which Has Me Questioning My Memory

Though I have watched The American President several times over the years since my parents first ordered it on pay-per-view sometime in 1996, it’s been a very long time since I’ve watched Michael Douglas steal the show with his portrayal of President Shepherd. I totally misremembered this whole issue with the nonexistent Vice President. Instead, I always thought that Martin Sheen’s A.J. MacInerney was Shepherd’s second-in-command and Michael J. Fox’s Lewis Rothschild was the White House Chief of Staff.

I guess it was my brain playing tricks on me, since Sheen would go on to play President Bartlet on The West Wing and Fox portrayed NYC Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty on Spin City a few years later. Regardless, this whole misremembering the characters thing has me questioning my memory about all types of movies, shows, and other moments from my life. Maybe I should reevaluate those.

There was a lot I misremembered about The American President, but this movie still rocks 30 years later. If you haven’t watched it in years (or ever before), don’t worry, as you won’t have to track down a DVD combo pack to check it out. All you need is an HBO Max subscription, where it is currently streaming.

It seems like not everybody is quite as big a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as they once were. It has to be said, though, that, at its best, the Marvel Cinematic Universe made some great movies and, in doing so, assembled possibly the greatest cast in movie history. We still get excited when we get to see our favorite actors again, but one of the franchise’s biggest names may not be appearing again.

Michael Douglas has one of the most storied and accomplished careers in Hollywood, so when he joined the MCU as Dr. Hank Pym in Ant-Man, it was a big deal. Douglas would reprise his role in other Marvel movies, most recently Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, but it sounds like we probably won’t see him again. He recently told Today that, while he’s not technically retired, he’s largely done acting. Douglas said…

This is unfortunate, as it certainly sounds like we won’t be seeing Hank Pym again. While that’s not a fatal blow to the MCU by any stretch, there certainly would have been fun ways the franchise could have used him if he wanted to keep appearing. Considering that the de-aging of Michael Douglas in the first Ant-Man is one of the most successful uses of that technology, he could have appeared in lots of different ways.

Of course, the fact that Douglas himself suggested killing off his character in the last movie strongly indicates he's not that interested in returning.

The third Ant-Man movie was one of Douglas’ last projects, alongside the Apple TV+ series Franklin. He had perhaps his most significant role in all of the MCU in that film, and while the movie itself was not warmly received, nobody argued that Michael Douglas was the problem.

Of course, considering that Quantumania wasn’t a massive hit, it’s an open question whether or not there will even be more Ant-Man movies. Even if there aren’t, there are plenty of reasons Hank Pym could have shown up in upcoming Marvel movies, but it doesn’t sound like that’s likely anymore.

Douglas doesn’t specify what would qualify as “special,” so maybe it’s possible he could still return to the MCU, but it seems unlikely he would consider a supporting part in another upcoming superhero movie to be sufficient to go back to work if he’s mostly happy not working. Still, who knows? Maybe the paycheck would be special enough to make it worth it.

Nothing has been confirmed at this point, but judging by the big tease during the Back in Action ending, there's certainly potential for a sequel, especially with the tease at the ending. And while I could go on a long spiel about what I think will happen in the follow-up to the remarkably popular Netflix movie, I instead want to focus on who I think could play Cameron Diaz’s on-screen dad (remember, his existence was teased just before the credits rolled?).

Considering the information provided throughout the movie about Diaz’s character, the fact that Glenn Close played her, and decades of watching all kinds of action and spy franchises, I’ve come up with a list of what I think are the best options. Here are my top picks for Back in Action 2 if the 2025 Netflix movie gets the teased sequel.

Gary Oldman

Gary Oldman is probably the most obvious choice to play Emily’s dad in Back in Action 2, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bad option. With plenty of experience in the world of spies – Slow Horses is one of the best Apple TV+ originals, and his performance in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is underrated – and the ability to balance humor, drama, and action, this Academy Award winner would be tremendous.

I’m just over here imagining not only Oldman’s character and Emily having some kind of reunion after decades apart, but also the potential awkwardness of Matt meeting a father-in-law he never knew existed. Hell, just give me those two on some adventure and I’ll be happy.

Michael Douglas

Even though Emily’s mom, Ginny Curtis, played by Glenn Close, is British in Back in Action, it’s never mentioned if her father is a Brit or an American. That leaves the door open for all kinds of possibilities. One American actor I’d love to see enter the picture is Michael Douglas, who would be absolutely incredible as a long-lost father who probably has more tricks up his sleeves than years away from his daughter.

I'm not saying Back in Action 2 has to be some "what if" sequel to Fatal Attraction, in which Dan Gallagher and Alex Forrest had a daughter, but it would be great to see Douglas and Close share the screen again.

Pierce Brosnan

Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond used some ridiculous gadgets during his tenure as cinema’s most famous spy, and some of us have been waiting more than 20 years to see the beloved actor get back into the spy game. I would love to see Brosnan show up as Emily’s dad in a possible Back in Action sequel because there are just so many places the spy comedy could go.

Imagine this… Back in Action 2: Dads in Action, which would involve Brosnan and Jamie Foxx’s Matt having to team up to save Emily and/or their kids (I’m over here just laughing at a former spy loosely based on 007 coming to terms with being a grandfather). It probably won’t happen, but maybe I can manifest it.

Kevin Kline

Kevin Kline and Glenn Close were amazing together in The Big Chill. While a Back in Action sequel probably isn’t the best way for the two to share the screen again after 40-plus years, it could be a lot of fun, albeit a little absurd. Kevin Kline is one of those actors who can be great in just about anything, even when a movie is a honker like Wild Wild West, and generally seems to have a good time no matter the project.

After watching Kline’s work on Disclaimer, one of my favorite TV thrillers of 2024, I’m convinced he could pull off a British accent if they made the character from across the pond like Emily’s mom; they could also make him more dramatic and deranged like his small-screen character.

Kurt Russell

There are a lot of badass Kurt Russell characters from the actor’s decades-long career, and I think he’d be perfect for a silly spy-action comedy like Back in Action. If a sequel is made, it would be wild to see the man who brought Snake Plisken and R.J. MacReady to life play a spy who has been doing God knows what for the past 30 or so years.

He’s got the action chops, he has great comedic timing, and he’s charming as all hell, which makes Russell one of my top choices for the role of Emily’s dad. I would love to see him trading barbs with Cameron Diaz on screen, flirting with Glenn Close’s Ginny, or having awkward conversations with Nigel (Jamie Demetriou) about who’s the real “granddad.”

Michael Keaton

The list of great Michael Keaton quotes could get a little bit longer if the former Batman actor were brought in for Back in Action 2 (Bat in Action, anyone? No?). The prolific actor has a dynamic range and a mystique that you don’t see all that much, and he has long shown that he can be as crazy as can be whenever needed. That kind of energy would be perfect for a movie like this.

With roles like Beetlejuice, Keaton has proven he can be funny and lovable even when being a little evil and condescending, and all of those traits would mesh well with the characters who have already been introduced so far.

Antonio Banderas

I’m not just including Antonio Banderas as an option because I think it would make for a great Shrek reunion with Cameron Diaz, but I’m not saying that’s not one of the reasons, either. It would be hilarious to see Princess Fiona and Puss in Boots channel some of that energy for a live-action movie ahead of the release of Shrek 5, and I think they could make a funny father-daughter pairing.

Banderas, who has been great in action movies, comedies, dramas, thrillers, and pretty much every genre (yes, even musicals), could add a lot to the cast of the Netflix movie and give audiences a hilarious new character.

Jonathan Pryce

And then there is Jonathan Pryce, who has the acting chops to hold his own when sharing the screen with Glenn Close (as he showed in The Wife). Like Gary Oldman, Pryce has experience in the spy world, with his most recent offering also being Slow Horses. If he could channel that energy and make it a little bit more comedic, it could be hilarious. But on second thought, having Pryce be the straight guy in the mix could be even funnier.

Regardless of the direction the character would take, Back in Action 2 would be a lot better with someone like Pryce being a part of the cast.

Who knows when we’ll see the Back in Action sequel, or who’ll play Cameron Diaz’s on-screen dad? While we wait, there are plenty of great 2025 movies streaming for anyone with a Netflix subscription, with more on the way.

Stream Back in Action on Netflix.

Stage names are something that has been around as long as professional performers have been a thing. Keanu Reeves, was asked to change his name because the real thing was seen as too exotic, a move he rejected. Nicolas Cage changed his name to avoid his famous real last name, Coppola, impacting his career others changed names for much more mundane reasons, as happened with Michael Keaton.

Name changes for actors are rarely advertised but at the same time, they are also not exactly secrets anymore. There’s actually a Hollywood legend surrounding how Michael Keaton decided on his new last name, but he’s also been open about the fact that she’s never really loved the change, and he actually plans to use his real name in the future.

Why Michael Douglas Changed His Name To Michael Keaton 

The Batman and Beetlejuice actor’s decision to change his name becomes a bit more obvious when you realize that Michael Keaton was born Michael Douglas. Having said that, the decision to change his name wasn’t born out of a simple desire to avoid confusion, it was a union rule.

When Keaton joined the Screen Actors Guild in the early 1970s there were actually two people with his name in the union already. Michael Douglas was the son of Kirk Douglas who had already made a name for himself on screen. Mike Douglas was a TV talk show host. As a result, Keaton had to choose a new name. The story goes that he picked it out of a phone book, but Keaton told People he doesn’t even remember, saying…

And with that simple decision, Michael Douglas became Michael Keaton and the rest is history. Michael Keaton would go on to star in blockbuster movies and be nominated for Academy Awards. However, the actor had plans to use his real name again, and still does.

Why Michael Keaton Wants His Name Back Now 

Many actors who change their name professionally embrace it in all aspects of their lives, but others do not. Jonah Hill legally changed his name to his professional name. While Emma Stone, who changed her first name for the same SAG reasons that Keaton changed his last name, prefers it when people use her real name.

Michael Keaton has seemingly never embraced his screen name. In fact Keaton only uses that name professionally which, as he told Stephen Colbert in 2017, has been known to cause confusion…

However, Keaton has plans to use his real name professionally, because in addition to acting, he’s also a director. Keaton told People he had planned to use his real name in the credits for his movie Knox Goes Away but simply never got around to it. However, he fully plans to do so at some future point.

So while Michael Keaton will continue to work in front of the camera, as in this weekend's release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, expect to see Michael Douglas behind it at some point in the future.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania generated mostly lukewarm responses when it opened in theaters in 2023. Peyton Reed’s superhero threequel was criticized for its story, pacing and sometimes lackluster-appearing CGI (which suffered due to another Marvel film). Some might also argue that the film didn’t take enough big swings, and it turns out Michael Douglas was hoping for at least one major development to take place. The veteran actor, who played Dr. Hank Pym across the trilogy, wanted his character to be killed off. And, upon hearing that, I’m reminded that I would’ve preferred a different character’s demise. 

What Did Michael Douglas Say About Hank Pym Being Killed Off?

The always-witty Michael Douglas has been known to share an honest thought or two when prompted. So fans probably shouldn’t have been too surprised when he shared his idea for Hank Pym’s fate while appearing on The View. Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin asked the 79-year-old actor about the claim that he wants Pym killed off when he appears on screen again. Douglas, in the YouTube clip, then proceeded to clarify that matter involving his Marvel Cinematic Universe-based alter ego: 

Had that come to pass, it wouldn’t have been the first time that Pym’s mortality had been toyed with. The ending of the first film in Peyton Reed’s MCU trilogy saw the doctor and former S.H.I.E.L.D. operative get shot. He did ultimately recover, though, and lived to play larger roles in the subsequent films. I wouldn’t have been totally against the idea of Pym buying the farm. However, I believe it’s one of his extended family members that really should’ve bitten the big one.

Another Ant-Man Character’s Death Would’ve Been More Ideal

In all honesty, I actually wouldn’t have been too bummed if Scott Lang had died at the end of the film. Around the film’s release, I actually laid out several reasons as to why I felt that way. Scott’s death could’ve done a lot for the narrative of his third solo outing and for the greater MCU as well. Having him die a heroic death while trying to protect the ones he loves could’ve brought his arc full circle. Said moment, if orchestrated well, may have even rivaled the passings of Black Widow, Iron Man and other dead Marvel characters. 

The development also could’ve further propelled Scott’s daughter, Cassie, to follow in his superhero footsteps. And, finally, had Lang perished at the hands of Kang the Conqueror, it might’ve sent a major message to the Avengers regarding just how dangerous the multiversal villain is. But Scott ultimately returned home from the Quantum Realm and reunited with his family during the end of Quantumania. To be clear, I’m not mad that the delightful thief-turned-superhero is still breathing and can appear in upcoming MCU movies. Though I just can’t help but wonder what his death would’ve done for the movie.

It’s also totally fine that Hank Pym is still around as well, and I wouldn’t mind seeing Michael Douglas reprise the role once more in a live-action production. There’s still plenty of stories to tell within the Marvel multiverse, and there’s surely still room for him to be utilized. And, if that happens, maybe Douglas will get his wish to have Hank get taken out.

For now, you can stream Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, its two predecessors and most of the other Marvel movies in order using a Disney+ subscription. Also, keep checking the 2024 movie schedule so you’ll know when the next MCU installment drops.

Another week of epic streaming material is here, and it has to be said that the second week of April is a pretty eclectic one, more so than usual. Lots of animation, of very different kinds, one classic animated character brought to life with 3D CGI, and a couple of high-profile streaming series make up the week’s highlights. 

While one streaming platform often dominates these lists of highlights, this week things are pretty evenly spread out among the major platforms, so whichever of the best streaming services you subscribe to, there’s something worth checking out. Here are a few items worth at least giving a look.

What's On Netflix This Week: Woody Woodpecker And More

Animation is the name of the game for Netflix this week as two of the platform's most intriguing releases include an animated adaptation of a classic sitcom and a classic animated character brought to life in 3D. 

Good Times - April 12

Good Times was a classic sitcom in the 1970s. One of several hits produced by the late Norman Lear. Several of Lear’s shows have seen the reboot treatment in recent years, but none are quite as curious as the new Good Times which is being rebooted as a modern-day animated series, with a very mature twist. Whether this one will ultimately work is a big question, but it certainly is willing to take risks.

Woody Woodpecker Goes To Camp - April 12

You’d be forgiven for completely forgetting that in 2018 we got a live-action/animation hybrid Woody Woodpecker movie. The film was not well received by critics and it bombed pretty hard at the box office. And yet, for some reason, we are set to get a sequel with the direct-to-Netflix Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp. Perhaps the streaming release will mean the sequel gets more eyeballs as Netflix subscribers won’t need to spend any money to check this one out. Some people might just be morbidly curious. 

What's On Disney+ This Week: Even More Bluey

Animation continues to be a big part of this week’s streaming releases over on Disney+. New episodes of Star Wars: The Bad Batch and X-Men ‘97 will, of course, be must-watch options for fans, but the most watched animated series on all of streaming is the show that Disney+ subscribers will likely be all over. 

Bluey - "The Sign" - April 14

The success of the Australian animated series Bluey in the U.S. cannot be undersold. The show is incredibly popular. If there’s a downside to it, it’s that episodes are only a few minutes long. That changes on April 12, however, with the global premiere of ”The Sign” the first extended episode from Bluey, that will come in at nearly 30 minutes in length. Can the show keep the heartwarming hilarity going that long? We’ll find out.  

What's On Paramount+ This Week: Brand New Dora The Explorer

Animation continues to be hot over on Paramount+ with the return of a brand new series starring one of Nickelodeon’s most popular heroes for younger audiences.

Dora - April 12

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 25 years since Dora the Explorer first appeared on Nickelodeon. The generation that grew up with her is now old enough to have young children of their own who will now have a chance to learn from Dora as well. Following a Dora animated short being placed in front of the recent Paw Patrol movie, Dora, a 26-episode series, will debut for Paramount+ subscribers and their kids. 

What's On Max: A New Series From Robert Downey Jr.

HBO has been the home for high-quality prestige series for years, but in the era of streaming that means that you don’t even need to be an HBO subscriber to get access to those shows. The next big HBO drama will arrive on Max at the same time. 

The Sympathizer - April 14

Based on the novel of the same name The Sympathizer follows a Viet Cong spy as as moves to America in the days following the Vietnam War. Robert Downey Jr. appears in multiple roles in the new series, which he also co-produced. The show will debut simultaneously on HBO and on Max. 

What's On Prime Video This Week: Fallout Premiers

Prime Video subscribers got one of the most highly anticipated streaming movie releases last month with the Road House remake, which has been an enormous hit. Now the platform hopes to repeat that success with what is sure to be one of the biggest streaming series releases of the year.

Fallout - April 11

For decades studios have tried to find success in adapting video games into movies, which has been met with limited success. Now, the highly acclaimed Fallout games series, which imagines a world that was nearly destroyed by nuclear war back in the 1950s, has been adapted into a streaming series. Fans of the games will certainly be checking this one out to see just how faithful it is to the source material. 

What's On Hulu This Week: Music, Time Travel, And Superman

Hulu has now been fully integrated into Disney+, but whether you use it as part of the larger app or still see it as a standalone streaming service, it’s home to all your current TV favs. This week also provides us with a new movie that romance fans may want to give it a look, or at least a listen. 

The Greatest Hits - April 12

On the big and small screens, we’ve seen something of a romantic renaissance in recent months, and Hulu may be able to ride that wave with The Greatest Hits a romantic drama with a time travel twist. It will also give viewers a fresh look at the brand new Superman, David Corenswet before he dawns the cape of the Man of Steel. 

What's On Apple TV+ This Week: Michael Douglas As Benjamin Franklin

Series based on American history seem to be something Apple TV+ subscribers want. The Manhunt series, about the search for John Wilkes Booth after the assassination of President Lincoln, hasn’t even ended its run yet, and another series based on another key moment in American history is already getting started. 

Franklin - April 12

Most of America’s Founding Fathers took their turns as Presidents of the United States. One who did not, but was no less crucial to the successful founding of the nation, was Benjamin Franklin. The new series, simply titled Franklin stars Michael Douglas as the man and focuses on Franklin’s trip to France to gain the country’s support during the Revolutionary War.

While these are some of the more notable new streaming options this week, there’s plenty more where all this came from. Be sure to check out what’s new on Netflix for a complete list of what’s arriving when as well as our list of Everything upcoming on Disney+ and what’s new on Hulu for the full release schedules for those platforms. 

Back in the early aughts, The West Wing had a pretty heady task in winning over American audiences in the wake of the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal. But with an idealized White House, an amazing cast and the musical writing of Aaron Sorkin, the political drama did just that. Before there was The West Wing, though, there was The American President, the romantic comedy starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening that was also penned by Sorkin. That’s no coincidence, either, as it turns out the idea for the NBC series was inspired by Rob Reiner’s 1995 film. 

It’s easy to see the similarities between the two projects. Aaron Sorkin’s quick and witty dialogue is unmistakable, and their two fictional presidents — Michael Douglas’ Andrew Shepherd and Martin Sheen’s Jed Bartlet — are equally beloved for being smart, capable and, above all, good-hearted. So how did a romantic comedy film deliver one of the best television shows of all time? 

How The West Wing Was Inspired By The American President 

In The American President, the story mostly focuses on the president himself and his budding relationship with environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening) in a re-election year. The West Wing was intended to be the opposite — the exploration of the president’s senior staff with very little of the big guy himself — made possible through Aaron Sorkin’s overachieving first script. The writer said in The West Wing (The Official Companion): 

While Martin Sheen’s portrayal of President Bartlet necessitated that he play a bigger role in the series than originally intended, his character’s story never overshadowed those of his staff, as we were gifted with one of the best ensemble casts of all time in John Spencer (chief of staff Leo McGarry), Bradley Whitford (deputy chief of staff Josh Lyman), Richard Schiff (communications director Toby Ziegler), Rob Lowe (deputy communications director Sam Seaborn), Allison Janney (press secretary C.J. Cregg), Dulé Hill (president aide Charlie Hill) and many others over the course of its seven-season run. 

The West Wing’s Pilot Script Came Straight From The American President’s Cutting Room Floor 

It’s funny to think that the first draft of The American President might have included larger stories for chief of staff A.J. (played by a pre-Bartlet Martin Sheen) or staffer Lewis (Michael J. Fox), but apparently that’s exactly what happened. The West Wing’s executive producer John Wells recalled that being part of his conversation with Aaron Sorkin as The West Wing was being developed. Wells told Empire: 

One of those stories that was left on The American President’s cutting room floor became the basis for The West Wing’s series premiere, which aired on NBC on September 22, 1999. In the same interview with Empire, Aaron Sorkin said: 

This should come as no surprise to anyone who’s seen at least The West Wing’s first season and Rob Reiner’s rom-com, as there are some pretty obvious similarities between the two. 

In the episode “A Proportional Response,” Jed Bartlet expresses frustration after being advised to issue a measured attack against forces abroad that shot down a plane carrying U.S. citizens. His question “What is the virtue of a proportional response?” is practically identical to Andrew Shepherd’s in a similar situation in The American President, where he tells his advisors: “Someday, someone's gonna have to explain to me the virtue of a proportional response.”

In The West Wing episode that followed — “Five Votes Down” — Bartlet’s gun control bill is one of the central focuses, particularly how the staff tries to drum up support for their admittedly weak legislation. It’s also the episode where Leo’s wife leaves him, as he tells her that as long as Bartlet is in the White House, his job is more important than his marriage. 

Fans of The American President will surely see similarities to the movie here, as President Shepherd steals votes from Sydney in order to get his crime bill passed. His girlfriend loses her job over it and in her breakup rant she tells the president, “Congratulations, it’s only taken you three years to put together crime prevention legislation that has no hope of preventing crime.” 

Several Cast Members Appeared In Both The Movie And The TV Series 

There are plenty of actors you probably forgot were on The West Wing, but several of them you may have recognized from The American President, because the plot isn’t the only place where the two overlap. Obviously Martin Sheen was promoted to the Oval Office for the NBC series after serving as chief of staff in the movie, but he’s not the only Sorkin player to double-dip. 

Anna Deavere Smith recurred as National Security Advisor Nancy McNally from Seasons 2 to 7 after playing press secretary Robin McCall in The American President; Joshua Malina, who joined The West Wing in Season 4, was a colleague of Sydney’s in the romantic comedy; and Nina Siemaszko, who played Sydney’s sister in the movie, appeared in nine episodes of The West Wing as one of the First Daughters. 

Both of these projects are beloved pieces of work from Aaron Sorkin, and fans of The West Wing are likely more than grateful that the writer was so inspired by his White House research that he created the characters of the Bartlet White House that we love so much. The West Wing is currently one of the best shows streaming on Max, so fire up your Max subscription. While The American President isn’t available to stream anywhere currently, you can rent or buy the movie on digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video or YouTube. 

The top actors in Hollywood make a lot of money, but anyone will tell you that the real money is in production. That means that many of the biggest stars in the world have formed their own companies to produce both their own films and other projects that interest them. 

Often, these company names and logos appear at the beginning of the movies, along with larger, more recognizable studios like Paramount and Disney. Here is a list of many of the actors with their own production companies, along with the name of the company to look out for. 

Jordan Peele - Monkeypaw Productions

Jordan Peele has become one of the most exciting and interesting directors and producers in recent years. His Monkeypaw Productions has produced or co-produced his own movies, like Get Out, Us, and Nope, as well as other films like Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman, and Adamma Ebo's Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul.

Tom Hanks - Playtone

Tom Hanks' Playtone has been wildly successful on the big and small screens. With movies starring Hanks like Cast Away, Charlie Wilson's Way, The Polar Express, and Greyhound, as well as films not starring him, like Mamma Mia and its sequel, the company keeps winning. It has also hit it big on TV with shows like Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and John Adams on HBO, and the CNN series about each decade of the last 60 years. 

Elizabeth Banks - Brownstone Productions

Elizabeth Banks has been on a hot streak with her company Brownstone Productions. It's most notable for the Pitch Perfect franchise, but the company has also co-produced movies like 2019's Charlie's Angels, and that surprise 2023 hit about a bear that gets into something it should not have in the woods, with scary (and hilarious) results. 

Reese Witherspoon - Pacific Standard

When Reese Witherspoon started Pacific Standard in 2012, she did so with the express purpose of highlighting and producing projects with strong female leads, crews, and topics. So far, it's been a huge success with films like Gone Girl and Wild, as well as TV shows like The Morning Show, and Big Little Lies. 

Adam Sandler - Happy Madison Productions

Adam Sandler movies are not for everyone, but wow, do they make him a lot of money through his company, Happy Madison. Though the two films it's named after Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison were not his productions, almost everything he's been in since 2000 is, and it continues to make a ton of money for the actor. The company has even dabbled in TV, most notably with The Goldbergs.

Drew Barrymore - Flower Films

Drew Barrymore's company, Flower Films, has produced or co-produced a ton of movies since she founded it in 1999. With movies like Donnie Darko, 50 First Dates, Fever Pitch, and the Charlie's Angels franchise, it is safe to assume Barrymore has made a pretty penny. Of course, it also produces her daytime talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show. 

Queen Latifah - Flavor Unit Entertainment

Queen Latifah's Flavor Unit Entertainment started out producing movies with moderate budgets that she starred in, like The Cookout and Beauty Shop, but these days, it's been successful on TV with her show, The Equalizer.

George Clooney - Smokehouse Pictures

Smokehouse Pictures is the second company founded by George Clooney after he shut down Section Eight Productions in 2006. Most movies he's starred in or directed since 2008 have been produced under the Smokehouse banner, including Leatherheads, Monuments Men, and The Boys In The Boat, plus other projects like Ocean's 8 and Argo.

Sandra Bullock - Fortus Films

Sandra Bullock may not be acting as much these days, but her production company, Fortus Films, is still humming along. Through the company, Bullock has produced movies like Miss Congeniality and its sequel, Two Weeks Notice, and The Lost City.

Courteney Cox - Coquette Productions

Friends star Courteney Cox and her ex-husband David Arquette started Coquette Productions together in 2004. The business relationship continued after the couple split six years later, though they haven't actually produced much in recent years. 

Brad Pitt - Plan B Entertainment

Plan B Entertainment was started by Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, and producer Brad Grey in 2001. In 2004, Pitt and Grey bought Aniston out in the midst of her split from Pitt. Since then, the company has gone on to major success, with three of its movies, The Departed, 12 Years a Slave and Moonlight all winning Best Picture Oscars, with seven others receiving nominations for the award. 

Sterling K. Brown - Indian Meadows Productions

This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown named his production Indian Meadows Productions after the name of the neighborhood he grew up in outside St. Louis. Though it's just getting started, there are some interesting things on the way as Brown's star continues to shine brightly. 

Margot Robbie - LuckyChap Productions

Margot Robbie may have gotten snubbed at the 2024 Oscars for Barbie, but you can be sure she wasn't snubbed out of money as one of the producers of the hit movie. Robbie's company, LuckyChap Productions, has also produced movies Robbie starred in like I, Tonya and Birds of Prey as well as other projects she didn't star in like Saltburn and Promising Young Woman.

Leonardo DiCaprio - Appian Way Productions

Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions produced two Oscar-winners with The Aviator (which won five) and The Revenant (which won three, including Best Actor for DiCaprio). Through the company, DiCaprio not only produced feature films, but documentaries, as well. 

Nicole Kidman - Blossom Films

While Nicole Kidman's Blossom Films has dabbled in movies, most notably the 2011 rom-com Monte Carlo with Selena Gomez, it has found its biggest successes on the small screen. With shows like Big Little Lies, The Undoing, Nine Perfect Strangers, and 2024's Expats. 

Michael Douglas

Further Films, founded by Michael Douglas, doesn't have the portfolio that others may have on this list, as they seem to have found a niche in thrillers and suspense films like Swimfan, Don't Say a Word, 2017's Flatliners, and the streaming show Ratched.

Natalie Portman - Handsomecharlie Films

Natalie Portman named her company, Handsomecharlie Films, after her beloved dog, and she's put together a nice run of movies. She's produced many of her own projects, like No Strings Attached and Jane Got a Gun, as well as a surprise that she didn't star in, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. 

Eddie Murphy - Eddie Murphy Productions

Eddie Murphy started betting on himself early in his career through Eddie Murphy Productions and it has paid off, big time. Starting with Raw in 1987, the company has produced some huge movies for the legendary comedian, including Coming To America, Harlem Nights, Boomarang, The Nutty Professor, and Norbit. 

Barbra Streisand - Barwood Films

Barbra Streisand has produced many of her own projects through her company, Barwood Films. 1976's A Star Is Born, The Prince Of Tides, and Yentl are a few of the examples of her biggest successes. Barwood has also dabbled in TV movies, like the groundbreaking What Makes a Family in 2001, about a lesbian couple having a child together. 

Alec Baldwin - El Dorado Pictures

Alec Baldwin's El Dorado Pictures has been in the news a lot in recent years due to its connection to Rust and the tragic events that occurred on set. Baldwin has produced quite a few of his own projects through the company over the years and even got into the TV game show space with the revival of Match Game, which he also hosted. 

Tina Fey - Little Stranger

Tina Fey has one of the sharpest wits in Hollywood, so it's no surprise she would use those same brains to produce. From critically acclaimed movies like 2024's Mean Girls to wildly successful TV shows including 30 Rock and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Fey, and her company Little Stranger, continue to crush it. 

Laurence Fishburne - Cinema Gypsy Productions

The biggest success Laurence Fishburne and his company Cinema Gypsy Productions has seen thus far is the sitcom black-ish, but he's also produced some great movies of his own that have flown under the radar, but are worth checking out, in Five Fingers and Akeelah and the Bee.

Jodie Foster - Egg Pictures

It's no surprise that an actor and director like Jodie Foster, who has been in show business for basically all of her life, would be a producer as well. Through her Egg Pictures production company, she produced many of her own projects, starting with Nell in 1994 and Home for the Holidays in 1995. She closed the company in 2002 when she decided that producing wasn't for her. 

Clint Eastwood - Malpaso Films

Without question, one of the most successful companies on this list is Malpaso Films, founded by Clint Eastwood. It has served as the production company for almost all of the films Eastwood has directed and its history stretches back to the mid-1960s. Many of his classic films, including Unforgiven, The Bridges of Madison County, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Dirty Harry, Escape from Alcatraz, Million Dollar Baby, Sully, and many more have all been produced or co-produced by Malpaso. 

Halle Berry - 606 Films

Halle Berry's 606 Films has an interesting origin story. Though it was formed as part of her deal to star in Extant, the name has an important meaning. She named it after CA Senate Bill 606, a law intended to protect celebrities' children from the paparazzi.

It was an important issue for Berry, and when the company was formed, her partner, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, said, "606 Films is named for the anti-paparazzi bill, Senate Bill 606, which Halle fought so hard for and won, when no one believed it could be achieved. It truly informs the spirit of our company — making dreams possible, one bill at a time."

Mel Gibson - Icon Productions

Mel Gibson is not the most universally loved man in Hollywood, to be sure, but he's often bet on himself with his Icon Films, and more times than not, it's worked. Since 1989, he's financed many of his own projects completely through Icon, making movies like Hacksaw Ridge, The Passion of the Christ, and We Were Soldiers, plus co-producing maybe his most iconic movie, Braveheart. 

Salma Hayek - Ventanarosa Productions

Ventanarosa Productions, founded by Salma Hayek in 1999 has most often focused on Latin-centric projects, including Hayek's own Frida and the hit TV show, Ugly Betty. Ventanarosa also works throughout Latin America, producing Spanish-language films and TV. 

Will Smith - Overbrook Entertainment

Will Smith grew up in the West Philly neighborhood of Overbrook, which he took for the name of his production company as well, Overbrook Entertainment. Through it, Smith has produced many of his own projects, starting with Ali in 2001. King Richard, for which he infamously won the Oscar for Best Actor in 2022, was also produced by Overbrook. On the small screen, the Netflix hit Cobra Kai is an Overbrook production, as well. 

Amy Poehler - Paper Kite Productions

Amy Poehler's Paper Kite Production has dabbled in movies, but most of its success has been on TV and streaming. With shows like Russian Doll, and Broad City, you can see that Poehler likes sticking with what she knows, comedy. You might be surprised, though, that the company has also found success with reality TV and even feature length documentaries.

Danny DeVito - Jersey Films

Danny DeVito is obviously proud of his New Jersey roots, naming his production company Jersey Films. He also has to be proud of the output from the company with films like Pulp Fiction and Get Shorty. He's found a lot of success on TV too, with Reno 911! Another of Jersey's films, Erin Brockovich, was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2001.

Charlize Theron - Denver And Delilah Productions

Denver and Delilah Productions' first film was Monster, starring the company's founder, Charlize Theron. That seems to have inspired a bit of a theme, as the company has produced other serial killer-related projects, like Netflix's show Mindhunters, and the HBO docuseries Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York. There are also a few non-serial killer films, like Bombshell, Atomic Blonde, and Murder Mystery.

Will Ferrell - Gary Sanchez Productions

Before Adam McKay and Will Ferrell had their falling out in 2019 and dissolved Gary Sanchez Productions, the company had been wildly successful, releasing some of the funniest movies and shows over the last couple of decades. Step Brothers, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Daddy's Home, Eastbound & Down, and Drunk History are just a few examples. Add to that a little HBO show called Succession, which has won just a few Emmys, and wow, what a success story. 

As this list shows, success as an actor often leads to success in production as well, so actors will continue to open up their own shops, and will continue to crush it, for sure. 

When I was a kid, there were two movies that I was absolutely obsessed with. (Well, there are three if you count the cult classic Big Trouble in Little China, but I’m still obsessed with that one). The two aforementioned movies, though, were White Men Can’t Jump, and Falling Down. The former recently received a critically polarizing remake at Hulu. I really can’t see the latter getting revamped anytime soon and, if it does, I'm willing to be that it'll be nothing like the 1993 production. Not in this climate.    

But I digress. We're here, because I recently rewatched Falling Down. Though I still enjoyed it, a discussion needs to be had. So let's talk this out.

As A 40-Year-Old Man, I Can 100% Relate With Some Of The Frustrations Of William Foster 

The Joel Schumacher-directed film stars Michael Douglas as a former defense engineer named William Foster. He’s divorced and having one hell of a bad day. His less-than-positive outing kicks off with a traffic jam. It’s hot as all hell (as the story takes place in L.A., after all), and wouldn’t you know it, his air conditioner breaks down. As somebody who spent a whole summer driving back and forth to work with no air conditioning in his car, I can tell you right off the bat that by the time I got to work, I wasn’t smiling. In fact, I was downright ornery. I get all that. 

I also understand the scene where Foster goes to a fast food joint and breakfast has just ended. I can't count how many times my kids have told me at the last minute they want breakfast at Burger King only to reach the place at 11:01 to see the lunch menu on display. Sure, in the back of my mind, I’m raging like the Hulk, but I have to remain calm and just tell my groaning kids they’re going to have to settle for fries or something.  

Additionally, I identify with the moment that sees Foster talking to a road repair worker, who is basically doing nothing. (I don't know about that bazooka portion of the sequence, though.) So yeah, I definitely get Foster's overall feelings of annoyance that border on rage. But with that said…   

As A 40-Year-Old Black Man, I Don't Know If I Can Relate In The Same Way Some Other Viewers Can

I’ve come a long way from being the dweeby, Black kid who used to watch movies with white protagonists doing white protagonist things. And upon rewatching Falling Down as a Black man rather than as a Black boy, well… I don’t know if I can view the movie through the same lens that I once did.

For one, as I mentioned earlier, I can definitely relate to being stuck in traffic (as I live in New Jersey). Yet I’ve never felt so beaten down by the world that I would just up and leave my vehicle. For one thing, as a Black person, I don’t have any sort of faith that I can just leave anything unoccupied (either out of fear that it will be stolen or in fear that the police will seek me out). And secondly, I need my car! 

I know this isn't exclusive to the Black experience, but the movie spirals into lunacy shortly after Foster leaves his car. He later goes to a convenience store run by a Korean proprietor and asks for some change to make a phone call, which he doesn’t get. Foster then starts complaining that services and goods cost too much. A baseball bat, of course, then comes into the equation.

Yes, a lot of things do cost too much. But I've never felt entitled enough to “stand up for my rights…as a consumer” as Foster believes he does when he busts up the man’s store. And when watching Foster complains (while holding a gun) later in the movie about how breakfast should still be served at lunchtime, I couldn’t even imagine raising my voice at somebody behind the counter due to fear of causing a scene and perpetuating negative stereotypes about Black men.

I’m also not going walk around anywhere in public with a firearm. Honestly, there are just certain actions that people belonging to certain ethnic groups just won't do as a result of fear. (Our article on race and social justice touches on movies that explore this very topic.) All in all, I can relate to certain feelings that our protagonist has. However, the optics are just so different for a guy like Foster and a man like me that I wouldn’t even imagine undertaking some of the deeds he commits. That's a sad notion, but it's a lifelong truth for me.  

I Now Understand The Movie Is Meant To Be Satirical, And It IS Funny... For The Most Part 

You know what’s interesting? When I used to watch this flick as a kid, I never found it funny. But as an adult, I can definitely see that it's meant to be satirical or, at the very least, a black comedy.  

It's not like I didn't understand dark comedy back when I was a youngin'. To put this in perspective, Beetlejuice used to scare the hell out of me as a child (and apparently, I wasn’t the only one who probably shouldn't have been allowed to watch it as a kid). Despite that, even I could tell that it was meant to be funny.     

Nevertheless, I could never tell as a child that Michael Douglas fumbling with a bazooka (and having to be informed how to use it by a kid) was meant to be humorous, but it is! In fact, I found William Foster's simmering rage to be quite amusing, and much of that comes from Douglas' excellent performance. The Oscar winner skillfully plays a character who genuinely can't see that he's the menace. 

There are some not-so-nice moments here and there (some of which involve racial issues) but, overall, I found myself laughing a lot more than I wassquirming. 

Mass Shootings In Recent Years Somewhat Sour The Amusement This Film May Have Once Garnered 

In spite of my praise of the comedy, I can't help but be a little disturbed when I see a man WITH A GUN walking around public spaces. The United States has always been a dangerous place with a veneer of safety. But that veneer has been eroding on a daily basis with news of mass shootings all over the country. 

I absolutely don't want to turn this article into a downer but, these days, I very much  fear going into public spaces and seeing men like William Foster, who might feel like the world just hasn't been fair to them. These are the types of people who are angry at society -- and have the firepower express their disdain with.

Honestly (and I hate that I have to feel this way), whenever I go somewhere, I find that I’m always looking to the doors like Tony during the ending of The Sopranos. I can never be completely comfortable because there’s always the possibility that someone might decide today’s the day and that they're going to try to take everybody down with them. 

I know Michael Douglas doesn’t play William Foster like that, as he’s even likable in the movie. Still, I just couldn’t help getting that idea out of my mind when I rewatched the film. 2023 is not 1993. Not by a long shot.    

Falling Down Feels Extremely Modern But Like A Relic Simultaneously

Lastly, I couldn’t help but think that Falling Down feels extremely modern but at the same time, a complete relic of a movie. I think I’ve spelled a lot of that out already in the previous sections, but I think it bears some repeating.

For one thing, BS doesn’t change. A lot of the elements William Foster is miffed about still exist today. Yes, a lot of them seem more like inconveniences than anything else but, when you’ve had a really bad day, or month, or YEAR, then every last annoyance becomes another acid drop to the eye. That just doesn’t change, and that’s why the movie is still somewhat relatable. 

But as a pre-911 movie, Joel Schumacher's work seems like it comes from another world. After having experienced everything that September 11th put us through as a nation, the notion of somebody going postal over breakfast ending early seems beyond stupid. I know it’s just a film, and it’s not like I had to keep reminding myself. Even still, it feels like a flight of fantasy that seems even more ludicrous than something I might find in a Marvel flick. 

Honestly, Falling Down is very much a ‘90s film, which feels odd since it still resonates today, especially in certain political spheres, but I’m not going down that route. I’ve probably upset enough people already. 

But what do you think? Have you recently rewatched Falling Down? If not check it out, and those looking for more newer feature films can scan CinemaBlend's schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

Some of the biggest stars in Hollywood are also some of the most often snubbed by the Oscars when it comes to Best Actor and Actress Academy Awards. Legends like Harrison Ford, Jamie Lee Curtis, and many others have somehow had some of the most successful careers in film, but have only been nominated for one Academy Award in the acting categories. 

Harrison Ford - Nominated For Best Actor (Witness)

Harrison Ford is a national treasure, most everyone will agree. Everyone, it seems, except The Academy, as he has only ever nominated once, for 1985’s Witness. This actor has been in two of the biggest franchises in history, plus the two Jack Ryan movies and so much more. He should’ve been nominated for The Fugitive at least. 

Eddie Murphy - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Dreamgirls)

Another icon of the late 20th Century and early 21st Century is Eddie Murphy, who has only been nominated once, for Dreamgirls in 2007. This is probably more testament to the Academy's apparent lack of appreciation for some of his best comedic performances because I dare you to find better ones in history than Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop or Coming To America. 

Gwyneth Paltrow - Nominated For Best Actress (Shakespeare In Love)

Gwyneth Paltrow will likely be a polarizing name on this list because the actor herself tends to be, but she’s had a number of wonderful performances over the years. Roles in The Talented Mr. Ripley, Emma, and The Royal Tenenbaums are all worthy of more consideration than she’s received over the years. She's earned just one nomination for Shakespeare in Love, for which she also won. 

Taraji P. Henson - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button)

Taraji P. Henson has been nominated for more than thirty acting awards across her sterling career. Somehow, only one of those was for an Academy Award. Her lone Oscar nomination was for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 2008, and it’s frankly astounding that’s the only one. At a minimum, she should have been nominated for Hidden Figures alongside her cast-mate Octavia Spencer. Hopefully, this changes with her role in the upcoming remake of The Color Purple. 

Hugh Jackman - Nominated For Best Actor (Les Misérables)

Hugh Jackman is one award away from achieving EGOT status. The “O” is missing and shockingly he’s only been nominated once for an Oscar, for his performance in Les Misérables. The multi-talented Jackman has won so many awards, but is shut out yearly at the Academy Awards. The Oscars may not show much respect to comic book films, but everyone else does, and saying he should have been nominated for Logan isn’t a stretch, nor is saying it about his performance in The Greatest Showman.

Jamie Lee Curtis - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Jamie Lee Curtis is one of the most versatile actors of her generation. Horror, comedy, drama, she does it all. And yet, she has little to show for it in terms of Oscar nominations. She finally was nominated (and won) for Everything Everywhere All At Once but where were the nominations for My Girl and A Fish Called Wanda?

Salma Hayek - Nominated For Best Actress (Frida)

It’s been more than two decades since Salma Hayek was first nominated for an Oscar, for 2001’s Frida and she’s not been nominated since. Hayek is an icon and one of the most beloved actors today, yet never seems to get the attention of the Academy. This is likely in part due to the discounting of action films, which have become Hayek’s bread and butter, but that doesn’t mean her performances in movies like Traffic and Beatriz at Dinner weren't worthy of attention.

Matthew McConaughey - Nominated For Best Actor (Dallas Buyers Club)

When Matthew McConaughey won the Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club after being nominated for the first and only time, he led his speech with his trademark “Alright, alright, alright” and while his role in Dazed and Confused is a classic, he certainly deserved nominations for other roles, like how about a nod for his supporting role in The Wolf Of Wall Street or his performance in the vastly underrated Mud?

Samuel L. Jackson - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Pulp Fiction)

If there is anyone on the list that should be a perennial nominee, it’s Samuel L. Jackson. His lone nomination came from his unforgettable and meme-able turn in Pulp Fiction, but he’s an actor who steals every scene he's in, in a good way. Just his roles in Quentin Tarantino films alone, like Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, are worthy of nominations, but it hasn’t happened, sadly. Thankfully for all of us, Jackson was given an honorary Oscar in 2021 for his contributions to film, which is some consolation. 

Uma Thurman - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (Pulp Fiction)

Speaking of Pulp Fiction, the Tarantino classic also led to Uma Thurman’s one and only Academy Award nomination. Despite being one of the biggest stars on the planet, Thurman seems to have no luck getting the attention of the Academy. One role that really stands out is in the under-appreciated Prime. 

Benedict Cumberbatch - Nominated For Best Actor (The Imitation Game)

One has to believe that more nominations will be coming for Benedict Cumberbatch. Thus far, his only acknowledgment from the Oscars was for his wonderful performance as Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. There are plenty of other roles he could have been nominated for, especially as William Bulger in Black Mass and Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate and that’s just the roles in which he’s played real people! 

Mark Wahlberg - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (The Departed)

In 1990, no one would have expected “Marky” Mark Wahlberg to appear on any kind of list like that, but almost 35 years later, it’s astounding his only Oscar nomination has been for The Departed (one of our picks for the 100 best movies of the 2000s). You have to question why he was ignored for Boogie Nights, for sure. The Fighter is another clear snub, though he was technically nominated for Best Picture as a producer of the film. 

Halle Berry - Nominated For Beat Actress (Monster's Ball)

When Halle Berry earned her one Oscar nomination for 2001’s Monster’s Ball, she was the odds-on favorite to win. She had become one of the biggest stars of the 1990s and now was her time to shine. She won, of course, but sadly, it would be the last time Berry would be nominated, so far, at least. It’s a shame because there are plenty of roles she’d be deserving of a nomination, like Frankie & Alice, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Laurence Fishburne - Nominated For Best Actor (What's Love Got To Do With It)

This could be the most shocking on the list. At first thought, you might guess Laurence Fishburne was nominated for his amazing work as Furious Styles in Boyz n the Hood or Professor Phipps in John Singleton’s other masterpiece, Higher Learning. Alas, the Matrix star has only one nomination, for playing Ike Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It, and he didn’t win. 

Josh Brolin  - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Milk)

Josh Brolin has been a favorite since he was a teenager in The Goonies. He’s also starred in some powerhouse movies, like Sicario and, most of all, No Country For Old Men. No Country won a slew of Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Barden, and yet Brolin wasn’t even nominated. It frankly doesn’t make sense. Brolin’s lone nomination came from his wonderful performance in Milk, but that was the year that the late Heath Ledger won for The Dark Knight.

Sharon Stone - Nominated For Best Actress (Casino)

You could argue that while Sharon Stone was brilliant in Casino, it wasn’t even her best performance, though it’s the only time she’s been nominated. She wasn’t nominated for Basic Instinct, despite winning the Golden Globe for the role, nor for the underrated The Muse in 2000. At least we have Casino. 

Tilda Swinton - Nominated For For Best Supporting Actress (Michael Clayton)

2007's Michael Clayton was awash in acting nominations, including George Clooney for Best Actor and Tom Wilkinson for Best Supporting Actor. The only winner of the night, though, was Tilda Swinton for Best Supporting Actress. Over her incredible career, Swinton has been honored for other roles, like her parts in The Deep End, We Need to Talk About Kevin, and even Snowpiercer, but this remains her only Oscar nod. 

Liam Neeson - Nominated For Best Actor (Schindler’s List)

Long before Liam Neeson re-invented himself as an action star in summer blockbusters, he was a character actor carving out a nice career in film. Then came the epic Schindler's List. He was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor in a movie, though he lost out to Tom Hanks for Philadelphia. In the 30 years since, Neeson has not been nominated, not even for fantastic turns in The Gangs of New York, Michael Collins, or Rob Roy. For shame.  

Lupita Nyong'o - Nominated For Best Actress (12 Years A Slave)

Lupita Nyong'o burst onto the Hollywood scene with her heartbreakingly beautiful performance in 12 Years A Slave. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress and has since been racking up the accolades everywhere... except the Oscars. Despite well-received turns in Us and Queen of Katwe, not to mention her roles in the Black Panther films, she hasn't again been nominated. 

Sean Connery - Nominated For Best Supporting Actors (The Untouchables)

Sean Connery was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and yet he was virtually ignored by the Academy for his whole career. Setting aside his brilliance as James Bond, Connery should’ve earned nods for The Hunt For Red October, and The Name Of The Rose, at least. Instead, his only nomination came for The Untouchables, which, thankfully, he won. 

Alec Baldwin - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (The Cooler)

Another fantastic performance in The Hunt for Red October that didn’t get recognition is Alec Baldwin’s as Jack Ryan. Baldwin could’ve been nominated for either of his two on-screen performances in 1992, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Prelude To A Kiss, but again he was snubbed. His only nomination came for his role in The Cooler.

Diane Lane - Nominated For Best Actress (Unfaithful)

Diane Lane found her footing in film in the late 1990s with outstanding performances in movies like A Walk on the Moon and The Perfect Storm, either of which could've been award-winning. Instead, it wasn't until 2002's Unfaithful that she got the recognition she deserved when she was nominated for Best Actress. 

Bill Murray - Nominated For Best Actor (Lost in Translation)

The Academy has missed out on great performances by one of the best comedic actors the world has ever seen in Bill Murray. Stripes, Ghostbusters, What About Bob?, and Groundhog's Day are some of the most beloved comedies of all time, and Murray was never recognized. Nor was he for his brilliant turns in Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. Murray's sole nomination came, deservingly, for 2003's Lost In Translation. 

Jennifer Connelly - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (A Beautiful Mind)

Jennifer Connelly has been wowing audiences for decades, including in 2022's massive hit Top Gun: Maverick. It appears though, that she has not been wowing the Academy, as she's only ever been nominated for one Oscar, which she won, for her role in 2001's A Beautiful Mind. Other roles have earned her other awards, like her parts in Requiem For A Dream and The House of Sand and Fog, but to date, nothing from the Academy Awards. 

Kathleen Turner - Nominated For Best Actress (Peggy Sue Got Married)

Despite massive hits like Body Heat, Serial Mom, and of course, Romancing The Stone, Kathleen Turner has only earned one Oscar nomination, for the vastly underrated Francis Ford Coppola film from 1986, Peggy Sue Got Married. Surely this icon of the screen deserves more. 

Robert Redford - Nominated For Best Actor (The Sting)

It’s astounding that the great Robert Redford has only one acting nomination in his whole career, for The Sting. Though he defined what a movie star is, Redford never received Oscar attention for roles in All The President’s Men, All Is Lost, Out Of Africa, and Three Days of the Condor, among many others. The list is endless here. He has been nominated twice for Best Director, for Ordinary People and Quiz Show, and won for the former. Redford also received an Honorary Oscar in 2002.

Catherine Zeta-Jones - Nominated For Best Actress (Chicago)

At the 75th Academy Awards, Chicago was the biggest winner of the night, garnering 13 nominations and winning six of them, including Catherine Zeta-Jones for Best Actress. Alas, this, so far, is the only time the Welsh actress has even been nominated, despite powerhouse roles in Traffic and Entrapment. At least she shares this dubious distinction with her husband Michael Douglas. 

Micheal Douglas - Nominated For Best Actor (Wall Street)

Gordon Gekko in Wall Street is one of the all-time great cinema villains and Michael Douglas richly deserved the Academy Award he won for playing the part in 1988. An actor with a slew of amazing performances from Falling Down, to Traffic, to Fatal Attraction and more, with only one acting nomination. He was also nominated/won for Best Picture in 1976 as the producer of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. 

Lauren Bacall - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (The Mirror Has Two Faces)

Lauren Bacall was one of the true icons of the Golden Age of Hollywood, starring in such films as The Big Sleep, Key Largo, and many, many more over her career. Shockingly, it took until 1997 for the Academy to recognize her work when she was finally nominated for a Best Supporting Actress role for The Mirror Has Two Faces. She did finally receive a well-deserved honorary Oscar in 2000. 

Kevin Costner - Nominated For Best Actor (Dances With Wolves)

Dances With Wolves was the darling of the Oscars in 1991. It was nominated for 12 awards, winning seven, including Best Director for Kevin Costner and Best Picture, which Costner won as a producer. It was also the one and only time Costner has been nominated for an acting Academy Award. There are so many other iconic parts he should’ve gotten more credit for, like JFK, Bull Durham, The Untouchables, and Hidden Figures, just to name a few. 

It just goes to show that even being a huge box office draw, and a megastar doesn't mean you'll get recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Oscars are incredibly hard to win and even being nominated is an honor, they say. Still, for everyone on the list, you'd think they'd have more than one.  

I have always appreciated when people follow in the footsteps of their famous parents. In fact, I think it is fun to see actors collaborate with their own children on-screen, of which there are more than enough examples. The following are 30 of our favorite movies and TV shows that proved to be a family affair for the stars involved.

Adam, Jackie, Sadie, And Sunny Sandler (You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah)

Not only did producer Adam Sandler star as the father of two girls played by his real daughters, Sadie and Sunny, in the You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah cast in 2023. The Netflix original coming-of-age dramedy also stars the comedian’s wife, Jackie, while Idina Menzel handled the role of Adam’s onscreen spouse.

Andie MacDowell And Margaret Qualley (MAID)

According to MAID developer Molly Smith Metzler, it was actually star Margaret Qualley who brought up the idea of casting her own mother, Andie MacDowell, as her character’s mother. The Golden Globe-nominated Four Weddings and Funeral star plays Paula (a woman with severe bipolar disorder) opposite the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood cast member in the Netflix original miniseries based on Stephanie Land’s memoir.

Angelina Jolie And Vivienne Jolie-Pitt (Maleficent)

Vivienne Jolie-Pitt gave her debut (and, so far, sole) onscreen acting performance opposite her mother, Angelina Jolie, in 2014’s Maleficent — a live-action reimagining of Sleeping Beauty from the villain’s perspective. According to Vanity Fair, the then-5-year-old got the part of a younger version of Elle Fanning’s character, Aurora, because other children were too afraid of the Academy Award winner in full makeup and costume in the title role.

Ben And Jerry Stiller And Anne Meara (Various)

Ben Stiller shared the screen with both of his late parents, legendary comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, multiple times — the first being the 1989 mockumentary, That’s Adequate, followed by 1991 horror-comedy, Highway to Hell. Ben later played a sadistic fitness guru who purchases a youth weight loss camp from his parents’ characters in Disney’s 1995 summer comedy movie, Heavyweights, before casting them 2001’s Zoolander, with Jerry as Maury Ballstein and Meara cameoing as an egg-throwing protester.

Billy Ray, Miley, And Noah Cyrus (Doc, Hannah Montana)

Both Miley Cyrus and her sister, Noah, made their acting debuts on the medical drama, Doc, which was led by their musician father, Billy Ray Cyrus. Years later, the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer took a supporting role on Miley’s smash hit Disney Channel show, Hannah Montana, which Noah would also appear on in various unnamed roles.

Brendan, Domhnall, And Brian Gleeson (Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 1, Frank Of Ireland)

Brendan Gleeson reprised Mad-Eye Moody in the penultimate installment of the Harry Potter movies, which also starred his son, Domhnall, as Ron Weasley’s older brother, Bill, in 2010. More than a decade later, the Academy Award nominee starred opposite the Star Wars movies actor and his younger son, Brian, in an episode of their Amazon Prime comedy series, Frank of Ireland, as a new boyfriend of the title character’s mother.

Blythe Danner And Gwyneth Paltrow (Sylvia)

In 2003, Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow played the title role of a biopic about Sylvia Plath. To play the renowned writer and poet’s mother, Aurelia, Paltrow’s real-life mother, Tony and Emmy Award winner Blythe Danner was cast.

Chris, Tristan, And India Hemsworth (Thor: Love And Thunder)

After his older brother, Luke, portrayed his comic book character in a play in Thor: Ragnarok, Chris Hemsworth made 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder a real family affair. Not only would Luke return, but Chris’s son, Tristan, appeared as the title character’s younger self in a flashback and his daughter, India, played Gorr the God Butcher’s daughter, Love.

Clint And Scott Eastwood (Gran Torino, Trouble With The Curve)

The first time Clint Eastwood acted alongside his son, Scott, was in 2007’s Gran Torino for a scene in which — as the Suicide Squad star claimed to Conan O’Brien — his father threw a few unscripted insults toward his character. Five years later, Scott starred in the baseball movie Trouble with the Curve as a minor leaguer discovered by his father’s character.

Damon Wayans And Damon Wayans Jr. (Blankman, My Wife And Kids, Happy Together)

Daman Wayans Jr. debuted as the younger version of his father’s character — aspiring superhero, Kevin — in the funny ‘90s movie Blankman, before landing a recurring role on his sitcom, My Wife and Kids, and later inviting him to play his dad on his own sitcom, Happy Together. In early 2023, Deadline reported that the Wayans are developing a new sitcom that will pair them up as an on-screen father-son duo once again.

Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, And Rumer Willis (Various)

Rumer Willis’ first two acting gigs were alongside her mother, Demi Moore, as Angela Albertson in the underrated ‘90s movie, Now and Then, and as the daughter of Moore’s character in the classic stripper movie, Striptease. The actor and singer’s next two roles would be alongside her father, Bruce Willis, with an uncredited cameo in the 2000 comedy, The Whole Nine Yards, and as the daughter of Willis’ character in the 2005 thriller, Hostage.  

Donald And Kiefer Sutherland (A Time To Kill, Forsaken)

The first time Donald and Kiefer Sutherland appeared in a movie together — namely 1996’s A Time to Kill — Donald played a civil rights lawyer and Kiefer played a vicious white supremacist. Nearly two decades later, the father and son played a father and son in a western called Forsaken.

Eugene, Dan, And Sarah Levy (Schitt's Creek)

The Schitt’s Creek cast has more than two related actors in it. Eugene Levy and his son, Dan (who also created the hit sitcom together), play Johnny Rose and his son, David, and Dan’s sister, Sarah, also stars as Café Tropical owner, Twyla Sands.

George And Mayan Lopez (Lopez Vs. Lopez)

Comedian George Lopez teamed up with his daughter, Mayan, and Debby Wolfe to create the NBC sitcom, Lopez vs. Lopez. The series — which  was renewed for a second season, according to Variety — also stars George and Mayan as a father and daughter forced to reconnect after year when they have no choice but to move in together.

Henry And Jane Fonda (On Golden Pond)

The 1981 film adaptation of the acclaimed play On Golden Pond was a very special moment in Henry Fonda’s career. In addition to being his final performance, which earned him a Best Actor Oscar, it saw him share the screen with his real-life daughter, Jane, who played his estranged daughter.

Johnny And Lily-Rose Depp (Tusk, Yoga Hosers)

A nearly unrecognizable Johnny Depp plays Guy LaPointe in Kevin Smith’s bizarre A24 horror movie, 2014’s Tusk, which also stars his daughter, Lily-Rose, as a convenience store employee. When Smith made a spin-off in 2016 focusing on Lily-Rose and Harley Quinn Smith’s characters called Yoga Hosers, Depp reprised the French-Canadian P.I. as well.

Judy Garland And Liza Minnelli (In The Good Old Summertime, The Judy Garland Show)

As The Guardian recalls, the multi-talented Liza Minnelli was just three years old  when she made her acting debut with a brief cameo at the end of 1949’s In the Good Old Summertime, alongside her mother — the iconic Judy Garland. The Wizard of Oz star later invited her daughter to perform with her on her variety program, The Judy Garland Show, in the early 1960s.

Kirk, Diana, Michael, And Cameron Douglas (It Runs In The Family)

It Runs in the Family, marks a rare instance of a movie starring three generations of an actor family. It stars Kirk Douglas and his former wife, Diana, as the father and mother of a man played by their real son, Academy Award winner Michael Douglas, whose own actual son, Cameron, also stars as his eldest son in the 2003 dramedy.

Leslie Mann And Iris and Maude Apatow (Knocked Up, This Is 40)

Leslie Mann’s character in 2007’s Knocked Up and its 2012 quasi-sequel, This is 40, is married to writer/director Judd Apatow in real life. Their children, Iris and Maude — the latter of which went on to star in the Euphoria cast as Lex Howard -- appear in both This is 40 and Knocked Up with Leslie Mann.

Martin And Charlie Sheen And Emilio Estevez (Various)

Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez are celebrity siblings who have acted together multiple times, including once with their father, Martin Sheen, with small roles in Badlands. However, every other time the actors appeared alongside Martin was individually — with Charlie in Wall Street, Cadence, and Hot Shots, most notably, and with Estevez in In the Custody of Strangers and The Way.

Meryl Streep And Mamie Gummer (Heartburn, Evening, Ricki And The Flash)

When speaking to Jimmy Fallon, Mamie Gummer looked back on her acting debut as a toddler in the 1986 dramedy Heartburn, which was led by her mother, Academy Award winner Meryl Streep. More than twenty years later, Gummer played her mother’s younger self in the 2007 romantic drama, Evening, before playing her estranged daughter in 2015’s Ricki and the Flash.

Ralph And Julia Macchio (Cobra Kai)

Ralph Macchio’s daughter, Julia, has made a name for herself as an actor in movies like Girl Most Likely and shows like Showtime’s City on a Hill. She would share the screen with her father on a couple episodes of Netflix’s Karate Kid sequel series, Cobra Kai, as Daniel LaRusso’s cousin, Vanessa — a young, but highly skilled, child psychology grad student.

Ryan And Tatum O’Neal (Paper Moon)

According to Collider, the record for youngest Oscar winner is still held by Tatum O’Neal for her performance in 1973’s Paper Moon. Her character in the crime dramedy directed by the late Peter Bogdanovich is a precocious, Depression-era orphan who teams up with a con artist who could be her father, played the actor’s actual father, Ryan O’Neal.

Robin And Zelda Williams (In Search Of Dr. Seuss, Nine Months, House Of D)

Zelda Williams had her first taste of show business with her father -- Academy Award winner Robin Williams -- right beside her in the 1994 TV movie In Search of Dr. Seuss and the following year with her small role in the Hugh Grant-led rom-com, Nine Months. Her first starring role in a theatrically released film was in 2004’s House of D, which also marked the third and final time she acted alongside her late father.

Sean And Dylan Penn (Flag Day)

Sean Penn and Robin Wright’s daughter, Dylan Penn, got her start as a model before she took up acting. Her biggest role to date was as the unwitting daughter of a criminal played by Sean in 2021’s Flag Day, which the two-time Academy Award winner also directed.

Sylvester And Sage Stallone (Rocky V, Daylight)

In the Rocky movies’ fifth installment, Rocky Jr. was the debut role of star and director Sylvester Stallone’s real-life son, Sage, who would later appear with his dad in the ‘90s action movie,  Daylight. Sage went on to become the founder of Grindhouse Releasing — which prevented him from reprising his Rocky V role in Rocky Balboa — and, according to CNN, sadly passed away at 36 in 2012.

Thandiwe Newton And Nico Parker (Reminiscence)

Nico Parker — known for Disney’s live-action Dumbo remake and HBO’s The Last of Us cast — is the youngest daughter of actor Thandiwe Newton and filmmaker Ol Parker. However, in the 2021 futuristic noir, Reminiscence, she appeared alongside the Westworld star as a grandmother and granddaughter. 

Tom, Colin, Elizabeth, Chet, And Truman Hanks (Various)

Tom Hanks has shared the screen with all four of his children. He cast Colin Hanks in a small role in That Thing You Do! before appearing alongside him again in 2008’s The Great Buck Howard. Elizabeth Hanks was also in That Thing You Do!, but debuted in Forrest Gump. Chet Hanks has been in Larry Crowne and Greyhound and Truman Hanks normally does technical film work, but has appeared in three of his dad’s movies — News of the World, A Man Called Otto, and Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.

Will, Jaden, And Willow Smith (The Pursuit Of Happyness, After Earth, I Am Legend)

Jaden Smith has played his father's onscreen son in two of Will Smith's movies — the first being his debut role in 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness and the second in the M. Night Shyamalan movie, After Earth. Willow Smith also made her acting debut as her father’s daughter in a heartbreaking flashback sequence from 2007’s I Am Legend.

If you're familiar with some or all of these films, you may agree that much of these parent-child pairings demonstrate the magic that can come from family members working together on screen. 

How do you pick just one of the ‘80s movies for the biggest movie stars of the decade? It’s a challenging task, but we figure we’re up for the job. So if you find yourself only able to watch a single '80s film starring each of these icons, here’s the only list you’ll need. 

Tom Cruise - Top Gun

This one is obvious, right? Top Gun is the movie that made Tom Cruise a superstar and his career has never wavered since. It was such a cultural phenomenon at the time that not only did it make an astounding $357 million at the box office (against a $15 million budget), it became the best-selling VHS tape of all time, based on pre-orders alone! Everyone saw it that summer, and again when it was released on home video. He revived the franchise 36 years later and dominated at the box office again with Top Gun: Maverick. 

Steve Martin - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Steve Martin had a string of hits in the 1980s, but his best of the bunch was Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. It’s a perfect example of how varied Martin’s comedy could be. At times refined, at others completely physical and off the wall. Martin puts everything into this performance and it shows in the results. It’s just a brilliantly hilarious film. 

Whoopi Goldberg - Jumpin’ Jack Flash

Whoopi Goldberg burst onto the big screen in The Color Purple (more on that film in a minute). Her performance was lauded by critics, with Roger Ebert calling it “one of the most amazing debut performances in movie history.” It’s certainly a film worth watching for her Oscar-nominated performance, but if you really want to get a great idea of what Goldberg was all about in the ‘80s, check out  Jumpin’ Jack Flash. Goldberg is, after all, a comedian at heart, and she brings all her comedic skill to bare in this early tech/spy thriller. It’s another A+ performance from the star of The View.

Goldie Hawn - Overboard

Goldie Hawn was already a veteran in show business by the time the ‘80s started, but she saved some of her best performances for the decade. In her final movie of the decade, she teamed up with Kurt Russell for Overboard, and the chemistry between the two is right there on the screen for all to see. Both actors are amazing, and Hawn truly is one of America’s sweethearts. 

Morgan Freeman - Lean On Me

By 1989, Morgan Freeman had been steadily working in Hollywood for more than two decades, but it was that year that his career jumped to superstar levels. He starred in 4 films in the final year of the decade, including Driving Miss Daisy and Glory. Those two films garnered 14 Oscar nominations between them, including a Best Actor nod for Freeman. It was a third film though, Lean On Me that really lit the screen on fire. Based on the true story of a principal named Joe Clark who is charged with cleaning up a Paterson, NJ school. Freeman’s performance is powerful and set the stage for all that came after it in his career. 

Demi Moore - About Last Night

One of the actors to emerge out of the 1980s “Brat Pack,” Demi Moore forged a career that lasted well into the ‘90s and beyond, with some of her finest work coming in her first few films. One of those, About Last Night, holds up incredibly well. It’s a unique take on the rom-com and is at times much more serious than so many others from this era, due in large part to the grittier story it was adapted from (David Mamet’s play, Sexual Perversity in Chicago) and Moore’s excellent performance alongside Rob Lowe.  

Harrison Ford - Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Sure, there are a few movies that would fit here for Harrison Ford, like that one about the space wars or whatever it’s called. But for pure, distilled Ford, nothing beats Indiana Jones and nothing beats the OG Raiders of the Lost Ark. It’s Ford at his very best: snarky, charming, witty, and tough. No Nazi is safe with Indy after them. 

Oprah Winfrey - The Color Purple

Oprah Winfrey’s rise to all-powerful media queen began in the ‘80s and a very big piece of that was her acting performance in 1985’s The Color Purple. She was nominated for an Oscar in her film debut and almost four decades later, the film’s powerful message of overcoming abuse still resonates with audiences. It was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, though it shockingly didn’t win any, which is a shame. 

Chevy Chase - Fletch

Like Harrison Ford, you could go in a lot of directions with Chevy Chase, but, like Raiders, you need to go with the purest form of Chase and for that, there is nothing better than the original Fletch. He's at his sarcastic best as Irwin Fletcher. No one can quite be as charmingly condescending as peak Chase and no one is spared here. Order up a couple of steak sandwiches and some caviar; Fletch just hit a water buffalo.

Meryl Streep - Out Of Africa

In the 10 Academy Awards shows of the ‘80s, Meryl Streep was nominated seven times. She won her first (and only of the decade) for 1982’s Sophie’s Choice, but let’s get real, as amazing as she is in it, no one really wants to sit down with a bowl of popcorn and watch that one. Instead, consider a performance just as good, but slightly more upbeat (only slightly, though). Out of Africa is beautiful, as are Streep and Robert Redford in the lead roles, and the tragic story comes to life like magic with her performance. 

Geena Davis - Beetlejuice

Geena Davis made steady progress in her career in the early ‘80s but really found a new level in Beetlejuice. Her on-screen partnership with Alec Baldwin as two ghosts frustrated with the people living in their house is excellent, as they more or less play the “straight man” to Micheal Keaton’s titular character. It’s not an easy gig, but Davis is amazing. 

Jackie Chan - Police Story

Jackie Chan didn’t break big in the United States until the ‘90s and by then he was the biggest action star in Hong Kong. It was 1985’s Police Story that solidified his spot at the top and if you’ve never seen it, you definitely need to. While Chan has always been an amazing stuntman, it’s Police Story that brings all his skills to the forefront, from amazing fight scenes to the epic opening car chase with Chan hanging onto a bus with an umbrella as he pursues the baddies. It’s one of the most insane stunts in Chan’s history of insane stunts. 

Kathleen Turner - Romancing The Stone

Romancing the Stone is one of the great comedies of the 1980s and features some amazing performances from Michael Douglas and Danny DeVito, but Kathleen Turner’s Joan Wilder takes the cake. Or the bail of pot, as the case may be here. Walking that line between an intrepid explorer looking for her kidnapped sister and a damsel in distress, Turner shines. Her chemistry with Douglas and DeVito is so good, they made two more films together, the sequel Jewel of the Nile and the unrelated The War of the Roses, but it’s Stone that remains the best. 

Michael Douglas - Wall Street

Michael Douglas is great as Jack in Romancing The Stone, but it’s his portrayal of Gordon Gekko in Wall Street that makes for one of the greatest movie villains in cinema history. Of course, he won an Oscar for the performance, but it’s how quotable the movie and his character are that makes it one of the best of all time, even if those quoting don’t always understand the heavy-handed irony in each line. 

Edward James Olmos - Stand And Deliver

With Stand And Deliver, director Ramón Menéndez told the true story of math teacher Jaime Escalante who sought to raise the level of education single-handily in an East LA high school by daring to teach underprivileged Hispanic kids calculus. Edward James Olmos plays Escalante brilliantly, earning himself an Oscar nomination in the process. 

Tom Hanks - Big

Tom Hanks grew up with Big, literally and figuratively. It marks the point in his career when he jumped from a wild and wacky comedian to an actor who can take on any role, no matter how serious, and make it his own. There are the wilder moments, but there is also a real vulnerability to the man-child Josh Baskin that Hanks makes so authentic for the audience. It’s no wonder it earned him his first Oscar nomination. 

Daryl Hannah - Splash

Another Hanks movie also happens to be the great Daryl Hannah’s finest performance. Before Ariel, there was Madison, the mermaid who longed to walk on the land with humans and falls in love with an average Joe. Hannah’s performance magically convinces audiences that it’s exactly what a fish out of water would be like. 

Mel Gibson - Lethal Weapon

Back before Mel Gibson was a lightening rod for controversy, he played some pretty amazing roles and none more so that Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon series. From the very first scene, audiences see that classic “Mel Gibson Crazy Eyes” face and it sets the tone for the movie and the franchise, one that had remarkable life to it. That first scene is also why Lethal Weapon should be in the conversation for the best Christmas movie, alongside Die Hard. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger - The Terminator

The decade wouldn't be as big and as over the top as it was without Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Austrian bodybuilder took the movie world by storm and there are any number of enjoyable performances, but if you're looking at 1980s movies, you have to choose The Terminator. It launched him to superstardom, and it kicked off a franchise of Terminator movies that's lasted for decades. Sure, he only has a handful of lines, but no one could top his performance as a relentless killing machine that we all somehow fell in love with… later. 

Sylvester Stallone - First Blood

Not only did First Blood launch one of the most enduring franchises of the era, but it’s also just a really good film. It could be argued that it’s Sylvester Stallone’s best. His performance as a down-and-out Vietnam vet highlighted the plight of returning soldiers from that war. Brian Dennehy plays the antagonist perfectly as the angry sheriff that doesn’t take kindly to strangers in his town. A+. 

Michelle Pfeiffer - Scarface

Scarface really hasn’t aged all that well. Sure, the memes are fantastic, but as a film, it feels as dated as neon green headbands and electric typewriters. The lone exception is Michelle Pfeiffer’s performance. It’s still great, and made her one of the biggest stars of the 1980s. 

Molly Ringwald - Sixteen Candles

Molly Ringwald was once called John Hughes’ muse and it’s easy to see why she became such a mainstay in many of his hit movies from the era. Sixteen Candles is truly one of the funniest movies of the ‘80s, in part because of the side characters, but mostly it’s due to Ringwald’s fantastic performance as the girl the family forgot. 

Denzel Washington - Glory

Denzel Washington was nominated for his first Oscar for 1987’s Cry Freedom, but he won his first for 1989’s Glory. The cool thing about Glory is that it’s actually one of his most powerful performances, as audiences didn’t know him as DENZEL yet. The movie follows one of the few Black companies fighting for the Union during the Civil War and tells a story that had sort of been forgotten in the public consciousness at the time. The success of Glory and of Washington’s performance, especially in the scene where he is whipped, is one of the reasons that story will never be forgotten again. 

Jodie Foster - The Accused

The Accused is not an easy movie to watch. It begins with one of the most brutal rape scenes in cinema history and follows Jodie Foster’s character, Sarah Tobias, on the quest to get justice. The subject matter was so intense, the role was reportedly turned down by a number of A-listers at the time. It was fortuitous for Foster, who had struggled to re-ignite her career after attending Yale. Her performance won her an Oscar and the rest is history. 

Sally Field - Steel Magnolias

There are great Sally Field movies in every decade since she jumped from TV to the big screen in the mid-70s. For the ‘80s, you can’t go wrong with Steel Magnolias. It may be a tad melodramatic at times, but it stays grounded with the acting by Field and other stars like Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, and Shirley MacLaine. 

Bill Murray - Ghostbusters

Bill Murray had so many great movies in the 1980s, it’s difficult to pick just one, but in the end, you have to go with Ghostbusters. His turn as Peter Venkman is so funny, so quotable, and so lovable, that without him, it would be a completely different movie. John Belushi in the role was the original plan, but after his death, Murray ended up in the role, and now we can’t imagine it any other way. 

Robin Williams - Good Morning Vietnam

Good Morning Vietnam was an important movie in Robin Williams' stellar career. It was the movie that truly showed audiences just how great his acting chops were. He was no longer just the frenetic comedian running around the stage inspiring laughs. Williams showed his dramatic side, especially after the bomb went off in his favorite cafe. Of course, there is plenty of off-the-wall zaniness from him that we all love, which makes it one of his most well-rounded performances. 

Glenn Close - Fatal Attraction

There are few more quintessential scenes from the 1980s than the boiling bunny in Fatal Attraction. Glenn Close’s performance as the unpredictable, jilted lover is just as iconic. Like the bunny in the pot, her character comes to a slow boil, getting more and more intense as the movie moves along. It’s a masterclass in acting from the legend. 

Micheal J. Fox - Back To The Future

No way we were going to leave Michael J. Fox off this list. Between Family Ties, and Teen Wolf, there is no actor that defines the decade quite like him. Of course, it’s no surprise that the essential movie for any Fox fan is the great Back to the Future. It’s a movie that has been introduced to, and loved by, countless people from Generation X and the following generations. It’s beloved by all. 

Jane Fonda - 9 To 5

Jane Fonda, like Sally Field, has decades of outstanding movies and performances, but when she teamed up with Dolly Parton and Lily Tomlin to make 9 to 5, she became an icon to a whole new generation. It’s been more than forty years since its release, but the chemistry between Fonda and Tomlin remains, as they proved last year with Moving On.

Eddie Murphy - Coming To America

Last, but certainly not least, we have one of the biggest breakout stars of the 1980s, Eddie Murphy. Like others, it’s hard to decide on just one, but in the end, it simply has to be Coming To America. It’s the quintessential Murphy film filled with memorable quotes and amazing performances from the entire cast, especially Murphy. 

This list could go on and on. The 1980s were a magical decade in theaters and crafting exhaustive list would prove to be impossible. Luckily, you can find the best ‘80s movies, and even '80s movies that don't get enough love if you need more. 

Hollywood has lost another legendary actor: Alan Arkin, who has died at the age of 89. After Arkin’s three sons broke the news of his death on Friday morning, a host of famed actors have taken to social media to pay tribute to the star of Little Miss Sunshine and Argo, noting their own experiences with him and why he’s been such a bright spot in the industry. 

No cause of death was given regarding the death of Alan Arkin, but we do know he passed away in his home in Carlsbad, California on June 29. Amidst the news becoming public, people around the world are remembering Arkin’s body of work across his over 50 years as an actor. Among them, fellow Oscar winner Michael Douglas, who memorably starred alongside him in The Kominsky Method. Check out his Instagram post: 

Douglas called his experience working with Alan Arkin some of his “most memorable” along with sharing how “deeply missed” the actor will be. It suddenly feels like the perfect weekend to binge their series, The Kominsky Method, which is available through a Netflix subscription. Though, be warned, the final season seeing the exit of Arkin’s character might hit harder than ever right now. The two actors were a great combination! 

Another former co-star of Alan Arkin who spoke fondly of him following his passing is Seinfeld star, Jason Alexander. He wrote this: 

Both actors were in the 1994 movie, North, alongside Elijah Wood, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Bruce Willis. Sopranos and The White Lotus actor Michael Imperioli also remembered the actor’s work with this post: 

While Imperioli may not have worked with Arkin, he was still a huge fan and looked to 1979’s The In-Laws, where Columbo actor Peter Falk plays the son-in-law-to-be of Arkin’s father character. 

The Karate Kid actor Ralph Macchio also took to social media to say this of Alan Arkin: 

Facts! Alan Arkin did a bit of everything throughout his career, from comedies to dramas, with his final role being among the voice cast of Minions: The Rise Of Gru. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 26, 1934, and he got his start with the Second City comedy troupe before becoming an Oscar winner for his supporting role in the Little Miss Sunshine cast. 

Here’s another tribute from Patton Oswalt: 

The actor’s death also inspired Viola Davis to remember the legend by highlighting one of Arkin’s most beloved scenes in Little Miss Sunshine. Check it: 

Such a precious scene! 

Alan Arkin’s legacy will forever live in his work across over 100 acting credits. Arkin is survived by his wife Suzanne, sons Matthew, Anthony and Adam, grandchildren Molly, Emmet, Atticus, and Abigail, and great-grandson Elliott. 

We here at CinemaBlend send our condolences to the family and loved ones of Alan Arkin. May he rest in peace. 

SPOILERS are ahead for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania!

Ahead of the third Ant-Man movie hitting theaters earlier this year, a popular theory spreading around was that perhaps Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang was going to die at the hands of Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror. Now that we’ve seen Marvel’s first entry into Phase 5, we know that just about every character in the movie will live to fight another day, except for when the divisive MODOK dies an Avenger. However, the movie’s writer has recently revealed Hank Pym almost had a dire fate. 

Jeff Loveness, who penned the Quantumania script, has shared that Michael Douglas’ character, who originated the Ant-Man suit after discovering Pym Particles, almost kicked the bucket in the recent Marvel movie. In Loveness’ words to Backstory Magazine: 

That certainly would have been a… choice, wouldn’t it? While Loveness didn’t disclose how exactly Hank Pym would have died in Quantumania, one can surmise that Kang the Conqueror may have gotten to him in the third act to get back at Janet Van Dyne for deserting him in the Quantum Realm for so long. 

Of course, the more intriguing bit of information here has to be the part where Hank Pym’s consciousness would remain somehow to control his beloved colony of ants after his death. But as Loveness shared, that idea didn’t make it past the early stages of his idea, and viola, Hank Pym is alive and well in the MCU, per the ending of Quantumania. 

While I was watching Quantumania myself, I half-expected Janet Van Dyne to die after a recent Marvel trend has killed off mother figures of heroes, such as with Aunt May in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. However, it was nice to see the entire Ant-Man family remain alive and well after the events of the third film after so many other characters in the MCU have faced so much loss prior. 

Sure, there’s a case to be made that it’s lame that Marvel’s new villain wasn’t able to foil a family of superheroes with ant powers, but upcoming Marvel movies certainly has time to buff up the major threat of Kang the Conqueror across its films before the next Avengers films coming in 2025 and 2026. Congratulations to Michael Douglas’ Hank Pym for not becoming Marvel’s latest casualty! 

For as long as there have been famous people, there have been celebrity couples. There’s something that the public loves about seeing A-listers paired, and one of the longest running relationships in Hollywood is shared between Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas. The two have been paired since back in 1998, and clearly are still very much in love. And yes, Zeta-Jones makes Douglas “whip it out” while on the golf course. Here’s the wild story.

On top of being in a strong relationship, both Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas continues to star in high profile projects. The latter actor recently reprise his role as Hank Pym in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, doing a ton of press for the Marvel blockbuster in the process. In a recent Q&A for The Guardian, he was asked to confirm a story about his wife asking him to take his trousers off when losing a golf. He clarified the rules of the game, saying:

Well, that's one way of enjoying a game of golf. While many players like to relax on the course and even have an adult beverage, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have their own game within the game. And if the Fatal Attraction actor starts off badly, he has to drop trow. Talk about some high stakes.

Michael Douglas' comments to The Guardian seemingly shows one way that Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones have been together for so long: they make each other laugh. Sometimes that just happens to occur on a golf course, and involves some nudity. I have to image they golf at very nice clubs, which is partly why this story is such a head turner. 

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have been married since November of 2000, so their marriage has already last over two decades of time. On top of being together for laughs and professional success, the couple faced hard time when Douglas was diagnosed with tongue cancer. This challenging time was reportedly hard on the Oscar-winning actress, who suffered from depression and eventually went public as someone living with bipolar disorder. Talk about a strong marriage.

While Michael Douglas recently returned to the MCU in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, his famous wife has also been keeping busy. She recently played the role of Morticia Addams in Netflix's Wednesday series, which was renewed for Season 2 on the streaming service.

Ant-Man 3 is still in theaters now, although its box office numbers are declining quickly. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania is being released as a keystone piece for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Launching what has been referred to as Phase 5 of the canon, the movie has an important big picture role to play thanks to the much-hyped arrival of Jonathan Majors’ Kang The Conqueror – the villain set up to be the MCU’s new overarching central antagonist following the blockbuster defeat of Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Joe and Anthony Russo’s Avengers: Endgame.

The film is set up with the intention of giving fans an important preview of what’s to come from the next few years in the superhero-centric world… but with any luck, that’s not a promise on which Marvel will deliver. This is because audiences have come to expect a lot from the popular comic book movie franchise, and while Kang does stand out as an interesting character, the third Ant-Man And The Wasp feature is among the most disappointing that Marvel Studios has produced.

The movie marks another crack at world building for the MCU, this time exploring the microscopic universe known as the Quantum Realm, but it’s an effort that is fumbled in almost every way. A tepid, boring narrative, weak character development and utilization, and mucky and endless green screen scenery are just some of the film’s significant weak spots, and it all amounts to a blockbuster that’s never compelling for more than five minutes at a time and has nothing original or special to contribute to the superhero genre.

Scripted by Jeff Loveless, Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania catches up with Avenger Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) at his cheeriest. He has written and published a new book about his adventures as one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and he is part of a tight family unit with Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), and his now-adult daughter, Cassie (Kathryn Newton). There are secrets being held from him, however: Janet is consistently hesitant to reveal anything about the decades that she spent in the Quantum Realm prior to her rescue in Ant-Man And The Wasp, and Cassie has been quietly doing research with Hope and Hank to learn more about the mysterious and dangerous world. This all comes to a head when a device Cassie has invented malfunctions, and all five of them get shrunk down and sent to the strange alternate dimension.

Separated into two groups – Scott paired with Cassie, and Hope with Hank and Janet – they explore the Quantum Realm and try to find each other, all the while discovering what Janet has been hiding from them. It turns out that there is an entire civilization that exists in the bizarre pocket universe, and ruling over it is Kang The Conqueror, a being exiled from the multiverse who has risen to power thanks to his possession of advanced technology from the distant future.

Jonathan Majors is terrific, but Kang The Conqueror doesn't make the impact that he's meant to make.

The introduction of Kang is easily the best thing that Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania has going for it. Jonathan Majors once again proves that his charisma and magnetism is boundless, and flashback sequences that inform the audience about the character’s history with Janet van Dyne prove to be the most enthralling bits that the film has to offer. As much excitement as that provides, though, everything else is almost entirely hollow. The blockbuster has a terrible “telling, not showing” problem that both handicaps the storytelling and undermines the antagonist’s impact.

It’s explained by both Janet and residents of the Quantum Realm that Kang is a terrible despot who rules as an oppressive and terrifying tyrant, but that’s never illustrated in any significant way (he just seems to occupy his own little corner of the Quantum Realm, which he has outfitted with a bunch of empty, shiny buildings patrolled by faceless robots). And while it’s said that he has dangerous powers, we don’t actually see anything more than some flying, minimal telekinesis, and the ability to shoot beams out of his hands. With the way things unfold, you definitely don’t get to grasp why this villain is expected to be a serious threat that will eventually require the attention of the Avengers.

Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania has no idea what to do with its characters.

And while Kang’s role is undercooked in the film, he’s hardly alone. None of the characters have arcs to speak of, unless you count Scott Lang making a bit more of an effort to be a better father (which isn’t really much of an arc). Despite her being a titular character, Hope van Dyne barely has a role in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, as her presence in the story is almost entirely defined by her being frustrated that her mother hasn’t been more open with her. Janet at least gets to be a part of the aforementioned Kang flashbacks; Hank and Cassie are just kind of… there.

It’s also hard not to feel bad for MCU newcomers Katy O’Brian and William Jackson Harper, who respectively play Quantum Realm inhabitants Jentorra and Quaz. It’s not altogether surprising that a movie that doesn’t know what to do with its leads doesn’t know what to do with its supporting cast, but he actors’ talents are nonetheless wasted on bit parts that carry zero weight. They provide exposition and take part in battle sequences, and that’s it. Additionally, it would be unwise to start having expectations for the role played by Bill Murray in the film, as he is part of a 15-minute segment in the first half of the second act that could be excised from the blockbuster and the only impact would be improving the narrative’s pacing.

It's hard not to be concerned about Marvel's future after Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania.

Given that the Ant-Man movies have been teasing the full breadth of the Quantum Realm for the better part of a decade now, you’d also think that the visuals would be spectacular and eye-popping in Quantumania, but it’s just another arena of disappointment. There is some decent character design executed, but environments look ugly and unreal, and there is a total lack of dynamic set pieces. Heroes growing and shrinking lacks novelty eight years after the release of the first Ant-Man, and while the film does try and get a bit creative at one point by having Scott Lang get trapped in what’s referred to as a “probability storm,” it turns out to be an idea with zero internal logic, and that seriously detracts from the fun.

In the past few years, Marvel Studio’s overall output hasn’t been as strong as what was accomplished between 2008 and 2019, but that’s been somewhat excusable. A high bar was set by the overall quality of the Infinity Saga, release and production plans were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the firing/re-hiring of James Gunn for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 forced some surprise shuffles behind-the-scenes, and the canon has been diversifying with the development of original programming for Disney+ to pair with the big screen blockbusters.

Arriving in the aftermath of all that, Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania was supposed to be the film that put the franchise back on solid ground and set up an exciting future – but that’s not what has been made here. Instead, it’s a film that mightily struggles in pretty much every important area, and it raises some serious concerns about what’s on the way from the MCU in the months and years to come.

To honor her own Wednesday Addams in true Morticia Addams fashion, Catherine Zeta-Jones posted a hilarious throwback video of her “little rain cloud” Carys on Instagram. The actress’ daughter is 19 now, but Zeta-Jones posted a clip of her at a concert singing with other kiddos, and staring at her mom in a way that gives Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday stare a run for its money. 

Carys Zeta Douglas is Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas’ second child. She was born in 2003, and is now 19 years old. Meaning, she had quite the reaction when she saw the video her mom posted (but more on that later), especially considering she has the Wednesday attitude her mom alluded to in the caption: 

As for the video itself, you can see Carys give the Wednesday stare to her mom here:  

Carys then responded to the video, by reposting it on her Instagram story, and she seemed to find it both funny, and slightly embarrassing, as she added a few choice emojis to the post: 

Even though Carys didn’t show off any of Wednesday dance moves, she has the stare down. Meanwhile, Zeta-Jones’ continued to prove she was the perfect choice for Morticia Addams, as she expertly used the Addams Family matriarch's vocabulary in the hilarious caption. 

While Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday has many great nods to the classic character, and she has the goth fashion, and death stares down to a T, low-key, I think Carys Zeta Douglas gives her a run for her money. Honestly, if Wednesday gets renewed for Season 2, it would be fun to see Carys make a cameo as a cousin or long-lost older sister, just to pay homage to her mother. 

Even though we don’t know if Wednesday has a Season 2 yet, it stayed in Netflix’s top ten for a while, and was only recently dethroned. Seeing that it went viral for Wednesday’s fashion and dance moves, and caused a lot of reactions online, it feels like a second season will eventually come. However, while we wait Zeta-Jones has another fun project you can check out. 

The Chicago star gave us her own take on a classic character on Wednesday, and now you can see her in the cast of National Treasure: Edge of History over on Disney+. Rather than playing a loving (in her own unique way) mother on Wednesday, in this National Treasure reboot, she plays the main antagonist Billie. 

On top of giving great performances in these new series, Zeta-Jones is also killing the social media game by posting fun throwbacks of her kiddos. While we wait to see what other fun videos the Academy Award-winning actress posts of her kids, you can watch her on Wednesday with a Netflix subscription, and National Treasure: Edge of History with a Disney+ subscription. 

Avengers: Endgame was a spectacle, to put it lightly. Seeing over ten years of movies culminate with the fourth Avengers film was overwhelming, especially since the film featured an all-star cast that included OG Avengers played by Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson as well as newer additions like Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman and Tom Holland. And as Benedict Cumberbatch recently revealed, appearing in a scene with all these A-listers and more like Michael Douglas during Tony Stark's memorial scene was “mind-blowing.” 

The somber scene, which took place during the final moments of the movie, featured basically everyone from the Marvel movies, including some super deep cuts (like the kid from Iron Man 3). The Doctor Strange actor revealed that he was in awe of the actors there, especially some of the ones who have been in the biz for a long time, telling Oracle Time: 

I’m sure it was overwhelming to be in the moment with all those actors, especially those who have such an iconic legacy like Ant-Man cast members Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer, as well as Samuel L. Jackson and William Hurt. 

Speaking of Samuel L. Jackson, the first trailer of Secret Invasion recently showed his return to the character of Nick Fury. However, Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange is nowhere to be seen in the footage. On that note, the Sherlock actor explained that he would love to work more with some of the veteran MCU stars, like Jackson, saying:

Lucky for Benedict Cumberbatch, Endgame didn’t end up being as devastating as Kevin Feige wanted and there were only a few casualties, making all these hopes true possibilities in the future. While Scarlett Johansson has left the MCU, many others remain and have Marvel projects in the works for Phase 4 and beyond. Chris Hemsworth just starred in Thor: Love and Thunder, and Tom Hiddleston is reprising his role as the God of Mischief in the second season of Loki, which is now filming.

It’s fun to see people like Benedict Cumberbatch, who has appeared in his fair share of Marvel projects and has a long resume in general, get all giddy about meeting MCU stars like Michael Douglas. And I’m sure a massive reunion is bound to happen again, especially since two more massive Avengers movies are on the way.

To check out the memorable moments from Avengers: Endgame, stream the movie using a Disney+ subscription.

Many celebrities feel pressured to get plastic surgery for more work to flow. In this glamorized and, at times, shallow business, not being sought out for roles can make certain actresses feel they must change something about their appearance to make getting work easier. One of those actresses is Jennifer Grey. While she was iconic in her ‘80s role in Dirty Dancing, she was unrecognizable to some because of the two nose jobs she had in the early 1990s. In her upcoming memoir Out of the Corner, Jennifer Grey opens up about how her nose jobs made it hard for her to get work and that even Michael Douglas didn’t recognize her.

After Dirty Dancing’s Jennifer Grey got two nose jobs, she went out in public for the first time by attending a movie premiere. A recognizable actor she saw at the premiere was Wall Street’s Michael Douglas who didn’t seem to recognize her. Grey spoke to People about the pressure she felt from her mother to get her nose done and feeling so invisible after that. 

It’s pretty tragic that her efforts to be more successful in Hollywood actually made her less recognizable. Another actress who may be able to relate to Grey would be Melanie Griffith, who recalled that all of her plastic surgeries made her look unrecognizable. It wasn’t until people were shocked at her appearance in recent films like The Disaster Artist that she regretted the plastic surgery she got done and sought to fix what the previous doctor did that made her look too different. Even Jane Fonda had wished that she was brave enough to go without plastic surgery, as she felt the need to change her appearance many times to feel comfortable with herself. If Hollywood more often embraced women's natural looks, perhaps actress like the ones mentioned would have been able to book their same jobs without cosmetic surgery.

While Jennifer Grey thought the choices she made for her appearance would get her more work, people would no longer look at her as the woman who danced with Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing or tried to get her brother in trouble in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. She continued to open up in her interview about contemplating why she was cast in the shadows during her career.

Even though Jennifer Grey may not have the A-list career that other actresses from the 1980s have like Whoopi Goldberg or Michelle Pfeiffer have, she’s still making appearances in projects today. You can see her in small film projects like co-starring in Untogether with Fifty Shades of Grey actor Jamie Dornan and Bittersweet Symphony. She also made several TV appearances like winning in season 11 of Dancing with the Stars, a couple of guest appearances on The Connors, and a three-episode arc on Grey’s Anatomy. She must still be memorable if there are fans who continue to be insane enough to reenact the infamous lift scene from Dirty Dancing still! 

You can expect to recognize Jennifer Grey when you see her reprise her role as Baby in the upcoming Dirty Dancing sequel and see her memoir hit the shelves on May 3rd. To prepare yourself for the sequel, you can watch Dirty Dancing on your HBO Max subscription. 

The Ant-Man and the Wasp movies have thus far been some of the most unassuming in the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far, appropriately keeping the scale of the action and adventure relatively small, but they’re arguably two of the most underrated films in the franchise. With fun and weird powers to play with director Peyton Reed has crafted a pair of blockbusters that have their own special energy compared to the other films in the MCU – and a lot of that has to do with the strength of the cast.

Thankfully, the key characters in the series are coming back for Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, and we’re not only anticipating their big screen return, but over the moon about some of the new stars that they’ll be working with in the trilogy capper. The truth is that we don’t really know much about the movie or its plot, as Marvel is doing a great job keeping things tightly under wraps, but we do have confirmations about a number of actors and the roles they are playing, and we have broken it all down for you in this handy feature.

Paul Rudd

Sexiest Man Alive Paul Rudd has been an effervescent presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever since his debut as Scott Lang in 2015’s Ant-Man, and it’s terrifically exciting that he’ll be back in the role for the adventure that is Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania. Rudd was in one of the biggest movies of 2021, taking a key supporting role in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, but some of his most significant work has been in the streaming series realm, starring in Netflix’s Living With Yourself and AppleTV+’s The Shrink Next Door. He most recently reprised his role as Scott Lang with a voice over performance in the Disney+ animated series What If…?

Evangeline Lilly

Following her performance in Avengers: Endgame, Evangeline Lilly has been in two movies: the thriller Crisis with Armie Hammer and Gary Oldman, and the action movie South Of Heaven co-starring Jason Sudeikis. She’ll reprise her role as Hope van Dyne a.k.a. The Wasp in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, marking her fifth time playing the character (including her role in an episode of What If…?).

Michael Douglas

After decades of waiting, Hank Pym was finally reunited with his wife, Janet van Dyne at the end of Ant-Man And The Wasp… and then the whole Blip thing had to interrupt the special reunion. Thankfully the events of Avengers: Endgame have returned things to normal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania we’ll see Michael Douglas back in his franchise role presumably making up for lost time. Like Paul Rudd, Douglas has also primarily been sticking to the small screen outside of Marvel in recent years, starring on the Netflix series The Kominsky Method.

Michelle Pfeiffer

What exactly did Janet van Dyne go through while living in the Quantum Realm? The character showed up too late in Ant-Man And The Wasp for the film to get too far into the details, but we’ll presumably learn a hell of a lot more in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania. We partially presume this because Michelle Pfeiffer will be back as Janet… but the title is also a pretty big hint. Since Avengers: Endgame, the actor has starred in two films – Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil and French Exit – and she is playing Betty Ford in the television series The First Lady.

Kathryn Newton

Following her performances in Blockers, Pokemon Detective Pikachu, and Freaky, Kathryn Newton is most definitely a star on the rise, and it looks like her career is only going to skyrocket further into the stratosphere as she makes her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania she will be playing Cassie Lang (the third actor to do so after Abby Ryder Fortson and Emma Fuhrmann). Cassie is now a teenager because she survived The Blip, and while there has been a lot of hoping from fans that the blockbuster will see her take on the superhero identity Stature, we don’t actually know if that’s happening just yet.

Jonathan Majors

Jonathan Majors made one of the most spectacular Marvel debuts in recent memory playing He Who Remains who in the season finale of Loki, and it’s because of our intense desire to see more of him that our anticipation for Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania is extremely amplified. The movie will reportedly see him play a variant of He Who Remains who is the legendary comic book villain Kang The Conqueror, who is best known for utilizing time travel and spectacularly advanced technology. In addition to Loki, Majors has been doing some phenomenal work in the last couple years, starring in incredible movies The Harder They Fall and Da 5 Bloods, and playing the lead on the HBO series Lovecraft Country.

Bill Murray

Truth be told, we’re probably not supposed to actually know that Bill Murray is in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania. All signs point to it probably being a cameo that the production wanted to keep a secret until the film hit theaters. Evidently Murray doesn’t really care too much about keeping things hush-hush, however, because he spilled the beans about his role in October 2021. We don’t know what part he is playing, but anything he’s involved with gets us curious. Like Paul Rudd, he too had a part to play in 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and that same year he also reunited with long-time collaborator Wes Anderson for The French Dispatch.

If everything goes according to plan, Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania will debut in theaters as the second Marvel Cinematic Universe film of 2023, arriving a few months after both The Marvels (starring Brie Larson and Iman Vellani) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (starring Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana).  Look for it in theaters on July 28, 2023, and check out our Upcoming Marvel Movies and Upcoming Marvel TV guides to learn about everything that is coming from the MCU in the next few years.

Spoilers for The Kominsky Method Season 3 premiere -- “Chapter 17. In all the old familiar places” -- lie ahead.

The Kominsky Method recently debuted its humorous and heartfelt final season, and it's ultimately a worthy send-off for the Chuck Lorre-produced show. The final six episodes are filled with memorable moments for Michael Douglas’ Sandy Kominsky and those in his orbit. But of course, the season starts out on a somewhat grim but hilarious note with the funeral of Sandy’s best friend, Norman Newlander, who was played by Alan Arkin in the first two seasons. While the sequence is played out well, it turns out Douglas was actually “nervous” about this aspect of the Netflix Season 3 premiere.

Alan Arkin’s Norman Newlander was an important part of the show, so it was only fitting that he got a proper farewell. But the funeral didn't go all that smoothly, as some of the speakers made some remarks that were “less than appropriate” for the occasion. When I recently spoke with Michael Douglas about Season 3 of The Kominsky Method, he revealed that he had reservations about the funeral scene and recalled talking it out with Chuck Lorre:

During the scene, several of Norman’s loved ones provide some honest thoughts that border on sincere and inappropriate. Norman’s ex-Scientologist grandson Robby refers to his remains as a “meat body,” while his girlfriend Madelyn goes into intense detail when discussing how the two of them got intimate. So all, this sounds pretty on-brand for a funeral written by Chuck Lorre.

This sort of funeral scene wasn’t exactly something Michael Douglas was accustomed to, especially for a comedy but, ultimately, the actor seems to have enjoyed it. The scene had plenty of laughs, yet it also had its share of heart, which was particularly evident in Sandy’s speech. In our interview, he went on to praise Chuck Lorre’s handling of the sequence:

Shooting the scene had to be somewhat bittersweet for the cast, as it marked their goodbye to Norman. The character’s untimely death likely came as a surprise to fans but, with Alan Arkin opting not to return for Season 3, having the character pass on made sense.

Even though Norman Newlander was missed during the final season of The Kominsky Method, it was nice to see the show pay tribute to the character (and by extension Alan Arkin). And if you’ve seen the season, you know that Norman still has an impact on one of the season’s biggest developments.

All three seasons of The Kominsky Method are available to stream on Netflix.

The Kominsky Method is coming to a close, as the Netflix dramedy is preparing to sign off with a third and final season. The new season brings a number of changes to the Michael Douglas-led show, such as the death of Sandy Kominsky’s agent and best friend, Norman Newlander, and the impending nuptials of Kominsky’s daughter, Mindy, and boyfriend Martin. And it’s the latter development that leads to the return of Norman’s ex-wife, Roz Volander, played by the incomparable Kathleen Turner. Roz and Sandy have a complex relationship, to say the least, but it’s one that Turner finds to be quite “lovely.”

There’s a bit of animosity between Kathleen Turner’s Roz and Michael Douglas’ Sandy, as their marriage didn’t quite end amicably. Turner originally made a guest appearance as Roz in Season 2, during which she spoke with Sandy over the phone about Mindy’s love life. The sharp exchanges seemed to paint a certain picture of their relationship, but Season 3 manages to flesh it out much more. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Turner about the new season and, during our chat, she explained how she found out she would upgraded to a series regular and why she loves Sandy and Roz’s relationship:

What Kathleen Turner loved about Sandy and Roz’s relationship in Season 3 is that the two find themselves reconnecting in a natural way, despite the circumstances that drove them apart. They also manage to find common ground through what initially attracted them to each other and their shared love for their child. So while the two definitely aren’t in love anymore, they do still care for each other deeply.

Although writer and producer Chuck Lorre handles the characters well, one of the biggest reasons the relationship works so well is that Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner are great in the roles. The legendary co-stars still have the sharp chemistry they’ve showcased in films like Romancing the Stone and The War of the Roses. While their two characters can keep the one-liners flying, the two performers manage to keep their characters authentic.

Sandy and Roz are really going to need each other this season, as they contend with the changes in their lives, especially their daughter’s upcoming wedding. And as they prepare for the event, you can bet the ex-spouses will have some sweet scenes along the way.

The Kominsky Method Season 3 arrives Friday, May 28 on Netflix.

2020 was a tragic year all around, but what was most unfortunate was the amount of human loss the world experienced. There were quite a few celebrities who died for assorted reasons, and one of those losses was legendary actor Kirk Douglas. The actor remained a film and television staple in Hollywood for more than eight decades and was widely recognized for a wide array of roles. It's been a year since his death, and his son, Michael Douglas, took to social media to share a special tribute to the legendary actor.

Kirk Douglas is still being remembered for his contributions to film, as the actor was one of Hollywood’s biggest box office draws in a variety of dramas, from westerns to biopics to war films. His death left an impression on Hollywood from the moment Michael Douglas first broke the news on Instagram. The actor took to Instagram recently to commemorate the first anniversary of his father’s death by re-posting a photo from the older Douglas’s 103rd birthday. Check out his sweet tribute below:

As evidenced by Michael Douglas’ post, Kirk Douglas’ presence is missed by his loved ones. While the older Douglas was a staple in Hollywood for half a century, his best role was that of husband and father. Throughout their careers, the older Douglas showed love and admiration for his son Michael as he forged a Hollywood career of his own. The younger Douglas reciprocated the sentiment by naming his father as a major career influence and praising him on multiple occasions.

Despite this mutual respect, the younger Douglas alluded to the two having a difficult relationship early in his life. But in the older Douglas’ later years, the two became close as the younger Douglas’ career took off. Their relationship was so solid that the two starred in the 2003 comedy-drama It Runs in the Family with the younger Douglas’ son and mother playing supporting roles.

Ahead of his death in February 2020, Kirk Douglas had just celebrated his 103rd birthday a few months earlier in December. After his passing was made known to the public, tributes began pouring in from various stars in Hollywood and numerous fans across social media. The younger Douglas’ wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and son Cameron posted tributes on their own.

Kirk Douglas’ death highlighted just how important he was to Hollywood as he was one of the last surviving actors from Hollywood’s Golden Age. His 80-plus year career was filled with memorable roles from the 1940s to 1960s in films such as Champion, Lust for Life, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Spartacus, leading to multiple Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. But outside of Hollywood, the older Douglas managed to leave an impression on everyone around him, including son Michael Douglas. At the end of the day, the younger Douglas’ appreciation of his father proves how important family truly is.

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a unique place, as the delay of projects like Black Widow and Eternals have resulted in a longer wait between movies. But the studio is still hard at work on a variety of projects, including the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. And now Hank Pym actor Michael Douglas has teased the beginning of his prep for the threequel.

Michael Douglas made his Marvel debut with the original Ant-Man movie, and reprised his role in both the first sequel and Avengers: Endgame. He'll once again be playing Hank Pym in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, although not much is known about that mysterious blockbuster. But Douglas is seemingly gearing up to begin work. namely by growing Hank's signature facial hair. As he put it on social media,

Buckle up, because it looks like Marvel Studios is going to bring us even deeper into the Quantum Realm with the third Ant-Man movie. And in addition to learning lines and perhaps doing some comic book research, Michael Douglas has to grow out Hank Pym's sweet beard in order to properly play the Marvel patriarch. We'll just have to wait and see if he suits up and uses Pym tech personally to change his size.

The above image comes to us from the personal Instagram of actor Michael Douglas. In it we see a still from the original Ant-Man movie, with Hank Pym looking particularly cool in a convertible. Clearly the 76 year-old actor is jazzed about returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Quantumania, and took to social media to share his excitement to the 825k followers.

Marvel fans can re-watch Michael Douglas' time in the MCU so far on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Exactly what is coming with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania remains a complete mystery at this point. While Michael Douglas is growing out his facial hair, the film is still in the development process, as other projects like Spider-Man 3 and Thor: Love and Thunder start filming. But there are a ton of narrative threads for franchise director Peyton Reed to pull from, as well as countless questions fans still have.

The specifics of the Quantum Realm's powers remain a mystery, but the title of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quatumania definitely seems to indicate that we'll be diving deeper into that mythology. Fans are also eager to learn how Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet Van Dyne survived in that setting, and exactly what her new powers entail.

Another lose end that will no doubt be addressed in Ant-Man's threequel is the fate of Ava Starr/ Ghost, who was the antagonist in the last movie. Janet was helping her unique medical condition, but the entire group was turned to dust as a result of Thanos' snap. Was Ghost left alone in agony for five years, or did she also get snapped? Only time will tell.

Ant-Mana and the Wasp: Quantumania is expected to hit theaters sometime in 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.

Out of all the new TV shows coming soon to Disney+, the one that I think I am most looking forward to is What If…?, inspired by the comic book of the same name. It is described as a 10-episode animated anthology series that reimagines key events canon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe had things gone a little different. If that is not enough to surprise you, outside of first time Marvel actor Jeffrey Wright hosting the show Rod Serling-style as The Watcher, all of the MCU characters said to appear will be played by their original actors. I am certain that sparks a great deal of questions in your mind and I will be sure provide all the answers that I can in the following breakdown of every actor confirmed to lend their voice to the highly anticipated series, starting with the man who brought most of these characters together.

Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury)

It would be wrong to not include Samuel L. Jackson on a trippy, Marvel-inspired anthology as the voice of Nick Fury, although how the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director (also leading his own upcoming live action Disney+ series, Secret Invasion) will be depicted on What If…? has yet to be revealed.

Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter)

We might be able to infer from the first trailer for What If…? that Nick Fury will discover a frozen Peggy Carter (played once again by Hayley Atwell), who will be reimagined on the series as the Army’s choice for the Super Soldier Program instead of Steve Rogers, which, I suppose, would make her Captain Britain.

Dominic Cooper (Howard Stark)

Real-life Brit Dominic Cooper returns to play Iron Man’s father and S.H.I.E.L.D. co-founder Howard Stark (circa 1942) for the first time since the short-lived Agent Carter series, but to see Hayley Atwell’s character become a Super Soldier on What If…? this time.

Stanley Tucci (Dr. Abraham Erskine)

I wonder if the developer of the original Super Soldier Serum, German-born ally to the U.S. Army Dr. Abraham Erskine (voiced by Oscar-nominee Stanley Tucci), will suffer the same tragic fate on What If…? as he did in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger.

Toby Jones (Arnim Zola)

That being said, I am also curious if British Golden Globe-nominee Toby Jones’ reprisal of Arnim Zola, a Swiss HYDRA scientist and right hand man of Hugo Weaving’s Red Skull, will appear in his 1940s era human form, as a computer in the present day, or something completely different on What If…?

Neal McDonough (Dum Dum Dugan)

I mean, for all we know, Arrowverse star Neal McDonough’s return to the role of Sergeant Timothy Alloysius Cadwaller "Dum Dum" Dugan (the subsequent leader of the Howling Commandos after Steve Rogers’ supposed demise) on What If…? could see him become the Winter Soldier instead of Bucky Barnes.

Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier)

However, Bucky Barnes will appear as The Winter Soldier (voiced by Sebastian Stan, of course) on What If…?, and, based on the trailer, he seems to have taken on the role of a savior of the apocalypse against the long-awaited appearance of Marvel Zombies.

Frank Grillo (Crossbones)

Speaking of Marvel Zombies, I think there are few MCU characters better equipped (literally) to take on an army of the undead than Frank Grillo’s corrupt former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Brock Rumlow, whose brief reign as the armored terrorist Crossbones in Captain America: Civil War will, supposedly, be given an extension in some capacity on What If…?

Michael Douglas (Dr. Hank Pym/Ant-Man)

Seeing 76-year-old Oscar-winner Michael Douglas credited as the voice of both Hank Pym and Ant-Man has me curious if we are destined to see more of the brilliant scientist in his crimefighting days on the series and, considering much of the original Ultron’s creator’s arc in the MCU has already been a big What If…? story in itself.

Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man)

Of course, Paul Rudd is coming back to voice the MCU’s present-day Ant-Man, Scott Lang, as well, but besides also being credited as the incredibly shrinking Avenger in the cast list, I cannot find any preceding issues of the What If…? comic to give me any insight as to where his story on the series may lead him.

David Dastmalchian (Kurt)

There may, however, be a clue to Scott Lang’s role on What If…? is the inclusion of serial comic book adaptation star David Dastmalchian (The Dark Knight, The Flash, Gotham, the upcoming The Suicide Squad) returning as fellow reformed criminal Kurt from the Ant-Man movies, but there is not much else to infer from that.

Michael B. Jordan (Erik Killmonger)

Furthermore, I have no idea where to even begin when considering the possibilities of how What If…? will reexamine the already complex origins of Erik Killmonger when Michael B. Jordan returns to voice the Black Panther villain.

Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye)

Clint Barton’s frequent, but subtle, reminiscing with Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow in the Avengers movies has always made me curious to see him in his pre-Hawkeye days as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and there is a chance that Jeremy Renner’s vocal reprisal on What If…? could touch upon that.

Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk)

With how often we can easily assume Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) has imagined what his life would be if had he never become the Hulk, it is not too far-fetched to infer that What If…? may take advantage of that opportunity, considering Avengers: Endgame already lived out the “Professor Hulk” scenario.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor)

On the other hand, there is much that could be expanded on with Hulk’s time on Sakaar before Chris Hemsworth showed up in Thor: Ragnarok, which could be a major source of inspiration for either he or Bruce Banner’s story reinventions on What If…? considering the inclusion of the next couple of characters.

Jeff Goldblum (The Grandmaster)

Anyone who has ached to see more from Jeff Goldblum’s dazzling performance in Thor: Ragnarok is in luck as The Grandmaster does have a role in What If…?

Taika Waititi (Korg)

Another scene-stealer from Thor: Ragnarok (and Avengers: Endgame, too) whom we can be thankful to know is in What If…? is Korg, once again voiced by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, who will also be directing and starring in the upcoming fourth installment, Thor: Love and Thunder.

Tom Hiddleston (Loki)

I do have another theory, however, that Thor may not even be the star of his What If…? episode and instead instead take the backseat in a story that sees Loki (voiced by Tom Hiddleston) claiming Mjolnir first, which would take inspiration from a real issue of the original comic book series from 1984.

Natalie Portman (Jane Foster)

If that turns out to be case, maybe What If…? will see leading astrophysicist Jane Foster fall in love with Loki instead of Thor, considering we already know that Natalie Portman will be making a live action return to the role in Thor: Love and Thunder as Chris Hemsworth’s successor to the “mighty” God of Thunder title.

Josh Brolin (Thanos)

It was “inevitable” that this series would have a place for Josh Brolin to come back as Thanos, who actually joined the Avengers in a 2015 issue of What If…?, although I would be interested to see an episode imagining the post-Decimation world had it not been reversed in Avengers: Endgame.

Karen Gillan (Nebula)

There is plenty to be inspired by in Thanos’ rocky relationship with his daughter, Nebula, for her story on What If…?, such as imagining Karen Gillan’s partially robotic warrior as the purple Titan’s favorite child over Gamora instead.

Djimon Hounsou (Korath)

After witnessing two awfully different portrayals of Korath the Pursuer as a merciless henchman to Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy and a more soft-spoken Starforce operative in Captain Marvel, I am very intrigued to see what Djimon Hounsou will bring the role on What If…?

Michael Rooker (Yondu Udonta)

Based on his brief appearance in the What If…? trailer, former Walking Dead star Michael Rooker does not seem to be changing much about his country-fried depiction of Ravager leader Yondu Udonta from the Guardians of the Galaxy movies on the series, which is just what I was hoping for.

Sean Gunn (Kraglin)

Other than starring alongside Michael Rooker in his brother’s new take on The Suicide Squad, 2021 will see Sean Gunn lending his voice to What If…? as his second most famous MCU character (after performing the motion capture for Rocket Raccoon), Kraglin.

Chris Sullivan (Taserface)

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Kraglin would come to regret allowing Yondu’s Ravager faction to be usurped by Taserface, the hilariously nicknamed scene-stealer whom Emmy-nominated This Is Us star Chris Sullivan will reprise on What If…?

Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa)

Before his devastating death in 2020, Chadwick Boseman was able to portray his Black Panther character one last time for one of the most fascinating concepts to be seen in What If…?: T’Challa as Star-Lord.

What do you think? Has it been your dream for Black Panther to become a Guardian of the Galaxy for a while now, or that does barely scratch the surface of what you want to see on this highly imaginative upcoming series? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on What If…?, as well as even more inside looks at what to expect from your favorite upcoming comic book movies and TV shows, here on CinemaBlend.

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is preparing to begin Phase Four, as we're currently in the midst of the months-long hiatus between film slates. The studio revealed its plans through 2022 this summer, with exciting announcements at both San Diego Comic-Con and the D23 Expo. But there are still a variety of projects that don't have release dates, including Ant-Man 3. Luckily, Michael Douglas has recently gotten a bit chatty about the highly anticipated threequel.

Michael Douglas stars as Hank Pym in the Ant-Man movies, and recently had a brief cameo during Tony Stark's lakeside funeral in Avengers: Endgame. He seemed like an obvious cast member to return for the upcoming third movie, and the 75 year-old actor recently confirmed his appearance in the upcoming blockbuster, also revealing when production will start. As he put it:

Well, that seems pretty cut and dry. Despite the security and secrecy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Michael Douglas just confirmed two exciting updates for Ant-Man 3. And while he was expected to reprise his role, news about when the movie is filming is especially major. And it's happening in just a little over a year. Although the movie's crew and contents remain a complete mystery.

Michael Douglas' comments to Collider are sure to excite the rabid Marvel fanbase. Spider-Man: Far From Home ended Phase Three, and moviegoers are eager for any information about the shared universe's future. This certainly includes Paul Rudd's Scott Lang and the Ant-Man franchise. Because while the property offers something light and unique for the MCU, Ant-Man was also intimately involved in the events of Avengers: Endgame.

While he was noticeably absent in Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man's story moved forward during Ant-Man and The Wasp. Hope became a superhero and Janet was rescued, but Thanos' snap dusted the supporting cast and left Scott stranded in the Quantum Realm. He was eventually rescued by a heroic rat, reunited with a much older Cassie, and came to the Avengers with the idea of the Time Heist.

I'm eager to see if the same actress plays Cassie in Ant-Man 3. Emma Fuhrmann replaced Abby Ryder Fortson as Cassie Lang in Endgame, following the five-year time jump. This jump could potentially open up the opportunity for her becoming a superhero as well, just like the comics. As Stature, she has the same growing and shrinking abilities as her father. And Ant-Man 3 seems like a great opportunity for that origin story. You can read up on Cassie's life on the page here.

Ant-Man 3 doesn't currently have a release date, but it's expected to hit theaters following the release of Phase Five's Black Panther II in 2022. The next installment in the MCU is Black Panther on May 1st, 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a fascinating place right now, as the devastating affects of Avengers: Infinity War are still being dissected and discussed by the rabid fanbase. No one expected Josh Brolin's Thanos to actually win, succeeding in assembling the Infinity Stones and wiping out half the galaxy with the snap of his big purple fingers. Moviegoers were left to sit in horror as countless fan favorites faded to dust, with just the OG Avengers and a few other survivors managing to escape with their lives.

Since then, Marvel Studios has been very cagey about the contents of Avengers: Endgame, with the official title and first footage only recently arriving. Because so little is known about the film's contents, the rabid fandom has crafted countless fan theories as to what the Endgame might include. And the newest one indicates that Michael Douglas' Hank Pym could play an awesome role.

The theory, which comes to us from Reddit, has to do with Ant-Man's seemingly inevitable journey through time in Avengers: Endgame. The mid-credits scene of Ant-Man and The Wasp showed Paul Rudd's Scott Lang stranded in the Quantum Realm, as Hank, Janet, and Hope faded to dust as a result of Thanos' snap (aka The Decimation). Just moments before, Janet warns Ant-Man about time vortexes, so smart money indicates that the hero will end up traveling through time before eventually appearing on The Avengers' CCTV footage.

During Ant-Man's journey through time (which should also include the Battle of New York from The Avengers), the new theory indicates that Scott would actually travel back to 1983, and meet a young Hank Pym. This meeting would make Hank's actions in the first Ant-Man make more sense, as he meets the hero who he'd eventually trust with his fantastic tech. Much of Ant-Man focuses on Hank trying to keep his inventions from his colleagues/competitors, so it was surprising when he ended up passing on the mantle to Scott without much resistance. That is, unless he'd actually met Scott decades prior.

If this theory ends up being legit, it would be a bit shift in the MCU. On top of giving Michael Douglas' character a larger role in the greater shared universe, it would also make the Ant-Man franchise an essential part of the overarching narrative. The Ant-Man movies have largely functioned in its own little corner of the MCU, save for a quick appearance by Falcon and the Ant-Man and the Wasp's mid-credits scene. But with so many heroes having faded to dust thanks to the power of the Infinity Stones, the Avengers are going to need all the help they can get, with Ant-Man and Captain Marvel helping to fill out the ranks.

Of course, Michael Douglas isn't currently listed in the cast of Avengers: Endgame, so there's no guarantee that this fan theory will come to fruition. But if the Russo Brothers are planning more surprise cameos, then it stands to reason that Hank Pym's inclusion hasn't been announced. But Marvel's finest did assemble for that giant 10 year anniversary photo, so maybe there's a massive ensemble scene coming, and/or Douglas could have quickly filmed his role while on set.

Whether or not Michael Douglas’ Hank Pym pops up in Avengers: Endgame remains to be seen, but it does appear that Scott Lang is going to have a major presence in the Russo Brothers’ upcoming blockbuster. While the first Endgame trailer shows Ant-Man among those who faded to dust during Thanos’ finger snap of death, the fandom knows the truth: he was actually stranded in the mysterious Quantum Realm.

How Paul Rudd’s signature Marvel character will survive and function within the Quantum Realm remains to be seen, but Ant-Man and The Wasp proved it could be done. In fact, Janet’s long tenure stranded in the setting left her with some supernatural abilities. But most fans seem to think Ant-Man will utilize time travel to escape, and eventually make it to the Avengers compound, as seen in the first Endgame trailer.

Then again, the use of time travel might also have to do with Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel. The femme fatale will finally debut in her solo movie, just a month before she crosses over and teams up with the surviving Avengers in Endgame. Samuel L. Jackson has teased that Carol Danvers is able to travel through time, so perhaps Ant-Man’s time in the Quantum Realm will have an unexpected effect on the character and the blockbuster’s plot.

Ant-Man and Hank Pym may have made their debut back in 2015, but the franchise hasn’t been the most crossover-heavy property in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sure, Scott Lang was included in the epic tarmac battle in Captain America: Civil War, but that’s been his only appearance outside of the Ant-Man movies thus far. But that’ll change with Avengers: Endgame, especially considering how few characters survived Thanos’ wrath in Infinity War.

Ant-Man’s increased presence in the MCU can be seen during the two brief trailers for Avengers: Endgame. He popped up in the tail end of the first trailer, as Black Widow and Captain America see footage of Scott outside the Avengers base from their security system. He eventually makes his way into the facility, as the second trailer showed him gearing up alongside Don Cheadle’s War Machine.

Unfortunately, there are still a few months of anticipation and fan theories before Endgame finally arrives in theaters to wrap up Phase Three of the MCU. Marvel Studios has been working hard to keep its secrets and spoilers under wraps, and thus far it’s succeeded. Not even Tom Holland or Mark Ruffalo have revealed anything yet, and the first trailers have been purposefully vague, with only brief shots of the surviving Avengers helping to reveal the upcoming film’s tone. But as far as the overall plot, anything is possible.

Answers will finally come when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26th, one year after the Infinity War ending shocked us all. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a tricky place right now, with much of the studio's plans a complete mystery to the general public. There are just two movies left in the massively successful Phase Three, with almost nothing known about the shared universe after Avengers: Endgame finally arrives in theaters. This includes the fate of franchise like Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther, and Ant-Man.

Peyton Reed's Ant-Man and the Wasp was the most recent Marvel release, set before the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Thanos' finger snap of death. The director brought another fun, capsulated story that saw Hope Van Dyne become The Wasp, and Hank find Janet in the Quantum Realm. Michael Douglas plays the OG Ant-Man in the franchise, and recently spoke to the possibility of a threequel, saying:

It looks like Michael Douglas is in the dark like the rest of us, regarding the future of the Ant-Man franchise. But given how successful Peyton Reed's first two movies were, it would be surprising if Marvel Studios didn't round it up to a bonafide trilogy.

This update just shows how tight security is over at Marvel Studios. While every blockbuster works hard to keep its secrets, things have gotten all the more intense since Avengers: Infinity War arrived in theaters to devastate moviegoers. In order to keep spoilers to a minimum, Marvel hasn't released Phase Four's schedule, or revealed any upcoming blockbusters other than Spider-Man: Far From Home. As such, plans for the Ant-Man franchise are also not being revealed-- even to the cast.

In his same conversation with ET, Michel Douglas also briefly addressed his possible role in Avengers: Endgame. While Hank Pym has never popped up in an Avengers flick before, the Ant-Man and The Wasp credits scene connected him directly to the events of Infinity War. When asked about Hank's possible appearance in The Russo Brothers' upcoming blockbuster, he said:

You know I can't say a word about that. They have one of those machines that, as soon as you say the word 'Avengers,' a blowgun comes to the side of my neck.

While Michael Douglas may have side stepped questions about his possible Endgame role, it seems logical that Hank Pym might pop up during new highly anticipated sequel. Moviegoers saw Hank, Janet, and Hope fade to dust as a result of Thanos' finger snap of death, leaving Paul Rudd's Ant-Man stranded in the Quantum Realm. Good news: Janet somehow manage to live there for decades, even picking up some abilities along the way. Bad news: we have no idea how, and it doesn't look like Scott is ready to be left in the mysterious setting for any length of time.

The Ant-Man franchise has had a fascinating tenure in theaters, especially after suffering a bit during the development process. Baby Driver director Edgar Wright was originally set to help the origin story, but left due to creative differences with Marvel Studios. While Wright's work was still present in the screenplay, it was a departure that shook the fans and those involved in the project. After all, the director was one of the reasons Paul Rudd signed on to play Scott Lang in the first place.

Ultimately Peyton Reed took over directing duties, and managed to bring a sleeper hit to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Ant-Man movies have carved out their own niche pocket of the shared universe, with Scott Lang crossing over and interacting with the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War. While he was noticeably absent from the events of Avengers: Infinity War, we learned he was on house arrest, and therefore couldn't be called upon for the Battle of Wakanda. Too bad, because his tech would have made the epic action sequence all the more exciting.

While he was excluded from Infinity War, it looks like Scott Lang is going to have a significant role in Avengers: Endgame. His appearance at the Avengers HQ ended the first trailer, revealing he'd managed to survive being stranded in the Quantum Realm. He was also shown in the second brief teaser, suiting up alongside Don Cheadle's War Machine. Ant-Man is in the building, and it's clear that we'll be getting plenty of Paul Rudd once The Russo Brothers' blockbuster finally arrives in a few months.

The big question is how exactly Ant-Man will factor into the overarching narrative of the franchise and Endgame's plot. The surviving heroes are going to need all the help they can get, with Scott Lang and Captain Marvel coming to help fill out the titular team. It's unclear if/how the Avengers will attempt to reverse Thanos' finger snap of death, although many fans think the Quantum Realm will factor heavily into it.

The true power of the Quantum Realm hasn't been explored in the first two Ant-Man movies, but it's been known to do a variety of outstanding things. So could time travel be one of them? In the Ant-Man and The Wasp credits scene, Janet warns Scott not to be pulled into a Time Vortex. That seemed to back up the popular fan theory that the survivors will go back in time, and possibly stop Thanos from ever snapping his finger. If the Quantum Realm is the macguffin to make this happen, Ant-Man could have a more important role in Endgame than the fans might have predicted.

As for the future of the Ant-Man franchise, smart money says a threequel is coming. With many of the original Avenger actors coming to the end of their contract with Marvel Studios, the MCU will need to lean on the characters who were brought in later. Prime among them is Ant-Man, especially if he gets a meaty Endgame role, and gets to potentially win over more fans.

Ant-Man and The Wasp is currently streaming on Netflix, and Michael Douglas will hopefully pop up as Hank Pym in Avengers: Endgame on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The introduction of the Quantum Realm in 2015's Ant-Man opened up new doors for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as now there were other dimensions to visit. We revisited the Quantum Realm this past summer in Ant-Man and the Wasp, but since the sequel's release, many Marvel fans have speculated that this particular reality will also factor heavily into Avengers 4. According to Hank's actor, Michael Douglas, that is indeed the case, as he responded when asked if Ant-Man and the Wasp is directly connected to Avengers 4:

So there you have it, MCU fans. Your suspicions were confirmed by Michael Douglas during his appearance on On Air with Ryan Seacrest, although naturally, given how secretive these movies are, he didn't reveal any more details. We don't know if Douglas will reprise Hank Pym in Avengers 4, but evidently Kevin Feige, director Peyton Reed or one of the other Marvel Studios bigwigs clued him in on future happenings in this ever-growing franchise.

In Ant-Man and the Wasp, Hank Pym, inspired by how Scott Lang was able to make it into the Quantum Realm and get back out in the first Ant-Man movie, ventured into this strange reality to rescue his wife, Janet van Dyne, who'd been trapped there for over 30 years. Naturally there were some complication, but eventually the couple reunited and made it back to Earth. Unfortunately, both Hank and Janet, as well as their daughter Hope, were among the half of the universe snapped out of existence by Thanos, and Scott was consequently left trapped in the Quantum Realm.

It's expected that we might catch a glimpse of the Quantum Realm in Avengers 4 to show how Scott Lang gets back to our plane of existence, possibly by entering one of those time vortexes that Janet van Dyne told him to avoid. Beyond that, we haven't officially heard anything about how the Quantum Realm fits into the Phase 3 capper, let alone anything else regarding Avengers 4's story.

That said, there's been no shortage of fan theories in this area, from the surviving MCU heroes traveling to the Quantum Realm to go back in time to undo what Thanos did, to the people who were dusted at the end of Avengers: Infinity War not truly being dead, but somehow languishing in the Quantum Realm. Thanks to Michael Douglas, we now know for sure that the Quantum Realm is somehow integral to what goes down next year, and that we could see even more of it in Phase 4.

Avengers 4 opens in theaters on May 3, 2019, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for continuing coverage. Don't forget to also look through our 2019 release schedule to learn what other major motion pictures come out next year.

Spoilers ahead for Ant-Man and The Wasp.

Following the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, it was unclear exactly how the Marvel Cinematic Universe would function as we waited for the eventual release of Avengers 4. Enter Peyton Reed's Ant-Man and The Wasp, which ran parallel to the timeline in Infinity War. The hit sequel picked up on Paul Rudd's Scott Lang for the first time since his appearance in Captain America: Civil War, including his house arrest and plea deal after breaking the Sokovia Accords. There are ton of references to the epic Tarmac fight and Scott's new ability to grow in size, which was very confusing for actor Michael Douglas. Because since he didn't see Civil War, Douglas was in the dark when beginning the project. As he tells it,

Well, this is pretty damn adorable. Michael Douglas' performance as Hank Pym has been consistently great, but he hasn't committed to watching every single installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It looks like he missed the memo about Ant-Man's role in Captain America's threequel, and therefore was utterly confused when the script for Ant-Man and The Wasp was constantly making references to events that he wasn't privy to.

Scott Lang's appearance in Civil War set up a ton of Ant-Man and The Wasp's events, especially the film's framing device. The stakes of the film were made grounded by Scott's house arrest, and trying to balance his superheroic duties with being there for his daughter. None of this would have been possible if he hadn't been arrested in Civil War.

In addition to Scott Lang's plea deal, there was also some new tech introduced inCaptain America: Civil War. Namely, Ant-Man's ability to grow as well as shrink. Scott grew into Giant Man for the first time in the epic tarmac battle, and was able to hold his own against Spider-Man, War Machine, and Vision. There were plenty of references to Ant-Man's ability to grow, and we saw as he took a variety of sizes throughout the course of Ant-Man and The Wasp. The largest occurred at Fishermans' Wharf, where he eventually passed from exhaustion.

It should be interesting to see what's next for Ant-Man. The mid-credits scene of his sequel revealed that Hope, Janet, and Hank were all killed during Thanos' finger snap of death. Scott is currently stranded in the Quantum Realm, possibly opening up the ability for interdimensional travel in Avengers 4.

Ant-Man and The Wasp is in theaters now, and Avengers 4 will arrive on May 3rd 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Every Marvel Cinematic Universe offering comes with its own unique tone and style, but comedy has always stood out as a critical element of each movie. These movies almost always come packed to the brim with gags, but few have ever reached the heights of humor in Peyton Reed's Ant-Man and The Wasp. Not only is it a hilarious movie in its own right, but it also offers up a perfect antidote for the overwhelming sadness of Avengers: Infinity War.

On that note, and with the movie now in theaters, we have put together a list of the funniest moments from Ant-Man and The Wasp. With so many awesome scenes to get to, let's get started with where we find Scott Lang at the beginning of the movie.

Warning: spoilers ahead for Ant-Man and The Wasp! Read ahead at your own risk!

Scott's Daily Routine Under House Arrest

Paul Rudd is the kind of movie star who oozes charisma, and Ant-Man and The Wasp capitalizes on that by just letting him cut loose in one of Scott Lang's first scenes. The guy has been on house arrest for the last two years, and it's clear that he has gotten pretty bored, so he's taken up more than a few strange habits. It makes for a fantastic montage, as we see Scott do everything in his power to try and pass the time -- ranging from playing the drums to crying while reading The Fault in Our Stars. It's honestly a perfect way to set up the movie, as well as to remind us that Scott Lang is not a macho tough guy like Thor or even Captain America; he's a sensitive dad who's not afraid to have some fun.

Woo Explaining Scott's Crimes

Global politics are hard to dumb down for a child to understand, and Agent Woo does an abysmal job of explaining Scott Lang's crimes during the events of Captain America: Civil War to Cassie, Scott's daughter. Initially starting off on the right foot with a metaphor about how it's bad to draw on the walls, the explanation falls apart when he starts talking about Scott going to Germany and drawing on the walls with Captain America, eventually devolving into complicated exposition regarding the legal ramifications of Scott's actions. Cassie Lang is very clearly a smart girl in the Ant-Man movies, but Woo did not read his audience well at all when he opened his mouth.

Janet Possessing Scott's Body

Ant-Man and The Wasp doesn't skimp when it comes to awesome, well-utilized science-fiction tropes, and one of the best examples is when Janet van Dyne possesses Scott Lang to provide Hank and Hope with the information that they need in order to get her out of the Quantum Realm. The scene is heavy on exposition, but it also gets some of the biggest laughs, especially once the audience remembers that Scott Lang is actually completely unaware of what is happening to him (which shines through perfectly when he comes to and notices that he's holding Hank's hand). The kicker? Paul Rudd actually does an amazing impersonation of Michelle Pfeiffer, and we wonder how much he practiced that.

Truth Serum

Ant-Man and The Wasp is packed with some great running gags, one of which comes in the form of the ever-present debate over whether or not truth serum actually exists. The chemical cocktail is first suggested by Luis, Kurt, and Dave when they're captured by Sonny Burch's gang, with the henchmen insisting that the syringe they use is not the cliché that constantly pops up in movies and TV shows. Nevertheless, the three wombats remain unconvinced throughout the run of the movie, and their persistence actually forces Burch and his men to eventually realize that they actually HAVE been using truth serum when they find themselves injected with the substance at the end.

Scott As A "Kid"

Prior to the release of Ant-Man and The Wasp, on-screen evidence told us that Scott Lang could either make himself incredibly large or incredibly small depending on the needs of the situation. However, things get a bit more complicated in this latest film when the Ant-Man suit keeps failing him. As a result, there are several moments in the movie (particularly when he infiltrates Cassie's school) that the Pym Particle technology winds up making very strange. Scott is left standing around three or four feet tall, and he has to hide in plain sight by pretending to be a child. The gag then continues after he gets out of the school, as the pint-sized Avenger is mocked mercilessly by Hank and Hope in the van.

Baba Yaga

The John Wick franchise isn't the only action film series that can make jokes about the Baba Yaga now, and Ant-Man and The Wasp really pulls it off. The scene in question comes when Sonny Burch and his henchman corner Luis, Kurt, and Dave to interrogate them about where Scott, Hope, and Hank have gone. The mystical beast of Slavic origin had been previously teased earlier in the movie, but then Ghost appears out of nowhere and confirms Kurt's belief that the Baba Yaga actually exists. Ghost's arrival in the scene comes out of nowhere, and the combination of jump scare with a solid joke gets a big laugh.

Close-Up Magic

Sure, Doctor Strange's Dr. Stephen Strange may be on the road toward becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, but he's not the only member of The Avengers roster who has the ability to use magic. More specifically, Scott Lang spent quite a bit of time learning the ins and outs of close-up magic during his time under house arrest, and the technique comes up multiple times in Ant-Man And The Wasp's story. The tactic eventually comes in handy when they want to beat Ghost, but the funniest moments come when simpler characters like Agent Woo and Paxton cannot figure out how Scott does his illusions. Even in a world where The Hulk and Thor exists, simple card tricks still seem to excite them.

Luis' Story

Remember when Michael Pena got to cut loose as Luis in the original Ant-Man and tell his rapid-fire stories? Well, Peyton Reed and the folks at Marvel clearly realized that those sequences worked with fans back in 2015, because we get yet another awesome tale narrated by Scott's ex-con best friend in the sequel. This time we learn the backstory of Scott and Luis' friendship during their time in prison (and see the awesome hairstyle that Luis was rocking at the time), as well as Luis' perceived version of the events that transpired during the original Ant-Man. We don't know if Ant-Man 3 is going to happen, but if it does, then we really want to see more of these stories.

Ant-Man And Cap

Have you ever met a celebrity or a public figure and then tried to play it up like you and that person are much closer than you really are? Well, Scott Lang has, and it turns out that he's a Captain America fanboy after the events of Captain America: Civil War. The thief-turned-superhero is forever changed by the act of working alongside The First Avenger, and that notion shines through in how he constantly name drops Captain America (or Cap) throughout his mission with Hope and Hank. The kicker? Hope is not particularly interested in what Scott has to say about the star-spangled hero, and she doesn't even seem impressed by his newfound status as an almost Avenger.

The Seagull Gag

It is a major testament to the Ant-Man franchise that it manages to make us feel so many complex emotions for the ants -- who never actually get to speak or express themselves in any meaningful way. Scott's own affinity largely helps in this department, and you can see it in the anger he feels when seagulls keep eating them when he tries to catch a ride at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco during the climactic chase of Ant-Man and The Wasp. Those pesky flying creatures are what keep him from going after Sonny Burch, and it isn't until Ant-onio Banderas swoops down to pick him up that he's able to continue his pursuit. Alas, Ant-onio ends up perishing as well, forcing Scott to become Giant Man one more time.

The Dinner Plans

Last but not least, we finish up our list with one of the best gags between Scott Lang and Agent Woo - specifically at the end when the FBI breaks into Scott's house in an attempt to catch him as he returns from his mission with Hank and Hope. Scott is able to evade capture with the help of his daughter, and Woo tries to act tough by stating that he will be seeing Scott around. Woo means to play the moment off like a cliché macho cop, but Scott highlights the ridiculousness of it by implying that Woo is asking him to dinner -- which Woo eventually does when it becomes clear that he actually kind of likes Scott.

It was a bold decision, leading the Ant-Man franchise off with Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and relegating Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to mentor status. But it ended up being a wise choice. In doing so, Marvel Studios gave themselves -- and this character -- a built in history. Hank Pym was the first Ant-Man, and since he's much older when we first meet him in Peyton Reed's 2015 origin story, he has a stream of earlier stories that have shaped how Michael Douglas can play him. And the iconic leading man settled on the word "cantankerous" when we sat down to interview him at an Ant-Man and the Wasp press day. Douglas elaborated to us:

Ant-Man and the Wasp, more so than most Marvel Studios movies, is about family. It's about relationships between fathers and daughters -- like Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne, or Scott Land and his own daughter Cassie. It's about husbands and wives. Scott and Hope's big mission in this movie is to retrieve Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) from the Quantum Realm, with Hank's assistance.

But it's also about the relationship between Hank and Scott... and Hank and a new character, Bill Foster, played by Larry Fishburne. How he fits into the equation is very important, and could shape some big steps in the MCU moving forward. Listen to Michael Douglas reflect on giving his Hank Pym a little more of an edge in our exclusive interview:

Ant-Man and the Wasp is off to a fast start at the box office. While it will be difficult for the movie to catch up to the monstrous progress of Avengers: Infinity War at the box office, the comedy definitely serves as a palette cleanser... and actually does have an important scene that sets up something in Avengers 4. You can read about it in great detail here, if you prefer.

And, to keep up with all of the movies that are making their way to theaters from Marvel Studios, bookmark our Upcoming Marvel Movies Guide. We won't have a new MCU movie in theaters until 2019. Do you know which movie is coming next?

Warning: possible mild spoilers ahead for Ant-Man and The Wasp! You've been warned!

There's no shortage of outstanding Hollywood talent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Ant-Man and The Wasp very much continues that tradition. The film brings Michael Douglas back as Hank Pym, but in addition to the Ant-Man alum, it also introduces Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet van Dyne and Laurence Fishburne as Bill Foster. CinemaBlend's own Eric Eisenberg recently got a chance to sit down with Douglas and talk about working with these actors, and the Romancing the Stone star explained that he was particularly excited about working with Pfeiffer and the Marvel de-aging technology. Douglas said:

Who wouldn't want to work with Michelle Pfeiffer? Clearly, Michael Douglas was already very excited about the prospect of getting a chance to work with Pfeiffer finally -- despite both being icons of the 1980s, they never collaborated during their lengthy careers. That said, things got even more exciting when he learned that Marvel would apply its de-aging techniques to the actress -- seemingly confirming flashback sequences involving a younger Janet van Dyne in the movie.

In addition to the fun of working with Michelle Pfeiffer, Douglas did also note the joy of getting a chance to star alongside The Matrix's Laurence Fishburne. The two had never worked together before entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and as Douglas laid out for us, one of the critical benefits of a landscape like the MCU is that the behemoth studio can bring in some pretty strong talent to fill out its ranks.

Check out a clip from Eric's interview with Michael Douglas, below, to learn more about how the Hollywood legend felt about getting to work alongside other icons of the film industry!

Ant-Man and The Wasp picks up two years after the events of Captain America: Civil War. Coming to the tail end of house arrest after striking a plea bargain to keep himself out of The Raft prison, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) finds himself recruited to once again work alongside Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) when it becomes apparent that Hope's mother might still be alive in the Quantum Realm.

Watch out for Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Laurence Fishburne (along with the rest of the Marvel ensemble) when Peyton Reed's Ant-Man and The Wasp hits theaters this weekend on July 6! Beyond that, check out our full review of the film, as well as our reaction roundup, to get a better sense of the overall conversation surrounding the movie!

Peyton Reed's Ant-Man and The Wasp has officially screened for audiences, and the generally positive reaction to the Ant-Man sequel seems to prove that there's still plenty of potential for growth with this shrinking hero. That raises questions over where the Marvel Cinematic Universe could continue to evolve the Ant-Man brand, and Hank Pym actor Michael Douglas wants to see a period piece focusing on his exploits as a young man. Discussing the possibility of reprising the role again, Douglas explained:

It's no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has made consistent strides in its ability to convey different ages for the same character. Whether it's the process of making Hayley Atwell look like a geriatric Peggy Carter in Captain America: The Winter Soldier or making Michael Douglas looking like a young Hank Pym in the first Ant-Man, we have watched the progression of this tech do some incredible things on the big screen. Now, with the "movie magic" continuing to expand and evolve as it improves, Douglas thinks that we have reached the point at which he could do an entire Ant-Man prequel movie as a de-aged version of himself.

Of course, even Michael Douglas realizes the limitations of the technology. Continuing in his interview with Screen Rant, the actor noted that, while he will still need a stunt double to tackle the potential Ant-Man prequel, the de-aging technology makes now the perfect time to make this film a reality. Douglas continued:

Michael Douglas' remark about needing a stunt double does serve as another reminder of why this could potentially work. The Ant-Man action generally takes place with the hero's face hidden under the large mask of the high-tech suit, which means Douglas would only really need to do the dialogue scenes if he couldn't pull off any major action sequences. It's the same reason Robert Downey Jr. can continue to perform as Tony Stark ten years after the debut of Iron Man; the advanced suit does a lot of work for the filmmakers.

Only time will tell if the folks at Marvel Studios ever deiced to rewind the clock and go all in on a full-blown, Hank Pym-oriented Ant-Man prequel film. It would stand out as a bold choice for Phase 4, but until we learn more about that particular slate of movies, make sure to watch out for Ant-Man and The Wasp when the highly-anticipated sequel debuts in theaters on July 6.

In 2006, the folks at the newly formed Marvel Studios began mapping out a plan of attack for a movie franchise. This endeavor included discussions about films for Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and Ant-Man. The last name on that list didn't get his own solo adventure until four years after Captain America's first solo film debuted, but it was such a big hit that Ant-Man is now getting his own sequel in the form of Ant-Man And The Wasp.

The new film is set to be the first Marvel Studios feature with two titular heroes, but that's the least exciting thing about it in comparison to everything else it has going on. As we regularly do for upcoming major blockbusters, we've constructed this What We Know So Far guide to keep track of everything going on with Ant-Man And The Wasp, so read on, learn, and keep checking back for future updates!

What Have We Seen From Ant-Man And The Wasp?

Luckily, since we don't have much longer to wait until Ant-Man and the Wasp is released, we finally have a trailer that lets us in on some of what we can expect from the new film. The above trailer shows off The Wasp's powers, gives us a look at villain Ghost and lets us know that the film takes place after Captain America: Civil War, along with telling us that, because of Scott's actions in that film, Hope and Hank have had to make themselves (and their work) scarce. All in all, it looks like this sequel has a good shot at being as much fun as its predecessor.

What Is Ant-Man And The Wasp's Release Date?

Marvel Studios began a tradition of releasing three movies a year starting in 2017, and that tradition will continue in 2018. The year kicks off with Ryan Coogler's Black Panther in February, and it will be followed by Joe and Anthony Russo's The Avengers: Infinity War in May. Ant-Man and The Wasp will be title number three for Marvel, and is set to come out on July 6, 2018.

Of course, this release date puts the film in a fascinating position. The Avengers: Infinity War is expected to be a two-parter that concludes its story with the untitled Avengers 4, but it's unclear exactly how the movies released in-between will be impacted (especially Ant-Man And The Wasp, given that Scott Lang will participate in Infinity War). Captain Marvel, directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, is the only other title set to be released in this specific timeframe, and since it's a prequel set in the 1990s, it won't be impacted by what happens in Infinity War, although Carol Danvers is confirmed to appear in Avengers 4.

What Is Ant-Man And The Wasp's Rating?

The MPAA doesn't get its hands on any movie until shortly before its release -- mostly because the version of the film they are viewing is the one that is likely going to be hitting theaters. Because of this, we can't say with absolute certainty what the rating of Ant-Man And The Wasp will be, but you can feel free to bet every cent you have on it ultimately being labeled with a PG-13 score.

Why? For starters, it wouldn't make a ton of sense for Ant-Man And The Wasp to be R-rated simply because it's not a rating that really fits the character (even if Paul Rudd can be really funny when allowed to curse as much as he wants). More importantly, however, it's been firmly stated by higher-ups at Disney that despite the success seen by titles like Deadpool and Logan, there are no plans to make an 18+ movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For something closer to that, fans are much better off checking out the Marvel Netflix shows like Daredevil, Jessica Jones, or Luke Cage.

The Director

In case you don't remember, there was a bit of a kerfuffle regarding the director job on the first Ant-Man. Writer/director Edgar Wright had been attached to the project for years and years, co-writing the script with partner Joe Cornish, but just a few months before the start of production the filmmaker and Marvel Studios parted ways over creative differences. Director Peyton Reed, who was once almost brought on to make Guardians of the Galaxy, was hired as Wright's replacement -- and the studio was so happy with his work that they brought him back for the sequel.

Pulling in $519 million globally, Ant-Man made a strong showing when it was in theaters back in the summer of 2015, and Peyton Reed was able to ride that success to a gig directing Ant-Man And The Wasp. Of course, an important difference in the making of the sequel is that Reed has had much more than a few weeks for pre-production, and instead has had a much greater amount of time to construct the comic book adventure film he really wants to make.

What Is The Story Of Ant-Man And The Wasp?

Taking place after the events of Captain America: Civil War, where Scott Lang was last seen being broken out of The Raft prison with his other Team Captain America allies by Steve Rogers, Ant-Man and the Wasp will follow Scott as a fugitive. Although he is keeping up his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he is also trying to balance them with his family life. Cue Hope van Dyne and Hank Pym re-entering his life, as they need Scott's help on a new mission, which will require him to learn how to fight in the field alongside Hope, who is now officially The Wasp.

The other plot thread we expect the sequel to explore is the mystery behind the original Wasp, a.k.a. Janet Van Dyne. As we learned in Ant-Man, she and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) used to operate as a spy duo for S.H.I.E.L.D. -- but she disappeared forever when she exceeded safeguards and overrides her suit's regulator, disappearing into the Quantum Realm (a.k.a. the Microverse). When Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is in the alternate dimension, the shadow of Janet Van Dyne can be seen, and it's been heavily suggested that Ant-Man And The Wasp will follow the endeavor to try and rescue her.

Another plot thread the sequel will have the opportunity to follow concerns the fate of Martin Donovan's Mitchell Carson. He got away with a vial full of Pym Particles at the end of Ant-Man, and while there was a deleted scene that featured him being captured by Scott Lang, that's not officially canon. As a result, we may learn what happened to Carson and his sample of shrinking molecules in Ant-Man And The Wasp.

Scott Lang

Thanks in large part to the never-ending charm of Paul Rudd, Scott Lang has quickly emerged as a fan-favorite character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the simple promise of seeing him back on the big screen again is exciting. We not only got to see his origin story play out in the original Ant-Man -- which chronicled his path from thief ex-con to shrinking superhero -- but in 2016 fans also got to see him fight as part of Team Cap in Captain America: Civil War (where he made his debut as Giant Man). Of course, that film had some pretty serious consequences for the character, and we'll have to see how Ant-Man And The Wasp deals with them.

Last we heard from Scott Lang, he was being kept as a prisoner on the underwater prison known as The Raft -- but his incarceration didn't last very long. Along with Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Scott is released by Captain America -- though we don't know where he went from there. This answer very well may come in The Avengers: Infinity War, but there may wind up being so many questions that some of them need to be answered in Ant-Man And The Wasp. For example, what has been up with his ex-wife (Judy Greer) and daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson)?

Hope Van Dyne

Hope Van Dyne was originally written to have a role in Joe and Anthony Russo's Captain America: Civil War, but actress Evangeline Lily's pregnancy at the time of production wound up making this a bit impossible. As a result, we've had to wait for her to start flying around while the size of deadly bee -- but, no matter what, we expect our patience to be rewarded in the summer of 2018. Hope is also sitting out Avengers: Infinity War so as not to draw attention away from her big superhero debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp. From the trailer we know that we'll be treated to Hope's standard Wasp incredible shrinking abilities, and see that she'll also some nice offensive weapons to help fight baddies in addition to the hand to hand combat skills she showed off in the first film. What we don't know yet is how long she's been acting as The Wasp (if at all) since the original film.

Hank Pym

It looked like Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) might have been a goner in the third act of Ant-Man -- having been shot trying to save his daughter, Hope -- but that proved not to be the case. Instead, he revealed that the tank he keeps in his pocket is no ordinary key chain, and with the use of some Pym Particles he and his daughter rode the military vehicle to safety and medical care.

Of course, the end of Ant-Man also saw the destruction of Hank Pym's famed company, Pym Technologies, but we now know, thanks to the trailer, that he was able to continue his work courtesy of the building that he can shrink into what is essentially carry-on luggage. Even though Hank and his daughter had to go on the run because of their association with Scott, he continued to work with both of them to help them with their costumed hero work. It was, after all, confirmed in Captain America: Civil War that he had been working with Scott on the whole "Giant Man" trick.

Janet Van Dyne

Going into San Diego Comic-Con 2017, one of the biggest bits of news that could have been revealed was whether or not we'd actually see more than a costumed glimpse of Janet Van Dyne when Ant-Man And The Wasp hits theaters. Well, Marvel did not disappoint fans when they announced that we would, in fact, be treated to a storyline that somehow included the first Wasp. It was revealed that Michelle Pfeiffer had been cast as Hope's mother, meaning that we can likely expect to see some major scenes from her in the film.

We've mentioned Janet Van Dyne a few times now, but this is where we will really dig into the details of who she is. While not actually a spy herself, Janet was Hank Pym's wife and partner during his S.H.I.E.L.D. spy days, and worked with him wearing a special flying shrinking suit. During one particular mission, she and Hank found themselves desperate to stop a launched missile, and Janet sacrificed herself by shrinking too far and entering the Quantum Realm (you can read our full explainer of that dimension HERE). She's been there for decades, but if a rescue narrative plays out in Ant-Man And The Wasp, that may be what results in her return.

Of course, there's no way to know right now if a rescue mission will be what brings Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet to the sequel. It's possible that we could only see her as a figment of Hank or Hope's imagination. But, considering how important the character is to their history and the history of the tech that they and Scott use, it's a lot more likely that an attempt will be made to free her from the Quantum Realm. Right now, we'll just have to wait and see what Ant-Man And The Wasp has in store for her.

Luis & The Gang

The promise of every Marvel solo film is not just the return of a titular hero, but also the return of specific ensembles of supporting cast members. In the case of Ant-Man, this means the big screen return of Luis (Michael Pena), Dave (Tip 'T.I.' Harris) and Kurt (David Dastmalchian). All three of them operate as Scott Lang's thieving partners in crime, and we suspect that they will be given at least one big job to do in Ant-Man And The Wasp.

As is the case in all classic cinematic heist gangs, each member has their own specific job on any given gig. Luis is the man with the plan, always knowing somebody who knows somebody who has a line or a possible mark. Kurt is an expert with computers, able to remotely hack systems and help the man on the inside. And Dave is the reliable wheel-man, who, unfortunately, has to sometimes drive Luis' ratty van around. Together they provided some of the comedic highlights of the first Ant-Man, and we fully expect them to do the same in Ant-Man And The Wasp.

Maggie Lang

In case you were wondering if we'd see Scott's family again, it's been confirmed that Judy Greer is returning as his ex-wife, Maggie, and Abby Ryder Forston will reprise his daughter, Cassie. Maggie will likely be aware of how much trouble Scott has been in, seeing as how we see him with his daughter in the trailer, and also as he gets fitted with an ankle monitor so the authorities can track him. You can bet Maggie will be wary of any open attempts Scott makes to see their daughter, but it looks like she'll be sympathetic enough to let him continue to have a part in Cassie's life, even if it is limited.

The Newcomers

Everybody loves a sequel because it means the returns of characters that audiences fell in love with -- but they're also great because it provides opportunity to introduce some fresh faces to the mix. This is most definitely true when it comes to Marvel movies, as there are thousands of characters from the comics just waiting to be brought to life for the first time. We don't yet know how many we can ultimately expect to appear in Ant-Man And The Wasp, but news out of SDCC 2017 did reveal a few key new players outside of Janet Van Dyne.

Hannah John-Kamen, whose credits include the series Killjoys, as well as episodes of Black Mirror and Game of Thrones, has signed on to be in the Marvel blockbuster as Ghost. In the comics, Ghost is an industrial saboteur for hire who wears a suit of his own design which allows him to become intangible so that he can phase through things, which is a skill the film seems to have kept. As you've probably noticed, the comic book version of Ghost is also male, so clearly Ant-Man And The Wasp is going to reimagine the character a bit. The comic character has also never had his secret identity revealed even though he's been around for 30 years, so it'll be interesting to see if this Ghost has a name or history that we find out about during the course of the film.

Laurence Fishburne

Laurence Fishburne has also joined the cast as Bill Foster, a scientist who would come to be known as the superhero Goliath. In the comics, Foster worked with Hank Pym, and created his own version of Pym's growth formula which led to him using it to become Goliath. Since we've seen Scott use Pym's suit to grow in size in Captain America: Civil War, it's possible that Ant-Man And The Wasp will see Foster show up to lend some assistance with this new found ability. I have to admit, though, that it would be a shame if we didn't also get to see Laurence Fishburne suit up as Goliath, even if it's only temporary. Along with Ant-Man and the Wasp, Fishburne also has another Marvel project in the works, though he hasn't provided any details about it yet, including whether or not it will involve Bill Foster.

Randall Park

Joining in on the fun in the new film as longtime S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jimmy Woo is Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat, Veep). In the comics, the former FBI agent specialized in infiltration and information gathering, making him a great asset for covert operations. He's also known for helping take down Godzilla by using Pym Particles to shrink the beast, which worked as a temporary fix. While we don't know exactly what Park's Jimmy Woo will be doing in Ant-Man And The Wasp just yet, it's unlikely that we'll see him fight Godzilla. That would be cool, though, wouldn't it?

Walton Goggins

Some pleasantly surprising casting news came down when we found out that Justified, Vice Principals and The Hateful Eight actor Walton Goggins was joining Ant-Man And The Wasp as Sonny Burch. The character is chairman of Cross Technologies in the comics, and since Ant-Man saw Darren Cross (also known as the first film's big bad, Yellowjacket) die, Burch is likely trying to run the company in his stead. Seeing as how Burch is a bad guy in the comics, we can probably count on his desire to win at business leading to some questionable decisions that put lives in danger.

A big part of creating this guide is to keep up with new casting announcements, so keep checking back to this page as more news comes in about Ant-Man And The Wasp.

Marvel usually has the casting on lockdown, but Phase 3 has proven to be a feast of riches when it comes to talent. The casts of Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther have long been celebrated, but Ant-Man and the Wasp has flown a bit more under the radar, despite having a great cast of its own. Not only are the majority of the cast from the previous film all back, but Michelle Pfeiffer is also on board. Having her on set turned out to be great for Paul Rudd, who was thrilled to get to act with her and Michael Douglas.

One of the bigger surviving plot points from Ant-Man was the mysterious happenings around the disappearance of Janet van Dyne into the Quantum Realm. The original Wasp is set to make her formal debut in the sequel, wherein she somehow escapes from the other dimension. Michelle Pfeiffer was cast in the role, sending Ant-Man and the Wasp's actor pedigree points up a couple of notches. This doesn't seem to have been lost on Paul Rudd. In Ant-Man, he got to act opposite of Michael Douglas, and now he gets to work with both Douglas and Pfeiffer.

Paul Rudd opened up a bit with Variety on what it was like to work with Michelle Pfeiffer. The Ant-Man actor said it was a "really cool" to be able to work with them, calling the two of them "legends." It also helps that they are "lovely people" and it sounds like it was altogether a good experience for Rudd.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is directed by Peyton Reed with a screenplay credited to Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari, and Paul Rudd. The story follows Scott Lang, who is trying to reacquaint himself with family life when Hany Pym and Hope van Dyn come to come for help with a special mission. The movie stars Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, Michael Douglas, Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Lawrence Fishburne, and Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 6, 2018. It will be the first Marvel Studios film following their epic, Avengers: Infinity War. For more Marvel movies coming to theaters, check out our Marvel release schedule to keep track of all the title. Also be sure to pay a visit to our 2018 movie release guide to plan your theater trips for the next year.

More and more movie stars have been migrating to the small screen in recent years, and Michael Douglas is joining the crowd. He is attached to appear in an upcoming comedy series that will bring him to television in a regular role for the first time in more than 40 years. Douglas will star in a brand new comedy on Netflix that will be called The Kominsky Method.

The Kominsky Method will follow the life of an actor who became a legendary acting coach in Hollywood after winning 15 minutes of fame long ago. His friend and talent agent is on hand to help him out and probably join him in some shenanigans. Michael Douglas is slated to star as the acting coach, with Alan Arkin playing the friend and agent. These two screen veterans should make for an engaging lead duo for the new comedy.

The new show has a recipe for success beyond Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin. Variety reports that Chuck Lorre of The Big Bang Theory is on board as writer and executive producer. If Lorre can bring the magic touch that turned Big Bang Theory into the hit it is today, The Kominsky Method could be a major success for Netflix.

News of this new project comes just as Chuck Lorre has another comedy set to debut on the streaming service. Disjointed will premiere on Netflix on August 25 and star Kathy Bates as the owner of a medical marijuana dispensary, and the trailer looks wild. Lorre seems to have a knack for attracting movie stars to sitcoms. It should be interesting to see how Michael Douglas performs on the small screen once again.

Michael Douglas is probably best known nowadays for his roles in Basic Instinct, Wall Street, and Ant-Man. Not too many people may be aware that one of his biggest early breaks came from the small screen. He starred in the ABC crime drama The Streets of San Francisco back in the 1970s. Douglas was a series regular in the first four seasons, but he left early in the fifth and final season after the success of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which he produced. While he has returned to television in the years since, he hasn't gotten back into an ongoing series as a regular. In fact, he played himself more often than not. The Kominsky Method will be a big change for Douglas.

Netflix has not yet announced when The Kominsky Method might be ready to debut, so we may have a while to wait before we see Michael Douglas back in action on the small screen. He'll be back on the big screen next summer, when he reprises his role as Dr. Hank Pym for the sequel to Ant-Man.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV news. Our 2017 Netflix guide can point you toward all your current and upcoming streaming options, and our fall premiere schedule can help you plan your TV lineup when the fall TV season kicks off in the not-too-distant future.

Sharon Stone was in show business long before she ignited the screen in Paul Verhoeven's steamy Basic Instinct. She battled Arnold Schwarzenegger in Total Recall, was part of the Police Academy series, and had numerous TV gigs on various sitcoms. But her performance as the manipulative Catherine Tramell was so mesmerizing and white-hot, we basically break down her career to pre-Basic Instinct and post-Basic Instinct. Stone nailed the role from the get go, as evidenced by this early audition tape, which she just shared:

I might need a drink and a cigarette after watching Sharon Stone burn through that scene. The actress shared the clip as part of #WaybackWednesday, taking us all the way to 1992 -- or the months before it -- when she was preparing to step into the role of Catherine Tramell, a crime novelist accused of killing a rock star, mainly because the guy died in a way that's described in one of Catherine's books. Michael Douglas stars as Nick, the beleaguered detective investigating Catherine's involvement. To the surprise of no one, they engage in a steamy affair.

Basic Instinct was a culture-shaking movie event back in 1992. Not for this audition. Rather, for a controversial scene where Sharon Stone is interrogated by detectives and decides to distract the men by crossing and uncrossing her legs... all while wearing no underwear, whatsoever. Relive that NSFW scene below:

But as the clip proves -- and as the audition tape proves -- Basic Instinct wasn't JUST a hit because it dabbled in the taboo. Plenty of films do that without ever climbing above their basic-cable, late-night aspirations. This one connected on a deeper level because Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas were bringing a palpable, sweaty heat to their roles, and Basic Instinct tapped into a dangerous current of sex and murder. You felt dirty while watching it, and that was by design of director Paul Verhoeven and, especially, screenwriter Joe Eszterhas.

Basic Instinct turns 25 this year, which helps explain why Sharon Stone was feeling nostalgic for her time wielding the ice pick. This also means that a several years from now, we'll be celebrating the anniversary of 2006's ill-fated Basic Instinct 2. That's less sexy. I wonder what Sharon Stone can share on social media from that movie? Were there auditions? If so, they likely ended up in a Hollywood Boulevard dumpster.

There are no small parts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as even the tiniest of heroes can eventually have a giant impact on the story. That idea is literally true in Ant-Man's corner of the MCU, and all eyes are on Ant-Man and The Wasp to carry on the comedic traditions of the original when the highly anticipated sequel hits theaters next year. The project will commence production this summer, and it now seems that Michael Douglas is officially set to return to the fray as Dr. Hank Pym. Check out the actor's Facebook post below to see the reveal for yourself.

Michael Douglas is currently gearing up to reprise his role as Hank Pym in Ant-Man and The Wasp, and I think it is safe to say that fans the original film will be elated by the news. Hank is still very much a father figure to Paul Rudd's Scott Lang (and literally a father to Evangeline Lily's Hope Van Dyne), so his presence in the highly anticipated sequel is fairly necessary to set the tone of the affair. He was one of my own personal favorite aspects of the original Ant-Man back in 2015, so it's fantastic to know that Hank Pym will be around for a while.

That said, we pretty much expected Hank Pym to return, based upon the other information we already had about Ant-Man and The Wasp. The sequel will reportedly dive deep into the mystery of what happened to Janet Van Dyne after she went subatomic and was presumed dead by her husband, and rumors have persisted for months that Sharon Stone may actually play the role in the sequel. Is a romantic reunion in store? We will have to wait and see, but I do not think they would've hidden Janet's face in the original Ant-Man unless they planned to cast a well-known actress as the iconic hero further down the line.

I would be remiss for pointing out the fact that this reveal does not necessarily tell us how Hank Pym will factor into the story. While it makes sense for him to play a role in Scott Lang's modern day Ant-Man antics, it is also possible that we will see flashbacks of his own time wearing the suit. The technology to make Douglas look younger was impeccable in 2015, and by 2018 it will likely look even better.

We will bring you more information related to the development and production of Ant-Man and The Wasp as more updates are made available to us. The Ant-Man sequel is slated to begin production this summer, and it will hit theaters July 6, 2018. Stay tuned for more details!

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is getting so large that simply being part of it doesn't mean you'll ever cross paths with everybody else in it. Michael Douglas is hoping that he gets to cross over into some of the other movies if only to share a moment with another great actor. The actor who plays Hank Pym hopes he gets to join Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye at some point down the line.

Michael Douglas' comments came as the two actors were playing together in a celebrity golf tournament in China over the weekend. Jeremy Renner also said he would love to work with Douglas, though there was no indication that such a collaboration might be in the cards for the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War, which could be an indication that there isn't one, but could also be an indication that they simply don't know, or that they're both very good at their jobs and simply aren't talking.

Thus far the only crossing over that anybody from the original Ant-Man has had a chance to do has been Paul Rudd as Scott Lang. Even the one scene from Ant-Man itself that included a character crossing over was a scene that none of the other lead characters were in.

Of course, at one point there actually was an opportunity for the two to cross paths. The writers of Captain America: Civil War have said that an early draft of the script actually included Hank Pym as part of the big airport battle between the two factions. The script was being written before anybody had actually seen Ant-Man so at the time nobody knew how big Michael Douglas' part actually was. Eventually, his part was removed to make way for others.

There's a better than average chance that we'll be seeing more character crossovers in the near future. Even if we don't see Hank Pym in Avengers: Infinity War, the fact that Ant-Man and the Wasp will take place in between the two big Avengers films certainly gives us the impression that the film will have it's connections to them, which would seem to increase the likelihood that we'll see more characters jumping back and forth. Maybe the Hank Pym/Hawkeye moment is right around the corner.

Which Marvel characters that have yet to meet are you looking forward to seeing together down the road? Let us know in the comments.

Joe and Anthony Russo's superhero blockbuster Captain America: Civil War had a ton of characters on opposite sides of a growing conflict. But it could have had more.

Civil War co-writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely took to the stage at the Horton Grand Theater in downtown San Diego for a lively discussion about the MCU, and their vast contributions to the overall landscape. It was an extremely informative discussion about the choices they have to make during their process, and we learned how locations shift, and heroes who almost made the story get left behind. One such character who almost factored into the airport battle in Captain America: Civil War was Michael Douglas' Hank Pym, a major part of Peyton Reed's Ant-Man movie and almost a sliver of the War. As the writers recall:

They bring up some very interesting points here. Tony Stark's parents are a major catalyst for the action in Civil War, but it has nothing to do with their beef with Hank Pym. But a second point was brought up in the panel shortly after it was revealed that Markus and McFeely wanted Hank Pym to storm the airport tarmac with a bunch of ants. Namely, Scott Lang doesn't control any ants in the Captain America: Civil War airport battle. And that's very strange. It's a huge part of Scott's powers, his ability to communicate with ants and use them against his enemies. We know now that Kevin Feige requested that Ant-Man attack Iron Man from within. But he never uses an ant. Are there no ants in Germany?

I have a different theory. It was discussed that Joe and Anthony Russo had to negotiate, with great passion, the ability to use Giant Man in Civil War... stealing a little thunder from the planned Ant-Man and the Wasp movie, reaching theaters in 2018. Maybe Marvel knew they needed to save some cool ant sequences for the actual Ant-Man sequel? Maybe, like other good ideas, it just ended up on the cutting room floor. But I love hearing stories about how Marvel pieces their movies together, and I appreciated this time with Markus and McFeely, talking all things Captain America: Civil War.

Last month, Marvel announced that Ant-Man and the Wasp is heading our way in 2018, which of course means that Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly will reprise their roles as Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne, respectively. Beyond the eponymous protagonists, however, no other Ant-Man characters have been officially announced to return, but no doubt new deals are being drawn up to bring back most of the old gang, including Michael Douglas.

It certainly appears that Douglas will return. Talking to Collider recently, he revealed that he has been contacted about bringing back Hank Pym. The actor said:

Douglas went on to praise working with the other Ant-Man stars, and mentioned that he thinks Michael Peña will probably be back as Scott’s humorous partner-in-crime, Luis. Obviously more official discussions need to take place in the next couple months between Douglas and Marvel, but his enthusiasm is a good sign. While not exactly a record breaker, Ant-Man proved to be a hit globally this summer, so if Marvel can bring back one of the reasons for its success, so much the better.

It’s hard to imagine Ant-Man and the Wasp without Hank Pym. For one thing, as the inventor of the shrinking technology Scott uses as Ant-Man, he’s the best person to make sure it’s properly working or upgrade its capabilities. Plus, he was Ant-Man for several decades, so he no doubt still has plenty of advice to pass along. His daughter Hope is also now out in the field as a superhero, so he’ll likely want to keep tabs on her and assist in any way he can. 

The sequel may also provide an opportunity to tell another personal tale for Hank. In Ant-Man, we saw how he lost his wife, Janet, during a mission more than 20 years ago, when she shrunk so small that she was lost to the Quantum Realm. Following Scott’s return from the same realm after his battle with Yellowjacket, Hank wondered if his wife may still be alive, but the matter was quickly left behind. Depending on what the plot for the sequel ends up being, we may see Hank try to retrieve her from the Quantum Realm. That would allow him to be more directly involved in the action, which, for Douglas, means delivering less of that expositional dialogue he’s not keen on.

Ant-Man and the Wasp hits theaters on July 6, 2018.

Sex sells – that much we know. The 1992 murder mystery Basic Instinct – starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone – most certainly understood just how to sell its sexual content to audiences. Everyone who has heard of Paul Verhoeven’s Basic Instinct will instantly recall the iconic scene of Sharon Stone slowly opening and closing her legs in a police interrogation. The film’s content could most certainly be described steamy, but it required the inclusion of more dramatic elements to keep an R-rating.

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Verehoeven opened up about how he got away with showing such raunchy sex scenes in Basic Instinct:

By contrast, Verehoeven’s film Showgirls received an NC-17 rating almost exclusively for the amount of nudity it features. The story of Las Vegas strippers does not even include much in the way of actual sex or violence, but its sheer amount of full frontal nudity garnered it such a severe rating. The inclusion of the threat of violence allowed the filmmaker to elevate the sexual content of Basic Instinct beyond mere gratuity and gave Verhoeven more freedom to extend the sex scenes.

This revelation also sheds an interesting light on the way in which our society perceives its taboos. In general, we seem to have a much more lackadaisical attitude towards violence – and potential violence – than we do about sex. Just think about it, filmmakers can easily maneuver their films’ violent content into a PG-13 rating, but frontal nudity will all but guarantee an R rating. In the Rolling Stone interview Verhoeven even went so far as to address this as a distinctly American phenomenon, and that a school teacher in Holland once explained to him that the female breast was the most beautiful thing in the world. PG-13 films even allow for one or two F bombs before the MPAA draws the line – see: X-Men: First Class. Debate on which creates a bigger detriment for society can be left for another day, but it’s an interesting contrast to keep in mind.

Basic Instinct remains a classic to this day for its balance of sensuality with visceral thrills; aspiring filmmakers looking to push the envelope should refer to it as a way of obtaining a more favorable rating.

Ant-Man proved that a solid mix of humor and action can yield yet a successful Marvel movie. In fact, much of the film’s often insane, idiosyncratic fun left co-star Michael Douglas feeling a bit left out in his role as the moody mentor, Hank Pym. It seems that for Ant-Man 2 he’d like to see Pym fly his freak flag a bit.

In an interview with Yahoo! UK, Douglas reveals his ambitions for Hank Pym. The 70-year-old veteran actor joined Ant-Man back when it was under the directorial vision of Edgar Wright, who co-wrote the previous script with Joe Cornish. However, with directorial successor, Peyton Reed, working off a revamped script by Adam McKay and star Paul Rudd, Douglas thinks Pym was left out of the more mirthful tone injected and hopes to see that change in a potential sequel. According to Douglas:

Ant-Man is loaded with both hilarity and mind-blowing sequences, some of which delve into psychedelic territory. Besides naming the film’s subatomic Quantum Realm as a possible path for Pym, Douglas also cites the assortment of absurdity, embodied by Michael Peña’s Luis, a roguish, surprisingly nuanced character who has a knack for stealing things, including scenes. Having witnessed much of the mind-blowing zaniness that has made the film a creative success, it’s clear that Michael Douglas wants to get in on the weird-ish fun after having been relegated to the aged Obi-Wan to Lang’s Luke Skywalker, as the purveyor of a tragic backstory behind the Pym-Particle-powered suit.

In a rather surprising revelation, Douglas stated that he has yet to sign up for any more Marvel films, something that’s likely the result of having joined Ant-Man before Marvel began its practice of mandatory multi-film deals. However, Douglas doesn’t seem to be playing hardball and sounds as if he is up for whatever Marvel has in store for Pym, regardless. As Douglas explains:

Fortunately for Douglas’ Ant-Man 2 aspirations, the first film has left his Pym character freed from much of what tormented him internally and the film ends with him looking towards an optimistic future. With the expositional duties now completed, it does seem likely that Douglas will get what he wants and the second film could further explore the more intriguing aspects of the Pym character, who, as the original Ant-Man in the comics, is quite the eccentric who is often plagued by multiple personalities. Thus, the role of the sagely mentor could lead to something far more potent for the veteran actor.

While a proper Ant-Man sequel is not currently on Marvel’s schedule, you’d be well advised not to bet against such a thing. In the meantime, you can get your next glimpse of Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang/Ant-Man when he makes an appearance in Captain America: Civil War, which will see ideological issues cause the MCU’s greatest heroes to lock horns when it hits on May 6, 2016.

In the midst of shrinking, laser blasts and ants doing unusual tasks, Marvel’s Ant-Man gave audiences a very special visual effect within the opening minutes of the film: a de-aged Michael Douglas. When Ant-Man opens in 1989, fans watch as the younger Hank gets into an argument with the S.H.I.E.L.D. officials who tried to recreate his shrinking formula, and Douglas looks almost exactly as he truly did in the late ‘80s. Director Peyton Reed previously described this effect as "terrifying," and now the process of how they made the 70 year old Douglas look around 45 has been revealed.

Trent Claus, a "visual cosmetics" specialist at Lola VFX, explained to Vulture how his company accomplished Ant-Man’s de-aging feat. Lola started their de-aging work with 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand, but gained notoriety for their work on Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett’s characters in 2008’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. They also created the skinny Steve Rogers seen pre-Super Soldier Serum in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger. Early in Ant-Man’s production, Lola began their de-aging process by closely studying Douglas’ movies from the mid-late 1980s, particularly 1987’s Wall Street. Having so much reference material proved to be both a blessing and a curse, as in the case of the latter, it meant there was little room for error since the audience knew what Douglas looked like in those days,

From there, the VFX folks did what they’ve done for all their de-aging projects: they gave the actor a digital face-lift. This meant adding some fat to Douglas’ cheeks, decreasing the size of his ears (which never stop growing as we get older), adding shine to his skin and masking the blood vessels in his nose. There was a young stand-in around when the scene was filming so that they could see how young skin truly looked on the set. The end result was what looked like Douglas being snatched as Gordon Gekko nearly 30 years ago and plopped in 2015 to play the creator of the Pym Particles in Ant-Man.

While the young Hank is without a doubt a vast improvement compared to the de-aging examples from nearly a decade ago, Claus noted that it’s not the technology that’s improved, but rather the artists. As he put it:

With Hank’s adventures with S.H.I.E.L.D. largely unexplored, it would be cool if we could see more of young Hank in either the potential Ant-Man 2 or even a TV series. However, I imagine that for a series, Marvel will hire a new actor to play Pym to cut costs. Douglas doesn’t come cheap, and neither would making him look younger in each episode.

Are you sick of all the Ant-Man trailers and TV spots spoiling key parts of the movie? If so, you're probably going to love this brand new marketing bit for the blockbuster, as it not only doesn't feature any spoilers, but actually doesn't even bother showing off any footage. Check it out below, and prepare to both laugh and say, "What the fuck?"

This new trailer was posted by Walt Disney Studios' official Facebook page, and it kind of exists beyond explanation. Somebody thought it a perfect idea to get Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas together on a strange set, have them start snapping/clapping/hitting themselves, and start chanting about ants. And I, for one, am a big fan of the final product.

Beyond the reasons why this exists, or how anyone in the marketing department actually got this made, I'm curious as to exactly where this shot is being filmed. It's certainly not a set from the actual production of the movie, and the details of it are incredibly strange, from all of the light bulbs hanging from the ceiling to what looks like strange farm equipment on a shelf in the back.

To return to the point that I was making at the start of this article, I'll fully admit that this is now my favorite trailer for Ant-Man. During the final stage of a movie's pre-release marketing, so much of what is shown in ads is either incredibly repetitive or - as Ant-Man has done repeatedly - increasingly spoiler-y. This spot is neither of those things, and has the bonus of being brief yet very enjoyable. The new Peyton Reed-directed movie is arguably the oddest that Marvel Studios has released yet, and it feels like this TV spot was made in spirit of that idea.

Really, the marketing for Ant-Man has done all that it can by this point. Professional reviews are everywhere, and the movie is now out in theaters around the world - and performing rather well so far (international numbers have it at $114 million gross after its first three days). Buzz on the film has been positive, so we'll see how well it continues to do as the summer weeks continue and more big studio films start to arrive in theaters. You should definitely stay tuned in the next few days, as we have plenty more interesting coverage of the comic book movie from the filmmakers and stars coming your way!

Michael Douglas has had a long, illustrious career on screen. With prime roles and strong performances dating back to the 1960s, it would be easy to attribute this success to hard work, dedication to craft, or even being born into the business, but he credits something else: his big ol’ penis.

According to Page Six, at a party for his latest cinematic endeavor, as Hank Pym in Marvel’s upcoming Ant-Man, Douglas fielded an off-the-cuff question about the key to his superstardom. An interviewer from Vanity Fair noted that the recently deceased Omar Sharif was known for a gap in his teeth, while Douglas’ own father, legendary actor Kirk Douglas, was practically synonymous with his prominent cleft chin. Douglas wasted no time giving credit where credit is due, replying with:

And then he simply walked into the crowd and melted away.

Seriously, after you deliver an on-point reply like that, you don’t need to say another damn word. This is like Michael Douglas’ version of dropping the mic, and even though he’s talking about his own genitals, there’s still something classy and almost elegant about his response. That probably has to do more with Douglas and how we imagine he delivered this quip than the actual subject matter, but we can’t be entirely certain. You also have to wonder just how he used this…ahem...particular tool to achieve his superstardom, but perhaps it just serves as a source of confidence, something he can turn to in moments of insecurity.

When Ant-Man hits the screen this weekend, the tale of Marvel’s tiniest superhero (played by Paul Rudd) will likely introduce Douglas to a whole different demographic that he is likely use to. Which is awesome, we need more badass older gentlemen actors on screen, and he’s kind of following in Robert Redford’s footsteps, as the Sundance Film Festival founder and legendary actor also appeared in a recent Marvel joint, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. (Now if they could only cobble together a few more good roles for women.)

In Ant-Man, Douglas plays Hank Pym, a scientist who enlists the help of skilled, notorious thief, Scott Lang (Rudd), to help him retrieve some valuable technology he invented. His work has fallen into the wrong hands, and Pym is afraid that the results could be disastrous to the fate of the world. So, you know, no stakes or anything like that.

While we know that we’ll be seeing more of Ant-Man next year in the superhero-laden Captain America: Civil War, we don’t know when, or even if, we’ll see Michael Douglas and his huge penis again in a Marvel movie. Fingers crossed folks.

Go see Ant-Man when it hits theaters tomorrow, Friday, July 17.

Ant-Man not only marks the debut of Marvel’s tiniest superhero on the big screen, it’s also the first time stars Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas worked together. Understandably honored to be working with a legend, Rudd has gone on record saying that he still tried to be himself around Douglas. This resulted in a number of shenanigans behind the scenes, including that time Rudd pulled his penis out while Douglas was filming a scene. Well, he tried to anyway. Sorry, let’s provide some context to this situation.

The Anchorman actor set the stage of this story last night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon by mentioning that it took place on Douglas’ last day of filming during one of his close-ups. Wanting to have one last bit of fun, Rudd tried to "Basic Instinct" Douglas, referring to Sharon Stone’s infamous scene in the 1992 thriller when she crossed her legs in a tight white dress and flashed her vagina to Douglas’ character. Arriving onto the set wearing a T-shirt and jeans, Rudd ditched the pants and sat down, and using his shirt to cover his junk, planned on doing his own leg cross off camera while Douglas delivered his lines. Unfortunately for Rudd, things didn’t work out as planned.

Rudd realized that as he sat down, the waistband of his boxers were going push "everything" back up. This forced the comedic performer to pull his shirt down and try to get the goods out while Douglas recited lines. Rudd admits he should have stopped at that point, because the end result was it looking like he was pleasuring himself to Michael Douglas giving a monologue. Douglas then looked over and bluntly asked, "What are you, a fucking pervert?" Rudd explained what he had been trying to do, and Douglas simply responded, "Oh, okay."

Way to take that in stride, Michael Douglas. The actor doesn’t seem like the type that frazzles easily, and with Basic Instinct being 23-years-old, he’s likely seen some weird stuff in reference to that scene. That said, if Rudd tried to pull that stunt at the start of the Ant-Man shoot, Douglas would likely have been more freaked out and had a private word with director Peyton Reed about his costar’s behavior.

You can watch Rudd tell the story for himself, body movements and all, in the clip below.

While Ant-Man (most likely) won’t feature Scott Lang flashing Hank Pym, you can see Rudd and Douglas together when the film hits theaters on Friday.

With a long career, Michael Douglas certainly knows what it takes to carry oneself as a leading actor. Yet, from the perspective as a sage, 70-year-old, second-generation star, he’s noticed a disturbing trend among the latest generation of American actors, particularly the males, that hinders them from reaching their full potential as performers: obsessive image consciousness.

In an interview with The U.K.’s The Independent, Douglas assails the common attribute of narcissism amongst the new crop of American actors. While it may sound like a time-honored tongue-lashing from an elder against the capricious ways of whippersnappers, the Ant-Man star seems to believe that attitudes have become insidious to not only the masculinity of American male leads, but has detrimentally affected the quality and number of projects that get greenlit. According to Douglas:

Douglas makes a direct (albeit generalizing) comparison of young actors in America with those in Britain, who seem to have a more expressed interest in the art of acting, showing serious commitment to the craft. However, when it comes to young American actors, Douglas believes that the increasing superficiality in American culture, magnified by the habitual practice seeking validation on social media, have created an unfortunate degradation in the not just the quality of performers that the current generation has yielded, but also a decline in larger-than-life masculine personalities. He cites the increasing array of Australian leading men as having filled this gap. As Douglas further explains:

According to Douglas, the widespread insecurities and increasing loss of focus among young American talent have taken their toll at the box office, creating quite a deficit of bankable leading men to take the place of the aging predecessors. Consequently, it is his belief that this continues to turn audiences away from the big screen to focus instead on the small one. With the quality of television probably being the highest it has ever been, with streaming technology making it unprecedentedly accessible, Douglas believes that this continues to shift some of the industry’s best creative talent away from short-sighted film studios to the realm of television. This very idea echoes the recent lament of another iconic actor, Dustin Hoffman, who, in a recent rant, also implies that the film industry is at a creative nadir with momentum shifting to the TV.

Whether or not the actual reasons that Douglas cited are valid, the proverbial passing of the baton from one generation of American-made superstars to the next has, barring a few obvious exceptions, mostly hit a mainstream deficit. It could very well be attributed to the increasing alienation of the general public from the personalities that Hollywood showcases. However, the cause may also lie with American society as a whole, who, as they become more interconnected in the social media age, also tend to withdraw to their interests, creating a cultural myopia that makes it difficult for new stars and properties to penetrate. The sea of sequels and reboots, lucrative as they may be, could very well be a testament to Douglas’ gripe.

In the meantime, you can witness Michael Douglas showing the newbies what’s what when he provides Paul Rudd with some stunning tech and worldly advice in Ant-Man when it hits theaters on July 17.