Patton Oswalt is about as respected as a geek can possibly be in the 21st century – not simply wearing his fandoms on his sleeves, but demonstrating intense and deep knowledge about what he loves and the ways in which those things have molded our world. With this long earned respect, he turned a lot of heads a decade-and-a-half ago saying in no uncertain terms that it was time for geek culture to die.

It was a sentiment right in the headline of a guest column Oswalt wrote for Wired that was published in December 2010: “Wake Up, Geek Culture. Time To Die.” He argued that the internet has spoiled the kind of intimate obsession that existed before the technology became the center of our society, and that “everything we have today that's cool comes from someone wanting more of something they loved in the past.” The only solution: some kind of monstrous, ungainly multi-franchise crossover that would burn pop culture to the ground and let a new era be born.

This past December marked the 15th anniversary of that piece’s publication (an eventful 15 years that saw a lot happen in geek culture, from the rebirth of the Star Wars franchise to the rise and fall of the DC Extended Universe), so when I spoke with Patton Oswalt earlier this month during the virtual press day for the new animated film GOAT, I took the opportunity to ask him about it. How are we doing with the whole death of pop culture thing? Said Oswalt,

The indie character in question in the event – titled DC K.O.: Boss Battle – is Samantha Strong from IDW’s Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, and Oswalt didn’t even mention that Homelander from The Boys is part of the mix as well. Perhaps it is indeed the cleansing fire that the actor/comic has called for?

For what it’s worth, we may still be waiting for Patton Oswalt’s “death by collision,” but he optimistically already sees growth in the current landscape. There’s no denying the outsized role that franchise movies presently have at the box office, but in 2025 alone, he witnessed multiple examples of quality, popular original storytelling on the big screen. He continued,

It’s akin to one of the cardinal sins of sequels: when the audience is excited by something new, that same new can’t just be reheated and served back to them over and over. The key is to understand the audience and use that to both offer something new and subvert expectation.

As featured in the video up top, I suggested a post-modern perspective: taking awareness and then flipping it on its head. Oswalt concurred and took it a step further, saying,

True change is going to require both great imagination and, undeniably, some big risk, but as seen in referenced cases like Weapons and Sinners, there can be massive and wonderful rewards.

As a Stephen King fan, one of the great joys of my job here at CinemaBlend is that I frequently have the opportunity to talk to the stars and filmmakers who have made film and television adaptations of the author’s stories – digging into both the work itself and their relationships with the legendary writer. Recently getting the opportunity to interview Patton Oswalt, however, I was presented with a unique situation: while the comedian/actor is a devoted Constant Reader, one of the few fandom boxes he has not yet ticked in his career is making a King project.

At this point, what would be the perfect King role for Oswalt? I have what I think is a pretty good idea, and it was one that I suggested directly to him – resulting in the main headline of this week’s edition of The King Beat. But that’s not all, as the past few days have also delivered both exciting news about an upcoming audiobook release, and opportunity to reflect on the one adaptation starring the great Catherine O’Hara: the 1997 Outer Limits episode “The Revelations Of ‘Becka Paulson.” With much to discuss, let’s dig in!

When It Comes Time For Mike Flanagan’s The Dark Tower To Feature Dandelo, I Can Think Of No One Better Than Patton Oswalt

SPOILER WARNING: Before reading any further, you should know that the following contains spoilers for a particular sequence in Stephen King’s last book in the Dark Tower series. Knowing about it won’t ruin your experience of the novel, but if you’re spoiler-phobic, continue at your own risk!

When doing interviews over Zoom, I like to use a section of my physical media collection as a backdrop – specifically about half of my Stephen King library and shelves of movies and TV shows. There have been instances when it’s been a negative, as interviews tend to be short and the background can be a distraction… but in the case of Patton Oswalt, it led to a fun, quick aside about our shared affection for King’s work.

I spoke with the comedian this weekend during the virtual press day for his new animated movie GOAT, but as you can see in the video above, our conversation first took a detour. Having read Oswalt’s books Zombie Spaceship Wasteland and Silver Screen Fiend, I knew going into the interview that he is a Constant Reader, so I wasn’t surprised when he took note of my King collection – and it led me to note that while he has had roles in just about every franchise (Star Trek, Marvel, DC, Ghostbusters, and more), he has never been in a King movie or TV show.

As Oswalt pointed out, however, while he may not have an adaptation on his filmography, he has something possibly even better: he’s namedropped in a Stephen King book. Specifically, he’s mentioned in 2019’s The Institute, in a scene with protagonist Luke Ellis surfing the internet and learning about an upcoming standup performance at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis.

This history in mind, one might think that a role in MGM+’s The Institute Season 2 would be wholly appropriate (and that wouldn’t be wrong), but I had a much more special character in mind for Oswalt – which he responded to with a smile and a mimed call to writer/director Mike Flanagan.

That character? Dandelo from the seventh and final book in the Dark Tower series. It’s not a massive role in the grand scheme of things, as he only encounters the epic’s protagonists once, but it could be an amazing opportunity for Patton Oswalt.

Without getting too into the weeds and giving too much away to those of you who haven’t read the book, Dandelo is a stranger whom protagonist Roland Deschain encounters, and he initially appears friendly – introducing himself as a stand-up comedian named Joe Collins. In truth, though, he is a psychic vampire who drains his victims by making them laugh, much like how IT a.k.a. Pennywise feasts on fear.

I don’t really need to explain much more for you to understand why Oswalt would be great for the part, right? He’s a perfect fit for the disarming Joe Collins persona, and it would be fascinating to see him fully explore his range and become a monstrous cosmic terror. He’s excelled in dramatic roles before (Young Adult and Big Fan being two titles that immediately spring to mind), and it would be amazing to see him as a true terror.

The only downside here is that even if this does ever happen, we are many, many years from actually getting to see it. Mike Flanagan is being very diligent in the development of his Dark Tower adaptation, likening it to navigating an oil tanker, so we may still be years away from seeing the project roll cameras – and even after that point, Dandelo doesn’t show up in the story until what would probably be the second film in Flanagan’s “five seasons of a TV series followed by two features” plan. Even if production were to start in 2027, an annual rollout would mean not getting to see Dandelo until 2032.

Does that make this an act of putting the cart before the horse? No question about it… but these are the things I like to occupy my brain with instead of worrying whether or not the adaptation gets made and the vision gets executed.

“The Body” Is Getting A New Audiobook Presentation With A Perfect Narrator: Wil Wheaton

I am a big audiobook fan, and when it comes to Stephen King novels, a number of the greatest are read by the late Frank Muller. From The Talisman to The Green Mile to three of the Dark Tower books, Muller’s voice is perfectly suited for the author’s prose and enhances the work in special ways. One of the best of the best available is his reading of the collection Different Seasons, which includes the standout novella “The Body” – but even with that in mind, I’m stoked to learn about a new read of the beloved coming-of-age story that is being produced, as it has a perfect performer attached in Wil Wheaton.

King himself revealed the news of the project via Bluesky, his post featuring not only an announcement message but also a video of Wil Wheaton discussing how it’s been a goal of his for “literal years” to record his own reading of the novella. Clearly bursting with joy, Wheaton says,

Of course, the reason why this is so exciting and is such a perfect marriage of narrator and material is because of Wheaton’s role in the 1986 Rob Reiner classic Stand By Me. In the movie, the actor plays Gordon "Gordie" Lachance, and the novella is told from that character’s grown-up perspective, reminiscing about his childhood in 1960s Maine. Richard Dreyfus plays adult Gordie in the movie, but now that Wheaton is an adult himself, he is an ideal fit as a reader for the new audiobook.

The new recording will be made available on March 24, and pre-orders are open now via Audible.

In Praise Of Catherine O’Hara’s “The Revelations Of Becka Paulson”

In the wake of the awful news late last week that Catherine O’Hara has passed away, tributes have been rolling in. Fans have been praising her work from all eras of her career, including the legendary Canadian sketch series SCTV, the Home Alone and Beetlejuice movies, and recent shows such Schitt’s Creek and The Studio – but because this is The King Beat, I want to talk about the single King adaptation featured on her resume.

In the mid-1990s, O’Hara played the titular character in the Outer Limits episode “The Revelations Of ‘Becka Paulson,” and it’s an adaptation that is as weird as it is macabre as it is great. Based on the short story of the same name, the darkly comic tale begins as ‘Becka accidentally shoots herself in the head while getting out her home’s Christmas decorations. Instead of killing her, the injury results in her hearing the voice of a model featured in a picture frame stock photo (Steven Weber), and these visions lead her to get up to some bad business.

O’Hara is terrific in the role, as she plays it perfectly straight and is a kind of vehicle for the oddness of the escalating circumstances around her, resulting in some wonderful and memorable scenes (my personal favorite being an interaction she has when she runs into the local veterinarian). Should you want to give it a watch, it’s available to stream – along with all seven seasons of the Outer Limits 1990s reboot – with an Amazon Prime subscription.

That brings us to the end of this week’s edition of The King Beat, but as ever, I’ll be back next Thursday here on CinemaBlend with a fresh column exploring all of the biggest developments in the world of Stephen King.

For almost 20 years (but just 8 seasons and some movies), Reno 911! has been cracking us up. The creators and core cast members, Thomas Lennon, Kerri Kenny-Silver, and Robert Ben Garant, all started on MTV's The State (along with late-season cast member Joe Lo Truglio), clearly used all their connections to bring in both up-and-coming comedians at the time (like Zach Galifianakis) and established superstars (like Kenny Rogers and Paul Reubens). Here is a list of actors who you may have forgotten played roles in the classic comedy.

Zach Galifianakis

Before he became a household name in The Hangover series, for which he delivered many of the funniest lines in the movie, Zach Galifianakis was a semi-regular contributor to Reno 911!. He played the role of Frisbee, a survivalist with a boatload of kids who lived out by the airport (and thought aliens were invading) in multiple episodes of the show in the early years.

Patton Oswalt

Comedian Patton Oswalt's career started with a slew of funny but small-ish parts in movies like Magnolia, Down Periscope, and Dodgeball. He first appeared on Reno 911! in the show's second season and went on to multiple appearances, playing multiple characters, including appearances in the two movies, Reno 911!: Miami and Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon.

Paul Reubens

Paul Reubens really needs no introduction. As Pee-wee Herman, he became a Gen X (and all the generations after) icon. Reubens, who died in 2023, played the amazing character Rick, who headed up his own "citizens' patrol" which cracked up audiences, and annoyed the members of the Reno Sheriff's Department.

Paul Scheer

Paul Scheer has made it a habit to star in some of the funniest shows of the last 20 years. Shows like The League, Veep, and Black Monday have made Scheer a household name. HE also played multiple roles in Season 6 of Reno 911!

Natasha Leggero

Natasha Leggero's first role came in one of too-oft forgotten fake reality show Joe Schmo 2 in 2004, the follow-up to the original The Joe Schmo Show. From there, she appeared in the reality show MTV's The 70s House. Leggero parlayed that into three appearances on Reno 911! playing different characters, mostly getting arrested.

Ryan Stiles

Ryan Stiles is certainly most well-known for delivering some of the funniest lines on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, where he's been a cast member going back to the 1990s. He also popped up on Reno 911! as a police officer charged with training the idiots in the sheriff's department on how to go undercover in Season 5.

Jamie Lee Curtis

One of the most surprising cameos in the show's history came in one of the later seasons when none other than Jamie Lee Curtis appeared as Lt. Donna Fitzgibbons, a one-eyed, no-nonsense from Sparks Sheriff's department who Dangle brings in to prank the other members of the squad. She also shares Dangle's sense of fashion.

Keegan-Michael Key

One of the funniest recurring morons the Reno Sheriff's Department has to deal with is the "hypothetical criminal" played by the great Keegan-Michael Key. He appeared a bunch of times over the years as a character who comes with hypothetical crimes he definitely didn't commit. Somehow, he seems to keep getting away with the crimes.

Paul Rudd

The ageless Paul Rudd appeared in five episodes of the show in the final seasons of the original run. He played Guy Gerricault, a very unnerving Lamaze coach for Trudy while she's pregnant. He also appeared in the first movie, Reno 991: Miami as a completely different character.

Rachael Harris

After bouncing around Hollywood for about a decade, working regularly but never really starring in anything, Rachael Harris appeared in Reno 911! as Dangle's ex-wife. She's best known these days for her role as Linda in Lucifer.

Christina Applegate

Christina Applegate has an almost "blink and you'll miss it" cameo as the legendary Terry's wife. It's hard to believe Terry (Nick Swardson) would be married to anyone, especially someone who looks like Christina Applegate.

Dwayne Johnson

There isn't a bigger star on the planet than Dwayne Johnson. The Rock, as he was known in wrestling, seems to have endless energy, with movies starring him being constantly released. One such movie is the first one from this franchise, Reno 911!: Miami, where he plays a cartoonish SWAT team leader. It's a role that suits him perfectly, of course.

Ron White

Stand-up comic Ron White is one of the funniest comedians around and his character on Reno 911!, as a drunk pilot, is exactly the kind of role White was born to play. He's simply hilarious.

Charlie Day and Mary Elizabeth Ellis

Before they played Charlie and "The Waitress" in Always Sunny In Philadelphia, real-life couple Charlie Day and Mary Elizabeth Ellis played twins in a... disturbing...relationship in Reno 911!'s second season. The chemistry they are known for now was on full display in their one hilarious appearance.

Murray SawChuck

Fans of Pawn Stars will recognize Murray SawChuck (or Murray the Magician) as one of the experts Rick brings in when he needs to evaluate the value of a magic prop. He's also well-known for his stage show in Las Vegas. In his appearance on Reno 911!, SawChuck plays a magician who gets pulled over, and then pulls out a bunch of tricks, of course.

Nick Swardson

Without a doubt, the most popular recurring "criminal" on the show is Terry, played by the hilarious Nick Swardson. It's fair to say you probably haven't forgotten his unforgettable appearance across pretty much every season and movie from the franchise, but we had to include him on this list, of course.

Danny DeVito

Did you know that one of the "producers" of Reno 911! is the iconic Danny DeVito? On the show, he has appeared as himself, who is a producer of the fake show that the real show is mockumenting. How meta!

Jim Rash

Jim Rash is best known for playing the hapless Dean in the NBC sitcom Community. He's also an accomplished writer, earning an Oscar nomination for writing The Descendants, starring George Clooney and Shailene Woodley. He was one of the more "regular" recurring characters, Andrew, in the early seasons of the show, who was arrested, usually in a compromising position, a number of times. He appeared 15 times in total as the wacky character.

Michael Ian Black

Though he was never a full-time cast member of Reno 911!, Michael Ian Black, as a member of The State, is a good friend and regular cohort of many of the cast of Reno 911!. Black appeared in multiple episodes, playing multiple characters on the show, and in the movie, Reno 911!: Miami.

Ian Roberts

Ian Roberts was never part of The State, but he did cut his teeth in another legendary improv group, Upright Citizens Brigade, which he helped found with Amy Poehler, Adam McKay, and Matt Walsh. Heady stuff. He joined the regular cast of Reno 911! in the show's first final season in 2009.

Oscar Nunez

We all know Oscar Nunez from The Office and its sister show, The Paper, where his character, also named Oscar, is the lone crossover character between the shows. Before The Office, Nunez appeared in a couple of episodes in the first season as Captain Dwayne Hernandez. He appeared in a later season as "Spanish Mike" as well. He even popped up in the movie Reno 911!: Miami, as "Jose Jose Jose."

Diedrich Bader

At the same time that Reno 911! was a hit on Comedy Central in the mid-2000s, Dog the Bounty Hunter was a phenomenon on A&E. Naturally, the mockumentary about a police department had to mock the bounty hunter. Enter Diedrich Bader, famous for his roles in Office Space and The Drew Carey Show. Bader played "Tommy Hawk," modeled after the Dog (Dwyane Chapman), right down to the blonde mullet.

George Lopez

Every police department in every city has to deal with the mayor sometimes. When that mayor is a drunk, like George Lopez's character in Reno 911!, he can be maddening for the cops, but hilarious for audiences.

"Weird Al" Yankovic

"Weird Al" Yankovic has the honor that no one else on Reno 911! ever had. The legendary musician and actor got to play a person from real life. Appropriately, it was another musician, Ted Nugent. Of course, it's a completely over-the-top satirized version of the Motor City Madman, but Weird Al's look is dead on.

Seth Green

Sometimes it seems like Seth Green is literally everywhere. This was especially true in the 2000s. Whether it was shows like Robot Chicken, which he also co-created, or Entourage, or, of course, Family Guy, or movies like the Austin Powers franchise and The Italian Job, Green was great. He was also hilarious in his Reno 911! cameo as the ridiculously mean boss of two sheriffs who were undercover as fast food employees.

Rainn Wilson

If we're honest here, Rainn Wilson's appearance in Reno 911! as a murderer taking the sheriffs on a wild goose chase feels like it could almost be his character from The Office, Dwight's brother, or cousin. It's honestly one of the funniest episodes of the whole series.

Debra Wilson

Debra Wilson is probably best known as the longest-serving cast member of MadTV, which included the first 8 seasons of the classic variety show. In addition to a ton of voice work in movies and TV, she's also known for playing Oprah Winfrey in the Scary Movie franchise, and for playing Dominatrix on three episodes of Reno 911! in 2008.

Brian Posehn

Yet another stand-up who played a great recurring character on the show is Brian Posehn. Posehn played Stevie the Coroner in a few episodes in the show's original run on Comedy Central. It's a perfect character for the comic, famous for his deadpan delivery. Who doesn't want a seriously funny, but deadly serious, coroner on a show like this?

Nick Krull

Another actor who plays the absolutely perfect role for his talents is Nick Krull. Krull plays an offensive shock jock who makes his name by saying the most ridiculous things. His take on Cinco de Mayo is as funny as it is offensive.

Scott Thompson

Like others on this list, Scott Thompson is a veteran of a legendary sketch comedy troupe, The Kids In The Hall. He popped up in the show's sixth season in two episodes.

Masi Oka

Masi Oka is most famous for playing the biggest hero on Heroes, Hiro Nakamura. That role earned him an Emmy nomination. He also played a more serious role as the medical examiner, Dr. Max Bergman, in the reboot of the '60s show Hawaii Five-0. Oka got to show off his comedic chops in a couple of episodes of Reno 911! as a Japanese translator.

Jeff Foxworthy

Even some of the biggest Reno 911! fans may have missed this very brief cameo. The legendary Jeff Foxworthy. Not only was it brief, but audiences never actually saw Foxworthy in the one episode in which he appeared in the third season of the show. The "redneck" comedian played Fast Eddie McClintock, the "fastest criminal in Reno, and we only very briefly hear his voice over his CB radio as he speeds away from the sheriffs in his black Trans Am.

Pixar has found itself in a similar situation as many studios, one where original concepts are having difficulty finding success with audiences, while continuing franchises, as exemplified by the massive success of Inside Out 2, are doing well. The obvious thing, at least from a financial standpoint, to do in that case, is to make more sequels. This leads to the question: Will we ever see Ratatouille 2?

The story of a rat that wants to cook is one of the best Pixar movies to date, and that means it’s a film that a lot of fans would love to see a sequel to at some point. While there has never been much indication that a Ratatouille sequel has ever really been considered, the voice of Remy, Patton Oswalt, recently spoke with Collider and revealed what would be necessary for a sequel to happen: a single idea from a single man. Oswalt said…

Brad Bird was the writer and director of two of Pixar’s biggest hits, Ratatouille and The Incredibles. While the latter movie has spawned a larger franchise, with Incredibles 2 coming out in 2018, and Incredibles 3 currently in development, we haven’t seen the other movie get any sort of follow-up.

Bird certainly isn’t against the idea of sequels, which means that he likely has simply never come up with an idea for a second Ratatouille movie. If he came up with a story, it’s a pretty safe bet Pixar would be interested in making it, and clearly, Patton Oswalt would be more than willing to return.

Ratatouille has seen some expansion of the IP that simply isn’t on screen. Ratatouille attractions exist at Epcot and Disneyland Paris. The fact that they do, however, shows that Disney sees Ratatouille as a movie that fans will want to experience in that way. If that’s the case, a sequel would likely be just as warmly received.

Most fans are probably of a similar opinion to Patton Oswalt, that no sequel is preferable to a bad one. The fact that Pixar hasn’t given a green light to a sequel by this point would seem to indicate the studio itself feels the same way.

Following the incredible success of Inside Out 2, and with both Toy Story 5 and Incredibles 3 on the way, Pixar certainly isn’t saying no to sequels. It's possible that some work has been done, or is happening right now, to try to put a sequel idea together. If they find the way in, the sequel is quite likely. If not, we'll always have the near-perfect original that you can stream with a Disney+ subscription.

Warning: SPOILERS for the Suits LA episode “He Knew” are ahead!

If you’re making a TV show about a law firm in Los Angeles that chiefly represents people in the entertainment industry, that leaves the door open for countless actors to appear as themselves. The Suits LA episode “He Knew,” which aired just a few days ago on the 2025 TV schedule and can be streamed with a Peacock subscription, saw The Office’s Brian Baumgartner chiefly filling that role, but Patton Oswalt also got some time to shine. However, as Oswalt shared while speaking with CinemaBlend, there’s a big difference between his real life self and his Suits LA self, though he also has an idea I like how how the latter could return to the NBC series.

Oswalt came into the picture on Suits LA when Lex Scott Davis’ Erica Collins and Alice Lee’s Leah Power arranged for Baumgartner to meet him. While the two of them initially hit it off, things went sideways when Oswalt told Baumgartner he didn’t have what it took to be an Oscar-winning dramatic actor. It was later revealed that Erica told Oswalt to deliberately rile up Baumgartner up to test his determination to accomplish this goal. In real life though, Oswalt wouldn’t be up for doing this, as he told me when I asked him how he reacted when he was told he’d be tearing into a member of The Office’s cast:

Patton Oswalt got some solid digs in at Brian Baumgartner on Suits LA, like saying that Toby was funnier than Kevin on The Office and shouting “That’s what she said!” as Baumgartner angrily left the room. But if you’re someone who requires this kind of manipulation from Oswalt in the real world, you’re out of luck. He made it abundantly clear to me later in our conversation that this is not part of his repertoire, saying:

Ultimately this ploy ended up working out, as Erica Rollins revealed her true intentions to Brian Baumgartner, threw her full support behind him and agreed to help him get dramatic performing work. But what about Patton Oswalt’s Suits LA future? Well, when I asked him what kind of scenarios he envisions that would require him to seek help from Black & Associates, he told me:

You know, that sounds an awful lot like why Brian Baumgartner was brought into Suits LA. Only in Patton Oswalt’s case, maybe he’s looking do something outside of the entertainment industry, but his attempt doesn’t go well and he needs the law firm to assist him. Whatever the case, Oswalt sounds like he’s game to return to Suits LA, so if that happens, hopefully the writers will take his idea into consideration.

For now, catch new episodes of Suits LA Sundays at 9 pm ET on NBC. For those of you looking to see more of Patton Oswalt, his last film appearance, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, can be streamed with a Netflix subscription. That’s also how you’ll be able to hear him reprising Matthew the Raven later this year in The Sandman’s second and final season.

Warning: SPOILERS for the Suits LA episode “He Knew” are ahead!

One of the main ways Suits LA distinguishes itself from its predecessor, location aside, is by following attorneys who represent powerful clients in the entertainment industry. So naturally this provides countless opportunities for actors to appear as themselves on the NBC series that can also be streamed with a Peacock subscription. The late John Amos made his final onscreen appearance in the Suits LA pilot, and tonight’s episode saw The Office’s Brian Baumgartner and The Goldbergs’ Patton Oswalt paired together. Both actors shared with CinemaBlend what it was like to “tear it up” with each other, making for an experience that was the complete opposite of what their fictional selves experienced.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Baumgartner and Oswalt separately ahead of “Hew Knew” airing on the 2025 TV schedule. The two were introduced to each other in the Suits LA world thanks to Lex Scott Davis’ Erica Rollins, but in real life, they’d already crossed paths on a few occasions. As Baumgartner, who played Kevin Malone on The Office (one of the best sitcoms of all time) told me:

This meeting in Suits LA came as a result of Brian Baumgartner wanting to “kill” Kevin Malone, by which he meant he wanted to leave his comedic performing behind and try to become an Oscar-winning dramatic actor. Baumgartner requested that Erica arrange for him to meet Tom Hanks to he could pick the Forrest Gump actor’s brain, but there was no way that was going to happen for a multitude of reasons. So instead, Alice Lee’s Leah Power arranged for Patton Oswalt to stop by instead, as he’s a comedic actor who has experience in the dramatic realm.

Unfortunately, the conversation Baumgartner and Oswalt devolved once the latter told the former he didn’t have what it took to bring home an Academy Award. Several brutal jabs later (Oswalt said that Toby was funnier than Kevin on The Office, Baumgartner mocked Oswalt for voicing Remy in Ratatouille), and Baumgartner left angrily, upset at Erica for not delivering on what he asked for. But, like the real life Office alum told me, he had nothing but a blast working with The King of Queens actor, who echoed that same sentiment to me later on. As Oswalt put it:

The good news is that we don’t have to worry about Brian Baumgartner and Patton Oswalt becoming mortal enemies in the Suits LA world. It turned out that Erica Rollins asked Oswalt prior to the meeting to deliberately rile Baumgartner up to test his determination to win an Oscar, as she knew what it was like to be underestimated. With the Kevin Malone actor still unwilling to back down from this goal, Erica was pleased her plan worked and threw her support behind Baumgartner. However, Baumgartner asked that she still be ready to book comedic roles in case the dramatic acting doesn’t work out.

Suits LA airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on NBC. Next week’s episode, “Batman Returns,” will see Suits’ Gabriel Macht returning as Harvey Specter for the first of three episodes he has lined up, and it was also announced a few days ago that Rick Hoffman will reprise Louis Litt later this season. Meanwhile, I’ll be over here rooting for you, Fictional Brian, and hopefully you and Fictional Patton can have a less heated conversation the next time you run into each other.

Hollywood lost a true legend today, as it was announced that David Lynch had died at the age of 78. The experimental and incredibly creative filmmaker was deeply beloved, and his films and shows have influenced so many over the decades. Now, as we mourn this loss, Steven Spielberg, Kyle MacLachlan, Nicolas Cage and more are posting their tributes to the director and honoring the impact he left on film and television.

Both Steven Spielberg and David Lynch are legendary filmmakers, and the Jaws director admires the Twin Peaks creator greatly. In fact, he cast Lynch as John Ford in The Fabelmans back in 2022. In a statement published Variety, Spielberg noted that role and his relationship with the director, saying:

Like Spielberg, Nicolas Cage honored the late filmmaker with a statement about how brilliant he was. The actor worked with Lynch on the 1990 movie Wild at Heart, and in a statement published by Deadline, he called the director a “singular genius in cinema.” Also referring to Lynch as “one of the greatest artists of this or any time,” Cage explained:

Along with Cage, Kyle MacLachlan shared kind words about his frequent collaborator. Posting a series of images that seemingly span across decades, the actor reflected on his decades-long relationship with Lynch in a long Instagram post. The two worked together on the 1984 underappreciated adaptation of Dune, one of the best movies of the ‘80s, Blue Velvet, and one of the best sci-fi shows ever, Twin Peaks.

To commemorate all of that and what the director meant to him, MacLachlan wrote, in part:

Overall, the outpouring of love for Lynch and his filmography has been immense. He made such a big impact and influenced so many filmmakers, and his legacy will live on forever through his work.

An example of that work is Blue Velvet, which James Gunn posted a photo of as he wrote the following tribute to the Eraserhead director on Instagram:

Iconic director and actor Ron Howard noted his love for Lynch too. The Apollo 13 director specifically mentioned the Mulholland Drive director’s love for experimentation, writing the following in a tribute on X:

Ocean’s Eleven director Steven Soderbergh also paid tribute to Lynch by focusing on his “influential but impossible to imitate” work. In an interview with The AP, he complimented the director’s brilliant mind and filmography, writing:

The tributes aren’t even close to stopping there either. Many actors, performers, directors and more took to social media to share their love for David Lynch while grieving his death. Here are some of them:

• "David Lynch, RIP. At least that’s what the horse wearing a fez just told me* in a dream. (*Backwards and in Swedish)" - Patton Oswalt via X
• "This is a monumental loss. One of the most influential artists of all time. Nobody ever did it like David Lynch and nobody ever will again." -Kat Dennings via Instagram
• "Never been so sad about someone I never met I really loved him" -Colin Jost via Instagram
• "Visionary rebel David Lynch died today. His films changed the way many of us see the world. His lens, his choices, and the groundbreaking way he approached film have left an indelible imprint on this world." -Mayim Bialik via Instagram

Overall, the outpouring of love for David Lynch is immense, and there’s no denying just how big of an impact he left on the world of film, television and those who worked with him and loved his work.

We here at CinemaBlend send our condolences and thoughts to Lynch’s loved ones during this difficult time.

Halloween is such a fun time of year, and I love seeing all the creative costumes people share on the internet. If you don’t know what to dress up as, Pixar movies can serve as a great inspiration and starting point. I personally always feel like Halloween is a contest to see who has the most creative costume. After seeing one fan’s video of her Ratatouille costume, Patton Oswalt and I can confirm she’s already won.

I’ve seen many Ratatouille costumes in my day, and usually, it’s a good choice for couples celebrating the spooky holiday. One person is usually dressed as a rat, sitting on the other person’s shoulders as they don a chef's hat. However, one Instagram user (@shebuildsrobots) blew everyone else out of the water when she posted a Reel showing how she used her engineering degree to make a realistic motorized robot Remy.

In the video below, she goes step by step on how she created and then coded the little rat, and I wish I had this level of dedication to my Halloween costumes:

This might be the best Halloween costume I’ve ever seen, and I’m left wondering why Disney hasn’t hired her yet to help them with bringing Ratatouille magic to life in the parks.

This underrated Pixar classic is full of iconic moments, and it's one of the studio's best movies in my opinion. It’s my favorite by far, and so I couldn’t be happier this video came across my feed. I’m at a loss for more words honestly, so I’ll just let this Instagram comment from Remy the Rat himself, Patton Oswalt, say what we are all thinking:

Imagine the animated voice of a generation commenting on your Halloween costume! This is incredible, and she's so deserving of Oswalt's praise.

Remy was the perfect character to replicate, and given how small he is, getting it to actually lightly pull her hair is something most Ratatouille costumes lack (if it’s just a singular person). Where was this girl when Ratatouille the Tik Tok Musical was happening back during Covid? Talk about a missing element!

I love that The Secret Life of Pets actor still loves his rodent alter-ego as much as fans do. As much as I would love more Remy content, it doesn’t seem like Oswalt or the original creators are headed in the direction of a sequel or a live-action Ratatouille remake anytime soon. Why mess with perfection?

For now, I’ll have to settle for awesome fan content like this, and honestly, I’m not complaining. The only person who could possibly top this robotic Remy costume is the queen of Halloween herself, Heidi Klum. To do that though, she would have to train a live rat to sit under a hat and pull her hair. She’s pulled off some insane costumes, so I wouldn’t put it past her.

Anyways, for those interested in seeing how realistic this fan’s robotic Remy actually is, Ratatouille is available to stream for anyone with a Disney+ subscription.

Some know him as Spence from The King of Queens, some know him as Remy from the 2007 Pixar movie classic, Ratatouille, and some might even know him as the one actor with the most MCU roles (five, including all four The Koenig Brothers and Pip the Troll). However, to his biggest fans, he is just Patton Oswalt — a talented comedian who has been sharing his personal ups and downs and philosophies on stage for years. We celebrate his long and fruitful career by highlighting some of the funniest quotes from his greatest stand-up bits.

"I Just Paid For One Year Of My Daughter's College, I Did Not Tell A Single Joke, And I've Never Made An Audience Happier"

In Oswalt's 2014 special, Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time, he recalls a time he was paid "a sacrilegious amount of money" to perform at a casino, but the audience was so deeply under the influence and so rowdy, he never got a chance to do his act. Instead, he merely stood on stage for half an hour as the crowd screamed the titles of movies and TV shows that they recognized the comedian from.

"That's Right, Our Songs Will Match The Sound Of The Scream Trapped In Your Throat, Dad!"

In 2019's I Love Everything, which is one of the best stand-up specials on Netflix, Oswalt recalls working for a wedding DJ company that still used cassettes long after CDs became commonplace. He compares the horribly muffled music to the sound that the fathers of knocked-up brides likely wanted to make during their dance at the reception.

"Aging Isn’t Bad If You Don’t Take It Personally… Pretend You’re Jeff Goldblum In The Fly..."

In 2022's We All Scream, Oswalt compares getting older to the metamorphosis that Jeff Goldblum's character undergoes in David Cronenberg's 1986 horror movie classic, The Fly. In fact, he recommends treating the situation the way he did when he started becoming a human-insect hybrid by taking notes on any amusing changes.

"'My Skeleton Is Going To Come Out Of My Body!'"

Oswalt recalls when a scene from the 2010 werewolf movie The Wolfman came on TV with his toddler-age daughter in the room and, in order to prevent bad dreams, he turned on the "Them Bones" song from Schoolhouse Rock. Quoting his daughter's cries as she later ran into his bedroom, he demonstrates how the plan backfired and the educational tune about the skeletal system turned out to be her nightmare fuel.

"I Want To Apologize To Anybody That I Ever Made Fun Of For Wearing Sweatpants In Public"

In his 2011 Showtime original special, Finest Hour, Oswalt admits he was wrong to criticize anyone who treated sweatpants as an outdoor wardrobe. In fact, he considers them a miracle and the pinnacle of human accomplishment.

"You Pass The Age Of 50 And Then, Suddenly, Everything's Fatal"

When explaining how he broke his foot by slipping off a curb at 2022's Netflix is a Joke Festival, Oswalt goes into a spiel about how injuries come more easily for him at his age. It leads into a story about how his friend, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Glenn Howerton, broke his collarbone snowboarding, which left the comedian green with envy over how much cooler his injury story was.

"Every Animal In The Circus Openly Doesn't Wants To Be There Or Wants To Murder You"

Oswalt has a bit in which he imagines what it would be like to pitch the idea for the circus in modern times and it sounds just as creepy as he suggests. A giant tent on the outskirts of your town filled with captive wildlife and men in bright clothing and white makeup does not sound like ideal family fun when you really think about it.

"We Were Not Love Wizards, We Were Divorce Necromancers"

In I Love Everything, he talks about how, when he worked as a wedding DJ, his boss referred to them as "love wizards," claiming what they do would ensure long lives of happiness. In truth, none of the couples they worked for lasted very long. 

"It's Like I Am Legend But You Can Get A Sandwich"

This is Patton's way of describing his experience in Los Angeles at Christmastime, during which most of the city seems to leave, which is exactly how he prefers it. This is also how he sets up a story of when he and his brother went to see one of the best movies of the '90s, Jerry Maguire on Christmas Eve, and his brother responded to Tom Cruise's line about living in a cynical world with a hilariously cynical expletive.

"I'm So Afraid That Some Kid's Going To Come To The Door As Remy And, Just Out Of Enthusiasm, I'm Gonna Go, 'You're Inside Of Me Right Now'"

This is Oswalt's way of explaining why his role Ratatouille has ruined Halloween for him forever.

"Hiking Is For Trudging Defeatedly"

In a bit from I Love Everything, Oswalt describes how his philosophy on nature walks differs greatly from hikers of a younger demographic who seem to take the activity as a more extreme form of fitness.

"My Daughter Has Made My Depression Way More Creative"

In a bit from Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time, Oswalt describes fatherhood as a great ally in his battle with depression, which would force his condition to be more inventive in its attacks. As an example, he describes finding a delicious-looking Lean Cuisine item that he tosses out in favor of a less appetizing meal that requires fewer steps to prepare.

"It Looked Like Danny DeVito In A Rat Costume"

Have you ever seen a rodent so large that you assumed it had to be a celebrity of modest size only dressed as the animal? Oswalt claims he has when he recalls the time he saw the biggest rat he had ever seen running along the wires between the utility poles outside his house. He specifically name-drops Batman Returns' Penguin actor Danny DeVito as the actor who could have been dressed as this rat.

"Is Cursive Writing Magic?"

Obviously, Oswalt does not believe that the act of writing cursive has some supernatural effect. However, it sure seems like it does when you consider how fancily printing your own name is treated as some write of passage before you can claim to own your own house, car, etc.

"I Have A Theory About Jesus..."

In I Love Everything, Oswalt posits that the Son of a Man is really a composite of people who existed during that time and performed the many astonishing acts the Bible claims. The theory comes from his own habit of crediting memorable stories from his younger years to one person named Craig.

"You Take Ambien, Go In The Vestibule, All The Doors Open Up"

Oswalt presents his own amusing metaphor about where dreams come, which involves our asleep selves being transported to a vestibule with dozens of doors, each of which contains a theater troupe that specializes in a different kind of subconscious experience. The theory is a lead-in for his explanation of what it is like to take the insomnia treatment medication, Ambien.

"It Looks Like They Took The Head And Legs Off Of A Jack Russell Terrier And Then Found A Beaver Carcass And Filled It Waffle Batter And Ball Bearings..."

This is how Oswalt begins to describe his parents' dog in Netflix's Talking for Clapping. He goes on to mention the way he struggles to drag himself around the house and is quick to attack just about anything before recoiling in fright as he realizes his parents brought him up the same way. 

"Denny's Is Where You End Up After A Series Of Bad Decisions And Catastrophic Twists Of Fate"

When Oswalt's daughter announces "America's Diner" as the place where she wants to go for a daddy-daughter day, he suggests that they "pop in" for a meal and leave to play basketball. However, he points out that Denny's is never the place you stop at on the way somewhere, but is the destination after a rocky journey.

"... Make Sure All Your Family Members Are Healthy Before You Decide To Go, 'I'm Gonna Make The Ringtone A Fart'"

After telling a story about a repairman with a phone that quacks when someone calls it, Oswalt explains why he believes that comical alert sounds can only be appropriate for so long until they receive a call that is anything but funny.

"There's No Kirby"

In I Love Everything, Oswalt recalls hiring a talented but "sketchy" subcontractor to put up wallpaper in his house who would complain about issues with the process to Kirby, whom Oswalt assumed was the subcontractor's partner. The partner tells Oswalt his name is Daniel and that the subcontractor would continue to yell at his imaginary friend all day, but that the finished wallpaper would make it all worth it.

"How Does The Whiplash Feel Watching Reality [Wizzing] All Over Satire Every Day?"

While doing crowd work for his 2017 Netflix special, Annihilation, Oswalt strikes up a conversation with a writer for The Onion sitting in the front row. The comedian cannot help but ask him what it must be like for someone who writes satire to live in a world where politics is often stranger than fiction.

"'I Died For Your Sins, But Those Pumps Are Unforgivable'"

In Oswalt's bit about New Song's hit holiday tune, "Christmas Shoes," the comedian asserts that if the poor boy's mom does "meet Jesus tonight," it seems unlikely that He would be concerned about her style of footwear. He later ends his lyrical analysis by pointing out a flaw in the message of the song, which suggests God's plan to remind the narrator of the season's true meaning was making this poor boy's mother terminally ill so they could meet at the store.

"Here's The Note Verbatim. First Line: 'Stop'... Second Line: "Get Out Of Your Car"... Third Line: 'Walk To The Park Bench In Front Of You"... Last Line: 'I Love You'"

Patton recalls responding to a fight with his wife, Meredith Salenger, by leaving for a hike and, upon returning to his car, finds a note on his windshield that initially freaked him out. Luckily, the final line helped him realize it came from his wife but the first three lines served as "a long terrifying walk to 'I love you.'"

"At Best, Bruce Wayne Would Have Grown Up To Be Gotham City's Most Annoying Slam Poet"

In Annihilation, Oswalt questions the logistics of a person like Bruce Wayne becoming the costumed, highly skilled vigilante Batman. He imagines that, in the real world, he would have channeled the pain of losing his parents as a child into some hipster art form.

"Help Sugar Bat Get To His Insulin"

In I Love Everything, Oswalt talks about the sort of things he would find on the side of his cereal box, such as fun games like a maze in which you must guide the product's animal mascot to its life-saving prescription. All of that would change when he reached his middle-aged years and his breakfast became "deadly serious."

"Every Major Holiday, I Live In Fear That This Polish Woman Of Doom Is Gonna [Appear]"

Annihilation takes a more somber turn when Oswalt describes life since the passing of his first wife, Michelle McNamara, such as one Mother's Day when a Polish airport gate agent blindsided his daughter with her struggles to overcome the loss of her own mother. He then describes nightmare scenarios of running into this woman and hearing more tragic testimonies while taking his daughter trick-or-treating or visiting Santa at the mall.

"... People That Write The Obituaries Either Want To Be P.R. People Or They're Failed P.R. People"

In his Comedy Central Presents episode, Oswalt observes how obituary writers seem to add "spin" to how their subjects passed, like describing their succumbing to cancer as them giving into "a valiant battle" with the illness. He later adds how he fears someone will put in his obituary that he "loved to laugh," which would be no different than saying that the deceased "hungered for food so often in his life."

"The Only Reason To Visit Florida Is To Identify Your Daughter's Dead Body"

Oswalt spends a good chunk of Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time to rant about why he dislikes Florida. He even thinks the state flag should be an image of shocked parents meeting with a coroner with an enthusiastic flamingo wearing sunglasses in the bottom corner.

"Come On Down To Captain Covid's Alpha-Male Only Buffet!"

In a bit from his 2022 Netflix special, We All Scream, he observes how, even after a worldwide pandemic, things like cruise ships and buffets are as popular as ever. However, he posits that buffets could make a comeback as some sort of anti-liberal statement.

"'My Skin's Going To Hit Skin At One Velocity Or Another Tonight...'"

In Annihilation, he recalls the story of a fight he once witnessed which was started by a gentleman who, from his perspective, searched for romance and found none and decided to put his energy into physical violence instead.

"When Will People Learn That You Have To Make It Clear That You're Supposed To Pay To Get Into A Historic Landmark Like The Anne Frank House So That People Like Me Need Not Live In Fear?"

In his Comedy Central Presents episode, Oswalt reads an excerpt from the diary he kept while he hid in the Anne Frank House after mistakenly entering the museum without paying for it.

"At Barely-A-Clown Productions..."

In Talking For Clapping, Oswalt tells the story of a very unenthusiastic clown who literally walked out of the forest to appear at a child's birthday party an hour late. He jokes that he was hired from "Barely-A-Clown Productions" and imagines their mission statement as, "We find the most disaffected Silverlake hipster and give him or her $50 to put down the David Foster Wallace book and head at a leisurely pace towards your child's birthday and/or celebration."

When it comes to the best game show hosts of all time, you might immediately think of the late, great Bob Barker, the soon-to-be-retired Pat Sajak or the always-hilarious Steve Harvey. It can take a long time to find the right rhythm and establish a rapport with the contestants. For comedians in that role, especially, it can be tricky to know the appropriate amount of humor to inject into the show.

That’s why I was so pleasantly surprised with Fox’s The 1% Club, which turned out to be a really fun game show, thanks in large part to Patton Oswalt nailing it as the host. 

What Is The 1% Club? 

Before we get to the Patton Oswalt of it all, let me explain a little about the show itself. The game aims to let players and home viewers alike see how their brains measure up against the rest of America through a series of logic questions — not trivia like Jeopardy!, The Floor, or the seemingly similar 1 Vs. 100 that aired from 2006 to 2008. Theoretically that puts everyone on a level playing field. 

The 1% Club starts with 100 contestants, all answering questions of increasing difficulty. If they answer correctly, they move to the next round. If they’re wrong, they’re out, and $1,000 gets added to the prize pot. There are some twists along the way, but in the end, whoever is left standing has the opportunity to take home up to $100,000. 

Why I Really Enjoyed Patton Oswalt As A Game Show Host 

Patton Oswalt is known for some great performances like voicing Remy in 2007’s Ratatouille, his longtime stint on The King of Queens and hosting assorted awards shows, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that his skills translate well to game shows. He was able to explain the rules clearly — so important in a premiere episode — and then keep the game moving at a good pace. 

He joked with the contestants — many of whom came with an interesting job or story — congratulating those who progressed in the game and lightly ribbing some who were eliminated. He established nicknames for people and asked important, hard-hitting questions, like why Ethan the fin swimmer didn’t want to affiliate himself with the mermaid community.

For each question, the contestants had about 25 seconds to answer, which is a lot of basically dead air to fill, so Patton Oswalt was tasked with making a funny (but not distracting) comment, which I feel he was able to pull off so successfully thanks to his standup comedy experience. For example on one question that pertained to the pronunciation of a word, Oswalt mused: 

In another particularly amusing segment, the host declared The 1% Club needed a villain, prompting one contestant, Kyle, to raise his hand and say he would spend his winnings on razing a community rec center in order to build a high-rise for the elite. I won’t spoil what happened next, but just know that Patton Oswalt did end up crafting a narrative to counteract that, featuring a hero promising to “bake pans of brownies for orphans and help old women pay their heating bills.”

As a fan of game shows, I will definitely check out The 1% Club again, and it's also really fun that the home audience can play along via an app. As fun as the logic puzzles are, though, the best game shows need a good host to make it complete, and I think Patton Oswalt is a great choice for the gig. The 1% Club airs at 9 p.m. ET Mondays on Fox and can be streamed the next day with an Amazon Prime subscription. 

There’s no denying that Pixar is a powerhouse when it comes to the animation genre. The company has consistently released some of the best family movies for over three decades, including some iconic sequels that might even be better than the original movies. As the animation giant gears up for its highly anticipated 2024 movie release, Inside Out 2, there’s another movie that many want to see a sequel to, including the voice of Ratatouille’s Remy, Patton Oswalt.

With the comedian appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live the same day as Amy Poehler, who voices Inside Out’s Joy, the talk show host began the interview by asking Oswalt why the studio hasn’t gotten around to Ratatouille 2. While open to doing a sequel, the comedian has the following to say in response:

It’s refreshing to hear an actor say that they want to get the story right instead of rushing into something just to make some money. Considering it took director and writer Brad Bird 14 years to create Incredibles 2, and Ratatouille celebrated the same milestone in 2021, it’s definitely about time to revisit everyone’s favorite rat chef.

Bird might be the creative genius behind one of the best Pixar movies of all time, but Kimmel couldn’t help but throw out some ideas to hopefully help the writer/director out and get Oswalt back in the sound booth. His grand idea would have Remy attempt to save Reb Lobster, which recently filed for bankruptcy.

The King of Queens actor immediately started laughing before riffing off the host’s idea, suggesting that Remy would control a hedge fund manager to stop him from selling the entire company. Kimmel wasn’t totally convinced and resolved to let Bird figure out the minor details, but hey, at least it’s a start.

A Ratatouille sequel might not be in the works yet, but fans can support Oswalt by tuning in to see him host the new Fox game show 1% Club with an active Prime Video subscription. Or you can wait until June 3rd, when it premieres on the broadcast network.

Inspired by the British game show of the same name, 100 contestants will compete to be the last one standing and win $100,000 hopefully. Unlike most game shows, the show “does not test intelligence” and instead features a Family Fued-esque approach using questions that were asked to 100 random people and are now being presented to participants based on the percentage of how many people got them right. In the end, the final question will be one that only one person of 100 asked got right.

If game shows aren’t really your thing, though, don’t fret. You can still stream Ratatouille with a Disney+ subscription. Who knows, maybe an increase in streaming numbers will convince Pixar to start developing a sequel.

The Parks and Rec cast by itself is legendary. Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Rob Lowe, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott and more served as regulars on the series for years, and to this day their characters are beloved. However, what made this show even more special was its constant stream of guest stars played by living legends. Everyone from Bill Murray to Michelle Obama to Ben Schwartz appeared on the NBC classic, and today, we’re here to talk about them. 

Paul Rudd

Now, I know we love Paul Rudd for his movies, but we also need to appreciate his brilliant work as Bobby Newport on Parks and Rec. During Season 4, the actor joined the cast to play the man running against Leslie Knope for a city council position. Overall, Bobby is childish, not smart and spoiled, and Rudd plays this silly idiot brilliantly. 

Bill Murray

Obviously, Bill Murray’s funniest roles include iconic characters like Phil Connors in Groundhog Day and Dr. Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters. However, his guest spot on Parks and Rec was unexpected and incredibly memorable. I write this because, for one episode in Season 7, the Saturday Night Live legend played Walter Gunderson, the dead mayor of Pawnee. 

Kathryn Hahn

Playing the cutthroat campaign manager Jen Barkley, Kathryn Hahn made a glorious (and a smidge evil) impact on Parks and Rec. She played a cutthroat manager who worked for Bobby Newport at first, and across ten episodes she popped in from time to time to both help and harm Leslie’s political career. 

Ben Schwartz 

Arguably, Jean-Ralphio Saperstein is one of the best recurring guest stars in Parks and Rec history. The rich boy who is friends with Tom is ridiculous, scammy and he’s constantly trying to flirt with everyone and sing whenever he can. While he’s 100% the worst, he’s also totally not “the WORRRRRRSSSSSTTTT,” if you know what I mean.  

Jenny Slate

In a stroke of perfect casting, Jenny Slate popped into Parks and Rec to play Jean-Ralphio’s sister Mona Lisa Saperstein. The siblings truly are the most chaotic duo, however, they’re also the two of the funniest extra side characters the sitcom has to offer. Just don’t fall for it when they ask for “money please!”

Henry Winkler

After getting to know Jean-Ralphio and Mona Lisa, we meet their father, Lu Saperstein in Season 6. Played brilliantly by Henry Winkler, the patriarch of the Saperstein family is a successful doctor who is willing to go to any financial length to help his kids. 

Sam Elliott

In the later seasons of the show, we met the Eagleton Parks Department. Ironically, each member of that crew matched up with a member of the Parks and Rec cast, and when it came to picking someone to play Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson’s counterpart, they cast Sam Elliott as Ron Dunn. While they both have legendary mustaches and an appreciation for the outdoors, that’s where the similarities stop, and seeing Ron and Anti-Ron go head-to-head was hilarious. 

Joe Biden

Leslie loves her politicians and had a massive crush on then-Vice President Joe Biden. As an engagement gift, Ben decided to give her the perfect present and prove that he’s the ideal man, by coordinating a meet and greet between Leslie and Joe Biden.

Patton Oswalt

When Leslie tries to change Pawnee’s charter to get rid of some silly laws – like throwing a Ted into a lake – Garth Blundin makes his disapproval clear. Patton Oswalt plays the historian, and he challenges Amy Poehler’s character to a filibuster and a day of living like a colonial person. Ultimately, he and Leslie find common ground, and he joins forces with her to help preserve the laws…he also volunteers to get thrown in the lake.

Michelle Obama

As Leslie tries to figure out if she should take a job at the National Parks Department and leave Pawnee, Michelle Obama comes in to tell her about why she should take it. Let’s just say if I met the First Lady, I think I’d be just as star-struck as Leslie Knope. How could you not stumble over your words if you casually bumped into the First Lady of the United States?

Bo Burnham

Some of the funniest stand-up on Netflix comes from Bo Burnham, and in his special Make Happy, he sings a “Country Song” that pokes fun at the cliches in the genre and how some artists are masters at pandering to their audiences. On Parks and Rec, he worked with that idea as well by playing country singer Chipp McCapp who Leslie and Andy tried to hire for a performance at the Unity Concert. His songs like “Beautiful Like My Mom (Support the Troops)” were truly hilarious, and they complimented the stand-up comedian's sense of humor very well. 

John McCain

Parks and Rec knows how to do a political cameo, and one of the best ones came when Leslie didn’t even realize she’d just met John McCain in a coat closet. She was so distraught over interacting with #4 and #26 on Leslie’s list of amazing women, that she didn’t even notice she was speaking with the senator. 

Megan Mullally

You know chaos mode has been activated when Ron’s second ex-wife Tammy II enters the chat. She’s constantly trying to simultaneously take Ron down and get back together with her, and his efforts to avoid it are truly hilarious. However, what really makes this dynamic duo so hysterical and one of the best recurring inside jokes on Parks and Rec is the fact that Tammy II is played by Nick Offerman’s real-life wife Megan Mullally. 

Will Forte

Amy Poehler and Will Forte were both in some of SNL’s best casts, and it was such a treat to see them reunite on Parks and Rec. In his episode, Forte played Kelly, a man who really wants to get the Twilight books put in Pawnee’s town time capsule. When Leslie refuses and then agrees, it starts an outcry over what can and can’t go in the capsule via a chaotic town meeting. 

Jon Hamm

According to Leslie, Jon Hamm’s Ed is the “most incompetent person I’ve ever worked with.” He worked for our leading lady when she was at the National Parks Department, and he was swiftly fired by her not long after we met him. 

John Cena

In an epic episode of Andy’s show, the Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show, Burt Macklin, FBI, arrested John Cena – who was wearing so much of his own WWE merch – and took him to the dunk tank. Talk about a dream come true for Andy and viewers.

Keegan-Michael Key

There’s no question that all our hearts grew a few sizes when Donna married Keegan-Michael Key’s Joe. The comedian played the “Treat yo’ self’ queen’s boyfriend-turned-husband in Seasons 6 and 7, and it’s safe to say that we all adored this music teacher. 

Bradley Whitford

Considering Parks and Rec is a show about government and Rob Lowe is one of its stars, it made perfect sense for a West Wing cast member to pop into the sitcom. It was done perfectly too, because the team brought in Josh himself, as Bradley Whitford played Councilman Pillner, the man Leslie replaces on City Council and a model boat enthusiast. 

J.K. Simmons

Remember Ice Town? Well, Ben’s hometown of Partridge and J.K. Simmons’ Mayor Stice sure do. And that became clear as day when an episode of Parks went back to Adam Scott’s character’s hometown so he could get a key to the city, which ended up just being melted water in a box…because Ice Town. 

Patricia Clarkson

While Megan Mullally’s Tammy II is truly unhinged and chaotic, Tammy I is cold, calculated, and manipulative. She’s played by Patricia Clarkson, and she really adds to the hilarious chaos that is Ron Swanson’s love life. 

Andy Samberg

Back when Andy Samberg was still on Saturday Night Live and before he led his own sitcom, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, he guest starred on Parks and Rec as the incredibly loud Park Ranger Carl. During Season 2, Leslie worked with Carl on a few issues of Parks security, and let's just say that she “might not be so confident, when [she has to] walk a mile in [Carl’s]  size sevens.” 

Rachel Dratch

In the final season of Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler’s Saturday Night Live co-star Rachel Dratch appeared as Roz Pinwheel, the nanny of Leslie and Ben’s triplets. While a small role, it was such a nice (and funny) nod to the two comedians' time together on the legendary sketch comedy show.

Nick Kroll

If you were looking to get humiliated on the radio look no further than "The Douche." This hilarious and terrible radio host was played by the mastermind behind one of the best animated shows, Big Mouth, Nick Kroll, and anytime he showed up to host a radio spot on the series, you knew something wild was about to go down.

Chelsea Peretti

While Leslie ran for City Council, April filled in for her one time, and during one of her seminars Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Chelsea Peretti showed up as one of the attendees, Zelda. Fun fact: before Peretti was part of the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she actually wrote two episodes of Parks and Rec, which helps explain her lil cameo in the series. 

Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell was quite literally the perfect person to play Leslie Knope’s Eagleton councilwoman counterpart, Ingrid de Forest. It turns out, Bell was born to thrive on a comedy like this, because after Parks and Rec, she went on to lead the cast of The Good Place, which was Michael Schur’s next show after Parks.  

Dax Shepard

When Tom decides to become Andy’s manager as he works on Johnny Karate, they have a run-in with Hank Muntak, a TV executive in Pawnee who is played by Dax Shepard. Before this guest spot, the actor had spent a lot of time on NBC as one of the stars of Parenthood, these days you can find him hosting his podcast Armchair Expert. 

Will Arnett

Before Leslie meets and falls in love with Ben, she goes on some wildly terrible dates, including one with MRI technician Chris. At the time, Amy Poehler and Will Arnett were actually married (they’re divorced now), making this blind date even funnier because they were a real-life couple too. 

Sean Hayes

Bobby Wood was Indianapolis’ best talk show host, and he was played by Sean Hayes. As television appearances tend to go for Leslie and co. her interview with him didn’t exactly go well, and both comedic actors were so funny in the moment. 

Fred Armisen

You can always count on Fred Armisen to play the wildest goofy guys, and he did exactly that on Parks and Recreation. In the episode “Sister City,” the SNL vet appeared as Raul Alejandro Bastilla Pedro de Veloso de Maldonado, the Venezuelan officer who came to represent his city on a trip to Pawnee. 

Tatiana Maslany

Tom Haverford’s love life was always a funny point of interest on Parks and Rec, especially because it was only brought up occasionally. For instance, in Season 6, he had a short-lived relationship with Tatiana Maslany’s Nadia Stasky, a doctor who eventually left Pawnee and moved to Rwanda.  

Parker Posey

Indie darling Parker Posey came on to Parks and Rec to play Lindsay Carlisle Shay. The character was Leslie’s counterpart from Eagleton, meaning she was the Deputy Parks Director in Pawnee’s fancy rival town. The twist here was that Lindsay was actually Leslie’s friend and went behind her back a long time ago to take the job in Eagleton. 

Jason Schwartzman

Jason Schwartzman’s role in Parks and Rec presented an interesting issue for Pawnee when he decided to turn his video rental store into an adult store. Watching Leslie flounder as she figured out how to help the character played by the Asteroid City star was so funny, and the character of Dennis was perfect for Schwartzman.  

Honestly, the guest stars from Parks and Rec are next level. From comedy geniuses to beloved dramatic actors, so many notable names took a quick trip to Pawnee, Indiana and I love that for them, this wonderful show and us. 

As a show that takes place almost entirely in the next millennium, Futurama doesn’t automatically seem like the kind of show that would boast tons of cameos from modern day celebrities, athletes, politicians and scientific geniuses. Yet that’s exactly what the animated sci-fi comedy has delivered with each season that’s aired, even when occasional cancellations kept those seasons airing years apart from each other. And what’s more, quite a few of those guest stars have also popped up in co-creator legend Matt Groening’s other beloved toon series, The Simpsons.

While there are certainly far more celebrities who have only appeared on one show or the other — for instance, relatively frequent Futurama guest star Al Gore was previously tapped to host a “Treehouse of Horror” ep, but it never happened — the number of shared famous faces may be surprising to longtime fans. So let’s pop open a six-pack of Slurm and dive in, while noting right away that the aforementioned Groening isn’t on this list, despite appearing in both shows. Note that we also left out Simpsons regulars Hank Azaria and Dan Castellaneta. (Also note that The Simpsons can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription, while all eps of Futurama are available with a Hulu subscription.)

Dick Clark

• Futurama: Season 1 “Space Pilot 3000”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "Treehouse of Horror X"

True to his real-world persona, the animated Dick Clark was also known in both animated series for hosting New Year's Eve countdowns, though he only did so as a head for Futurama. He suffered a weirder phenomenon on The Simpsons when Y2K hit and turned him into a Terminator-esque cyborg.

Leonard Nimoy

• Futurama: Season 1 “Space Pilot 3000,” Season 4 "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" 
• The Simpsons: Season 4 "Marge vs. the Monorail," Season 8 "The Springfield Files"

An icon in the world of science fiction and beyond, Leonardy Nimoy was a welcomed figure on both animated comedies. where he played himself for two episodes of each series. Arguably the best would be Futurama's "Where No Fan..." since it brought in other Star Trek vets as well.

John Goodman

• Futurama: Season 2 “XMas Story”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "Take My Wife, Sleaze"

Longtime Futurama fans might not remember that Roseanne and The Conners lead John Goodman was the first to voice Robot Santa, with John DiMaggio taking over the role in later seasons. The Big Lebowski vet had a slightly different vibe going when portraying biker gang leader Meathook on The Simpsons.

Conan O'Brien

• Futurama: Season 2 “XMas Story”
• The Simpsons: Season 5 "Bart Gets Famous"

Having served as a writer on The Simpsons ahead of landing NBC's Late Night — he's spoken about his favorite character to write for — talk show maestro Conan O'Brien appeared as himself on both shows, interviewing Bart for his former employer, and appearing in jarheaded form for Futurama. Note that he is one of the only celebs whose head pokes out of the top, which is a joke about the comedian's larger than average dome.

Nichelle Nichols

• Futurama: Season 2 “Anthology Of Interest 1,” Season 4 "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" 
• The Simpsons: Season 15 "Simple Simpson"

A beloved member of Star Trek royalty, Nichelle Nichols portrayed herself three times across both shows, always with shows references to fall back on. (Unlike Nichols and other Trek elite, William Shatner turned down the opportunities to appear.)

Stephen Hawking

• Futurama: Season 2 “Anthology Of Interest 1,” “The Beast With A Billion Backs,” Season 6 “Reincarnation”
• The Simpsons: Season 10 "They Saved Lisa's Brain,” Season 16 "Don't Fear the Roofer," Season 18 "Stop or My Dog Will Shoot," Season 22 "Elementary School Musical"

Perhaps it's no surprise that one of TV's brainiest animated shows would repeatedly bring in one of the smartest people who ever lived. Physicist and author Stephen Hawking appeared as himself, perhaps obviously, thrice on Futurama, and is part of the four-timers club on The Simpsons.

Parker Posey

• Futurama: Season 2 “The Deep South”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge"

For Futurama's mermaid-focused Season 2 episode, Parker Posey lent her voice to Umbriel, not to be confused with any other size-specific mermaids out there. Over in Springfield, Posey portrayed Otto's girlfriend Becky in a role that was initially pitched to Drew Barrymore.

Sarah Silverman

• Futurama: Season 2 “The Cryonic Woman,” “Bender’s Big Score,” Season 7 “Game of Tones”
• The Simpsons: Season 21 "Stealing First Base," Season 24 "Moonshine River," Season 26 "Clown in the Dumps," Season 28 "Treehouse of Horror XXVII"

Comedian Sarah Silverman joined the world of Futurama as the recast voice of Fry's not-so-wonderful girlfriend Michelle from the '90s, with three appearances to date. (Kath Soucie voiced her in the pilot.) She was also a romantic interest on The Simpsons for Bart in a pair of eps as Nikki McKenna, while also voicing herself and others in later seasons.

Jan Hooks

• Futurama: Season 3 “Bendless Love”
• The Simpsons: Season 9 "The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons," Season 10 "I'm With Cupid," Season 11 "Eight Misbehavin'," "Take My Wife, Sleaze," Season 12 "Bye Bye Nerdie," Season 14 "Large Marge"

Saturday Night Live vet Jan Hooks brought her comedic skills to Futurama as the criminal-loving fembot Angleyne, and while she may have wooed Bender, Hooks technically has had a larger impact on The Simpsons, where she played Apu's wife Manjula across a half-dozen appearances.

Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu was part of a Futurama cameo like few others, in that she voiced various bot-cloned versions of herself, with Fry dating one of them, as well as the "real" Lucy Liu's head in a jar. (Her second episode utilized excess dialogue she'd recorded the previous season.) Over on The Simpsons, she played the adoption agent tasked with deciding whether or not Selma is worthy of parenting a Chinese baby.

Bob Odenkirk

Bob Odenkirk tapped into both Saul Goodman and some of his Mr. Show characters to bring the ego-driven Chaz to Futurama as Leela's temporary romantic interest. And in an episode penned by his brother Bill Odenkirk, the Breaking Bad vet portrayed Fat Tony's lawyer (whose character went by that very moniker) for a Simpsons ep.

George Takei

One of the most seasoned guest stars of any Matt Groening series is Star Trek vet George Takei, who portrayed himself mostly in jar-head form for Futurama. While he did play himself for one Simpsons episode, he also voiced Happy Sumo waiter Akira, an unnamed Chinese restaurant waiter, and game show host Wink.

Mark Hamill

Having played one of cinema's most beloved heroes, Star Wars vet Mark Hamill took on voicing a somewhat equally important character for Futurama, at least to a certain segment of the population: holiday mascot Chanukah Zombie. For his single Simpsons ep, Hamill voiced himself at as sci-fi con and the bodyguard-training specialist Leavelle.

Penn & Teller

The most celebrated magical duo in history, Penn Jillette and his largely silent partner Teller appeared on Futurama in their entertainment hub of Las Vegas, or rather New Mars Vegas. (I guess it's up for debate whether Teller actually appeared, considering the state of his head.) On The Simpsons, Homer attempted to create a viral moment by interrupting one of their specials, and returned for a later episode centered on Lisa diving into the world of magic, with fellow illusionists David Copperfield and Ricky Jay also appearing.

Snoop Dogg

Rapper, actor and pop culture mainstay Snoop Dogg achieved his highest ranking yet within Futurama, with his head serving as a Chief Justice alongside the heads of Paula Abdul and Ruth Bader Ginsberg. He also played himself on The Simpsons as part of an all-star rap group Hate Squad alongside Common and Rza.

Patton Oswalt

Comedian Patton Oswalt is no stranger to self-deprecating humor, so perhaps it's fitting that his guest spot on Futurama was as Giant Unattractive Monster, who did not take kindly to Fry's insinuation that his mother's looks were to blame. He was the offspring of Portlandia vets Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein's characters' on The Simpsons, voicing their son T-Rex. He returned in a later episode to voice the slime-covered entitye that served as Bart Simpson's Guilt.

Buzz Aldrin

The second person to ever set foot on the moon, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin can also boast a guest spot as a science fair judge on Futurama, in which he delivered an unexpectedly funny joke for someone of such real-life stature. Aldrin also appeared, perhaps unsurprisingly, in the Simpsons episode in which Homer goes to space, and the family's patriarch is actually dubbed a "hero" by Aldrin.

Wanda Sykes

Comedian extraordinaire Wanda Sykes delivered the robotic goods as the soda-dispensing vending machine Bev, who has a love-hate relationship with Bender while also heping to get Fry hooked on Slurm Loco. Sykes' SImpsons spot had her portraying a nameless Springfield Elementary counselor who loses her job in the middle of dispensing advice, and then calls out Milhouse for being boring. Mic drop.

Patrick Stewart

For all his years portraying Jean Luc Picard across the Star Trek universe, Patrick Stewart opted for something slightly less sci-fi for his Futurama appearance as the master of a fox-hunting club that Bender joins, complete with fancy mustache. For The Simpsons, he also went old school as the Stonecutters leader Number One, and later appeared as a bald-but-virile power plant worker whose confidence inspires Homer. (An amusing story for an actor who was initially advised to wear a wig for his Next Generation audition.)

Robert Wagner

Two and a Half Men and NCIS recurrer Robert Wagner's fame is definitely still intact in the 3000s, at least per his guest spot on Futurama, where Calculon's Walk of Fame star is replaced by a second star for Wagner, who shares a few words as an appreciative head in a jar. His Simpsons appearance seemed tailor-made for Troy McClure, as he introduced himself as an "actor, smooth customer and women's health advocate" during an instructional video teaching aging women about menopause. (Barely.)

Adam West & Burt Ward

'60s Batman stars Adam West and Burt Ward paid tribute to their respective roles during a Futurama scene parodying the comic book show's wall-climing cameo sequences, for which West voiced an actual bat-man-thing. He also appeared on The Simpsons as a car show celeb, and later teamed up with Ward for an installment featuring a faux Batman episode with Krusty as the guest star.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane and Family Guy are often jokingly portrayed as rivals of Matt Groening and The Simpsons universe, but he's appeared twice on Futurama - once to lay his dulcet tones down for Vegas-esque theme, and once as the dream sequence voice of Fry's dog Seymour, whose martini in hand was a tip of the wet nose to FG's Brian. He also appeared on The Simpsons as a man Marge secretly befriended during a temporary marital rut.

Kathy Griffin

As a celeb who'd previously been "canceled" over controversial photos in 2017, Kathy Griffin was an understandable choice to guest star as one of several ship captains who were sidelined for their behavior, including the titular Zapp Brannigan. She also played something of a problematic character on The Simpsons as the bully Francine, who inspired Lisa to pinpoint the phereomon that causes bullies to antagonize nerds.

With more episodes of The Simpsons and Futurama still to come in the future, the possibility for more shared guest stars is a big one.

There is no genre more near and dear to my heart than comedy. The skills necessary to make others laugh -- whether live and in-person or through a screen -- are a unique and beautiful combination that should be protected at all costs. Some artists are able to do so without leaning in to touchy subjects or cursing, while others go all the way to really earn that R rating. The tactics may differ, but the end goal is the same, to bring others joy through jokes. 

Many comedians see movies as the apex of a potential career, but most don't start out their careers in Hollywood. Many grow first through either stand-up comedy or sketch comedy. This list honors them. Here's a look back at famous actors who started in either the stand-up or sketch comedy world and went on to bigger screens.

Rainn Wilson

Known as arguably one of the best characters on the hit show The Office, Rainn Wilson got his start in the arts in New York City where he studied acting at NYU. He went on to do theater both off and on Broadway as well as sketch comedy. He even did a post-modern clown show before getting his big break on the show Six Feet Under in 2001. 

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg got her start by studying drama in New York, where she landed a few stage performances before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. Like many others on this list, her comedy routine -- "The Spook Show" -- caught the attention of Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols, who helped get the young comedian to Broadway. She eventually landed her first film in Steven Spielberg's film The Color Purple, for which she earned an Oscar nomination in 1986. 

Steve Buscemi

The veteran character actor made his acting debut in 1985, but also tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Eventually, Busemi decided he "wasn't funny enough," and switched to acting instead. Buscemi has since starred in popular movies including Fargo, Resevoir Dogs, and the hit HBO Max show Boardwalk Empire.

Emma Thompson

If you're looking for a stand-up with some serious credentials, look no further than Emma Thompson. Winner of two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, a British Academy Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, the talented actor got her start in stand-up while in Cambridge. 

John Candy

Arguably one of the greatest comedy legends to ever live, John Candy led a fascinating life, getting his big break after joining the ensemble of SCTV — which is, essentially, the Canadian equivalent to SNL. In 1989, the star even added radio personality to his resume. The LA Times did a whole write-up of his syndicated, two-hour program, Radio Kandy, which sounds wild and apparently included rock music and comedy sketches featuring some of his former SCTV co-stars.

Mo'Nique

Mo'Nique started her comedy career with stand-up, heading to It's Showtime at the Apollo and Def Comedy Jam before eventually landing a leading role on TV's The Parkers. The comedian took her acting to the next level in 2009's Precious, for which she won an Academy Award.

Steve Carell

A versatile actor with numerous groundbreaking performances in both television and film, Steve Carrell was once a legend at Second City in Chicago who went on to land his dream job working on the ill-fated Dana Carvey Show, which you can learn about in Too Funny To Fail, one of the best comedy documentaries to date. Known best for his role as Michael Scott in the U.S. adaptation of The Office, Carell eventually went on to become a leading man in both comedies and dramas. 

Michael Keaton

To put himself through college where he studied acting, Michael Keaton worked as a cab and ice cream truck driver, and it wasn't until 1975 that he officially debuted on television. He did some stand-up comedy in his early 20s, which he recounted in an interview with Ellen, but he eventually found the right calling with movies.

Tina Fey

Known for her work on the smash hit show 30 Rock, Tina Fey got her start in acting at Second City which quickly led to a job at Saturday Night Live as notably one of the only female writers at the time. She got her break co-hosting Weekend Update and later went on to be a huge star in Hollywood. 

Jamie Foxx

It all started with a dare from a girlfriend to try his hand at an open mic. Flash forward some years and that performance led Jamie Foxx to multiple awards, including two Academy Awards, double digit Grammys, and three Golden Globe Awards, all while showing a versatile ability to crush performances across multiple genres and artistic art forms.

John Cleese

Coming from the United Kingdom, John Cleese is a British comic actor best known for his television work on Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers. Cleese began writing and performing in comedy revues at Clifton College in Bristol, England, and was a member of the renowned Footlights Club while a law student at the University of Cambridge. He is best known for his work with Monty Pythion, namely Monty Python And The Holy Grail. 

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais went to school at Ashmead Comprehensive School before going on to study at University College, London, where he gained a degree in Philosophy. After university, Gervais attempted to pursue a pop career with Seona Dancing, a synth-pop duo he formed with a fellow student. After forming a writing partnership with Stephen Merchant, he would go on to land his breakout role on The Office, premiering in 2001. In between all his acting gigs, he's performed plenty of stand-up and has multiple Netflix specials. 

Eddie Murphy

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, SNL star Eddie Murphy began performing his own comedy routines at 15. In 1980, the work of the soon-to-be comedy legend caught the attention of Saturday Night Live producers. In 1982, Murphy landed his first leading role in the film, 48 Hrs, which led to multiple leads in classics such as Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. He went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls and truly set the bar by playing six characters in the 1996 smash hit, The Nutty Professor. His '80s comedy specials are still discussed today. 

Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer is certainly better known these days for her work in numerous films including the fantastic Trainwreck, but most of those career opportunity doors opened through her stand-up comedy. She built a name for herself through her work on the live mic before mostly switching to movies.

Chris Rock

An SNL vet, Chris Rock's comedy career began in 1984 at 19 when he took the stage in the New York City club Catch a Rising Star. His performance ended up catching the eye of future comedy legend Eddie Murphy, who had been watching his act. Murphy would become a huge presence in Rock's life and served as a mentor, giving him his first break with a role in Beverly Hills Cop II.

Ron Perlman

Known for very courageous roles such as Clay Morrow on the FX show Sons Of Anarchy, Ron Perlman said his ventures as a stand-up comedian ended after a heckling exchange in the Bronx escalated and he retreated out of the venue through the back door, which seems like a strange move for such an intimidating man. 

Robin Williams

Arguably one of the best comedians of all-time, Robin Williams studied acting at the Juilliard School, which he later dropped out of to devote himself entirely to stand-up comedy before making the leap to television and movies. Known for his high energy and skillful impressions, he himself has inspired other actors to reenact some of his most dramatic real-life moments in honor of the late comedian. 

Patton Oswalt

The Prince of Queens, Patton Oswalt went from struggling in the comedy world to writing for the sketch comedy show MADtv and earning his own comedy special on HBO. He continued to impress critics and fans alike, with roles such as the voice of the lead character Remy the Rat in the Pixar film, Ratatouille. 

Richard Pryor

Unfortunately, tragedy and comedy often go hand-in-hand. Such is the case with arguably one of the genre's biggest icons, the late, great, Richard Pryor. The legend had a tough life growing up and eventually joined the military before playing nightclubs as both a musician and comedian at age 23. His comedy career was populated with milestones and achievements, as well as struggles and substance abuse before passing away in 2005 due to complications from M.S..  

Bette Midler

Bette Midler landed her first Broadway role in Fiddler on the Roof by 1966, four years before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. In 1972, she released the album The Divine Miss M, which earned her a Grammy Award, and she started making frequent appearances on late-night television shows and eventually a huge acting career. Along the way, she performed live comedy and even released an album.

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald's first job was writing for The Dennis Miller Show and then Roseanne. While writing on the show, he was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who liked Norm's stand up so much that he offered the young comedian a job on Saturday Night Live in 1993.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey, who is easily considered one of the greats, was himself taken under the wing of another comedy legend, Rodney Dangerfield, who spotted the young comic in a Toronto nightclub. Carrey eventually made it to The Tonight Show which led to his role on In Living Color and parts in many comedy classics that we know and love today, such as Dumb and Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura. 

Tim Allen

Tim Allen started his career as a comedian in 1975 in a pretty peculiar way. On a dare from one of his friends, he participated in a comedy night at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, outside of Detroit. Following his release from prison in 1981 for a drug-related crime, he returned to comedy and went on to lead the hit show Home Improvement on ABC. 

Steve Martin

From community theater, to Disneyland, to the big screen, Steve Martin began his showbiz career as a teenager. After writing his own comedy routines, plays, and music, he went on to study philosophy and poetry before winning his first Emmy Award for comedy writing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour at the young age of 23.

Lily Tomlin

Initially studying biology at Wayne State University, Lily Tomlin decided to audition for a play which led to her changing her major to theatre and diving into stand-up comedy. Her stand-up was so impressive that it attracted the attention of the producers of Laugh-In, the notorious 1960s sketch comedy show. Tomlin went on to snag an Oscar nomination for her acting work.

Dana Carvey

One of SNL's most talented and beloved alumni, Dana Carvey absolutely dominated during his six seasons on Saturday Night Live, creating some of the show's most memorable characters. He never drifted far from stand-up though and has continued to take the stage and release specials.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks took the weirdest route to stand-up of anyone on this list. He was already in Hollywood and establishing a nice career when he decided to audition for a movie about stand-up comedy called Punchline. As part of that process, he developed his own stand-up routine and performed in clubs. There's even footage of it that trends every now and again.

Bob Odenkirk

Starting out as a D.J. in Illinois, Bob Odenkirk got his start in local improv workshops in Chicago, where he also did open-mic stand-up comedy for several years. In Chicago, he became friends with Robert Smigel, who would later help him become a writer for Saturday Night Live.

Larry David

Starting out in stand-up comedy, Larry David befriended Jerry Seinfeld and later went on to co-create Seinfeld. He also wrote for Friday's and Saturday Night Live and famously went on to create the all-time ridiculous show Curb Your Enthusiasm. 

Ed Helms

Ed Helms was studying improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade when he got his big break as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He later moved on to the hit NBC show The Office where he played Andy Bernard. From there, Helms went on to star in The Hangover trilogy. More importantly, he also acted in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.

Mel Brooks

There aren't many names in the world of comedy that stand larger than Mel Brooks. The legend started his career in stand-up before working as a writer for Sid Caesar's variety show Your Show of Shows from 1950 to 1954. After that, he, of course, took over Hollywood, winning an EGOT and directing classics like Blazing Saddles, The Producers and Robin Hood: Men In Tights.

Simon Pegg

A comedic force to be reckoned with in the U.K. before dropping smash hits like Sean of the Dead in the U.S., Pegg once told The Hollywood Reporter “I went into stand-up because comedy was something I enjoyed but also because it offered me a certain autonomy that I wouldn’t have if I was sitting and waiting for the phone to ring as an actor.”

Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd started performing comedy at 17 and later joined the main casts of Second City in Toronto and Chicago. Later, it was his work in the sketch comedy powerhouse Saturday Night Live that turned him into a huge name and opened the door for him to start in classics like The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.

And those are some of the actors who also took the stage to perform stand-up or sketch comedy at some point during their careers!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s another tribute from Patton Oswalt: 

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

Such a precious scene! 

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

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

The Ghostbusters franchise is returning later this year with Spengler’s grandchildren carrying on the legacy, this time at the home of the Ghostbusters in Manhattan, New York. Along with filming beginning this week, the upcoming 2023 new movie release has also added numerous cast members, including Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt, the former of whom had sweet things to say about being part of a sequel to the ‘80s supernatural comedy classic. 

Kumail Nanjiani has been on a roll as of late in terms of being part of recognizable IPs, including recently starring in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series with Ewan McGregor along with becoming a Marvel superhero in 2021’s Eternals. Following news of his casting in the still untitled Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel, the actor wrote this on Twitter: 

It sounds like Nanjiani is a massive fan of Ghostbusters and is pinching himself that he gets to be part of the nostalgic property that began with legends like Bill Murray fronting it. The actor wrote the message as Deadline reported that Nanjiani along with Patton Oswalt, James Acaster and Emily Alyn Lind, are joining the upcoming Ghostbusters movie. 

Patton Oswalt was technically a costar to Nanjiani in Eternals, showing up in the end-credits scene with Harry Styles with their characters of Pip the Troll and Eros. While we don’t know if an Eternals sequel is happening for the moment, it’ll be great to see Nanjiani and Oswalt together for this Ghostbusters sequel. Oswalt is a comedian who is also well-known for his voice work, most recently as part of the hit Netflix series The Sandman as Matthew the Raven. 

In regards to the other cast members joining the Ghostbusters movie, James Acaster is an English comedian and Emily Alyn Lind is an actress who has found recent roles in Doctor Sleep and the Gossip Girl revival. The specific roles for all the new additions have not been detailed, but they will reportedly be joining Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace and Celeste O’Connor, who were all major players in 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife. 

The late Ivan Reitman’s son Jason Reitman will once again be heavily involved in this era of Ghostbusters, this time as a writer and producer. His Afterlife co-writer Gil Kenan will be directing this time around, with 2006’s Monster House and Netflix’s A Boy Called Christmas being among the previous movies he’s helmed. These additions add some excitement to the movie ahead of its theatrical release date on December 20 of this year. 

I think we can all agree that a lot is going on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Lately, the massive superhero franchise has been juggling more than ever, between continuing threads of its established heroes, setting up new worlds and finding an additional storytelling home for it all on Disney+. One of the missing threads fans have been left hanging onto concerns Eternals 2, which Patton Oswalt previously said was happening, but is now walking back his comments on. 

Patton Oswalt briefly appeared in the MCU as Pip the Troll alongside Harry Styles’ Eros during Eternals end-credits scenes. In August 2022, when the actor was asked about continuing his Marvel role, he shared that a sequel was coming, but it turns out he didn’t know as much as he let on. Here’s what he recently said about Eternals 2: 

Oswalt clarified his previous comments while speaking to Empire (via CBR). As the actor shared, he’s not been told anything about what Marvel has cooking up, nor does he think he would be first in line. The comedian also admitted he was “catfished” by the internet, pointing fingers to a fake source he read that led him to believe the sequel had been announced during his The Today Show interview last summer. 

Fans have been speculating about Eternals 2 for some time, but the fact of the matter is that Marvel has yet to announce any additional plans for the group of heroes just yet. The studio’s last big rollout of announcements took place during July 2022’s San Diego Comic-Con, where a significant chunk of the Multiverse Saga slate was revealed. Another Eternals movie is not currently part of the upcoming Marvel movies that the studio boss, Kevin Feige, has outlined. 

Previously, Eternals star Kumail Nanjiani said he had “no idea” what was going on with an Eternals sequel and shared he thought Patton might have seen a hoax site report the news. Additionally, Marvel producer Nate Moore previously said that making Eternals sequels and he said they had an “idea,” but it was not a “must-have.” 

Among many commercial successes in the MCU, Eternals is not one of the big winners for the franchise, finding one of the lowest box office earnings so far, overall distaste from critics and a “B” CinemaScore. With that in mind, it’s possible that Eternals could be one of the rare threads Marvel doesn’t keep going. That being said, we’re certainly curious to see more of Patton Oswalt’s Pip the Troll with Harry Styles’ shocking turn to the MCU as Thanos’ brother Eros in the future someday. Perhaps patience is needed regarding what’s next for Eternals. 

Spoiler alert! This story reveals the results of the Celebrity Jeopardy! finale that aired on February 2. Consider yourself warned.

The games leading up to the finale of Celebrity Jeopardy!’s first season weren’t always the easiest to watch. The celebrities' levels of expertise were varied, leading to some less-than-competitive episodes, and some of the talent just straight-up rubbed viewers the wrong way. It was all worth it to get to this finale, though, as viewers were treated to a competitive and exciting game from start to finish that ended in dramatic fashion and $1 million going to charity. It was so impressive that fans are already asking for more.

Wil Wheaton, Patton Oswalt and Ike Barinholtz progressed through their respective quarterfinal and semifinal rounds to make it to Thursday’s finale, which was hosted by Mayim Bialik. The trio were correct on nearly every question, and the game remained close all the way through Final Jeopardy! In the end it was Barinholtz who took the $1 million prize for the charity Hollygrove, and he did it by besting Oswalt by just $1. Fans on social media were fired up over the photo finish, with one tweeting: 

Regular viewers of Jeopardy! know that a common Final Jeopardy! betting strategy sees the player in the lead bet just enough to win by a dollar, but that didn’t make Ike Barinholtz’s accomplishment any less impressive. In fact, it proved that these three celebrities likely have what it takes to compete in the real game, which one Twitter user would love to see, saying: 

Extending an invitation to the Celebrity Jeopardy! winner to join the Tournament of Champions is an idea executive producer Michael Davies has bandied about, so we’ll have to see if Ike Barinholtz gave the performance the EP needed to see. 

But consider these stats. In the finale, there were only four incorrect answers given: two by the eventual champion and one apiece from Patton Oswalt and Wil Wheaton. What’s more, one clue resulted in incorrect answers from all three players, which means only one other clue in the entire game involved an incorrect answer. 

The players also kept the game exciting with their Daily Double wagering. Ike Barinholtz went for a True Daily Double in the first round, Patton Oswalt did it with both in Double Jeopardy!, and Barinholtz again went all-in for the first Daily Double in Triple Jeopardy!

The exciting game and the camaraderie between the three celebrities had fans begging for a Season 2, and the sooner the better, as other reactions included:

• Celebrity Jeopardy cannot come back soon enough.  The game play continually improved.  The final was insane. – @thatmikeklauss
• Now that Ike won, will we get a second season of #CelebrityJeopardy soon? – @SeanHorace
• Can we please get #CelebrityJeopardy to be an annual event? That was such an amazing finale! – @racinemachine

There’s been no official word on whether or not Mayim Bialik and Celebrity Jeopardy! will be back for another season, but there could be no stronger argument than the game that was played by the three finalists. While we wait for an announcement from ABC, you can stream Celebrity Jeopardy!’s first season with a Hulu subscription, and be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming soon. 

Spoiler alert! This story discusses Celebrity Jeopardy’s third semifinal game, which aired January 26.

After quarterfinal rounds that basically saw Celebrity Jeopardy! contestants Patton Oswalt, Brendan Hunt, and Michael Cera destroy their competitors, many were excited to see what would happen when the three winners faced off against each other in the semifinal round. They didn’t disappoint, either, and even though the Ted Lasso actor seemed to be the quickest on the buzzer, some Daily Doubles kept the game close. So close, in fact, that it all came down to Final Jeopardy!, where Oswalt came from behind to advance to next week’s finals, and he had Margaret Atwood to thank for it.

Thank her he did, after Patton Oswalt answered Final Jeopardy!’s “Novels” clue: “‘Breeders, Wives And Unwomen’ was the headline of the New York Times’ 1986 review of this novel” — with the correct answer of "What is The Handmaid’s Tale?" His fellow players failed to do the same, and the victory that seemed out of reach for the comedian was suddenly his. No one was more shocked than Oswalt, who so eloquently reacted with a: 

After Celebrity Jeopardy! host Mayim Bialik officially announced that he’d be facing Ike Barinholtz (MADtv, The Afterparty) and Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Stand by Me) for the chance to win $1 million for their respective charities, she asked how Patton Oswalt felt after his big upset victory. Still in shock, he responded: 

Nobody could have predicted that the author of The Handmaid’s Tale novel — which inspired the series that can be streamed with a Hulu subscription — would be getting a shout-out on Celebrity Jeopardy! And for a good bit there, nobody was really predicting a Patton Oswalt victory either.  

Brendan Hunt, who had previously made the player pool for the non-celebrity version of Jeopardy!, held the lead for most of the game, but Michael Cera had a strong Triple Jeopardy! round and bagged a couple of True Daily Doubles that kept the game from being a runaway. Going into Final Jeopardy!, Hunt had $31,200; Cera had $20,800; and Patton Oswalt had $12,300. Oswalt’s correct response doubled his score to $24,600, which was enough for the win, after Hunt lost $10,500 with the incorrect response of Heartburn. Cera hilariously lost all of his money when he answered, “What is Seabiscuit?”

Patton Oswalt’s performance in the semifinals may not have been the decimation that was his quarterfinal match against Torrey DeVitto and Candace Parker. The Sandman actor walked away with $54,400 to his competitors’ $3,200 and $1,920, respectively, so I have no doubt he’s a worthy opponent for the Celebrity Jeopardy! finals. Tune in to see who wins the $1 million at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, February 2, on ABC, and be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are headed our way soon. 

 Abbott Elementary emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the 2021-2022 TV season. The show – which is produced by, written by, and stars Quinta Brunson – managed to strike a chord with audiences and earn itself a second season as a result. It also landed historic Emmy wins for Brunson and co-star Sheryl Lee Ralph, who gave an incredible speech. Of course, with new episodes on the way, there are a few things folks might be pondering, like what kind of guest stars might pop in. And if you ask me, there are a number of high-profile comedians, such as Anthony Anderson, who’d be perfect for guest spots. 

The school-centric workplace comedy, which has been compared to The Office, has already announced a few guest actors for Season 2. It was recently confirmed that Leslie Odom Jr., Lauren Weedman, and Keyla Monterroso Mejia are set to appear, though one can’t help but wonder who else could show up in the second season (and beyond, should the show continue). There are plenty are stars who would be a great fit for the sitcom, but it would be particularly fun to see a number of notable comedians lend their talents to the proceedings. So, let’s discuss the comedy vets who'd fit into the series:

Anthony Anderson

When it comes to comedy, Anthony Anderson has certainly been around the block, so to speak. He’s starred in notable comedies like Me, Myself & Irene and Barbershop as well as dramas like Hustle & Flow and The Departed. But, in recent years, he’s led the cast of ABC’s Black-ish, which capped off its eight-season run earlier this year. Anderson’s trying new things right now, after having returned for a season on the Law & Order revival. Surely he could pop onto Abbott for an episode. I’d personally love to see him play a high-ranking school exec who comes into conflict with the gang. 

Wanda Sykes 

It almost feels like there’s nothing Wanda Sykes hasn’t done at this point. The Emmy winner has a plethora of comedy films under her belt like Evan Almighty and Bad Moms. She’s also been a major fixture within the TV realm, having headlined her own sitcom, Wanda at Large, and having appeared on the likes of The New Adventures of Old Christine and The Good Fight. She also notably hosted the Oscars this year. At the moment, she’s also one of the stars of the Netflix family sitcom The Upshaws. She could certainly bring her comedic expertise to Abbott Elementary in any kind of role. 

Henry Winkler 

Honestly, what can you even say about Henry Winkler? The man has an illustrious career that spans nearly five decades and is marked with notable film and TV credits like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Night Shift, The Waterboy and Parks and Recreation. And then, of course, there’s Happy Days, on which he played the iconic Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli. These days, Winkler stars on the HBO black comedy Barry, for which he won an Emmy in 2018. In short, Abbott would be lucky to have the seasoned actor. And, with his natural enthusiasm, I’d peg him to play the school’s over-the-top performing arts teacher. 

David Alan Grier 

There are plenty of potential ways that Abbott Elementary could utilize someone like David Alan Grier. Many comedy aficionados are probably aware that he rose to prominence in the ‘90s as a cast member on Fox’s In Living Color. From there, he’s starred and appeared on notable shows like Martin, My Wife and Kids, Happy Endings, and The Carmichael Show. Grier, who’s also a veteran of the stage, definitely knows how to get a laugh and could do that very thing on the ABC sitcom in almost any role. It’d be great to see him play the brother of Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Barbara Howard or even an old friend of William Stanford Davis’ lovable janitor, Mr. Johnson. 

Randall Park 

It’s really hard not to like Randall Park. The comedy vet has been at it for years now and has become a fan favorite in both TV and film. Trainwreck, Always Be My Maybe, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Aquaman are only a few of the movie credits under his belt. On the TV side, he was the lead of ABC's comedy, Fresh off the Boat, appeared on HBO’s Veep and returned to Marvel and joined the cast of Disney+’s WandaVision. And yes, he famously played Steve/Asian Jim on The Office. I’d love to see him on Quinta Brunson’s series – and in a role as humorous as the one he played on NBC’s mockumentary. 

Patton Oswalt 

If you’re looking for a funnyman with great comedic chops, look no further than Patton Oswalt. The veteran stand-up comedian has been a comedy staple for some time and has greatly endeared himself to audiences. There’s a good chance you’ve seen him on shows like The King of Queens, Parks and Recreation, Community, Two and a Half Men, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Oswalt has a sharp sense of humor and a sweet core that would make him perfect for Abbott Elementary. If he’s not cast as a substitute teacher at the school, then I don’t know what we’re even doing. 

Donald Glover 

So, this one may be a long shot, but Donald Glover would be a fantastic guest star. He’s been one of the hardest-working people in show business for the past decade, having made a name for himself through NBC’s Community before starring in high-profile films like The Martian, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and The Lion King. The Emmy winner is also the creator of the acclaimed FX dramedy, Atlanta, which is ending after four seasons this year. A fan of Abbott, Glover would be perfect as a potential new boyfriend of Janine Teagues, or even a sibling of hers. 

Whoopi Goldberg 

Speaking of Janine’s family, you can’t tell me that Whoopi Goldberg wouldn’t be a strong pick to play her seemingly negligent mother. Most are pretty familiar with the EGOT’s work, which ranges from movies like Ghost, Sister Act, and The Color Purple to TV shows like Whoopi, Everybody Hates Chris, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Of course, she’s also been a co-host on The View for the past 15 years. The stand-up comic’s sharp wit would be a great addition to the show – and quite a match for the dry humor of Lisa Ann Walter’s Melissa Schemmenti. 

Carol Burnett 

There’s only one Carol Burnett, and she’d be an amazing Abbott Elementary guest star. The comedy icon’s career is legendary and was launched into the stratosphere with the debut of her self-titled variety show in the late ‘60s. The six-time Emmy winner has also become quite famous for her guest appearances in numerous shows like Mad About You, Hawaii Five-0, and Better Call Saul, which earned her massive love from fans. Right now, some are even campaigning for her to host Saturday Night Live. The 89-year-old actress is showing no signs of slowing down, and Abbott would be a firm addition to her already-illustrious resume. 

Abbott Elementary has the potential to tell some great stories should it remain on TV for years to come, and one would hope that Quinta Brunson and her collaborators utilize these stars and more at some point. But, more immediately, check out new episodes of the comedy when they air on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET as part of the 2022 TV schedule. You can also stream episodes next day with a Hulu subscription. 

It is not unusual for an actor to play more than one comic book character role. Sometimes this means they first star in a DC movie before switching sides to the Marvel movies (and vice versa) or appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe years after playing an entirely different character from Marvel Comics in a film that predates the shared universe’s creation. 

However, what if I told you that there are also many cases of actors who have double-dipped in the MCU? While the Marvel movies’ timeline is usually pretty tight, there are a surprising amount of times when the same actor played more than one character in the same interconnected franchise and the following are some notable examples of such Marvel movie characters.

Tara Strong - Miss Minutes (Loki), Mainframe (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)

Famed voice actor Tara Strong has played multiple iconic comic book characters, including two in the MCU alone. She made her franchise debut on the Disney+ series Loki as the Time Variance Authority’s animated, AI mascot, Miss Minutes, and later cameoed in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as Mainframe – a member of the OG GOTG from the comics who was previously voiced by Miley Cyrus in Vol. 2.  

David Dastmalchian - Kurt Goreshter (Ant-Man), Veb (Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania)

Another actor known for many, many comic book character roles is David Dastmalchian, who gave a memorable appearance in the first two Ant-Man movies as Scott Lang’s (Paul Rudd) Russian-born, computer hacker friend, Kurt Goreshter. While Kurt did not appear in the third installment from 2023, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Dastmalchian still got to be a part of the adventure as the voice of Veb – a creature who helps Scott and Cassie (Kathryn Newton) understand the Quantum Realm’s inhabitants by feeding them his ooze.

Seth Green - Stark Expo Fan (Iron Man 2), Howard The Duck (Guardians Of The Galaxy)

The post-credit sequence from 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy confirmed that, in the MCU, there exists Howard the Duck, who was voiced by Seth Green for a brief, but memorable, cameo as the fowl private eye who would make subsequent appearances. Four years earlier, Green made an even more brief appearance in Iron Man 2 as a fan of Tony Stark seen at his expo.

Michelle Yeoh – Aleta Ogord (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2), Ying Nan (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings)

Before earning an Oscar for her performance in one of the best Multiverse movies, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Michelle Yeoh entered the Marvel Multiverse with her cameo in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Aleta Ogord – one of the original members from the team’s comic book iteration. Four years later, the actor seemed to create a rift in the timeline when she appeared in the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast as the title hero’s aunt, Ying Nan. 

Linda Cardellini – Laura Barton (Various), Lylla (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, the team was introduced to Clint Barton’s (Jeremy Renner) wife, Laura, whom Linda Cardellini would reprise in Avengers: Endgame and the Disney+ TV show, Hawkeye. In 2023, the Freaks and Geeks cast alum would reunite with Scooby-Doo scribe James Gunn to voice Rocket Raccoon’s friend, Lylla, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Nathan Fillion – Monstrous Inmate (Guardians Of The Galaxy), Karja (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3), Headpool (Deadpool & Wolverine)

Another actor known for his frequent collaborations with James Gunn (Slither, The Suicide Squad) is Nathan Fillion, who voiced an alien prisoner threatening Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy before receiving a bigger role in Vol. 3 as the Orgosphere’s cocky head of security, Karja. The former Firefly cast member became an MCU triple-dipper with his cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine voicing Headpool, which also marks his second time playing a disembodied head after his role on one of Fillion's best TV shows, Santa Clarita Diet.

Sean Gunn – Rocket Raccoon, Kraglin (Various)

The Guardians of the Galaxy’s furry weapons expert, Rocket Raccoon, is a role shared between Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper providing his Boston-accented voice and director James Gunn’s brother, Sean Gunn, performing the mo-cap on set. Gunn has also appeared “alongside himself” on several occasions, as recently as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as former Ravager, Kraglin.

Laura Haddock – Autograph Seeker (Captain America: The First Avenger), Meredith Quill (Guardians Of The Galaxy Movies)

Speaking of Guardians of the Galaxy stars, most fans are likely to recognize British actor Laura Haddock as Peter Quill’s mother, Meredith, in the cold open flashbacks from the first movie and its sequel. However, the Downton Abbey: A New Era cast member’s MCU tenure actually dates back to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, in which she plays a 1940s-era woman affectionately approaching Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) for an autograph. The characters’ resemblance led to a fan theory suggesting Cap is Star-Lord’s real grandfather, which James Gunn later debunked.

Kenneth Choi – Jim Morita (Captain America: The First Avenger), Principal Morita (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

Speaking of Captain America: The First Avenger stars, Private Jim Morita — Steve Rogers’ Japanese-American teammate on the Howling Commandos — was played by Kenneth Choi. The actor (also part of the DC Extended Universe as a Yakuza boss in Suicide Squad) would later appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Morita’s grandson, who also happens to be Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) high school principal.

Benedict Cumberbatch – Doctor Strange, Dormammu (Doctor Strange)

An interesting example of a Marvel actor appearing as two different characters in the same movie occurs in Doctor Strange. Benedict Cumberbatch debuted as one-time Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange in director Scott Derrickson’s visually stunning 2016 fantasy, in which he also provided the voice of the ruler of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu. Talk about being your own worst enemy.

Clancy Brown – Ray Schoonover (Daredevil, The Punisher), Surtur (Thor: Ragnarok)

Another actor who gave a memorable Marvel movie performance as a giant CGI villain is Clancy Brown, who was the voice of the Fire Demon, Surtur, in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. That same year, the SpongeBob SquarePants star (also famous for voicing Superman nemesis, Lex Luthor in many animated DC titles) would reprise his Daredevil role as Major Schoovover on the short-lived spin-off, The Punisher.

Patton Oswalt – The Koenig Brothers (Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Pip The Troll (Eternals)

Comedian Patton Oswalt has lent his distinct voice to several comic book characters, including a troll named Pip in the mid-credits scene from Eternals in 2021. Before then, he would appear on several episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as four different characters: identical quintuplets Sam, Eric, Billy, and Thurston Koenig, making him the current record holder for the most MCU-canon characters portrayed by one person.

Enver Gjokaj - Young Cop (The Avengers), Daniel Sousa (Agent Carter, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

One example of an actor who debuted in the MCU with something small before re-emerging with something much bigger is Enver Gjokaj. He played an unnamed police officer in 2012’s The Avengers before starring on Agent Carter and the final season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as World War II soldier-turned-strategic operative, Daniel Sousa.

Gemma Chan – Minn-Erva (Captain Marvel), Sersi (Eternals)

Outside of those who played two characters in the same movie, English actor Gemma Chan has one of the smallest windows of time between her first MCU character and her second. In 2019, she donned blue makeup to play Kree Imperial warrior Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel and, in literally the same year, was announced as part of the Eternals cast in the role of Sersi.

Alfre Woodard – Miriam Sharpe (Captain America: Civil War), Black Mariah (Luke Cage)

Someone who can top Gemma Chan’s record in time between her characters’ official appearances is Alfre Woodard. The Academy Award nominee appeared in one memorable scene from 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, opposite Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, as Miriam Sharpe — a woman grieving the unseen death of her son during the final act of Avengers: Age of Ultron. That same year, just months later, she debuted on Luke Cage as Mariah “Black Mariah” Dillard, whose cousin is Harlem crime boss Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes.

Mahershala Ali – Cottonmouth (Luke Cage), Blade (Eternals)

Speaking of Cottonmouth, the crime boss on Luke Cage would turn out to be only the beginning of Mahershala Ali’s legacy in the MCU. While the two-time Academy Award winner’s new take on vampire-hunter Blade has yet to be seen, he debuted the character in a vocal cameo from Eternals’ post-credit scene. 

Chris Hemsworth – Thor, One Of Hajo’s Three Heads (Thor: Ragnarok)

It is hard to imagine a Marvel character better suited for Chris Hemsworth to play than the God of Thunder, but, believe it or not, the title hero of Thor: Ragnarok is not his only role from the funny 2017 blockbuster. Only eagle-eyed fans noticed that the Australian actor also played one of the three heads of Hajo — a gladiator from Sakaar who tried to help save Asgard from Hela (Cate Blanchett).

Taika Waititi – Korg, One Of Hajo’s Three Heads (Thor: Ragnarok)

Actually, Hemsworth is not the only well-known star of Thor: Ragnarok to share the role of Hajo. The film’s own director, Taika Waititi, also appeared as one of the gladiator’s three heads, in addition to providing the voice of fan-favorite, rock-skinned alien, Korg, and in the same frame, too!

I am not sure if there is or could ever be a weirder example of the MCU’s double-dipping phenomenon than those last two. However, I would love to see a challenger step up to the plate someday. Of course, considering the franchise is now in a stage known as “The Multiverse Saga,” it seems like it is a distinct possibility. 

TV's biggest night has finally arrived and, as the 2022 Emmy Awards draw closer, there are numerous ongoing conversations about the nominees, host Kenan Thompson and more. Amid this, people are also wondering if the show will in any way address the fact that Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars earlier this year, and some are pondering if it's appropriate to make jokes about the incident. Now, comedian Patton Oswalt has opened up about the possibility while discussing what he hopes to see at the Emmys.

Patton Oswalt talked about what he has loved seeing from past shows, during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Emmy Nominees Night. He championed camaraderie and took a moment to appreciate what an exciting opportunity it is to go to the Emmys, saying: 

Of course, with the Will Smith incident so fresh in people's minds, it's hard not to consider whether a zinger or two should be dropped. When the comedian was specifically asked about the infamous “slap,” and the plethora of potential jokes that can be mined from it, Patton Oswalt suggested that maybe it’s best to move on:

In all honesty, rehashing such an awkward moment may not be the best course of action for the Emmys, and it's worth mentioning that humor can be derived from a number of other sources. I’m sure Kenan Thompson, the host of this year’s Emmys, will definitely be tactful in how he approaches this year's ceremony. Hosting an award show can be difficult, but Thompson is a pro when it comes to live television because of his experience on Saturday Night Live. Surely he knows what works and doesn't work from a comedic standpoint.

It's likely that there will be a lot of great moments to look forward to at this year's show. Ted Lasso’s Jason Sudeikis and Barry’s Bill Hader both received 2022 Emmy nominations for their respective comedy shows, so there will hopefully be a cute reunion between the SNL alums. Also, the tight-knit Abbott Elementary and Succession casts always bring the fun when they're all together. We could even get the Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney Euphoria reunion so many have been begging for. All in all, it should be a great show. 

As for the “slap,” the Oscars has seemingly confronted it head on. According to Chris Rock, the Academy asked him to host the 2023 ceremony, which the comic declined.  The Academy also barred Will Smith for 10 years from future ceremonies. It's fair to say that the televised moment will remain on folks minds for years to come, and it'lll be interesting to see whether the show heeds Patton Oswalt's advice.

The 2022 Primetime Emmys air tonight, September 12th, and you can watch it at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET on NBC. The telecast will also be available to stream using a Peacock subscription. Also, check out our 2022 television premiere schedule to see what’s worth binging ahead of next year's ceremony.

Those in need of a good laugh can usually find exactly what they are looking for with a Netflix subscription. One of the reasons why the platform is one of the best streaming services to subscribe to is its nearly countless number of stand-up comedy specials that have sparked the on-stage revival of various beloved legends or helped skyrocket the careers of comedy’s most promising voices. 

As you might imagine, however, there are almost too many stand-up comedy specials to choose from, so what are the funniest available to stream now? Let us see if we can help you narrow down your choices for your next night of laughs with our picks for the funniest stand-up comedy specials available on Netflix.

John Mulaney: Baby J (2023)

In his first special since his stint in rehab, John Mulaney details his struggles with that life-changing occasion, shares other revealing personal anecdotes, and tells some of his best jokes ever, making Baby J some of the comic’s finest work yet.

Stream John Mulaney: Baby J on Netflix

Ali Wong: Baby Cobra (2016)

While several months pregnant with her first child, Ali Wong – future Emmy-winning star of one of the best A24 TV shows, Beef – performs what is widely considered to be some of her best and most insightful work in Baby Cobra.

Stream Ali Wong: Baby Cobra on Netflix

Deon Cole: Cole Hearted (2019)

Black-ish star and former Conan writer Deon Cole’s debut Netflix special, Cole Hearted, sees him riff on the true meaning behind the name “Arby’s,” explaining when and why to give thanks to Jesus, and demonstrate why comedy is the last raw form of expression.

Stream Deon Cole: Cole Hearted on Netflix

Little Big Boy may boast the most mature material we have seen yet from Nick Kroll, but don’t be surprised when the Big Mouth co-creator throws in a fart joke.

Stream Nick Kroll: Little Big Boy on Netflix

Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer (2024)

Not to be confused with a certain Oliver Stone film, Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer sees the British comedian continue to deliver his signature, shamelessly crass, but undeniably clever, one-liners, which cover everything from veganism, anti-vaxxers, and how to practice proper consent.

Stream Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer on Netflix

Steve Martin And Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life (2018)

Steve Martin and Martin Short are at their best when they are together and the Only Murders in the Building cast members deliver something truly unforgettable in An Evening You Will Forget For the Rest of Your Life, which consists of witty banter, uproarious sketches, and a few moments of great music.

Stream Steve Martin And Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For the Rest of Your Life on Netflix

Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (2023)

Netflix’s very first live special, Selective Outrage, saw Chris Rock reveal his thoughts on Will Smith slapping him at the Oscars, among other topics, in front of a Baltimore audience.

Stream Chris Rock: Selective Outrage on Netflix

Taylor Tomlinson: Look At You (2022)

While still in her 20s, Taylor Tomlinson proved herself to be one of the sharpest and boldest comedians working today with her brilliant debut special, Quarter-Life Crisis, in 2020. However, the gold standard of her career might be her second Netflix original, Look at You, for how she cleverly turns her own struggles with family, friends, and romance after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, into one hour of laugh-a-minute delight.

Stream Taylor Tomlinson: Look at You on Netflix

Mike Birbiglia: Thank God For Jokes (2017)

The state of comedy as we know it is a hotly debated topic these days and Mike Birbiglia believes it really all comes down to one thing: it has been ruined by people who are bad at telling them or try to hide behind their own mistakes by vocally claiming they are “just joking.” Well, the recurring Orange is the New Black cast member and three-time interim Jimmy Kimmel Live host is on a mission to preserve the art with his first Netflix special (out of four currently available on the platform), Thank God for Jokes.

Stream Mike Birbigila: Thank God for Jokes on Netflix

Demetri Martin: Live (At The Time) (2015)

I have always thought of Demetri Martin as the Bob Dylan of comedy – mostly because he often wears a harmonica around his neck while playing guitar during musical interludes, but also for his inventive, obscure approach to the art, involving illustrated sight gags or edits to his special that add a wonderfully meta commentary. The former Daily Show correspondent presents what may be the funniest display of his irreverent style with his first Netflix special, Live (At the Time) – a title that is totally on-brand for the comic.  

Stream Demetri Martin: Live (At the Time) on Netflix

Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh (2018)

A stand-up icon who always loves to incorporate music into his act is Adam Sandler, the SNL cast member-turned-cinematic comedy superstar-turned-acclaimed dramatic thespian (i.e. his acclaimed performance in Uncut Gems). Before taking that award-winning role, the “Sandman” reignited his stand-up presence with this Netflix special, in which he raps about our over-reliance on technology, pays tribute to the late Chris Farley, and gives us more material that is truly 100% Fresh.

Stream Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh on Netflix

Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours To Kill (2020)

Netflix is the ultimate hub for content related to Jerry Seinfeld, as it’s the one place you can stream Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, his groundbreaking self-titled series from the ‘90s (and one of the all-time best sitcoms), and other titles, including this original special. The comedy icon certainly kills in 23 Hours to Kill by bringing his signature observational style to topics like how similar the words “sucks” and “great” truly are, how different talking and texting are, and more.

Stream Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill on Netflix

Patton Oswalt: Annihilation (2017)

Former The King of Queens cast member and Ratatouille star Patton Oswalt has always had a bold and boisterous on-stage presence, whether he is poking fun at politics or at himself. However, the actor and comedian (who also lends his voice to Netflix’s The Sandman cast) has never been more candid about either topic than in his second special for the platform, Annihilation – half of which is devoted to honoring his late wife, true crime author Michelle McNamara.

Stream Patton Oswalt: Annihilation on Netflix

Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery (2017)

In 2021, we lost beloved comedian and former SNL star Norm Macdonald to a private, nine-year battle with cancer. Remember the joy he brought to the world of comedy with his first Netflix original special, Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery – one of his finest career efforts for brilliant takes on mundane topics like the abbreviation for “identification” and his analysis of Germany’s volatile place in history.

Stream Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery on Netflix

Bo Burnham: Inside (2021)

After taking a hiatus from stand-up, Bo Burham was planning on returning to the stage right as Covid-19 put most public appearances on hold, as he reveals in this bizarre and bitingly funny project he wrote, performed, and shot entirely on his own and in one single room during the pandemic. While this special barely counts as “stand-up” and sometimes veers far from comedy when the Promising Young Woman star makes devastating confessions about his own mental health, no matter what you prefer to call it, Inside is one of the best Netflix movies of 2021 and nothing short of a masterpiece.

Stream Bo Burnham: Inside on Netflix

Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial (2018)

In her third Netflix original stand-up special and one of the best credits of her career, Iliza Shlesinger explains just what it means to be an Elder Millennial and how it informs her opinions of society. She reenacts the typical night of a single thirty-something, explains “landlines,” and shares the not-so-surprising story of how she met her fiancé on a dating app.

Stream Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial on Netflix

Trevor Noah: Afraid Of The Dark (2017)

As a former host of The Daily Show, it is clear Trevor Noah has an eye for politics, but he lightens his commentary on the state of America (a little) to cover a wide range of topics with his signature energy. He talks about his South African upbringing, apologizes to the women in his audience on behalf of male “creeps,” and reveals why he is, as the title of his comedy special teases, afraid of the dark. 

Stream Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark on Netflix

Tom Segura: Disgraceful (2018)

While he does not, particularly, exhibit signs of being what the title of this Netflix stand-up special suggests, “disgraceful” would certainly be a proper way of defining the many topics Tom Segura explores – such as a visit to an adult entertainment store, finding humor in mental disabilities, and the satisfaction of letting an elevator door close on a stranger. The 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast host’s brand of observational humor is refreshing in how it trades brutal honesty for off-beat absurdity that often veers on the edge of uncomfortable relatability. 

Stream Tom Segura: Disgraceful on Netflix

Marc Maron: Too Real (2017)

He has found success from starring in the Netflix series GLOW, a brief appearance in the box office smash Joker, and, especially, interviewing Hollywood’s finest as host of the highly rated podcast, WTF. However, Marc Maron got his start as a comic and you can see him at his best in his 2017 Netflix stand-up comedy special, Too Real.

Stream Marc Maron: Too Real on Netflix

Neal Brennan: 3 Mics (2017)

In 2017, Neal Brennan – the secret weapon to Dave Chappelle’s career, from co-creating Chappelle’s Show to co-writing Half Baked – came out of hiding in his remarkably unique Netflix comedy special, 3 Mics, which refers to the three different microphones set up on the stage. Each one is reserved for a different purpose: clever one-liners, traditional stand-up bits, and deeply personal stories, which is where Brennan truly shines in this astounding achievement mixing comedy with tragedy to rewarding effect.

Stream Neal Brennan: 3 Mics on Netflix

John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous At Radio City (2018)

As one of the most exciting names in comedy today, it makes sense that John Mulaney would eventually find himself performing at a prestigious venue like New York’s Radio City Music Hall, but that does not stop him from commenting on the very absurdity of that concept in his Emmy-winning Netflix stand-up comedy special, Kid Gorgeous. The former SNL writer’s classically-trained stand-up style, complemented by his formal wardrobe and choice to carry a wire-attached mic, adds a refreshing, old-fashioned energy to the topics he dares to dissect with his razor-sharp wit in a special that demands repeat viewings. 

Stream John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City on Netflix

Dave Chappelle: The Age Of Spin (2017)

Regardless of how you may feel about his more recent Netflix specials, you have to admit that Dave Chappelle’s intelligent observation, fearless expression, and effortless delivery is unlike anyone or anything seen in the world of comedy – now or before his time – and no better proof of that is in the first of his Netflix stand-up comedy specials, The Age of Spin. Filmed live at the Hollywood Palladium, this Grammy-winning special saw the A Star is Born actor’s triumphant return to the mainstream following his controversial decision to leave his groundbreaking Comedy Central series, which is easily the lightest of topics he touches on before riffing on everything from racism to sexuality and recalling his multiple encounters with O.J. Simpson.

Stream Dave Chappelle: The Age of Spin on Netflix

No one’s brand of comedy is the same, so hopefully we have covered everything that fans of stand-up specials might be interested in streaming on Netflix in the list above.

In the world of stand-up comedy, Patton Oswalt is a superstar. The slew of highly-praised specials he’s written and performed over his career have resulted in five Grammy nominations and an Emmy. In his acting career, the Goldbergs and A.P. Bio star continues to bring the laughs. However, every now and then, we get to see a slightly darker side of the comic, and it’s fair to say that his new film I Love My Dad falls into that category. So why bring a notorious goof on board for this semi-autobiographical story that deals with suicidal ideation and childhood trauma? Writer and director James Morosini recently clued us in.

In the film, Patton Oswalt plays a father who, after being estranged from his troubled teenaged son, decides to catfish him online as a romantically-interested young woman. When asked why Oswalt was the right guy for the role, James Morosini told CinemaBlend this:

Injecting levity into dark subject matter, as Morosini put it, is one of Patton Oswalt’s specialties. Whether it’s religion, politics or shitting his pants… nothing is off the table when it comes to his stand-up material. Oswalt has also had some personal tragedies in his life that have seemed to inform the creative choices he’s made in recent years, as well as the projects he chooses to take on.

It’s also worth noting that I Love My Dad is certainly written with humor and can be most accurately categorized as a dark-comedy. To imply that Oswalt doesn’t get laughs in the film would be insincere, but an equally important aspect of his performance is the heart and complex human emotion he brings to the character.

Patton Oswalt just might be entering the peak of his acting career, as at the end of last year he made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A post-credit scene in Marvel’s Eternals saw him appear as Pip the Troll alongside Harry Styles as Eros/Starfox. Oswalt has also said that audiences can expect Eternals 2 with Chloé Zhao back at the helm, so maybe we'll see Pip and Eros play a larger role in the sequel. This isn’t the actor’s first foray into geek-centric roles, as Oswalt was also a fan-favorite in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and he made a surprise voice cameo for The Boys Season 2.

You can see I Love My Dad in select theaters right now! As for everything else that’s on its way to the big screen, you can get the lowdown from our 2022 movie release schedule.

It almost feels just as surreal as Neil Gaiman’s own seminal writing style to say that Netflix’s series adaptation of his popular comic, The Sandman is finally here after the story spent many, many years waiting for a screen adaptation. The titular “master of dreams” from one of the most fervently anticipated new DC TV shows is easily the biggest role to date for actor Tom Sturridge, whose previous work might be unfamiliar to some fans. If you are such a fan, allow us to clue you in to where else you might know him from, along with the rest of the Sandman cast.

Tom Sturridge (Dream)

Playing Dream — the lead “hero” of The Sandman — is Tom Sturridge’s second Netflix gig after appearing in 2019’s strange mystery thriller Velvet Buzzsaw, which was a bit of a departure from his many Victorian dramas and period pieces, such as his first movie: 2004’s Vanity Fair. The British actor made his screen acting debut in a 1996 miniseries adaptation of Gulliver’s Travels and more recently starred on the Starz drama, Sweetbitter, with Ella Purnell and in HBO Max’s Irma Vep miniseries with Alicia Virkander.

Patton Oswalt (Matthew The Raven)

As Dream’s trusted, winged companion, Matthew the Raven, we have Patton Oswalt, who first broke out on the King of Queens and is also known for various voice acting credits — such as Remy in Pixar’s Oscar-winning Ratatouille. This is also far from the Emmy-winning comedian’s first time voicing a comic book character, having played the title role of Hulu’s M.O.D.O.K., making his MCU debut as Pip the Troll in the Eternals end-credit scene, and personifying The Deep’s gills on The Boys to name just a few of many, many examples.

Boyd Holbrook (The Corinthian)

Also no stranger to comic book adaptations is Logan star Boyd Holbrook as The Sandman’s main villain: a literal living nightmare known as The Corinthian. Outside of playing a shady U.S. Embassy employee in Netflix’s Beckett cast, the actor has played a few heroes — such as on fellow Netflix original Narcos, in sci-fi crime drama In the Shadow of the Moon, and in Robert Rodriguez’s We Can Be Heroes, as well as in the 2018 fourth installment of the Predator movies and the recent, acclaimed horror movie The Cursed. 

David Thewlis (John Dee)

Also a comic book movie veteran (specifically of the DC movies variety) playing another threatening Sandman character named John Dee is Wonder Woman and RED 2 star David Thewlis, who's better known literary fantasy character (out of the many other examples to choose from) is Remus Lupin from the Harry Potter movies. The versatile performer (he has done everything from irreverent comedies like The Big Lebowski to period epics like Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven) previously worked with Netflix for his reunion with Anomalisa creator Charlie Kaufman on I’m Thinking of Ending Things, as well as the animated comedy, Big Mouth, and its spin-off, Human Resources.

Gwendoline Christie (Lucifer)

As the ruler of Hell, Lucifer, we have Gwendoline Christie — which seems like an inspired choice considering her great performance as Captain Phasma in the Star Wars movies, although this devil is not inherently evil and even something of a charmer. The British actor’s other literary adaptations include HBO’s Game of Thrones as Brienne of Tarth, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 as Commander Lyme and The Personal History of David Copperfield as Jane Murdstone, most recently.

Charles Dance (Roderick Burgess)

Gwendoline Christie’s fellow former Game of Thrones cast member, Charles Dance, plays Dream’s accidental captor and scheming magician Roderick Burgess, which is far from the English, Emmy-nominated thespian’s first villain role. The Imitation Game star took on Arnold Schwarzenegger in underrated ‘90s action-comedy, Last Action Hero, tried to release hellish beasts onto the world in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and embodied ruthless media tycoon William Randolph Hearst in David Fincher’s Mank, to name a notable few. 

Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Death)

Instead of Dream, Roderick Burgess initially intended to trap his sister, Death — portrayed in The Sandman by Kirby Howell-Baptiste, who is known for her recurring role on a show all about death called The Good Place, as well as other morbidly funny titles like HBO’s Barry, Killing Eve on AMC, and the holiday horror comedy, Silent Night. The English Cruella cast member’s previous collaborations with Netflix include Paul Rust’s romantic dramedy, Love, and the animated series, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous.

Jenna Coleman (Johanna Constantine)

As the adventurous Johanna Constantine (an ancestor of detective/sorcerer John Constantine), we have Jenna Coleman, who made her feature film debut in a comic book adaptation: 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, as Bucky Barnes’ Stark Expo date, Connie. In addition to playing Clara Oswald on Doctor Who or appearing in the modern-day romance, Me Before You, in 2016, Victorian period dramas — such as PBS’s Victoria, in which she plays the royal title role — are typically the British actor’s bread and butter.

Vivienne Acheampong (Lucienne)

A librarian in charge of guarding Dream’s realm named Lucienne is played by Vivienne Acheampong, who already has a few notable fantasy titles under her belt — such as an episode of British sci-fi comedy, The Aliens, a 2018 edition of the World of Warcraft video games, and Robert Zemeckis’ remake of The Witches for HBO Max. She also debuted in the 2015 horror comedy movie, The Trap, starred on British sketch comedy series Famalam, and her last Netflix original series was the 2021 UK import, The One. 

Mason Alexander Park (Desire)

As the physical embodiment of Desire and another one of Dream’s siblings, we have Mason Alexander Park, who is already a very accomplished name in the world of theater after playing the title role in Hedwig and the Angry Inch and their award-winning performance in a 2019 production of Cabaret. Following their breakout screen acting role on Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop series and lending their voice Amazon Prime’s The Legend of Vox Machina, Park can also be seen on NBC’s Quantum Leap revival in 2022.

Donna Preston (Despair)

As Desire’s very different twin, Despair, we have Donna Preston, who has the interesting reputation of appearing briefly in numerous action comedies — namely, and most notably, The Brothers Grimsby and The Hitman’s Bodyguard. The British writer and comedian also has a starring role on Netflix’s UK-based sitcom, Hard Cell, and can say she is a part of the Wizarding World following an uncredited role as a circus performer in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Sanjeev Bhaskar (Cain)

As Biblical figure and world’s first murderer, Cain — who now loyally resides in the dream realm — we have Sanjeev Bhaskar, whose last time starring in a Neil Gaiman adaptation was on an episode Amazon Prime’s Good Omens in 2019. The British actor’s best-known film credits include playing Hamish Patel’s father in 2019's Yesterday, as well as brief roles in the romantic comedy classic Notting Hill, the Simon Pegg-led fantasy comedy Absolutely Anything, and the universally beloved family film, Paddington 2.

Asim Chaudhry (Abel)

As Biblical figure and world’s first murder victim, Abel — also a loyal dream realm resident — we have Asim Chaudhry, who actually has a few credits in common with his onscreen brother, Sanjeev Bhaskar, including the first Paddington movie and the comedic Peacock exclusive crime series, Hitmen. The UK actor’s first comic book adaptation was Wonder Woman 1984, after previously working on the Netflix interactive movie, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, in 2019.

Vanesu Samunyai (Rose Walker)

As Rose Walker — a young woman who discovers she has a mysterious connection to Dream while searching for her missing brother — we have Vanesu Samunyai. Sometimes also known by her Korean name, Kyo Ra, the English-born actor of Zimbabwean descent is making her debut in Netflix’s The Sandman cast. 

Razane Jammal (Lyta Hall)

Playing Rose’s friend Lyta Hall, who is also mourning the death of her husband, is Razane Jammal, who last starred on a supernatural, Netflix-exclusive drama called Paranormal in 2020. The British-Lebanese actor and model also previously starred alongside Boyd Holbrook in A Walk Among the Tombstones in 2014 and, the previous year, worked with legendary horror director Tobe Hooper on the film Djinn.

Stephen Fry (Gilbert)

Rose Walker’s protector, Gilbert, is played by Stephen Fry, whose last DC adaptation was 2005’s V for Vendetta, which was one of his many notable literary adaptations — such as The Hobbit movies, Disney’s Alice Through the Looking Glass, and 2011’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows as the titular detective’s brother, Mycroft. The British comedy legend (once part of a duo with Hugh Laurie) is also known for classic movies like A Fish Called Wanda, hilarious British comedy series like Blackadder from star and co-creator Rowan Atkinson, and last worked with Netflix on the hit coming-of-age romance, Heartstopper.   

Sandra James-Young (Unity Kincaid)

As Unity Kincaid, Rose’s benefactor awakened after a century-long slumber, we have Sandra James-Young, who made her acting debut in the romantic 1994 crime thriller, Captives, alongside Tim Roth and Julia Ormond before leading an impressive career on TV. Some of her notable small screen credits include long-running British soap operas like Coronation Street, Doctors, and EastEnders, as well as another series based on a popular literary fantasy called His Dark Materials, on HBO.

Joely Richardson (Ethel Cripps)

As Ethel Cripps, the lover of Roderick Burgess and mother of John Dee, we have Joely Richardson — a celebrated British actor who's making her comic book adaptation debut with The Sandman, which is surprising considering her multi-faceted repertoire. Most audiences might remember her best from 1996’s live-action 101 Dalmatians movie, Roland Emmerich’s epic period piece The Patriot, playing Julia McNamara in the Nip/Tuck cast, and the 2020 adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s Color Out of Space, with Nicolas Cage, to name a few.

Niamh Walsh (Young Ethel Cripps)

Playing Ethel Cripps’ younger self is Niamh Walsh — another Neil Gaiman adaptation veteran, having played Greta Kleinschmidt on Good Omens and voiced Nuala on a podcast drama also based on The Sandman. The Australian actor’s other notable TV credits include the long-running British medical drama Holby City, the historical drama Jamestown, the Netflix exclusive sports miniseries The English Game, and the Peacock exclusive mystery thriller Smother.

I cannot remember the last time we saw a TV series ensemble this large. However, with this many characters involved, you can be sure there is never a dull moment to this iconic fantasy story. See how Netflix’s The Sandman cast pulls it off by streaming Season 1 now.

Sandwiched between Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: No Way Home, Eternals introduced the title, Jack Kirby-created characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since the Marvel movie’s release last November though, it’s been unclear what the future holds in store for the Eternals beyond a vague tease they would “return.” Well, according to Eternals actor Patton Oswalt, Eternals 2 is on the way!

Patton Oswalt, who cameoed in Eternals’ mid-credits scene as Pip the Troll alongside Harry Styles’ Eros/Starfox, stopped by TODAY to promote his new movie I Love My Dad with James Morosini, who directed, wrote and co-starred in the feature. When host Al Roker brought up Oswalt being in the Marvel universe, the actor quickly went over his presence in Eternals (including a faux geek-out moment) and then said the following:

Although Marvel Studios showed off its official Phase 5 lineup at San Diego Comic-Con, as well as provided some key details on Phase 6, there was no mention of Eternals 2. But as Patton Oswalt has heard, the sequel is indeed moving forward with Chloé Zhao back in the director’s chair, although he doesn’t know yet if Pip and Starfox will be along for this next ride. Oswalt’s turn as Pip follows after he played various members of the Koenig family in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and his other Marvel-related credits include Blade: Trinity and the 2017 Spider-Man animated series.

Pip and Starfox visited to Thena, Makkari and Druig while they were traveling through the galaxy to find other Eternals. After Pip provided a grandiose introduction to Starfox, Harry Styles’ characters informed the three Eternals that their “friends were in trouble,” but he and his drunken companion knew where to find them. Starfox was referring to Sersi, Phastos and Kingo being forcibly removed from Earth by Arishem at the end of Eternals, with the Celestial saying their memories would determine whether or not humanity was wiped out.

Along with Eternals earning mixed critical reception, it also failed to make much of a splash at the box office, raking in a little over $402 million worldwide off a reported $200 million budget. Still, this is the MCU we’re talking about; Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and the other creative minds of this franchise don’t introduce characters like these if they’re not going to be important players down the line. So we were going to see more of the Eternals no matter what, but per Patton Oswalt, Eternals 2 is a go. I’m hoping that confirmation of the sequel is among the big announcements made at D23 in September.

In the meantime, feel free to stream Eternals 2 with your Disney+ subscription and make sure you’re in the loop on the upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming Marvel TV shows that are headed to screens big and small in the coming years.

Star Wars’ The Book of Boba Fett has arrived, which means viewers are back to dissecting various parts of episodes and looking for connections to other stories in the franchise. It appears that search has unearthed a random connection to Parks and Recreation, specifically, a memorable scene by a fan-favorite guest star on the series, Patton Oswalt. The actor recently saw the connection and had a great response to it and the Mandalorian spinoff as a whole. 

The town hall citizen filibuster rant from Patton Oswalt’s Garth Blundin has remained a meme since Parks and Rec’s ended its run in 2015. So many were pleasantly surprised to see it become relevant again, thanks to The Book of Boba Fett. After LightsCameraPod pointed out a section of his town hall speech lines up really well with a scene that shows how Boba Fett escaped the Sarlaac Pit, the actor had this to say:

I appreciate Patton Oswalt taking credit for The Book of Boba Fett scene, even if he’s doing so in jest. After all, it’s not like his character could’ve called it any better, though it’s worth noting the iconic filibuster rant Oswalt’s character used was actually his pitch for Star Wars Episode VII. Disney had only just recently acquired the rights to the franchise, so this was long before the live-action shows or even Disney+ were around. 

Still, it’s kind of shocking just how similar that one chunk of speech is and how well it lines up with that scene from. It’s almost as if someone deliberately made an effort to script the scene out exactly the same way the actor's character described it as a nod to Parks and Recreation. The chances of that are unlikely, but it would be pretty cool if that’s the case.

To be frank, the only real impressive part is that the shot is described in the same way at the very beginning. As far as the rest, Patton Oswalt’s character only generically described Boba Fett’s escape from the Sarlacc, and there’s really only one direction to go when swallowed by the Star Wars beast. Despite this, it's still gratifying to finally see how the character escaped his grim fate following the events of Return of the Jedi.

The scene is another win for Hollywood’s resident geek actor Patton Oswalt, who revealed that the Parks and Recreation team actually didn’t script anything for his citizen filibuster rant (via Observer). Oswalt alleged he hadn’t prepared anything for the scene as the script only called for 10 seconds of a rant before the scene cut. It just goes to show what happens when one's fandom permeates their work.

New episodes of The Book of Boba Fett drop Wednesdays on Disney+, and you can also stream Parks and Recreation on Peacock.

It is no question that Seinfeld helped launch some great careers in entertainment. However, I am not necessarily referring to the main Seinfeld cast, but the guest stars who were not so well known at the time, such as a pre-Entourage cast Jeremy Piven. Also, you may remember Bryan Cranston’s recurring role, but may not realize he is not the only Breaking Bad cast member to appear on the sitcom, nor is Courteney Cox the only Friends cast member with a prominent guest role. When Seinfeld hits Netflix on October 1, 2021, see if you can spot any of the following as soon-to-be stars, starting with another groundbreaking comedian.

Sarah Silverman (Emily)

With a short stint on Saturday Night Live and a couple of years on HBO’s Mr. Show with Bob and David, Emmy-winning comedian and actress Sarah Silverman was still an up-and-comer when she appeared on the Seinfeld Season 8 episode, “The Money.” She plays Kramer’s girlfriend, Emily, whom Michael Richards’ character claims is great in bed, but not fun to share a bed with when it comes to getting shut-eye afterward.

Bob Odenkirk (Ben)

Also known for Mr. Show with Bob and David as the “Bob” from the title, Bob Odenkirk, who played a medical student Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) dates in the hope of eventually achieving her dream of dating a doctor in another Seinfeld Season 8 episode, “The Abstinence.” The former Saturday Night Live writer went on to lead a hit action movie called Nobody and, of course, earn Emmy nominations as Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad and the prequel spin-off Better Call Saul.

Anna Gunn (Amy)

Another Breaking Bad alum who appeared on Seinfeld earlier in her career is two-time Emmy winner Anna Gunn (Walter White’s wife, Skyler), who played a girlfriend of Jerry’s whom George (Jason Alexander) is convinced he saw smooching with Jerry’s cousin after losing his glasses in Season 5’s “The Glasses.” I could actually make a whole list of Breaking Bad actors who have appeared on Seinfeld, but let’s move on to another cable drama star for now.

Michael Chiklis (Steve Pocatello)

Michael Chiklis rose to fame as the Emmy-winning lead of FX’s The Shield, as The Thing in two Fantastic Four movies, and as part of the American Horror Story cast in Season 4. Years earlier, he was on Seinfeld Season 3 as a party host who ends up hosting Jerry and Elaine longer than anticipated, after their ride (George) leaves early for a one night stand, and later causes Jerry trouble when he appears at his building unexpected.

Daniel Dae Kim (Student #1)

Another star of a popular TV crime drama is former Hawaii Five-0 cast member Daniel Dae Kim, who is also well known from the Lost cast as Jin-Soo Kwon. On Seinfeld’s final season, Kramer and his friend Mickey (Danny Woodburn) were hired to pretend they had symptoms of certain diseases for medical students to guess, and the actor plays the student who correctly diagnoses Kramer with gonorrhea.

Mariska Hargitay (Melissa)

One of TV’s top crime procedural stars is Law and Order: Special Victims Unit cast member Mariska Hargitay, who has earned several Emmy nominations and one win during her two decades playing Olivia Benson. She probably would have earned some awards recognition for playing a fictionalized version of Elaine on the sitcom-within-a-sitcom, Jerry, if George had not cut off her audition (and if the show hadn’t been cancelled, too) in the Seinfeld Season 4 finale, “The Pilot.”

Jeremy Piven (Michael Barth / TV George)

Also in the Seinfeld Season 4 finale, Michael Barth does an unmistakable imitation of George Costanza when trying out for the role based on Jason Alexander’s character, which he ends up landing. However, you could have mistaken Barth for someone other than Jeremy Piven, who looks nothing like his Emmy-winning Entourage character, Ari Gold, in the episode.

Brad Garrett (Tony Abado)

Another Emmy-winning sitcom star who once guest starred on Seinfeld is Brad Garrett, who made his Season 7 appearance mere months before debuting on Everybody Love Raymond as Robert Barone. He plays a mechanic so overly protective of Jerry’s car that he steals it for himself, unaware that he is carrying a set golf clubs once used by President John F. Kennedy.

Megan Mullally (Betsy)

A winner of two Emmys as Will & Grace’s Karen Walker (and who should have been nominated for playing the ex-wife of her real-life husband, Nick Offerman's, character on Parks and Recreation) is Megan Mullally. One of her earliest sitcom appearances was on a classic Seinfeld Season 4 episode (“The Implant”) as a woman dating George, who accompanies her to the funeral of a loved one where he is accosted for “double-dipping” a chip.

Jennifer Coolidge (Jodi)

Seinfeld also marked the acting debut of Jennifer Coolidge, who later played Stiffler’s Mom in American Pie, Paulette in Legally Blonde, and joined the 2 Broke Girls cast as Sophie Kachinsky. The White Lotus cast member appeared in Season 5 as a masseuse dating Jerry, whom he can’t seem to get to give him a massage. Not to mention, she hates George so much, he starts to become obsessed with her.

Courteney Cox (Meryl)

Jennifer Coolidge has also guest starred on Friends, which, of course, made a star out of Courteney Cox just months after her Seinfeld appearance. She also appeared in Season 5 as a girlfriend of Jerry’s who pretends to be his wife so they can both get a discount at their local dry cleaners.

Debra Jo Rupp (Katie)

You may remember that Debra Jo Rupp had a recurring spot on Friends as Phoebe’s sister-in-law, Alice, before she played Kitty in the That ‘70s Show cast and, even later, had a role on WandaVision. However, she also had a recurring role on Seinfeld, appearing in two episodes as Jerry’s loyal, but extremely incompetent, agent, Katie.

Maggie Wheeler (Cynthia)

Probably the funniest and most memorable recurring role on Friends was Janice, played by Maggie Wheeler, who also had an earlier role on Seinfeld. In Season 3’s “The Fix Up,” Jerry and Elaine crack a scheme to pair the romantically challenged George with Elaine’s romantically fed-up friend Cynthia (Wheeler), which, expectedly, has its ups and downs.

Jon Favreau (Eric The Clown)

Another actor who landed a recurring role on Friends was Jon Favreau, before he became one of the most successful filmmakers working today as the director of Iron Man and the creator of the Star Wars spin-off series The Mandalorian, to name a few achievements. I bet you had no idea that he was the birthday clown who told George to get over his predilection for Bozo in the Seinfeld Season 5 classic “The Fire.”

Tobin Bell (Ron)

Speaking of clowns, one of the creepiest clowns in horror movies is Billy, the puppet whom Jigsaw often talks through in the Saw movies. I bet you didn’t realize that the man who played Jigsaw, Tobin Bell, appeared on a Seinfeld Season 4 episode (“The Old Man”) as a record store owner who offers Kramer and Newman an unjustly low price for some used vinyl, including a Frank Sinatra album in mint condition.

James Spader (Jason Hanky)

Also known for playing great villains (such as Raymond “Red” Reddington on The Blacklist or the AI enemy of 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron) is James Spader. The three-time Emmy-winner actually channels some of that same signature sinister energy to play Jason Hanky, who refuses to apologize to George for a past insult despite being required to make amends as part of a 12-step program, on a Seinfeld Season 9 episode.

Patton Oswalt (Video Store Clerk)

Also known for playing a Marvel villain (voice of the title character in the animated series M.O.D.O.K.) is Patton Oswalt, a popular comedian even better known for sitcoms like The King of Queens and movies like Ratatouille. One of his very first acting appearances was on Seinfeld as an employee at a video store from which George tries to rent Breakfast at Tiffany’s so he does not have to read the book.

Catherine Keener (Nina West)

A Scream Queen in her own right (mostly for appearing in one of the best horror movies in recent memory, Get Out) is Academy Award nominee Catherine Keener, who also had an early Seinfeld appearance. In Season 3, she plays the painter of Kramer’s iconic portrait and a girlfriend of Jerry’s who toys with his head with a letter she plagiarizes from a Neil Simon movie.

Stephen Tobolowsky (Tor Eckman)

A character whose methods to cure George’s inflamed tonsils remind me of Catherine Keener role in Get Out is Tor Eckman in the Season 2 episode, “The Heart Attack.” The holistic specialist is played to ridiculous perfection on Seinfeld by actor Stephen Tobolowsky, whom many will recognize from Groundhog Day, his recurring role in the Silicon Valley cast, and as Sammy Jankis in Christopher Nolan’s Memento.

Lauren Graham (Valerie)

Another acclaimed star of TV (like from being in the Gilmore Girls cast) and movies (such as Bad Santa) is Lauren Graham, who played the other half of one of Jerry’s most overly complicated romantic relationships on Seinfeld. When Valerie (Graham) puts Jerry on her speed dial, her stepmother (Louan Gideon) is initially furious, until she begins to take a liking to him and wants to put him on her speed dial, which threatens Jerry’s position on Valerie’s list!

I am not even sure if that is the weirdest relationship Jerry has ever been in, nor am I convinced that we have covered all the best Seinfeld characters with this list. However, what I do know is that you may never watch the hit sitcom the same way again, knowing that it was once a big break (or an obscure highlight) for some of your favorite celebrities.

Mahershala Ali may be in fittings for his own black leather jacket as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of Blade continues through development, but for nearly 25 years, the role has belonged to Wesley Snipes. The 58-year-old actor played the vampire hunter in three Blade films, with the final entry, Blade: Trinity, unfortunately leaving the franchise limping along to an exit. And over the years, rumors have spread regarding Snipes and writer/director David S. Goyer having a physical altercation on set.

Back in 2012, Blade: Trinity cast member Patton Oswalt claimed that the “troubled production” once led to Wesley Snipes trying to strangle David Goyer. The filmmaker has now responded to those rumors with these words:

While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, David Goyer did not talk about whether the attempted strangling happened or not. He simply shared that he is no longer friends with Wesley Snipes, but is on talking terms with Patton Oswalt. It’s a peculiar response that keeps the rumor mill rolling and certainly asks us to read between the lines.

According to Patton Oswalt’s story on the subject, he shared that one day on set, the cast was allowed to pick their own clothing, and there was one Black actor who decided to wear a shirt that said “Garbage” on it in big letters. When it came time for Wesley Snipes to be part of the scene, he allegedly called the director a "racist motherfucker" for allowing the one other Black guy in the movie to have that word on his clothing, leading to him attempting to strangle David Goyer.

Last year, Wesley Snipes was asked about Patton Oswalt’s claims and he had a more straightforward answer involving what happened. As he claimed:

As Wesley Snipes puts it, he believes the facts lie in the detail about what might happen to a Black actor such as himself if he was violent toward a director like David Goyer. The Blade actor said that if it was true, he would not be the respected working actor he is today, recently finding roles in Dolemite Is My Name, Coming 2 America and Cut Throat City.

Blade will return with Mahershala Ali taking on the role for the MCU, with director Bassam Tariq reportedly helming the movie. As far as the Wesley Snipes situation, David Goyer could have easily dispelled the rumors by simply sharing it did not occur, but he chose not to speak directly about. Since the claims have not been confirmed or denied by Goyer, what happened on the set of Blade: Trinity looks like it may remain a mystery for some time.

While the late night talk show scene hasn't changed all that much in recent years, TV viewers will soon be saying (a temporary) goodbye to the longest-running host in the game, with Conan O'Brien's TBS series Conan coming to an official close after eleven zany seasons. So you know what that means: quite a few big and noteworthy celebrities will be popping by to bid farewell to the show with style and comedic grace, and several of them are SNL vets.

TBS has revealed the nearly full list of awesome Hollywood stars that will serve as Conan's final batch of guests during its last two weeks on the air, while also sharing the awesome news that live studio audiences will finally be allowed back into the studio for those eight episodes. Let's take a look at the famed folks who will stop by during his penultimate week of episodes.

Not a weak link in that group, that's for sure, especially with Conan O'Brien as the ringleader. He's kicking things off with comedian and M.O.D.O.K. star Patton Oswalt, who has shared the talk show stage with O'Brien more than three dozen times across the latter's various shows (which also include Late Night and The Tonight Show). Following that up will be the iconic Martin Short, the rare Conan guest who can stand toe-to-toe with the host when it comes to manic silliness. Curb Your Enthusiasm's JB Smoove will presumably have fans rolling with laughter during his Wednesday night episode. And then that Thursday will cap off with a guest appearance from Family Guy's Mila Kunis, who possibly has the fewest Conan-related appearances of anyone in this two-week stretch.

Things get a little more interesting in the actual final week of episodes, whose guests are noted below:

First, I think Conan fans can all agree that Bill Hader, Dana Carvey and Jack Black are a superb trio of comedy giants that deserve the honor of serving as Conan O'Brien's final guests. The three have a combined total of over 40 appearances across the host's various shows - which basically equals Patton Oswalt's appearances - and they're always enjoyable no matter what talk show they're on.

The wild card here is the Tuesday night episode, whose guest hasn't been announced yet. That could mean anything from a major surprise guest like David Letterman or The Rock to another longtime Conan regular like Timothy Olyphant or Will Ferrell. Granted, Olyphant just appeared in the last month, but Ferrell hasn't been around since last year, so he could be the mystery option. Or maybe Dax Shepard will pop up to recreate his notoriously ripped appearance from Late Night in 2004.

Viewers can likely expect more fun and mildly organized chaos during Conan's final two weeks on TBS, too. Especially now that it's been confirmed that live audiences will be allowed again after more than a year of pandemic-set episodes that went without. Not that the host is going away forever or anything. The end of his current show is coinciding with a big move to HBO Max, where O'Brien will take a slightly different approach to the talk show format, on top of creating other specials and comedic content for the streaming service. I'm betting we'll see quite a few of the names listed above during his first year of episodes on HBO Max, too.

Get as much Conan bingeing in as you can, as the TBS talk show will bow out for good on Thursday, June 24. While waiting to hear more about his upcoming project(s) with HBO Max, don't forget about all the great shows hitting the 2021 Summer TV schedule!

Currently in the midst of its eighth season, The Goldbergs has been a regular favorite on ABC since its 2013 premiere, earning critical praise and a loyal fanbase, along with a short-lived spin-off, Schooled, in 2019. Starring Jeff Garlin, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Sean Giambrone, the late George Segal, and the voice of Patton Oswalt as our narrator, i.e. an adult version of our main character, The Goldbergs cast is filled with many familiar faces (and voices), though if you're wondering where you've seen/heard the ensemble, we're here to help. Here's where you recognize the cast of The Goldbergs.

Jeff Garlin (Murray Goldberg)

As Murray Goldberg, our gruff, tough-loving patriarch, Jeff Garlin plays a lead role in ABC's long-running sitcom, The Goldbergs. Outside of this series, Garlin is known for starring in HBO's acclaimed Curb Your Enthusiasm. He also played recurring characters in Arrested Development and Mad About You. In film, additionally, Garlin can be seen in Daddy Day Care, Sleepover, Safety Not Guaranteed, The Rocker, Full Frontal, Senseless, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, RoboCop 3, Fat Albert, Bounce, The Bounty Hunter, and After the Sunset.

Additionally, as a voice actor, Jeff Garlin can be heard in WALL-E, Toy Story 3, Toy Story 4, Cars 2, ParaNorman, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Additionally, Garlin wrote, directed, and starred in I Want Someone To Eat Cheese With, Dealin' With Idiots, and Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie. Outside of acting, Garlin is the author of My Footprint: Carrying the Weight of the World, which is also known as Curbing It, and he hosted the podcast, By The Way, In Conversation with Jeff Garlin.

Wendi McLendon-Covey (Beverly Goldberg)

In the role of Beverly Goldberg, the family's overprotective matriarch, Wendi McLendon-Covey gives an award-nominated performance in ABC's The Goldbergs. Outside of this network series, McLendon-Covey is known for her role as Deputy Clementine Johnson in Comedy Central's Reno 911!, which was briefly revived by Quibi last year. She also played this character in the film continuation, Reno 911!: Miami. Some of her other notable credits include Bridesmaids, Rules of Engagement, What to Expect When You're Expecting, Bewitched, Think Like a Man Too, Hello My Name Is Doris, What Men Want, Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween, The Single Moms Club, and Blended. McLendon-Covey also starred in Cook Off!, which she co-wrote. Additionally, the actress led 2019's indie drama, Blush.

Recently, Wendi McLendon-Covey was seen in Sylvie's Love, Breaking for Whales, Long Weekend, and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Furthermore, as a voice actress, McLendon-Covey can be heard in Big City Greens, Puppy Dog Pals, Crossing Swords, Bob's Burgers, and Solar Opposites. Next, the actress will be seen in Sick Girl and heard in M.O.D.O.K.

Sean Giambrone (Adam Goldberg)

Playing the part of Adam Goldberg, the pop culture-obsessed youngest child, Sean Giambrone has an autobiographical character — or, at least, semi-autobiographical — in Adam Goldberg's ABC sitcom, The Goldbergs. Away from this series, Giambrone starred in Disney Channel's live-action Kim Possible. He also lent his voice to The Emoji Movie, The Secret Life of Pets 2, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Clarence, Harley Quinn, Big Hero 6: The Series, and Adventure Time. Currently, Giambrone can also be heard in main roles in Hulu's Solar Opposites and Netflix's Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous.

Troy Gentile (Barry Goldberg)

As Barry Goldberg, the overconfident (and not always bright) middle child, Troy Gentile plays a goofy character in The Goldbergs. Outside of this series, Gentile's other notable TV credits include Entourage, Hawthrone, The Middle, Schooled, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Additionally, he can also be seen in films like Hotel for Dogs, Nacho Libre, Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny, Bad News Bears (2005), Good Luck Chuck, Pineapple Express, Drillbit Taylor, and I Could Never Be Your Woman.

Hayley Orrantia (Erica Goldberg)

In the role of Erica Goldberg, the sarcastic eldest child, Hayley Orrantia plays a rebellious personality in ABC's The Goldbergs. Outside of acting, Orrantia is a member of the country-pop girl group, Lakoda Rayne, which was assembled by Paula Abdul during The X Factor's first season. She also released her first EP, The Way Out, in 2019. Away from music, Orrantia is the star of God's Not Dead 2. Her other acting credits include Schooled, Roommates, and Cooper and the Castle Hills Gang.

George Segal (Albert “Pops” Solomon)

Playing the part of Albert "Pops" Solomon, Beverly's laid-back, widowed father, George Segal provided a fun-loving, adventure-seeking paternal figure in ABC's The Goldbergs. Unfortunately, in March 2021, the actor passed away at 87. Outside of this series, Segal was an Oscar-nominated actor for his acclaimed performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? He also starred in NBC's Just Shoot Me!

George Segal's other notable film credits include Ship of Fools, King Rat, The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Where's Poppa?, The Hot Rock, Blume in Love, A Touch of Class, California Split, For the Boys, Flirting with Disaster, Fun with Dick and Jane (1977), Look Who's Talking, The Cable Guy, The Mirror Has Two Faces, 2012, and Love & Other Drugs. Additionally, as a voice actor, Segal can be heard in The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest. He was also a series regular on Retired at 35. Furthermore, outside of acting, Segal was an accomplished banjo player, having released three albums.

AJ Michalka (Lainey Lewis)

As Lainey Lewis, one of the most popular girls at school and Erica's best friend, AJ Michalka is a prominent supporting character in The Goldbergs. Away from this series, Michalka is best known for being one half of the musical duo, Aly & AJ, alongside her sister, Aly Michalka. She also starred in ABC's spin-off series, Schooled, where she reprised her role as Lainey. She also voices a lead character in Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.

AJ Michalka's other notable television credits include Oliver Beene, The Guardian, Six Feet Under, General Hospital, Hellcats, and Silicon Valley. As a voice artist, Michalka can also be heard in Steven Universe. In film, additionally, the actress appears in Super 8, Secretariat, Grace Unplugged, Angels in Stardust, The Lovely Bones, Weepah Way for Now (which she also produced), and Support the Girls.

Sam Lerner (Geoff “Madman” Schwartz)

In the role of Geoff Schwartz, i.e. "Madman," one of Barry's best friends, Sam Lerner was a recurring character on ABC's The Goldbergs, starting in Season 2, before he became part of the main cast in Season 5. Outside of this series, Lerner is known for his work in Monster House, Project Almanac, and Envy. He was also seen in Truth or Dare, Nobody Walks, and Fun Mom Dinner. On television, meanwhile, the actor played a recurring role in Suburgatory. Also, Lerner can be seen in the fifth season of Ballers. Next, he'll appear in F9. Also, Lerner will star in Liked, and the short film, Purity.

Patton Oswalt (Adult Adam Goldberg)

Providing the voice of an adult version of Adam Goldberg, who narrates this nostalgic show, Patton Oswalt can often be heard in The Goldbergs. An Emmy-winning stand-up comedian, Oswalt has continued to branch out as an actor — particularly as a voice actor — over the past two decades, notably with his starring role in Ratatouille. The comic can also be heard in Kim Possible, BoJack Horseman, We Bare Bears, Archer, Justice League Action, Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Big Hero 6: The Series, Spider-Man, The Secret Life of Pets 2, and Happy! Additionally, he'll voice the main character in the upcoming M.O.D.O.K., where he will also contribute as a writer.

Additionally, Patton Oswalt plays a lead role in NBC/Peacock's A.P. Bio. He also had prominent roles in The King of Queens, Justified, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Oswalt's other notable television credits include Community, Parks and Recreation, Reno 911!, Drunk History, Two and a Half Men, Veep, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Netflix's Mystery Science Theater 3000. Additionally, in film, Oswalt starred in Big Fan and Young Adult.

Judd Hirsch (Ben “Pop Pop” Goldberg)

Playing the part of Ben "Pop Pop" Goldberg, Murray's cranky and opinionated father, Judd Hirsch has a spirited supporting character in ABC's The Goldbergs. Away from this series, Hirsch is a two-time Emmy-winning actor, as well as a two-time Tony-winning actor, who's best known for his work in NBC's Taxi. He also starred in NBC's Dear John and CBS's Numb3rs. His other notable film and television credits include Ordinary People, Running on Empty, Independence Day, Independence Day: Resurgence, A Beautiful Mind, This Must Be The Place, Tower Heist, Teachers, Without a Trace, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Collected), Delvecchio, George and Leo, Damages, Forever, Maron, Uncut Gems, and Superior Donuts.

Dan Fogler (Marvin Goldberg)

As Marvin Goldberg, Murray's carefree and often unreliable younger brother, Dan Fogler plays a fun-loving supporting character in ABC's The Goldbergs. Making his Broadway debut in 2005's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, for which he won a Tony Award, Fogler starred in Balls of Fury. He also appears in Good Luck Chuck, Fanboys, School for Scoundrels, Take Me Home Tonight, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming, and Taking Woodstock. Additionally, Fogler lent his voice to Mars Needs Moms, Kung Fu Panda, Horton Hears a Who!, and Free Birds.

Furthermore, Dan Fogler headlined Don Peyote, which he co-wrote and co-directed, and he played prominent roles in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and its sequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Crime of Grindelwald. On television, additionally, Fogler stars in AMC's The Walking Dead. He also appears in Hannibal, Man Up!, The Good Wife, and Secrets and Lies. Most recently, the actor starred in The Argument. Next, Fogler will be seen in Making the Day, Spinning Gold, and the third Fantastic Beasts movie.

The Goldbergs is airing its eighth season on ABC. Find out what else the small screen has to offer with our 2021 TV schedule.

Wesley Snipes was once one of the biggest stars in Hollywood following the successful Blade movies (or at least a couple of successful Blade movies) but a number of interesting rumors have surfaced over the years, especially regarding Blade: Trinity that make the production on that film sound completely insane. However, Wesley Snipes himself is now making a point to correct the record, claiming that the most crazy rumors about him are not true.

The biggest stories come from actor and comedian Patton Oswalt, who played the role of Hedges in the film, who, back in 2012, claimed that Wesley Snipes and director David S. Goyer nearly had a physical altercation, and that Snipes got to a point where he wouldn't even speak with people outside of shooting. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Snipes hits back at the rumors, starting off by saying that if he and Goyer had gotten physical, it's likely something we'd all know about...

In Patton Oswalt's original interview he says that Wesley Snipes "tried to strangle" the director. It's unclear just how literal it's meant to be taken. Though Oswalt does also say that Goyer, at one point, hired some bikers to pretend to be his personal security as a way to get Snipes to back off. Whether or not there was nearly an actual strangling or not, it's clear that Oswalt is saying there were some heated issues between the two.

For his part, Wesley Snipes says that, certainly, the claim is untrue and he calls into question Patton Oswalt as the source, jokingly calling him "A reliable authority on me." Also, while Snipes doesn't directly refute the story that he would only communicate with the crew via Post-It note when on set, he does so in a way that makes it clear he's annoyed not so much with the rumor itself as the fact that so many people seemed willing to believe it without evidence. Snipes goes on...

Wesley snipes points out that he was a producer on Blade: Trinity, and as such he had control over many aspects of the film, including who the director was, so if he'd had a problem with David Goyer, there was a remedy for that.does the real truth lie on one side or the other, or someplace in between? We'll likely never really know.

They say comedy is rooted in tragedy. People laugh to avoid crying. While that might not always be the case, that's fitting when it comes to these peculiarly dramatic performances from comedians/comedic actors. It almost seems like a rite of passage for prominent comedians to leap into dramatic/darker material, and several have proved their chops. It might not always be the roles they're most commonly associated with, but for actors like Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems, it showcases new sides to their familiar screen presence. The results are surprising and exciting in equal measures. No joke. Here are comedians who also stood out in dramatic roles.

Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems)

While he's more commonly associated with his juvenile, boyish Happy Madison productions, including Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, 50 First Dates, The Wedding Singer, and the Grown Ups movies, Adam Sandler has also consistently proven himself as a serious actor. Notably starting with 2003's misunderstood dark dramedy Punch-Drunk Love, which cleverly subverted and dissected the tropes of Sandler's early comedies in an artistic, challenging, yet still bleakly hilarious way, Sandler has dived into dramatic roles — to mixed results. Judd Apatow's Funny People was smartly funny and insightfully self-referential, but Reign Over Me was a middling effort prior. Men, Women & Children was a well-meaning but misbegotten flub, while The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) featured an excellent Sandler performance in this dysfunctional family dramedy.

Tom McCarthy's The Cobbler seemed like an easy winner but it tragically received some of Adam Sandler's worst reviews. But Sandler got some of his best reviews in Uncut Gems, a New York City-based crime drama-thriller following Howard Ratner (Sandler), a down-on-his-luck jewelry salesman with a gambling addiction that involves some very expensive debts and some very bad people. 

The grimy, stylistic, relentless, but appropriately addictive, character piece surprised general audiences used to seeing broader, more conventional comedies from the A-lister. Instead, Uncut Gems finds Sandler giving one of his most committed, commendably foul performances, fully embodying this scumbag with vigor and aplomb. The result is one of the actor's most audacious and daring roles, and one that hopefully proved to Sandler's biggest, most merciless critics that he has serious chops.

Kevin James (Becky)

Best known for The King of Queens and Kevin Can Wait, in addition to comedy film franchises like Paul Blart: Mall Cop and Grown Ups, Kevin James' decision to play a vicious, vindictive neo-Nazi in this year's Becky was certainly a surprising, unexpected one. If you can get past the bold, bizarre casting choice, James proves himself to be a formidable dramatic one, one who isn't afraid to play against the grain and relish his darker impulses. Characters like the aforementioned Paul Blart showcased an underlying sadness, which suggested that James had what it took to be an intriguing dramatic performer, but this bald-headed villainous brute is a stark departure from anything we've seen from him. While some dismissed it as stunt casting, James does convey genuine tension and menace through this violent, cold-blooded character.

While Kevin James' performance isn't a complete revelation, notably with a flimsy screenplay and little insight into this character's motivations, it should hopefully prove to be a stepping stone for his second chapter. Certainly, his YouTube account suggests James can't wait to try darker, more challenging material, though it's unclear if more filmmakers will allow him to do something this outlandishly against his familiar image. Notably, using his physicality not for slapstick comedy but rather to impose suspense and terror is an intriguing change-of-pace.

Eddie Murphy (Dolemite Is My Name)

Eddie Murphy needed a comeback. He impressed everyone with his sensational musical performance in 2006's Dreamgirls, nearly winning an Oscar. But then came Norbit. The ill-received studio comedy was not only a critical flop but it also supposedly killed his award chances. Murphy continued to make several ill-fated studio comedies, not of which captured Dreamgirls' radiant spark or the sharp wit of his earlier comedic work. But after an extended absence, Murphy returned with Dolemite Is My Name, a lively, heartfelt biopic dramedy/tribute to Rudy Ray Moore, best known for playing Dolemite on the stage and screen. Murphy's performance was rewardingly electrifying, feeling more alive than anything he'd done in years. It's also a role that heartily played to his strengths, capturing the humor and heartbreak of this larger-than-life personality.

Patton Oswalt (Big Fan)

Better known then for his stage work and Ratatouille, Patton Oswalt proved his acting chops with 2009's overlooked Big Fan. As a diehard football fan caught in a complicated situation when he's assaulted by his football idol, Oswalt's reverence for pop culture and fandom were put to sharp, poignant use, showcasing the complexities that come with being blindingly reverent to something — to the point where you can't look at it from an objective lens. But for many folks, they didn't realize the extent of Oswalt's acting talents until he starred in 2011's Young Adult, appearing opposite Charlize Theron, in which he gave an excellently nuanced, perspective performance.

Awkwafina (The Farewell)

As an actress, comedian, and musician, Awkwafina continues to gain notice and recognition, notably with standout roles in Crazy Rich Asians and Ocean's Eight. But her most prominent part might actually be her most dramatic. Specifically, last year's tender, personal The Farewell found the rising star at the forefront of one of the most acclaimed movies of the year. And her performance was certainly well-recognized. Beautifully conveying the mix of humor and sorrow that's presented in this nuanced situation, Awkwafina was praised for channeling the deft balance of gentle humor and dramatic pathos with grace and vulnerability. It led to Awkwafina being the first Asian woman in Golden Globes history to win Best Actress.

Vince Vaughn (Brawl In Cell Block 99)

Though not a comedian in a traditional sense, Vince Vaughn came into fame through his star-making role in Swingers, loosely based on his own real-life personality. From there, much like Jon Favreau, Vaughn continued climbing up the Hollywood ladder, starring in Wedding Crashers, Dodgeball, Old School, The Break-Up, and more. While he periodically dived into dramatic territory, notably with Gus Van Sant's much-criticized Psycho remake, Vaughn found his dramatic stride with Brawl in Cell Block 99, a neo-noir prison thriller-drama which follows former boxer-turned-drug mule Bradley Thomas (Vaughn) as he descends several brutal layers of prison hell to protect the woman he loves. 

While previous Vince Vaughn roles relied on his snarky sarcasm, this one challenges Vaughn's physique. With his bald head and imposing height, Vaughn is surprisingly menacing, but that only makes his unexpected emotional sweet side resonate more.

Marlon Wayans (Requiem For A Dream)

Before White Chicks, Little Man, and the first two Scary Movies, Marlon Wayans was a TV star venturing out into movies. Shortly before his movie career would took off, Wayans gave a surprising dramatic performance in 2000's almost relentlessly bleak Requiem for a Dream. In its bold, unflinching look at drug addiction, Wayans not only holds his own opposite Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Ellen Burstyn, but he proves his dramatic chops in a performance that doesn't mirror any other throughout his career. It's a shame we haven't seen Wayans take another role in this vein again, though he's set to star in Sofia Coppola's latest, On the Rocks.

Albert Brooks (Drive)

A celebrated actor-director best known for Broadcast News, Out of Sight, Finding Nemo, Modern Romance, Defending Your Life, and Lost in America, the latter three he also helmed, Albert Brooks is a familiar, beloved screen presence, yet he surprised everyone with his dark, menacing villainous role in 2011's Drive. Playing the brooding antagonistic figure to Ryan Gosling's soft-spoken protagonist, Brooks' cold, calculated performance didn't capture any of the warmth or humility seen in his earlier work, conveying a seething contempt and a vigor for violence that was surprising not merely because it came from the voice of Merlin. Intentionally, it was effectively disarming, never allowing us to be two steps ahead of our scowling sociopathic baddie. It showed a new side to Brooks. It should be noted, though, that he also starred in Taxi Driver. What's the deal with him and drivers?

In addition all these strong and/or challenging performances, we'll take this moment to celebrate some comedians who didn't make the list, including Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? and The Nines, Molly Shannon in Other People and Year of the Dog, Jenny Slate in Obvious Child, Mary Tyler Moore in Ordinary People, Rodney Dangerfield in Natural Born Killers, Stephen Merchant in Logan, Will Ferrell in Stranger than Fiction and Everything Must Go, Richard Pryor in Blue Collar, George Carlin in Jersey Girl, Seth Rogen in Steve Jobs and Take This Waltz, and Ben Stiller in Permanent Midnight, Greenberg, and The Meyerowitz Stories.

In just a few short weeks, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is returning for its seventh and final season. The ABC series, the last of the Marvel TV shows under the creative leadership of former exec Jeph Loeb, has had its fair share of characters return to the show in some capacity, be they dead or alive or otherwise. In that same vein, the show is bringing back fan-favorite Patton Oswalt for Season 7, and he'll indeed be playing an entirely new Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. character.

In a Season 7 first-look image released by CBR, Patton Oswalt’s mysterious new character is dressed to the nines in a three-piece brown suit. His hair is slicked back, and he’s sporting a mustache, which is an interesting look for the actor. Unlike Oswalt's previous Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. portrayals from the Koenig family, this new character is markedly different, and it’s not just because of his hair and clothes. He looks stern and serious as he pensively stares at something, and it's a far cry from the other character's he's played on the show.

Patton Oswalt’s latest character will reportedly appear in an early episode of Season 7. The end of Season 6 saw the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. crew, alongside Phil Coulson’s LMD copy, transported back to the 1930s. They’ll be attempting to get back to their original time period without trying to mess anything up in the past, which sounds somewhat similar to the time travel plot of Avengers: Endgame.

So how does Patton Oswalt’s return come into play? Well, the basic assumption is that Oswalt’s character is a relative of the Koenig brothers, and potentially a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent himself. The brothers’ S.H.I.E.L.D. loyalty runs deep, after all! However, that’s just a guess based on who Oswalt’s played before. Official confirmation about who his character is and how he’ll be connected to the plot are unknown, so viewers can only speculate until the season premieres and provides some answers.

If Patton Oswalt himself is to be trusted, though, it sounds like S.H.I.E.L.D. fans are going to love this new addition.

Patton Oswalt first appeared on the ABC series in Season 1 as Eric Koenig, a trusted and upbeat S.H.I.E.L.D. agent whose death revealed Agent Ward’s true motives as a sleeper HYDRA operative. However, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. managed to bring the actor back by having him portray Eric’s quadruplet brothers, Billy, Sam, and Thurston. The latter was the only brother who wasn’t loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D., as he was bitter that the agency was responsible for Eric’s death. Oswalt hasn't returned as a Koenig brother since Season 4, so his return will be most welcomed.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 is set to premiere on Wednesday, May 27 at 10:00 p.m. ET on ABC. Share your thoughts about who Patton Oswalt might be playing in the comments below. For more on what to watch in the coming months, be sure to check out our 2020 summer TV premiere schedule.

A new decade is upon us, and Marvel has a lot more content on the way for any fans willing to watch. Netflix may be out of the running on the streaming side, but Disney+ and Hulu have several projects in the works that will be quite different from the past ten years of comic book TV. Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. is one of those unique projects, and Patton Oswalt's animated comedy has become one of the most promising shows to watch after adding Lucifer's Aimee Garcia, Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Melissa Fumero to its ranks.

That's not all, either, as Marvel really found some top tier talent to lend their voices to this interesting villain-led comedy. Here's a look at the full main cast, kicking things off with the comedian and creator who will voice the massive-headed murderous mastermind M.O.D.O.K.

Patton Oswalt - M.O.D.O.K.

Former King of Queens and A.P. Bio star Patton Oswalt is officially back in the world of Marvel to play M.O.D.O.K. (Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing). Oswalt also played multiple guest roles in Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., so he's well acquainted with this kind of comic book fun.

Oswalt may not seem like the ideal actor to play an imposing Marvel villain, but he is, and it should be noted this is a different type of M.O.D.O.K. The Hulu series will follow the character through a mid-life crisis as he tries to "reinvent" himself in order to win back his family and evil organization. This role has a lot of weird potential, and it will be interesting to see how the world responds to Oswalt's take on the lesser-used Marvel villain.

Aimee Garcia - Jodie

For years, Aimee Garcia has been a fixture as Ella Lopez on the much-beloved Lucifer, which is ending on Netflix with Season 5, but has also had stints on shows like Dexter and George Lopez throughout her career. Though Lucifer is based on a DC comic, with co-star Tom Ellis appearing in the recent "Crisis on Infinite Earths" Arrow-verse crossover event, Garcia is getting an animated spin for Marvel.

According to Marvel, Aimee Garcia is set to voice M.O.D.O.K.'s wife Jodie, who has found a new calling in life amidst troubles with her husband.Specifically, Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.'s mommy--blogger and lifestyle empress is trying to take her career to the next level. Though she's trying to figure out her next step in life, she's also not trying to be held back by any negativity that may halt her goals and ambitions.

Ben Schwartz - Lou

Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. managed to snag Parks and Rec vet Ben Schwartz, who will be heard soon enough on the big screen as the voice of Sonic The Hedgehog in the video game adaptation. Schwartz does a lot of live-action performances, but is no stranger to voice-acting, having served as the voice of Rutabaga in BoJack Horseman, as well as Dewey Duck in DuckTales.

Ben Schwartz will play Lou, the remarkably average son of M.O.D.O.K. The villain is concerned by the fact that his son doesn't seem exceptionally good at anything, and he'll wrestle with that while projecting his own insecurities onto Lou. Being a villain's kid must be the worst.

Melissa Fumero - Melissa

She's brought Amy Santiago's quirks to life for years on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and now Melissa Fumero will take on an entirely different role in Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. Fumero is set to play the daughter of M.O.D.O.K., who is also different, but not quite in the way her brother Lou is.

Melissa is said to have the same "features" as M.O.D.O.K., but despite that has managed to be the "queen" of her school. That might be due to Melissa sharing a bit of her father's mean streak, which M.O.D.O.K. may be quite fond of, since Melissa only wants her father's approval most of all.

Wendi McLendon-Covey - Monica Rappaccini

From Reno 911 to The Goldbergs, Wendi McLendon-Covey has managed to make audiences laugh frequently and hysterically over the years. She'll get yet another chance at that in Marvel's M.O.D.O.K., where she'll play the villain's semi-rival Monica Rappaccini.

Monica would typically be M.O.D.O.K.'s top rival, but the two now have a common enemy. The two form an uneasy alliance in an effort to take down their shared workplace foe, that may get derailed occasionally due to their inability to stop sabotaging each other.

Beck Bennett- Austin Van Der Sleet

Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. got another high profile comedian in Beck Bennett, who has been making audiences laugh on Saturday Night Live now for years. Bennett is stepping into an antagonistic role in the animated series, or at least, whoever the antagonist would be on a show already centered on a villain.

Austin is M.O.D.O.K.'s new boss following the merger of the factions A.I.M. and G.R.U.M.B.L., and obviously the villain is none too happy about it. M.O.D.O.K. is determined to take down Austin, though really it's hard to say whether or not his new boss is an actual bad guy, or merely a pushy manager with too big of a metaphorical head.

Jon Daly- Super Adaptoid

Comedian Jon Daly has voiced characters on fan-favorite shows such as Family Guy and Big Mouth, so even people who aren't familiar with his live-action antics might know his voice. Daly joins Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. to play someone who may be the villain's closest friend in this adventure, but also might be his greatest enemy.

Super Adaptoid is programmed to simply massage the scalp of his master, but he one day hopes to take down M.O.D.O.K. Beyond that life goal, the two are said to have a steady friendship, though M.O.D.O.K. should hope that the programming of the Android is rock solid.

Sam Richardson- Gary

Sam Richardson might be instantly recognizable from his role as the awkward Richard Splett on Veep, but like others in this ensemble, he has also dabbled in the world of voice acting. For instance, Richardson voices Doctor Champ in Bojack Horseman, and Muninn in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

In Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. he'll play Gary, a beekeeper that is possibly the most loyal henchmen that M.O.D.O.K. has. His loyalty is deep and undying, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to support his boss, even if M.O.D.O.K. still struggles to remember his name.

What do you think of the cast of Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.? List all opinions in the comments below, and stay tuned for more about M.O.D.O.K.'s chances of streaming in the future. Continue to stick with us for more news happening in the world of television and movies, and be sure to bookmark our Winter and Spring TV schedule.

The Boys has already announced some new characters and, as a result, a few new cast members for Season 2 of the twisted superhero show, and while there are sure to be plenty of shocking surprises ahead, we now know that yet another new actor is coming to the series, and the choice is really pretty amazing. Funny guy Patton Oswalt will be appearing in The Boys next season, and the role will likely be right up his alley.

Now, as you read that last sentence, you might assume that we have some information on the particulars of the part that Patton Oswalt will be playing in The Boys Season 2, but, sad to say, that's actually not the case right now. The news of Oswalt's involvement in the upcoming set of episodes was broken by series creator / showrunner Eric Kripke via his personal Twitter feed, and you can take a look at everything we know about the reveal below:

I'm sure you were all hoping that the announcement would give away some tiny morsel of information regarding any detail of Patton Oswalt's part on The Boys in Season 2, but, unless I missed something, he and Eric Kripke did a pretty good job of keeping the post spoiler free. Kripke even went so far as to add #SecretRole to his caption, which at least does seem to confirm that Oswalt has finished filming some, if not all, of his gig on The Boys. And, apparently, we can look forward to an "AMAZING" showing of Oswalt's skills when the new season hits Amazon.

So, with so few details on Patton Oswalt's new part on The Boys, why did I mention that it will probably be a good fit? Well, Oswalt, while known mostly as a comedian and comedic actor, has spent a large portion of his career lending his talents to fantasy, science fiction and comic book related properties, and The Boys, of course, is the latter.

Patton Oswalt has appeared in or lent his voice to shows such as Caprica, Gravity Falls, Rick & Morty, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Santa Clarita Diet, Justice League Action, Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return, Happy! and Big Hero 6: The Series. Meanwhile, Oswalt has displayed his acting chops in non-genre roles in properties like The King of Queens, Ratatouille, Big Fan, Reno 911!, Community, Burn Notice, Two and a Half Men, Justified and, most recently, A.P. Bio and Veronica Mars.

So, now comes the big question: just who might Patton Oswalt be playing in Season 2? He's certainly got the talent to pull off any number of characters, and the possibilities are pretty much endless when it comes to the world that The Boys has created. The series focuses on a team of superheroes, The Seven, who are controlled by massive corporation, Vought, and The Boys who come together to try to take down the corrupt group after getting an inside line on too many of their dirty dealings.

The end of Season 1 saw The Seven's primary handler murdered by Homelander (the group's leader) and The Boys go on the run, with things at a none-too-surprising level of bloody upheaval. And, while there are plenty of people Patton Oswalt could be playing, he'll clearly be an asset no matter who he ends up bringing to the show.

The Boys had a breakout first season on Amazon, and is currently filming Season 2, which has already been said to include cast additions from two Timeless vets and a new female superhero by the name of Stormfront. Teases we've gotten so far of the new season promise it will be just as unapologetically shocking, gory and filled with twists as all of the awesomeness we saw in the first season, so I'm sure Patton Oswalt will be a great addition to the penis bulging madness.

There's no release date set for Season 2 of The Boys, but be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend and we'll keep you updated! In the meantime, you can stay knowledgeable about everything else coming to the small screen in the next few weeks by checking out our 2019 fall TV premiere guide!

Secret Life of Pets’ Max now has something in common with Ratatouille’s Remy: both were voiced by the incomparable Patton Oswalt. The actor replaced Louis C.K. in the sequel to the highly-successful 2016 film that takes audiences into the double lives of our furry friends.

When Chris Renaud, the director of the animated franchise, was tasked with finding a new actor to take on the role of the friendly Terrier in The Secret Life of Pets 2, he thankfully found a perfect fit in Patton Oswalt. In his words:

Recasting a role can be “ruff” stuff, but Patton Oswalt made the transition a smooth one for Secret Life of Pets 2, per the director’s words to Collider. The actor was a great choice to step into the paws of Max and continue his story in one of Illumination and Universal’s biggest hits.

A couple years ago, the studios cut ties with Louis C.K. in light of the sexual harassment allegations against him. Five women spoke out about the comedian exposing himself and masturbating in front of them. Louis C.K. later confessed to committing these acts, leading to many of his connections with Hollywood being dropped, such as the home network to his five-season series Louis, FX, and his movie I Love You, Daddy.

While the actor took some time away from the public eye, recent events have kept him in the spotlight. A leaked standup set back in December contained many offensive jokes targeting transgender people and school shootings. SNL’s Pete Davidson also recently opened up about a time when Louis C.K. tried to get him fired from the sketch show because of his marijuana use.

He’s certainly become a voice many parents wouldn’t want associated with lovable characters in The Secret Life of Pets. When news broke of Louis C.K’s firing, it was unclear what the fate of Max would be, but the sequel found a great alternative to getting rid of the central character.

Secret Life of Pets 2 follows Oswalt’s Max, along with the return of Kevin Hart’s Snowball, Eric Stonestreet’s Duke, Jenny Slate’s Gidget, and Lake Bell’s Chloe. Harrison Ford also joins the star-studded cast as a farm dog named Rooster, with Tiffany Haddish as a Shih Tzu named Daisy. The movie is in theaters now.

Looking at actor/comedian Patton Oswalt’s career as an entertainer, you’ll notice that his resume has quite a bit of voice work included. And why shouldn’t it, considering one of his breakout roles in pop culture was that of Remy, the witty rat protagonist in Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille?

While he’s certainly gotten more exposure in live-action projects, with roles in everything from Young Adult to the recently cancelled A.P. Bio, voice acting is still something that Oswalt is hired to do quite a bit, and it’s all because of the expertise he’d built up in the past couple of years. But with such talents comes great responsibility and technique, something that Patton Oswalt has in spades.

When speaking with him during the press day for The Secret Life of Pets 2, CinemaBlend got to learn more about just how the man who helped give a rat a heart infused a lot of life into the pre-existing character of Max. In particular, Oswalt had the following insight to share on how he navigates the emotional maze of this, and any other, voice role:

Getting to hear the trademark Patton Oswalt energy in person is a unique experience, and it’s especially fantastic when speaking to him personally. Even slightly under the weather, as he was fighting a bit of a throat bug during our interview, the infectious nature of his approach to life comes through in everyday conversation.

So if you’re going to hire anyone to play a neurotic dog that only wants the best for his little human, picking Mr. Oswalt to voice him in a film like The Secret Life of Pets 2 is akin to easy money earned. In the franchise’s second outing, we see a Max who's both more neurotic and more confident in his stride, as he and now best friend Duke, played by Eric Stonestreet, both team up to help be perfect doggy co-parents to Liam, their owner’s young son.

While The Secret Life of Pets 2 is a revolving narrative that switches through three major plotlines, the one where Patton Oswalt’s Max is mentored by Harrison Ford’s new character Rooster is perhaps the shining example of what this series does when it’s at its best. And part of that is thanks to Oswalt putting so much of his own energy into this scrappy little dog who slowly learns to be brave and go with the flow.

Even more impressive is the fact that when discussing the recording sessions for The Secret Life of Pets 2, Patton Oswalt mentioned that his work was done solo, without interacting with any of the cast during the production. This is not only a credit to Oswalt’s talents, but also to the entire cast of the film. When you’ve got personalities as big as Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart, and Jenny Slate all performing their respective characters, and the energies mesh together this well, it truly does feel like some sort of magic has been made.

For the kids who enjoy The Secret Life of Pets 2, the energy that Patton Oswalt and the rest of the stellar ensemble cast put out will be invaluable, as it’ll excite them while watching their favorite characters on the screen once again. But for the adults that are tagging along with their youngsters, there will definitely be a reward to attending this weekend’s opening, as a stacked cast of professionals give the film their all.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is currently in theaters. If you’ve already seen the film, stay tuned to CinemaBlend, as we’ll be running more coverage on the film’s debut, and what the future may hold in store for a potential third round.

NBC’s sophomore comedy A.P. Bio has been cancelled. The series starred It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Glenn Howerton as a former Harvard professor who ends up having to work as an Advanced Placement Biology teacher. Hence, the show’s title.

A.P. Bio’s creator Mike O’Brien shared the news of its cancellation on Twitter. Like the fans, O’Brien is saddened by the decision. In its wake, he took to social media to express his disappointment and gratitude. The creator’s tweets reveal the agony that sometimes comes with creating television.

Those final four episodes of A.P. Bio will begin airing next week (Thursday, May 30). The show had been on a break beforehand. In another tweet, Mike O’Brien continued to express his thanks to everyone behind-the-scenes.

The half-hour sitcom has cultivated a devoted fanbase. Unfortunately, ratings for A.P. Bio were likely the reason NBC chose not to renew it.

Season 2 saw its numbers slip from Season 1’s. Adding to the issue is that the all-influential 18-49 demo rating did not rise above a 0.5 during its sophomore run. Something that made A.P. Bio a bubbler as it came into renewal season.

One of the comedy's stars, Patton Oswalt, also took to Twitter to share his thoughts. The actor and comedian directed fans to the thread written by A.P. Bio’s creator. Like Mike O’Brien, he expressed the joy that had gone into making the series. Check out Oswalt’s tweet below:

Fans are already doing their part to try to bring the show back. The hashtag to save it -- #SaveAPBio -- was trending on Twitter Saturday morning (May 25). Hopefully for fans, those with the powers to revive it will be keeping an eye on that.

A vigorous fan campaign worked for fans of the series Lucifer when Fox cancelled it last year. Netflix ended up picking up the series. Could it also save A.P. Bio? Anything is possible at this point. Given that episodes of the comedy are currently streaming on Hulu, that could be another option.

As it tends to be, May has been a rough month for fans of network television. It is the time of year when networks firm up their fall slates and announce the departure of struggling series. The good news is that it leaves the summer for fans to attempt to make a difference. There is precedence with Lucifer and other series.

Last year, Fox cancelled its fan-favorite comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine before strong fan response led to it readily getting saved by NBC. Time will tell if A.P. Bio ends up getting a similar reprieve from an outside source. For now, school appears to be out.

A.P. Bio returns for the rest of its second season run on Thursday, May 30 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Ready to head back to Neptune, Marshmallows? Hulu’s limited series is happy to oblige. Veronica Mars is finally back in this new trailer, complete with new stars and a lethal storyline. Wasting no time, the preview thrusts prospective viewers and devoted fans into the center of the danger. Check out Kristen Bell back in action as Veronica below:

As Veronica reminds viewers at the beginning of the trailer, this series started with a major murder mystery centered on Veronica’s best friend, Lilly Kane, as played by Amanda Seyfried. Now three seasons and one movie later, Veronica Mars is about to head into another deadly storyline for her return to the small screen.

As it's indicated in the Veronica Mars trailer, a crime wave will be hitting the shores of the spring break hot spot Neptune. Using her trusty stun gun, Veronica has to deal with one assailant right off the bat, but he is just one of the villains set to come Neptune’s way.

Along for the ride are a bevy of new stars, too. Patton Oswalt can be seen first. He will star as Penn Epner, the “best pizza delivery guy in Neptune,” per Deadline. True crime is Penn’s passion, though, and he spends time on sites dedicated to unsolved murders.

In the trailer, it sounds like Patton Oswalt’s character says, “Follow the money, Mars.” Does he have a working theory about what is happening with all those bombings? Where will the money lead?

Speaking of money, you can get your first look at J.K. Simmons making his Veronica Mars debut, potentially handing some cash off to another guy. One of Hollywood's most watchable actors, Simmons will star as an ex-con by the name of Clyde Prickett. As it can be seen in the trailer, Clyde is now out and about, probably continuing his job as a fixer for the Casablancas family.

Above, he can be seen standing on a golf course. Probably crafting his next move, right? Is he tied to the serial bombings? The trailer hints that he is. Even though villains tend to get their due in Veronica Mars, any characters standing in Clyde's way should probably be pretty cautious.

Next up, viewers get to see The Good Place’s Kirby Howell-Baptiste making her Veronica Mars debut. Howell-Baptiste co-stars with Kristen Bell on the NBC comedy, and on Veronica Mars, Howell-Baptiste will star as Nicole, the owner of spring breakers' favorite Neptune nightclub.

It appears that Nicole gets caught in one of the explosions. Thankfully, she seems to be okay. As previously reported, Nicole’s club is where Veronica believes the killer is choosing victims. Veronica can be heard saying she thinks the bomber's motive is to "destroy Neptune as a spring break destination." Dun dun dun!

Also putting in an appearance in the trailer is Westworld’s Clifton Collins Jr. as Alonzo Lozano. He can be spotted brandishing a gun and looking mighty ready to use it. Collins Jr.'s character is a hitman for a Mexican cartel whose boss sends him on a mission to Neptune. That assignment is to kill the murderer of his boss' wife's nephew, which should lead to some sticky situations.

How will all of these new stars collide with the pre-existing ones? There is only one way to see how it plays out, and that is to tune in. For Marshmallows long awaiting this day, it'll be here sooner than never, at least.

The limited series revival was announced back in September 2018, and things have been moving quickly as it rapidly approaches a summer run on Hulu. Will it be the hot show that everyone is buzzing about this summer? There is every reason to believe it will be.

Veronica Mars' new limited season will premiere on Hulu on Friday, July 26.

In 2016, Patton Oswalt was met with the sudden and heartbreaking loss of his wife, author Michelle McNamara, who passed away unexpectedly in her sleep one night. The beloved mother of his 10-year-old daughter Alice Oswalt, and the light in the comic's often-bleak and pessimistic worldview, the death was understandably a heavy and intense one for the grieving husband.

The comedian was in a very dark place, and his pain was deeply felt. But thanks to his marriage to actress Meredith Salenger in 2017, along the support he received along the way, Oswalt is in "a very good place," according to his A.P. Bio co-star, Glenn Howerton. As the TV actor said:

As Glenn Howerton explained in an interview with People Now, Patton Oswalt is an "incredibly strong person" who worked through the loss of his wife as best as he possibly could, especially given the tragic circumstances. There's no doubt that the pain the actor/comedian felt during this heartbreaking time is unimaginable, and Howerton championed his co-star as "a terrific human being" who did some work during this intensive grieving process.

While Glenn Howerton doesn't believe that Patton Oswalt intended to remarry as quickly as he did following his late wife's death, Howerton credits that to Oswalt's ability to move forward in a persistent, self-reflective way. Especially despite spite of the enormous, earth-shattering difficulties that were presented before the comic. Few people could push forward as well as Oswalt did.

Both Patton Oswalt and Glenn Howerton can be seen on NBC's sitcom A.P. Bio, currently on its second season. The Season 2 finale is set to premiere on Thursday, and then its future remains uncertain. But while the show may or may not live to see another day after this upcoming episode, it sounds like Oswalt is in a good place in his life, according to Howerton.

While the widowed husband has faced gigantic adversities in the three years since his wife's untimely passing, Patton Oswalt has making strides in his personal and professional life to deal with the tragedy of this loss. His 2017 stand-up special, Annihilation, addressed the weight of this loss directly, while Oswalt helped to finish and posthumously release his late wife's memoir, I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, in 2018. It instantly became a best-seller and received many high accolades.

For the latest news in film, television, pop culture, celebrity culture and a whole lot more, you can always be sure to check back with us right here at CinemaBlend.

Harrison Ford is bringing his growling sarcasm to The Secret Life of Pets 2. Ford plays Rooster the dog in his first voice-acting role in an animated film. To promote the summer 2019 movie, Illumination has been giving characters their own trailers. This recent one is called "The Rooster Trailer" in honor of Ford's new character:

The turkey steals the whole thing! The two-minute trailer takes dogs Max (now voiced by Patton Oswalt) and Duke (Eric Stonestreet) on a road trip to the countryside. While Duke gets mocked by a cow, Max has a nighttime run-in with Harrison Ford's intimidating dog named Rooster.

Apparently this trailer takes place after the previous Max trailer set at a pet therapist's office. Max mentions the cone his therapist said he should wear. In this trailer, Rooster cuts Max's speech off by ripping the cone off his head, then dropping this line:

Harrison Ford, everyone! The Secret Life of Pets 2 is clearly tapping into Harrison Ford's grumpy, sarcastic, and intimidating side -- as opposed to his charming rebel side, ala Han Solo or Indiana Jones. Or maybe we'll see that side come out in Rooster too. If only they had also cast Clint Eastwood to growl "Get off my lawn."

The sequel cast features several returnees from the first film, including Kevin Hart's Snowball, Jenny Slate's Gidget, Lake Bell's Chloe, Dana Carvey's Pops, Hannibal Buress' Buddy, Bobby Moynihan's Mel, Tara Strong's Sweetpea, Chris Renaud's Norman, and Ellie Kemper's Katie. The sequel also adds Tiffany Haddish, Nick Kroll, and Pete Holmes.

After releasing the Max trailer -- but before introducing this Rooster trailer -- Illumination posted mini trailers for Chloe, Snowball, and Tiffany Haddish's new character Daisy:

The Secret Life of Pets came out in 2016 and got fairly good reviews from both critics and fans. It also made $875,457,937 at the worldwide box office. That's off a reported production budget of $75 million, per Box Office Mojo, so it definitely made a tail-wag-worthy profit. It's no wonder a sequel is coming three years later. If this film also does well, we can probably expect another movie.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is scheduled for release in theaters this June 7, as one of many animal-focused movies to keep an eye on in 2019. That June release is just a couple of weeks before Toy Story 4 opens. It should be a very busy year at the box office, so bookmark our 2019 movie calendar to keep track of all the big screen dates.

The past two years have been a wildly hectic time for the people and projects associated with writer and journalist Michelle McNamara, even though she sadly didn't survive to see any of it come to light. Her tireless efforts to bring the Golden State Killer to justice were posthumously achieved, and McNamara's latest achievement involves being honored in an extremely low-key manner through a pair of Jeopardy categories. As shared by her widower, comedian Patton Oswalt:

To many, those two categories might have looked random and unconnected, but for those who are fans of Michelle McNamara and Patton Oswalt, the pair almost certainly inspired a double-take. "It's chaos. Be kind," was a mantra-esque saying that McNamara had, which basically means to do good to others in a world where the opposite is always present. As a longtime atheist, Oswalt has stated that he uses those words as his form of a belief system, and he also brought them up in his Netflix special Annihilation, in which he spoke at length about his grieving process in the months after McNamara's death.

The categories were part of the May 22 edition of Jeopardy!, though because episodes are taped in the weeks and months ahead of airing, it's possible they were tied to the release of Michelle McNamara's bestselling true crime book I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, which pulled together years of research and played a huge role in the April 2018 capture and arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo.

The book is also being turned into an HBO docu-series, which is quite a direct way of honoring her work and efforts. Meanwhile, no mention was made of Michelle McNamara on Jeopardy!, though that should be taken not as a slight, but as a respectful head-bow not only to McNamara, but to her family, friends and fans. We're glad someone alerted Oswalt on Twitter about it, too.

This is just another sign that Jeopardy!'s Clue Crew is one of the most enjoyable writing staffs on TV. While there have always been fun categories and clues sprinkled throughout the games, the past few years have been downright full of clever nods and many more rounds where all the category titles are themed. Granted, most are punny and cute and aren't heartfelt tributes like this, but maybe I just wasn't catching on with some of the others...

Jeopardy airs afternoons and evenings and probably also mornings in syndication, so check your local listings to see when it plays in your area. In the meantime, check out Patton Oswalt's awesome Joker theory and then head to our summer premiere schedule to see all the new and returning shows that are popping up in the coming months.

The Joker is arguably the most famous comic book villain of all time, primarily serving as Batman's arch-nemesis, but also causing trouble for many other heroes in the DC Comics universe. Other than his psychopathic mirthfulness and love of purple suits, one of the things that distinguishes the Clown Prince of Crime from many other baddies is how most of his pre-white skinned, green-haired life is shrouded in mystery. Christopher Nolan kept this intact for Heath Ledger's version of The Joker in The Dark Knight, but comedian and famous geek Patton Oswalt has an in-depth theory speculating that before he came to Gotham City to spread chaos, the criminal mastermind was a military intelligence operative specializing in interrogation.

Having recently re-watched The Dark Knight, Patton Oswalt noticed that The Joker was particularly skilled at "the kind of mind-fuckery that sustained, professional interrogation requires," specifically by altering his personality and methods depending on who he's talking to. Examples of this include when Joker mentioned he knew a squealer when he saw one, how he mocked Michael Jai White's Gambol, when he appealed to Harvey Dent's need for fairness and, arguably most importantly, when he turned the tables on Batman during the interrogation and attempted to goad the Caped Crusader into breaking his one rule.

By the climax of the movie, Oswalt sees Joker as trying to "mind fuck an entire city," and while it looked like Gotham's citizens didn't fall for his bluff, the comedian wondered in his Facebook post if everything didn't work in Joker's favor after all. Like the villain said, he wouldn't risk the battle for Gotham's soul in a fistfight with Batman, and even though Joker didn't succeed in corrupting his cowled adversary, he was relieved and used language which, as Oswalt sees it, is the "kind of thing an interrogator would say, ruefully, about a fruitless session."

While Joker's most popular origin story in the comics saw the character becoming his maniacal self by accidentally falling into a vat of chemicals, The Dark Knight eschewed that in favor of the main antagonist simply donning face paint and dying his hair. The villain gave conflicting stories about how he got the scars on his face, but that's the closest we came to learning about his past. Still, given Joker's talent with manipulation and his considerable knowledge of weapons and explosives, it's entirely possible that he was an interrogator for the military in his previous life, and after witnessing one too many horrors of war, he snapped and became a cackling anarchist.

Because of Heath Ledger's passing on January 22, 2008, six months before The Dark Knight was released, we never got to see more of what the actor could have done with the character. The Dark Knight Rises ended with Bruce Wayne saving Gotham City from being destroyed and retiring from his life as Batman, but we never learned what happened to The Joker after he was apprehended by the authorities at the end of The Dark Knight. As far as we know, he's still locked up in Arkham Asylum in this universe, so if he escapes, it'll be up to John Blake, Gotham City's new vigilante protector, to stop him.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest in Batman-related movie news, and be sure to look through our handy guide to learn what DC movies are in development.

Harrison Ford has built quite the resume in his 40+ years of acting, from playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones numerous times to starring in Blade Runner and The Fugitive. However, one thing that Ford hasn't done yet is lend his vocal talents to an animated movie, but that will soon change, as he is one of several new actors who's being added to the cast of The Secret Life of Pets 2.

Earlier today during the Illumination Entertainment section of Universal Picures' CinemaCon panel, the new cast for The Secret Life of Pets 2 was unveiled, and that included Harrison Ford. His character in the movie wasn't revealed, but knowing his personality and demeanor, I'm guessing he'll either A, be the main villain, or B, serve as a gruff, older pet who imparts wisdom to the main characters. At 75 years old, Ford shows no signs of slowing down his acting career, so it's cool to see that he's finally adding an animated movie to his list of credits.

But Harrison Ford was the only new casting for The Secret Life of Pets 2 that was announced today, as comedian Patton Oswalt and Girls Trip star Tiffany Haddish have also come on board. Oswalt is replacing Louie C.K. as Max the Jack Russell Terrier following C.K.'s dismissal from the sequel last November due to the sexual harassment allegations directed at him. Oswald's previous voice credits include Ratatouille, Happy! and the current Spider-Man animated series. As for Haddish, she will be voicing a shih tzu, though the dog wasn't named. The actress, who will also be a voice in The LEGO Movie Sequel, had this to say about her casting:

Finally, The League's Nick Kroll and and Crashing's Pete Holmes have also joined The Secret Life of Pets 2, but their characters weren't identified. Kroll is no stranger to voice acting, having previously lent his talents to Sausage Party, Sing, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie and the Netflix series Big Love. Holmes also has some voice acting experience under his belt from Ugly Americans, American Dad and Animals.

As for the returning cast, the familiar names who will be back for another round of furry action include Kevin Hart, Eric Stonestreet, Dana Carvey, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Hannibal Buress and Bobby Moynihan. Chris Renaud is returning to direct and Brian Lynch is back for scripting duties. The first Secret Life of Pets was earned a decent amount of positive reviews upon its release in 2016, and it made over $875 million worldwide.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 will be released in theaters on June 7, 2019, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates about the movie.

Actor Kevin James has maintained a feature film career that keeps him working with some of his best friends in the comedy world, with projects such as Pixels, Sandy Wexler and the Grown Ups films. And though it looked like his return to TV for CBS' Kevin Can Wait might have him working with mostly new actors, the show could very well turn into The King of Queens 2.0 by the time it's done. KoQ's Leah Remini and Gary Valentine are already series regulars, and it sounds like Patton Oswalt is also interested in reconnecting with his former co-stars.

As one of the most outspoken comedians out there, Patton Oswalt is a constantly busy guy, and he was seen and heard on more than 15 different TV shows in 2017, not to mention movies and video games. But he would apparently be totally down to reconnect with Kevin James & Co. for Kevin Can Wait. Here's what he told TVGuide at this year's TCA winter press tour when asked if the show had reached out to him about appearing.

I'm admittedly shocked that no one from Kevin Can Wait has actively tried to get Patton Oswalt involved yet, considering he was a huge part of the King of Queens cast. And even though the current CBS sitcom also hasn't tried to tap Jerry Stiller or Victor Williams, it's not like Stiller is still active on the acting front. And this is a show that, let's not forget, added Leah Remini as a guest star at the end of Season 1 and then completely revamped the show to turn her into a lead character, even when it came at the expense of actress Erinn Hayes, who was fired ahead of Season 2, with her character Donna facing an unceremonious and fan-enraging offscreen death. So if anyone had any ideas about bringing Oswalt in, there likely wouldn't be any issues with the subject matter.

As far as who Patton Oswalt could play on Kevin Can Wait, he could easily just pop in for an episode or two as one of Kevin's old high school friends or something. He could basically just play an updated and self-aware version of the comic-loving Spence, since that's the vibe that King of Queens fans would likely want to see anyway. Hopefully it'll happen at some point, and hopefully it'll soon be followed by Jerry Stiller and Victor Williams showing up for their own roles.

Without Patton Oswalt in tow, Kevin Can Wait Season 2 will return to CBS with its midseason premiere on Monday, January 15, at 8:00 p.m. ET. While waiting to see if anything comes of this, check out all the other new and returning shows hitting the small screen soon with our midseason premiere schedule.

Patton Oswalt has announced his engagement to his actress girlfriend, Meredith Salenger, on social media. It has been 15 months since Oswalt's first wife passed away in a tragic accident at home. Representatives for Oswalt and Salenger confirmed the news about the pair's engagement, and the actors themselves hopped online to share the news with their fans and followers on social media.

Patton Oswalt took to Twitter to share the news of the engagement with his 4.11 million followers. The 48-year-old comedic actor joked about how he proposed and tossed in some Star Wars humor, as Meredith Salenger has voiced characters for the animated programs Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels. Oswalt tweeted,

Meredith Salenger also posted a couple of engagement announcements on social media. On Instagram, she posted a lighthearted picture of herself and Patton Oswalt with a cameo by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, whom she embedded on her hand for the witty image. She posted,

In fact, Dwayne Johnson responded on Twitter. He tweeted,

The actress also took to Twitter to post a group of pictures of herself with both Patton Oswalt and his eight-year-old daughter, Alice Oswalt. It looks like she is going to make a great stepmom. Salenger tweeted,

The past couple of years saw a mix of highs and lows for Patton Oswalt. The engagement announcement comes fifteen months after the death of his wife, Michelle McNamara, who passed away from heart failure during her sleep. A combination of prescription drugs and an undiagnosed heart condition led to the tragedy.

Apparently, Michelle McNamara was working on a new crime novel. She had taken some medicine at Patton Oswalt's suggestion as a way to help her sleep. She was 46.

In April, Patton Oswalt wrote a beautiful tribute to his late wife and posted it to Facebook. In the tribute, the King of Queens and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actor explained how different his life looks without Michelle McNamara. He wrote about moving forward for the sake of his daughter and finding the strength to remove his wedding ring after a full year of grieving.

Along with the lows of grief, Patton Oswalt has also experienced some high moments in addition to getting engaged to Meredith Salenger. Back in February, for example, Oswalt won a Grammy Award for his comedy album.

It is heartening to know Patton Oswalt has again found love after the devastation of losing his first wife. We wish them all the best in their life together. Congratulations, Patton and Meredith!

It came as a shock when crime-novel writer Michelle McNamara, the wife of actor Patton Oswalt, died in her sleep last year at the age of 46. Now Oswalt has written a lovely tribute to his late wife, and his words, although heartbreaking, reveal a resilient father who is coping with an earth-shattering tragedy as best he can. The 48-year-old actor took to social media to share the message with his followers and let them know how he felt a year later, saying,

Many know Patton Oswalt as a stand-up comedian or an actor on shows such as The King of Queens, but he departed from his funny side to post the serious, touching reflection on Facebook. His words serve as a gentle reminder that life goes on, which is encouraging for others in similar situations or those struggling with grief. Read more of the tribute here and continue below for details:

From the sounds of it, Patton Oswalt struggled at first, but now he is managing to maneuver through life as a widower because he is trying to focus on being a great dad. He indicated that he would not treat the day of Michelle McNamara's passing as a dark ritual or painful memorial. He and his daughter, Alice Oswalt, will not partake in gravesite visits unless they have something compelling to say, and they will not have a candle lighting or a balloon launch. Instead, Oswalt plans to spend each moment keeping his daughter happy in the present moment with games, ice cream, and other things young kids enjoy. Also, it appears Oswalt is receiving support from others who have lost a spouse or partner.

Oswalt's late wife Michelle McNamara passed away from heart failure caused by a combination of prescription drugs---specifically Adderall, Xanax, and Fentanyl---along with an undiagnosed heart condition.

In previous interviews, Oswalt described the heartbreaking morning of McNamara's death. McNamara was busy working on a new crime novel, and was having trouble sleeping, so she took her prescribed medications to help her get some rest. Oswalt let her sleep in that day and saw their daughter off to school. He even brought a coffee home for his wife and left it on her bedside table around 9:40 a.m., a memory he mentions in the beautiful and touching social media post.

Our hearts are breaking from this tragic story, but Patton Oswalt's beautiful words show his true resilience. Plus, they suggest that he is reaching out for support from others who have had similar experiences, and that is such an important thing to do. We will keep the Oswalt and McNamara family in our thoughts.

Patton Oswalt is heading to The Simpsons this weekend for his second foray onto the long-running show. During the episode he's set to play a pretty special new character: Bart's Guilt. That's right, Guilt is a pretty feisty little fellow, who Patton Oswalt says is sort-of like "The Hulk." In a special behind-the-scenes featurette, Patton Oswalt reveals what we can expect from the big character. Here's what he has to say.

During "The Cad in the Hat," Bart's Guilt will show up after Bart does something to torment his sister Lisa. Lisa will have a lovely yellow hat, which Bart will grab and then throw out the window of a moving vehicle. Apparently, the moment won't be all that satisfying for Bart, however, as he'll be tormented by Guilt in the moments that come. In the clip, Denial also briefly shows up at one point, but Guilt throws it out the window.

Patton Oswalt is a self-professed fan of The Simpsons. This won't even be the first time he has appeared on the show, as he popped up back in Season 24 as another character. That time, he guested as a hipster kid named T-Rex. Oswalt also said his goal would be to come back and play more of a recurring role on the series. I'm not sure the show would have a reason to bring back Bart's Guilt, but the actor has a pretty memorable voice. I'd love to see the animated show put it to use again in the future. In the meantime, you can catch Patton Oswalt back on TV in the upcoming Dimension 404.

It it's 28th season, The Simpsons has proven it can still be surprising, thanks to a combination of churning it out each week and signing on intriguing guest stars. Solid ratings have already propelled Fox to sign a huge renewal order for the long-running comedy. This means you do not have to worry about the show getting cancelled at the end of the season. The Simpsons will be back for Season 29 and Season 30, as well. And should Patton Oswalt play a guest character during either of those seasons, remember you heard his wish here, first.

The Simpsons airs on Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET. To find out which shows have yet to hit the schedule this winter, take a look at our midseason TV premiere schedule.

Few members of the Hollywood landscape have become more prominent and popular among film and television geeks than Patton Oswalt. The stand-up comedian's work has become widely praised for its enthusiasm as well as its depth, and his recent personal struggles have garnered the attention and sympathy of fans all over the world. Oswalt's wife Michelle McNamara tragically passed away last April (one of the many untimely celebrity deaths of 2016), and authorities has finally revealed that her death was the result of a reaction from a combination of drugs in her system.

A recent report from Variety confirms that Michelle McNamara passed away due to a reaction between the drugs Adderall, Xanax, and Fentanyl. The combination of these medications in her system resulted in a blockage caused by an undiagnosed heart condition, and she passed away in her sleep on April 21, 2016. McNamara had just turned 46 years old the week before her death.

Before her death, Michelle McNamara had developed her own level of fame due to her work as a crime writer. She ran the website TrueCrimeDiary, and she spent much of her time over the last decade covering breaking news and going over cold cases within the true crime genre. Her death had a very profound impact on Patton Oswalt, and the widower has spent much of the last year publicly coping with her loss -- Oswalt has even gone so far as to say that he will never be "100%" again after her passing. Oswalt has built a career off of his willingness to be open about his own personal struggles and experiences over the course of his 48 years of his life, and his public mourning of his late wife has in many ways become a communal process that his fans have passionately joined in on.

In addition to her comedian husband, Michelle McNamara is survived by her daughter Alice. In an obituary that Patton Oswalt wrote for last May, the devastated actor described the process of breaking the news to his daughter and coping with the loss together. He wrote:

We have fun here at CinemaBlend, but even I have to admit that's a pretty sobering experience.

CinemaBlend will bring you more information concerning this situation as more details about the tragic and untimely passing of Michelle McNamara become available to us. As for the rest of the Oswalt family, all of us here at CinemaBlend would simply like to extend our deepest sympathies and support in this difficult time.