While co-CEO James Gunn is crafting the newly formed DCU, there's one franchise that's not part of it: Matt Reeves' The Batman movies. His first sequel is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming DC movies, even though Part II has been delayed until 2027. Fans are curious about what the director has up his sleeve, and I'm hoping that Paul Dano's Riddler returns. Although his latest comments about the mysterious blockbuster are seriously bumming me out.

What we know about The Batman: Part II is super limited, and it sounds like that might be the case for some actors from the burgeoning franchise as well. Case in point: Dano's conversation with Collider, which made it seem like he's not sure if he's coming back. In the actor's words:

What do you mean you "hope", Mr. Dano? Does that mean we shouldn't expect The Riddler to pop up during the mysterious runtime of The Batman: Part II? He was the main antagonist of the first film, so I assume there are plenty of moviegoers who might share my feelings of disappointment if this comes to fruition.

Fans who spent years watching the DC movies in order will recall that Riddler was finally taken down during The Batman's ending, and promptly sent to Arkham Asylum. This opened the door for Barry Keoghan's cameo as Joker, although whether or not he gets to appear in Part II remains a mystery as well.

While The Batman's sequel is largely a mystery, Matt Reeves confirmed that production is officially underway. The promotional campaign also quickly picked up, with the filmmaker releasing brief clips of actors that have inspired theories about who they might be playing... especially Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan. So while it's early, hopefully we'll get some concrete information sooner rather than later.

While the first Batman movie hit theaters back in 2022, anticipation for the sequel was buoyed by the TV spinoff The Penguin (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription). And with fans debating which villains might appear, it's clear that folks are still invested in Reeves' take on Gotham City.

The Batman: Part II is currently expected to arrive in theaters on October 1st, 2027. Since its not part of the 2026 movie release list, fans are going to have to try and be patient before we get information about whether or not Paul Dano will appear.

As the new DC Universe continues rolling out its first chapter, Gods & Monsters, Matt Reeves’ The Batman still occupies its own strange little corner of Gotham. Robert Pattinson’s Batman is not part of the main DCU timeline, at least for now and honestly, that separation has become part of what makes Reeves’ world feel so distinct. So, naturally, people keep asking whether Pattinson’s caped crusader should eventually get folded into the larger DCU. Beloved The Batman star Paul Dano was asked about the idea, and I really appreciate his perspective.

Dano, who played the Riddler in The Batman, recently spoke with MovieWeb and was asked whether Pattinson’s Caped Crusader should be brought into the main DCU timeline. He did not give a hard yes or no, which is probably wise. Instead, he focused on Reeves’ point of view as a filmmaker, saying:

That is the exact take I have. Dano isn’t trashing the DCU or acting like shared universes are beneath Reeves’ work. He just seems to understand that The Batman is special because it has a very specific pulse. It feels like a detective story someone left in a damp basement with a stack of Nirvana records. Any attempts to sand that down so it fits neatly beside every other upcoming DC project would feel unnecessary. One of the smartest things DC can do right now is let different corners of the brand actually feel unique.

At this point, that already seems to be part of the plan. Supergirl is set for the 2026 movie schedule, hitting theaters on June 26, with Milly Alcock leading the Craig Gillespie-directed movie. Also, Clayface, for which a trailer was recently released, is also on the DC slate and appears to be aiming for a very different tone altogether. That range is what is making the DCU releases more interesting than other new superhero movies.

Then there’s Batman himself. DC Studios is still developing The Brave and the Bold, the announced main DCU Batman movie, with Andy Muschietti attached to direct. That project is expected to introduce a separate version of Bruce Wayne, meaning DC can have its connected Dark Knight while Reeves keeps building Pattinson’s Elseworlds version without turning every creative decision into a continuity spreadsheet.

That’s why I like Dano’s answer so much. He’s basically arguing for personality. Let Reeves’ Gotham be Reeves’ Gotham. Let Gunn’s DCU have its own Batman. Let weird little pockets of the brand breathe without forcing them to hold hands in the name of an interconnected Universe.

For now, it feels like the right call forThe Batman (which is streamable with an HBO Max subscription) and the forthcoming The Batman Part II to remain in their own Elseworlds lane. Reeves’ sequel is currently set for Oct. 1, 2027, giving everyone plenty of time to speculate about the villains and create fan theories.

Until then, Dano’s take is the one I’m sticking with: bring more point-of-view filmmaking to Gotham and let the rest sort itself out in the Batcave.

Paul Dano is truly a very gifted actor who has blown us away with his performances. Overall, his work, including the time he played multiple roles in There Will Be Blood, has been praised. However, Quentin Tarantino made waves when he slammed the actor’s work in the Paul Thomas Anderson flick, calling him “weak sauce.” Now, Poor Things' Yorgos Lanthimos has offered his take on the controversial moment, saying we “don’t have to pile on” the Oscar-winning filmmaker.

On The Louis Theroux Podcast, Poor Things filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos touched on how Quentin Tarantino will not only see anything in theaters, but say anything too. After the podcast host brought up the Pulp Fiction director taking shots at Paul Dano's acting on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, the Greek director decided not to “pile on” Tarantino for this particular reason:

The Favourite director makes a fair point. Many celebrities have defended Paul Dano, like The Batman’s Matt Reeves, who called him “an incredible actor,” and Ciarán Hinds, who found “creativity” in Dano playing two parts in There Will Be Blood.

Paul Dano’s performance in There Will Be Blood truly was powerful, unsettling, and very worthy of applause. We saw him first introduced in the period drama as the rationalist Paul Sunday, who drives the movie into motion by tipping Daniel Plainview on an oil deposit. This brings Daniel to meet Paul’s twin brother Eli, who is a frantic preacher involved in a power struggle against Daniel. Seeing the contrast Dano brought in his two characters and the transitional range he displayed between them is worth remembering.

However, the Little Miss Sunshine actor being called the “weakest fucking actor in SAG” by Tarantino is the opinion of one filmmaker and not a universal truth. You could argue that Lanthimos's not wanting to focus on the Kill Bill director’s comments is his way of not allowing that critique to define the hard work and energy Paul Dano put into his work or erase the impact of his BAFTA-nominated performance.

Now, rather than Paul Dano adding fuel to the fire about Tarantino’s commentary, his reaction to the filmmaker’s words was more directed at those who were by his side through it all. At the 20th anniversary screening of Little Miss Sunshine, he said he was “incredibly grateful” people stood up for him so that he wouldn’t have to do that himself. With that kind of support behind him, there’s no reason to allow one harsh comment to outweigh the appreciation he received from those who admired his work.

We can learn from Yorgos Lanthimos in not having to “pile on” Quentin Tarantino or any critic for their negative remarks towards an actor's work. Compared to giving any critic power over their opinion, we can focus instead on the range Dano brings to each of his roles and celebrate all that he’s brought to the big screen.

With all that being said, you can craft your own opinion about this debate by watching There Will Be Blood with a Paramount+ subscription or a Peacock subscription.

Irish actor Ciarán Hinds has had a long and successful career, with acclaimed projects in TV, film, and the stage. While he played Steppenwolf in Justice League (streaming with a HBO Max subscription) arguably one of his best movies is Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood. And after Quentin Tarantino went viral for criticizing Paul Dano's performance, Hinds spoke to CinemaBlend about his memories of working with him.

Back in December Tarantino went viral for his comments about Paul Dano's work in that movie, as well as his acting talents as a whole. Folks like The Batman's director Matt Reeves took to social media to defend him, but hat does Mr. Hinds think about his work on There Will Be Blood? As you can see in the video above, I had the chance to speak with the 73 year-old actor about his new movie Midwinter Break, where I asked him his memories of Dano. He told me:

Points were made. Not only did Dano have one memorable performance in There Will Be Blood, but he actually played a pair of twins: Paul & Eli Sunday. This is a big reason why Hinds was impressed by his work on the 2007 drama, which makes sense. I mean, Michael B. Jordan's twin performances in Sinners earned him an Oscar nomination this year. That ability to portray more than one character in the same movie is a different type of talent.

In January Paul Dano finally responded to Tarantino's viral comments, being appreciative that so many people defended his talents. In our conversation Hinds didn't mention the filmmaker by name, but instead focused on what the 41 year-old actor brought to Anderson's movie back in the day. As he continued on:

While Quentin Tarantino might not agree, Hinds was there in person to see the work Paul Dano did on that acclaimed, Oscar-nominated title. Alas, the filmmaker's comments are still making the rounds online.

What Tarantino Said About Paul Dano

Dano hasn't appeared in any Quentin Tarantino movies, and cinephiles probably shouldn't hold out hope for that collaboration. Because while appearing on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, the filmmaker tore into the Little Miss Sunshine star, saying:

Yikes. He certainly didn't back his opinion, and those comments quickly went viral. Both Dano's fans and friends have since stood up to him, and Ciarán Hinds was clearly impressed by his work on There Will Be Blood.

Hinds' new movie Midwinter Break hits theaters on February 20th as part of the 2026 movie release list. And folks who want to give There Will Be Blood a re-watch can stream it with a Paramount+ subscription.

A beautiful face can get you places in Hollywood, but how boring would it be if every actor populating the 2026 movie calendar looked like Sexiest Man Alive Jonathan Bailey or Michael B. Jordan? OK, maybe that was a bad example, but still, there are countless great character actors who may sport a more unique look, and fans are making their voices heard after a list went around claiming that guys like Gary Oldman, Walton Goggins and Alan Tudyk were “not hot enough to be a lead.”

There’s definitely more to being “hot” than having a chiseled jaw and rock-hard abs, and a good personality can be significantly more important (even Sydney Sweeney doesn’t want to date a jerk). So when stars like J.K. Simmons, David Dastmalchian, Steve Buscemi and Paul Dano showed up on a Reddit post asking for people’s “Favorite ugly bastard we call a ‘character actor’ as a nice way of saying they’re just not hot enough to be a lead?,” fanbases were activated. BabypintoJuniorLube responded with a timely comparison, writing:

Forget the fact that a lot of the men put forward by the original poster have been the lead in movies and on TV, because Redditors really took issue with the suggestion that these actors are ugly in the first place.

Gary Oldman seems to have gotten the lion’s share of responses, with fans imploring people to look past his flatulent-heavy role on Slow Horses to remember Sid and Nancy, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and even the Harry Potter movies. Comments included:

• Dude was sexy! Watched an older movie with him in it recently and my ex was like "wait is that.... sexy Gary Oldman??” – dragonflyzmaximize
• I’m (mostly) lesbian but Gary Oldman as Dracula at his first meeting of Mina WAS panty-dropping – Pan_Fluid_Boo
• Gary does not belong in that list. – idntknww
• As an Oldwoman myself, I can assure you that Sir Gary is still Hotasf--kman. – JessicaGriffin
• Seriously, we’re calling Gary Oldman ugly nowadays? – Hoppy-Poppy17
• I’m so confused, I thought he was super hot in Prisoner of Azkaban. – Late-Summer-1208

As for Walton Goggins, who blew up after his roles on The White Lotus and Fallout, plenty of fans said the Redditor was out of their mind for including him on the “not hot” list, writing:

• Women are drooling over Walton Goggins in the Fallout show and he doesn’t even have a nose in that one. – Misplacedwaffle
• Frankly that show [Fallout] is dare I say the hottest he’s ever been. He just oozes charisma – DowntownAd9720
• Goggins’ appeal is his confidence and energy, he’s got a whole vibe. Source: my wife – lefthandtrav
• Walton Goggins has always been objectively very good looking I don’t know what the hell he is doing here. – ValToolTime

Even Alan Tudyk’s inclusion got people fired up, inspiring comments like FigureUnusual4439’s “Would smash,” and catchyerselfon asking if the OP had even seen the Firefly actor’s “large semi-muscular physique.” One Redditor said the post was so misguided that others should have been consulted first:

Look, the sexy rat boyfriend is a real thing, guys. Timothée Chalamet is talking about marrying Kylie Jenner, and Pete Davidson just had a baby with model girlfriend Elsie Hewitt, for crying out loud.

There are a lot of classically beautiful men in Hollywood, and there’s definitely nothing wrong with that. But attractiveness is subjective, and the above fans know it goes much deeper than looks. Reddit user Impressive_Answer297 may have said it best:

If Gary Oldman, Walton Goggins, Paul Dano and the rest are involved, sign me up!

Paul Dano has performed a lot of great movie characters over the years, from Dwayne in Little Miss Sunshine and Brian Wilson in Love & Mercy, to The Riddler in The Batman and Burt Fabelman in The Fabelmans. But perhaps his most critically-acclaimed role is Eli Sunday, who clashed with Daniel Day-Lewis’ Daniel Plainview in Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood. Well, it’s acclaimed to most people, but not filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. Last month, the Pulp Fiction director slammed Dano’s There Will Be Blood performance, and now the actor has finally responded to this critique.

While speaking with Variety at the Sundance Film Festival ahead of a 20th anniversary screening of Little Miss Sunshine, Paul Dano was asked to comment about what Quentin Tarantino had said about him. Before he could answer, Toni Collette, who was standing next to him and also starred in the 2006 comedy, interjected by saying, “Fuck that guy! He must’ve been high… it was just confusing. Who does that?” Dano then said about the tributes and kind words about him that spread on social media:

This all started when Quentin Tarantino appeared on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast and shared that There Will Be Blood (which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription) is one of his top 10 movies of the 21st century. However, what prevents the loose film adaptation of Upton Sinclair’s Oil! from ranking in first or second place on the list is Paul Dano. Tarantino described his presence as a “big, giant flaw” and said the actor was “such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. The weakest fucking actor in SAG.”

Well, it didn’t take long for the outpouring of support for Paul Dano to come in, which he greatly appreciated. Rather than comment directly on the way Quentin Tarantino criticized the way he performed Eli Sunday, he instead highlighted how glad he was so many people spoke out in his defense, including The Batman director Matt Reeves. That’s taking the high road.

Unfortunately, Dano wasn’t the only person that Tarantino’s targeted during that podcast. He also took aim at Matthew Lillard, as well as criticized The Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins, calling those books and their film adaptations a “ripoff” of Battle Royale. Granted, Tarantino has never been shy about sharing his opinions in a blunt manner, like this time last year when he took issue with how quickly theatrical movies are going to streaming. Still, it’s safe to say that at least where Paul Dano is concerned, he’s in the minority about his There Will Be Blood performance.

As far as these two men’s professional lives are concerned, Paul Dano has The Chaperones and Bunker coming out as his next movies, but neither have release dates yet. Quentin Tarantino hasn’t announced yet what he’ll direct as his tenth and final movie after he decided to scrap The Movie Critic. Whatever it ends up being, I think it’s a safe bet he won’t cast Dano in it.

There are movies I watch that I'll never forget, and then there are films where I wonder if they were only a dream.

I once felt this way about what I could have sworn was a sequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (It turns out it was actually 1974's The Little Prince, which also stars Gene Wilder), and it's also the case with 2009's Where the Wild Things Are, which I honestly thought I dreamt about until somebody reminded me of its existence the other day.

Directed by Spike Jonze (who's one of those directors who made a good movie on his first try), and starring the voices of James Gandolfini, Paul Dano (whom everybody loves - well, except for Tarantino), Lauren Ambrose, and many more, Where the Wild Things Are still sits with me today… when I actually remember that it exists. Here’s why.

For One Thing, The Movie Feels A Lot More Melancholy Than Most Family Films

So, here’s the thing. As a ‘90s kid, I used to watch a lot of “family films” that I don’t think would fly today. An American Tail, All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Land Before Time (really, most movies from the Don Bluth company), these are flicks that were actually sad. When I think of most family films today, I don’t feel like they have the same melancholic tinge to the films that I grew up with.

However, 2009’s Where the Wild Things Are does. In this adaptation of the famous children’s book, a young boy named Max (Max Records) is a child of divorce. His older sister doesn’t stand up for him when bullies destroy his snow fort, and he resorts to bouts of rage when he’s alone. His mom (Catherine Keener) has a boyfriend (Mark Ruffalo), and Max gets so pissed off that he bites his mom on the shoulder.

There’s just so much anger, and when Max gets to the island where the Wild Things live, the film takes on a much calmer, but also melancholic tone. In both the book and the movie, we’re to interpret that the “Wild Things” are really embodiments of Max’s emotions, but the movie makes this even more pronounced. For example, Alexander (Paul Dano’s Wild Thing), is hopelessly depressed, while even the angry Carol (Gandolfini) seems to get lost in somber moments once his fury has cooled.

It’s all unlike any “children’s film” that I can even think of, which might be why it really does feel like a dream.

The Actual Wild Things Feel Genuinely Nuanced

As I just mentioned, the Wild Things are really a representation of our protagonist’s emotions, and when he actually feels like he’s finally made sense of all of his complex feelings, he changes and becomes the “king” of the island. It's fascinating stuff.

That said, the movie feels very different from the book (which I’ll get to in a moment) since the Wild Things are much more fleshed out in the film. Carol, for instance, goes through a number of emotions throughout the film and seems to go on his own emotional journey. As an example, one of the Wild Things, KW (Lauren Ambrose), leaves, and Carol gets enraged that she’s departed. He doesn’t understand why she has to be so separate from the other Wild Things, and we get a sense that he feels like he’s not a good leader in that she doesn’t want to be around the rest of them.

Meanwhile, Alexander constantly wants to participate, but when he gets hurt, Carol gets mad at KW for stepping on him. This prompts KW to leave again, making Carol feel even more morose. Gandolfini, who will probably always be most known for playing Tony Soprano, was such a phenomenal actor, and he could get across so much with just his voice alone. You can hear rage, sadness, loneliness and so many other emotions, and it’s something that really makes this movie stand out.

All of the voice actors are wonderful (especially Chris Cooper and Forest Whitaker), and they add so much nuance to the Wild Things, making it almost feel unreal.

It Really Does Not Feel Like The Book At All

I feel like every child of a certain age has probably had Maurice Sendak’s famous 1963 picture book read to them. I mean, outside of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Cat and the Hat and Goodnight Moon, I think Where the Wild Things Are is probably the most famous children’s book out there. And yet, when I watched the movie adaptation, I couldn’t think of a film that was more different from the source material.

I mean, yes, the Wild Things are all there, and Max is a bit of a hellion in the book, but at only 40 pages long, the people behind the film really had to take some creative liberties. For one thing, Max’s departure to the island makes a lot more sense in the film. In the book, he gets sent to bed without dinner for wrecking the house, but in the movie, Max feels like a real boy who’s struggling to make sense of his world.

In fact, as a child of divorce myself, I definitely remember feeling like Max, and especially his Wild Things. Sometimes, I felt like Carol, as I was angry at the world. At other times, I felt like KW, wanting to just be alone. Then there were times I felt like Alexander, isolated and like nobody wanted me. I even felt like Ira on occasion, gentle and almost fragile.

The book doesn’t really get into any of this. I mean, it touches on it, but as a children’s book, it’s at a child’s level. The film, not so much. In fact, I’d probably be scared of this movie if I had seen it as a kid, which is why I think it’s more for adults if anything.

I’m Also Shocked They Used Actual Costumes For The Wild Things In 2009

You know what I’m not a huge fan of? Films stuffed to the brim with CGI (sorry, Avatar 3, but I think I’m sitting this one out). Do you know what I am a fan of, though? Costumes and animatronics. I loved it in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies of old (Like Secret of the Ooze), I love it in Five Nights at Freddy’s movies, and I love it in Where The Wild Things Are.

The thing is, I feel like it didn’t have to be this way. Look at The Hobbit movies for instance. Sure, they came out a little later than Where the Wild Things Are, but I feel like the Wild Things definitely could have been entirely CGI, but they’re not. Yes there's some CGI, but they’re primarily costumes with performers inside of them, and I kind of can’t believe they went that route in 2009.

Do I think the movie is better for it? Actually, yes, because the Wild Things feel more real and even more imaginative. Because that’s the thing about CGI: no matter how good it looks, it still kind of feels ersatz. Yes, we’ve gotten to the point where we can have entire movies or TV shows that are completely CGI, but at the same time, we kind of have to suspend our belief when we go into them.

Max’s world feels more tangible with the Wild Things being physically there, so I applaud this movie for that as well. In a lot of ways, it helps it feel even more like a fever dream, which is why I think I need to constantly be reminded that it exists. It just doesn’t feel real.

But what do you think? Do you remember Where the Wild Things Are? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Since the end of this year marks the first quarter of the 21st century, it seems fitting that one of our most celebrated filmmakers, Quentin Tarantino, would weigh in on his favorite movies made thus far. However, when the Pulp Fiction filmmaker ranked the top ten movies of the century, it came with a lot of spitfire comments that have been going viral. One of his hot takes was at the expense of Scream and Scooby-Doo star Matthew Lillard, and the actor has now candidly responded.

Quentin Tarantino’s comments were made on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, as he called Paul Dano “the weakest fucking actor in SAG” while critiquing Dano’s performance in There Will Be Blood. Since then, a bunch of actors and filmmakers, including The Batman’s Matt Reeves, defended the actor. The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood director also claimed The Hunger Games “just ripped off” Battle Royale. Those have been the biggest headlines to come out of the podcast, but Matthew Lillard was also part of the conversation. As the actor shared:

In a video shared on TikTok by @little_spooks, Matthew Lillard brought up the director while in front of a crowd of people at a screening of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 at GalaxyCon. Tarantino said on the podcast, “I don’t care for Matthew Lillard,” along with saying the same thing about Owen Wilson after his comments about Dano. As soon as he mentioned it, the audience booed in support of Lillard before he said this:

Sure, Matthew Lillard could have chosen to brush off the comments and not mention it on the weekend of the premiere for his new horror movie. However, the actor bringing up what Tarantino said and getting honest about how much it “hurts” really brings some humanity to the conversations around Tarantino’s comments this week. As Lillard pointed out, he feels like it’s a comment that the director wouldn’t have made to bigger movie stars, and speaks to him being “not very popular in Hollywood.”

Obviously, Matthew Lillard has loads of fans of his movies, and was among a sea of them as he brought up the comments. But, as he pointed out, Tarantino’s words implied that there’s a lack of respect toward him as an actor in comparison to more high-profile names like Tom Cruise, for example.

Hurtful words aside, Matthew Lillard’s latest movie, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, is set to make a lot of money this weekend with a record opening (per Variety). Lillard is also returning to the Scream franchise for the seventh movie, which coming out on February 27, 2026, much to the credit of his character being a fan-favorite across the past 30 years. Tarantino might not care for him but, clearly, a lot of moviegoers most certainly do.

Quentin Tarantino's movies have made a huge impact on Hollywood, and are basically universally acclaimed. The Oscar-winning filmmaker is known for his scorching hot takes about the industry, and most recently Tarantino criticized actor Paul Dano, calling him "the weakest fucking actor in SAG." Folks have been coming out to defend him, most recently including The Batman director Matt Reeves. And his message is very sweet.

Dano played a chilling Riddler in The Batman, which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription. Matt Reeves worked closely with him on that DC movie, so he's experienced his acting talents firsthand. The director took to Twitter to stand up for Dano, posting:

There you have it. Despite what Tarantino thinks about his "weak sauce" performance in There Will Be Blood (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription), Reeves praised Paul Dano as both a performer and a person. And he's not the only one who has taken up for the 41 year-old actor after Tarantino's scathing critiques went viral.

The Batman writer Mattson Tomlin also posted in defense of Dano, so clearly folks on that movie's set was impressed with what he brought to the table as Riddler. And the actor's long resume speaks for itself, with acclaimed role in projects like The Fablemans, 12 Years A Slave, Little Miss Sunshine, and many more. If he were a weak actor one would assume he wouldn't work nearly as much as he does.

So what exactly did Quentin Tarantino say about him? While appearing on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, the Kill Bill director claimed that Dano brought down There Will Be Blood, claiming:

Ouch. Rather than simply saying Dano's performance style wasn't for him, the legendary filmmaker claimed that he was the worst actor in the entire Screen Actors Guild. This is a bold statement, and the inclusion of F-Bombs have helped to make his words viral. And now folks are coming out of the woodwork to defend the actor's talents.

Fans are wondering if Dano will return as Riddler in The Batman Part II, which has been delayed until October of 2027. Since it's not even on the 2026 movie release list, fans are going to have to be patient. Although I think we all assume that Tarantino would rather his Riddler not pop back up.

When Quentin Tarantino talks movies, people listen. Whether he’s praising a critical punching bag like Joker 2, taking a swing at a universally beloved classic, or asking 'wtf is a movie now,' he does it with the gusto of a man who has spent his entire life mainlining cinema. So when he recently shared his personal top-ten films of the 21st century, cinephiles naturally perked up. And yes, There Will Be Blood made the list, but it wouldn’t be a movie pick from the Pulp Fiction filmmaker without him critiquing the heck out of one aspect of the film most people praise.

But in classic Tarantino fashion, placing a film in his top ten didn’t stop him from going full film-school-professor on one specific aspect. He praised Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece loudly when appearing on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast…then immediately dragged one performance so hard you could practically hear Daniel Plainview slamming a bowling pin. Before we get into the fallout, here are the Reservoir Dogs helmer’s comments as he said them:

Then came the part that had my ears perk up and will undoubtedly have folks talking. He added:

All due respect, but… beg your freakin’ pardon? I’m going to go ahead and disagree with the legendary filmmaker, because on this one, I think he’s wildly off base. But hey, Tarantino is gonna Tarantino — only he could call one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation “weak sauce” while pitching an alternate-universe There Will Be Blood where Austin Butler shows up as Eli Sunday. Somewhere in the multiverse, that version absolutely exists, and I guarantee the accents are flawless.

As for me? I think Dano is perfectly cast. His performance is unnerving, slippery, and genuinely skin-crawling in a way that makes Eli Sunday feel like a different species. Dano has delivered some of the most memorable villain work of the last two decades — from There Will Be Blood to his chilling turn as the Riddler in The Batman to the devastating fragility he brought to Prisoners. Weak? Not even remotely.

And Tarantino’s take on Dano isn’t the only eyebrow-raiser here. In the same chat with Ellis, he gushes about Midnight in Paris but says he can’t stand Owen Wilson — yet another opinion I cannot cosign. But hey, I didn’t direct Inglourious Basterds, so what do I know?

There Will Be Blood, which you can watch streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, still made Tarantino’s top ten movies of the century, despite his Dano grievances. So, would he drink its milkshake? Absolutely. But he’d also tell you exactly how it could’ve been mixed better.

Music biopics about major pop stars of the rock and roll era have been huge in the 21st Century. The most recent, Bruce Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, is currently in theaters on the 2025 movie schedule. Jeremy Allen White’s portrayal of the Jersey hero is just the latest in a long line of really great performances of our favorite musicians. Many have been nominated for Oscars, and some have won them for their roles. Perhaps my favorite, though, doesn’t seem to get the same acclaim: Paul Dano as Brian Wilson in Love & Mercy from 2014.

Paul Dano And John Cusack Both Play Wilson In Love & Mercy

I will admit here that I adore The Beach Boys, and I believe that Brian Wilson is one of the musical geniuses of all time, not just in rock and roll. Bias aside, however, both Paul Dano and John Cusack are fantastic as the troubled songwriter at different points in his life. Dano is especially good. So good, in fact, that it boggles my mind that he wasn’t even nominated for an Academy Award. He did get a Golden Globe nod for Best Supporting Actor, but lost to Sylvester Stallone for Creed.

Dano is consistently great in his movies, going all the way back to his early roles in Little Miss Sunshine and one of my favorite movies, There Will Be Blood. I would put his turn as Wilson in the 1960s, as he wrote and recorded his masterpiece, Pet Sounds, right there alongside those other performances. He really nails Wilson’s mannerisms and plays the role with the exact level of delicacy that the late Wilson had in real life. He also looks just like Wilson did. There were times in the movie that I completely forgot it wasn’t the real Wilson.

The Last 25 Years Have Been A Golden Age For Musical Biopics

In the 21st century, Hollywood has gone all in on music biopics. Many of the best music biopics, like Walk The Line about Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, Ray, about Ray Charles, and Bohemian Rhapsody, about Freddie Mercury and Queen, all won Oscars for the actors playing the lead characters. Love & Mercy didn’t get one nomination in any category, including the acting awards. That isn’t to take away from the others, all of which were more than deserving of their accolades. It just shows how overlooked Cusack and Dano were for Love & Mercy.

I expect that Jeremy Allen White will also join the ranks of actors nominated for Best Actor after playing a superstar songwriter, just as Timothée Chalamet was last year for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, at a very different kind of moment in his career than Springsteen in Deliver Me From Nowhere. I’m rooting for White, but it’ll still frustrate me that Dano (and Cusack, for that matter) got snubbed.

The idea of “the tortured artist” is a familiar one. People often think of Van Gogh cutting off his ear, or Hemingway shooting himself as proof that a “true” artist needs to suffer in order to be “a genius.”

While I don’t necessarily agree with that sentiment, I will say that sometimes, suffering does create true art, and Brian Wilson, who unfortunately passed away recently at the age of 82, could be considered both a genius, as well as somebody who suffered. I say this because Wilson had schizoaffective disorder, which he battled for many years.

With his recent passing, which stars like John Cusack and Stephen King recently paid tribute to, I was reminded of one of the greatest music movies of all time, that being Love & Mercy. So, here's why Wilson's death makes me remember what a masterful and thoughtful biopic that movie was.

I Always Found The Dual Storytelling Of The Past And The Present To Be Really Effective

I recently wrote about how I wish we got a Steely Dan biopic, but my caveat was that I don’t think Donald Fagen would want people digging into his past or putting it up on a big screen.

I get it. Most people likely wouldn’t be comfortable with a dramatization of their lives knowing that both the good, but also the bad, would be laid bare for all to see. For instance, even though I’m highly anticipating Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic, I honestly don’t know just how in-depth it’s actually going to get, especially when it comes to the more controversial issues in Jackson’s life.

So, it was greatly refreshing to watch a biopic that truly digs deep into Brian Wilson, and not just one period of his life, but two very separate times in the musician’s existence. At one end, we have young, Pet Sounds-era Wilson, played by Paul Dano. In these sections of the film, we see his creative genius at work, but also the mental illness that is slowly creeping into his brain and making him both scared, but also depressed.

As a huge Beach Boys fan, I love seeing moments with Wilson’s brothers, Carl and Dennis (played by Brett Davern and Kenny Wormald, respectively), or his cousin, Mike Love (Jake Abel) just not understanding the creative direction Wilson was taking at the time. Because Pet Sounds is one of my favorite albums, this was all really informative and interesting to me.

However, I also really love the other section of the movie, which sees a much older, highly drugged up version of Wilson, played by John Cusack. In these scenes, we see him with his domineering and controlling therapist and legal guardian, Dr. Eugene Landy (played by Paul Giamatti). By melding these two very important moments in his life together to tell one story, it’s almost like Wilson was two completely different people throughout his life, which is a really interesting approach!

Paul Dano And John Cusack Both Have Brilliant Performances

I just mentioned how the film feels like it’s telling two separate stories, and it does, which is only possible due to the magnificent work of its two leads, Paul Dano and John Cusack.

The Dano sections are of the Brian Wilson that I know. What I mean is, as a huge fan of The Beach Boys of the ‘60s, this young, “genius” form of Wilson is the one that I’m most familiar with.

And, Dano does an excellent job of acting the part. The role requires a great deal of range because it involves both singing, as well as the requisite acting chops to make us believe that Wilson truly was suffering in this period of his life, which leads up to the later sections of the movie where we see a much older Brian.

This is where the film gets interesting, since Cusack doesn’t act anything like the Wilson we see in the past sections of the film. Cuscak’s Wilson is somebody who really isn’t all-there at all, and mostly walks around in a highly-medicated stupor.

It’s this part of his story that I’m unfamiliar with, as I haven’t listened to much of Wilson’s solo work. (But I mean to!) Cusack makes Wilson seem traumatized by the events of what happened in the past, and it’s a unique performance since I can both tell that this is the same person, but I also have to wonder if he’s this way because of his doctor, or because he just suffered so much from his mental illness. Speaking of which…

I Like That It Tackled Brian Wilson's Mental Illness Thoughtfully And With Tact

We once did an article about 20 honest movies about mental illness. And, while there are a lot of great picks on there, I would like to add Love & Mercy, since the film tackles Wilson’s mental illness thoughtfully and with tact.

While it doesn’t exactly spell out just what mental illness Wilson has, we watch his torment as he hears auditory hallucinations and struggles with trying to make his art, but also the war that is going on in his head, which isn’t helped by his use of drugs, like LSD.

We then see him in a later period of his life, and what mental illness has done to him by the ‘80s. Elizabeth Banks gives a wonderful performance as Wilson’s then-girlfriend-later-wife, Melinda Ledbetter, and she helps get him away from his doctor, who is using his power to be Wilson’s legal guardian.

All of this is woven expertly into the story. Sure, this could have been a musical biopic that simply went into the music itself, but it’s more than just that. It’s about Wilson’s mental struggles, and it does it in a way that is both open and honest.

I’m actually surprised that Wilson was okay with showing himself to be so vulnerable, but I really shouldn’t be, given how vulnerable he always allowed himself to be in his music. Speaking of which…

You Can't Go Wrong With The Music In This Film

Pet Sounds is easily in my top ten favorite albums of all time, so to have a movie that features music from that album really can’t be beaten.

Plus, I like that we actually get music from both periods of his life (though, primarily, we get the younger Wilson songs). The soundtrack is also quite dynamic, as the music in the film is trying to replicate Wilson’s auditory hallucinations, taking us on a journey through his mind in a way.

This is a fascinating approach, as you get a sense that Wilson’s music was both freeing, but also keeping him in captivity, which is not how I ever viewed The Beach Boys’ music before.

That might be why, even though it’s a musical biopic, I don’t know if I’d consider it one of the greatest, because the story seems like it’s less about the music, and more about what the music is actually doing to the man who is making it.

It’s an approach that I hope to see from other upcoming music biopics as well. However, there’s one last thing that I want to talk about when it comes to this movie.

Seeing Brian Wilson Himself In The End Credits Will Really Hit Differently Now That He's Gone

I, of course, was sad when I heard that Brian Wilson died, but the first thing I did was go onto YouTube and play the clip of Wilson that is in the end credits of this film, as it features him singing “Love & Mercy,” which is off of his 1988 self-titled album.

When I originally saw the film in the theater, this was the first time I had ever heard this song. I remember buying the Brian Wilson Presents Smile album years prior, so I was familiar with this similar, and yet different sounding Wilson from his later years. But, the look on his face really struck home for me, as he looked like a man who had seen his fair share, but somehow made it out to the other side.

Now that he’s gone, that scene and song hit differently.

It honestly looks like Wilson had spent his whole life searching for love and mercy, not just from others, but also from himself. Whenever I think of Wilson now, I’ll think of this song and scene, and fondly remember all the hours I spent staring up at my ceiling, listening to The Beach Boys.

Rest easy, Brian Wilson.

Actors playing multiple roles in entertainment go back to the dawn of drama. Even the ancient Greeks did it. This is certainly true of the film era, where actors have been playing roles all the way back to the beginning. Sometimes it's as simple as playing twins, like Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin in Big Business, and sometimes it's more complex, like the great Peter Sellers playing three very different roles in Dr, Strangelove. In honor of those actors, here are some of our favorite examples of actors playing multiple roles in movies.

Peter Sellers - Dr. Strangelove

No list like this would be complete without the great Peter Sellers in his three fantastic performances in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Sellers plays the resourceful Captain Mandrake, the bumbling President of the United States, and the completely over-the-top Dr. Strangelove in the movie. Sellers was also supposed to play the character Major Kong, but injured himself on set and the the role went to Slim Pickens instead.

Kate Hudson - Alex & Emma

Films with stories within stories are often a good place to find actors playing multiple roles, as is the case with Kate Hudson in Alex & Emma. In the "real" story, Hudson plays Emma, a stenographer helping Alex (Luke Wilson) complete his novel. As Alex and Emma work on the story, viewers are taken inside the story of a novel where both Wilson and Hudson play characters in the novel. Hudson, in fact, plays four different versions of a nanny in the book.

Michael J. Fox - Back To The Future Part II

While nothing will ever live up to the original Back To The Future, Back To The Future Part II is still pretty fun. One of the things that make it so is Michael J. Fox playing Marty (of course), and his son Marty, Jr., and his daughter Marlene in the movie. Thomas F. Wilson, who plays Biff Tannen, also plays multiple roles in the movie as the various members of the Tannen family.

Jodie Comer - Free Guy

This one is a little bit of a fudge, because in Free Guy, Jodie Comer is playing her character and her character's avatar. So in some ways they are kind of, sort of the same character. Still, she plays the roles different and for that reason, she deserves to be on this list.

Rory Kinnear - Men

Men is an odd movie, but in a good way. Rory Kinnear is what makes it unique. On the surface, Kinnear plays the owner of an inn in a small town, but he also plays most of the rest of the men in the town, all of whom are pretty odd characters.

Lupita Nyong'o - Us

Jordan Peele's horror classic Us features all of the cast members playing both their main character and "Tethered" character with that excellent cast being led by Lupita Nyong'o, who plays Addy and Red. It would be fair to put any of the cast members on this list though, about 20 in total, but we don't want to make this whole list about Us, despite how great it is.

Paul Dano - There Will Be Blood

It'll come as no surprise that a few entries on this list are actors playing identical twins in a movie. We had to include Paul Dano as both Paul and Eli Sunday in There Will Be Blood because Dano's performance, especially as the preacher Eli, is transcendent. The final scene between Eli and Daniel (Daniel Day-Lewis) is one of the most intense scenes ever to appear in a film.

Scarlett Johansson - Astroid City

Director Wes Anderson's Astroid City has a movie within a movie telling the story of the movie. As such, and as you'd probably expect, there are a few actors playing both their "real life" characters and the actors playing them in the movie inside the movie. Scarlett Johansson plays both Midge Campbell and the actor playing Midege, Mercedes. Jason Schwartzman also plays two roles, as do Matt Dillon, Maya Hawke, and others.

George Burns - Oh, God! You Devil

The legendary George Burns played God in not one, but three movies in the Oh God series. In the third installment, he added another character, the Devil. The best scene in the movie comes when God and the Devil play a game of poker for the soul of Bobby Shelton, played by Ted Wass.

Bette Midler And Lily Tomlin - Big Business

Movies about twins separated at birth have been popular in Hollywood forever, but in 1988, director Jim Abrahams upped the ante with two sets of twins separated at birth. Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler are two sets of sisters who discover they were separated from their identical twin. It's a decent movie that hasn't really been remembered by many movie fans.

Eddie Murphy - Coming To America

Of course, we had to include Eddie Murphy on this list! There are multiple movies where the great comedian plays multiple roles, but in the interest of brevity, we're just including the best Eddie Murphy movie, Coming To America. Murphy's main character, Prince Akeem, is the only one that he plays in the movie. Clarence, the barber, is also Murphy, as is Saul, the guy who just hangs out at the barbershop all day. Finally, Murphy also plays the character you may remember from the "What's Going Down" episode of "That's My Mama," Jackson Heights' own Randy Watson!

Christian Bale - The Prestige

The Prestige is a movie that gets a little lost in director Christopher Nolan's fimography, though, like most of his movies, it's excellent. Nolan teamed up with Christian Bale again on the heels of Batman Begins for this movie about rival magicians. Bale plays Alfred Borden and Borden's assistant, Fallon, who are living with a secret that we'll keep in case you haven't seen the movie.

Mel Brooks - History of the World, Part I

Mel Brooks is a one-man force of nature. Not only did he write, direct, and str in most of his movies, but he usually played multiple roles as well. One of the best examples was in History of the World, Part I, where he plays four characters, one in each segment of the film.

Tilda Swinton - Suspiria

There is little that Tilda Swinton can't do, including playing multiple roles in movies. She first did it in 2002's Teknolust, before playing oddball twins in the Coen Brothers' Hail, Caesar! In Suspiria, she plays three roles, Madame Blanc, Dr. Josef Klemperer, and Mother Helena Markos.

Leonardo DiCaprio - The Man In The Iron Mask

The titular character in The Man in the Iron Mask, was, supposedly, a prisoner kept by King Louis XIV during his reign. In the movie, the mysterious prisoner is Louis' twin brother, the fictional Philippe Bourbon. Both the king and the man in the iron mask are played by Leonardo DiCaprio in this historically dubious retelling of a classic Four Musketeer tale.

Janelle Monáe - Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

As the title implies, there are a lot of layers in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. by writer and director Rian Johnson. One of those layers is just who Janelle Monáe's character is, either Andi Brand, the ex-partner of Edward Norton's character, or Helen Brand, her twin sister investigating Andi's unexpected death.

Arsenio Hall - Coming To America

Like his co-star Eddie Murphy, Arsenio also plays multiple roles in Coming To America. His main role, Semmi, is Murphy's trusted servant. Hall also plays one of the women the two meet at a club and one of the barbers, but the funniest character he plays has to be the preacher. Every line he delivers is hilarious.

Armie Hammer - The Social Network

Of all the double (and more) roles on this list, maybe the easiest to do double duty for is that of the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network. Don't get us wrong, Armie Hammer nails the role(s) as the swarmy twins who actually came up with the idea that would become Facebook. They may have had a case against Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), but that didn't make them good people.

Graham Chapman - Monty Python And The Holy Grail

This is really an entry for all of the members of Monty Python, as all of them play at least four different roles in the movie. Graham Chapman plays King Arthur, so naturally, he gets top billing, but John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, and Eric Idle deserve the spotlight here. Actors Neil Innes, Sandy Johnson, and John Young also play multiple roles in the movie.

Halle Berry, Tom Hanks, Ben Whishaw, And More - Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas tells a story that spans centuries and in each timeline, the same core group of actors play different roles. This includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Ben Whishaw, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, and many more. It's a wild movie to follow, but all the actors are on point, for sure

Jack Nicholson - Mars Attacks!

While Mars Attacks! may not be the first movie you think of when you think of the great roles Jack Nicholson has played over the years, you should because he's actually really great in both of the roles he plays. It's not often thought of as one of Nicholson's best movies, but maybe it should be, because it is hilarious and he's a big reason why,

Hayley Mills - The Parent Trap

Both versions of The Parent Trap, the original starring Hayley Mills as twins separated at birth and the remake starring Lindsey Lohan as the twins are great movies. Mills and Lohan are both great at playing the dual roles of the twins who discover their parents separated them when they were babies and they never knew.

Mike Myers - Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

As the Austin Powers franchise chugged on, Mike Myers kept adding roles, but in the original, he started brilliantly as both the hero, Austin Powers, and the villain, Dr. Evil. It's hard to decide which character is funnier, but it's safe to say that without Myers playing the roles, neither would be as iconic and we wouldn't have as many classic lines from Myers.

Peter Sellers - The Mouse That Roared

While Dr. Strangelove is the most famous and revered example of Peter Sellers playing multiple roles in a movie, it wasn't the first time he did. A few years before the Stanley Kubrick classic, Sellers started in the wildly underrated war movie farce The Mouse That Roared. Sellers carries the movie in three different, ridiculous, and hilarious roles and it really should be better remembered today.

Margaret Hamilton - The Wizard Of Oz

Margaret Hamilton plays two different villains in The Wizard Of Oz. Of course, she plays the iconic Wicked Witch Of The West and Dorothy's obnoxious neighbor Almira Gulch, who takes Toto after claiming to be bitten by the innocent dog. Hamilton isn't the only actor in the movie to play dual roles, but both of her characters are the most developed of them.

Eddie Murphy - The Nutty Professor

Coming To America may be the best example of Eddie Murphy playing multiple roles, but The Nutty Professors and its sequel, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps definitely has him playing the most characters. Across both movies, he plays eight different characters. While both movies have their moments, neither quite reach the comedic heights of Coming To America.

Mia Goth - X

In The X series, Mia Goth plays both Maxine Minx and Pearl Douglas. the former is in Goth's wheelhouse, but the latter, an elderly woman who is the villain of both of the first two movies, X and Pearl. Goth is unrecognizable and brilliant in both.

Richard Pryor - Which Way Is Up?

Years before his Harlem Nights co-star Eddie Murphy started starring in multiple roles in movies, Richard Pryor pulled off the feat in Which Way Is Up? in 1977. While it's an uneven movie, it does have some funny moments, especially Pryor in one of his roles, the Reverend Lenox Thomas.

Cate Blanchett - Coffee & Cigarettes

Director Jim Jarmusch's Coffee & Cigarettes is a collection of short stories, 11 in total, that pay tribute to, you guessed it, those two popular vices. In one of them, Cate Blanchett plays a fictionalized version of herself and her fictional cousin, Shelly, who meet for a coffee and a smoke. The story is really just an uncomfortable conversation between Cate and the jealous Shelly, but it's one of the best stories in the movie.

Tom Hardy - Legend

Tom Hardy is never afraid to take on a tricky role and in Legend he takes on two, playing the psychotic Cray twins, Reggie and Ronnie. Based on the true story of the mobsters who gained fame in the mid-'60s as the owners of a popular nightclub frequented by celebrities in the "Swinging London" era.

Hilary Duff - The Lizzie McGuire Movie

Okay, we'll admit the plot of The Lizzie McGuire Movie is pretty silly. In it, Lizzie, played by Hilary Duff, of course, travels to Rome on a school trip and ends up in a weird love triangle of sorts with her Italian doppelganger, Isabella. Is it a great movie? Nah, not really, but it does fit on this list.

Adam Sandler - Jack And Jill

If you're an Adam Sandler fan, then you'll love Jack And Jill because you get twice as much Sandler as usual, as he plays the brother and sister, Jack and Jill. Honestly, unless you're a big Sandler fan, this is a movie you can skip, though it does seem to have fans for some reason.

Some of the biggest and best actors have never won competitive acting Oscars. Some of those names might completely shock you as they have certainly put in the performances that make them worthy of winning the awards. There are a few on this list who have won honorary Oscars or won in other categories, like directing or acting, but none of these stars have been bestowed with the one they probably want the most. So here is our list of actors and actresses who have shockingly never won an Oscar for acting.

Glenn Close

At the top of the list of actors who have shockingly never won an Oscar has to be the great Glenn Close. For decades Close has been putting amazing performances on film, and yet that golden statue has eluded her. She has won multiple Tonys, Emmys, and Golden Globe awards, yet, despite an amazing eight nominations for either Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress, she's yet to win one.

Tom Cruise

There is no bigger "movie star" on the planet than Tom Cruise. While no one would realistically expect Cruise to be nominated for his action roles like in the Mission: Impossible movies (though, his stunt work in those movies should really be acknowledged), the Top Gun star has put in the work with Oscar-worthy performances in films like Rain Man, Jerry Maguire, Born on the Fourth of July, and Magnolia. He has been nominated four times, but he's yet to take home the prize.

Angela Bassett

In 1994 Angela Bassett lost out on the Best Actress Oscar for her incredible, transformative performance as Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It. Not to take anything away from the winner, Holly Hunter for The Piano, but it's frankly astonishing Bassett didn't win. Sadly, though she was honored in 2024 by the Academy, she still has yet to win a competitive Oscar.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp has gotten a lot of bad press in recent years and that may hurt his future chances to win an Academy Award, but frankly, it's amazing he hasn't already won multiple Oscars, and yet he's never won even one. Despite three nominations and many other amazing performances, the Pirates Of The Caribbean star is still Oscar-less.

Sigourney Weaver

It's hard to believe that Sigourney Weaver hasn't even been nominated for an Oscar since the 1980s, when she was nominated thrice. In spite of wonderful performances in huge hits like Avatar and Aliens, she's still searching for that golden statue.

Bradley Cooper

Honestly, you can almost smell the desperation on Bradley Cooper to win an Oscar and that's completely understandable. Cooper is one of the best actors of his generation and has been nominated five times in an acting category (and another seven times in other categories), but hasn't won...yet. He'll surely get one.

Annette Bening

Five nominations and no wins. That's Annette Bening's resume at the Oscars and that is shocking. For decades she's been crushing it on screen and despite those nominations, most recently in 2023 for her incredible performance in Nyad, a win has eluded her.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey may have burst on the scene in wild comedies like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask - and we can argue that amazing comedic performances don't get nearly enough love from the Academy - but his more serious roles, like in Man on the Moon and even The Truman Show are certainly worthy of Oscars. Despite multiple Golden Globe nominations and wins, the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind actor has never even been nominated for an Oscar.

Amy Adams

When Amy Adams was first nominated for an Academy Award in 2005 for her breakthrough performance in Junebug, a betting person would have bet everything that she would win an Oscar in her career. Yet here we are more than 20 years later and despite five more nominations, Adams is still Oscar-less.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson has played every kind of character and starred in every kind of movie. From mega-franchises like Star Wars and the MCU, to more indie films like Pulp Fiction and Do The Right Thing, Jackson has done it all in Hollywood, except win a competitive Oscar and he's shockingly only been nominated once. He was honored by the Academy in 2021 for his body of work.

Scarlett Johansson

In 2020 Scarlett Johansson was nominated in both the Bet Actress category for Marriage Story and Best Supporting Actress for Jojo Rabbit. She lost out in both that year and despite an incredible career, they remain her only nominations.

Laurence Fishburne

Literally, since his breakout movie role when he was only 16 in Apocalypse Now, Laurence Fishburne has been putting in award-worthy performances. One of the most astonishing facts on this list, Fishbourne has only been nominated once, for What's Love Got to Do with It in 1994. Despite roles like Furious Styles in Boyz n The Hood, Professor Phipps in Higher Learning, and countless others, he still hasn't won.

Hugh Jackman

While he's best known for his work as Wolverine these days, the multi-talented Hugh Jackman has a ton of performances that have deserved more attention from the Academy. He's won every other award on the planet, including three of the "EGOT" awards, but he's still missing the "O."

Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams has been nominated for an Academy Award five times, starting with her breakout role in 2005's Brokeback Mountain. She has yet to break through with a win though. Certainly, she will at some point, right?

Saoirse Ronan

Saoirse Ronan was just 13 years old when she landed her first Oscar nomination for her performance in Atonement. The Lady Bird star has been nominated three subsequent times but hasn't been able to nail down an award yet. A win for Ronan at some point seems inevitable, given how she crushes every role she's in.

Matt Damon

Another one of the biggest movie stars in the world who has yet to win an acting Oscar is Matt Damon. His most recent of three acting nominations was for 2015's The Martian, and while he has won an Oscar for Best Screenplay for Good Will Hunting, an acting award has eluded him.

Salma Hayek

Despite her transcending performance in Frida, the great Salma Hayek wasn't able to win an Oscar in a stacked category in 2003 (Nicole Kidman won for The Hours). Despite numerous great performances, that remains Hayak's only nomination. For shame.

Willem Dafoe

Despite being one of the most reliable actors in Hollywood for more than four decades, somehow Willem Dafoe has yet to win an Oscar. It seems like every single role he takes on is award-worthy, and yet, despite four nominations, starting with Platoon, he still has yet to take home an Academy Award.

Carey Mulligan

2009's An Education garnered Carey Mulligan her first Oscar nom, and she's since nominated another couple of times, for Promising Young Woman in 2021 and Maestro in 2024. She's run into some stiff competition, but surely at least one of those performances was Oscar-worthy.

Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo has been acting his butt off for decades. For that hard work, he's received four Best Supporting Actor nominations, and shockingly, not for his work in Dark Waters, which might be his best performance of all. It's confounding.

Michelle Pfeiffer

The great Michelle Pfeiffer landed her first Oscar nomination in 1988 for Dangerous Liaisons and picked up two more for The Fabulous Baker Boys in 1989 and Love Field in 1992. Since then? Nothing. Zip. She has not even received a nomination as one of the best actresses of her generation. That has to be remedied, as it makes no sense.

Ralph Fiennes

Between 1996 when he was nominated for The English Patient and 2025 when he was nominated for Conclave, the great Ralph Fiennes wasn't even nominated for an Oscar despite countless award-worthy performances.

Naomi Watts

With two nominations and zero wins, Naomi Watts finds herself on this list. She was first nominated in 2004 for 21 Grams and again in 2013 for The Impossible, but she hasn't lucked out with a win yet. Surely one is in her future though, she's too much of a force not to win one.

Ryan Gosling

Year after year Ryan Gosling has put up fantastic performances, so his inclusion on this list is among the most surprising. He seems like a shoo-in to have won at least one Oscar, right? In not for Barbie or Half Nelson, both of which he was nominated for, then certainly for La La Land. Alas, he's yet to take home a trophy.

Alfre Woodard

When Alfre Woodard was nominated for her first (and to-date only) Oscar nomination way back in 1983 for Cross Creek, you'd be crazy to predict she would not get another one for what is now more than 40 years. Despite amazing performances in films like 12 Years A Slave and many others, she has been shut out.

Warren Beatty

There was no bigger movie star than Warren Beatty in the late '70s and '80s and despite a slew of hits, Beatty has never won an Oscar. Beatty has been nominated four times for Best Actor, yet his only Academy Award win came for Best Director for Reds in 1982. He didn't even win for Dick Tracy! He wasn't actually nominated for that iconic role though, which is understandable.

Laura Linney

Over her long, impressive career, Laura Linney has been nominated for many awards. She's won multiple Emmys and multiple Golden Globes, but she's never taken home a golden statue from the Academy. Linney has been nominated three times, for 2000's You Can Count on Me, 2004's Kinsey, and 2007's The Savages, but lost out each time. Linney has never been in a movie that has won Best Picture, either.

Ed Harris

Ed Harris is one of the best character actors of the last 50 years and yet he's never won an Oscar. He's been nominated three times for Best Supporting Actor, for Apollo 13, The Truman Show, and The Hours, plus picking a nomination for Best Actor for Pollock, but alas, he's never won. Weirdly, he's also 0-3 on Emmy nominations too. He has picked up two Golden Globes though.

Joan Allen

Joan Allen is an actress flies a little under the radar despite putting in amazing performances in everything she is in. It might because she's been incredibly unlucky at winning awards, despite multiple Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG nominations. That luck includes her Oscar nominations, of which she has three, for Nixon, The Crucible, and The Contender, but sadly no wins.

Richard Gere

Despite being box office gold since the early 1980s, Richard Gere has shockingly never been even nominated for an Oscar. He's been in beloved movies that have stood the test of time like Pretty Woman, An Officer And A Gentleman, Primal Fear, Runaway Bride and so many more, but no nominations. Crazy.

Isabelle Huppert

It might not be a huge surprise that a French actress like Isabelle Huppert hasn't won an Oscar, as obviously the winners are almost always from English-language films. Still, Huppert is one of the most decorated actresses of all time in her native France, having been nominated 16 times (and winning twice) for the César Award (France's version of the Academy Awards). She was nominated for an Oscar in 2016 for Elle but lost to Emma Stone (for La La Land).

Paul Dano

It almost seems pre-ordained that at some point Paul Dano will win an Oscar. In performance after performance, he just crushes it. From There Will Be Blood to Love & Mercy, the list of his amazing performances just keeps growing. Like others on this list, the fact that he hasn't even been nominated for an Oscar is mindboggling.

We’ve seen great TV shows that explore the struggles of working in Hollywood like HBO’s Entourage and the 2016 Emmy-nominated Lifetime series UnREAL. But Seth Rogen’s Apple TV+ series The Studio is on a whole other level, as it's filled with A-list celebrities to really add authenticity. Out of all of the A+ cameos in the teaser trailer, I wouldn’t even be able to pinpoint just one that I’d be most impressed to by in this 2025 TV schedule entry. (Okay, it’s Martin Scorsese).

Seth Rogen’s best movies are known for their big ensemble casts like This Is the End, The Disaster Artist and Sausage Party. But I certainly wasn’t prepared for all of the recognizable faces I saw in the first look at The Studio. The show sees Rogen starring, writing, directing and executive producing. Rogen plays aficionado Matt Remick, who becomes the newly appointed head of Continental Studios. Based on the teaser trailer, it’s a battle between executives, stars and corporate overlords amid the production of a big movie. We see the anxiety-ridden situations that occur behind the scenes like parties, creative meetings, awards programs and more.

Other than seeing panic and chaos occur in the teaser, I'm distracted by all of the A+ celebrity cameos that will be featured in the streaming series. If you were to ask me which celebrity I’m most impressed to see in the new Seth Rogen series, I wouldn’t be able to pick just one with all of the options in front of me. Though the first that truly stands out is Martin Scorsese, who looks in the trailer to be giving some brutally honest feedback about a talent:

I already have a feeling that Martin Scorsese’s cameo is going to be one for the books. The Oscar-winning director does make cameos here and there. Some Scorsese's best movies feature him on screen, and he also had that funny cameo in Entourage. Needless to say, I'm excited to see how he figures into this upcoming series.

Another celebrity cameo I can’t wait for is Catherine O’Hara. Known for playing one of the funniest characters on Schitt’s Creek, the Golden Globe winner looks to be a mentor of sorts for Seth Rogen’s character. It’s a huge relief that O’Hara’s time on TV isn’t over.

Bryan Cranston will also be appearing on The Studio as a Continental Studios employee. The Emmy Award winner hasn’t let us down yet with his prolific roles in shows like Breaking Bad and Malcolm in the Middle. I already can tell he’ll be bringing his infectious energy to the cast. Viewers can see Cranston's character telling Matt Remick what the studio’s expectations are in movies they’ll be making.

Of course, you can’t leave out Anthony Mackie. He's dazzled as Sam Wilson in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and as Twisted Metal's John Doe, and I'm ready to see him take on yet another sweet role:

My personal favorite honorable mentions would have to be Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano and Charlize Theron. Kravitz has been wowing us with her most recent projects like The Batman and her directorial debut Blink Twice. Dano is one of the most talented actors out there who constantly delivers transformative performances in movies like Little Miss Sunshine, There Will Be Blood and The Fablemans. Considering how many films he does, it's refreshing to see him on a TV show (though he was on Mr. And Mrs. Smith last year.)

And I'm definitely confident that Charlize Theron will do a great job on The Studio. Coincidentally, she worked with Seth Rogen in Long Shot, and their chemistry was great.

Though this first look at The Studio is just roughly a minute-long, I’m already anticipating Seth Rogen’s new series, and the A+ celebrity cameos as the sweet icing on the cake. Plus, if Martin Scorsese is going to be in it, how can I ignore it? The first two episodes of the 10-episode half-hour series will be available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription on March 26th, with one episode subsequently premiering every Wednesday.

We’ve seen it before and we’ll surely see it again, but an older show is getting some love and finding new life as one of the best shows on Netflix. Escape at Dannemora, the 2018 Showtime original limited about one of the most notorious prison escapes of the 21st century, started trending when it became available to anyone with a Netflix subscription back in October 2024, and I couldn’t be more excited to see one of my favorite shows from a few years ago get some love.

Now that Escape at Dannemora is a part of the public consciousness once again – or at least holding down a spot on the Netflix Top 10 – I think it’s the perfect time to talk about this near-perfect crime drama and why you should be watching it, even if you sat through it more than a half-decade ago. Let’s talk it out…

This Is Honestly One Of The Best Prison Shows I've Ever Seen

There have been a ton of great prison shows over the years, with classics like Oz, Orange is the New Black and Prison Break quickly coming to mind. Escape at Dannemora is right up there with all three of those programs in the conversation of best ever. While Joyce “Tillie” Mitchell, the former guard convicted of helping two convicts escape from prison, had some choice words for Ben Stiller and the way he adapted the series, it’s hard to see this as anything other than an intense, emotional, and hard-to-put-down drama.

The way Escape at Dannemora constructs the titular prison as less like a setting and more like a character is phenomenal and allows for a great deal of world-building that only makes the show even more of a gem to watch. The ecosystems on either side of concrete walls and steel bars are filled with three-dimensional and complex characters that live outside the constraints of absolutes, making it even richer.

Patricia Arquette, Benicio Del Toro, and Paul Dano Put On Some Of The Best Performances Of Their Careers

Though none of their names were called at the 2019 Primetime Emmy Awards, Patricia Arquette, Paul Dano and Benicio del Toro were phenomenal as Joyce Mitchell, David Sweat, and Richard Matt, respectively, and gave some of the best performances of their careers up to that point.

Dano, with his nuanced and riveting portrayal of a desperate inmate who’ll do anything to get out of prison and experience freedom once again, showed he had what it took to pull off the complexity of The Riddler in The Batman. Del Toro, in his first major TV role, was also magnificent as Dano’s on-screen partner and fellow prisoner, a character who would stop at nothing to get out of the confinement of prison. But the real kicker was Arquette, whose portrayal of a prison guard who delicately walked the line between victim and accomplice was something to behold, which is saying something considering her resume up to that point.

The Dynamic Between The Three Leads Is Both Fascinating And Terrifying

Escape at Dannemora is a limited series with only seven episodes to weave together a complex, emotional and engaging narrative about three individuals whose lives all become intertwined for better or much, much worse. While all three of the lead actors are great individually, it’s the dynamic and intense love triangle shared by their characters that makes their respective performances even better.

Whether it’s in the various scenes where they’re planning the daring escape or an intense sex scene that puts the show up there with those sexually explicit movies on Netflix, the dynamic shared by the three actors honestly takes a good show and turns it into a great series that has you invested from beginning to end. There were so many times throughout the series where I didn’t see Arquette, Dano or del Toro on screen, but instead three desperate people caught in the middle of an even more desperate situation, even if was of their own making.

Even The Supporting Actors Put On Incredibly Riveting Performances

But the three stars at the top of the Escape at Dannemora cast aren’t the only talented actors giving commanding performances on screen, as the show’s group of supporting players are just as great in their various roles. This is especially true for David Morse and Eric Lange, who play Clinton Correctional Facility personnel Gene Palmer and Lyle Mitchell, respectively.

Throughout the seven-part series, both of these characters become increasingly involved with the escape and subsequent scandal that brings in state officials to see how it all went down. Whether it’s Lyle’s complicated relationship with his wife, Joyce, or Gene, who found himself getting wrapped up in the escape plot, their respective stories add so much to the show and also make the three main characters’ stories all the more interesting and complicated.

Ben Stiller's Direction Creates A Masterclass In Tension And Drama

Ben Stiller has gone on to create one of the best shows on television with the Apple TV+ original series Severance, a series that is full of thrilling drama, intrigue and characters desperately trying to escape, or at least make sense of, their present situations. But several years before spending time in the world of Lumon Industries, Stiller directed Escape at Dannemora.

I’m not saying we wouldn’t be eagerly awaiting Severance Season 2 right now if the comedian and actor didn’t first make this Showtime true crime series, but the show did allow Stiller to fine-tune his directing skills on the small screen after years of making hilarious comedies like Reality Bites, Tropic Thunder and Zoolander. And just like he would do with his next TV series, Stiller created a masterclass in tension and drama that leaves you on the edge of your seat for seven episodes.

I'm So Glad This Show Is Finding A New Audience Years After Its Original Run

Overall, I’m happy that Escape at Dannemora is finding a new audience after all these years. There really isn’t a way to make a second season since the the original run wrapped up everything that happened in real life, but it feels great to see a series that you cared so much about years ago get a new lease on life, or at least more viewers, years after you finished your journey with complicated yet interesting characters.

Who knows, maybe we’ll be talking about other shows from the 2010s getting some much-needed love on Netflix at some point in the future.

Escape at Dannemora is currently streaming on Netflix. If you want to know what else is coming to one of the best streaming services, check out our rundown of the 2024 Netflix schedule.

Stream Escape at Dannemora on Netflix.

Whether it's in biopics or in other historical movies, playing an important person often leads to some of the most amazing performances put on film. There are far too many to count, much less list here, but we do think you'll agree that this list of 32 actors playing famous people rank among the best. 

Ben Kingsley - Gandhi

The 1982 epic Gandhi starring Ben Kingsley as the revered leader of India and icon to peaceful protestors all over the world is an amazing movie. At the heart is Kingsley's amazing, transformative performance. He looks and sounds just like Gandhi, it's almost uncanny. 

Margot Robbie - Tonya Harding

When the news first broke that Australian Margot Robbie was cast to play controversial US Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, it's safe to say that many were skeptical. It took the actor all of about 30 seconds of screen time in the movie to prove those skeptics very wrong. Robbie is fantastic as the troubled skater with a family life that you wouldn't wish on anyone. 

Paul Dano - Brian Wilson

The Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy seems to have been overlooked by many, but if you're a fan of The Beach Boys, you need to see it. John Cusack plays the older Wilson in the 1980s and it is fantastic. Paul Dano, who plays the Pet Sounds-era Wilson, is simply amazing. He completely disappears into the role. 

Reese Witherspoon - June Carter Cash

Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix are both amazing in Walk the Line as June and Johnny Cash. Really both deserve to be on this list, but we've the honor to Witherspoon if only because she won Best Actress at the Oscars in 2006. 

Robert Downey, Jr - Charlie Chaplin

It took a long time for Robert Downey to win an Oscar, which he finally did for Oppenheimer. More than 30 years before that win, he earned his first nomination for 1992's Chaplin for playing the legendary actor and Hollywood trailblazer. It's a movie that doesn't get talked about much these days, but it's still great. Especially Downey's performance. 

Natalie Portman - Jackie Kennedy

Jackie Kennedy has to be a tricky person to play. She is so iconic and so well known to so many people that the scrutiny would be stressful. Luckily for all of us, Natalie Portman hit it out of the park when she played the former First Lady in Jackie. 

Meryl Streep - Margaret Thatcher

It's hardly surprising to see Meryl Streep's name on any list of great performances. She has been arguably the best actor in Hollywood for 50 years. One of her finest performances came in 2011's The Iron Lady where she played the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher. 

Rami Malek - Freddy Mercury

You knew we couldn't have this list without including Rami Malek's incredible performance as Freddie Mercury in the biopic about the late Queen singer, Bohemian Rhapsody. It's not all about the prosthetic teeth, as Malek nailed so many nuances and mannerisms of the icon rock star. Just as in real life, the performance at Live Aid at the end of the movie brings down the house. 

Val Kilmer - Jim Morrison

If you grew up in the '90s, The Doors was probably a seminal film for you. Val Kilmer blew audiences away as the late Jim Morrison. It was so good you'd swear you were watching the real Morrison as he rose to fame and then burned out quickly before tragically becoming a member of the "27 Club" in 1971.

Denzel Washington - Malcolm X

A powerful personality takes an actor with equal strength to pull off and in Malcolm X, Denzel Washington is more than up for the task. Playing the combative, controversial civil rights leader could not have been easy, yet Washington brings him back to life in every way. It's the reason everyone should see this biopic. 

Faye Dunaway - Joan Crawford

Faye Dunaway gives the performance of a lifetime in Mommie Dearest. It's scary and mesmerizing. Joan Crawford was one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood in the Golden Age in Hollywood, but this movie changed the public's opinion of her forever - and not for the better. 

Jennifer Lopez - Selena

Before played the murdered superstar Selena in the movie of the same name, Jennifer Lopez had had a few roles in movies, but after Selena, she was the legend we all know today. It's a groundbreaking performance. 

David Oyelowo - Dr, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Everyone in America has heard the powerful voice of Martin Luther King, Jr. hundreds of times. His speeches are part of everyone's education. That makes David Oyelowo's turn as the civil rights leader that much harder - and that much more impressive. It's just fantastic. 

Cate Blanchett - Bob Dylan

Okay, we admit, technically Cate Blanchett is playing a character named "Jude Quinn" in I'm Not There, but c'mon, let's be real, she's playing Bob Dylan. It's an uncanny performance as well. There is actual footage of Dylan from that time in his career in the excellent D.A. Pennebaker-directed Dont Look Back. Compare that to Blanchett and you'll realize just how great she was. 

Daniel Day-Lewis - Abraham Lincoln

Of all the amazing performances on this list, Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln just may be the best. It frankly could be the greatest acting performance of all time. There's an argument for it, at least. He's simply incredible and brings the tragic president to life like no one else has before or since, and likely never will. 

Cillian Murphy - J. Robert Oppenheimer

Cillian Murphy won a well-deserved Best Actor Award for playing J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer. It's a subtle, smoldering performance, just like the personality of the real Oppenheimer. Playing the scientist in his greatest moments in life and his lowest, it's a fantastic showing by the Irish actor. 

Cynthia Erivo - Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman is one of the most important people in US history, but one that hasn't been explored on film nearly as much as you might expect. Luckily, when someone did decide to finally tell her full story on the big screen in 2019's Harriet, they had the good sense to cast Cynthia Erivo as the former slave-turned-freedom fighter. She's amazing. 

Forest Whitaker - Idi Amin

Forest Whitaker is pretty great in everything he's in. He cranks his talent up to another level in The Last King Of Scotland as the brutal dictator of Uganda, Idi Amin. He's so good there are even moments where viewers might feel compassion for the man, despite his worst tendencies as the leader of the country. 

Jessica Chastain - Tammy Faye Bakker

If you were around in the 1980s, you remember all the insanity around Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. Jim Bakker crying on TV with Tammy Faye right next to him is something no one will forget. Jessica Chastain's turn as the evangelical preacher's wife is just as memorable. 

Philip Seymour Hoffman - Truman Capote

it's hard to imagine anyone will ever play Truman Capote as well as the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote. The role completely takes control of the actor in the best way. It might as well been the writer himself. You completely forget there is even an actor behind the role. 

Daniel Kaluuya - Fred Hampton

Fred Hampton was a controversial and complicated leader in the Black Panther Party in the 1960s. Casting a Brit like Daniel Kaluuya in the role was a daring choice by the filmmakers of Judas and the Black Messiah, but it paid off brilliantly as Kaluuya nails the role. 

Gary Oldman - Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill has been played on the big and small screen by plenty of great actors. John Lithgow (The Crown), Brendan Gleeson (Into the Storm), and Albert Finney (The Gathering Storm) have all garnered praise for playing the legendary prime minister. Gary Oldman, who won an Oscar for playing Churchill in 2017's The Darkest Hour may just be the best. His reading of those famous speeches is just mesmerizing. 

Angela Bassett - Tina Tuner

Tina Turner was a fierce woman, who deserved a fierce performance and she got one with Angela Bassett in What's Love Got To Do With It. Bassett's performance is transcendent and certainly deserved the Oscar nomination she received. She should've won it! 

Austin Butler - Elvis Presley

Austin Butler got so caught up in his performance as Elvis Presley in Elvis that critics of the actor complained that even months later he was still talking like the King of Rock and Roll. he wasn't, but that does say something about how good he was in the Baz Luhrmann-directed bio flick. 

Jesse Eisenberg - Mark Zuckerberg

When The Social Network was first announced, many were confused as to how someone could make an interesting movie about the founding of Facebook. It turns out, that if you get a great writer like Aaron Sorkin, a great director like David Fincher, and someone like Jesse Eisenberg to play the Mark Zuckerberg, you can make it look easy. The movie is great, and Eisenberg's performance is pitch-perfect. 

Leonardo DiCaprio - Howard Hughes

Howard Hughes is one of the most mercurial and odd celebrities in US history. In The Aviator, Leonardo DiCaprio fully embodies everything about the director and businessman. He takes on his greatest triumphs and sinks to the depths of Hughes' despair in the lowest points of his mental illness with the same gusto. 

Charlize Theron - Aileen Wuornos

Serial killer Aileen Wuornos was a terrifying person. A true monster, as the name of the movie about her is called. That's not to say a viewer can't have some sympathy for the circumstances that brought her to the point of murder, but you can't excuse her. Charlize Theron does an incredible job bringing all of that to the role in Monster. 

Sean Penn - Harvey Milk

Milk is one of the great political movies of the last few decades and the biggest reason why, besides the inspiring story, is Sean Penn's performance as Harvey Milk. Like Penn has done so often in his career, he completely disappears into the character. It is Harvey Milk.  

George C. Scott - George Patton

George S. Patton was a great, and complicated leader in World War II. He was responsible for some of the greatest military gains in the war, and he couldn't keep himself out of trouble with his controversy. George C. Scott's portrayal of the general in Patton is amazing. Even though the opening scene of him making a speech in front of the flag is fictional, it sets the tone perfectly and the movie never lets up. 

Cate Blanchett - Katharine Hepburn

Leonardo DiCaprio is fantastic in The Aviator as Howard Hughes, but he's not the only great performance in the movie. Cate Blanchett as the iconic Katharine Hepburn is, well, iconic. There's just no better word for either. It's not only a spot-on impression, the portrayal nails everything that was great about Hepburn. 

Robert De Niro - Jake LaMotta

Jake LaMotta was one of the toughest prizefighters of all time. His incredible story and Robert De Niro's performance are the two things that make Raging Bull legendary. Scorsese's direction is pretty great too. 

Helen Mirren - Queen Elizabeth II

it's really hard to play a person who has been on television screens all over the world for decades. Helen Mirren takes on that difficult task in Queen Elizabeth II. The late Queen was an icon in every sense of the word and playing her could not have been easy, yet, when you have the talent of Helen Mirren, it looks easy. It surely wasn't. 

Adam Sandler has branched into some new areas in this stage of his career — his acceptance speech for the People’s Icon Award was a work of art all in itself — with Netflix being the benefactor of projects like Hustle, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah and the unexpectedly brilliant Leo. The Sandman’s next offering will turn him into the Spaceman, as he portrays an astronaut who was sent to the edge of the solar system as his earthly life was falling apart. So what are critics saying about the upcoming Sandler flick?

Spaceman, which will hit theaters February 23 for a limited run before it’s available to stream with a Netflix subscription on March 1, sees Adam Sandler trying to maintain his sanity after months of isolation, befriending a giant space spider (voiced by Paul Dano) in the process. Leila Latif of GamesRadar rates the movie 4 stars out of 5, saying the comedian excels as the loneliest man in the universe. Latif writes: 

Amon Warmann of Empire also gives it 4 stars out of 5, saying come for the alien spider wisdom, stay for a restrained and heartfelt performance from Adam Sandler, who hands over the comedic reins to his presumably eight-legged friend. Warmann writes: 

Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com rates Spaceman 3 stars out of 4, though the critic acknowledges plenty of faults. Still, Daniels loves to see Adam Sandler in this kind of dramatic role, also noting that the spider helps the movie to maintain a silly tone in an otherwise dour project. From the review: 

The strange twist on the sci-fi drama doesn’t work for everyone though. Ryan Lattanzio of IndieWire grades the movie a C, saying Adam Sandler has never been more dour than in Spaceman, and with the lack of production design, Jakub may as well have just been sitting at home feeling sorry for himself, rather than isolated in space. Lattanzio continues: 

Siddhant Adlakha of IGN similarly rates it a “Mediocre” 5 out of 10, writing that even a committed performance from the Sandman can’t save the dull space drama from devolving into a parody of itself. The critic concludes: 

Spaceman seems to have impressed some of the critics more than others, but if you’re a fan of Adam Sandler — and especially his more dramatic turns — this might be one you want to check out regardless. If you can’t catch it during its theatrical release that kicks off February 23, you’ll be able to stream it on Netflix starting March 1. In the meantime, check out our 2024 movie calendar to see what else is coming to the big screen, and see what else is new and coming soon to Netflix. 

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Mr. & Mrs. Smith Season 1. If you have yet to watch the new series and don’t want anything spoiled, please exercise extreme caution.

The Amazon original series, Mr. & Mrs. Smith finally debuted on the streaming platform in February 2024, and the small-screen reimagining of the 2005 Brad Pitt and Angelina Joie action comedy, is getting a lot of praise from critics. While a lot of that attention has been focused on series leads Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s John and Jane Smith, there has also been a lot of buzz about the various guest stars who appeared throughout the show’s first eight episodes. Maybe because the cast list is absolutely stacked!

If you’ve watched the new 2024 TV show and are wondering why some of those familiar faces look so familiar, stick around, because we’re about to break down all the Mr. & Mrs. Smith Season 1 guest stars…

Alexander Skarsgård (Other John)

Before Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s titular characters show up on Mr. & Mrs. Smith, we are introduced to a team of spies played by Alexander Skarsgård and Eiza González. The mysterious couple isn’t around all that long and they don’t even get a chance to finish their final bottle of wine before being taken out by a pair of mysterious killers. Before his brief portrayal, Skarsgård made a name for himself on shows like True Blood and Big Little Lies.

Eiza González (Other Jane)

Eiza González’s Jane makes it a little longer than her John, but not by much, as the mysterious spy is killed off four minutes into the first episode. Probably best known for her roles in Baby Driver, Hobbs & Shaw, and Ambulance, González has also appeared on shows like From Dusk till Dawn: The Series and Extrapolations.

Paul Dano (Harris, A.K.A. ‘Hot Neighbor’)

Paul Dano appears briefly throughout Season 1, and you would think that his character, Harris, a.k.a., “Hot Neighbor,” would be some kind of villain. But no, the architect who lives next to John and Jane Smith is just simply obsessed with their brownstone and how they afford such a place. Dano does give off some creepy vibes like characters in several of his best movies like The Batman, Prisoners, and There Will Be Blood.

John Turturro (Eric Shane)

John Turturro, who has been in some of the best Coen Brothers movies over the years, shows up in the second episode of Mr. & Mrs. Smith Season 1 as Eric Shane, a wealthy and eccentric billionaire real estate mogul who becomes the titular couple’s target. But he isn’t around long, as a botched mission ends with this wild character in a compost bin. In addition to playing iconic movie characters, Turturro has also appeared on a long list of TV shows that includes The Plot Against America, The Night Of, Severance, and Monk, for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award.

Sharon Horgan (Gavol Martin)

Catastrophe star and co-creator Sharon Horgan shows up in the third episode as Gavol Martin, a successful businesswoman who becomes John and Jane’s latest target when they’re on a luxurious skiing holiday in the Italian Dolomites. But, things don’t according to plan on what ends up being a tense and thrilling vacation, as Gavol finds herself in a delicate and dangerous situation. Horgan has also appeared on shows like Bad Sisters, HouseBroken, and Disenchantment in recent years.

Billy Campbell (Parker Martin)

Billy Campbell also appears in the third episode of Mr. and Mrs. Smith Season 1, and he can be seen playing Gavol Martin’s frustrated husband, Parker, who has grown tired of his wife’s workaholic and demeaning personality. If Campbell looks familiar, it could have something to do with the fact that he famously played Clifford Secord in Joe Dante’s The Rocketeer, a Disney movie that deserves a sequel. More recently, Campbell has landed roles on shows like Cardinal, Helix, FBI, and Star Trek: Prodigy.

Parker Posey (Other Jane)

We meet a third set of John and Jane Smiths halfway through Mr. & Mrs. Smith, a couple that initially seems like a friendly, well-meaning pair of spies. But as we learn throughout the show, looks are often deceiving, and that’s the case for Parker Posey’s Jane. Prior to taking on the role of the cold-hearted killer, Posey appeared in some of the best ‘90s movies like Dazed and Confused, You’ve Got Mail, and Party Girl, to name a few. More recently, Posey has given great small-screen performances on The Staircase, Lost in Space, and Tales of the Walking Dead.

Wagner Moura (Other John)

Wagner Moura appears as the John to Parker Posey’s Jane and one part of the dastardly duo tasked with taking out other killers from the shadowy organization. Moura, who will show up in A24’s Civil War later in 2024, is best known for his work on shows like Narcos and Narcos: Mexico where he played Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. Fans of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish should recognize Moura’s voice from his portrayal of the Wolf, a.k.a., one of the best DreamWorks Animation villains to date.

Úrsula Corberó (Runi)

One of the briefest guest appearances during Mr. & Mrs. Smith Season 1 belongs to Úrsula Corberó, who shows up as John Smith’s ex-girlfriend, Runi. If you recognized the actress from her shot time at the farmer’s market it could have something to do with her portrayal of Silene Oliveira on the popular Netflix streaming series, Money Heist. 

Ron Perlman (Toby)

Ron Perlman has one of the wildest and most over-the-top guest spots during Season 1 when he shows up as a man named Toby, who has to be rescued and protected by Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s characters in Lake Como. Though his character is a major departure from roles he had on Sons of Anarchy and Hand of God, the Hellboy and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts actor is just as charismatic and hilarious on the new Amazon series.

Sarah Paulson (Couples Therapist)

Another great Mr. & Mrs. Smith guest spot belongs to Sarah Paulson, who shows up in the final third of the season as John and Jane Smith’s quirky couples therapist. A nice touch to the cast, Paulson makes the most of her short time on screen and gives a genuinely hilarious performance. It’s quite different from her Ratched and various American Horror Story characters, which makes the guest role so much more fun.

Michaela Coel (Bev)

Michaela Coel shows up as Bev, a rival spy whom Jane initially believes is John’s hook-up buddy near the tail end of the show’s first season. Throughout her career, Coel has done everything from appearing in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as Dora Milaje warrior Aneka to creating and starring in her own black comedy series, I May Destroy You, and showing up in two of the best Black Mirror episodes. 

Who knows what kind of guest stars will show up in Mr. & Mrs. Smith if the show is picked up for a second season, but if you want to revisit these great appearances you can do so right now with an Amazon subscription. 

Stream Mr. & Mrs. Smith on Amazon.

How many times have you watched an incredible acting performance and looked up to see how many awards it won only to find out that the Oscar went to someone else that year? It’s shocking how many times this has happened over the years for some of the greatest actors and actresses of all time. Here are 32 times an incredible performance didn’t win an Academy Award for one reason or another.

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

Though he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson’s name wasn’t called at the 67th Academy Awards. This is nothing against Martin Landau’s performance from Ed Wood, but Jackson’s foul-mouthed and righteous hitman is an all-time great character that should have been recognized.

Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver)

Robert De Niro received an Oscar nomination for his career-defining portrayal of Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese’s 1977 psychological thriller, Taxi Driver, but the unhinged and memorable performance wasn’t enough to win Best Actor. It’s hard to be mad, as Peter Finch’s Academy Award-winning turn in Network is the stuff of legend.

Harrison Ford (Witness)

One of the best actors without an Oscar, Harrison Ford has only one Academy Award nomination to his name, the 1985 crime thriller, Witness. Though not Ford’s most iconic character, his take on Philadelphia detective John Book as he goes to great lengths to protect a young boy is nothing short of amazing.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

Morgan Freeman gave the performance of a lifetime as Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding in The Shawshank Redemption. If the movie would have come out any other time besides 1994, a year dominated by Forrest Gump, there’s a good chance the aging prisoner and accomplished smuggler would have earned Freeman an Oscar.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

Bill Murray’s portrayal of cynical, washed-up actor Bob Harris in Lost in Translation will forever be one of the comedian’s most beloved roles. While Sean Penn’s performance in Mystic River is more than deserving of an Oscar, it’s a shame the iconic comedian didn’t get properly recognized for a once-in-a-decade showing.

Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple)

Whoopi Goldberg showed off a more dramatic side with her lauded portrayal of Celie Harris-Johnson in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple. It’s absurd that the emotional, dynamic, and powerful performance didn’t win Goldberg a much-deserved Oscar, which went to Geraldine Page in The Trip to Bountiful, instead.

Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List)

Schindler’s List features one of the best Ralph Fiennes performances with his portrayal of Nazi work camp commandant Amon Goeth in Steven Spielberg’s 1993-defining film. And while the movie won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Fiennes’ unforgettable turn was not among them. Instead, he lost out to Tommy Lee Jones from The Fugitive.

Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie)

If you’re looking for one of the best New York City movies, Tootsie has you covered. If you’re looking for a movie featuring an acting performance that should have won an Oscar but didn’t, Sydney Pollack’s 1982 comedy has you covered there as well. Seriously, how Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of Michael Dorsey wasn't awarded is something we just don’t get.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington eventually won a Best Actor Oscar for his unforgettable turn in Training Day, but the actor was robbed nearly a decade earlier after not winning the big prize for his take on the titular Civil Rights leader in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X.

Florence Pugh (Little Women)

Florence Pugh was already a rising star at the time of Little Women’s release, but her portrayal of Amy March in Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age drama took her to new heights. Though she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, Pugh lost out to Laura Dern from Marriage Story.

Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained)

Here’s something wild to think about – Jamie Foxx not only didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in Django Unchained, he wasn’t even nominated for Best Actor. Admittedly, it was a stacked list of actors – Daniel Day-Lewis, Bradley Cooper, Hugh Jackman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Denzel Washington – but not even being named is just something.

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

The Wrestler felt like Mickey Rourke’s big redemption arc, more so than the character he portrayed in Darren Aronofsky’s great wrestling movie. Despite pushing himself to the breaking point from both a physical and emotional standpoint, Rourke lost out to Sean Penn’s take on Harvey Milk in Milk.

Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Michael Keaton gave the performance of a lifetime in the 2014 mind-bending drama film, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), one that seemed to channel the actor’s past in such a way it felt like an autobiography. However, stealing the show as Riggan Thomson, a.k.a., Birdman, wasn’t enough, as the prize went to The Theory of Everything’s Eddie Redmayne instead.

Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)

Saoirse Ronan has been nominated for an Oscar on four separate occasions, but not a single win, which is something. One of the performances that deserved an Academy Award the most was that of Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird. The portrayal of a confused high school senior on the verge of entering the next stage in her life lost out to Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Tim Curry (Clue)

Tim Curry’s portrayal of Wadsworth in Clue, a butler or undercover FBI agent depending on which ending you watch, is a role that is beloved by fans of the classic murder mystery comedy. However, it wasn’t recognized at the Academy Awards or other ceremonies, which is the real crime.

Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)

Rosamund Pike’s take on Amy Elliott-Dunne earned the sole Academy Award nomination for David Fincher’s Gone Girl, a nod that was more than deserved. However, the incredibly nuanced and dynamic performance failed to win the Best Actress Oscar, which went to Still Alice’s Julianne Moore instead.

Jimmy Stewart (Rear Window)

Jimmy Stewart is one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors of all time and his portrayal of L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is one of the his top-tier performances. However, his take on an injured photographer who uncovers a murder mystery didn’t even get a nod at the Academy Awards.

Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

Kate Winslet gave one of her most powerful and unique performances in the 2004 sci-fi dramedy, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her take on Clementine Kruczynski, a woman who had all memories of her ex-boyfriend wiped from her brain, was rich, beautiful, and iconic, but just wasn’t enough to win Best Actress.

Al Pacino (The Godfather)

Al Pacino put himself on the map with his portrayal of reluctant crime boss Michael Corleone in The Godfather. The gradual evolution of the character over the course of the film’s three-hour runtime should have been enough for an Oscar, but like co-stars James Caan and Robert Duvall, who were also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, he didn’t get the win.

Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard)

Gloria Swanson’s "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." line from Sunset Boulevard is one of the most iconic quotes in all of Hollywood and part of an Oscar-worthy performance. While Swanson was nominated for her take on aging film star Norma Desmond, she didn’t take home the top prize.

Jack Nicholson (The Shining)

Though considered one of Jack Nicholson’s best roles, his portrayal of Jack Torrance in The Shining didn’t result in an Oscar win. In fact, Nicholson wasn’t even nominated for the unforgettable performance. 

John Cazale (The Godfather Part II)

John Cazale’s Fredo Corleone in The Godfather Part II is one of cinema’s great tragic figures as well as one of the late actor’s best characters. What’s even more of a travesty is the fact that the late actor didn’t even receive an Oscar nomination for his efforts. Tragically, Cazale would never receive an Academy Award nomination prior to his shocking death in 1978.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It?)

Angela Bassett received her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Tina Turner in What’s Love Go to Do with It?, but the miraculous turn as one of American music’s most famous and influential figures didn’t earn her a Best Actress win. 

Edward Norton (American History X)

Reformed neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard is one of Edward Norton’s most controversial and complex characters of his career, and the American History X performance earned him a Best Actor nod at the 71st Academy Awards. However, Roberto Benigni from Life Is Beautiful ran away with the top acting prize.

Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca)

Somehow, Ingrid Bergman, who was astonishing as Ilsa Lund in Casablanca, not only didn’t win Best Actress at the 16th Academy Awards, she wasn’t even nominated for her iconic portrayal of a woman caught between two men and two different lives in the 1943 black-and-white classic.

Paul Giamatti (Sideways)

In a perfect world, Paul Giamatti would have won the Oscar for Best Actor in Alexander Payne’s Sideways, but alas, that is not the reality in which we live. Miles Raymond is one of Giamiatti’s best characters and carried the movie about two friends on a wine trip they’ll never forget.

Henry Fonda (12 Angry Men)

An amazing courtroom drama, 12 Angry Men is still arguably one of the best movies of all time. While its star, Henry Fonda, received a Best Picture nomination as a producer, his dynamic and rich portrayal of a juror who insisted on getting things right didn’t earn him an acting nod, which is a real miscarriage of justice.

John Goodman (The Big Lebowski)

You can add John Goodman to the list of great actors who have never received an Oscar nomination, which just doesn’t make sense. It’s especially maddening when you consider his legendary portrayal of Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski, a character loosely based on John Milius, per Far Out Magazine.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix has since won an Oscar, but his portrayal of Johnny Cash in James Mangold’s 2005 biographical drama, Walk the Line, was more than deserving of the top acting prize at the Academy Awards. What’s interesting is the fact that Phoenix was beat by his future The Master co-star, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won for his take on Truman Capote in Bennett Miller’s Capote.

Ellen Burstyn (Requiem For A Dream)

A little more 25 years after winning an Academy Award for Best Actress thanks to her outstanding performance in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Ellen Burstyn had another shot at capturing an Oscar with her turn as Sara Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream. Her take on a woman battling unchecked depression, anxiety, and a diet of weight loss pills gave audiences one of the most incredible and sympathetic characters of the early 21st century. Unfortunately, this also happened to be the same year Erin Brockovich was released. 

Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood)

There Will Be Blood is remembered more than a half-decade after its release because of the Academy Award-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, but one of the three-time Oscar winner’s castmates was also deserving of recognition. Paul Dano’s Eli Sunday (he also played the smaller part of Eli’s twin brother, Paul) is one of the more fascinating characters of modern cinema, and he should have received an Oscar for his troubles. Dynamic is an understatement for this overzealous, petty, and temperamental preacher.

Robert Shaw (Jaws)

Steven Spielberg’s 1975 summer blockbuster, Jaws, won three Academy Awards – Best Filming Editing, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Sound – but Robert Shaw, who acted his tail off as the boat captain, Quint, wasn’t recognized. This shameful act by the Academy, especially after watching the USS Indianapolis monologue, still stings nearly 50 years after the fact. That scene alone deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination and win.

Many of these actors won an Academy Award either before or after these movies and performances we just covered, but it’s just wild to think about how some of these roles didn’t take home the big prize at the Oscars.

Last year, The Batman delivered The Riddler’s first live-action film appearance since Jim Carrey brought the supervillain to life in 1995’s Batman Forever. However, outside of a love of green clothing and their penchant for feeding riddles to law enforcement and the Caped Crusader, these two versions of the character couldn’t have been more different, with Paul Dano’s Riddler being a serial killer targeting Gotham City’s corrupt officials and elite power players. It was certainly one of the more intense performances from the Batman movies canon, and according to writer/director Matt Reeves, one of Riddler’s key scenes was shot over “70 or 80 takes.”

Speaking with The Guardian for a profile about Dano’s career on behalf of his 2023 new movie release Dumb Money, Reeves boasted about how the actor shared his strong commitment to ensuring that a scene unfolded just the right way, describing the man who brought Edward Nashton to life as "indefatigable.” In the filmmaker’s words:

The scene Matt Reeves is referring to is when Robert Pattinson’s Batman is interrogating Riddler at Arkham State Hospital, with the villain having been apprehended shortly after he assassinated crime lord Carmine Falcone. This was Batman’s first chance to finally understand what makes this man who’s been theorizing Gotham City for weeks tick, and it turns out that his own vigilante activities are what inspired Edward to kill the people he believed were poisoning Gotham City. By the end of their heated conversation, he learns that Edward has one more trick left up his sleeve: flooding Gotham by blowing up the city’s seawall, then sending his followers to assassinate mayor-elect Bella Reál.

That scene was just one example of how far Paul Dano was willing to go to deliver the best Riddler performance in The Batman. As Matt Reeves continued below, he’d often find himself taken aback, in a good way, by acting choices Dano would make in the spur of the moment:

While Batman couldn’t stop Gotham’s seawall from being destroyed, he was able to save Bella Reál and take down Riddler’s followers with Catwoman’s help. This climactic conflict also made Bruce Wayne realize that he needed to do more than just strike fear into the hearts of criminals; he also needed to inspire hope in the city’s citizens. As for Riddler, while he remains locked up in Arkham, he befriended a fellow inmate in the final minutes of the movie: Barry Keoghan’s Joker, who was more openly shown in a deleted scene. Whether or not we’ll see either of these characters in The Batman: Part II or the Arkham tie-in series remains to be seen.

Revisit Riddler’s reign of terror by streaming The Batman with your Max subscription. That platform is also where Colin Farrell’s The Penguin series will premiere sometime in 2024, and The Batman: Part II is slated on the upcoming DC movies schedule for October 3, 2025.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a number of movies set at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This makes sense, given just how much happened during that time in history. The latest of these projects is director Craig Gillespie’s upcoming biographical dramedy Dumb Money, which is about the infamous WallStreetBets GameStop scandal. The movie’s cast is unreal, and actually made me interested in the stock market after being clueless about how that system works.

The Toronto International Film Festival is currently underway, and Dumb Money is one of the many upcoming projects that got its world premiere this year. The movie’s title refers to amateur traders who can sometimes lose their money to major money managers and hedge funds. The true story revolves around a reddit page titled r/WallStreetBets, which united in 2021 to purchase stocks at GameStop and squeeze hedge fund companies. 

While this might seem like an odd choice for a movie, the script by Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo makes it a much more human story. This is done through a large ensemble cast, putting a face to the power players in the infamous controversy, as well as some of the everyday people who were galvanized by r/WallStreetBets and bought and held stocks in order to make money and stick it to the billionaires running the hedge funds. A bonafide class war happened as a result, highlighting the wealth disparity in the country. 

I have to admit that I was a little bit lost in the first 15 minutes or so of Dumb Money, mostly because I wasn’t familiar with the GameStop stock controversy from 2021. But the movie’s script provided enough exposition that I was eventually able to catch on. In the meantime, I instead focused on the large ensemble cast of characters, some of which were playing very real figures.

Paul Dano plays protagonist Keith Gill aka Roaring Kitty, the man behind the financial revolution surrounding GameStop’s stocks. It seems like a great impression of the real life figure, whose footage is revealed in the movie’s final moments. Big Little Lies’ Shailene Woodley plays his wife Caroline, and is arguably the heart of the movie. Pete Davidson plays his brother, and is unsurprisingly a scene stealer. And fresh off her iconic Barbie monologue, America Ferrera also shines as one of the casual traders who gets involved in the movement. More familiar faces include Hamilton’s Anthony Ramos, Seth Rogen, Nick Offerman, Vincent D’Onofrio and Shondaland favorite Kate Burton. It’s remarkable that this ensemble cast was assembled, with each and every performance delivering and helping to make Dumb Money such a great moviegoing experience. 

Of course, Craig Gillespie’s direction also deserves a great deal of praise. Dumb Money’s 104-minute runtime flies by, thanks to excellent pacing, and strong edit. The movie’s soundtrack also perfectly captured the time period of the movie, including tracks like Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” and Kendrick Lamar’s “HUMBLE.” The use of real-life news reports about WallStreetBets and TikToks /social media posts from the time also helped to make the movie consistently fascinating, despite how little I knew about the subject matter ahead of time.  

Luckily for moviegoers not attending TIFF, Dumb Money will get its wide theatrical release shortly on September 15th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

It wasn’t all that long ago when we were reading news about GameStop and the wild “David vs. Goliath” story involving Keith Gill and a group of everyday people who decided to invest in the video game retailer and cause quite the commotion on Wall Street. Well, now there's a movie about it. Directed by Cruella and I, Tonaya’s Craig Gillespie and starring Paul Dano the film Dumb Money is set to his theaters on September 29 according to the 2023 movie schedule, and critics have seen it, and shared their thoughts on it. 

CinemaBlend's own Sean O’Connell shared his opinion on Dumb Money via X, noting that it’s a “smart” film that makes a very complex stock market story “digestible.” He also explained the tension that builds throughout the film as it tells the wild story of what happened with GameStop’s stock in 2021 is "terrifying" and "palpable":

Overall, the general consensus of Dumb Money seems to be that it’s an electrifying movie about the truly crazy GameStop situation. Many critics highlighted the ensemble cast and direction as highlights. However, some noted that at times the characters could feel “one-dimensional,” as Frank Scheck wrote for THR. But, he, and many others, thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Continuing his review, the critic explained:

During Collider’s coverage of the Toronto International Film Festival, where Dumb Money premiered, Ross Bonaime shared his review of Craig Gillespie’s film, calling it the “The Big Short for the Reddit Generation,” in his headline. He noted the similarities it shares with films like The Big Short and The Social Network, explaining that this film about GameStop's stock both fits in with types of projects like that while also being totally unique:

Natalia Winkelman from IndieWire also agreed that Dumb Money is a “weirdly affecting tale of working class solidarity.” She called it “the best period piece ever made about a period that just happened." The critic was especially pleased with the ensemble cast of the film -- which includes America Ferrera, Pete Davidson, Seth Rogen and many more -- and how they played out the roles of those who were actually involved with this bonkers story:

As she stated, America Ferrera, Larry Owens and Anthony Ramos stand out as highlights alongside Paul Dano, who plays the lead Keith Gill. 

Speaking of Dano, Martin Aubert Tsai wrote a review for Decider that spotlighted the actor as a real standout. He applauded The Batman star's ability to juggle both Keith Gill’s personal life and online persona as Roaring Kitty: 

It sounds like we’re going to have to add Dumb Money to the list of Paul Dano’s best movies. 

Along with praise for the cast, critics have also noted Craig Gillespie’s direction. After receiving fantastic reviews for I, Tonya in 2017, it turns out he has a knack for taking on complex true stories in a unique way. In BBC’s review, Caryn James touched on this idea. While she thought the film was “not as smart or skewering as it pretends to be,” she did note the standout direction as a highlight:

Overall, reviews for Dumb Money have been positive, and many critics noted that the film is a fascinating period piece about an event that only happened a few years ago. You can see this crazy story about GameStop and the everyday people who tried to game Wall Street in theaters on September 29. 

When you think of some of the best television shows of all time, what are the ones that instantly come to your mind? For me, there are a solid three – Breaking Bad, the phenomenal Game of Thrones (and its wonderful cast), and last but not least, The Sopranos. 

The famous HBO series seriously changed television forever, and The Sopranos cast has gone on to do many things in the world of Hollywood and beyond. But today, we’re going to go over the guest cameos that you might have forgotten about – that’s right, the “blink and you’ll miss it” kind, because believe it or not, there have been many big stars that we know of now who started off small and appeared in guest roles on The Sopranos. Let’s get into it. 

Lady Gaga (Classmate)

Lady Gaga is primarily known for her singing career, as she has had several number one hits and even performed at the Super Bowl like many other pop stars such as Rihanna, The Weeknd, and more. However, she’s also now known for her acting career, which really started taking off in the last several years, with roles in movies such as A Star is Born and TV shows like the Ryan Murphy-created American Horror Story. 

But, Lady Gaga had humble beginnings in the world of television and had a small guest role in The Sopranos during the episode “The Telltale Moozadell.” She isn’t even credited in the role, but any die-hard Gaga fan can see her from a mile away. This was way before she was famous, so it’s so cool to see her in something such as this. 

Cristin Milioti (Catherine Sacrimoni)

Cristin Milioti has certainly made a name for herself over the last several years. In terms of movies, she’s appeared in the hilarious rom-com, Palm Springs, as well as the Leonardo DiCaprio-led film, The Wolf of Wall Street, among others. She also portrayed Tracey McConnell in How I Met Your Mother, and had the main role on Made for Love on HBO Max, and many more. 

Before all this, she portrayed Catherine Sacrimoni for three episodes of The Sopranos during the last season of the show. She has done so much since then, that it might be hard to recall her role, but she was a pretty important part of the last season, and it’s so cool to see what she has done since then. 

Will Arnett (Mike Waldrup)

Before Will Arnett starred in the casts of big shows such as Arrested Development, and voiced a main character in The Lego Movie, its sequel, and led The Lego Batman Movie, he was also among the people who guest starred on The Sopranos. During Season 4, he played Mike Waldrup, who was actually a serious character in comparison to many of his other comedic roles. 

It’s a bit strange to see him in such a dramatic role, but it shows that Arnett has some great range, and I’d be down to see him in more serious parts in the future.

Michael B. Jordan (Rideland Kid)

Before he was kicking butts and taking names in the Creed franchise, or becoming one of everyone’s favorite villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Killmonger, Michael B. Jordan began his career as a young child actor. Like many people, he ended up having small roles in TV shows – and one of his first was this one in The Sopranos, Season 1, during the episode, “Down Neck.”

His character doesn’t even have a name, simply known as “Rideland Kid,” and he appears in a flashback to Tony’s past as one of the only people who went head to head with Tony before he became what he became. He barely has any lines but it’s so funny to see him so young in a role such as this after seeing what he has done since. 

Chandra Wilson (Evelyn Greenwood)

Out of every single medical drama out there, I’m pretty sure there isn’t one quite as popular as Grey’s Anatomy. The show has gone on for several seasons and many cast members have come and gone, but Chandra Wilson has remained one of the few who has been on the show since Season 1 – that’s right, Dr. Miranda Bailey has stuck it out for this long. 

But, before she was on the hit medical series that has earned her several award nominations, Wilson had a small guest role on The Sopranos during Season 5, where she played Evelyn Greenwood. It’s not particularly memorable, but it’s cool all the same to see her before Grey’s.  

Lin-Manuel Miranda (Bellman)

Before he took the world by storm through his musicals In the Heights and Hamilton, and ended up working on the soundtracks for movies such as Moana and Encanto, Lin-Manuel Miranda did plenty of small roles in television. He was once a guest star on Modern Family, and was also a guest star on The Sopranos, during the episode, “Remember When.”

It’s, again, a very small guest role, where all he plays is a bellman who helps with luggage in a hotel and has very few speaking lines, but to see him before In the Heights blew up and then, of course, Hamilton, is so much fun.  

Perez Hilton (Male Student)

If you don’t know who Perez Hilton is, then you definitely have never paid attention to celebrity gossip. Hilton has run one of the most popular celebrity gossip sites since back in the early 2000s, but he started as an actor, too. And, he had a tiny guest role in The Sopranos during the episode, “Fortunate Son.”

Again, all he’s credited as is “Male Student,” and he wasn’t credited as Perez Hilton but rather under his real name, Mario Lavanderia, but this was before he even took on the name of the gossip maven, so it makes sense. 

Paul Dano (Patrick Whalen)

Last but not least, we need to talk about Paul Dano, who was on The Sopranos for a few episodes, more than many of the others on this list. 

Dano is primarily known for his great character acting, and he’s appeared in big movies such as The Batman, 12 Years A Slave, Prisoners, The Fabelmans in 2022, and so many more, but he also had the role of Patrick Whalen in The Sopranos during Seasons 4 and 5. The character appeared in three episodes before he was never seen again. 

Truly, these are the “before they were famous” roles for these stars, and it’s so awesome to see how far they have come in comparison to their small beginnings. I can’t wait to see what they do next.  

Who can forget when our minds were all blown by the beautifully atmospheric first trailer for Matt Reeves’ The Batman? The trailer’s use of Nirvana’s haunting track, "Something in the Way", quite literally, underscored the fact that we were in for a Batman movie like we had never seen. In a recent interview, the Riddler actor Paul Dano says that the song wasn’t just a clever choice by the trailer house editors but played a significant role in shaping his portrayal of the character.

The There Will Be Blood actor appeared on the very popular Youtube talk show Hot Ones, where he revealed his love for the Nirvana deep cut and how the movie’s soundtrack influenced his take on the riddle-writing supervillain. According to Dano, it was the chorus of the song which made the character click for him. He says the lyrics made him realize both his character and Batman (played by Robert Pattinson) are dealing with two sides of trauma where Bruce Wayne had the resources to deal with his trauma, while his character did not. Paul Dano told Hot One’s host Sean Evans: 

I have to agree with Dano. If we are being honest, the actor’s take on Edward Nashton is a serial killer who feels like he would be more at home in a David Fincher movie than a comic book. This comparison has some merit because the film’s director Matt Reeves said in the past that his darker Riddler’s real-life inspiration was, in fact, the Zodiac killer. Something tells me even Bruce Wayne’s level of resources might not have helped this traumatized orphan overcome his issues. 

Even though a Penguin spinoff television series and The Batman 2 were seemingly confirmed back in April, DC’s slate of upcoming movies has been somewhat in turmoil. The reported underperformance of Black Adam calls into question a sequel, and following the Henry Cavill debacle of the actor announcing his return as Superman only to have to turn around less than two months later to say he isn’t returning, after all, makes fans question if anything is a sure thing. With the big regime change at DC Studios and James Gunn and Peter Safran now running things, some difficult decisions had to be made regarding DC movies. It’s unclear at this time if we will get to see a return to Matt Reeves’ Gotham and Dano's skin-crawling performance as on one of Batman’s deadliest rogues. 

If there are any updates regarding The Batman 2, we will be the first to let you know. For now, fans will have to settle for rewatching Dano’s disturbing performance as The Riddler, which can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription. For all other news or to plan your next trip to the cinema, stay tuned to CinemaBlend and check out our schedule of 2023 new movie releases. 

Steven Spielberg has been behind the camera to tell some of Hollywood’s best cinematic stories, through films like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler's List, Jaws, Saving Private Ryan, and the list goes on and on. In The Fabelmans, which is set for a wide release in theaters this week, he will tap into the emotions of his own story, as he explores how his love of movies gave him insight into his dysfunctional upbringing. The movie was a big hit when it premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in September, winning the People's Choice Award, and the reviews are in to give us a little more information about The Fabelmans, which is unsurprisingly already receiving 2023 Oscars buzz.

Rather than use the director and co-writer’s own name, Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical drama tells the story of the fictional Fabelmans. Gabriel LaBelle stars as Sammy Fabelman and is surrounded by an impressive ensemble that includes Michelle Williams and Paul Dano as his parents and Seth Rogen as his favorite “uncle.” Let’s see what the critics have to say ahead of its theatrical release, starting with CinemaBlend Managing Editor Sean O’Connell. He attended a screening of the film at TIFF and says he was blown away by the heartfelt masterpiece, awarding it a full 5-star rating. Check out his video review below: 

Robert Daniels of Polygon agrees that The Fabelmans is a masterpiece, saying that rather than a cliché ode to moviemaking, Steven Spielberg shows vulnerability, as he reaches into the past to heal old but still-tender wounds. In the critic’s words:

Leah Greenblatt of EW is among many who are praising Michelle Williams for her beautiful and “devastating” turn as Sammy’s mother. The critic says because it’s Steven Spielberg, everything is meticulously rendered in wistful sentiment, giving a grade of B+: 

Brian Truitt of USA TODAY rates the movie 3 out of 4 stars, saying the iconic director sprinkles his signature wonder throughout the film: 

Erin Brady of Consequence grades the movie a B, noting that with the highs of the film being so high, the low points stick out that much more. Despite some amazing performances and the movie’s tendency to stick with you when it’s over, this critic felt like the revered filmmaker is keeping the viewer at arms-length, according to this review: 

If this sounds like a movie you’d like to see on the big screen, you can check it out starting on Wednesday, November 23. Also, be sure to also check out CinemaBlend’s interviews with the cast of The Fabelmans, including Michelle Williams, Paul Dano and Seth Rogan. 

The year may be almost over, but there's plenty left on the 2022 Movie Release Schedule, and you can always take a look at what’s coming to the big screen in 2023 as well. 

CinemaBlend sat down with the cast of Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” including Paul Dano, Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Judd Hirsch, and Gabriel LaBelle. They discuss what it was like working with Steven Spielberg, the pressure of portraying his family on film, the film’s strong message about family and much more!

Video Chapters:

0:00 Intro
0:29 Gabriel LaBelle on the pressure of portraying a young Steven Spielberg
1:01 Paul Dano praises the process of this film’s production
1:26 Judd Hirsch on his trust in Steven Spielberg
2:15 Michelle Williams on how Steven Spielberg empowered his actors to build their characters
2:43 Gabriel LaBelle on how the film reflects Spielberg’s real-life
3:32 Seth Rogen on how he dived into finding his character
4:51 Seth Rogen explains the “pleasure” of not having to improvise in the film
5:55 Judd Hirsch explains his impact on the film, despite only appearing in a few scenes
7:31 Seth Rogen shares his relationship with Spielberg prior to filming ‘The Fabelmans’ with him
9:00 Paul Dano shares what Spielberg’s crew thought of this project

Paul Dano is known for his impactful dramatic performances, frequently working with auteur directors like Paul Thomas Anderson and Denis Villeneuve. As of recently, he has garnered widespread attention for portraying The Riddler, an iconic comic book villain in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. However, this prolific actor has also stepped behind the camera, making his directorial debut in 2018’s Wildlife, which starred Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan. The film was a critical success, and apparently Dano was influenced by the stunt work of Tom Cruise when directing.

In a recent interview with GQ, the Little Miss Sunshine actor broke down some of the most important projects and characters of his career. One film he discussed was 2010’s Knight and Day, which he co-starred with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. He explained the impact working with Cruise had on his own work, in particular how the Top Gun star approached the movie making process. Dano revealed: 

Audience experience is certainly something Tom Cruise has always considered and clearly gives his all into every role he takes on. Cruise didn’t want to make Top Gun: Maverick unless the special effects and stunt work was up to snuff in order to make the audience viewing experience as spectacular as possible. He also does his own stunts in films, as it feels more authentic and elevates the film. In addition, he is constantly pushing the envelope with his work in the Mission: Impossible films, with never before attempted stunt work. Cruise’s approach is what separates himself from other action hero movie stars, and gives his films their edge.

Paul Dano must’ve learned a lot from Cruise when it comes to acting performances as well because some of Dano’s more recent work has been extremely physical as well. When he played the Riddler, Dano wrapped his head in plastic in order to submerge himself into his character. He also carries around Daniel Radcliffe (or a full size dummy) around during the film, Swiss Army Man. The body is supposed to be all dead weight, so that role must’ve been extremely grueling. In addition, anyone who has seen There Will Be Blood knows that Dano exhausts his entire body in the role of the enigmatic preacher Eli Sunday. At this point, the Prisoners actor is practically known for getting beaten up in movies. 

Both are extremely physical actors that aren’t often compared, however when it comes to being passionate about a project and throwing themselves into roles, Dano and Cruise are both prime examples of actors who always give their all to a performance. Dano seems to have enjoyed this process, as he has expressed an interest in returning to the Riddler for the sequel to The Batman. In addition Tom Cruise will be performing more death defying stunts in Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One which is set to release in theaters July of 2023. If the trailer is any indication, Mission: Impossible fans have a lot to look forward to, and Cruise never disappoints.

If you want to catch both of these iconic stars perform alongside each other, James Mangold’s Knight and Day is currently available to rent on all major platforms. In addition, Paul Dano’s latest film The Fablemans, which is directed by Steven Spielberg, is set to hit theaters on November 11th. For more potential Oscar contenders coming to theaters later this year, check out our 2022 movie schedule. 

Paul Dano is one of the most interesting actors working today. He’s spent a majority of his career doing grounded, director-driven projects that has made him an independent film darling. But ever since taking on the role as the Riddler in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, Dano is more recognizable than ever, thrusting himself into the center of pop culture. The transition was certainly different then what the Prisoners actor was used to, and in turn was surprised by the security measures taken on The Batman in order to keep details about the film under wraps. Dano recently revealed Warner Brothers’ even used a tracker to keep some “special” materials from the film a secret. 

In a recent interview with GQ, Dano talked about his career as a whole and the recent transition into more commercial films. Dano wanted to commit to the character of the Riddler as much as possible, and make sure he captured the iconic supervillain in the most authentic way possible. He wanted to submerge himself into the character, and work heavily with production materials available to him. Instead of a digital copy of some of the renderings of the film that may be allotted to Dano on a smaller budget film, the There Will Be Blood actor revealed The Batman insisted on hard copies that were heavily accounted for and tracked. Dano divulged:

The secrecy around The Batman was most likely very different than Dano had experienced working on films like Little Miss Sunshine and Swiss Army Man. Batman is a coveted piece of intellectual property, and with so much fan hype around the project, nobody working on the movie wanted to be responsible for a potential leak. While leaking footage may have been beneficial for some films in the past, it seems like production materials on The Batman were well managed, wanting to save details about the film for opening night.

These mysterious production materials clearly were put into the right hands because Dano’s performance as The Riddler was astounding and he has quickly become a fan favorite. The multi-talented actor has immersed himself fully into the comic book world, and has even started writing his own comic books about his character, titled Riddler: Year One. 

Dano must've had a blast working on The Batman, because he has expressed an interest in returning as the character for the much-anticipated, announced sequel. While Barry Keoghan’s Joker has been teased as the primary villain for the follow up Batman venture, I’m sure there is enough room in Gotham for the both of them to appear in The Batman 2. 

We may have to wait a while for another jaw-dropping Paul Dano Riddler performance, but in the meantime, you can catch the actor in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, which is receiving great reviews out of the film festival circuit, and will hit theaters on November 11th. For more information on other movies coming to theaters later this year, make sure to check out our 2022 movie release schedule.

Matt Reeves’ The Batman went through a lot of casting shifts when making the critically acclaimed film. Clearly it was a long audition process for many, with many actors like Jonah Hill approached for different roles in a dark new take on the Caped Crusader. Eventually the perfect cast was assembled, with many acclaimed actors giving outstanding performances in this more recent entry of the DC movies lineup. One of those actors was Barry Keoghan, who blew fans away with one sequence (plus one deleted scene) where he played The Joker. But it was recently revealed that The Joker wasn’t the character Keoghan originally auditioned for. 

This week British GQ acquired and released Keoghan’s audition tape for The Batman on Twitter. The Killing of a Sacred Deer actor appears to be slinking through hallways, ever so creepily, in a bowler hat, cane and suspenders. The performance is something akin to A Clockwork Orange, as Keoghan appears to be channeling Malcolm McDowell in a very unique performance as The Riddler. Check out the video below:

While this is certainly an interesting take on the iconic character, it’s clear Reeves wanted to go in a different direction with The Riddler. In The Batman, the character is reimagined as a chronically online agent of chaos, who wants to watch the world burn through a series of puzzles and clues. Keoghan’s performance is creepy and silent, letting his body language channel the character. Paul Dano, who was selected for the role, is much more jittery and vocal, with his strange performance of “Ave Maria” one of the most memorable scenes from the film. This version of the character was inspired by the Zodiac Killer, and Dano’s previous performances were seemingly closer to what the director wanted for the role.

However, the casting director and Reeves were clearly impressed by Keoghan’s audition tape. The Dunkirk star was tapped to play the iconic role of The Joker. While the role was somewhat of a cameo in The Batman, the end of the film offered room for Keoghan to make a return as the character in potential sequels. Even just from the little piece we have seen from the actor, fans can already tell he may be one of the best actors to ever play the iconic character. He has a lot to live up to, as the role has already won two different actors an Oscar. But he clearly understands the idiosyncrasies of the character. I can’t wait to see more from him.

The Batman 2 is officially happening, and last month saw a writing team confirmed, so it may not be long before fans get to see Barry Keoghan return to the famous character. While the storyline for the film is yet to be revealed, Paul Dano has teased he is interested in returning to his character. Maybe we can count on another incredible interaction between The Joker and The Riddler as Arkham Asylum inmates. Fans are already theorizing what Keoghan could look like in the much anticipated sequel, so the actor clearly has audience support. 

I personally will be waiting for The Batman 2, as Matt Reeves clearly has a lot to work with. Ahead of the film’s eventual release, you can check out Barry Keoghans’ Joker performance in The Batman, currently streaming for HBO Max subscribers. For more films set for release in the near future, check out our 2023 movie release schedule. 

The Fabelmans is director Steven Spielberg’s magnum opus. The family found at the heart of this painfully personal and stunningly emotional feature stands in for Spielberg’s own, as the Oscar-winning filmmaker turns his camera back on his adolescence to examine – through his unique, masterful lens – the hardships and triumphs that led to him becoming one of our greatest filmmakers. 

The film is an homage to Spielberg’s two religions: Judaism and Film. It clarifies the enormous hold that each one has on the man, as well as the hold he comes to realize that the latter can have on an audience. It’s a story about art and creativity, about hardships and sacrifice – about how messy life can get, but how necessary those messes are if one’s ever going to experience a life worth living. It’s a masterpiece, and the best movie Spielberg has delivered since… well, the masterful West Side Story in 2021. (That’s one of many Spielberg movies you can stream right now.)

The Fabelmans held its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation that lasted so long, festival organizers had to beg the audience to stop so that they could begin a Q-and-A with Spielberg and his cast. If not for that plea, the ovation might still be going as you were reading this. 

The Fabelmans is drunk on Spielberg’s passion for film.

A trip to the movie theater to see Cecil B. DeMille’s The Greatest Show on Earth unlocks a door into imagination for young Sammy Fabelman (Mateo Zoryna Francis-Deford). His parents, Burt (Paul Dano) and Mitzi (Michelle Williams) debate whether the impressionable kid is old enough to take in a picture show. What they don’t anticipate is how the larger-than-life images on that screen are going to set Sammy on a path to a career in the arts that will place a vice grip on the man, to the detriment of almost everything else in his life. 

Spielberg is one of the last remaining filmmakers who still shoots on film, and The Fabelmans works well as a case study for the reasons he chooses to do so. According to The Fabelmans, and the character of Sammy in the movie, the emotions that are captured on film are a gift. Film is real. Film is the truth. But as The Fabelmans points out, those truths set to film aren’t always welcome, and aren’t always appreciated. “Family. Art. It will tear you in two,” Judd Hirsch tells Sammy during a short but substantial sequence that could be just long enough (and impactful enough) to earn the veteran actor a Supporting Actor nomination at the Oscars. Spielberg, like Sammy, belongs on the art side of the coin. Science/math/business are found on the opposite side of that equation. And it’s within the conflict between those two that The Fabelmans finds its drama. 

Welcome to the Oscars conversation, Michelle Williams.

Those unfamiliar with Spielberg’s own history might want to brush up before heading into The Fabelmans. For while the film’s first trailer doubles down on the director’s appreciation for film, the studio system, and the actual effort of making movies, the Tony Kushner script for The Fabelmans also spends ample amounts of time scratching at the scabs of emotional wounds that shaped Spielberg into a child of divorce who chases dreams of a united family and the artificiality of domestic tranquillity. Standing in for Spielberg’s own mother, Michelle Williams once again displays tremendous range and staggeringly honest emotion as a complicated woman trapped in a life shaped by other people’s choices. 

Williams’ intensity is countered by the measured calculations of Paul Dano as Burt Fabelman, a computer genius climbing the ranks of tech companies in the 1970s and ‘80s who loves and supports his son but repeatedly defines his filmmaking passion as a hobby, unwilling to recognize the potential it has to blossom into so much more. The Spielbergs… er, sorry, Fabelmans encounter harsh bouts of anti-Semitism and bullying – a reality the Schindler’s List director has explored in previous movies, but nowhere near at the level of analysis and therapeutic visual conversation that he reaches here. And Seth Rogen as Dano’s closest friend, Bennie, brings a welcome atmosphere of warmth and goofy improvisation that fuels Williams but creates ripples in the family’s tenuous dynamic. 

The Fabelmans covers so much ground, but always rivets with its emotional truths.

At nearly two-and-a-half hours, the upcoming The Fabelmans can be found guilty of lingering too long in memories that are precious to Spielberg, but potentially unnecessary for the audience. And yet, every time the drama detours down an avenue that you aren’t sure how it factors into the main narrative, Kushner and Spielberg eventually prove that the sidebar was worth it, and they’re present to reveal more about the characters or personify growth during crucial moments of Sammy’s journey.

Stay with The Fabelmans. Appreciate the journey. Embrace the insights it gives you into the mind and heart of one of our greatest living storytellers. And revel in a movie that has a very good chance at winning Best Picture at the next Academy Awards. For more coverage from the Toronto International Film Festival, read up on Anna Kendrick’s career-best work in Alice, Darling, Daniel Radcliffe’s unhinged performance as “Weird” Al Yankovic, and the delight of Billy Eichner’s studio comedy, Bros. 

Upon news of a confirmed sequel to Matt Reeves' The Batman, fans have been clambering to know whether or not actor Paul Dano will be returning to his iconic role, The Riddler, in the sequel. The good news is people are keeping tabs on him, and asked about the future of his role in The Batman universe.

So, does this mean we will be seeing more of Dano’s Riddler character in the future? An "Ave Maria" encore perhaps?

Paul Dano made an appearance at the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con to promote Riddler: Year One, a comic book series the actor co-authored with Stevan Subic. The series will be a six-issue bimonthly limited series detailing Edward Nashton’s villain origin story. It sounds like Paul Dano is open to it! When IGN asked him about the potential for a return The Batman actor said:

Spoiler Alert! Paul Dano is referencing the Riddler’s ending interaction with another Arkham Asylum inmate, played by Barry Keoghan, at the tail end of The Batman. If you've seen the movie, you may already know the inmate is rumored to be the Joker. The interaction seems to be setting up the Joker character as the main villain in a future The Batman sequel. However, I’m not sure I’m ready to let go just yet. 

It's going to be very hard to top what Paul Dano did in The Batman. I personally feel he may have been the most committed Riddler actor yet. Not only did he write a detailed origin story for his character, the actor also wrapped himself in plastic wrap for one of The Riddler’s costume choices in the opening scene of the movie. Paul Dano previously spoke about the costume's importance to his process as an actor, allowing him to embody the role. 

Hopefully, director Matt Reeves will call Paul Dano soon! Honestly, even if different villains are explored in The Batman 2, there is still potential for the Prisoners actor to reprise his role in other projects, such as the Colin Farrell-produced Penguin series on HBO Max currently in development. 

Even if ends up being a long time before we get to see Paul Dano terrorizing Gotham with his riddles, puzzles, and clues, we can see Paul Dano in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans. In it, the actor will be portraying the legendary director’s fictional father, in what should be another juicy role. 

In the meantime, you can revisit Paul Dano and The Riddler in The Batman, which is currently streaming exclusively for those with an HBO Max subscription.  

Although Frank Gorshin was the first actor to play The Riddler in a live-action movie, having reprised the role originated from the ‘60s Batman TV series, until recently, the main cinematic Riddler had been Jim Carrey’s incarnation from 1995’s Batman Forever. That’s no longer the case, as Paul Dano brought a Zodiac Killer-inspired version of Riddler to life in The Batman. It’s been four weeks since the Matt Reeves-helmed movie opened to the public, and Carrey has shared his thoughts about this new take on the Batman supervillain.

The Batman has been a hit across the board, being met with primarily positive critical reception from critics and the general public, and sitting at over $677 million worldwide at the time of this writing. However, Jim Carrey is not among the people who’ve seen Robert Pattinson’s first outing as DC Comics’ Caped Crusader, though he is a fan of Paul Dano’s, telling Unilad:

It sounds like Jim Carrey isn’t particularly interested in watching The Batman in theaters or with an HBO Max subscription when it hits the streaming service next month. On the one hand, I could understand Carrey not wanting see Paul Dano’s version of Riddler silly because he spent enough time performing his depiction of the character. In this case though, the actor simply isn’t enamored with The Batman’s dark tone. As he put it:

Batman Forever and The Batman are certainly much different beasts tonally, with the former opting for a lighter and more humorous tone following Tim Burton’s gothic Batman movies, and the latter being a dreary noir detective story that sits in good company with David Fincher’s Seven. As far as their respective Riddlers go, Jim Carrey’s version was a flamboyant supervillain hellbent on absorbing knowledge, and Paul Dano’s version was a creepy serial killer targeting elite Gotham cities tied to corruption. They both left taunting clues for their cape and cowled foes, were named Edward and wore green-colored outfits, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end.

This isn’t the first time Jim Carrey has expressed concern about cinematic violence. Although he played Colonel Stars and Stripes in 2013’s Kick-Ass 2, he withdrew his support for the sequel a few months before it came out, saying that he did the movie before the Sandy Hook shooting and could no longer “support that level of violence.” For something like Sonic the Hedgehog and its upcoming sequel, on the other hand, Carrey sees the violence in those video game adaptations as being more cartoon-y, hence why he had no issue reprising Dr. Robotnik for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which comes out on April 8.

If Jim Carrey decides to watch The Batman and shares his thoughts about it with the public, we’ll pass them along. For now, CinemaBlend will continue to share updates on what’s next for Matt Reeves’ superhero franchise and other upcoming DC movies.

Normally, these hypothetical comic book movie casting sessions are focused on actors who have not yet starred in a comic book adaptation - or, at least, not in a prominent, live-action superhero movie role. However, Paul Dano has already made his sleep-deprived comic book movie debut, and spectacularly so, as the main antagonist of Matt Reeves’ The Batman. So, while it is probably not likely, I would still love to see him bring the energy of his performance as The Riddler to something in a few new Marvel movies, too.

It is the same level of energy that he would also bring to some of the best movies of his career so far, such as There Will Be Blood in 2007 or 2013’s Prisoners - both of which I think were key to him winning the part of the puzzling foe opposite Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight. I think that if we take a look at some more of the greatest hits from Paul Dano’s filmography, we can determine what Marvel characters he might be the perfect choice to play. We shall start with one who already has a few things in common with his most recent role.

Arcade

By making him a cunning, vengeful, and disturbingly unhinged serial killer, I believe that Paul Dano has given us one of the greatest Riddler depictions of all time in The Batman. That being said, who else would be a better choice to play a character who is often referred to as the Marvel equivalent of the DC supervillain?

Arcade, whose real name has never been revealed, is a hitman who does not carry out his assassination in traditional ways but, instead, by setting elaborate, deadly traps he dubs “Murderworlds.” If Marvel Studios, which has embraced darker properties such as Blade lately, was ever interested in doing something along the lines of Saw, this would be a great route go down and Dano would make it something truly haunting.

Phantom Rider 

Another spooky sort of character that I think would be fun to see brought to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Carter Slade, who was a school teacher in 1800s Ohio before a Native American resurrected him from being shot in cold blood, and he became the Phantom Rider. Mind you, this champion of justice on horseback should not be confused with Ghost Rider, even though he has crossed paths with the motorcycle-riding demon hunter on a few occasions.

While a team-up between those characters would be a fun way to introduce him to the big screen (or even the small screen), I think this character opens up a great opportunity for the MCU to try out an old school Western story. Not to mention, it would also give Paul Dano an opportunity to make up for his brief role as Harrison Ford’s troublemaking son in Cowboys and Aliens, which could have been something really memorable if the otherwise conceptually intriguing film had been a success when it came out in 2011.  

Vulcan

Another brief role that Paul Dano did manage to make into something memorable was Seth - a fellow hitman and friend to Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Joe in 2012’s Looper. It is through him that we learn that telekinesis exists in the futuristic world of Rian Johnson’s brilliant time travel noir. So, why not cast him as someone with the same gift (and with a better chance of survival) in a Marvel movie?

Now, there are a healthy amount of telekinetic mutants in the Marvel Universe, some of which have already had their big screen moment. One who has yet to translate to cinema is Vulcan - the alter ego of Cyclops’ brother, Gabe Summers. This Omega-level mutant can also absorb and manipulate energy and even siphon other people’s abilities.

Beast

On second thought, if we are going to put Paul Dano in Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men movies reboot, I believe the actor deserves a more high-profile and challenging role to tackle. The first character to come to my mind happened to be Dr. Hank McCoy - otherwise known as Beast - who was previously portrayed by Kelsey Grammer in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand and a later by Nicolas Hoult as his younger self.

The reason I thought of Beast as the perfect role for Dano is because he has the kind of versatile talent that allows him the ability to play both soft-spoken intellectuals and more aggressive characters, as well. He could utilize both ends of his impressive acting range to bring the blue, burly, and brilliant mutant to life, perhaps, more accurately than ever. All it will take is a little makeup.

Mephisto

A classic Paul Dano character who also bears shades of both his more soft-spoken side and his more aggressive side (and especially the aggressive side) is Eli Sunday from There Will Be Blood in 2007. For some reason, I cannot help but want to see the actor channel the same kind of energy he put into his performance as the self-righteous, fanatical preacher in one of Paul Thomas Anderson’s best movies into Marvel’s interpretation of Satan.

Fans have been praying to see the cross-dimensional demon, Mephisto, finally make his MCU debut for so long that they have already prematurely anticipated his involvement in several installments of the franchise, including WandaVision most famously. I think it goes without saying that, once he finally does show up, they will have to get an actor who can really get under the audience’s skin with a positively manic and haunting portrayal, and Dano has that sort of skill in the bag already.

Korvac

You know, Paul Dano has already shared the screen with a few Marvel movie actors before, including his Escape at Dannemora co-star Benicio Del Toro, who has made several appearances as Taneleer Tivan, better known as The Collector. I have a fun idea that would allow these two Emmy nominees to have a little reunion in the MCU.

In the comics, The Collector is actually the father-in-law of Michael Korvac - a former, cross-dimensional computer technician who was made into a half-man, half-machine hybrid with a digital database of every superpower imaginable. This gave him a bit of a superiority complex and made him one of the Avengers’ most challenging threats, which is another reason why I think he deserves to be adapted in the MCU. A performance by Dano would make it especially chilling.

Even if the MCU is not in Paul Dano’s future, at least we can expect to see him pop up in more upcoming DC movies as the Riddler.

Earlier this month, over two and a half decades after Jim Carrey antagonized Val Kilmer’s Bruce Wayne as The Riddler in Batman Forever, we finally got a new live-action cinematic take on the puzzle-obsessed supervillain. Paul Dano brought Riddler to life in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, and just two weeks after the movie’s release, it’s been announced that this creepier version of the longtime Caped Crusader adversary is starring in his own comic book.

As one can infer from the title Riddler: Year One, this comic book will delve into the backstory of Paul Dano’s Edward Nashton. In fact, Dano himself is writing this comic book series, and Stevan Subic is illustrating as his DC Comics debut. Check out the first look at Riddler: Year One, which kicks off its run in October, below: 

Riddler: Year One hails from DC Comics’ Black Label imprint, which publishes books for mature audiences. Running for six issues, each one coming out bimonthly (as in every other month), this miniseries will explore “how accountant Edward Nashton went from a simple Gotham City nobody to becoming Batman’s nemesis, setting them on a collision course in the blockbuster feature film.” It’s unclear if Riddler: Year One will be set entirely in the past, or if our look back will be ushered in by Edward recollecting following the ending of The Batman.

Warning: SPOILERS for The Batman are ahead!

Partly inspired by the Zodiac Killer, Paul Dano’s Riddler was depicted as a serial killer targeting elite Gotham citizens tied to corruption in the city, and left behind taunting clues for Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight and the Gotham City Police Department at the scenes of his crimes. Following his capture, he was identified as forensic accountant Edward Nashton, who grew up an orphan. While Edward detested Bruce Wayne for growing up in luxury after his parents were murdered, he was ironically inspired by Batman to begin what he considered a vigilante crusade. Now The Batman fans can look forward to Riddler: Year One pulling the proverbial curtain further on how he became one of Gotham’s most feared criminals.

By the time The Batman ended, Riddler was locked up in Arkham State Hospital, and while his followers did succeed in flooding Gotham City, they were prevented from assassinating mayor-elect Bella Reál. However, Edward Nashton was able to strike up a friendship at the end of the movie with Barry Keoghan’s version of The Joker, who was kept off camera for good reason. Whether this means these two will team up in a sequel to The Batman remains to be seen, but considering that HBO Max has officially ordered the Colin Farrell-led Penguin series and Matt Reeves is developing a show about Arkham, there are other ways we can spend more time with Dano’s Riddler outside of Riddler: Year One.

The Batman is still going strong in theaters, having recently passed the $500 million mark worldwide. You’ll be able to watch it with an HBO Max subscription starting on April 19, and don’t forget to look through the lineup of upcoming DC movies, as there was recently a major shakeup with that slate.

This story will contain spoilers for The Batman, so stop reading now if you do not want to know major things that happen in the comic book adaptation.

By the time we reach the end of Matt Reeves’ comic book thriller The Batman, our caped hero (Robert Pattinson) has helped to land The Riddler (Paul Dano) in Arkham Asylum, where the puzzle maker learns that Batman wasn’t, in fact, working alongside the Gotham terrorist, and the two aren’t literal partners in crime. Their confrontation, which takes nearly two hours of runtime to reach, feels like it was meant to be this film’s version of the interrogation-room scene between Joker (Heath Ledger) and Batman (Christian Bale) in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. But COVID complications really disrupted this pivotal scene, from the way that Dano explains it to CinemaBlend. 

The Batman was one of several high-profile blockbusters that had their production schedules delayed thanks to the shutdowns that accompanied the global spread of the COVID-19 virus. Obviously, production eventually was able to resume, but not before it disrupted Paul Dano’s preparation for what he knew was going to be a significant scene in the movie. As the Riddler actor told us during an exclusive interview for The Batman:

Having never acted in anything, I can only imagine the difficulty of putting yourself in the headspace of a complicated antagonist like The Riddler, who is inspired by The Zodiac Killer, and waiting to get to THE scene in the script that allows you to communicate all that makes this person up… and then your job shuts down for months and you lose that momentum. To me, Paul Dano got right back to where he needed to be in order to deliver his full impact in that scene, and he gives one of the best depictions of The Riddler committed to screen. I wonder if Paul Dano thinks it was worth losing sleep in order to excel in the role?

Even if Matt Reeves wanted to keep Riddler in Arkham for the inevitable sequel, he seemed to be teasing two more villains for Batman 2, so we could see them stepping into the Gotham shadows for a shot at the Bat. Personally, I thought Reeves was establishing a Robin for his universe, but the director shot my theory down. While we wait for news on a sequel to The Batman, scan this list of upcoming DC movies to see what else is in the pipeline for the studio.

There have been many great depictions of The Riddler on screen over the years, but the latest interpretation of the DC Comics villain is easily the darkest and deadliest, with his famous knack for brainteasers feeing more reminiscent of the Zodiac Killer. Of course, an essential key to how The Batman - released in theaters March 4, 2022 - portrays the puzzling foe in such a memorably creepy manner is in the masterful performance by Paul Dano.

If director Matt Reeves’ gritty, noir-inspired reboot of the live-action Batman movies just happened to be your introduction to this acclaimed, award-winning actor, I have no doubt that it must have piqued your interest in exploring more of his filmography. There is, indeed, quite an eclectic collection of Paul Dano movies and TV shows on his resume so far, such as this underrated teen comedy.

The Girl Next Door (Starz)

A high school student (Emile Hirsch) forms a relationship with a beautiful woman (Elisha Cuthbert) housesitting for his neighbor, but things get a little crazy when he discovers that she works in the adult entertainment industry.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Paul Dano: Relatively early into his career, Paul Dano gave a scene-stealing performance as Klitz, a meek geek who slowly learns to branch out of his comfort zone, in 2004's The Girl Next Door - a forgotten favorite of the early-2000s teen sex comedy era that is, surprisingly, as sweet as it is raunchy.

Stream The Girl Next Door on Starz.
Rent/Buy The Girl Next Door on Amazon.

Little Miss Sunshine (Hulu, Amazon Prime, Tubi)

After young Olive (Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin) is accepted as a beauty pageant contestant at the last minute, her family piles into a VW for a cross-country trip to the event, during which they are forced to confront their issues with one another and with themselves.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Paul Dano: In 2006, Paul Dano began to make an even grander impression on cinema with his role as Dwayne, an angsty teen who has taken a vow of silence, in the Little Miss Sunshine cast with this brilliant, Oscar-winning dysfunctional family story that is just as funny and endearing as it is unapologetically dark.

Stream Little Miss Sunshine on Hulu.
Stream Little Miss Sunshine on Amazon Prime.
Stream Little Miss Sunshine on Tubi.
Rent/Buy Little Miss Sunshine on Amazon.

There Will Be Blood (Netflix, Paramount+)

An oil driller (Daniel Day-Lewis in his second Oscar-winning role) clashes with the citizens of a small California town and anyone he perceives has gotten in the way of his greedy aspirations.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Paul Dano: In 2007, Paul Dano proved that he could hold his own opposite the great Daniel Day-Lewis in the role of Eli Sunday, a raucous, self-righteous young preacher, in There Will Blood - a powerful, often shocking character study that writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson loosely based off of Upton Sinclair’s influential, dramatized industry exposé, Oil!

Stream There Will Be Blood on Netflix.
Stream There Will Be Blood on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy There Will Be Blood on Amazon.

Being Flynn (HBO Max)

A young, aspiring writer (Paul Dano) unexpectedly crosses paths with his father (two-time Academy Award winner Robert De Niro) after years apart, when the older man shows up seeking a room at the homeless shelter his son has started working at.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Paul Dano: In 2012, Paul Dano proved that he could hold his own opposite the great Robert De Niro in the role of his estranged son, Nick Flynn, in Being Flynn - another raw, emotional, dysfunctional family story that writer and director Paul Weitz based off of the real Nick Flynn’s memoir, Another Bullshit Night in Suck City.

Stream Being Flynn on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Being Flynn on Amazon.

Knight And Day (Tubi)

An average, small-town woman (Cameron Diaz) crosses paths with a mysterious stranger (Tom Cruise) who turns out to be a disgraced, international secret agent seeking to clear his name, and ends up becoming an unwillingly participant in his latest globe-trotting adventure.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Paul Dano: In 2010, Paul Dano made a fun return to comedy and made his action movie debut as Simon Fenk, a young inventor whom Cruise’s Roy Miller is trying to protect, in Knight and Day - a delightful, thoroughly engaging spy thriller (and one of the more underrated Tom Cruise movies) from director James Mangold.

Stream Knight And Day on Tubi.
Rent/Buy Knight And Day on Amazon.

Ruby Sparks (Amazon Rental)

To cure his writer’s block, a young novelist (Paul Dano) types out his own vision of the perfect woman for him and is, at first, shocked but later delighted to learn that she has, somehow, manifested into a real person (Zoe Kazan).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Paul Dano: Also in 2012, Paul Dano both serves as an executive producer and stars as the lovelorn novelist with a truly overactive imagination, Calvin Weir-Fields, alongside his real-life romantic partner, Zoe Kazan, as the title character of Ruby Sparks - a touching and funny romantic fantasy that would also reunite Dano with the directors of Little Miss Sunshine: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.

Rent/Buy Ruby Sparks on Amazon.

Looper (Netflix)

In the year 2044, a hired gun (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), part of a group of hitmen employed by the mob to take out people sent to him from thirty years in the future, is forced to go on the run when he fails to kill his latest target: his older self (Bruce Willis).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Paul Dano: Paul Dano made a relatively brief, but memorable and devastating, appearance as Seth, a fellow assassin and friend of JGL’s Joe, in Looper - a brilliant blend of high-concept, sci-fi dystopia, time travel, and classic film-noir elements from writer and director Rian Johnson.

Stream Looper on Netflix.
Rent/Buy Looper on Amazon.

Prisoners (Hulu)

After the efforts of a local detective (Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal) prove ultimately unhelpful, a man (Hugh Jackman) grows increasingly desperate to find who captured his missing daughter and her friend and is driven to go to unimaginable lengths to take matters into his own hands.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Paul Dano: Out of all the great Paul Dano roles that prove he was a good fit to play The Riddler in The Batman, perhaps the most essential is his performance as Alex Jones, who becomes the prime suspect in the child kidnapping case at the center of 2013’s Prisoners - a riveting and disturbing, Oscar-nominated crime thriller from director Denis Villeneuve. 

Stream Prisoners on Hulu.
Rent/Buy Prisoners on Amazon.

Escape At Dannemora (Showtime)

An employee at a prison in upstate New York (Academy Award winner Patricia Arquette) becomes romantically involved with a pair of convicted killers (Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro and Paul Dano) and helps them plot a breakout.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Paul Dano: Another role that surely must have had some in hand in earning Paul Dano the part of The Riddler is his Emmy-nominated performance as convicted felon David Sweat in Escape at Dannemora - a Showtime original, 2018 miniseries inspired by a true story that was helmed by Ben Stiller.

Stream Escape At Dannemora on Showtime.
Buy Escape At Dannemora on Amazon.

Love & Mercy (HBO Max)

Brian Wilson, the leader and creative force behind the legendary band, The Beach Boys, struggles with his mental health in the 1960s and, two decades later, falls in love with a woman (Elizabeth Banks) who begins to take notice of the oppressive nature of her beau’s relationship with his psychotherapist (Paul Giamatti).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Paul Dano: Out of all the great Paul Dano roles in his entire career, one of the most riveting and investing is his performance as Brian Wilson, also played by the equally moving John Cusack at different times in Wilson's life, in 2014’s Love & Mercy - a revealing and inventively executed music biopic that reunited Dano with 12 Years a Slave producer Bill Pohlad, who directed the film.

Stream Love & Mercy on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Love & Mercy on Amazon.

Swiss Army Man (Showtime)

A man (Paul Dano) cast away on a desert island finds his unexpected saving grace in a washed-up corpse (Daniel Radcliffe) that, somehow, possesses an innumerable amount of special abilities to help him survive.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Paul Dano: I do not even know how to begin to describe why 2016’s Swiss Army Man - the feature-length directorial debut of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively known as “Daniels”) - is one of the weirdest movies I have ever seen, but if there is one thing that will keep audiences from getting lost in bewilderment, it would be the impenetrable chemistry between Dano and Radcliffe.

Stream Swiss Army Man on Showtime.
Rent/Buy Swiss Army Man on Amazon.

There is more from Paul Dano on the horizon following his stunning turn in The Batman. He will next appear in co-writer and director Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical family drama, The Fabelmans, stars opposite Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan in Spaceman (which is on the 2022 Netflix Movie schedule), and joins the all-star cast of AMC’s eight-episode sci-fi series, Pantheon.

This story is going to get into all of the spoilers for Matt Reeves’ new The Batman, so really, hop in the Batmobile and zoom out of here if you somehow landed on this feature and haven’t yet seen the film (and give a damn about spoilers). 

For the first time in several years, Warner Bros. is producing a live-action Batman movie that isn’t part of a larger universe, that doesn’t showcase other members of the DC superhero community, and that only has to focus on the stories that Matt Reeves chooses to tell in the hefty three-hour run time. No teases for the next Superman or Suicide Squad mission, no celebrity cameos from characters like Deathstroke that might never pay off. 

That doesn’t mean that Reeves isn’t building out a universe in his The Batman. Gotham has a lot going on as the credits roll on Robert Pattinson’s first foray in the Batman suit. So let’s discuss The Batman ending, and what it means for any potential sequel.  

Batman Has Changed His Approach To Fighting Crime

The narration track at the beginning of The Batman lays out how this current Caped Crusader (played by Robert Pattinson) rules over Gotham. He relies on fear, saying that while he can’t be everywhere in the city, stopping every crime, the threat of his presence terrifies would-be criminals, and has Gotham’s citizens – and police force – deeply distrusting this costumed vigilante. 

But following his confrontation with Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) and The Riddler (Paul Dano), this Batman comes to the realization that fear isn’t enough. He needs to put forth a new symbol for the people of Gotham: Hope. And it’s captured in Batman’s efforts to lead the survivors out of a flooded Gotham Square Garden arena using only a flare. Yes, this tool of vengeance will still strike fear in the hearts of his adversaries. But Bruce Wayne’s journey through The Batman has taught him that hope is equally as valuable as fear can be.  

The Penguin And The Power Grab For Gotham

Without realizing it, Batman was helping The Riddler to complete his ultimate goal of paying back all of the corrupt Gotham leaders who pilfered the city’s Urban Renewal Fund… tracing the line all the way back to Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). Batman and Catwoman’s (Zoe Kravitz) investigations reveal that Falcone pulls everyone’s strings in Gotham, and once Batman brings him “into the light,” Riddler assassinates him, leaving a power void at the top of the criminal food chain.

One candidate already tipped his hand… or his flipper. Oswald Copperpot, aka The Penguin (Colin Farrell), stood up to Falcone once the crime lord was in police custody. And Reeves included a shot of Penguin looking out over Gotham as the narration spoke of a power grab that’s bound to happen in Gotham. Penguin studied under Falcone at the man’s club for years, which explains Farrell's Godfather comparison. Expect him to be one of the villains leading the charge in the quest for power and influence over Gotham.  

Catwoman Is Gone… For Now

Having played a game of “will they or won’t they” for the duration of The Batman, Selina finally pitches to her Dark Knight that he give up his fruitless cause to “save” Gotham, and follow her away to ANYWHERE else. She successfully avenged the murder of her close friend, and sees no reason to stay in the seedy hell hole. Selina thinks Bruce’s work won’t change a thing about Gotham, and his quest ultimately will be the death of him. She tells him she’s going upstate, teases a potential stop over in Bludhaven (a reference for comic book fans), and the duo kiss.

But Batman turns down her offer, and as the two ride their motorcycles back towards the city, where Batman’s iconic logo shines in the sky, Catwoman goes left and Batman turns right. He watches her in his rearview mirror until she goes up over a hill and disappears. The Cat is out of The Bat’s life… though we all know that’s only temporary. Assuming that there is more adventure to be had.    

The Riddler Has Made A Friend In Arkham

The Riddler knew he’d eventually get caught and sent to Arkham. It’s why he sent Batman a card saying, “See you in Hell.” But after the two have their confrontation, Riddler is disturbed to learn that he and Batman weren’t working together, as he believed, and their final target – Bruce Wayne – escaped Riddler’s wrath. 

But a voice from a neighboring cell tells Riddler not to be too hard on himself. He might have had a bad day, but things can always turn around, and Gotham loves a comeback story. We can’t see the other convict’s face, but through a slot in the door, we can see a shock of hair, the silhouette of a bulbous nose, and what looks to be charred or damaged skin. The mysterious Arkham prisoner tells The Riddler a riddle of his own. The answer to the riddle implies that the men will be friends, and they both start laughing, tipping off the fact that the man Riddler just met will be this world’s version of The Joker (played by Eternals co-star Barry Keoghan). 

Unlike previous Batman movies, which often kill off their main antagonists – from Jack Nicholson’s Joker to Liam Neeson’s Ra’s al Ghul – The Batman leaves several worthy adversaries on the proverbial board for Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader to take on in potential sequels. We will have to see how The Batman does at the box office, but so long as Warner Bros. wants to continue expanding on this rich tapestry of crime and vengeance, this ending makes it clear that there are several worthy avenues down which Matt Reeves could wander. Just, stay away from Crime Alley. Nothing good happens there.

The time has finally come to see Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader. The Batman will make its highly anticipated premiere in theaters this Friday, March 4, with lofty box office expectations. Critics have already had a chance to see Batman and Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz) team up to take on the Riddler (Paul Dano). Let’s take a look at what the reviews are saying about the Matt Reeves blockbuster.

The Batman takes the superhero back to his second year of fighting crime. The Dark Knight will face off against the classic villain the Riddler, a serial killer targeting Gotham City’s elite. Along the way Bruce Wayne uncovers corruption that connects back to his own family. Joining Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz and Paul Dano in the star-studded cast are Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, John Turturro as Gotham City crime lord Carmine Falcone, and Colin Farrell as Penguin, to name just a few. So what did the critics think of The Batman? 

Starting with our CinemaBlend review, Eric Eisenberg rates the blockbuster 4.5 stars out of 5, saying Robert Pattinson and Colin Farrell are standouts, but the director does right by all of the film's actors, giving Matt Reeves' take on the well-known superhero story a special personality:

Matt Singer of ScreenCrush gives the movie a 7 out of 10, commending Matt Reeves' ambition in making the viewer see the familiar superhero in a new way. He says it also differs stylistically from its predecessors:

Alex Stedman of IGN rates the film a "masterpiece," or 10 out of 10, saying when Robert Pattinson and Paul Dano face off, it's impossible to look away:

Several critics make note of this version's serious tone and Robert Pattinson as what Leah Greenblatt of EW calls possibly "the Darkest Knight yet." She grades the movie a B, noting of Pattinson: 

Germain Lussier of io9 says The Batman is unlike any version of this superhero we've ever seen, noting that the movie is more detective procedural than superhero blockbuster. But he's not the only critic who takes issue with the film's finale, saying it betrays the rest of the movie's vision:

The critics also all make note of the detective story that highlights The Batman, and Mike Ryan of Uproxx says the film feels like a murder mystery that just happens to feature Batman. It differs from other superhero movies in a way Ryan calls refreshing.

Will you be checking out The Batman on opening weekend? The movie premieres Friday, March 4, and director Matt Reeves has really hyped the IMAX version. Also be sure to check out our 2022 Movie Release Schedule to plan ahead for your next movie night!

Warning: This video contains very mild spoilers. If you want to go see The Batman completely blind, bookmark this page and come back after you've seen the movie.

The stars of The Batman including Robert Pattinson (Batman/Bruce Wayne), Zoë Kravitz (Catwoman/Selina Kyle), Colin Farrell (The Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot), Paul Dano (The Riddler/Edward Nashton), Jeffrey Wright (James Gordon) and John Turturro (Carmine Falcone) discuss their new DC movie in this interview with CinemaBlend Managing Editor Sean O'Connell.

Video Chapters

• 00:00 - Intro
• 00:12 - Are Bats Cute or Scary? Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz Weigh In
• 00:55 - Robert Pattinson On The ‘Strangely Difficult’ Scene That Took ‘About A Million Takes’
• 01:26 - Colin Farrell On The Unexpected Benefits Of Wearing So Much Prosthetics As The Penguin
• 02:45 - Paul Dano On The Process Of Creating The Riddler’s Iconic Props
• 03:40 - Robert Pattinson On The Line Between Playing Bruce Wayne and Batman
• 05:03 - Jeffrey Wright On What It Was Like Having Batman Punch Gordon
• 05:52 - John Turturro’s DC-Employed Son Approves Of His Carmine Falcone Performance
• 06:38 - Zoë Kravitz Talks Selina Kyle’s Shifting Performance And The Film That Inspired Her Dynamic With Batman
• 07:43 - Paul Dano On The Iconic Prison Confrontation Between The Riddler And Batman
• 09:17 - Colin Farrell On Joel Schumacher’s Batman Legacy
• 10:33 - Jeffrey Wright Dodges Questions About HBO Max’s Gotham PD Series
• 11:21 - Colin Farrell Is Excited To Potentially Play The Penguin Again On HBO Max

You can see The Batman in theaters on March 4.

Although Fox’s Gotham delivered a popular portrayal on The Riddler several years ago, we haven’t seen a live-action take of the supervillain on film since Jim Carrey’s version in Batman Forever. That finally changes in a few weeks with the release of The Batman, which features Prisoners star Paul Dano playing Riddler opposite Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne. It’s clear from The Batman’s trailers that this is a significantly different version of the antagonist we’re used to seeing, and Dano has revealed that he had trouble sleeping during his time on the Matt Reeves-helmed movie.

Rather than being depicted as a flamboyant opponent garbed in a bright green, question mark-covered suit, Paul Dano’s Riddler in The Batman is a Zodiac Killer-inspired serial killer who’s picking off elite Gotham City citizens and leaving taunting messages behind for the Caped Crusader and the Gotham City Police Department. As Dano recalled to EW, the role took its toll on him, and there were a handful of scenes that messed with his sleep during the shoot. In his words:

Paul Dano’s Riddler definitely looks like he could go down as one of the creepiest villains in the Batman movies, if not rank at the top of the list. So with all that work the actor poured into his performance, it makes sense why he’d have trouble relaxing after the day’s work was done. However, not all of Dano’s restlessness issues during The Batman were related to his acting. 

As part of the homemade, “very intense” costume Paul Dano’s Edward Nashton puts together in The Batman, the actor realized that his character should cover himself in plastic wrap so he doesn’t leave any DNA evidence at his crime scenes. Matt Reeves (who also co-wrote the movie’s script with Peter Craig) was game for this, but after about an hour, Dano got incredibly hot under his mask, to the point that Reeves remembers his face being “beet red.” Dano explained:

Luckily for Paul Dano, The Batman’s costume department found a way to get more oxygen into his mask so he’d be a little more comfortable. Overall though, playing The Riddler was clearly a demanding experience for him, but it paid off in the long run. Dano also said that he’s “really enjoying” being to act in a superhero movie, so depending on how things shake out in The Batman, maybe we could see him again in one of the sequels being planned.

The Batman will also see its eponymous protagonist clashing with Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin (who’s leading his own HBO Max series) and allying with Zoë Kravitz’s Selina Kyle/Catwoman, with some of the movie’s other prominent players including Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon, Andy Serkis’ Alfred Pennyworth and John Turturro’s Carmine Falcone. It opens in theaters on March 4 as the first of many upcoming DC movies to be on the lookout for in 2022.

Batman is one of the most popular superheroes of all time, which is why fans are consistently treated to TV, video game, and film content from Gotham City. There’s a ton of anticipation behind Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which will star Robert Pattinson in the title role. Someone added Jim Carrey’s Riddler from Batman Forever to the trailer, and I can’t look away.

The Batman is set outside of the main DCEU, and looks like a stylish, ultra-realistic take on Gotham City. Paul Dano is playing the main antagonist of the upcoming blockbuster, with footage showing his chilling take on Riddler. Jim Carrey famously played that same villain in Batman Forever, and now one fan has combined these two performances. Check it out below,

I mean, how delightful is that? The Batman looks like it’s going to be a super serious adaptation, so seeing it alongside Jim Carrey’s campy take on The Riddler is pretty bonkers. But that’s what the internet is for, and smart money says that the memes will only continue once Matt Reeves’ movie is released in March. Let’s break down what we’re being shown here.

The above video comes to us from Twitter, and is sure to quickly go viral. The footage is from the latest trailer for The Batman, but intercut with footage of Jim Carrey’s iconic performance from Batman Forever. There’s definitely a hilarious juxtaposition happening, as Robert Pattinson’s super serious narration is interrupted by Carrey’s line readings like “Does anybody feel like a fried egg?” Can we get a DC multiverse so this character pairing can happen IRL?

Gritty superhero movies have become commonplace since Christopher Nolans’ Dark Knight trilogy, with the trend definitely continuing with The Batman. But the late Joel Schumacher definitely didn’t take things too seriously with his pair of Batman movies. They both leaned heavily on camp, which is part of the reason Michael Keaton departed from playing the title character. Enter Val Kilmer.

Luckily for fans of Jim Carrey (who isn’t?), he’s once again playing a hilariously evil villain in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. The upcoming sequel will see him reprise that role, complete with an oversized mustache to twirl. I have to wonder how much his time as Riddler affected the process in creating a live-action version of Dr. Robotnik. 

As for The Batman, that movie will be in theaters before we know it, complete with Paul Dano’s Riddler. Fans are definitely eager to see the movie’s release, especially since Matt Reeves has plans for a spinoff show for HBO Max. We’ll just have to wait and see if the villain survives the movie, and is able to return to the screen.

The Batman will hit theaters on March 4th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

It’s a been a long time since we saw The Riddler in a live-action movie, with Jim Carrey previously bringing the character to life in 1995’s Batman Forever. Well, anyone’s who’s seen the trailers for The Batman knows that Prisoners’ Paul Dano will be playing a much different version of Riddler in Matt Reeves’ movie. For one thing, this take on the Caped Crusader adversary won’t be wearing his traditional green duds, but something more homemade that Dano found to be intense.

In a recent interview, Paul Dano talked about how likes that The Batman is both “grounded and big.” In his case, the former is covered by Matt Reeves partially basing this Riddler on the Zodiac Killer, while the latter naturally comes with pulling from the Batman source material, as well as Dano letting his “imagination react to the script.” This balance is also represented through Riddler’s clothing, with the actor telling Empire:

Usually when Riddler pops up in a DC Comics project, he’s either wearing a flamboyant, form-fitting outfit or dapper suit, with a question mark-adorned hat often atop his head and occasionally a domino mask on his face. For The Batman, Paul Dano’s Edward Nashton has instead donned what fans discovered last year to be to be a U.S. Military Extreme Cold Weather Mask, and a green jacket that could also be of military origin. Throw in Nashton’s glasses, and the whole ensemble is pretty unsettling.

While this look may not be faithful to how Riddler is traditionally depicted, Paul Dano felt that it did a better job of making the character appear intimidating. Similar to Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, The Batman appears to take place in a more “realistic” world, so having a serial killer Riddler running around knocking off Gotham City’s elite citizens in a green suit might not gel with the movie’s aesthetic. That being said, if Riddler makes it out of The Batman alive and returns for a sequel, maybe we could see him put on a more faithful costume to commemorate the next chapter of his supervillain journey.

Of course, Riddler won’t be the only villain present in The Batman. Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a. The Penguin, will antagonize the title protagonist, and John Turturro will appear as crime lord Carmine Falcone. Other folks joining Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne include Zoë Kravitz’s Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Jeffrey Wright’s James Gordon, Andy Serkis’ Alfred Pennyworth and Peter Sarsgaard’s Gil Colson, among others. In addition to directing the movie, Matt Reeves also worked on the script with Mattson Tomlin and Peter Craig.

The Batman swoops into theaters on March 4, 2022. We here at CinemaBlend will keep you in the loop on more updates concerning this and other upcoming DC Comics movies, including The Flash, which will feature Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton’s versions of the Dark Knight.

For half-a-century now, Steven Spielberg’s best movies have taken generations of audiences on journeys to track and kill massive sharks, put man face-to-face with aliens ranging from harmless to absolutely terrifying, and recreated some of history’s landmark moments. But, rarely has the Academy Award-winning filmmaker given us a peak at his life before he was one of the biggest names in Hollywood. 

That will all change in the very near future with the release of The Fabelmans, Spielberg’s upcoming semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama, loosely based on his childhood, starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, and multiple other famous names and rising stars. Here’s what we know so far…

The Fabelmans Is Slated For A 2022 Theatrical Release

At this time there is no exact release date for The Fabelmans, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, Universal Pictures (which is carrying the film) is eyeing a 2022 theatrical release date. Expect to hear about a more definite release window and possibly a specific date in the coming months, especially after Steven Spielberg gets through the December 10, 2021 release of his West Side Story remake. However, things quickly change in Hollywood (more so now than ever before), so be on the lookout for all the latest in the coming months.

The Fabelmans Cast Includes Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Paul Dano And Gabriel LaBelle

The group of actors that have been assembled to take part in Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical drama is impressive to say the least. Taking on the role of the character loosely based on the filmmaker himself is Gabriel LaBelle, who will play an aspiring filmmaker named Sammy Fabelman. Michelle Williams will be playing Sammy’s mother, a character inspired by Spielberg’s own mother, Leah Adler, who passed away in 2017. Paul Dano will be stepping in as a character influenced by Spielberg’s late father, Arnold Spielberg, and Seth Rogen will be portraying Sammy’s uncle, a character based on Spielberg’s favorite uncle growing up.

Other members of The Fabelmans cast include Judd Hirsch, Jeannie Berlin, and a group of talented young actors led by Once Upon a Time in Hollywood standout, Julia Butters, who will be playing Sammy Fabelman's sister, per Variety. Outside of Gabriel LaBelle’s character, none of the names have been announced at this time.

The Fabelmans Is A Coming-Of-Age Drama Loosely Based On Steven Spielberg’s Childhood In Arizona

When The Fabelmans was first revealed in March 2021 (when it was yet to be titled), Deadline reported that the semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama would be inspired by Steven Spielberg’s formative years growing up in various cities in Arizona, a time in which the one-day acclaimed filmmaker was first introduced to cinema and the art of making movies. At this point, not a lot is known about the movie’s plot and exactly how much of Spielberg’s childhood will be brought into its story, but time will tell.

With the release of The Fabelmans, audiences who have grown up with Steven Spielberg’s movies will get to see how he (or at least a character largely based on him) grew up and became the visionary filmmaker we know today. The Deadline article pointed out that Spielberg has rarely given insight into his early childhood, though he did briefly share a few stories about those days in the 2017 HBO documentary Spielberg.

• The Best Documentaries On HBO Max

Production On The Fabelmans Got Underway In July 2021

Cameras started rolling on the set of The Fabelmans in July 2021, when production kicked off in Los Angeles, according to Variety. There has not yet been any word on when or if principal photography has wrapped on what has the potential to be Steven Spielberg’s most personal movie yet, but expect to hear more news on this in the coming months. 

Steven Spielberg Co-Wrote The Fabelmans With Longtime Collaborator Tony Kushner

In addition to his duties as the director and executive producer on The Fabelmans, Steven Spielberg also co-wrote the film’s script with longtime collaborator, Pulitzer Prize and Primetime Emmy Award-winning (Angels in America the play in 1993 and the TV miniseries in 2003, respectively) screenwriter Tony Kushner. Over the years, Kushner has written two of Spielberg’s most notable releases of the 21st Century: Munich and Lincoln. The previous two times Kushner and Spielberg collaborated on a project, their films were nominated for various Academy Awards and Golden Globes, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and various other categories.

Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner also worked together on the upcoming West Side Story remake, which is surely to add even more acclaim, nominations, and possibly even awards to their impressive collaboration.

The Fabelmans Is The First Time Steven Spielberg Has Served As A Screenwriter Since A.I Artificial Intelligence In 2001

When The Fabelmans opens in theaters at some point in 2022, it will mark the first time in over 20 years that Steven Spielberg has written one of the scripts for his movies, which makes sense, considering the personal subject matter of the film’s story and inspiration. The last time Spielberg penned one of his own movies was the 2001 release of A.I. Artificial Intelligence, the long-dormant sci-fi dream project of Stanley Kubrick’s in the decades leading up to the filmmaker’s 1999 death. 

Other movies that were written by Spielberg, or at least based on a story he wrote, include The Goonies (story only), Poltergeist, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Sugarland Express (story only), Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies (story only), Amblin’, and his 1964 amateur film Firelight.

At this time, we know quite a bit about The Fabelmans, but there is still a great deal we don’t yet know regarding Steven Spielberg’s promising coming-of-age drama. This includes an exact release date, the names of some of the movie’s major characters, and when we’ll get to see a trailer of the film loosely based on the decorated filmmaker’s upbringing. And, in case you’re wondering, it has not yet been disclosed if John Williams will be stepping in to provide the score for one of the most anticipated upcoming 2022 movies. 

In the meantime, it’s never too late to check out CinemaBlend’s updated list of 2021 movie premiere dates so you don’t miss anything at your local theater or streaming at home.

Every once in a while, an indie darling with a small budget, two first-time movie directors, and a talented cast comes along and catches everyone by surprise. This happens to be the case for the 2006 family road trip comedy Little Miss Sunshine, that went on to bring in more than $100 million at the box office worldwide and earned a spot on numerous best-of lists.

At the time of the film's release, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, and Alan Arkin were already well-known actors, having appeared in countless critically acclaimed comedies and dramas over the years, but for other members of the Little Miss Sunshine cast, specifically Abigail Breslin and Paul Dano, this was their introduction to larger audiences. In the 15 years since the movie took home two Oscars and dozens of other accolades, the cast has only become more popular. Here’s everything they’ve been up to since the release of Little Miss Sunshine.

Steve Carell (Frank Ginsburg)

Steve Carell’s heartbreaking and tormented, yet hilarious, portrayal of Frank Ginsburg came at a time when the actor’s career was on the rise thanks to star-making performances in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Anchorman, and a little show by the name of The Office, which debuted just a few months before Little Miss Sunshine premiered at Sundance in January 2006.

Since playing the suicidal and unemployed Proust scholar, Steve Carell has gone on to give multiple outstanding performances in animated comedies like the Despicable Me franchise (with Minions: The Rise of Gru on the way), and outstanding dramas like Foxcatcher, The Big Short, and Vice. Over on the TV side of the spectrum, Carell has followed up his success on the The Office with leading roles on Space Force and The Morning Show.

Greg Kinnear (Richard Hoover)

By the time he took on the role of family patriarch and struggling self-help writer Richard Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine, Greg Kinnear was already an established star, having appeared in everything from Sydney Pollack’s Sabrina remake to As Good as it Gets and even Mystery Men.

In the years following his outstanding performance, Kinnear has gone on to portray John F. Kennedy on the controversial limited series The Kennedys, as well as other notable television programs like House of Cards and The Stand. Not bad for the guy who helped make Talk Soup must-watch television upon its 1991 debut on E!. Kinnear was also slated to take over the role of Atticus Finch in Aaron Sorkin’s Broadway production of To Kill a Mockingbird before New York’s theater district was shutdown due to COVID-19 in March 2020.

Toni Collette (Sheryl Hoover)

Toni Collettte’s career in show business got started long before she took on the role of Sheryl Hoover, the overworked mother that keeps the family together, in Little Miss Sunshine. Whether it be in romantic comedies like 1995’s Emma or About a Boy or horror films like The Sixth Sense, Collette had built up a nice track record for herself by the time 2006 came around. But, that was really just the beginning.

In the years following the Academy Award-winning comedy, Toni Collette has gone on to appear in everything from modern horror classics like Hereditary and Krampus, to big-budget action flicks like xXx: Return of Xander Cage. More recently, Collette has stolen scenes in films like Knives Out and I’m Thinking of Ending Things as well as the truly inspirational Dream Horse.

Paul Dano (Dwayne Hoover)

Paul Dano had a few roles — most notably The Emperor’s Club and The Girl Next Door — by the time he was cast as Dwayne Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine, but his portrayal of a tormented youth on a speaking strike helped introduce the talented actor to a much larger audience. In the years following, Dano gave out-of-this-world performances on in movies like Being Flynn, 12 Years A Slave, Prisoners, and There Will Be Blood.

In 2022, Paul Dano plays the Riddler in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, giving fans of the DC Comics character a less cartoonish version of one of the Dark Knight’s most notorious enemies. Dano will also appear in the Adam Sandler-led sci-fi drama Spaceman at some point in the near future.

Abigail Breslin (Olive Hooper)

Abigail Breslin’s career was just getting started when she joined the Little Miss Sunshine cast as Oliver Hooper, the young girl whose dream of being in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant led her family to make the unforgettable journey to California. Following her breakout role, Breslin went on to play supporting roles in No Reservations and Definitely, Maybe before landing one of the lead roles in the 2009 zombie comedy Zombieland, which was then followed by two more undead movies: Maggie and Zombieland: Double Tap.

The horror genre has become one Abigail Breslin has returned to time and time again throughout her career, with movies like Final Girl and Freak Show, as well as the horror-comedy series Scream Queens from 2015 to 2016.

Alan Arkin (Edwin Hoover)

While other members of the Little Miss Sunshine cast were relatively unknown or not known by mainstream audiences upon its release, that is far from the case for Alan Arkin. In a movie that won Arkin an Oscar, the Hollywood legend took on the role of Edwin Hoover, Olive’s grandfather and coach whose death by heroin overdose led to some of the movie’s most shocking yet hilarious moments.

In the years following the release of Little Miss Sunshine, Alan Arkin has gone on to give great performances in movies like Argo, Going in Style, and the Netflix original series The Kominsky Method, though he departed prior to the show’s third and final season. Arkin will next voice a character in 2022’s Minions: The Rise of Gru.

Bryan Cranston (Stan Grossman)

Looking back on Little Miss Sunshine, some might find it strange that Bryan Cranston, one of the biggest actors of the modern era, would have such a small role in the 2006 comedy, but you have to remember that this is before Breaking Bad took the world by storm. Cranston appears as Stan Grossman, Richard Hoover’s prospective business partner who finally tells the struggling life coach he is a failure and should pursue something else.

Prior to landing the small yet pivotal role, Bryan Cranston was mostly known from his time on Seinfeld and Malcolm in the Middle or small roles in the Saving Private Ryan cast. In two years, however, Cranston would be on his way to becoming a three-time Emmy winner, a Golden Globe recipient, and one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood.

Beth Grant (Pageant Official Jenkins)

Standing between Olive Hoover and her dreams of competing in the beauty pageant in Little Miss Sunshine is an official played by Beth Grant. The character actress, who had appeared in everything from Rain Man to Donnie Darko before appearing in the 2006 comedy, has gone on to show up in dozens upon dozens of movies and TV shows over the years including King of the Hill, The X-Files, The Office, and Grey’s Anatomy. She most recently appeared in the b-movie heaven that was Willy’s Wonderland.

Wallace Langham (Kirby)

Kirby, the sympathetic hired hand who makes sure Olive makes it into the pageant in Little Miss Sunshine was played by Wallace Langham, whose career includes everything from small roles in Weird Science to the controversial Netflix documentary Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal. Langham also played David Hodges on the original CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, a role he will reprise on CSI: Vegas in fall 2021.

Matt Winston (Pageant MC)

Matt Winson, who briefly appears as the MC at the beauty pageant in Little Miss Sunshine, has quite the history in show business. Not only has he appeared in movies like A.I. Artificial Intelligence and Zodiac, as well as shows like Scrubs, Six Feet Under, and Friends, but he is also the son of the late special effects icon Stan Winston, and even worked with his dad as a puppeteer during the production of Jurassic Park.

Dean Norris (State Trooper McCleary)

Dean Norris has made a career out of playing members of various law enforcement agencies over the years, with his most recognizable being that of DEA Agent and Walter White’s brother-in-law, Hank Schrader, on Breaking Bad. But, just before that, Norris played State Trooper McCleary, the offical who’s more preoccupied by porn magazines than Edwin Hoover’s dead body in the back of the family van, in Little Miss Sunshine.

Mary Lynn Rajskub (Pageant Assistant Pam)

Mary Lynn Rajskub portrays Pam, the pageant assistant who can’t get enough of Olive’s routine, in Little Miss Sunshine. Over the years, Rajskub has appeared in comedies like Sweet Home Alabama and Julie & Julia as well as numerous TV shows like Mr. Show, The Larry Sanders Show, and, most notably, 24. Rajskub most recently appeared in the Amazon sci-fi action thriller The Tomorrow War.

As you can see, the Little Miss Sunshine cast (from the leads down to the smallest of roles) are a busy bunch and it looks like it will be that way for quite some time. To find out when you will see them next, check out CinemaBlend’s list of all the 2021 movie premiere dates.

The last time The Riddler was the villain in a live-action Batman movie was in 1995’s Batman Forever, with Jim Carrey deliver a goofy version of the character reminiscent of Frank Gorshin’s Riddler from the 1960s Batman TV series. Paul Dano’s version of The Riddler, on the other hand, will be anything but goofy, as Matt Reeves’ The Batman has reimagined the supervillain through a serial killer lens. As such, he won’t be wearing anything remotely like his classic comics look, but that doesn’t mean we can’t imagine Dano’s Riddler wearing more stylish threads.

Comic book movie fans love to share fan art, and Instagram user jaxsonderr decided to share a mock-up they created with of how Paul Dano might look with the classic Riddler suit, bowler hat and question mark cane. See for yourself!

If Matt Reeves had decided to go down a more straightforward route with adapting Riddler, then I could imagine Paul Dano wearing something like this. While the character used to frequently wear a green, question mark-covered body suit, nowadays he wisely sticks with the dapper green suit in the comics and various other adaptations. However, we won’t be getting this in The Batman, so if you want a live-action Riddler with this kind of look from recent years, check out Cory Michael Smith’s version in Gotham.

Paul Dano’s Riddler is instead rocking a more basic, yet creepier look for The Batman, from that dark green jacket to what appears to be US Military Extreme Cold Weather Mask. This is clearly a Riddler who’s prioritizing function over fashion, and since he’s giving off major Zodiac Killer-like vibes, he’s definitely appears more intimidating. Still, if Dano reprises Riddler in a sequel to The Batman, maybe we could see him wear something more faithful to his traditional look.

In any case, when getting any version of The Riddler, the most important thing is the riddles themselves, and Paul Dano’s version, who goes by Edward Nashton in this continuity, will be providing plenty of those. Fans have already solved the riddle from the first trailer for The Batman, and while we’ll have to wait and see what other brain teasers he’s given to the Dark Knight and the Gotham City Police Department, they’ll help him stand out from the gloomy metropolis’ common criminal element.

While Riddler will be The Batman’s main antagonist, he won’t be the only notable Caped Crusader adversary causing trouble, as we’ll also spend time with Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman, Colin Farrell’s Penguin and John Turturro’s Carmine Falcone. The Batman’s cast also includes Robert Pattinson as the eponymous protagonist, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth and Peter Sarsgaard as Gil Colson, among others. Along with directing the feature, Reeves co-wrote the screenplay with Mattson Tomlin and Peter Craig.

The Batman casts its shadow in theaters on March 4, 2022, and there’s also a GCPD spinoff series in development for HBO Max. As always, stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on upcoming DC Comics movies.

What was once seen as a source of humor for Adam Sandler’s detractors has become a source of joy for the actor/comedian, as his continuing relationship with Netflix is as strong as ever. His next project for the platform, the sci-fi movie Spaceman, has been proving that as of late, with none other than Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan recently joining the cast. And now, The Big Bang Theory icon Kunal Nayyar is one of the new cast members looking to enter the domain of the Sandman.

Kunal Nayyar’s casting was reported by Deadline, along with some other interesting additions to Spaceman’s moviemaking crew. Joining the sitcom star is The Batman actor Paul Dano, who, in addition to being a Netflix alum himself through Bong Joon-Ho’s Okja, is also reuniting with Carey Mulligan. The two had previously worked together on Dano’s directorial debut, Wildlife; and all three actors are newcomers to the Happy Madison universe.

Riding the high of the success that was Hubie Halloween, as well as the anticipation of his similarly star-studded Netflix film Hustle, Adam Sandler continues to enlist some huge talent into his films. Between the films we’ve just mentioned, as well as Spaceman, the likes of Paul Dano, Carey Mulligan and Kunal Nayyar are now part of the same roster that includes June Squibb, Robert Duvall, Queen Latifah and Ben Foster. We might actually be hitting the era of peak streaming Sandler, folks; and it’s a wild ride.

Spaceman takes its story from Jaroslav Kalfar’s novel Spaceman of Bohemia, which will send Adam Sandler to the farthest reaches of space. What starts as collecting ancient star stuff turns into what could be a buddy picture, as an eternal being is following Sandler, and his craft, pretty closely. So there’s already a lot of potential for funny voices, but also touching moments that might make you cry.

Naturally, Spaceman’s latest casting announcement hasn’t given any specifics about who Kunal Nayyar or Paul Dano could be playing. Nor is there anything new about Carey Mulligan’s part to be played either. At this point, it’s a good hunch that one of these three actors will be playing the creature that Adam Sandler becomes friends with; and we’re not quite sure where our money should be yet.

While Adam Sandler movies aren’t critic proof, they certainly to attract fans and actors alike whenever a new one rolls around. As Spaceman doesn’t have a release date just yet, we’re going to have to wait and see what happens with this cinematic roll of the Sandlerverse dice.

While Steven Spielberg as recognized as one of the most impressive genre-diverse filmmakers of all time, there are some themes that can be viewed as connective tissue between his projects, and a prominent one is issues with father figures. From E.T. The Extraterrestrial, to Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, to Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, there are many movies made by Spielberg that explore those kinds of relationships. It's with that context in mind that we are particularly fascinated that Paul Dano is now set to join the director's next project, as the actor is set to play a fictionalized version of Spielberg's own father in what has been described as a semi-autobiographical movie.

Steven Spielberg is set to make the untitled film has a follow-up to his upcoming remake of the musical West Side Story, and in recent weeks it has been getting some incredibly talented actors to sign on. The first star cast was Michelle Williams, who is on-board to play a fictionalized version of the director's mother, and a few weeks ago it was announced that Seth Rogen has made a deal to play a version of Spielberg's favorite uncle when he was growing up. Now The Hollywood Reporter is saying that Dano is set to participate as well.

Interestingly, Amblin Partners – which is behind the film – seems to be taking extra steps to ensure that movie-fans don't get the wrong idea and think that Dano's performance entirely represents what Steven Spielberg's father was like. In a statement to the trade, the company wrote that the character will be presented "with a separate and original voice."

Arnold Spielberg, who passed away last August at the age of 103, was a massively influential figure in young Steven Spielberg's life, and provided his son with an 8mm camera that inspired the future director's love of filmmaking. As noted in the trade, the filmmaker's mother and father got a divorce when he was young, and it "strained the relationship" with his son.

While Paul Dano has had the opportunity to work with some fantastic directors in his career, including Paul Thomas Anderson, Steve McQueen, Bong Joon Ho, Jon Favreau, and Rian Johnson, this will be the first time that the actor has had the opportunity to work with Steven Spielberg (though they do share a credit as the filmmaker was an executive producer on Cowboys And Aliens). Audiences actually haven't seen Dano in theaters in a few years, as he's been working on small screen material – like the miniseries Escape At Dannemora and War & Piece – and making Netflix movies like Okja and the upcoming The Guilty, but that drought will end early next year.

We don't know a whole lot about his role in the plot of the film, but the next time we see Paul Dano on the big screen he will be portraying Edward Nashton/The Riddler in Matt Reeves' The Batman. We may not see much of his face, as it appears that the character has a habit of wrapping his head in duct tape, but that frankly only makes us more excited to see what he does with the mysterious character.

Though West Side Story isn't set to be released until December 10, 2021 (after originally being a part of the 2020 schedule), Steven Spielberg will be starting work on his semi-autobiographical film this summer, and the plan is to have it come out some time in 2022.

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Over the past year countless movies were pushed back as a result either closed theaters or delayed sets. But one blockbuster that's still been worked on in the midst of global health issues is Matt Reeves' The Batman. The virtual DC Fandome released the first limited footage, and fans are eager for any glimpse into this new version of Gotham City. And now we've got a new look at Paul Dano's Riddler thanks to... soda bottles?

The first teaser for The Batman broke the internet when it arrived, and showed off Matt Reeves' pulled back vision for Robert Pattinson's character and his various supporting characters. Paul Dano's Riddler was shown rocking a far more toned down costume, and heavily using duct tape on his various victims. Now a new look at the character's villain costume, thanks to some upcoming Mountain Dew designs. Check it out.

Well, hello Riddler. It looks like Paul Dano's look as the beloved DC villain will have a few iterations throughout The Batman's runtime. The image seen above shows what is likely the final transformation, as he becomes a bonafide supervillain. And it's a bold, exciting take on the character.

The above image comes to us from Twitter, and seemingly reveals the design for a Mountain Dew flavor that'll be released in conjunction with the theatrical release of The Batman. Obviously that date has been pushed back to 2022, and as a result so has the special soda flavors. But that hasn't stopped a promotional image of Riddler from finding its way onto the internet.

After The Batman hits theaters, Matt Reeves will also be working on a spinoff series for HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

While this finished look hasn't been confirmed by Matt Reeves or anyone else involved with The Batman, this image of Riddler certainly looks like a natural progression from the limited footage we were shown in the teaser. It just looks more elevated, with brighter colors. We'll just have to wait and see if the look changes at all in post, and if this bit of merchandise indeed reveal ed the villain's final costume.

The hype for The Batman has been steadily growing since Matt Reeves got the project out of development hell and started assembling a cast and crew. There's some A-list talent attached to occupy Gotham City, including Paul Dano's Riddler. Joining him and Robert Pattinson are Zoe Kravitz and Colin Farrell as Catwoman and Penguin respectively. The killer ensemble is rounded out by Andy Serkis, Paul Dano, and Peter Sarsgaard.

Not much is known about The Batman, but Matt Reeves set his solo flick early in the title character's career as a vigilante. It looks like the trio of villains will rise as a result of his efforts to keep Gotham City safe, chief among them being Riddler. Fans are also eager to see Colin Farrell's Penguin, as the actor is wearing extensive prothesis to transform into the character.

The Batman is currently set to arrive in theaters on March 4th, 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.

Although only 25% of The Batman has been shot so far, there was enough footage to put together a captivating first trailer that premiered at DC FanDome. Included in the preview was our first look at Paul Dano’s Riddler, who lacks the character’s traditional green, question mark-covered suit and instead wears a get-up that’s basic, yet ironically more menacing.

It didn’t take long for a fan to solve The Riddler’s riddle from The Batman trailer, and now there’s some decent speculation for why Paul Dano’s version of the character is dressed the way he is. Take a look below:

So rather than Paul Dano’s Edward Nashton designing an intimidating mask completely from scratch, it’s something that exists in real life and is used by the U.S. military, though you can see that Nashton is wearing glasses so he can see clearly, and presumably he's made some other modifications. In a follow-up tweet, user Nick Derington also speculated that Riddler’s jacket could also be of military origin. Are you sensing a pattern here?

So taking all this into account, does this mean that The Batman’s Riddler has a military past? After all, comedian and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. guest star Patton Oswalt once speculated that Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight was a military intelligence operative specializing in interrogation before becoming a criminal mastermind, so maybe Edward Nashton has seen combat too. It’s possible, but if the jacket and mask can be found at an army surplus store, then I suspect it’s more plausible that Nashton acquired them from there as he was putting together his terrorist look.

It’s unclear if Paul Dano’s Riddler will don a more traditional costume during The Batman, but not only does is this current look pretty intimidating, it’s also a much better wardrobe choice if you’re wanting to leave as little evidence behind as possible. Just because Riddler leaves clues behind to taunt Batman and the Gotham City Police Department about forthcoming crimes doesn’t mean he wants them to track him down with a fingerprint, DNA sample, etc.

Even assuming we know the source of Riddler’s creepy fashion choices in The Batman, there’s still a lot we don’t know about this version of the character. His messages of “No more lies” and justice turning a blind eye indicates he’s displeased with the corruption in Gotham City and is targeting public leaders as a result, but it’s unclear what specifically pushes him to become a murderer and what his grander scheme is. But hey, mystery and The Riddler go together like peanut butter and chocolate, so at least there’s consistency.

On the slim chance you haven’t seen The Batman trailer, or just want to take it in one more time, give it a watch below.

Along with Paul Dano’s Riddler serving as The Batman’s main antagonist, fellow Batman rogues Catwoman, played by Zoe Kravitz, and Penguin, played by Colin Farrell, also factor into the narrative. The rest of The Batman’s main cast includes Robert Pattinson as the eponymous protagonist, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, Peter Sarsgaard as Gil Colson and Jayme Lawson as Bella Reál. Matt Reeves directed the movie and co-wrote the script with Mattson Tomlin.

The Batman casts its shadow on theaters on October 1, 2021, so keep checking in with CinemaBlend for more updates on how it’s progressing, and look through our DC movies guide to learn what other DC cinematic fare is on the way.