For some reason, Dungeons & Dragons seems to be one of those IPs Hollywood just doesn’t know what to do with. But, since the famous fantasy tabletop role-playing game is at an all-time cultural high, I’m not surprised there’s a few dice rolling from different studios. Netflix just officially joined the game, and I was not expecting this.

A New Dungeons & Dragons Projects Is In The Works

If all goes well with this new project, a live-action Dungeons & Dragons series will be streaming for those with a Netflix subscription in the near-ish future. Per Deadline, the streamer is working on one called Ravenloft from Hasbro and executive producer Alfonso Cuarón. (You know the guy who made Children of Men and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban).

Ravenloft takes after the D&D setting of the same name that’s steeped in gothic horror. It’s a realm shrouded in supernatural fog called “The Mists”. Ravenloft has a vampire realm, ancient mummy realm and mad science realm among other things. The series comes from John August, who long wrote screenplays for some of Tim Burton’s best films like Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie. The concept sounds pretty awesome, and like it could become a new fantasy obsession for fans of the genre.

What Does This Mean For The Other D&D Movie I Wanted?

The news comes about a month after CinemaBlend spoke to the writer/directors of the 2023 Dungeons & Dragons movie, Honor Among Thieves. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein’s film starring Chris Pine has been well-loved on streaming, but when it initially hit theaters it just didn’t make enough money. Here’s what Goldstein told me in July:

Goldstein called the sequel to Honor Among Thieves a “huge movie”, and after the first one made just $205 million worldwide against a reported $150 million production budget, they’d have to make the movie a lot cheaper this time around. While I think it’s possible that Hasbro could produce multiple D&D projects from different studios at the same time, I have a feeling this means that the company could be moving on from Paramount’s potential fantasy franchise.

Outside of this Ravenloft series, The Last Of Us’s Craig Mazin is also currently working on an HBO series for Baldur’s Gate. That series takes place in the Forgotten Realms setting of D&D and is one of the most exciting upcoming video game adaptations. Ravenloft is not what I imagined the next D&D project to be, but I have to say, it sounds very promising.

Over the past few years, Ryan Reynolds has become synonymous with playing the title character of the Deadpool franchise (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription). The threequel Deadpool & Wolverine broke records and became the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever. That project has since been dethroned by Christopher Nolan's movie The Odyssey, and now Reynolds has reacted to the book-to-screen adaptation dethroning his latest outing as Wade Wilson.

Folks who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will recall the humble beginnings of the Deadpool franchise, which got produced largely thanks to that leaked footage. It's now a beloved franchise, and Hugh Jackman's return as Wolverine for the threequel resulted in insane box office numbers. But The Odyssey has dethroned it as the highest-grossing R-rated film, and in a clip from Variety's Instagram, Reynolds was asked about that. He responded with:

It certainly sounds like the Green Lantern actor isn't too sore about how Deadpool & Wolverine was beaten out by Nolan's latest big-screen success. The Odyssey started raking in the dough immediately after being released, and it's continued for weeks, as folks clamor to see the epic drama in IMAX. And while Marvel movies are capable of making a ton of money, Nolan's reputation, the movie's great cast, and The Odyssey's reviews resulted in folks showing up at theaters in a major way.

While Ryan Reynolds is known for his quick wit and sense of humor, he got real about the importance of movies being on the big screen and performing during their theatrical runs. In the same interview, the 49-year-old actor went on to say:

He's not wrong. As much as streaming is popular and I love to watch movies from the comfort of my home, it doesn't compare to the theatrical experience. This is especially true for some of my favorite genres. The best horror movies are even more powerful with an audience full of people sharing the experience. The same can also be said for comedies, because what's more fun than being with a room full of people collectively laughing at the same joke?

Fingers crossed that Ryan Reynolds returns as Deadpool in upcoming Marvel movies soon, either with a fourth solo movie or in a crossover event like The Avengers. While his threequel is no longer the highest-grossing R-rated movie, smart money says his tenure as Wade Wilson is going to continue.

The Deadpool franchise is streaming on Disney+ now and The Odyssey is still in theaters as part of the 2026 movie release list.

How has it been ten years since 2016? Time sure does fly, doesn't it? This week's movie quiz is focused entirely on movies that celebrate their decade anniversary in 2026. From musicals to superhero films and more, 2016 had a lot to offer moviegoers. How many clues from the puzzle below can you solve?

Movie theater popcorn containers have gotten completely out of control, and I mean that as a compliment. We have shoved popcorn into sandworms, Ghostface heads and enough weird plastic monuments to turn concession stands into miniature Spirit Halloweens. Somehow, the 2026 movie release, Resident Evil, has found a way to make the trend grosser. This is easily the most disgusting popcorn bucket, and I need it immediately.

Regal revealed its collectible for Zach Cregger’s upcoming Resident Evil reboot in an Instagram post, and calling this thing a “popcorn bucket” is technically giving it the wrong medical chart. As you can see in the image below, it is an organ-transplant popcorn bag, designed to look like one of those insulated coolers used to transport something very important from one operating room to another. However, this one is full of popcorn. And a heart. Sort of.

The bag is green and black, with a white medical cross on the front and tiny warnings telling you to “Handle with Care,” “Keep Cool” and “Do Not Freeze.” Open the zipper, and you find a large popcorn nestled around what appears to be a bloody human heart.

Regal, naturally, leaned all the way into it, writing, “Need a transplant? We recommend this popcorn bag.” They also make one crucial clarification in the promotional image: “Heart not included.” Cowards. I have no practical reason to own an insulated organ transplant bag designed to carry movie theater popcorn. I am also positive I need one.

The theater chain's official promotion page confirms the container will be available at select theaters while supplies last. The chain is also offering a Raccoon City Refresher cocktail and an IMAX collectible ticket during opening weekend, but I’m sorry, those things are fighting for second place. The medical cooler has already won.

The design becomes even better once you know what Cregger’s movie is about. Sony describes the new Resident Evil as an original story centered on Bryan, a medical courier played by Austin Abrams. One routine delivery sends him outside the safe zone, where his night rapidly collapses into a fight for survival amid a horrifying outbreak.

So somebody did not merely say, “Resident Evil has gore. Put a heart in the popcorn.” The entire collectible is riffing on the main character’s job. That is the kind of deeply unnecessary thematic commitment I appreciate from movie merchandise.

Cregger is also an excellent filmmaker to get this treatment. After Barbarian and Weapons, he has already demonstrated a talent for taking something familiar and making it deeply unpleasant to look at. His Resident Evil is being pitched as a reinvention of Capcom’s horror franchise rather than another continuation of the previous films, with Austin Abrams joined by Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser. The movie is rated R for strong bloody violence, gore and language throughout, so the human-organ concession stand aesthetic seems appropriately restrained, if anything.

Resident Evil, which I have my money on as one of the best new horror movies of the year, hits theaters September 18, giving me just enough time to accept that I may soon be eating popcorn from medical equipment. Between that sentence and the fake heart, I realize I have done absolutely nothing to make this thing sound appealing. I still want it.

Nostalgia has been a powerful force in the entertainment world for years, leading to plenty of long-awaited sequels. Case in point: Practical Magic 2, a new book-to-screen adaptation featuring the beloved cast of the 1998 original (which is streaming with an HBO Max subscription). The Owens witches are back on the big screen to kick off spooky season, and Sandra Bullock's comment about why it's finally happening has me in my feels. Someone cue up "Coconut" by Harry Nilsson!

What we know about Practical Magic 2 has been limited, but that'll change when it finally hits theaters on September 10th. The movie wrapped last September, and with fans waiting nearly 30 years to catch up with the beloved characters. While speaking with her co-star Nicole Kidman for People, Bullock got real about what inspired this sequel, saying:

I'm not crying, you're crying. While the first Practical Magic movie was largely about romance and sisterhood, it's clear that the movie's leading ladies are approaching it with a different perspective after all these years. And Bullock's comment about the generation before her has me thinking about the matriarchs of my own family, including my grandmother who died just one week ago.

Despite our mothers and grandmothers taking care of us, they have their own feelings and hopes that us younger folks might not have considered. Bullock's comments about "longing" hit me right in the heart, and proved why now was the perfect time for a sequel.

In the same conversation, Nicole Kidman (who sometimes practices magic) also spoke about the way she and her onscreen sister are approaching Practical Magic 2. In her words:

While there will no doubt be plenty of witchcraft in Practical Magic 2, it sounds like Susanne Bier's movie will explore the Owens family dynamic in a way that seems super relatable. Each family has it own issues, and sometimes it can be difficult for generations to connect.

Three generations of Owens women will be taking center stage, and it seems like it'll be an emotional journey for moviegoers. I know that I was both touched and intrigued by the above comments. And after reading the above comments I'll definitely be bringing tissues to the theater.

Practical Magic 2 will hit theaters on September 10th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Now excuse me while I batch some midnight margaritas.

Spoilers ahead for Amazon's The Runner.

The streaming war has been going on for years now, and those with an Amazon Prime subscription were recently treated to Kevin Macdonald's The Runner. Gal Gadot spends basically the whole movie running, but her character Maia is secretly formulating a plan to try and dupe Damian Lewis' mysterious Caller and save her son. And the director spoke to CinemaBlend about how he set up the movie's epic conclusion.

The Runner was on the list of upcoming action movies before dropping on streaming this week, and the movie's finale is super satisfying. Namely because see that little move Maia made throughout its 84-minute runtime was setting up her master plan. As you can see in the above video, I asked Macdonald about this unique task, and he told me:

During the montage where Maia's plan comes together, suddenly a bunch of moments in the movie make much more sense. So when we briefly saw her with a tube of lipstick, she was actually writing instructions for London bystanders. And when it looked strange as she loaded her gun in the elevator, that's because the blue clip was actually full of blanks.

I loved seeing it all come together in The Runner's third act, which is why I had to ask Kevin Macdonald about the methodical way he shot and edited in the various hints. The Whitney filmmaker went on to tell me:

While The Runner is releasing at the same time as Alan Ritchson's Runner, smart money says that their third acts are going to play out very differently. Gal Gadot's new movie is a quick and easy watch from home, and its ending offers a big payoff, especially for those who have been watching the new Amazon flick closely.

As Macdonald went on to share, finding the right amount of shot to set up The Runner's big finale was a bit of a process. He shared more about what it took to land the plane, telling me:

Personally, I thought that this hard work paid off, and that the conclusion of the new Gal Gadot movie sticks the landing. And now that The Runner is available for everyone with a Prime Video subscription, we'll have to see if audiences agree.

The Runner is streaming now on Amazon as part of the 2026 movie release list. Gal Gadot has yet another action-heavy movie under her belt, and this one pushed her to the limit physically.

Sydney Sweeney has been all about her lingerie line Syrn lately, especially with her “Birthday Boobs” collection making its debut this month in celebration of her birthday. As the actress arrived in Italy for the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday, there were definitely elements of her outfit that suggested bedroom attire — particularly her lacy halter top — but her baggy shorts created a unique combination that I’m absolutely obsessed with.

While Sydney Sweeney doesn’t have any features planned for the 2026 movie calendar, she spent the summer in Australia filming Gundam, a live-action anime adaptation for Netflix. But she took some time away from the beaches, bikinis and Braun (boyfriend Scooter Braun, that is) to make an appearance in Venice on behalf of Armani Beauty. Check out this gorgeous outfit:

Sydney Sweeney showed a good bit of skin in her ruffled lace halter top, which covered her chest but little more with the see-through fabric. Hints of underboob peeked out from behind the nude fabric, while her midsection was left mostly bare. The top formed a diamond shape, as the lace wrapped behind her neck and fell to a point at her belly button.

It’s not rare to see Sydney Sweeney in such a sexy, feminine top, but she really proved why she’s such a big name in celebrity fashion by how she paired it with baggy Bermuda shorts.

The khaki shorts were tied at the waist with a thick belt, both of which matched the color of her halter top exactly, as they came all the way down to her knees. I wouldn’t have thought the sheer, ruffled top would pair so perfectly with the casual pants, but the actress easily pulls it off.

She kept the nude theme going with clear open-toed heels, and she carried a small Fendi purse, accessorizing with sleek rectangle-framed sunglasses and diamond stud earrings.

Sydney Sweeney has been bringing low-rise jeans back lately in her partnership with American Eagle, so these Bermuda shorts are perfectly on brand with the other midriff-baring looks she’s been serving.

What else is on brand about her Venice Film Festival look? Showing skin, and lots of it. Sydney Sweeney’s viral lingerie line Syrn sold out quickly at first, but reports have indicated the excitement surrounding the brand hasn’t sustained. That can’t be for lack of effort on Sweeney’s part, because her Instagram page is filled with pics of her rocking the alluring items.

She’s also notably been using her platform for a good cause. Last month, Sydney Sweeney donated profits from her “Do What Makes You Naked” campaign to help with the wildfires in Spokane, Washington.

I’ve got a feeling the amazing combination that Sydney Sweeney showed off in Venice isn’t the only jaw-dropping fashion moment she’ll provide during the film festival. We’ll definitely be keeping our eyes open for the next show-stopping look.

Jennifer Aniston has probably been asked for life advice more times than she can count. She has spent more than three decades in Hollywood, survived the kind of tabloid attention that would probably make most people throw their phones into the ocean, and remains a television legend. Still, when somebody recently asked for the best advice she could offer, she reached for somebody else’s words. Of course, she quoted the late, great Dolly Parton.

During a Q&A session after a 92Y interview with her boyfriend Jim Curtis about his new book, the questions turned to Aniston, who was asked for the best advice she could offer. She reached for the words of her late friend Dolly Parton. In a clip shared on Instagram by journalist Kelly Allen, the Friends alum reflected on the country legend’s seemingly endless supply of memorable quotes before settling on one that has clearly stuck with her. She said:

That is some extremely on-brand Dolly Parton advice, and it comes from her song "Try," where she sings, "I've chased after rainbows, I've captured one or two." Given her blue-collar background, of course there is ambition in the advice, but also the acknowledgment that you are not going to catch every rainbow you chase. The country music legend certainly chased enough of them. She grew up in poverty in Tennessee and eventually became one of the biggest songwriters and entertainers in the world, while building Dollywood and the Imagination Library along the way.

The quote also carries considerably more weight now. The Steel Magnolias star died August 25 at the age of 80, and Aniston’s comments came a little more than a week later. She told the audience that “we’re all in post-Parton,” before passing along the advice. That is a rough phrase, “post-Parton.” I’m still getting used to it myself.

The longtime sitcom staple was hardly quoting a celebrity she admired from afar. The two actually worked together on 2018’s Dumplin’, a movie streaming with a Netflix subscription, that the NBC veteran starred in and produced.

The “I Will Always Love You” songwriter wrote six original songs for the soundtrack with Linda Perry and re-recorded several older favorites. She even managed to get the Office Space veteran and Danielle Macdonald into the recording booth for “Push and Pull,” despite both actresses initially protesting that they were not singers. The late music icon’s response was basically that she did not care. They were singing anyway.

Aniston was already a serious fan before making the movie. She had even named one of her dogs Dolly Parton. Their first meeting took place over dinner at The Morning Show actress’s home, where the actual Dolly reportedly asked if she could meet her canine namesake.

Their connection has circled back around again recently through Aniston’s planned 9 to 5 remake. She is producing the project through Echo Films, with Diablo Cody writing the screenplay. Before her death, the Theme Park Hall of Fame inductee had read the script and publicly supported the new take on the 1980 workplace comedy in which she starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.

So when Aniston was suddenly put on the spot and asked to offer the best advice she had, it makes sense that Dolly came to mind.

We're getting deeper into the newly formed DCU, which co-CEO James Gunn has methodically crafted. The latest installment from phase one, aka Gods and Monsters, is the Lanterns series, which is available on HBO (and streaming with an HBO Max subscription). The Green Lantern Corps is back on our screens, but would Ryan Reynolds ever return to the franchise? Here's what the actor recently said, including the potential to cameo in the DC series.

What we know about Lanterns has been limited, but we're already a few episodes into this wild new series. Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern movie was a notorious flop, but it's come back up thanks to the HBO series. In a clip from ET's TikTok, the Deadpool star was asked if he's going to make a cameo in Lanterns, to which he said:

Despite how Deadpool 2 joked about Green Lantern, and the countless times Reynolds has poked fun at it over the years, it's interesting to hear the silver lining about the actor/writer's experience. While the movie was not a success, it was clearly a good learning experience, and he even admits that he owes a lot to the DC blockbuster.

While Ryan Reynolds seems like he'd be down to cameo in Lanterns, it seems unlikely that it'll happen in the show's first season. Either that or he's really good at keeping secrets. Superhero actors are known for this; just look at how Andrew Garfield lied about his Spider-Man: No Way Home role ahead of its release.

Obviously, Reynolds wouldn't be able to play Hal Jordan on Lanterns, that role is being played by Kyle Chandler. But maybe he could be a fan on Earth, or even voice one of the alien members of the Green Lantern Corps. if they ever show up. Right now the show has mostly been a detective series that happens to feature a superhero or two.

Despite focusing on the same intergalactic law enforcement group, the Green Lantern movie and Lanterns couldn't feel more different. The series is less of a traditional superhero story and more of a gritty and realistic crime drama. It feels more like showrunner Chris Mundy's other shows like Ozark, but with a comic book twist. We'll just have to see if the story gets more cosmic as time goes on.

Lanterns airs new episodes on Sundays on HBO as part of the 2026 TV schedule. The streaming service is also the home of the Green Lantern movie and all things DC.

While George Clooney is considered one of Hollywood’s finest, he and his wife Amal Clooney don’t live a Hollywood lifestyle. Instead, the couple remains rather private and primarily resides in the south of France. The pair made a high-profile return to the spotlight on Wednesday when they made a grand entrance at the Venice Film Festival. While there, the Ocean’s Eleven star made new comments on his own wedding that was held in the Floating City almost 12 years ago.

The Clooneys are at the prestigious film festival because the actor, who turned 65 in May, is being honored with a lifetime achievement award called the Golden Lion. After landing in the Italian city, the actor/producer was asked about his “favorite memory” in Venice, and he said this:

Ah yes, George Clooney’s specific brand of charismatic sarcasm was definitely at that press conference (via People). He joked that he’d had to call his wedding day the best day in Venice, Italy, he’s ever had or he’d be in “a lot of trouble,” but I’m willing to bet he was being sincere.

George and Amal seem to be having a blissful marriage since they tied the knot there in 2014. The actor has even said before that he thinks he married up, and “everyone” says the same thing about their pairing.

George and Amal met in 2013 through a mutual friend. The Academy Award winner proposed to the human rights lawyer just six months later. They were wed on September 27, 2014, and celebrated with a four-day multi-party wedding spectacular with high-profile guests like Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Anna Wintour and Brad Pitt.

Here’s the couple during their civil ceremony at the Canal Grande back then:

The couple has since welcomed two children together, Alexander and Ella, twins who were born in June 2017. Amal Clooney has been open before about how her husband stepped up when they became parents, too. George Clooney has been stepping back a bit more from his career to help raise their kids as well.

The Golden Lion has previously been awarded to legends like Orson Welles, Charlie Chaplin, Steven Spielberg, Al Pacino, Clint Eastwood, Tim Burton, Jane Fonda and Julie Andrews. As George Clooney looks back at fond memories in Venice, Italy, I imagine the one he's about to make at this year’s Venice Film Festival will stick with him (but not top his wedding).

With Sunrise on the Reaping on the horizon, I mean, the 2026 movie schedule, I decided it was time to rewatch all The Hunger Games movies for the first time in years. I’m not kidding, the last time I saw them was when they were in theaters, and I was a teenager. So, obviously my reaction to these films has changed dramatically, and I’ve developed a passionate and new appreciation for one performance in particular.

Josh Hutcherson Blew Me Away In All Four Hunger Games Movies

Now, I thought Josh Hutcherson was great as Peeta when I watched these movies back in the day. However, on this rewatch, I realized just how tough his character is to play. He has to be the innocent team member of Katniss in the first one. Then, as the story goes on, he turns into someone who understands and can manipulate the games, but is in love with Katniss, and then eventually he's the tortured and brainwashed guy who was taken by the Capitol.

I was particularly blown away by Hutcherson’s performances in Catching Fire and the Mockingjay movies. In the sequel, he’s playing up a narrative with Katniss that gets the Capitol on their side, and it’s brilliant. However, he's not being showboat-y; he's able to genuinely sell the narrative about him and Katniss to the Capitol while also maintaining a genuine relationship with her. That's clear in the movies because of Hutcherson's nuanced expressions.

Then, in the following films, after Peeta is taken, it’s painful to see him struggle between his brainwashed self and the Peeta we know and love.

Hutcherson beautifully performs all of this, and it’s done with a level of nuance that makes it clear that Peeta is quietly intelligent. He’s not boasting about his knowledge of the games and the way he can manipulate the Capitol. He’s showing us he can do it, in a way that tells the viewers he’s achieving what he wants to while also making sure the Capitol doesn’t notice. Truly, his story and Hutcherson’s performance of are brilliant.

I Can’t Believe I Didn’t Realize How Nuanced His Performance Was Until Now

So, I have to confess, I was always Team Peeta and had a crush on Josh Hutcherson during my early teen years. Therefore, I always adored this character. I always felt for him and everything he went through, and I was very invested in his relationship with Katniss.

However, I don’t think I ever fully comprehended how tortured Peeta was this whole time, and how courageously he fought through everything.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve developed a far more nuanced understanding of what The Hunger Games is trying to tell us. Its commentary on corrupt governments, the power of a narrative, and the manipulation that comes with all of it is pungent. However, it’s not something I could fully grasp as a 13-year-old.

I got it this time, though, and it was through this rewatch and Josh Hutcherson’s performance that I really comprehended how savvy Peeta was about all this, despite the fact that he also genuinely loved Katniss. So, watching him go through with these plans to keep her alive, even though he clearly knew it’d go against what he really wanted, hit really hard. And overall, that just made this whole story even better and more painful (which I use as a compliment).

Now, if you’d like to give Josh Hutcherson his flowers, you can see him as Peeta in all four Hunger Games movies with a Netflix subscription, or in theaters this week when all five previous films in the franchise will see a limited re-release. You might even be able to see him return as Peeta later this year, because he’s rumored to be in the book-to-screen adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping.

With the upcoming video game adaptation of Street Fighter, 2026 will hopefully continue its pretty decent game-to-feature run. The latest trailer from Paramount Pictures dropped this week, with new footage galore, and it completely leans into the unbelievable nature of the game's physics and fighting styles. Which is really all anyone should want from an upcoming action movie like this, right? (I mean, there are some movie-related concerns to have, but still.)

Amidst all the ridiculous carnage on display is one of my favorite attacks from the games, which is fun to see. But there's something we didn't see that I also want to talk about. But first, the Street Fighter trailer!

Now put those hands together for the arrival of a classic Street Fighter mega-combo

E. Honda Coming In Hot And Hand-Slap Heavy

Of all the unique moves available to utilize in the Street Fighter franchise, one of the most visually appealing and patently impossible is E. Honda's Hundred Hand Slap, which gloriously makes an appearance in the trailer above within the bathhouse setting from the game. We don't get to see all 100 slaps, or even 80 or 60. But I'm hoping the full movie will deliver on that front.

Not that I'd expect Hirooki Goto's character to get all of those punches off on Andrew Koji's Ryu and taking the protagonist down. Especially not in the trailer. But maybe he can bring all that belly-slapping mayhem to another lower-tiered fighter.

E(xtra) kudos to the trailer also giving fans E. Honda's Super Zutsuki, or flying headbutt, which is on pretty much the same level of believability as his other specialty move. But it still looks cool.

Why Haven't We Seen Guile's Sonic Boom Or Anything Beyond Quips?

Pro wrestling superstar Cody Rhodes felt like the perfect casting for Guile right out of the gate, and seeing him rocking that massive blond hairdo in the trailers has only helped strengthen that assumption. But while just about every other fan-favorite Street Fighter character's signature move has been revealed in one way or another, we have yet to see Guile's Sonic Boom or his Flash kick. Or any fighting from him, really.

Considering that Rhodes is the one person in the cast who fights on screen for a living outside of Hollywood, I kinda figured the early previews would lean hard into his physicality. Instead, though, Guile's biggest trailer pops are from his quips. And don't get me wrong, I did indeed chuckle hearing him criticize another character's haircut, and Rhodes' mic skills are always on point. But it's not like being funny is core to this character's appeal. SHOW ME THE SONIC BOOM!

Even if they don't show it, at least let me hear the "Sonic boom!" from the games. Just give me that, and I can make it through the rest of the week no problem.

Street Fighter will join other upcoming 2026 movies when it hits (or belly-slaps) theaters on October 16, 2026.

Godzilla Minus One reminded me that Godzilla does not need to be the size of a skyscraper district for the kaiju to be terrifying. Takashi Yamazaki made his monster feel enormous because the humans underneath him felt small, vulnerable and genuinely worth caring about. So, when Godzilla Minus Zero was announced, my biggest question was how Yamazaki planned to make that same monster scary again after we already survived him once. Apparently, the answer is not simply making him bigger.

While discussing the 2026 movie release with ScreenRant, Yamazaki explained that he has tweaked Godzilla's appearance to reflect the heightened sense of "terror" he aims to convey this time around. Better yet, he seems determined to resist the usual sequel instinct of turning the monster into Godzilla 2.0 with bigger stats and a shinier heat ray. Yamazaki said:

“Pointier, spikier, and edgier” is speaking my language. The director also confirmed that the returning monster has not suddenly doubled in size or developed some absurd new collection of abilities. In fact, this Godzilla is intentionally pretty close to the creature we saw demolishing postwar Japan in Minus One. The filmmaker continued:

What a great answer. One of the easiest traps for a monster movie sequel is escalation for escalation's sake. Wasn't Godzilla 164 feet tall in the last film? Fine, make him 300 feet tall and give him laser eyes. Eventually, you are comparing kaiju like Pokémon cards instead of being afraid of them. Yamazaki seems interested in a much meaner idea.

The end of Minus One saw Godzilla destroyed after Kōichi Shikishima and the civilian fleet pulled off their desperate attack. The final moments, however, showed a piece of the creature beginning to regenerate.

Minus Zero picks up in 1949, two years after those events, with Japan finally beginning to reclaim some semblance of normal life before the monster comes stomping back into it. Yamazaki explained why that return matters more to him than a conventional power upgrade:

Imagine surviving Godzilla. You rebuild your home, your family starts moving forward and Japan itself begins recovering from the war. Then somebody looks toward the water and realizes the impossible thing you nearly died trying to defeat has simply grown back. As someone who has seen every Godzilla movie from every era, that kind of thoughtfulness is a big part of why Minus One is my all-time favorite Godzilla movie. At this point, the only movie I can realistically see knocking it out of the top spot is Minus Zero.

Pure terror, befitting the best horror movies. It also feels perfectly in step with what made Minus One work. Yamazaki treated Godzilla as more of a walking trauma than a giant action figure. Bringing him back without dramatically increasing his power means the threat can stay personal. The nightmare itself is enough.

Yamazaki is not only returning as director but also as writer and VFX supervisor, with Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe also reprising their roles. The sequel is also the first Japanese production filmed for IMAX, which should make those new spikes particularly unpleasant when the King of the Monsters is towering several stories above my seat.

Godzilla Minus Zero hits North American theaters on Nov. 6. You can also revisit the first movie, which is streaming with a Netflix subscription.

We haven’t seen the last of Robert Pattinson in 2026, as he has two more movies heading to the box office. One of which is Primetime, which has the actor stepping into the shoes of To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen. And for him, the biggest challenge was capturing the host’s accent. Pattison recently reveals how he learned to get Hansen’s accent just right for the new drama.

The series hosted by Hansen had volunteers go undercover in chatrooms as minors to flush out adults trying to set up illicit meetings. The premise sounds insane, and by the looks of the bonkers trailer, the upcoming movie seems to capture that exact feeling. In it, we also get to check out the British actor’s midwestern accent deliver Hansen’s iconic line, “You know how this looks, right?" But getting it to sound right took a lot of work, and may have left some people confused. Pattinson shared with GQ about what it took perfect the voice. He explained:

Pattionson’s dedication to roles is one of the reasons he has gotten a lot of gigs lately, with The Odyssey still in theaters and Dune: Part Three coming out December 18th. Having four movies may up his Oscar chances this year, especially given the more dramatic material of Primetime. The actor has spoken fondly of the movie and how much effort has gone into it as a passion project. He explained:

To Catch a Predator got its start with “Dangerous Web” segments that Hansen hosted for Dateline. And the upcoming movie seems to focus on these origins. Pattinson has called the script, “really unusual and kind of audacious,” which to me, perfectly describes the source series that lured predators into being filmed.

Not surprisingly, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen someone tackle the origins of Hansen’s series. Last year, the documentary Predators was released, which dove into the rise and controversial fall of the series. It is unclear how much the upcoming thriller will delve into the various stings and controersies. However, we can most likely expect the subject matter to be uncomfortable when it hits the 2026 movie schedule on September 25 after it premieres in Venice. This will also be the second collaboration with A24 for Pattinson, who earlier this year was in the company’s controversial The Drama.

Acording to some reports, Hansen has been skeptical about the movie’s portrayal of him, calling out things he claims never happened. Though he does give credit to Pattinson for his voice work, calling his imitation of him pretty good.

At least even if Chris Hansen doesn’t like the movie after it’s released, Pattinson rest assured his accent is appreciated and his efforts haven't gone unnoticed.

Few upcoming 2026 movies have the hype going for them that Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday does, though I guess Secret Wars isn’t so far behind it. As news surfaces about the newest cast member to join the MCU, the latest Scarlet Witch reports point to the character being utilized as Doomsday reshoots are wrapping up. Of course, it’s not so cut and dry as “Elizabeth Olsen was clearly seen on set in costume,” because that would be too easy.

As it often goes with MCU hearsay, the latest rumor mill fodder came from online scoopers. Daniel Richtman (via Patreon) claims that the Russo brothers’ reshoots are completed, and that Scarlet Witch and Sue Storm are among the characters who were filmed. Meanwhile, on X, MyTimeToShineHello is saying that it was Elizabeth Olsen’s stunt double that was involved with the additional filming, and that it was for a post-credits sequence.

To be sure, even if these reports are true, it’s still unclear if this would be the only point in the film where Scarlet Witch appears, given Olsen’s unwavering stance that she knows nothing about her next MCU project. Despite other rumors claiming she’ll be a major villain for the Mutant Saga, and that she’s also supposed to be utilized for Secret Wars. Which brings me to this question…

What If Only Scarlet Witch, Not Elizabeth Olsen, Appears In Avengers: Doomsday?

Hear me out. What if it's both true that Scarlet Witch will appear in Doomsday and also that Olsen did not do any filming for the movie, and was purposefully kept out of the loop so that she wouldn't be lying about that when asked during interviews? It'd be the perfect crime. Well, no, not a crime, and not quite a diversion, but still sly and tricky.

In the first place, Olsen was revealed to be pregnant in June, and while that obviously wouldn't rule her out of filming anything, it does make it slightly less likely.

Additionally, I've previously shared my own conjecture that — based on rumors of Wanda being Doctor Doom's henchwitch — the character will be the one under the Latverian Witch mask, and that she was actually the one who appeared to Franklin in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Even if that second part isn't real, Scarlet Witch being masked until the very end would also be a way to have the character in the movie without the need for Olsen to be on the set.

My final totally-not-flimsy piece of circumstantial evidence is the fact that Agatha All Along alluded to Wanda's presence without the need to show her face. So it's not out of the question to think that the Doomsday post-credits scene could involve her being unmasked from behind, so that all audiences see is her long red hair as "proof."

What are we thinking? Am I way offbase? Do we think Olsen has just been lying and that Scarlet Witch is all over Doomsday? What about VisionQuest? [Brain glitches.] Everything is normal. Wanda is not in movies. Olsen is right all along. Continue. Continue. Have good day. [Brain glitches again.]

Check out Avengers: Doomsday in theaters on December 18, 2026.

Paramount wants to bring Star Trek back to theaters, and Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are working to make that happen. The Spider-Man writers are working hard on the new movie's script and will eventually direct it as well. They recently talked about their inspiration and name-dropped two Denzel Washington movies the script is inspired by. Needless to say, I'm ecstatic for this!

The duo spoke to Inverse about their Trek movie and how they'd like their movie to be compared to Training Day and Crimson Tide. It gives fans the best information yet about what this movie might be about, and how this adventure may involve The Federation and Starfleet.

What Crimson Tide And Training Day Have In Common, Besides Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington isn't the only connective tissue between Training Day and Crimson Tide, as both movies rely on the tense relationship between two individuals in which the stakes are high. Crimson Tide deals with a Captain and Executive Officer locked in conflict about launching a nuclear strike after receiving an incomplete message. In Training Day, a young cop spends 24 hours under the wing of a corrupt narcotics detective.

Both movies are centered on authoritarian jobs, in which there's a chain of command and high-pressure situations. It leads me to believe this upcoming Star Trek movie, for which a title has yet to be announced, will revolve around a character who has a superior officer with a stance they don't agree with. Both are great movies, and the stories behind them are equally as fascinating.

One controversial thing Star Trek fans will point out is that both movies feature law enforcement of some kind. While Starfleet does protect Federation planets, its primary purpose is exploration and defense. Look up any series with a Paramount+ subscription, and that much is clear, so I do wonder if Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are headed in a new direction with this story set far beyond the traditional Trek timelines.

Will Star Trek's New Movie Offer A Cynical Take On Starfleet?

Training Day is a movie that deals heavily in corruption, which makes me wonder, is this new Star Trek movie set to do the same? John Francis Daley offered a bit more on the subject in the interview and said the following:

This isn't anything entirely new to Star Trek, of course. Fans have seen traitors in Starfleet before, and the TOS episode "Balance of Terror" feels very similar to the plot of Crimson Tide. Both men, who claim fandom of the sci-fi franchise, likely know this, so no need to raise the pitchforks just yet.

There are a lot of eyes on this Trek movie, what with no active shows in production following a period in which there were two to three running at the same time. It feels as though Paramount Skydance is looking to reset things, at least on the movie side, and rather than embrace the Kelvin films, start fresh in a new direction under the guidance of some celebrated creatives.

We'll see if the effort pays off, and we're watching a new Star Trek movie in theaters here in the coming years. As someone who's seen a lot of these projects come and go over the years, I'm not holding my breath that it'll come out, but I'd love to see it happen, especially if Denzel Washington's films serve as a guiding light!

Ever since Obsession became one of the most talked about horror movies among 2026 releases, fans have been asking for it to be part of Halloween Horror Nights. And, Universal Studios made it happen for those visiting the Hollywood location this season as a roaming scare actor. As the theme park’s spooky event gets ready to open its doors this week, we have our first look at Nikki.

Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights event starts on Thursday, but team members got to experience it early already, and there were a lot of Nikki sightings. Check this out:

There she is! We knew already that we’d be getting Nikki from the Obsession ending, but now we can see the full vision come to life. The scare actor is wearing the same outfit Inde Navarrette’s character wears during the final scene when she has Sarah’s tattoos and her face is covered in blood. She’s holding a brick around, quoting lines from the movie, and even did the famous backwards walk. Here’s another sighting:

You can definitely tell these actresses really studied Inde Navarrette’s performance before going out there. The character’s presence at the event has been described as a Where’s Waldo situation, so fans are going to have to keep their eyes peeled for her. Here’s one more:

While Obsession definitely deserves its own house too, the truth is the movie came out just three months ago, and there wasn’t enough time for the Halloween Horror Nights team to make one that quick. But, cool is it that they found a way to give the movie a presence at the Universal Hollywood event? Oh, and there's also a snack called the One Wish Churro there too. It comes in a One Wish Willow box and is covered in chocolate cookie sugar.

Before it was announced Nikki from Obsession would be at the event, Inde Navarrette said getting to “do a couple days” where she’s Nikki at HHN would be a “dream” for her. The actress is a big fan of going to Horror Nights and said she goes “every year”. I wonder if she will reprise her character during HHN this year!

Outside of Obsession, tons of fan-favorite horror properties are at Universal Studios Hollywood this year. Sinners has its own house, along with there being one for the final season of Stranger Things, Hellraiser Evil Dead Burn and Art the Clown is taking over this year’s Horror Tram. CinemaBlend just went to Orlando’s version of the event, and we gave a glowing review for Hellraiser's house in particular.

Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights opens this Thursday and will continue through November 1. You can grab tickets at Universal Studios Hollywood’s website now.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for constantly expanding, with exciting titles arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that there have been a few struggles since Avengers: Endgame became the highest grossing movie of all time. Chief among them is Eternals, although I've been wondering if Kit Harington is ever going to return in upcoming Marvel movies. Someone recently asked the actor, and he had a refreshingly honest answer.

After its release Eternals got some backlash for its runtime and overstuffed cast. There hasn't been any news about a sequel, although the Eternals post-credits scene teased that Harington's Dane Whitman would eventually become Black Knight. During a clip from MovieWeb's Instagram, the actor was asked if he'll ever return to the MCU, responding with:

Well, that was pretty cut and dry. While the Game of Thrones actor would love to return as Dane Whitman in the MCU, he doesn't seem to think that's actually going to happen. So despite the set up of Dane using the Ebony Blade and becoming Black Knight, we might never actually see that pay off. Talk about a bummer.

Despite the movie ending with the message "Eternals will return" there's been no indication that the studio is actually moving forward with a sequel to Chloé Zhao's blockbuster. Harington's above comments certainly don't offer any encouragement to fans hoping for the story to continue on the big screen.

Even if Eternals' sequel wasn't happening, some fans held out hope that we would still see Kit Harington return as Dane in a future MCU project. After all, the credits scene featured a connection to Mahershala Ali's Blade, with that character heard in the sequence with the Ebony Blade. Although now that the Blade movie is seemingly dead, things aren't looking good for Harington's return.

While audiences didn't respond to Eternals, the fact that the movie hasn't really been addressed in the years that have followed is frustrating. While Captain America: Brave New World featured an arms war over Celestial Tiamut's body, we don't know what happened to the Eternals after they were taken away. What's more, we haven't seen Harry Styles return as Eros since his brief cameo.

The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is Avengers: Doomsday as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Kit Harington, he's kept busy on both TV and film, and was recently cast as Gilderoy Lockhart for Season 2 of the Harry Potter TV show.

While Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding was all the rage earlier this year, these days, I’m thinking about Harry Styles and Zoë Kravitz’s nuptials. The singer and actress are reportedly in the process of planning their wedding, and now an insider has revealed one major request the couple apparently has for their big day.

Even though both Styles and Kravitz are staying busy professionally, it would seem that personally they’re in the middle of planning their wedding. What exactly do they want at this event? Well, an insider told People that they allegedly want an “intimate” ceremony and then “big parties.” They also want live music, as the source claimed:

Well, I certainly think they can easily make this happen. Harry Styles is one of the biggest singers on the planet right now, and Zoë Kravitz’s dad, Lenny Kravitz, is a rock star. Between the two of them, I think it’d be pretty easy to secure some great live music for the wedding. I also think they could get famous musical friends to get up on stage and perform too. So, all around, having “live music” at a big party feels like a very attainable goal.

Overall, though, when it comes to this upcoming wedding, the couple are apparently feeling very chill about it, as the insider claimed:

All this comes a little over a year after rumors started spreading that the “American Girls” singer and The Batman actress were dating. Their engagement was then confirmed this April, and there have been photos of Zoë and her huge engagement ring. Overall, things are going well for them, and as they get ready to tie the knot, the insider claimed they are “such a strong unit,” and they noted that their “personalities and lifestyles match so well.”

With all that said, I hope we get to see photos of this ceremony and maybe a video of the live music. However, it’s unclear if that will happen (and obviously, if they want to keep it private, they should).

It’s also unclear when exactly this wedding will happen, because both entertainers are working. At the moment, Styles is very busy and in the middle of a 30-show residency at Madison Square Garden, which comes on the heels of the release of his album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. Meanwhile, Kravitz’s project on the 2026 movie schedule, How to Rob a Bank, is set to hit theaters on September 4. So, all around, this couple is working hard, and apparently working hard to plan their wedding too.

Adria Arjona is officially part of James Gunn’s growing DC Movie Universe, but good luck getting her to tell us who she is playing in her 2027 movie schedule debut. Despite months of fan theories and some pretty intense superhero training, the Andor star has managed to keep her Man of Tomorrow character under wraps. At this point, the secrecy is practically becoming its own supporting character. Arjona did, however, open up about what it was like stepping onto Gunn’s set again.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress explained that returning to work with Gunn and DC Studios co-head Peter Safran gave her something actors rarely have on the first day of a movie: familiarity. The three previously worked together on 2017’s The Belko Experiment, which Gunn wrote and produced alongside Safran. She explained:

That has to be particularly useful when your first day involves joining a new Superhero movie, especially one as anticipated as the next entry in the Superman series.

Arjona has credited Gunn and Safran with helping launch her movie career through The Belko Experiment, long before she became Bix Caleen in Andor or starred opposite Glen Powell in Hit Man. Now she is returning to that creative relationship on a considerably larger stage. She continued:

That sounds like a pretty nice way to enter a superhero franchise where half the internet is already trying to identify you from workout comments. The Morbius star has been remarkably good at keeping her character secret.

We know she trained extensively for Man of Tomorrow, previously revealing that she was working out two to three hours a day and developing muscles she had never had before. Naturally, that sent DC fans sprinting toward Wonder Woman theories and several other possibilities, none of which have been confirmed.

Gunn has already wrapped principal photography on Man of Tomorrow, so whatever the Hit Man actress did in the movie is safely tucked away somewhere on a Warner Bros. hard drive. At least we know plenty about the company she will be keeping. David Corenswet returns as Superman, Nicholas Hoult is back as Lex Luthor, and Lars Eidinger will play Brainiac. The story will force Superman and Luthor into an unlikely alliance against the new threat.

And somewhere in there is Adria Arjona, apparently very muscular and refusing to tell us why. Honestly, I respect the commitment to secrecy. I just wish it made me less curious.

Man of Tomorrow arrives in theaters July 9, 2027, giving DC fans plenty of time to continue guessing wildly until Arjona or Gunn finally decides to put us out of our misery. Until then, you can enjoy Superman (2025) streaming with an HBO Max subscription.

Over the past few years, we've seen some of Tom Cruise' best movies return to theater with long-awaited sequels. And after Top Gun: Maverick's record-breaking performance, he's bringing another Days of Thunder movie to life, with Anne Hathaway set to star alongside him. And the Mission: Impossible icon recently gushed about the Oscar-winning actress' talents ahead of filming.

Reactions have been rolling in about Anne Hathaway's casting, mostly fans wondering when the A-lister sleeps. Tom Cruise recently appeared on a clip from The Pat McAfee Show, and spoke about his future co-star's versatility as an actress. In his words:

Honestly, he's not wrong. Hathaway's work spans plenty of genres, including genre work, drama, and comedy. I usually say that she's never given a bad performance, and stand by that assessment of her work across the years. So even though she's got some big shoes to fill with Days of Thunder (namely Nicole Kidman), the Devil Wears Prada actress' talent speaks for itself.

It should be interesting to see what the long-awaited sequel brings to theaters, and if the new Days of Thunder is as successful as Tom Cruise's other recent movie blockbusters. Later in the same interview, he went on to speak about the quality of the movie, and what type of role Anne Hathaway will end up playing when it hits theaters in June of 2028. He offered:

I'm listening. While we won't see this movie for a few years, this is a fun tease about what the dynamic between Tom Cruise and Anne Hathaway's character might be like. While Cruise's Cole Trickle will be back as a NASCAR driver, Hathaway will be an engineer and business woman behind the sport. I have to summer that they might clash a bit, but only time will tell. Anne Hathaway is about to give birth, so I assume it might be a while before we get any concrete updates about the new Days of Thunder movie.

As previously mentioned, Cruise has been on a serious hot streak with his recent movie projects. Steven Spielberg credited him with saving the post-COVID film industry with Top Gun: Maverick, and the last two Mission: Impossible movies crushed, Additionally, there's a ton of hype around his mysterious upcoming movie Digger.

The new Days of Thunder is currently expected to hit theaters on Jun3 2nd, 2028. But first Cruise will return to theaters with Digger on October 2nd as part of the 2026 movie release list.

The fall season is typically a time at which people get scared of Michael Myers, not Mike Myers, but 2026 is different. Schools around the world are on high alert thanks to a viral trend that is centered around the live-action Cat In The Hat movie.

With just months to go until the animated Cat In The Hat movie arrives on the 2026 movie schedule, reports from USA Today and many other news outlets are detailing this TikTok trend that has spread from the United States all the way to Europe. As paranoia mounts in communities and the video continues to spread, here's what's going on so far.

What Is The Cat In The Hat Trend?

The trend started with a TikTok account (that is currently private), which featured videos of an AI-Generated image of a man dressed as Mike Myers' The Cat In The Hat in a basement dancing to creepy music. The videos are now in wide circulation, with people all around the world re-uploading it, but also adding cities local to their area or even the names of high schools. Here's an example:

The prank is spreading quickly and appears somewhat reminiscent of the trend of scary clowns appearing in public to disturb people. Unfortunately, it's quickly spiraled out of control, and it's led to real consequences that nearly aren't as enjoyable as the live-action movie.

Schools Have Closed And Arrests Have Been Made Worldwide, Thanks To The Cat In The Hat Trend

As mentioned, the trend is causing panic amongst school districts across the world, as police respond to copycats posting the video with the names of specific high schools or people. A Florida teen was arrested after posting a video about a Kentucky high school, and similar threats are under investigation in many other states.

Similar events are happening in Latin America and Europe, and they even prompted a response from Ireland's national police service. The department released the following statement on August 20th:

It may sound silly but, in decades past, we've learned about prolific serial killers who dressed up as clowns, and fall is also a time when imaginations can run wild due to watching some of the best horror movies. It's understandable there's panic tied to this, and it's reassuring to see that authorities around the globe are looking into those making threats.

This all may serve as a reminder to parents to talk to children about what they're sharing on social media, and the impact it could have on them. Of course, this also ties into a larger conversation about how aspects of pop culture can be altered to fit into a trend, for better and for worse. 2003's The Cat in the Hat (an adaptation of the Dr. Seuss story of the same name) does evoke nostalgia in some circles, but I'm not sure anyone could've expected it'd be linked to something like this.

We'll see how this saga plays out as more videos make rounds, and more communities are forced to respond. Admittedly, I'm wondering if someone in Hollywood is getting inspired to make a screenplay as we speak and maybe even writing a role with Mike Myers in mind.

Last September Practical Magic 2 wrapped production, and the movie is just days away from its wide theatrical release. The sequel came nearly three decade after the 1998 original (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription), with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock reprising their roles as the Owens sisters. But Evan Rachel Wood's Kylie was recast with Joey King, and the OG actress recently praised her while calling out the sequel's filmmakers.

King has been crushing the fashion game for Practical Magic 2's premieres, but it turns out that she's also connecting with her predecessor. Evan Rachel Wood took to her Instagram stories to reveal that she's been in contact with the Kissing Booth actress, posting:

Well, she certainly didn't mince her words. While the two actresses who portrayed Kylie Owens have been able to form a connection, Wood revealed that the folks behind Practical Magic 2 didn't give her the same courtesy. Despite how much she would have liked to reprise her role as an adult, the movie's filmmakers seemingly never even reached out to the Across the Universe actress to touch base about why they didn't bring her back.

The reason is likely the sequel's story, as Practical Magic 2 will feature Sally's daughters as college-aged young women. Still, Wood likely would have at least have heard from someone behind the sequel to explain why she wasn't asked to reprise her role. After all, she's still a successful actress, currently starring in FX's The Shards (streaming with a Hulu subscription).

During a clip from THR's Instagram, Joey King spoke about reaching out to Evan Rachel Wood, sharing:

How sweet is that? While the True Blood alum might not be happy with the people behind the camera, it's heartening to hear how she and Joey King connected over Practical Magic 2. They now share a role, and it sounds like they had a great conversation about the both the character and the franchise as a whole.

Later in the same interview, King went on to praise Wood's personality by saying:

I love this, and now I want to see these two actresses share the screen sometime in the future. They already have a connection, and seem to have great respect for the other's talents. So why not pair both Kylie Owen actresses? I'll do my own little spell to try and make it happen.

Practical Magic 2 hits theaters on September 10th as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Evan Rachel Wood, new episodes of The Shards air Wednesdays on FX and streaming on Hulu.

Ridley Scott has never exactly been shy about saying what he thinks. This is a filmmaker who will happily tell you which of his movies he dislikes, why your criticism is dead wrong and probably what he had for lunch while doing it. So, when a report claimed he privately blamed Gladiator II cast lead Paul Mescal for the film underperforming, the story sounded explosive enough to get attention fast. Now, Scott is speaking out about this rumor.

A report alleged that Scott blamed Mescal for the sequel’s box office performance and believed his leading man was not “masculine” enough. Following that, the filmmaker's camp issued a response to Entertainment Weekly, and it's a pretty unequivocal denial. The rep also pushed back on the suggestion that those feelings were behind the decision to replace the Gladiator II lead with Jacob Elordi in Scott's 2026 movie schedule release, The Dog Stars. The statement reads:

That explanation aligns with what Scott himself said before The Dog Stars ever started shooting. Mascal had originally been expected to reunite with the Alien director for the post-apocalyptic movie. Still, his schedule became considerably more crowded once he signed on to play Paul McCartney in Sam Mendes’ four-film Beatles project. During a Directors Guild of America event in late 2024, Scott said Mescal was “stacked up” with the Beatles movies and admitted he might have to let him go from The Dog Stars.

Gladiator II certainly had a complicated theatrical run. The sequel earned roughly $462 million worldwide, which sounds pretty healthy until you factor in reports that its production budget climbed north of $300 million before marketing. Mescal also faced the unenviable task of following Russell Crowe in a franchise where Crowe won an Oscar for playing Maximus. But Scott publicly backed the actor before the movie opened.

Speaking ahead of Gladiator II’s release, its director brushed aside doubts about casting his leading man and went so far as to say Mescal stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Crowe’s performance in the original. That is a pretty enthusiastic endorsement from a director not especially famous for wrapping his actors in bubble wrap.

There is also a slightly awkward wrinkle to the whole box office argument now. The latest book-to-screen adaptation from Scott, with Elordi in the role in question, opened to a disappointing $7.7 million domestically and roughly $19 million worldwide against a reported $70 million budget. That does not prove anything about why the Foe actor left, of course. Box office fortunes are far more nuanced than pinning success or failure on one actor.

For now, Scott’s side says there was no secret breakup with Mescal, no punishment over Gladiator II, and no last-minute banishment from The Dog Stars. Sometimes a scheduling conflict really may just be a scheduling conflict.

Ridley Scott's The Dog Stars is still playing in theaters, so be sure to check your local listings for showtimes. As for both Gladiator and Gladiator II, they are streamable with a Paramount+ subscription.

This has been a big year for Zendaya, and that’s not just because of the four high-profile titles she has on the 2026 movie schedule. Aside from being booked and busy, the beloved actress also just turned 30. That’s a major milestone to say the least, and it’s one that’s certainly worth celebrating. With that, the A-lister took to social media to commemorate the sweet moment in a nostalgic way. Not only that, but her post was followed by a wave of well wishes from stars like Dune co-star Jason Momoa and Natasha Lyonne.

Zendaya’s birthday is on September 1 and, on Tuesday, she took to social media to ring in another year of life. On Instagram, the Challengers star posted an adorable throwback photo of herself, which she’s known to do whenever she celebrates a birthday. She also included a sweet message as her caption, with which she thanked everyone “for making the last year of my twenties so beautiful”. She also talked about having “so much to be grateful for and so much to look forward to”. Check out the post:

I don’t know what I love more: Zendaya’s message or that cute photo of her as a child. She certainly does have a lot to be thankful for, and it’s lovely that she recognizes that she realizes that, as she enters a new chapter in her life. I also love that others are joining in the celebration as well, including both fans and celebrities. In addition to the aforementioned stars, see what some famous faces had to say about the Drama star’s big day:

• Jason Momoa: ❤️❤️❤️happy birthday Z
• Natasha Lyonne: 🎂✨🥳❤️
• Mia Goth: You are wonderful and deserve all the amazing things in life, happy birthday! 🙌
• Chloe Bailey: Happy birthday queen!! Love you sooo much!!!
• Ryan Destiny: Happy 30th beautiful girl!♥️
• Willow Smith: Goddess
• Octavia Spencer: Happy birthday!

The love is definitely palpable, and I’m so glad to see Zendaya get her flowers from her peers. And they – along with the fans – weren’t the only ones to send a tribute. The former Disney Channel star’s mother, Claire Stoermer, also shared a lovely post on Instagram, which included a vintage pic. Take a look:

Zendaya’s own post may poke a hole in her mom’s assertion that she’s left social media. However, she definitely doesn’t get on that often, and I’m not surprised, considering how busy she tends to be. The actress previously spoke about her 2025 work schedule, which involved simultaneously working on Euphoria, Dune: Part Three and The Odyssey. Her description of that is enough to make me feel exhausted, but I can’t argue with her hustle, especially when she’s picking such great roles.

Aside from her career, Zendaya also took a major step in her relationship with Tom Holland this year. It was reported months ago that she and Holland secretly married, though neither would confirm or deny that for months. However, Holland finally confirmed the news while explaining that his own grandmother was fooled by A.I.-generated photos of the event.

Between a fresh marriage, loving friends and family and a host of acting roles, I’d say that Zendaya is entering her 30s on a high note. I hope this new era is fruitful for her though, more immediately, I hope she’s had some time to kick back and celebrate her bday with those she loves.

It's an exciting time for fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order. While fans are looking forward o the release of Avengers: Doomsday, news about other upcoming Marvel movies have been trickling out. Case in point: the casting of Jake Schreier's X-Men movie, revealing the actors who will make up the beloved team of mutants. Broadway actress Maya Boyd will be portraying Storm in the highly anticipated blockbuster, and her recent IG Story post about her research is going to make the hardcore fans happy.

The X-Men were noticeably missing from the first few phases of the MCU, but once Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and its properties the doors were finally opened for the mutants to join the fun. The new movie will come out in 2028, with Boyd debuting as Storm in the process. She recently shared a fun image on her Instagram Story of her clutching Storm comics, which you can see below:

An Omega Level mutant has entered the chat, and clearly Boyd is going straight to the source material for her research. In this image we can see her clutching an armful of Storm comics, where her character Ororo Munroe was able to take center stage in her very own storyline. Of course, she's also got a long history as part of the X-Men comics. Still, the fact that the actress is going to the page will likely please the hardcore Marvel fans out there.

Maya Boyd has some big shoes to fill in the MCU movie, as folks already watched two different actresses play Storm in the X-Men movies. Obviously the first was Halle Berry, who some fans still want to see pop up in Avengers: Doomsday. Later Alexandra Shipp debuted as a younger Storm in Apocalypse, before reprising her role in Dark Phoenix.

Given the wild popularity of the mutants, The pressure is on for Boyd and the rest of the cast to play their roles in the new X-Men film. Luckily filmmaker Jake Schreier has already proven his ability to work on an ensemble Marvel movie, since he crushed it as the director of Thunderbolts* (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription). And he's assembled a killer cast to bring the long-awaited movie to life. Joining Boyd are Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, and Adam Driver as the villainous Mr. Sinister.

Hopefully this stellar group of actors get their nose in the comic book ahead of filming. Maya Boyd is leading by example here, and likely got some serious brownie points from Marvel fans out there. And I can't wait to see what she brings to the role.

The new X-Men movie is currently expected to arrive in theaters on May 5th, 2028. But first a handful of the OGs will reprise their signature characters in Avengers: Doomsday, which arrives December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list.

It’s been 14 years since the release of The Amazing Spider-Man, and Andrew Garfield’s career is still thriving. However, before he was cast as Peter Parker in his Spider-Man movies, his dream was to play the webslinger. So, after he did it, did he ever think about quitting acting? Well, he got candid about his outlook on his career and life after he played the iconic Marvel hero.

Now, this topic came up because Garfield was asked what his dream was 15 years ago by Variety. At that time, he was in the midst of making his first Spider-Man movie. And it was a childhood dream come true, as the Oscar nominee explained:

Andrew Garfield once told us that he’d dreamed of playing Spider-Man since he was 4 years old. So, obviously, being cast as Peter Parker was a very big achievement for him.

The Amazing Spider-Man came around about a decade into Garfield’s career. It was made right on the heels of The Social Network (which he should have gotten an Oscar nomination for), and these movies helped define his early career.

Now, it’s been over a decade since his Spider-Man movies were released, and five years since his cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home. He’s filled those years with other great projects (like Tick, Tick…Boom! and Hacksaw Ridge, for example) that have helped shape him into the actor he is today. But has he ever thought about leaving the craft behind? According to him, he thinks about it often:

Well, thinking about doing something and actually doing it are two very different things. While Garfield says he’s thought about stopping, he really isn’t slowing down. In fact, he has three releases on the 2026 movie schedule – The Magic Faraway Tree, which is already out, The Uprising, which premieres on September 11, and Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial, which will premiere at the New York Film Festival on October 5.

So, his Spider-Man years may be behind him, and his priorities may have changed; however, he’s still acting.

While I expect we’ll continue to see Garfield on our screens for years to come, I do wonder how his outlook on life will impact the projects he picks. He said these days he’s more focused on a “certain quality of life” and his relationship with his friends and family. I love that for him, and I cannot wait to see how it impacts his work.

That’s maybe looking too far into the future, though. If you want to see what Andrew Garfield is up to now, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to watch his work in theaters this fall. If you want to see his dream of playing Spider-Man come true, you can stream The Amazing Spider-Man with a Disney+ subscription.

For its 35th anniversary as the premiere theme park destination for gorehounds and horror nerds, Universal's Halloween Horror Nights has brought out the big claws. We've got the first Oscar-winning haunted house in Sinners, the fourth and final Stranger Things house (and water show), a tribute house for Ozzy Osbourne, and the first attraction devoted to Hellraiser, to name but a few. As you can probably tell from the headline and my constant wincing from the pins sticking out of my face, Hellraiser is going up on the pedestal.

As a huge fan of Clive Barker's stories and directorial debut (though a more passive fan for much of what came afterward), I was pumped to be invited to attend the opening night presentation and tour at Universal Orlando Resort. And I was even more pumped to discover just how much work went into designing it. To the point where I came away thinking it's the second-best representation of Barker's source material after his own movie.

Nothing Can Deliver The Hellraiser's Immersive Vibes Like HHN Does

To me, the majority of the Hellraiser movie sequels are still A+ for Cenobite iconography, but generally lack characters and narratives that give rewatches much value. While I haven't read them all, I have enjoyed several of the comic book series that have been released over the years from Epic Comics and Boom! Studios. (Including the one that just debuted ahead of HHN 35's kickoff, co-written by Clive Barker.)

But let's be real. This franchise is all about evoking utmost pleasures and abject pain, and it's not always easy to put movie audiences in that kind of headspace. I'm very optimistic that the upcoming video game Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival will do a good job on that front, but until that comes out, Halloween Horror Nights serves as a genuinely spooky and moody pinnacle of immersion. Helped along by Barker giving the design team some notes, as well as the vocal stylings of OG Pinhead actor Doug Bradley himself for all of the attraction's dialogue.

I won't got fully into everything that goes on, as not to spoil the metaphorical ride. That said, the house starts with a few sparse hallways that made me question any seemingly wasted space, but then opens up with a giant puzzle box opened up for fans to walk into, and there are such sights to behold in there. As well as lots of swinging chains to get smacked with, while marveling at fake blood and viscera having a texture without being sticky and gross.

It Takes Fans Into The Lament Configuration Instead Of Mirroring Exact Movie Plots

Like movie sequels, Halloween Horror Nights' haunted houses often represent licensed movies and TV series with a near-sequential order of familiar events that characters go through. Which is totally understandable, since that's how storytelling works. But instead of going through all the motions of 1987's Hellraiser or truncating sequences from the entire 11-film franchise, it essentially feels like a greatest-hits mix of locations and monsters, of ecstasy and torment, of life and death.

And oh man, SO MANY CENOBITES. Lots of Pinheads pop up throughout, putting Doug Bradley's voice to great use, but it's absolutely just as fun and frightening to have Female Cenobites, Chatterers, and Butterballs jumping out in the midst of the house's labyrinth. Excellent costumes as well.

Hellraiser Is Now In My Top 5 Haunted Houses Of All Time

I can't pretend to be some kind of HHN expert or anything, as this year marked only my fourth time attending the event. And I also haven't been privileged enough to attend haunted houses spread across the country. But I've been to a bunch, so there's definitely competition to be had on that front. And from both an IP fan-perspective and an overall quality perspective, I feel confident putting Hellraiser's HHN 35 house among my five all-time favorites.

The practical effects and prosthetics, the house design, the lighting effects and other tech, the costumes , and the scare actors all worked in tandem to deliver a uniquely scary experience. Though the only real Hell involved was seeing the Exit sign.

Halloween Horror Nights 35 is currently taking place on weekends and select weeknights from now through November 1, with other houses based on Evil Dead Burn, as well as a co-op house between event Icons Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow. Check Universal Orlando Resort's site for dates and ticket prices.

Looney Tunes fans have had reason to celebrate as of late, given the long-awaited release of Coyote vs. Acme. The had an impressive box office debut and was met with critical acclaim this past weekend, and that’s particularly gratifying when considering its road to the cinema. Warner Bros. was set on shelving the film for financial reasons before Ketchup Entertainment acquired it. Now, with the legal comedy having seen the light of day and found success, the director of another scrapped movie is seeking support.

Back in 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed it wouldn’t release a few titles in favor of tax write-offs, with one of those being the much-discussed Batgirl movie. The other film was Scoob! Holiday Haunt, a Christmas-themed prequel to 2020’s Scoob!. Many have since spoken out in opposition to the media conglomerate’s decision to put the animated film on ice. Co-director Michael Kurinsky recently stoked up those feelings yet again by taking to Instagram to share a message in the aftermath of Coyote vs. Acme’s release:

Kurinsky’s post also includes a still from Holiday Haunt, which shows the young Mystery Inc. members, including that lovable pup known as Scooby-Doo. Per what’s known about the movie, it sees young Shaggy Rogers celebrating Scooby’s first Christmas at a holiday-themed resort with the gang. The festivities are interrupted by the presence of a supernatural force, leading the kid sleuths to investigate. It’s a fun premise, which admittedly makes the film’s shelving that much more of a tough notion to fathom.

Co-directed by Kurinsky and Bill Haler, Scoob! Holiday Haunt was announced in 2021 and was meant to be released on HBO Max (then known as Max) in December 2022. WBD’s reason for cutting the movie not only stemmed from cost-cutting initiatives but also a content strategy shift. At the time, the company sought to prioritize theatrical releases in the wake of the COVID pandemic as opposed to streaming offerings. Despite the movie's release being canceled, production was still completed in 2022, with the Scoob! offshoot’s score even being recorded.

In terms of Coyote vs. Acme, that film became a topic of discussion in 2023, at which point Warner announced it would become a $30 million tax write-off. Fans subsequently expressed disapproval and, at the same time WBD sought to sell off the film to other companies. While bids from Amazon, Netflix and Paramount had been turned down by early 2024, Ketchup Entertainment inked a deal for the film’s rights in 2025. Fans remained vocal throughout that time and, in the finished film, there’s even a tribute for its supporters.

There’s been no indication as to whether Scoob! Holiday Haunt will ever see the light of day. However, it still seems that Michael Kurinsky isn’t ready to give up on the movie (which also features one of Andrew Braugher’s final performances). I’m not sure if anything will come of this situation but, as a lifelong Scooby-Doo fan, I certainly wouldn’t be mad if someone picked up the movie and released it.

For now, head over to your local theater to check out Coyote vs. Acme, which is playing alongside other 2026 movie releases.

While Avengers: Doomsday has yet to be released, fans are already starting to ask questions about its follow-up, Avengers: Secret Wars. The 2027 movie release is still well over a year away but, at the moment, it’s in pre-production, which means details are slowly being reported. A big piece of news just hit this week, as the superhero team-up film has reportedly tapped a Marvel Cinematic Universe newcomer for an undisclosed role. Despite that, I have a wild idea regarding who he’s playing.

Avengers: Secret Wars Enlists A Quiet Place Alum

Marvel Studios can certainly attract talent, and it’s just proven that yet again by casting Noah Jupe in Secret Wars, which starts filming later this year. Deadline couldn’t confirm Jupe’s role, but it did allege that the actor is set to play an important role in the film, which serves as the culmination of the Multiverse Saga. Unsurprisingly, none of the bigwigs at the studio have provided any comment on the casting. The lack of concrete details don’t extinguish any of my excitement, though, as I’m more than pleased to see Jupe joining the MCU.

Jupe may only be 21, but he’s amassed a solid number of credits over the past several years. A former child actor, Jupe rose to prominence through his role as Marcus Abbott in 2018’s A Quiet Place and reprised it in the 2021 sequel. (He’ll play Marcus again in the upcoming third movie). The star really garnered attention, though, due to his role in Honey Boy. Shia LaBeouf's 2019 semi-autographical drama film. Since then he’s appeared in films like No Sudden Move, (the Oscar-winning) Hamnet and The Death of Robin Hood.

Another detail that makes this casting so sweet is that Jupe has ties to a relatively new MCU star: Sadie Sink. Earlier this year, Sink made his debut as Jean Grey in the box office behemoth that is Spider-Man: Brand New Day. She and Jupe starred alongside each other in the West End’s production of Romeo & Juliet. Personally, I’d love for the two actors to share some scenes in Secret Wars. Of course, there’s still the matter of who the Carpenter’s Son star is playing in the Marvel flick.

I Think This MCU Newbie Is Playing A Powerful Character

Considering Doomsday hasn’t even hit theaters yet, it’s hard to speculate on Secret Wars’ plot. What producer and Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige has confirmed, however, is that both films take heavy inspiration from Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 Secret Wars run. That story contains a smattering of different characters, including one known as The Maker, who’s a younger and more dangerous version of Reed Richards from an alternate universe. That’s who I think Jupe might be playing.

Maker was originally the Reed of Earth-1610, which is known as the Ultimate Marvel universe. While this variation of Richards begins as an upbeat and well-meaning man of science, he eventually developed into a malevolent force after experiencing a series of personal tragedies. This Reed eventually becomes a fixture within the main Earth-616 universe and, in 2015’s Secret Wars, he’s amongst those impacted by Doctor Doom’s multiverse-shattering actions. In this story, Maker also forges a shaky partnership with the main Reed.

Jupe definitely has the gravitas to play a character as flawed and layered as Maker and has the ability to be both charming and somewhat unpredictable. While I mentioned the notion of Jupe sharing the screen with Sink, what I’d really love is to see him chop it up with Reed Richards actor Pedro Pascal. What’s more is that I’d completely buy Jupe as a younger version of Pascal’s character.

It may be a while before we get a definitive answer regarding Noah Jupe’s role, but I’m hopeful that directors Joe and Anthony Russo will effectively utilize his talents. And, of course, I’m also curious as to what other non-MCU alums may be tapped to step into this continuity for the first time alongside Jupe. Keep those eyes peeled, folks, because this casting news is surely just the beginning!

Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18 as part of the 2026 movie schedule, while Avengers: Secret Wars hits theaters on December 17, 2027. In the meantime, prepare yourself by streaming the various MCU movies and shows using a Disney+ subscription.

1977’s Star Wars remains one of the most iconic films ever to be released and, nearly 50 years later, it feels like there’s still much to learn about its production. George Lucas’ film – now subtitled Episode – A New Hope – is accompanied by plenty of cool movie facts like Harrison Ford landing Han Solo due to a carpentry gig. I’ve done a lot of reading, but what I didn’t know was how difficult it was to shoot that trash compactor scene. Not only that, but I also wouldn’t have guessed the gnarly way Mark Hamill injured himself.

Garbage, Wet Suits, Smells And More Played Into This Iconic Star Wars Scene

For those who need a refresher, during A New Hope, Han, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Chewbacca find themselves trapped in a garbage crusher that soon begins to close in on them. Eventually saved by R2-D2 and C-3PO, the characters experience quite the scare, but it doesn’t seem to compare to the ordeal the actors went through while shooting the six-minute scene.

Set decorator Roger Christian previously spoke with Yahoo! Entertainment about working on the scene and how he had to find suitable materials to double as junk on set. Not only that, but he also had to ensure that nothing about the liquid was toxic due to the actors having to be in it. Christian and production designer John Barry succeeded in building the set, but from there, the work got really hard. The actors eventually spent two days shooting the scene in shallow water, wearing wetsuits under their costumes.

It wasn’t easy for the actors to wear those suits, as Hamill admitted to needing to be blow-dried from time to time due to being too wet. Carrie Fisher also once spoke about getting “rashes in places you never thought possible.” On top of that, the set also had a nasty smell, and that odor was absorbed by the Chewbacca costume cast member Peter Mayhew wore. More practical issues also arose, including the challenge of finding a suitable drain pipe for Ford’s Han to use to stop the compactor walls from closing in on the characters.

Throw in a squabble between Ford and Hamill over that hatch number line and some issues with the Dianoga creature, and what we have is a story chock-full of obstacles. In time, everything was worked out, but not before Hamill injured himself in a painful way.

Mark Hamill Sustained A Nasty Injury Amidst Filming

If there’s anything that’s known about Mark Hamill, it’s that he’s a committed performer, yet I think he went a little too far for the trash compactor scene. When it came to filming the moment Luke was strangled by the Dianoga tentacle, Hamill wanted it to look realistic. He feigned fear but, in the process, he also burst a blood vessel in his eye. That injury left a red spot on one side of his face. Hamill, who’s known for sharing BTS stories, confirmed that in an X post several years back:

There’s a reason some actors use the term “suffering for my art,” and, as a whole, the compactor scene embodies that notion for just about everyone who worked on it. Still, it’s all the more impressive that Lucas and co. were able to pull it off. I thank them for their efforts and will keep it in mind whenever I stream A New Hope with a Disney+ subscription. I also hope upcoming Star Wars movies and shows don’t have similar BTS ordeals.

Every streaming service regularly releases exciting new projects, and those with an Amazon Prime subscription are about to be treated to The Runner. Directed by Godzilla X Kong filmmaker Adam Wingard, the thriller follows Gal Gadot's Maia, a lawyer who must run though London (literally) at the behest of a mysterious caller who kidnapped her son. The Wonder Woman alum had to do a ton of cardio as a result, and told me show she channeled Tom Cruise for the role.

Tom Cruise is known for running on camera, thanks to roles in projects like Mission: Impossible franchise. I couldn't help but think of him when watching The Runner, which saw Gadot running around London for the majority of its runtime. As you can see in the vide above, I asked the actress about the physical toll of filming the new movie, and she told me:

Having seen the movie in advance, this definitely tracks. But considering how Gal Gadot has filmed physically grueling roles like her tenure as Wonder Woman in the DCEU (streaming with a HBO Max subscription), the fact that The Runner was so much worse shows just how intense the shoot was. The 41 year-old actress worked with an Olympic trainer to get into shape, which allowed her to run pretty much every day, often talking on the phone at the same time. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

As you can see in the above video, I joked with Gadot and asked her if she was prepared to dethrone Cruise as Hollywood's best runner. She laughed it off, and responded with:

Gal Gadot is putting the proper respect on Tom Cruise's name, but maybe we can name her as the second best runner in Hollywood? She surely deserves it after running through the streets of London for months while shooting The Runner. We'll just have to see how audiences response to the movie as it arrives on Amazon.

The Runner is streaming September 2nd as part of the 2026 movie release list. I was exhausted simply watching the thriller movie, so I can't imagine how intense it was for Gadot.

YouTuber Curry Barker’s feature film debut puts an effective new spin on the “careful what you wish for” genre which stretches back to classic short story “The Monkey’s Paw”. In Obsession, a sadsack music store employee with a crush on his co-worker uses a magical “One Wish Willow” charm to force her to “love him more than anyone else”. Naturally, this has unforeseen consequences...

SFX’s reviewer called the film “unsettling but darkly funny”, saying that it “plays with gender politics and incel culture expertly”. The film is available to buy on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD from 7 September. Extras-wise, you get commentary by writer/director Curry Barker, plus a 19-minute Making Of. We have five Blu-rays to give away. To put your name in the hat for the chance to win one, simply answer the question below. PLEASE NOTE: THIS COMPETITION IS ONLY OPEN TO UK ENTRANTS.

After plenty of delays, Matt Reeves’ The Batman: Part II is finally in production, with filming underway in the UK. Leading man Robert Pattinson has been on hand since the cameras started rolling earlier this summer and, by all accounts, he’s already been putting in work. Of course, the fan-favorite actor is currently unable to share any details regarding the plot of the highly anticipated superhero sequel. Yet he did just share one way that filming has been “significantly harder” compared to his first outing as the Caped Crusader.

Pattinson – who’s been scoring gigs left and right as of late – was recently named the latest global ambassador for Jaeger-LeCoultre. The British actor promoted that partnership during an interview with GQ, where he was also asked about the Batman sequel. The ever-savvy Pattinson didn’t spill many beans, though he did admit that one aspect of filming has changed in the years since he shot the film’s 2022 predecessor. And, quite frankly, this makes a lot of sense:

Honestly, I can understand why filming fight sequences would hit differently (no pun intended) this time around. 40-year-old Pattinson began filming The Batman in January 2020, shortly before the onset of the COVID pandemic. With that, the star was only in his mid-30s when he first started production. Given that he’s now hit the big 4-0, it’s only natural that it would be trickier to shoot scenes that involve a lot of physicality. Nevertheless, it sounds like the Good Time star is still enjoying the experience overall.

Pattinson’s commitment to the physical requirements of this DC franchise was evident from the jump. After being cast, he threw himself into his training and, eventually he found a regimen that worked for him. As for his work on this latest movie, that work ethic is seemingly still intact. Pattinson was asked about recent set photos that saw a Batman actor riding a motorcycle and said that one of those was him. However, given the apparent laughter accompanying his answer, I can’t tell if the witty star is lying (as he’s known to do now and then).

What the Odyssey star hasn’t been lying about, though, is the major amount of work that goes into making this kind of superhero flick. Months ago, he said that he’d been told he’d have 11 straight weeks of night shoots, which sound so tiring. Of course, when an actor is playing a vigilante who operates during late hours, such shoots are par for the course.

During his recent interview, Robert Pattinson also confirmed that he would remain in London “till the end of the year” to film this Batman flick. So he may still have quite a few fight scenes to shoot before principal photography comes to an end. Regardless, I’m glad that Pattinson has an upbeat take on the work and is excited about the “big swings” the film is set to take.

The Batman: Part II opens in theaters on February 18, 2028. While fans wait, they can grab an HBO Max subscription to stream the first movie as well as the spinoff series, The Penguin.

Britney Spears has lived enough public lives to fill the plot of several new movies. There was the teenage pop phenomenon, the tabloid years, the conservatorship and eventually The Woman in Me, the memoir that allowed Spears to tell much of that story herself. So when Universal announced plans to produce a page-to-screen adaptation of the memoir, I was immediately curious about which version of Britney’s life could fit into two-ish hours. We finally have a little more insight as the film's writer just shared an update.

New Girl creator Elizabeth Meriwether, who signed on to write the movie earlier this summer, spoke with Vanity Fair about where things stand. Anyone hoping casting announcements are right around the corner may want to temper expectations, because Meriwether sounds like she is still figuring out exactly what movie she wants to make. She shared with the outlet:

That “perfect storm” feels like a crucial piece of Spears’ story and will likely be the focal point of the upcoming biopic. She became one of the biggest celebrities on Earth right as celebrity coverage was turning particularly vicious. Spears was followed relentlessly by paparazzi, dissected by tabloids and treated as public property at a time when the internet was giving all of that scrutiny an entirely new engine.

Looking back now, some of the interviews she sat through are astonishing. Grown adults routinely asked a teenage Spears about her virginity, her body and her relationships, then acted surprised when the pressure surrounding her eventually became impossible to ignore.

Meriwether seems particularly interested in revisiting that period with the benefit of hindsight. She told the outlet:

The biopic is based on Spears’ 2023 memoir The Woman in Me, which became a massive bestseller and gave readers her account of fame, relationships and the conservatorship that controlled much of her adult life. Universal landed the movie rights in 2024, with Wicked filmmaker Jon M. Chu attached to direct and Marc Platt producing. Meriwether officially joined the project in July. There is still no cast or release date, so don’t expect to catch it on the 2026 or even 2027 movie calendar, as Meriwether’s comments suggest we probably shouldn't expect it to hit theaters soon.

That is fine by me. Spears’ life has already been packaged, judged and retold by other people for decades. A movie about her probably benefits from somebody spending a little time deciding what exactly the story is before worrying about who to cast in the role or to fire up the cameras.

Obsession has been the new horror movie success story of the 2026 movie calendar. An indie film, written and directed by a new, up-and-coming director, on a tiny budget, becoming a box-office juggernaut is newsworthy. Though most of the words written about Obsession have been positive, a new story coming out of Hollywood is less glamorous. A lawsuit filed by one of the film's producers has turned the film into a legal battle, and, allegedly, "she is confident in her case."

This news come to us from The Hollywood Reporter, which reports that a lawsuit filed in California state court on Monday has producer Leonora Ann Darby accusing Tea Shop Productions' co-founders and her colleagues James Harris and Mark Lane of defaulting on an agreement to treat her as an equal producer at the company. What's more, she claims they didn't acknowledge her key role on Obsession, leading to financial ramifications. A statement released by her attorney reads:

Per the filing, Darby alleges she played a much larger role in the film’s unprecedented success. Furthermore, despite the movie recently crossing $500 million worldwide on a reported budget of less than a million, she was excluded from the net profit participation allegedly promised for the projects she worked on as lead producer.

The lawsuit filing makes some significant allegations. Partly, it reads:

The lawsuit alleges Darby stepped up to take charge and ensure the film was finished on time for the Toronto International Film Festival, where it ultimately sold to Focus Features for $16.2 million.

Darby maintains that after the movie became successful, Harris and Lane repeatedly broke their 2024 agreement with her. In the spring, purportedly she raised her concerns about the movie earnings with Harris, explaining that she could see the financial details in the collection-account management agreement. The lawsuit states that Harris reportedly offered Darby an initial payment of $300,000, and both agreed that she would thereafter continue to receive a share of the net profits.

The former producer asserts that shortly after expressing her concerns, her access to information regarding the collection account management agreement was revoked.

According to the complaint, her treatment during the making of Obsession was allegedly part of a larger pattern of unkept promises during her time working with Tea Shop Productions. It describes a long-running issue where Harris and Lane promised Darby equal treatment. They reportedly offered her a one-third (33.3 percent) share of the net profits, but they retained control over the processes that would actually allow her to benefit from that share. Darby is asking for a complete accounting of several projects, including Obsession, and for any unpaid profit shares and bonuses owed to her.

The entertainment world was enthralled with the Cinderella-like story of 26-year-old writer and director Curry Barker’s breakthrough from YouTube creator to blockbuster filmmaker. But now, due to the lawsuit, that story has a wrinkle that won’t be ironed out until the lawsuit finds an agreeable settlement for all involved.

Barker's next major project is his follow-up film, the original horror-comedy Anything But Ghosts, followed by writing and directing A24's upcoming The Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot.

2026 has been a brutal one for celebrity deaths, and the world is still reeling after Dolly Parton passed away at 80. In the days that passed fans have been re-watching 9 to 5 (streaming with a Hulu subscription), and both Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda wrote touching tributes to their co-star. The latter actress recently spoke more about Dolly's kindness, and I'm getting emotional from the touching anecdotes she shared.

Tributes to Dolly Parton keep rolling in, each one speaking to the strength of the late icon's character. Fonda recently spoke to Democracy Now! about her relationship with the "Jolene" singer, and shared an anecdote that highlights just how kind she was. The Grace and Frankie star was quoted by saying:

Talk about someone who leads with love. While many of us have taken silly cross-eyed photos, Dolly Parton thought about the deeper message this might send if images of her and her 9 to 5 costars were seen doing this. Namely because she had a relative who was cross-eyed, and she didn't want anyone to think she was making fun of someone who had that condition. And it's making me misty-eyed to think about the way Dolly lead with empathy.

This anecdote feels truly on brand, especially considering what we know about the late music icon. She constantly shared messages of love and acceptance, especially where the LGBTQ+ community was concerned. She also donated a whopping $1 million toward COVID-19 vaccines at the height of the pandemic.

Later on in the same interview, Fonda also spoke about traveling around with Dolly Parton while she was researching for her role in The Dollmaker. She spoke about how adored the singer/actress was, offering:

It certainly sounds like Parton had a big impact on Fonda, both on and off camera. I love hearing what a bond the 9 to 5 stars had, and the way that Dolly helped to encourage everyone around her to lead with kindness. That, and her truly iconic aesthetic.

Stories about Parton keep coming out, some of which came from the late singer's own words. For instance, a bit from her autobiography Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business has recently resurfaced, where she revealed how the director of Steel Magnolias didn't originally think she could act. But she won him over, just like she did with so many others.

Our thoughts are with Dolly's loved ones and generations of fans who are still reeling from her death at 80. While she'll be missed she leaves behind an incredible legacy, for both in her career and personal life.

Sadie Sink has been on a tear over the last few years, and that’s not just because of her run on Stranger Things. The actress has landed multiple movie gigs as well as a stage role and, most recently, Sink starred in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which has since made over $2 billion worldwide. Well, the starlet is now following that up by unveiling a major collaboration with Calvin Klein. The ads are nothing short of perfection, but what I’m loving even more is that fans are making the same A+ comment about this fashion-based move.

Calvin Klein teased its 2026 fall model earlier this week, before unveiling the official advertisement early Tuesday morning. The ad sees Sink waking up and quickly sliding on her CK jeans. From there, Willa Ford’s “I Wanna Be Bad” starts playing on the radio, leading the O’Dessa star to start rocking out in her room. Check out the video for yourself down below:

I’m pretty sure this is what’s meant when people say “dance like no one’s watching.” Sink really does seem to be living her best life while jamming to those classic tunes in the ad and, quite frankly, I’m here for it. What I’m also here for is the fact that many of her fans are responding to the video with variations of the same joke. It’s more of a pun, to be honest, and I can’t blame anyone for using it since it’s so perfectly on the nose:

• Mota_fl: My gens ❌️my jeans greay✅️
• Rwidiwijaya: jean grey on jean😍
• Sadieslaugh: Jean Grey doing a jeans ad 🥰
• Keekster_29: Shouldn’t the jeans be grey?
• Whosinkfx: JEAN greyyy ❤️❤️❤️🙌🙌
• Lunaloutfy: Jean Grey doing a jeans ad mhm yup so true of her!!!
• Knotames: JEAN GREY PROMOTING JEANS

Seriously, though, how could anyone not make this joke? For anyone who’s unaware, Sink plays the role of super-powerful mutant Jean Grey in Brand New Day, and she’s received acclaim for her performance. That film only marks the first chapter in her Marvel Cinematic Universe journey, as she’s set to reprise the role and serve as one of the leads of the X-Men reboot. Considering this ad campaign was likely discussed months ago, I’d honestly love to know if CK was aware of Sink’s role as Jean and thought it’d be a great match.

It’s ironic seeing so much Jean Grey-related buzz now, considering that Sink’s role was kept a secret for so long, and it even got to the point where Sink and co. trolled fans over it. The cat is definitely out of the bag now, and I’m actually wondering if the Whale star’s other Calvin Klein ad is meant to be a more overt nod to her status as the powerful X-Men character. Check it out and make up your mind:

At her peak, Jean Grey is known to have god-like powers, so the notion of her causing a faucet to burst or toaster to short circuit isn’t unheard of. Regardless of whether CK was actually referencing Sink’s latest character, I’m just pleased to see her land this campaign. She now joins a long line of stars who’ve represented this brand, including Dakota Johnson, who went topless for her advertisement. And who could forget Jeremy Allen White’s underwear ad, which went viral?

To put it mildly, Sadie Sink seems to have quite a bit of professional heat right now, and that momentum doesn’t seem to be cooling off. Here’s hoping that she continues to land sweet gigs and, in the meantime, I’m going to see if I can find any additional “jeans grey” jokes.

Folks who have been watching the DC movies in order will recall how the DCEU was dropped by co-CEO James Gunn as he created the newly formed DCU. A handful of actors were kept around from the previous shared universe, including Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña. And he recently explained the wild way he found out he's be sticking around for upcoming DC movies.

The DCEU (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription) came to an end with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, with fans saying goodbye to Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill's Superman, and more. But Maridueña is just starting his time as Blue Beetle, and recently spoke to Variety about learning he'd stick around. In his words:

Talk about an exciting phone call. I have to assume that the Cobra Kai actor assumed he was getting let go like other superheroes from the DCEU, but that wasn't the case. Instead Jame Gunn told him he'd be sticking around. And I have to assume that made his Japan trip even more fun; he had something to celebrate, after all.

Gunn eventually announced that Xolo Maridueña was going to be sticking around, with the same honor going to Viola Davis' Amanda Waller and the cast of Peacemaker. Later in the same interview, the Blue Beetle star spoke more about being able to continue his tenure as Jaime Reyes. In his words:

The industry can be brutal, so it makes sense that Maridueña is hyped to still be included in the DCU. Of course, fans want to know more about when we'll see him back as Blue Beetle in the new shared universe. The first slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters, and it was recently revealed that the 25 year-old actor will return as his signature role in Man of Tomorrow. There was also some chatter about a possible Blue Beetle show, but only time will tell if that actually comes to fruition.

Outside of his DC role, Maridueña has been staying busy with other projects, including a role in Practical Magic 2, which will hit theaters on September 10th as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Man of Tomorrow, that's currently expected to be released on July 9th, 2027. So we'll have to keep being patient before Blue Beetle finally returns to the big screen.

Sadie and Sunny Sandler are nepo babies by definition, but that doesn't mean their opportunities in Hollywood are undeserved. Having a famous dad to produce movies for you certainly provides a leg up, but audiences will sniff it out pretty quickly if the kid on the receiving end is deserving. It felt like Don't Say Good Luck was a big test for Sunny, and after watching it with my Netflix subscription, I think she's passed with flying colors.

The family drama has rave reviews all over the internet and has created a lot of buzz over the actress and her emotional performance. I'm in full agreement with all positive takes, and it has me thinking Adam Sandler's daughter may get a chance at Oscar gold before he ever does.

If Don't Say Good Luck Is Just The Beginning Of Sunny Sandler's Career, The Best Is Yet To Come

I may be saying something bold here, but I would argue that Sunny Sandler is worthy of some awards for her performance in Don't Say Good Luck on its own. It's one of the most celebrated movies of the year, and we're well past the days when Netflix movies get overlooked for Oscars. So it'd be a bolder take to say she'll get a nomination for Best Actress this year, but we'll just have to wait and see if that happens.

Based on this performance, I don't think it's wild to say Sunny Sandler will get an Oscar nomination eventually. I also don't think it's wild to say it'll happen before Adam, especially after the Academy didn't bite after Uncut Gems and Jay Kelly. He's back in casual wear on red carpets and seems to accept it may not happen for him at this point.

Don't Say Good Luck Will Go Down As One Of Netflix's Best Films Of 2026

Whether it wins awards or not, Don't Say Good Luck is unquestionably one of Netflix's best movies of 2026. I would love to see it get more accolades come awards season, but I'd also be ok with more people seeing it and recognizing the talent of Sunny Sandler, which hopefully propels her to other movies outside of her father's influence.

To circle back to Adam Sandler, I know there are many out there who believe he's a great actor, full stop, and not just a great comedy actor. I agree, and while his past may ensure he never gets that Oscar glory in future roles, his legacy may help his daughters reach that glory one day in their acting careers. That's assuming they stick with it, of course, which I do hope is the case for both given their strong starts.

Don't Say Good Luck, as mentioned, is available to stream over on Netflix. Make sure to have plenty of tissues ready if you watch, because you'll run through a box crying your eyes out!

Tom Felton surprised Wizarding World fans over a year ago when he confirmed that he’d reprise the role of Draco Malfoy on Broadway for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Since then, the British actor has donned a blonde wig in order to play the former Slytherin student and give us a look at Malfoy 19 years later. Of course, fans already saw Felton as an older Draco during the epilogue of Deathly Hallows – Part 2. However, the star now jokes that his latest Malfoy look is a lot more “flattering” than the previous one.

In The Cursed Child, Felton’s Malfoy has a full head of long, blonde hair, which still makes him look somewhat youthful. Filmmaker David Yates and his makeup and hairstyling team went in a different direction for Deathly Hallows. In the film, Draco is shown with hints of facial hair, a receding hairline and some light wrinkles. Felton addressed that during an episode of Harry Potter: The Official Film Podcast and provided some keen insight into how his aged-up look in the film was crafted:

I can admit that Draco’s Cursed Child look is more “flattering” compared to his appearance in Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (which is streamable with an HBO Max subscription). However, I applaud the film’s hair and makeup team for striving for a sense of accuracy in crafting the look. While Malfoy may look different compared to his former schoolmates, it’s easy to buy that he’s nearly two decades older. Check out some snippets from that emotional, final scene in the post below, which also includes Felton’s thoughts on filming it:

Something that’s also worth mentioning is that when it comes to stage productions, an actor’s look can be a bit more heightened or even streamlined for a production. Keeping that in mind, I won’t argue with the decisions made for Draco’s appearance in The Cursed Child, which can be seen in the post below:

His looks aside, Tom Felton has apparently been focusing on various aspects of his performance since joining the HP stage production. The Fackham Hall star spoke about that preparation last fall, at which point he said he’d been warming up his “Pottahs.” Felton also opened up about the emotional moment he tried on his wig for the first time. Clearly, in some ways, he’s still enthralled by the magic of this franchise.

Felton’s time with the play is coming to an end on January 3, 2027 but, shortly after, Rupert Grint will be joining the U.S. tour as Ron Weasley on February 2. After that latter announcement was made, Felton reacted by showing love to his former co-star. Now, with Grint set to come back into the fold, I’m wondering what kind of hairstyling might be done for his older interpretation of Ron. I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see if it’s as flattering as Felton’s set of locks.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always releasing exciting new content, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The latest big screen release was Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which broke records at the box office and is still making money to this day. And Kevin Feige recently explained the wild way that Brand New Day's ending mirrored the first day of shooting the blockbuster. Let's break it all down.

While fans are still trying to decode Brand New Day's credits scene, more information about its production is slowly trickling out. Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently spoke at his alma matter USC about the movie's production (via Instagram) where she spoke about the explosive way filming began. In his words:

This definitely got the internet talking, on top of attracting crowds to watch as Spider-Man swung through the air practically. On top of starting off production for Destin Daniel Cretton's movie with a bang, this moment of fan excitement came full circle when it came to shooting the movie's ending hospital scene.

The Punisher accidentally shoots Spidey during the movie's final battle, and he spends time in the hospital as a result. Frank Castle helps him leave the place undetected, as a crowd of adoring fans waited outside. In the same appearance, Kevin Feige shared how this connected to Brand New Day's first day of filming, offering:

Talk about a full circle moment. Sometimes art can imitate life, and it seems like that's exactly what happened during the production of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In the end this synergy helped make the movie one of Marvel's biggest success stories in years. And fans are already hoping to see Spidey back on the big screen in one of the upcoming Marvel movies like Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars.

Brand New Day is still in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. The next Marvel movie hitting theaters will be Doomsday on December 18th. Hopefully Peter Parker will get in on the fun.

When the Michael movie released earlier this year, it broke box office records, eventually becoming the first musical biopic to gross $1 billion. And it subsequently turned Jaafar Jackson into a household name. Critics and audiences agreed that the now 30-year-old was uncanny in his portrayal of his famous uncle, Michael Jackson. Jaafar displayed the same seemingly effortless onstage swagger and performing skills as the king of pop, so when asked about his own music career, his comments about touring in real life surprised me.

While I think the Michael movie liked to let audiences believe Jaafar Jackson was destined to play this role, there actually was years of practice and prep that went into Jackson learning to dance, since, move and talk exactly like the “Thriller” performer. However, he definitely had a head start, not only from being a relative of Michael Jackson’s, but when he was approached about the role, Jackson had already begun pursuing a music career. Now that he has the fame and following to make it a reality, Jackson told GQ how playing Michael completely changed his perspective on his own artistic ambitions:

I'll be honest, I'm slightly surprised. I would have thought hearing the roar of 400+ people would have gotten him addicted to that lifestyle. Besides, the guy clearly has a gift for performing much like his uncle, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to recreate the magic that has spurred a renaissance of Michael Jackson mania.

However, I do see what the actor means. His portrayal of the “Bad” singer comes with a cost: from this point on, when Jaafar Jackson steps on stage, there will most likely be an unspoken expectation for him to perform to the same standards as Michael Jackson. I think people will have a hard time separating Jaafar Jackson the Michael actor from his own artistic personality, including Jaafar Jackson himself. The now confirmed Michael sequel, which could possibly come out on the 2027 movie schedule, may only solidify this.

It’s a valid question to ask, though. For many people, including myself, Jaafar Jackson seemingly came out of nowhere with this incredible debut acting performance. But the rising star told GQ that when he met with producer Graham King, the man behind the successful Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, in 2020, he had just completed a music project of his own. Jermaine Jackson, Jaafar's father, had prompted his son to get into music around age 13 and, similar to the King of Pop, Jaafar immediately started spending his free time in the recording studio.

Jackson has only ever released one single as of this writing, a song called “Got Me Singing” in 2019. Check out the music video below:

I totally understand what Graham King saw in him. The smooth vocal and dancing skills displayed in this music video offer a perfect foundation for building a near perfect Michael Jackson impersonation. Most of the songs in the Michael movie are actually a blend of Jaafar and Michael singing.

Perhaps Jackson thought he might eventually return to his singing career. His music career didn’t get the chance to take off, because he chose to sign on to the Michael biopic, which took years of commitment and preparation. But it seems the acting bug has bit him. The “Man in the Mirror” singer’s nephew has decided he wants to pursue more acting projects that allow him to completely transform into a character, and he has already found his acting follow-up to Michael -- the Will Smith-led action thriller, Supermax.

While Jackson’s role in that film is still unknown, his comments about wanting to “completely disappear into a character” again, citing to GQ inspirations like Daniel-Day Lewis and Leonardo DiCaprio, have me thinking we could see Jackson in a very sinister, chilling role for Supermax. Needless to say, I’m quite interested to see where this next career shift takes him, especially if he doesn't plan to get on stage anytime soon.

Ever since Dolly Parton’s passing, I’ve been reading stories shared about her, and each time I’m instantly emotional. But while I adore everything celebrities have posted to honor her memory, finding stories from her autobiography feel extra special, such as ones from her iconic films. Like the time Parton didn’t mince words after Steel Magnolias' director Herbert Ross said she “couldn’t act.”

One of many reasons I adored the country singer was her bluntness. She told everything like it was, and often had a self-deprecating humor while she was at it. For example, in her 1994 autobiography, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business (via People), Parton recalled how Ross initially treated both her and Roberts (who was new at this point in her career) on the set of Steel Magnolias. She said:

Clearly his first impression wasn't correct since Parton is considered one of the top country singers to give amazing performances in a movie or show. In addition to Steel Magnolias she was in 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Joyful Noise. And each time she instantly won you over with her wit and charm. Often being a favorite aspect of the movie because of it.

Many celebrities have shared their favorite memories, such as Sandra Bullock’s joyful pink tour bus story. And many memories have resurfaced, such as Kevin Costner being held down by Parton’s bodyguard. But I think no one summed up the singer’s legacy better than Parton herself. When talking about acting on Steel Magnolias she told the late director how it was. Just check out how iconic her words were:

Honestly, is there anything more iconic? She was the Queen of Country for a reason. Just check out the way she built everyone up around her. I remember a time when rumors said Parton was jealous of Whitney Houston’s take on her classic love song. When in reality, she adored that version of “I Will Always Love You,” which made her “feel like [she] arrived as a writer.”

The legacy she leaves behind goes beyond her appearances on screen. But for a singer who “couldn’t act,” Parton gave powerful and memorable performances time and time again. Additionally, she appeared in holiday films like Christmas at Dollywood and Christmas on the Square. Parton also produced the Netflix anthology series, Heartstrings, which gave heartfelt insight into some her key songs, such as “Jolene.”

Each performance will make you more emotional than the last, but I encourage everyone to check these out. Also check out the books about her life which have stories in her own words where you'll find more stories like the time she was told she "couldn't act." Because no one tells it better than Dolly.

One of the best elements of the Harry Potter movies is easily the chemistry amongst the members of the cast. Throughout the series, viewers see how Harry’s friendship with Ron and Hermione helps him through hard times. But, at the same time, those films also symbolize the different chapters of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. The trio apparently became so friendy with each other that while filming Deathly Hallows, they got pretty “competitive” while filming Deathly Hallows' running scene (and this is news to me).

Director David Yates previously said Deathly Hallows – Part 1 was a “great challenge,” considering it didn't have as much momentum as the previous movies. Yet the movie gets a serious energy boost due to the scene that sees the core trio running from Snatchers in a forest. On a recent episode of Harry Potter’s official podcast, host Rhianna Dhillon commented on not knowing how “competitive” the cast was with each other doing this scene, and neither did I:

As a viewer, I definitely believed Radcliffe, Grint and Watson were giving it their all during that forest scene. However, I can't believe they were actually trying to outdo each other on set as well. Of course, this all sounds like it was friendly, but still. It seemed to have worked for the shoot, though, given how well done the scene is. Check out some BTS footage in the Instagram post below:

This is just one of several fun anecdotes involving these three Wizarding World stars. Watson shared a fun detail on set about how she’d play table tennis against Radcliffe and Grint. (Now, I’m curious who won those games.) There's also an on-brand story about the three of them being told by Prisoner of Azkaban director Alfonso Cuarón to write an essay on their characters. Watson turned in 16 pages, Radcliffe wrote a paragraph and Grint had nothing to turn in. It's a classic art imitating life moment.

When it comes to that Deathly Hallows Part 1 sequence, it's not only interesting to know how “competitive” the young Harry Potter cast. It's also hard not to take note of how it's all crafted. Dhillon shared her take on what she felt rewatching that high-stakes chase:

It's honestly fair to say that the sequence is kind of zombie-ish. With the shaky camera capturing Harry, Ron, and Hermione running for their lives, it gives an unsettling vibe regarding perspective. As the podcast host says, a viewer doesn't know if the scene is being shot from a Snatcher's point of view. Since Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is relatively low-key, a chase scene like this is necessary to remind fans of the danger the trio can face at any corner.

What I'd like now is for someone to ask Radcliffe, Watson or Grint about these on-set races and who thought was the winner. If the three were truly as competitive as believed, I could definitely imagine all three of them claiming victory for themselves.

Fans can rewatch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, along with the rest of the franchise, by streaming it with an HBO Max subscription or a Peacock subscription.

There are a lot of writers here at CinemaBlend who love theme parks. I’m generally not one of those writers, but I get it. What I am is a writer who loves great documentaries and true crime. Stolen Kingdom, a documentary that I definitely won’t be able to watch with my Disney+ subscription, looks like it’s a great example of both. It’s about urban explorers and, frankly, thieves who like to sneak into Disney World to explore, and yes, steal.

I haven’t seen it yet, but it currently holds a 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on reviews from critics who saw it on the festival circuit in 2025, and it’s hitting the 2026 movie schedule on video-on-demand in September.

Risky UrbanX

Urban exploration, or “UrbanX” as it is sometimes called by enthusiasts, is something that fascinates me. I’ve never been one to risk tetanus, but I do appreciate the people who do break into old, dilapidated buildings and explore them. There is dubious legality, usually, but where it’s unquestionably illegal is in a place like Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Apparently, that doesn’t stop people from trying (and sometimes succeeding) in breaking into some of the closed rides with flashlights and backpacks, to see what it looks like when the lights are off.

In the trailer, there are multiple shots of these intrepid (if not entirely rationally thinking) people exploring the dark rides and other areas of the parks that are off-limits to visitors. Obviously this is not the brightest idea. Even setting the legality aside, it could get someone in a lot of physical trouble. That doesn’t stop them from exploring and, apparently, occasionally, treating themselves to a five-finger discount of some Disney “memorabilia” you can’t get in one of the many stores selling Mickey ears and Elsa dresses.

It Looks Like It Mostly Focuses On One Crime

Among the things that may have been taken from one of these exploring thieves is a prop from the closed Wonders of Life ride at Epcot. The ride closed in 2007, and much of it, according to the trailer, has been walled off and left untouched in the decades since. Buzzy, an animatronic prop from the attraction, was stolen in 2018 and remains missing to this day. Was it stolen by someone who broke in from outside the park, or was it an inside job?

In 2019, a cast member named Patrick Spikes was arrested along with his cousin (not a park employee) and accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of props from Disney World. Both Spikes and his cousin Blaytin Taunton pled guilty to avoid jail time, but Buzzy was not among the many items the two stole and later sold on eBay for tens of thousands of dollars.

So where is Buzzy? I don’t think Stolen Kingdom is going to give any definitive answers, but I can’t wait to tune in and learn more about where this beloved prop could be.

Dune: Part Three is months away from its release on the 2026 movie schedule, and the hype for Denis Villeneuve's threequel is getting very real. Something that has fans particularly excited is the return of Jason Momoa, who played Duncan Idaho in the first movie. Momoa has since shared some thoughts on returning to the franchise, and he even spoke about what it was like filming in the desert. He dropped a nuanced take, and I wasn’t expecting him to mention Disneyland while describing the experience.

Villeneuve shot the Dune franchise in some seriously sandy locations, with places like Budapest and the United Arab Emirates serving as key filming locations. The result is a trilogy of films that firmly brings the planet of Arrakis to life. However, it’s still hard not to wonder what it’s like for the actors to be filming in a sprawling and dry desert landscape. Momoa seems to be unfazed by any of the challenges, though, as he shared a very upbeat take on being amongst the dunes of the UAE:

One might be able to call the Supergirl star a true desert dweller, given he’s apparently been visiting the area for over a decade now. The country is obviously far different from the “Happiest Place on Earth,” but I can understand where Momoa is coming from. What he seems to appreciate are the sights and sounds of the UAE, which does have an active night life fit for adults. And, at the same time, he can admire the beauty of his sand-covered surroundings. Momoa further emphasized that while speaking with The National:

Part of me is sweating just thinking about how hot it could possibly get out in that desert but, on the other hand, I can understand how cool that experience would be. I mean, imagine filming a massive movie alongside a talented director like Denis Villeneuve and top-notch actors like Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Javier Bardem. Even franchise newcomer Robert Pattinson found that a silver lining to being in such sweltering heat was that he was very agreeable on set. As for Momoa, he also named one sweet result of being there:

The A-lister did more than sightseeing, though, as he also put in plenty of work, which is evidenced by Dune: Part Three’s trailer. Following his demise in the first film, Idaho returns in the form of a ghola named Hayt. Momoa is psyched to be back in the fold, though he’s also admitted to having been nervous about working with his son, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa, who plays Leto II Atreides. All in all, though, what Momoa describes is a memorable experience comparable to the thrill of riding Space Mountain at Disneyland.

Dune: Part Three opens in theaters on December 18, 2026. Ahead of its release, stream the first two movies – as well as the prequel TV series, Dune: Prophecy – with an HBO Max subscription.

Johnny Depp's work in Tim Burton movies is legendary, as is his tenure as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean films (which are streaming with a Disney+ subscription). But in recent years the acclaimed character actor has become synonymous with his relationship with Amber Heard, and their messy divorce proceedings. Since then he's largely stepped away from the limelight, but his Hollywood returning is coming as the title character of Ti West's Ebenezer. And the filmmaker recently gushed about what Depp brought to the table as Scrooge.

While Johnny Depp acted in Jeanne du Barry, Ebenezer is a much higher profile project that will bring him back to the big screen in The States. During an interview with EW, West went above and beyond praising the 63 year-old actor, offering:

Honestly, I see this point. On top of being an actor, Johnny Depp is an accomplished musician who toured recently with his late friend Jeff Beck. He also showed his musical talents in the movie version of Sweeney Todd, where he played the title character. And it seems he used those skills to bring Ebenezer's dialogue to life.

It sounds like we're going to get a pretty accurate book to screen adaptation of A Christmas Carol, at least where the dialogue is concerned. West went on to share how Depp crushed this part of the gig, saying:

Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that Johnny Depp brought something original to the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, especially considering how he put his spin on wild characters like Edward Scissorhands, Jack Sparrow, and Willy Wonka.

On the flip side, Ti West also teased that audiences might get a deeper understanding of Scrooge's psyche in his new movie, especially when compared to other Christmas Carol movies. In his words:

Well, I'm intrigued. Only time will tell if Ebenezer becomes one of the best Christmas movies of all time, but tales of the actor's performance have helped to buoy excitement until it hits theaters this November. That and Depp showing up as Scrooge at Comic-Con. Talk about immersive marketing.

Only time will tell how this movie performs, and if it helps to separate Depp from the Amber Heard verdict and circus of that trial. But it certainly sounds like he's going to bring a strong performance to the table with the upcoming take on A Christmas Carol.

All will be revealed when Ebenezer hits theaters on November 13th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully a full trailer for Johnny Depp's Hollywood return soon.

Zack Snyder is not a director who deals freely in withstrained minimalism, and may have never even thought about those two words close together like that. (Who else could have given us a nearly four-hour Justice League revision?) After helming three movies for Netflix, the filmmaker went to work on a passion project, the drama-filled action thriller The Last Photograph, which now has its first 3-minute trailer that gives fans roughly 366,000 quick shots from the 2027 release. And while it looks like a solid and eye-catching project, the promo is ki-i-i-ind of a homework-esque slog.

Go ahead and give the NSFW trailer watch above, and see if you agree or not, and then keep on reading regardless of what side you fall on.

The Last Photograph's Trailer Is Violent And Dramatic, But Fails To Make The Story Clear

Obviously anyone who wants to know what The Last Photograph will be about can just bop over to Wikipedia or IMDb to get a synopsis, but I feel like the first trailer released for any movie has the onus of giving audiences a clear idea of what they're meant to be getting into. And while this preview successfully imparts setting and tone, it's hard to know what's actually happening and/or who any of these people are. So yeah, I gotta hit up a press release now, which basically is homework.

In The Last Photograph, Rebel Moon's Stuart Martin portrays former DEA operative Ethan Black, who is scouring mountains in South America to track down his missing niece and newphew following the murders of their parents. He enlists the assistance of a war photograph (played by fellow Rebel Moon vet Fra Fee) who'd previously seen the killers, and they embark on a journey that pushes Ethan's mental state to the brink as he loses his grip on reality and faces skeletons of his past.

I dunno that I automatically would have picked any of that up from the trailer, though some of those details do align with the events that play out visually. What isn't helping is that the trailer barely incorporates any dialogue or diagetic audio from the movie. Instead, a sweeping piece of the score (presumably composed by Hans Zimmer) ramps up in intensity as the lyrics of Nick Cave's "I Have Trembled My Way Deep" are read out.

And sure, I get that this logline isn't the most fun and fancy-free narrative to sink one's toes into, So maybe everyone involved wanted to just immerse potential audiences in all the visual splendor before breaking the story out with a later preview.

The Last Photograph Is A Passion Project For Snyder, And It Shows

Snyder, who stoked DC fan fervor with a recent visit to Warner Bros. that ended up just being a screening-hosting, has been aiming to make The Last Photograph a reality for many years now. He reportedly first set it up for himself in the mid-2000s as a post-300 vehicle, with Christian Bale and Sean Penn temporarily attached to the project around 2011. At some point, the rights lapsed, though he regained them around 2016, when he once again aimed to start up production.

Jump forward nine years or so, and The Last Photograph had new life, with Martin and Fee cast as the co-leads. And it's very clear that Snyder put a ton of effort and love and dedication into the project, as the myriad shots that go by in the trailer all look gorgeous and crisp. As it often goes with the director's movies, the violence and bloodshed are stylized but still affecting and gruesome.

But textbooks can be gorgeously photographed and superbly written, while still always feeling like textbooks. I'm hoping that by the time the second trailer comes out after The Last Photograph premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival, we'll get to hear audio and actors from the movie itself, and not just a dramatic song reading.

With a screenplay penned by Snyder collaborator Kurt Johnstad, The Last Photograph doesn't yet have a final runtime noted, but you can just tell that it'll be nearly 3 hours long. Here's hoping enough people flock to theaters to see it that Snyder gets swayed into taking on any follow-up project that isn't the Escape from New York remake that he floated out there earlier this year. I'd even take him joining James Gunn's DCU to finally direct a Batman movie before getting firmly behind the idea of a new Snake Plissken.

The Last Photograph also doesn't yet have a release date locked down for domestic audiences, but it will be making its world premiere at TIFF on September 13, 2026.

Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne survived a lot during The Batman. He was shot, nearly blown up and electrocuted while trying to save Gotham from flooding. Apparently, Matt Reeves looked at all that punishment and decided Bruce still had a few hit points left, because new footage from the set of the upcoming The Batman: Part II appears to show Pattinson’s Bruce in very rough shape. That’s right, we have some behind-the-scenes footage, and it seems to spell disaster for Master Bruce.

Why The Footage Spells Bad News For Bruce

In a video shared by Cinema Solace on X, Andy Serkis’ Alfred is seen kneeling beside an apparently unconscious Bruce Wayne, trying to revive him. Toward the end of the clip, Pattinson sits up, and the white adhesive pads from a heart monitor are visible on his chest. We have no context for what put him on the ground, but Alfred performing CPR on Batman’s alter ego is a pretty strong sign that somebody’s day has gone very badly.

The footage was captured during production on Reeves’ long-awaited sequel and shows Bruce out of costume while Alfred works over him. A woman stands nearby as crew members surround the scene. The biggest question is what happened before the cameras started rolling.

Set videos rarely provide enough context to determine exactly what we are watching. But it does raise questions because Bruce appears to be injured as Bruce Wayne rather than Batman. Reeves’ first film spent plenty of time showing how reckless Pattinson’s Dark Knight could be once he put on the suit. This could suggest his civilian identity is getting dragged deeper into the danger this time.

Or Bruce could have slipped on some ice. I have no idea. What we do know is that Pattinson and Serkis are back alongside Jeffrey Wright and Colin Farrell, with several newcomers joining the sequel. But what are fans saying about the bts look?

Fans Have Jokes, But One Theory Has Me Thinking

As expected, Batman fans saw a few seconds of out-of-context set footage and immediately started trying to solve the entire movie. The Court of Owls came up repeatedly, while plenty of others were simply enjoying the steady drip of leaks. Whatever big swings are taking place on the set of the upcoming DC flick, here are some of the best (funniest?) responses:

• @MuhammadMu86979: “Court of owls fasho lesgo”
• @MioTaken: “This has to be Court of Owls”
• @MovieMedia: “Jokes on us, Bruce dies in this one”
• @de_fluffy_panda: “It’s called method acting 🤣”
• @DYounglings: “The context was that he was trying to pursue Surfing Joker but took water in his lungs”
• @DeAllas9: “Batman getting his ass shipped this week 😭😭😭”

But @VeryBullishGuy noticed the detail that suddenly makes this footage a lot more interesting. The fan wrote:

The fan goes on to theorize that Bruce may have been restrained so he could not swim, possibly by corrupt members of Gotham law enforcement or someone with access to police equipment. Considering how much of The Batman revolved around institutional corruption, that is a much more interesting possibility than Bruce simply losing another fight.

There is another piece of that theory I really like: this is happening to Bruce Wayne, not Batman. If somebody deliberately cuffed Bruce, dumped him near the water and left Alfred trying to restart his heart, then his civilian identity may be in considerably more danger this time around. And if whoever did this knows Bruce Wayne and Batman are the same person, Reeves could be setting up a nightmare far bigger than another bruising encounter with a Gotham criminal.

Obviously, a blurry set video cannot confirm any of this. We could be looking at a rehearsal, a stunt setup or a scene that plays very differently once we have the full context. Still, those cuffs are hard to ignore. Yeah, I’m looking at the cuffs now.

Bruce survived the Riddler, but fans are going to have to wait a while to find out what exactly is happening here. The Batman: Part II will skip both the 2026 and 2027 movie calendars before finally arriving in theaters in 2028. Until then, you can revisit Pattinson’s first trip through Gotham with an HBO Max subscription.