Seth Rogen has been bringing the comedy in a big way for over two decades, but over the past year he’s really stood out in a new way, setting Emmy records with The Studio, not to mention The Muppet Show TV special he delighted us with this year. Next up he’ll appear in The Invite, which Olivia Wilde both directs and stars in, and as reviews hit ahead of its release on the 2026 movie calendar, I’m surprised to see it sporting a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score (as of this writing).

Is it shocking to me that Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz are capable of such a rating? Not at all, but scores this high are hard to come by these days for any filmmaking ensemble. Even the critically lauded Toy Story 5 is ranked lower than The Invite at 92%. The year’s biggest shocker Obsession, which is doing unprecedented things at the box office, has 94%. So if that’s the bar that’s been set, what exactly do The Invite reviews say?

Alex Godfrey of Empire rates the movie 4 stars out of 5, warning that it’s not a date movie. As tense and funny as it is, The Invite is also “a sad, incisive, brilliantly drawn study of a failing marriage.” The critic says:

Kate Erbland of IndieWire gives it a B+, saying that Olivia Wilde is fully in control here, balancing the big laughs from the awkward dinner party teased in the trailer with the heartbreaking moments, all while surprising the audience at every turn. Erbland cannot overstate how much fun it is to watch The Invite in a crowded theater, so please, she says: Accept this invite. The critic continues:

Joey Magidson of Awards Radar says that “Olivia Wilde directs the hell out of” the upcoming A24 movie, giving a talky comedy a real visual style. It’s smart and profound but also “a laugh riot.” The quartet of actors are doing top-tier work, Magidson says, rating The Invite 3.5 out of 4 stars and writing:

Siddhant Adlakha of IGN gives it a “Great” 8 out of 10, praising Olivia Wilde’s achievement and joining other critics in saying it’s one of the best of the year. Adlakha’s review of The Invite reads:

Several of the reviews I’ve read had small quibbles, particularly with The Invite’s third act, but because the critics find the overall product so impressive, they’re willing to overlook some things. Jacob Oller of AV Club is a tad less forgiving, giving the movie a B-, writing:

Despite the critiques from the AV Club critic, however, he says Olivia Wilde’s directorial control of her ensemble keeps the awkward dinner party moving through its clunkier courses.

After reading Olivia Wilde’s comments on how sex is portrayed in movies — and her promise that The Invite would be “irreverent” and “playful” — I was expecting the “fun” but possibly not the depth that critics say her direction brings to the movie.

I’m definitely interested in checking out this highly rated film, and we don’t have long to wait, as The Invite hits theaters on Friday, June 26.

The Bride! is one of those 2026 movie releases that a lot of audiences missed in theaters but may check out now that it’s streaming at home. Maggie Gyllenhaal's dark romance flick divided critics and sadly lost millions at the box office. Still, I say it's definitely worth a watch. Now, in honor of the film's arrival on HBO Max, I'm reviving CinemaBlend's chat with the cast about Christian Bale’s notable role as Frankenstein’s monster, including one of his most eclectic attributes.

Christian Bale's Frankenstein Transformation Shocked His Co-Stars

Just ahead of The Bride’s release back in February, CB had the chance to speak with all the big stars in the movie along with writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal. More specifically, when we chatted with Penelope Cruz and Peter Sarsgaard about their first time seeing Bale as the iconic monster, Cruz said this:

The Oscar-winning actress had a good idea of what Jessie Buckley was going to look like as the modern take on the titular character from the 1935 The Bride of Frankenstein movie. However, Cruz was amazed by the person in front of her when Bale came out in full costume, and I can understand her feelings. As for Sarsgaard, he had this to say:

Needless to say, both Sarsgaard and Cruz had their observations when Bale appeared before them in costume. You can check out their comments in the interview clip below:

In the movie, Sarsgaard takes on role of Jake Wiles, a police detective, while Cruz plays his assistant, Myrna Malloy. Throughout the film, both characters pursue The Bride and “Frank”. All in all, Frank proves to be quite an interesting character -- right alongside the film's titular protagonist -- and there's one quirk that really needs to be discussed.

Why Is Christian Bale's Version OF Frankenstein’s Monster Such A Big Movie Buff?

Aside from Christian Bale’s electrifying transformation as the famed movie monster, I was really moved by his take on the brute in smaller respects. Something that really caught my eye was the imposing character's obsession with going to the theaters and watching films. Here’s what Bale told us about this unique piece of the beloved creature's characterization:

It’s a great point, and this is an element I never thought viewers would get in a new adaptation of Frankenstein. As the actor added:

This cerebral kind of thinking is what makes Bale one of the most thoughtful actors of his generation. And, of course, credit goes to Maggie Gyllenhaal for molding this iteration of the monster. When we sat down with Bale, he also shared his thoughts on The Bride! being a love story and what’s going on with the movie’s ending. Check out our conversation with the Academy Award winner below:

There've been a lot of versions of Frankenstein’s monster over the years, but it’s pretty special to see the Batman actor put his spin on it in a story that focuses on him getting a companion in The Bride! Christian Bale clearly went all out on the role between the physical transformation and thinking deeply about what it would be like to be a lonely monster in 1936 Chicago. This certainly won’t be the last Frankenstein adaptation, but it's my hope that Bale's version will be held in high regard as the years go on.

Do yourself a favor by checking out Bale's stellar work in The Bride! now. It's a fun film, and it has cult status written all over it.

Alongside such literary icons as Sherlock Holmes, Hamlet, and James Bond, one of the most oft-adapted characters for live-action (and otherwise) is the anatomical monstrosity simply known as Frankenstein’s monster. Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel has proven to be a seemingly unstoppable inspiration over the last 116 years, starting in the silent era with J. Searle Dawley’s Frankenstein, with James Whale’s 1931 adaptation and its 1935 sequel Bride of Frankenstein viewed as the true classic iterations. But only because 1930s audiences didn’t get to meet Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride.

If they had, they likely wouldn’t have known how to handle themselves around the whirlwind of Jessie Buckley’s constantly in-motion character, who adopts several different personas throughout the movie. She’s a gangster moll, a supernatural totem to feminism, and an extension of our current understanding of Mary Shelley’s radical (for the time) philosophies and motivations. She’s never only any one of these things, but rather an all-encompassing force to be reckoned with by those who adore her, fear her and wish her dead.

No one feels more strongly about the Bride than Christian Bale’s creature, who has lived a covered-up existence on the fringes of society, with the pangs of loneliness becoming increasingly louder with time. To seek his ultimate mate, he visits Annette Bening’s Dr. Euphronious, a more empathetic and level-headed “mad” scientist in place of Ernest Thesiger’s more clearly antagonistic Dr. Pretorius from The Bride of Frankenstein. Everyone gets far more than they bargained for (audiences included) when this resurrected coupling tears loose.

Maggie Gyllenhaal had more to bring to the screen than just a monster movie remake, and it’s impossible to nail down exactly what the finished product is. “A darkly hilarious true crime monster movie” comes close, but isn’t quite enough. Maybe it’s best to just say The Bride! is a motherf--king masterpiece.

The Bride! pays loving tribute to a wide array of Frankenstein-centric fiction.

While not a direct take on the Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester-starring The Bride of Frankenstein, The Bride! does draw from certain story beats and themes, including the initial conceit of Mary Shelley herself being the character who kicks the narrative off (also played by Buckley). Instead of narrating objectively from the background, Shelley instead injects her raging spirit into the body of the somewhat able, and mostly non-willing host Ida. She goes so far as to use the term "possession," and it's an apt one.

The Bride! is not beholden to its two most obvious pieces of source material , however, and it almost surreally incorporates an inspired assortment of nods to the Monster's pop culture impact as a whole. Without being so exhaustive as a spoof movie in that respect, Gyllenhaal still weaves a surprising number of on-the-busted-nose references into some of this film’s most vital scenes, and such moments left me downright giddy. It’s like when modern Batman stories make sure the infamous Shark Repellant used by Adam West’s Caped Crusade is featured in the background somewhere.

From more obvious projects like Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein to more cult-level films like Frankenhooker, this movie celebrates them all. Was I disappointed to not see anyone eating Frankenberry cereal at a breakfast table? Certainly – though I’m willing to concede that it happened when I wasn’t looking. The love for this universe’s lore carries on right into the credits’ familiar ditty.

Christian Bale is a surprisingly charming and sympathetic monster, but this is Jessie Buckley’s movie from the first minute to the last.

As both Patrick Bateman and Batman — him again? — Christian Bale exuded the same amount of ego through two very different prisms, and his performance in The Bride! comes from the opposite end of that self-confidence spectrum, albeit with similar inclinations to use violence as a means to an end. He is the Monster, after all, so all he's ever been seen as is a freakish outsider when he's not fleeing torch-wielding mobs.

All he's really looking for is a friend to share his interests, the biggest of which is a long-gestating obsession with the singing-and-dancing Hollywood megastar Ronnie Reed, as portrayed by a most debonaire Jake Gyllenhaal. Reed's movies are the buoy that stops Frank from hitting rock bottom, both emotionally and physically, and there's a natural desire to see him get what he wants, even knowing that it will result in a wave of murderous mayhem. Despite so many past iterations out there, Bale's Frank is a beast all his own, inspiring laughter, longing and horror in equal doses.

But let's not beat around the bush(y hair) here. Jessie Buckley could have been acting opposite babies and tennis balls on strings, or opposite the greatest actors of the past 116 years, and The Bride! would still be her movie through and through. As Mary Shelley, the actress is cynical, patronizing and proud, strengthened in those scenes by Maggie Gyllenhaal's black-and-white camerawork, which utilizes shadowy filmmaking tricks from horror cinema's earliest days.

As Ida, both before and after her death and resurrection, Buckley bounces from charismatic to vulnerable with an almost childlike temperament. It's in part due to her loss of memory, which Frank is happy to replace with his manufactured version of their relationship details. I'll let you guess how well that goes in the long run.

The best of all worlds comes when Mary's vindictive spirit takes over Ida's broken brain, causing her to sporadically rattle off at the mouth with rhyming streams of consciousness as one accent morphs into another from across the pond. All the awards buzz that Buckley has earned for Hamnet will not fade away once The Bride! has been awakened.

Ida’s kinetic journey veers down a trail of brutal and influential justice across the country, Bonnie Parker-style.

Not that this movie solely hinges on just those two characters' multi-leveled performances. Once The Bride! brings Frank and Ida together (with Mary), the story shifts in part from creature feature to crime spree thriller. Ida's unlawful connections to Chicago mobster Lupino, which lead to her corporeal conclusion, return to haunt her after Dr. Euphronious brings her back, resulting in a shocking act of violence that cements their fate as fugitives and sets up a dangerous precedent for the rest of the movie.

Enter Detective Jake Wiles (Peter Sarsgaard), whose partner Myrna Mallow (Penélope Cruz) is more adept in every way, despite not being given the proper consideration for earning the badge. The amount of times she has to defensively stand up for herself amidst seas of male cops would be comical if it wasn't 100% drawn from reality. In that way, Myrna's journey works in conjunction with Ida's, as she and Wiles both have reasons to not pursue the pair of monstrous murderers making national headlines.

Frank and Ida easily share space with Natural Born Killers' Mickey and Mallory as sensational cults of personality whose anti-establishment views are embraced by others regardless of their more malicious actions. Perhaps the more pointed comparison would involve the aforementioned film's own inspiration, real-life criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, though The Bride! very pointedly makes sure to ground the public influence in Ida's "I am woman, hear me roar" vibes as opposed to glorifying murders.

Really, everything about this movie works for me. Buckley's hair and black-stained makeup are instantly iconic. The choreography and dance numbers are energetic and never out of place. The way Frank's love of the movies becomes a visual storytelling element is bizarre and magical. Cruz and Sarsgaard are magnetic enough to lead their own two-hander spinoff. (Possibly chasing an invisible man...?)

From the first second to the last, however, the biggest share of the accolades have to go to Maggie Gyllenhaal. From bringing the Riot Grrrl energy to showcasing the unflinching violence to spinning a remotely plausible love story with these two misbegotten souls, the filmmaker pulls off a tour de force with her second feature that won't easily be replicated.

Through all my praise, I know The Bride! isn't for everyone. And to those who speak the loudest against it: watch out for splinters while holding those torches and pitchforks all day long.

Johnny Depp was once one of the biggest movie stars in the world. However, following a pair of major legal battles the actor’s career had once appeared to be completely over. He’s recently been working on a comeback, however, and if recent rumors are to be believed, he could be on the verge of a major return in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Johnny Depp’s Biggest Movie Since His Legal Battles Is On The Way

Johnny Depp is currently working on the film Day Drinker, which will be the actor’s highest profile movie since his lengthy legal battle with ex Amber Heard. He’ll co-star alongside Penelope Cruz, who publicly defended Depp. And an unnamed source recently told InTouch Weekly that the actor is looking to return to his previous level of success, saying…

Of course, for Johnny Depp to have a “full” return to his former glory, as the unnamed source suggests here, that’s going to mean a return to major blockbuster movies. And surprisingly, according to some reports that may actually be happening.

Could Johnny Depp Return For Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 After All?

The Pirates of the Caribbean movies have been some of the most successful live-action films Disney has made outside of Marvel and Star Wars. A sixth movie in the franchise seemed like a sure thing, but following Johnny Depp’s legal troubles, the decision was made to reboot the franchise without him.

There have been multiple scripts in development in the last few years. A project that would have starred Margot Robbie was considered, but has reportedly been shelved., However, most recently, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who has not hidden his desire to keep Depp involved, revealed that there are two scripts for a new Pirates movie currently in development, and one of them would have Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow returning.

What’s more, a story from Express indicates that Depp is in “advanced” negotiations with Disney for a return. While we have to take this report with a grain of salt, if it’s true, it would seem that not only is Johnny Depp’s return to the Pirates franchise possible, it’s actually becoming likely.

It would certainly be a major shift for Disney. The studio has continually insisted that the franchise was moving on from Captain Jack Sparrow. Jerry Bruckheimer had indicated he’d been unable to secure so much as a cameo for Depp in a future Pirates movie.

Of course, nothing will be official until we hear it from Disney. A new Pirates of the Caribbean movie being officially confirmed will be big news, and the inclusion, or lack thereof, of Johnny Depp will be a big part of the ensuing conversation.

It’s been almost three years since Olivia Wilde’s viral and buzz-worthy film, Don't Worry Darling (and the drama attached to it), premiered, and now, she’s gearing up for her next big-hitting directorial entry. The Invite seemingly meets at the intersection of adult comedy, offbeat relationship material with vulnerable and intimate details sewn throughout. And if that wasn't enough, the ensemble cast was revealed to be filled with plenty of recognizable names leading the pack.

The future project, which is one of several that Wilde is currently invested in, is based on Cesc Gay's Spanish film Sentimental, and was adapted for U.S. audiences by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, per Variety. As the wheels start rolling for the coming title, she'll pop up in the upcoming 2025 movie I Want Your Sex from Gregg Araki, and has already played a version of herself in director mode on Seth Rogen’s The Studio (which hit the 2025 TV schedule in March). But the newest addition sounds like something that could rival her 2022 flick.

Olivia Wilde's Next Movie Is About 'Unexplored Sexuality'

With Booksmart and Don’t Worry Darling under her belt, Wilde continues to push what genres she opts for, while majorly centering female stories. The filmmaker and actress have also made her opinions abundantly clear about her feelings about female directors in Hollywood–she’s not one to play it safe. And, by the sounds of this movie, she’s staying on brand with the promise of ‘unexplored sexuality.’

The following official, but general synopsis of the coming adaptation of the Cesc Gay directed title describes a normal neighborly event taking an unexpected, explicit turn:

While the teaser is overall vague, production has begun in Los Angeles with FilmNation Entertainment producing. (The studio most recently backed Sean Baker’s Anora and the papal thriller Conclave.) But what has me most jazzed about Wilde’s next endeavor is who she landed to round out the cast.

She's Cast Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz And More To Lead Her Project

The main quartet, including the movie’s director, to fill out the sexually driven The Invite, is as follows:

• Olivia Wilde
• Seth Rogen
• Penélope Cruz
• Edward Norton

What a knockout cast! All are dynamic enough performers to easily blur a couple of lines, so I’m pleased to say the least! I’m going to assume, from the brief overview and these leads, it seems like Wilde and Rogen may be one couple, with Cruz and Norton playing the other, but that could be backwards.

Even though it’s wildly reflective of the star power she had for her sophomore project, just the thought of this foursome emits some good vibes. (Though not necessarily the kind provoked by Rogen’s more notorious habit.)

At the time of this posting, there’s no public projected premiere date, but each of these celebs has plenty going on as they begin filming. As mentioned, Wilde showed up as one of The Studio's impressive cameos–Seth Rogen’s streaming satire (available with an Apple TV subscription). Meanwhile, Norton’s been taking it easy since his work in his Oscar-nominated role for A Complete Unknown. And after Cruz’s appearance in Ferrari, she shifted gears into The Bride! I’m excited to see this unlikely foursome team up to take on this quirky comedy.

Hopefully we'll hear even more casting updates for this Wilde movie soon. I'd say don't worry, darling, but it's probably too early for pet names.

Ferrari has been a long time coming for Michael Mann. The director reportedly started looking into adapting Brock Yates’ 1991 book Enzo Ferrari — The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine back at the turn of the 21st century, and not only did he lose Christian Bale as the lead in 2016, but his replacement Hugh Jackman dropped out in 2022. At long last Ferrari, starring Adam Driver, premiered on August 31 at Venice Film Festival, and those who were able to screen the movie are weighing in on Mann’s longtime passion project. 

As can be expected from Michael Mann, Ferrari features an A-list cast, and along with Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari, we will see Penélope Cruz as his wife, Shailene Woodley as his longtime mistress, a white-haired Patrick Dempsey, Sarah Gadon, and Jack O'Connell. The critics seem split following the film’s Venice premiere, so let’s take a look at what they have to say. 

Critics Praise Michael Mann’s Ferrari As ‘High-Intensity’ And ‘Impactful’ 

David Rooney of THR says Adam Driver brings gravitas and intellect to his character, and Penélope Cruz provides passion in this “turbo-charged portrait.” The critic writes: 

Stephanie Zacharek of Time says Michael Mann’s first flick since 2015’s Black Hat zooms along with sleek energy, and it’s exactly what you’d expect from the “vigorous” filmmaker. Zacharek also notes the movie’s masculinity, writing: 

Siddhant Adlakha of Mashable calls the biopic “scattered but impactful,” creating a deft balance between the comedic and tragic. Adlakha commends Adam Driver’s performance, noting the subtlety he brings to character. In the critic’s words: 

Not all of the critics had such a positive experience with Michael Mann's Ferrari, however.

Others Call Ferrari ‘Unessential’ And Point Out Unauthentic Italian Accents 

Jane Crowther of GamesRadar rates the movie 3 stars out of 5, saying the film feels “unessential and uncharacteristic.” While still classically rendered, Crowther writes that Ferrari lacks a certain something under the hood to make it fly. In the critic’s words: 

Nicholas Barber of BBC says Ferrari is “stuck in the slow lane,” also noting that the Italian accents delivered by non-Italian actors is something that “probably should have been confined to a Super Mario Bros movie.” Barber continues: 

The critics can’t come to a consensus on this one, but it’s worth noting that the positive-leaning assessments admitted to Ferrari having faults, and the negative-leaning critics all found some good in the movie. If this Adam Driver-led biopic from Michael Mann is one you’re looking forward to, you’ve unfortunately still got a while before its December 25 release to theaters. In the meantime, take a look at our 2023 movie release schedule to see what else is coming to the big screen.

2021 wasn't quite the "back to normal" year at the movies that we were all hoping it would be, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. If nothing else, most of the 2022 Oscar nominees were at the very least released in actual movie theaters. And 2021 was a solid year for movies with strong contenders expected to do well tonight including The Power of the Dog, West Side Story and Dune.

While this year's Academy Awards broadcast will be dealing with some degree of controversy following the decision to not give out all the Oscars live, it should nonetheless be an interesting show. Follow along with us live as we update the list below as the awards are given out.

Best Picture

• Belfast
• CODA
• Don't Look Up
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story

Best Directing

• Belfast, Kenneth Branagh
• Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi
• Licorice Pizza, Paul Thomas Anderson
• The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion
• West Side Story, Steven Spielberg

Best Actress In A Leading Role

• Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
• Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers
• Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos
• Kristen Stewart, Spencer

Best Actor In A Leading Role

• Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos
• Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
• Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick... BOOM!
• Will Smith, King Richard
• Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Best Actress In A Supporting Role

• Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter
• Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
• Judi Dench, Belfast
• Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
• Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard

Best Actor In A Supporting Role

• Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
• Troy Kotsur, CODA
• Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog
• J.K Simmons, Being the Ricardos
• Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

• Belfast
• Don't Look Up
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• The Worst Person in the World

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

• CODA
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• The Lost Daughter
• The Power of the Dog

Best Animated Feature Film

• Encanto
• Flee
• Luca
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines
• Raya and the Last Dragon

Best International Feature Film

• Drive My Car, Japan
• Flee, Denmark
• The Hand of God, Italy
• Lunana: A Yakin the Classroom, Bhutan
• The Worst Person in the World, Norway

Best Documentary (Feature)

• Ascension
• Attica
• Flee
• Summer of Soul(...Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
• Writing With Fire

Best Production Design

• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• The Tragedy of Macbeth
• West Side Story

Best Cinematography

• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• The Tragedy of Macbeth
• West Side Story

Best Costume Design

• Cruella
• Cyrano
• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• West Side Story

Best Film Editing

• Don't Look Up
• Dune
• King Richard
• The Power of the Dog
• Tick, Tick...BOOM!

Best Makeup And Hairstyling

• Coming 2 America
• Cruella
• Dune
• The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• House of Gucci

Best Music (Original Score)

• Don't Look Up
• Dune
• Encanto
• Parallel Mothers
• The Power of the Dog

Best Music (Original Song)

• "Be Alive," King Richard
• "Dos Oruguitas," Encanto
• "Down To Joy," Belfast
• "No Time to Die," No Time to Die
• "Somehow You Do," Four Good Days 

Best Sound

• Belfast
• Dune
• No Time to Die
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story

Best Visual Effects

• Dune
• Free Guy
• No Time To Die
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: No Way Home

Best Short Film (Animated)

• Affairs of the Heart
• Bestia
• Boxballet
• Robin Robin
• The Windshield Wiper

Best Documentary (Short Subject)

• Audible
• Lead Me Home
• The Queen of Basketball
• Three Songs For Benazir
• When We Were Bullies

Best Short Film (Live Action)

• Ala Kachuu - Take And Run
• The Dress
• The Long Goodbye
• On My Mind
• Please Hold

Did your favorite film of 2021 take home an Oscar?

When it comes to relationships, these celebrity couples met on the sets of some of their most famous movies. From romantic films such as The Notebook to action movies like Daredevil, through the power of film, many of these couples were brought together. Here are 25 couples who met on the set of a movie but ended up dating in real life. 

Ryan Gosling And Rachel McAdams (The Notebook)

While you may know The Notebook as one of the best romance films out there, the two leading stars actually met on the set of the film, Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. In an interview with GQ in 2007, Gosling confirmed he was thankful for the movie, as he met her through it despite the fact that their relationship ended.

While they did eventually break up in 2007, no one can quite forget this romance, both on and off screen.  

Emma Stone And Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man Series)

When Andrew Garfield was Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man series, he and his on-screen Gwen Stacy, played by Emma Stone, ended up dating for four years after meeting on the set of the first movie. While they split back in 2015, Garfield recently said that he’s still her biggest fan during an interview with Vanity Fair’s “Little Gold Men” podcast:

Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt (Mr. And Mrs. Smith) 

On the set of the spy-movie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith (which is getting a reboot), Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt met. In an interview with Vogue (via People) in 2006, Jolie confirmed that they developed feelings for each other while filming, but didn’t start thinking of getting together instantly. 

Jolie and Pitt married in 2014, but later filed for divorce.  

Robert Pattinson And Kristen Stewart (The Twilight Series)

The Twilight series was a huge hit for Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, who played Edward and Bella in the adaptation of the popular vampire series, and they began dating after the first Twilight film released in 2008, according to an interview Stewart did with The New Yorker. They did eventually break up. 

Freida Pinto And Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire)

The 2011 Academy Award-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire, brought together its two stars, Freida Pinto and Dev Patel, after they starred in the film together. In an interview with The Guardian in 2015, Patel talked about his past relationship with Pinto, and how close they were during their time together. 

The pair split in 2014. 

Michelle Williams And Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain)

While filming Brokeback Mountain, co-stars Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger starred as husband and wife, and that love ended up coming off screen when the two began to date. In an interview with GQ in 2012, Williams talked about meeting Ledger for the first time, and how she felt she was always meant to meet him.

The two had a child together, but later separated.

Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds (The Green Lantern)

These two are couples goals. Ever since Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively met on the set of The Green Lantern in 2010, these two have been inseparable and eventually ended up getting married. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar in 2021, Reynolds admits they were seeing different people at the time, but their friendship slowly turned into a relationship. 

They’ve been married for several years now, and have four children. 

Eva Mendes And Ryan Gosling (The Place Beyond The Pines)

In The Place Beyond the Pines, the stars of the film, Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling ended up getting together. Rumors of them being together popped up originally when they were spotted going on a date to Disneyland (via Us Weekly) in 2011, and now more than a decade later, they’re still together and have two daughters. 

Gosling, in an interview with Harper's Bazaar in 2016, gushed about his family. 

Elizabeth Taylor And Richard Burton (Cleopatra)

Famed legendary actors Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton had a whirlwind romance after filming Cleopatra, which released in 1963. Their love was highly publicized and even turned into a limited series, called Liz & Dick. It spanned thirteen years, eleven films together, as well as two marriages and two divorces, according to Vogue. 

Natalie Portman And Benjamin Millepied (Black Swan)

While filming her Academy Award-winning movie, Black Swan, Natalie Portman met Benjamin Millepied, who is a famous choreographer and co-starred with her. Two began dating and married not that long after in 2012. 

In an interview with People, Natalie gushed about her husband and how much she loved working with him again on a new film, called Vox Lux in 2018.

Matthew Broderick And Jennifer Grey (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)

While they may have played siblings in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Matthew Broderick and Jennifer Grey were actually entangled in a relationship during their time on set. Jennifer Grey spoke about her relationship with the actor in her memoir, Out of the Corner, and how it was hard to keep it a secret from everyone else. 

Once filming ended, according to the memoir, they separated temporarily before getting back together, and dated in 1988. They were also briefly engaged but called it off not that long after. 

Johnny Depp And Winona Ryder (Edward Scissorhands)

While they originally met in the lobby of a New York theater in 1989, according to Rolling Stone (via Cheat Sheet), Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder’s relationship only grew more after co-starring in Edward Scissorhands in 1990, so much so that Depp proposed to Ryder only five months into dating. 

However, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 1993, Depp confirmed they had split up due to the privacy the media wouldn’t let them have. 

Claire Danes And Hugh Dancy (Evening)

Both Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy met on the set of Evening, according to an interview Dancy did with London Evening Standard in 2013, saying that marriage to the star, as well as fatherhood, is treating him “very well.”

Goldie Hawn And Kurt Russell (The One And Only, Genuine, Original Family Band)

This long-lasting partnership started way back when in 1966. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell originally met on the set of The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, but it wasn’t until Swing Shift in 1984 that they began dating. In an interview with People, Hawn admits that the two don’t see a point in marriage.  

The pair have been together for 40 years, and recently starred in The Christmas Chronicles 2 together in 2020.  

Taylor Swift And Taylor Lautner (Valentine’s Day)

The ultimate Taylor-ship, actor Taylor Lautner and singer Taylor Swift worked together on the romantic comedy Valentine's Day and were seen out together at sports games (via People). The two reportedly dated for a couple of months before breaking up in December of the same year. 

Channing Tatum And Jenna Dewan (Step Up)

One of Channing Tatum’s best movies led to him meeting Jenna Dewan, his co-star and later wife on the set of Step-Up, as confirmed by an interview Tatum did with Elle in 2013. Tatum admitted that he almost didn’t ask Dewan out because he had just gotten out of a relationship. 

While they share a daughter, the two divorced in 2019.  

Daniel Craig And Rachel Weisz (Dream House)

While the two had actually first met at university together, both Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz were brought back together while filming Dream House. Weisz spoke with The Evening Standard in 2018 on her relationship, and how she never thought she would get married, until she started dating Craig. 

Jennifer Lopez And Ben Affleck (Gigli) 

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are back together, but their first run at a relationship was while filming Gigli, where the two became close friends, and later began to date after Lopez divorced from Chris Judd in 2003.

Vanessa Hudgens And Zac Efron (High School Musical Series)

The High School Musical series was a huge hit for the Disney Channel, and onscreen love interests, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, turned that love into a long relationship offscreen, according to Hudgens during an interview on The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast (via People) in 2019.

The two were together for five years before breaking up. 

Jennifer Garner And Ben Affleck (Daredevil)

Both Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck first met while filming Pearl Harbor, but started to date after being co-stars in Daredevil, according to an interview with Playboy Magazine in 2017, saying that this set was where they fell in love.

They later married in 2005 and then divorced in 2018. 

Liam Hemsworth And Miley Cyrus (The Last Song)

While filming The Last Song together, Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus became very close, according to Seventeen (via MTV News) where Cyrus said he was her “best friend.” Their relationship was later confirmed after they walked the red carpet together. They were together for years, marrying, before divorcing in 2020. 

Tom Cruise And Nicole Kidman (Days Of Thunder)

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman met at her audition for Days of Thunder, according to an interview she did with Harper’s Bazaar in 2021. The two stars co-starred, fell in love, married in 1990, and then divorced in 2001. 

Zendaya And Tom Holland (Spider-Man Series)

Tom Holland and Zendaya met while filming Spider-Man: Homecoming together, but it wasn’t until closer to the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021 that speculation about a romantic relationship between the two seemed to be confirmed. 

Since then, the two have been very public about their relationship, especially when Tom Holland shared a post on Instagram on her birthday, saying that Zendaya was “his MJ.”

Sarah Michelle Gellar And Freddie Prinze Jr. (I Know What You Did Last Summer)

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. met originally on the set of I Know What You Did Last Summer, but didn’t begin to date until 2000, according to an interview Gellar did with People in 2002, saying they weren’t even originally supposed to go on a date - turned into one. 

They have been together for twenty years and have two children. 

Penelope Cruz And Javier Bardem (Jamón Jamón)

The two actually met for the first time as co-stars while filming Jamón Jamón, they wouldn’t get together until they reunited again filming Vicky Cristina Barcelona, a Woody Allen film, according to an interview Javier Bardem did with GQ in 2017, and started dating after filming was done. 

The two have been married since 2010, and have two children. 

There are so many celebrity couples out there - some that have stood the test of time and others that have not. And I’m sure over time, only more and more will start to pop up with even crazier romances. 

With Oscar nominations right around the corner, CinemaBlend is taking a look at which films and performances are likely to be in contention for nominations. Let’s look at a the Lead Actress race. 

Locked In

The Academy can’t resist lead performances from biopics, which is more apparent than ever with this year’s Best Actress hopefuls. Nicole Kidman is looking strong for her portrayal of Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos, especially after her Golden Globe win. Though this is the only win she has so far, her film has been performing well at guild awards like SAG, WGA, and PGA. This year’s Actress lineup doesn’t have a lot of candidates from Best Picture contenders, so love for the film overall could take Kidman far. 

Lady Gaga hasn’t lost an ounce of steam for her turn in the highest grossing drama of the year, House of Gucci. It seems the industry is more than ready to embrace Lady Gaga as an actress for the second time. Yet another biopic performance comes from Jessica Chastain, who plays Tammy Faye Bakker in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Though her film struggled at the box office and received mixed reviews, the performance is easily one of the strongest in her career. She’s caked in makeup, she cries, she sings… it’s a high wire act that will be hard to pass up on.

Olivia Colman may be the only nominee who isn’t playing a real person for The Lost Daughter. The actress has quickly become an Academy darling, as this will likely be her third nomination in four years. Colman, Chastain, Gaga, and Kidman have been nominated at SAG, Golden Globe, and Critics Choice, which makes them about as secure for a nomination as one can be. 

Likely Bets

Just a month ago, Kristen Stewart was thought to be a frontrunner for the Oscar for her transformative performance as Princess Diana in the critically acclaimed Spencer. But then… SAG happened. Stewart was brutally snubbed, nearly destroying her chance at a win, and putting the prospect of a nomination in jeopardy. The snub seemed to confirm fears that Spencer wasn’t clicking with audiences, due to Pablo Larrain’s daring approach to what could have been another standard biopic. At worst, it says that the industry still doesn’t view Kristen Stewart as a serious actress. Still, the Academy is more likely to nominate performances from independent films than SAG, and her dozens of wins and nominations from critics groups and bodies like the Golden Globes should be enough to keep her safe. Though I can’t say I’m not worried. 

Dark Horses

Jennifer Hudson is a strong candidate for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in Respect. She beat Stewart to the SAG nomination after all, but hasn’t received much recognition elsewhere. Mixed reception for her film, as well as its early release date, definitely makes her vulnerable in the way Taron Egerton was for Rocketman.  

Alana Haim is attached to a strong Best Picture contender with Licorice Pizza, and has received heaps of support from critics groups. It’s possible she sneaks her way into the lineup. This is her first appearance on the big screen, however, and she may struggle to compete with so many heavyweight biopic performances.

Rachel Zegler is in a similar situation to Alana Haim: she’s a newcomer attached to a Best Picture heavyweight (West Side Story). She hasn’t received the same level of recognition from critics groups as Haim, but she does have a Golden Globe win, so we can’t count her out. 

Penélope Cruz in Parallel Mothers has surprisingly gone unnoticed this awards season. Though a surprise seems possible, a red flag to me is her absence from the BAFTA longlist, where she couldn’t make it into a lineup of 15. Another non-English language performance that could surprise is Renate Reinsve for The Worst Person in the World. Odds are slim, but if the film has an unusually good day it’s not out of the question.

Check back here at CinemaBlend for more category breakdowns including Lead Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Original Screenplay and Adapted Screenplay.

There’s a popular phrase some of us use when discussing an extremely talented actor. We’ll say, “I’d watch that person read the phone book.” It assumes that no matter how bland, flavorless, or predictable the material this gifted performer is handed, they’ll find a way to make it sing – to vibrate off of the screen and make the movie or TV program with which they are involved be, at the very least, watchable. 

I’m going to have to rethink that statement. Under normal circumstances, I absolutely would apply that sentiment to Jessica Chastain, Penelope Cruz, Lupita Nyong’o and, to a lesser extent, Sebastian Stan. They’re all actors I gladly would have handed a phone book before eagerly anticipated their interpretation. But they couldn’t save Simon Kinberg's The 355 from being a rote, paint-by-numbers spy thriller, and if they couldn’t salvage this movie, who on this planet could? 

There’s too much talent in The 355 for it to be this generic.

There are two factors helping The 355 stand out from its spy thriller counterparts. To begin with, it utilizes an ensemble of international agents working together to complete a mission that has vexed each of them individually. The spy genre tends to be populated with solo acts, whether it be James Bond or Jason Bourne. It also, in the past, has largely been male-dominated – though standout features like Atomic Blonde, The Old Guard and Gunpowder Milkshake are doing their part in recent years to start balancing the scales and showcase more kick-ass women. 

As was the case with Atomic Blonde and Gunpowder Milkshake, the women cast as The 355’s leads are extraordinarily gifted and versatile actors who have held down outstanding dramas, comic-book action thrillers, and international crowd-pleasers. But their combined skills can’t elevate a razor-thin script that offers more cliches than surprises.

Naturally, there is a device (there’s always a device) that the villains want, and the spies need to retrieve it. This one can launch World War III, or some such silliness, but the threat is vague, and there isn’t even a juicy bad guy for audiences to invest in. The women of The 355 merely mow down faceless adversaries without breaking much of a sweat, dancing through tired action sequences you’ve seen before far too many times. 

Simon Kinberg’s a better producer than he is a director.

You might not know Simon Kinberg by name, but you definitely have seen movies he has either written or produced. One of his earliest screenwriting credits was the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie vehicle Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and he was the producing muscle behind Logan, and Deadpool (the best X-Men movies), and Ridley Scott’s The Martian. He’s an excellent producer, but an average director. His adequate X-Men: Dark Phoenix got a pass due to perceived behind-the-scenes strife associated with Disney purchasing Fox, and not wanting to extend the X-Men franchise in any form. But The 355 furthers the notion that Kinberg’s approach to action and his sense of pacing isn’t going to ruin a film, but it’s also not going to upgrade it. 

That’s the unfortunate truth about The 355. It’s not awful, but it deserved to be better. The potential of these women teaming up, sharing scenes, trading war stories, and taking down bad guys should be enough to get people in the door, but The 355 doesn’t offer its audience anything extraordinary, or even theater-worthy. Features like this are readily available on both streamers like Netflix and B-grade cable networks. 

Here’s the main lesson learned after watching The 355: Invite as many A-listers to your party as you can – but make sure they have something more substantial to eat than American cheese sandwiches served on Wonder bread with extra mayonnaise. 

Just about everyone loves a good spy thriller, as the espionage, international travel and political intrigue are just too entertaining to ignore. When people think of the genre, their minds likely go to franchise like 007 and Mission: Impossible. But now it appears that a new team of spies will rise, as the first trailer for The 355 has arrived. And it features an incredible cast that’s ready to take names and kick butt.

The first trailer for The 355 shows Jessica Chastain as a wild card agent, who must join forces with other skilled agents to when a top-secret weapon is obtained by a mercenary. Her team is rounded out by a marquee roster of talent including Lupita N’yongo, Penelope Cruz, and Diane Kruger. The film also includes Fan Bingbing, Édgar Ramírez and Sebastian Stan. Check out the awesome trailer below:

The film is directed by X-Men veteran Simon Kinberg from a screenplay he co-wrote with Theresa Rebeck. Kinberg also serves as a producer alongside Jessica Chastain and Kelly Carmichael.

This definitely seems primed to be a film filled to the brim with adventure and, of course, it’s refreshing to see such a film headlined by a group of incredible leading ladies. What’s even more amazing is that the film includes women of different nationalities. It’s crazy to say but even today, this isn’t something you see all that often in a major blockbuster film.

What’s interesting is that each actress also brings a specific skill set in terms of their acting abilities, so it’ll be exciting to see how they all play off each other. This will be made even more intriguing by the fact that conflict will abound within the team as they seek to complete their mission. Both Chastain and Kruger’s characters, in particular, are likely to be at each other’s throats for a portion of the film.

There’s also the matter of Fan Bingbing’s character, who may or may not be the antagonist. If spy movies, have taught us anything, it’s that not everything is as it seems.

As mentioned, travel is a major part of spy films, and The 355 appears to be taking its characters to a number of places, such as Paris and Morocco. Globetrotting adventures can sometimes be difficult to pull off. Although adding cool locations adds to the experience, having these locations flow naturally into a story can be a challenge. Hopefully, Kinberg and Rebeck’s story doesn’t just throw in these locations for the sake of it but utilizes them in an organic way.

With a capable cast and an exciting premise, there’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to The 355, and it has the potential start 2021 off with a bang.

The 355 will be released on January 15, 2021.

Over the last few months, a slew of celebrities have become involved in the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation lawsuit. Some were brought in simply because they were privy to sensitive information. Others, like Wynona Ryder and now Penelope Cruz, seem to have spoken or written out on behalf of Johnny Depp of their own accord.

Just a few days ago, Penelope Cruz filed her own written deposition on behalf of Johnny Depp, a move that has precedent, given her long history and acquaintance with the actor, as well as her working relationship with him.

Penelope Cruz noted on the record that she met Johnny Depp at 19 years of age, which would have been back in 1993. The two went on to appear in three movies together (so far). The first, Blow, came out in 2001. Subsequently, the two also appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and in the 2017 murder mystery remake Murder on the Orient Express together.

It was during the filming of On Stranger Tides that Penelope Cruz said Johnny Depp revealed the extent of his willingness to be kind, noting,

Penelope Cruz is married to Javier Bardem, who also appeared in the Pirates franchise in the more recent movie Dead Men Tell No Tales. She also noted in the document (originally obtained by Fox News) that she and Bardem “feel lucky” to have Johnny Depp in their lives.

The news comes a few days after another of Johnny Depp’s co-stars, Wynona Ryder, also spoke out on behalf of the actor as part of the defamation lawsuit, noting he “was never, never violent” toward her in any of their interactions. She did also note that she could only speak from her own experiences with the actor on movies including Edward Scissorhands and during social interactions like the Great Balls of Fire premiere, where they met in 1989.

This is the sort of thing that will be in the news for awhile. Some municipal proceedings have shut down right now due to coronavirus-related concerns, but Johnny Depp has two cases currently in the works: A libel case that was supposed to begin this month (and also connects to his movie career), but was adjourned to a later date, and then this second defamation lawsuit with Amber Heard. That one’s set for August.

The defamation lawsuit has mentioned Pirates of the Caribbean before, as it came about after Johnny Depp's legal team alleged that an opinion editorial written by Amber Heard did damage to his career and ultimately lost him the cushy (and beloved) Disney gig as Captain Jack Sparrow.

There's been a lot of back and forth and he said, she said, but it's true that as Johnny Depp has dealt with this stuff in his personal life, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise at Disney has started to move on. The last movie came out in 2017, and since then there has been a move to reboot the franchise from the House of Mouse. The last time we heard any word about the reboot gaining steam was in October of last year when new writers Ted Elliot and Craig Mazin were brought in to pen a movie.

Meanwhile, not everyone is sure the franchise can reboot without Captain Jack Sparrow. We'll have to wait and see how everything, from the court case to the potential reboot, ultimately pan out.

The making of the new drama Everybody Knows included an interesting challenge that most film productions don’t face. While the film is set in Spain, and features Spanish actors speaking almost exclusively Spanish, it’s made by an Iranian filmmaker, Oscar-nominated Asghar Farhadi, who doesn’t know the language. You might think that this would present an impossible challenge to overcome, with there being an ever-present possibility of detail lost in translation on set, but that crisis was entirely averted thanks to two expert translators – who I learned about recently from stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem.

In recent weeks I had the opportunity to hop on the phone with the two actors for separate interviews discussing their work on Everybody Knows, and one subject that I brought up during both conversations was the language barrier. Cruz and Bardem noted that Farhadi can speak some English, which they used to talk casually, but when it came to the work the director primarily worked in Persian – which is where the crucial role of the translators came in. Said Cruz,

Sadly the two translators are not credited for their work in Everybody Knows (otherwise I would identify them), but both stars spoke with high praise in regards to their contributions during production. Javier Bardem went as far as to call it a “miracle” – both that Asghar Farhadi has the ability to communicate succinctly and clearly, but also that he had some awesome aides who could help literally translate his vision. Said the actor,

As any filmmaker will tell you, the medium is an immensely collaborative one, and clear communication of ideas is vital as a result. If a director can’t tell an actor what they would like to see changed in a shot, the crew could wind up spending hours filming the exact same thing over and over. Frankly, it says a lot about the boldness of Asghar Farhadi and the impressive confidence he had going into the project with his veteran translators.

Speaking to their contribution, Penelope Cruz went as far as to say that they were not only some of the most important people figures on the set, but actually had one of the most challenging duties to perform:

The effort definitely shows in the beautiful cinematography and excellent performances – and audiences can now see the finished results for themselves. Based on an original screenplay by Asghar Farhadi, the film centers on a woman name Laura (Penelope Cruz) who travels from America with her children back to her hometown in Spain for a family wedding. During the celebration, however, tragedy strikes, and in the process things that were long kept secret come bubbling to the surface, primarily involving Laura’s ex, Paco (Javier Bardem).

Everybody Knows is now out in theaters in limited release, so check your local theaters for screenings.

From Zero Dark Thirty and The Martian to Interstellar and Molly's Game, Jessica Chastain has left her mark on Hollywood through a variety of movies over the last decade, and her profile is only going to increase. Next February the actress will antagonize Professor Xavier's team of mutant superheroes in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, and today brings word that she's joining 355, a large-scale spy film that will see her teaming up with some other popular actresses.

Having just worked with Jessica Chastain on X-Men: Dark Phoenix, director Simon Kinberg has brought Chastain aboard for 355, and the main cast will also include Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Lupita Nyong'o and Fan Bingbing. The women will play a team of top international agents from around the world who must set aside their political and social differences and join forces to stop a sinister global organization from obtaining a weapon that could plunge the world into chaos. 355 is described as a "grounded, edgy action thriller" that's aiming to put a female stamp on what's been a primarily male-dominated genre. Theresa Rebeck wrote the script, and the goal is for 355, which Kinberg says is tonally similar to the Bourne movies, to launch a franchise.

While Jessica Chastain is just one of the actresses who will headline 355, she's actually the one who was the driving force with making this movie happen, as she pitched the idea to Simon Kinberg and the other actresses, and slowly but surely, the ball got rolling. Having worked with a female-led ensemble in The Help and dipped her toes into espionage storytelling with Zero Dark Thirty, Chastain was interested in merging those two things together, and 355 is the result. With a cast like that, it's hard to imagine a studio not quickly snatching the movie up. As for what to expect from 355, Kinberg says that the actress will share equal screen time, and then revealed the following to Deadline:

All of Jessica Chastain's 355 co-stars have some blockbuster experience under their belt, with Marion Cotillard appearing in both The Dark Knight Rises, Penelope Cruz appearing in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Lupita Nyong'o appearing in Black Panther and Fan Bingbing appearing in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Seeing the five women kicking ass together on the big screen will ideally result in a highly entertaining action movie.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates about 355 as they come in, but in the meantime, if you're interested in learning what's hitting the silver screen later this year, take a look at our 2018 release schedule so you can plan your trips to the theater accordingly.

What is the selling point for Kenneth Branagh's Murder on the Orient Express, the angle that's going to get you into the theaters on opening weekend? Is it the pedigree of the source material, a cherished mystery novel by the timeless author Agatha Christie? Is it that all-star cast, easily the most glorious line-up of dramatic heavy hitters as you are destined to see on screen this holiday season? Or is it the draw of Branagh, the director, working in 70mm film to produce exquisite snapshots of period Europe on a majestic train set? Trick question, for the answer is all of the above... plus that mustache. Check out the latest Murder on the Orient Express trailer. It's magnificent:

Adapting the classic murder mystery by iconic author Agatha Christie, Kenneth Branagh's Murder on the Orient Express revives a sumptuous period of thriller literature, where esteemed detective Hercule Poirot (Branagh, pulling double duty) finds himself on a case when an American businessman named Ratchett (Johnny Depp) turns up dead. This new trailer suggests a slight change to the narrative, as Depp is labeled as a gangster -- and he's affecting that colorful accent that makes him seem like a tough guy from New York City, or possibly Chicago.

Either way, Poirot (and that Oscar-worthy mustache of his) moves on to the passengers on the train to find his murderer... and the suspects are a Murderer's Row of Hollywood A-list talent. The first trailer for FOX's planned Orient Express remake was just a listing of the cast, because an attempt to put all the names on a marquee would create celeb-induced chaos. Branagh and Depp will be joined by none other than Dame Judi Dench, Michelle Pfeiffer, Willem Dafoe, Josh Gad, Daisy Ridley, Olivia Colman, and Derek Jacobi. Now that we are inching closer to the film's release, this new teaser shows us more of the action, while still doing what it can to protect the motivations and secrets of the various suspects on the stranded locomotive.

As we head into the back half of 2017, attention is on the numerous effects-driven blockbusters that will be vying for ticket buyers, the Justice League, Thor: Ragnarok and Star Wars: The Last Jedi of the world. But Murder on the Orient Express looks like the mature, sophisticated counter-programming that's essential to keep adults coming back to the multiplexes, seeking visually stimulating and intelligent diversions. And that mustache on Poirot.

Be sure to hit up our 2017 Release Schedule for an up-to-date breakdown of everything still to come this year. And don't stop there: We have one for 2018, as well.

It's a brave new world for comic book movies, as studios are showing an increased willingness to take risks and try new things with the genre. In the realm of DC movies, few upcoming projects epitomize that idea more than David Ayer's Gotham City Sirens. In the process of taking the spotlight off of the Caped Crusader, the upcoming film will show the titular urban hellhole in a brand new light by focusing on the conflict between the villainous Sirens and the heroic Birds of Prey team.

That said, as excited as we are for Gotham City Sirens, we still know very little about who will take part in the film. One of the most important and fundamental characters in the entire story is Pamela "Poison Ivy" Isley, but no casting reports have been confirmed yet with regards to who will take on the role. To better make sense of this beloved character, we have compiled a list of nine actresses that we think are perfect choices that DC needs to consider. We have quite a few unique options to consider, so we're going to kick this off with an actress who has already shown an interest in joining the DCEU as Poison Ivy.

Jessica Chastain

Kicking off this list is none other than Jessica Chastain -- an actress who seems to have made a genuine and concerted effort to avoid pigeonholing herself in any particular genre as an actress ever since she entered the limelight. Between her work on films like Zero Dark Thirty and Crimson Peak, she has established her ability to convey strength and menace with ease, but her performances in The Help and The Huntsman: Winter's War have also confirmed her knack for sympathetic heroism and charm. Ms. Chastain has already said to CinemaBlend that she is very interested in portraying Poison Ivy at some point in the near future, so this casting decision seems like a complete no-brainer for the folks at DC.

Christina Hendricks

Christina Hendricks' most iconic role to date came during her tenure as Joan Holloway on AMC's Mad Men from 2007 to 2015, and that character could arguably be considered a perfect practice run for portraying Pamela Isley in the DCEU. Known for portraying smart and strong women who know how to use their sexuality to their advantage (as well as her distinctive, curvaceous figure), Hendricks not only looks the part to portray Poison Ivy, she also seems tailor made for the role itself in her ability to match seductiveness with darkness. Beyond that, at 41 she's the perfect age to portray a version of Ivy with a long history in Gotham City facing off against Ben Affleck's Batman.

Kate Mara

The fact that Kate Mara was cast as Sue Storm in Josh Trank's ill-fated Fantastic Four reboot from 2015 was nothing less than a wasted opportunity to use this immensely talented actress in a comic book movie universe. Ms. Mara deserves better, and with Poison Ivy set to join the DCEU, there's no better time for her to get another shot at the world of superhero movies than right now. Aside from her resemblance to Ivy, Mara has proven that she has an established (albeit criminally underused) knack for acting in action films, and her recent turns in projects like Morgan and House of Cards confirmed that she could brood in a way that would make any Poison Ivy fan incredibly happy.

Alexandra Breckinridge

Not only does Alexandra Breckinridge already have experience working within an established comic book universe due to her performance as Jessie Anderson on AMC's The Walking Dead, but she also has ample experience portraying a strong female character with many similar traits to Poison Ivy: American Horror Story's Moira O'Hara. Depicting the younger version of Ms. O'Hara's ghost, Breckinridge nailed the characterization of a woman who knows how to use her physical attractiveness to lure men in, while also maintaining a deep-seated distrust of the men she seduces. Qualities like that are core facets of who Poison Ivy is as a villain, and this small screen experience could easily translate to the DCEU.

Deepika Padukone

She may not look like a traditional depiction of Ivy but keep an open mind. Deepika Padukone isn't the most well-known face among Western movie audiences (yet), but the Bollywood actress has gradually started to make an impression in America. In fact, she made her Hollywood debut in early 2017 with her portrayal of Serena Unger in xXx: The Return of Xander Cage. Although the third installment in the xXx franchise left quite a bit to be desired, Padukone's performance in the movie easily stood out as one of the highlights of the entire affair. Her ability to portray a femme fatale with incredible ease is now firmly established, and it could easily lend itself to a scene-stealing performance as Poison Ivy in Gotham City Sirens.

Madelaine Petsch

Although Madelaine Petsch is the youngest entry on this list by a substantial margin, the Riverdale star has already proven that she has what it takes to make the jump to a major franchise with her now signature role as Cheryl Blossom. Week in and week out, Petsch portrays Cheryl Blossom with a distinctive menace that makes her seem dangerous and terrifying while simultaneously conveying a tragic sense of sympathy and charm. Throw in the ability to control plant life, and those unique qualities as an actress could serve her well in the DCEU. Perhaps most importantly, she is one of the few women on this list with experience playing a comic book character, thus giving her an advantage when it comes to adaptation.

Penelope Cruz

As the oldest entry on this list, one could easily argue that Penelope Cruz is the actress on this list who is the most ideally suited to portray Poison Ivy in a version of Gotham City where Batman and his rogues have existed for decades. More importantly, she is an Academy Award nominated actress (with one win to her name), she has regularly maintained a presence as one of the most beautiful and beloved actresses in Hollywood, and she is even known for her charitable conservation work outside of her acting resume. After combining all of those qualities together, one thing becomes clear: Penelope Cruz could easily make Ivy one of the most engaging villains in the DC Extended Universe.

Natalie Dormer

Like several other actresses on this list, Natalie Dormer has appeared in a comic book movie before -- she had very memorable a scene alongside Chris Evans in Captain America: The First Avenger. However, she was sadly underused as little more than a quick cameo to squeeze some extra laughs out of the film. If you ask us, Margaery Tyrell deserves better than that. Between her work on projects like Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games films, Dormer clearly has no trouble venturing into the world of effects-driven fantasy and sci-fi. That, coupled with her ability to convey strength and beauty in equal measure, would make her a perfect counterpoint to Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn during the events of Gotham City Sirens.

Bryce Dallas Howard

Bryce Dallas Howard has flirted with blockbuster franchises over the years with credits in films like Jurassic World, Terminator: Salvation, Spider-Man 3, and the Twilight movies, but she has yet to come across a blockbuster role where she has had the opportunity to stand out. She has waited patiently for her moment, and Poison Ivy seems like a part that could easily allow this natural redhead to shine. Like Jessica Chastain, Bryce Dallas Howard recently admitted on Twitter that she wants the role of the iconic comic book villainess. If she does get the part, let's just hope that the folks behind this film won't have her sprinting in high heels again; that would not be a great look for Pamela Isley.

What do you think? Is there an actress that you think would make a perfect Poison Ivy? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!

Murder on the Orient Express is one of the most famous mystery tales of the 20th century, making it ripe for a cinematic adaptation back in 1974 that starred Albert Finney, Sean Connery and Vanessa Redgrave among others. Over 40 years after that movie's release, Hollywood is gearing up to remake the story for release in 2017. The new Murder on the Orient Express already has an immense cast assembled, and the lineup just grew bigger with the addition of Academy Award-winning actress Penelope Cruz.

Cruz is the latest actor to join Murder on the Orient Express, although Deadline didn't provide any information about who she will play. This will be her latest high profile movie, with her more recent appearances on the big screen including Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, The Brothers Grimsby and Zoolander No. 2. Cruz joins a cast that includes Kenneth Branagh (who is also directing the movie), Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dame Judi Dench, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad and Michael Pena, to name a few.

Although the report didn't say which character Penelope Cruz will play in Murder on the Orient Express, there are two major candidates left over who haven't been accounted for in the cast, and like the majority of the story's players, they're both murder suspects. The first is Hildegarde Schmidt, the maid to the wealthy Princess Dragomiroff. The second character is Greta Ohlsson, a Swedish missionary. Since the remake is making changes with some of the characters' ethnicities and backgrounds, it stands to reason that one of the women mentioned could be adjusted to fit Cruz. That said, since Michael Pena has been cast as Marquez, a character who didn't appear in the original story, there's always the possibility that Cruz is also playing someone brand new.

Based on the Agatha Christie-penned novel released in 1934, Murder on the Orient Express will follow the detective Hercule Poirot, arguably Christie's greatest creation. While stuck on a train that's been delayed due to unfortunate weather, Poirot must solve the murder of one of his fellow passengers. Accomplishing this is easier said then done, though, as not only is he without certain resources because of being on a stranded train, but all of his fellow passengers in the coach are suspects. Using his intellect and deductive reasoning, he'll soon pieces together the real identity of the deceased and how the other passengers are connected to the man. Although this remake is only the second time Murder on the Orient Express is being told on the big screen, it's not the most recent adaptation of the story, as the TV series Agatha Christie's Poirot tackled the tale in 2010.

Murder on the Orient Express is expected to hit theaters on November 22, 2017.

I was somewhat surprised by just how funny the first full-length trailer for Zoolander 2 actually was. Sure, the 2001 original is a constantly amusing, uproariously dumb, and energetic comedy that helped to pave the way for Will Ferrell and his buddies to take over Hollywood's comedy scene. But after 14 years there was always going to be a concern that the follow-up could feel forced and unfunny. The international trailer for Zoolander 2 helps to quiet these concerns even more, while at the same time making quite a few jokes about Penelope Cruz’s breasts.

This still looks pretty damn great to me. In fact, I counted at least five occasions when I found myself both nodding and chortling along to Zoolander 2’s gags and quips. For a trailer that's a pretty high amount. For me at least. The sequence of Owen Wilson throwing a remote control, bottle of beer, and then tequila at Ben Stiller’s bearded face makes me grin every time I see it. While the topper of Wilson charging with the television towards Stiller even forced me to audibly giggle. 

While we always expected Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller to pick up their infectious camaraderie and patter as male models Derek Zoolander and Hansel McDonald exactly where Zoolander left off, it’s great to see that Penelope Cruz will have no problem mixing with the duo as the Interpol agent/former swimsuit model Valentina. 

Unfortunately for her character, she had to start working with the police after her breasts hindered her progress wearing swimsuits. And as you’d expect, Ben Stiller, who is also directing Zoolander 2 -- having co-written the script with Justin Theroux, Nicholas Stoller, and John Hamburg -- doesn’t miss the chance for a gratuitous shot of Cruz’s cleavage. I counted at least three in the trailer alone that were aimed to include her chest. 

The plot for Zoolander 2 sees the now retired Derek and Hansel working for Interpol to try and figure out why the world’s most beautiful people are being assassinated. By the beginning of the film the likes of Devi Lovato, Lenny Kravitz, Kendall Jenner, Usher, and Justin Bieber have been killed in their prime. With their last dying breaths and facial movements they’ve recreated Derek Zoolander’s iconic “Blue Steel” look on their faces, which is why investigators have hired the loveable buffoons. 

With Stiller, Wilson, and Cruz leading the way, and support coming in the shape of Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell, as well as countless superb cameos already confirmed – including the returning Billy Zane – Zoolander 2 is shaping up quite nicely. We’ll see if it manages to match this early promise when it’s released into cinemas on February 12, 2016. 

After Zoolander 2 made its presence known last month with a hilarious coming out party that saw Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson walk the runway at Paris Fashion Week as Derek Zoolander and Hansel, the upcoming sequel has announced the addition of another actress. Confirming rumors that stretched back several months, Ben Stiller has let it be officially known that Penélope Cruz has hopped on board the raucous romp of a second entry with an endearingly embarrassing portrait.

The announcement confirming the addition of Penélope Cruz to Zoolander 2 will see the actress as a new addition to an array of returning cast members. At this point, no details have been revealed regarding the role Cruz will play in the film, but considering the long length of time her name has been surrounding the project, she’s clearly a consequential part of the film. She joins newcomers like Kristen Wiig, who plays a yet-be-named character with a proclivity for trigonometrically trussed hairdos and young Cyrus Arnold, who will play the titular protagonist’s son, Derek Jr.

Overall, this role will see Penélope Cruz joining a project that’s anything but a center for ants. Stepping back into things both behind the camera as director and in front as the star, Ben Stiller has managed to get the band back together for this long-in-the-making sequel to 2001’s model-lampooning laugh-fest, Zoolander. The qualitatively quotable comedic romp brilliantly, albeit hyperbolically satirically sasses the culture of the fashion industry, while never alienating the audience. Owen Wilson is back as Derek’s equally vacuous former rival-turned-friend, Hansel, Stiller’s real life wife, Christine Taylor returns as Derek’s romantic interest Matilda Jeffries and even Will Ferrell’s lactose-intolerant malicious mogul, Jacobim Mugatu will return.

The 2001 original Zoolander has become a comedy classic that defied a set of unlikely odds. While the film was released during a period that saw Ben Stiller’s cinematic career surge with his 2000 hit, Meet the Parents, he’s always been known as an inconsistent commodity. In a recurring pattern, for every There’s Something About Mary there would be a Mystery Men. Thus, Zoolander came on to the scene inauspiciously, marketed as a bizarre one-man mess that seemed to make very little sense at first glance. Additionally, it hit theaters on September 28, 2001; just over two weeks after the 9/11 attacks, which was an abysmal time to be any movie, much less a "dumb comedy." However, it put up a respectable fight at the box-office at $60 million, and would become an instant cult classic upon its video/DVD release.

It will be interesting to see if 14 years of incessant quoting and fan reverence can manage to drum-up an audience for Zoolander 2. It should nevertheless be an opportunity for the lovely Penélope Cruz to potentially let her freak flag fly with complete impunity. The film is set to hit theaters on February 12, 2016.

There are few things that Hollywood does better and more often than capitalizing on trends, and a brand new one has just entered the arena. Thanks to the success of Dumb and Dumber To at the box office this past weekend, there's a scent in the air that long-overdue comedy sequels are in, and now Paramount Pictures is looking to take advantage of it quickly by starting to move Zoolander 2 through development.

Not only are the gears starting to turn on the follow-up to Ben Stiller's 2001 comedy, but casting is already underway as well. Deadline has word that Penelope Cruz has signed a deal that will see her star alongside Stiller, who will be reprising his role as model Derek Zoolander. There have also been rumors swirling around that Zoolander 2 will feature the return of fan favorite characters from the first movie, including Will Ferrell's villainous Mugatu and Owen Wilson's Hansel. At this point there's no word on what character Cruz will be playing, but given that she's devastatingly beautiful, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if she wound up playing a fellow supermodel.

This is easily the most promising news about Zoolander 2 that we've heard in a long time, but the truth is that we've been getting strung along for years and years. The movie's less than stellar box office performance back in 2001 didn't help the case for an immediate sequel, but Ben Stiller has been teasing the project since 2006. In that time the project has made some progress - including hiring Justin Theroux to make his directorial debut - but the process has been moving at the speed of molasses.

Thanks to the cult culture that has grown around the original in the years since its release, Zoolander 2 has long seemed like a good idea, and it's not hard to link it's new progress with the success of Dumb and Dumber To. Topping both Interstellar and Big Hero 6 is their second weeks, the 20-years-later sequel roped in a solid $36 million in its opening - which is enough to call it a success. It certainly wouldn't cost much to make a Zoolander 2, the original only sporting a $28 million budget, so it seems like a winning scenario for Paramount.

But, of course, there is the looming question of whether or not we actually want to see a Zoolander sequel. The number of good comedy sequels we've seen over the years is a disturbingly low figure - and in this area, Dumb and Dumber To serves as an effective negative example. I'm not saying it's impossible for Zoolander 2 to be good, as it has a great group of smart people behind it, and just this year we saw a great comedy sequel in 22 Jump Street. But the question still looms.

The last time Javier Bardem was in a movie inspired by Cormac McCarthy, he took on a terrible haircut and won an Oscar for his troubles. Now as the No Country for Old Men star and author reunite and bring a starry cast with them, everyone seems to have taken the haircut advice seriously to heart. In this new international trailer for The Counselor, which showed up today on YouTube, it's a bad-hair standoff between Javier Bardem's insane Brian Grazer mane and Brad Pitt's scraggly mess. Toss in Cameron Diaz's super-coiffed ice queen do and, well, it's a lot of beautiful people looking less than beautiful, which in Hollywood often counts as Great Acting.

But what The Counselor seems to be offering above an acting showcase is a razor-sharp crime story, par for the course for fans of McCarthy, who is writing his first original screenplay here after seeing his novels All The Pretty Horses, The Road and No Country adapted for the screen. It's also Ridley Scott's first crime drama since American Gangster, and the timing of that return is likely no mistake. His last three films Prometheus, Robin Hood and Body of Lies have all been expensive boondoggles to one degree or another, and while American Gangster was expensive too, it was also a big critical hit. Ridley Scott has never been afraid to hop genres, but crime stories tend to serve him well-- and when he can assemble a group of actors this blindingly famous, it sure can't hurt.

While we're still mostly unable to parse through this plot-- how does Cameron Diaz wind up threatening Penelope Cruz, and is there a Vanilla Sky reference somewhere in there that we're missing? -- let's just focus on the actors, and who ought to steal the most attention when The Counselor opens October 25. Michael Fassbender is obviously at the center of things as the titular counselor and the guy in way over his head, but his strengths aren't generally in the "everyman" kind of roles-- just look at his scary and intense work in the trailer for 12 Years A Slave. Brad Pitt is doing his grease ball enforcer thing, which could be interesting-- anybody see Killing Them Softly last year?-- but probably doesn't stand a chance at drowning out the biggest potential scene-stealers here, Bardem and Diaz. What's crazier-- the spiky hair or the leopard print bak tattoo? Which one of them is more dangerous-- and more fun to watch? Diaz has more to gain by going balls-to-the-wall-- she doesn't have her Oscar for playing a villain yet-- but underestimating Bardem is a quick way to get into trouble. I wouldn't dare choose between the two of them at this point.

The Counselor had been looking like an awards contender for a while given its cast and release date, and still might be, but for now it's looking like a pulpier alternative to the bigger prestige fall stuff. Especially in the middle of these dregs of August, October 25 can't come fast enough.

Sir Ridley Scott’s The Counselor largely remains a mystery, unless (of course) you somehow got your hands on the Cormac McCarthy screenplay on which it will be based. Rumors say it was floating around online, and given the fact that it’s one of the few original screenplays the author ever penned, you can understand why it was a hot commodity. The rest of us who have been waiting for marketing clips are somewhat in the dark… and I’m not sure the three clips shared by Rope of Silicon today are going to help.

These clips continue to sell the fact that Scott has an amazing cast at his disposal. Michael Fassbender, who worked with the legendary director on Prometheus, will play a Southwestern lawyer who gets in over his head with some shady characters when he dabbles in the drug-trafficking world. And in the clips, we see Fassbender mixing it up with Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Bardem’s hair, and Penelope Cruz. How bad does it get? Probably terrible, given the grave warnings from each supporting player that say that once the Counselor embarks on his dark journey there is not turning back… and possibly no coming back.

The three clips tease a full Counselor trailer that should arrive tomorrow, Wednesday, August 7th. Hopefully it will be more informative than the fast-moving international trailer that mesmerized with its imagery but, again, didn’t give up too many details about the plot. That’s probably a good thing. Scott isn’t Terrence Malick, and there’s sure to be a meaty narrative to his McCormack collaboration. But at the moment the cast is all that we need to keep us interested.

Pay attention to the Twitter hashtag #HaveYouBeenBad, as it likely will have a lot more information on Scott’s drama as we get closer and closer to the film’s October 25th release date.

UPDATE: Here's the trailer in English!

There are lot of movies with outrageously strong casts coming out in the next year-- August: Osage County being the runaway favorite-- but I challenge you to find a combination more fascinating than the one leading Ridley Scott's next film The Counselor. You start with a starring role for his Prometheus standout Michael Fassbender, get to the first time married couple Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem have shared the screen, make room for Brad Pitt and Cameron Diaz in femme fatale role… don't even pretend you're not interested.

We've had our eye on The Counselor ever since it became clear it would be Scott's next project, but this international trailer picked up by The Film Stage only has us more intrigued-- and yes, that's without understanding any of the dialogue that's been dubbed over in Russian (this has since been fixed). Since you probably need a little help on figuring out the plot based on how vague that is, let's start with the Cormac McCarthy script, the first that the celebrated No Country for Old Men author has ever written. Scott announced he would be adapting itbarely a year ago, which is record time for Scott, who routinely attaches himself to dozens of projects that never get made. Here's the official description that came with it:

Based on that shot of Diaz lounging by the pool with the cheetah she seems to clearly be playing Malkina, and Fassbender is definitely the lawyer in over his head… but it's a little hard to figure out how everyone else fits in. Given that Brad Pitt seems to fit the "probably corrupt" description better than Javier Bardem, who looks completely insane. Don't forget that the cast also includes Dean Norris, Rosie PerezNatalie Dormer and Goran Visnjic, so there's even more insanity to come-- just not from the A-listers who are so prominently on display here.

The Counselor is set for an October 25 release, opposite Spike Lee's Oldboy and Paranormal Activity 5. What will you be seeing that day?

For a man approaching his 75th birthday, Ridley Scott is staying remarkably busy, releasing his enormous new sci-fi film Prometheus earlier this year then jumping directly into The Counselor, the star-studded drama he's currently shooting. But with a directing project and now the sole namesake for Scott Free Productions, which he founded with his late brother Tony, Ridley apparently had one too many things on his plate after all, and has handed over one of his would-be directing projects to someone he knows very well: his daughter, Jordan.

According to The Wrap, Jordan Scott is now planning to direct Gucci, a drama about the family behind the famous clothing brand, and Penelope Cruz is in talks to star. Cruz is currently starring for the elder Scott in The Counselor, so clearly some strong ties are being developed there. And it ought to be a juicy role for Cruz-- she'll be playing Patrizia Reggiani, who was jailed in 1999 for shooting Maurizio Gucci, the heir to the Gucci empire. Reggiani hired a hit man to carry out the killing, allegedly after discovering her husband was having an affair.

Reggiani isn't just a killer, but quite the character too-- this Daily Mail is chock full of fascinating tidbits, including that she turned down an opportunity in parole for 2011 by saying "No thanks as it would mean getting a job and I have never worked a day in my life. I would prefer to stay in my cell and water my plants." Cruz has prove adept at playing slightly loony women before, especially well in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and she seems an even better choice for the role than the original actress lined up, Angelina Jolie. Now the question is how Jordan Scott will handle the material-- her feature directorial debut, Cracks, was a mystery set at an elite girl's boarding school, so Gucci ought to be a major change of pace.

Nintendo has released another TV ad that depicts female celebrities enjoying their DS. This time around, they've tapped Penelope Cruz and her sister Monica to promote the handheld.

The ad begins with Penelope playing New Super Mario Bros. 2 in the least comfortable position ever. Monica then shows up with her own DS. Instead of criticizing Penelope for her bad posture, she challenges her sister to a Mario throw-down.

Penelope loses the challenge and has to dress up like Mario. In spite of the moustache and overalls, she manages to look at least slightly attractive. Her attempts at an Italian accent are not to be missed.

The Cruz sisters are just the latest female celebs enlisted by Nintendo. Past DS ads have starred Carrie Underwood, Liv Tyler and Beyonce among others.

Gracefully leaping from the big budget Hollywood spectacle Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides to Woody Allen's Italy-set ensemble comedy To Rome With Love to Sergio Castellitto's Italian drama Venuto al mondo, Penelope Cruz defines the phrase international star. So, it's little surprise that one Cruz casting story not only leads to another but also bounds across borders and genres.

In April word emerged that Cruz could be replacing Angelina Jolie in Ridley Scott's upcoming thriller The Counselor. Now Deadline is confirming her casting in the Cormac McCarthy-penned picture, while revealing she's also set to star in Pedro Almodovàr's Los Amantes Pasajeros.

In The Counselor, Cruz will appear opposite Michael Fassbender, playing the love interest to his character, a lawyer living on the Mexican border whose dabbling in drug dealing spins him into a world of danger. Cameron Diaz was once rumored for this very role when it seemed Cruz was wavering, but curiously Deadline's report still has her included in the cast. While Diaz's part is now a mystery, we do know Brad Pitt will play a shady character, and Cruz's husband and frequent co-star Javier Bardem will portray a wealthy business associate of the film's criminal/attorney.

As for Los Amantes Pasajeros—or Standby Lovers as it will be known in the U.S.—Cruz will join a "choral" cast that includes frequent Almodovàr performers Lola Duenas, Javier Camara and Cecilia Roth, as well as Last Circus stars Carlos Areces and Raúl Arévalo. The comedy centers on a love affair aboard an airplane, and marks her fifth film effort with the heralded director.

The Counselor is expected to go into production this month; Los Amantes Pasajeros will shoot this summer in Madrid.

Last week brought news that of a possibility that both Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie would co-star in The Counselor, the new film from director Ridley Scott based on an original screenplay by Cormac McCarthy. It was an interesting story not only because it meant yet another A-list star could be joining the cast, but because it would bring the couple together on-screen for the first time since 2005's Mr. and Mrs. Smith. But with Maleficent set to start production in June, there's a possibility that Jolie will not be able to take the part. So naturally they're now looking at another one of the star's significant others.

Penelope Cruz, who has been married to Javier Bardem since 2010, is apparently interested in joining The Counselor, which would team her up with her husband for the eighth time. The film is already set to star Michael Fassbender as a lawyer living on the Mexican border who tries his hand at the drug game, thinking that he can make some quick cash and then make a quick exit. When things go wrong, though, he finds himself struggling to survive. THR says that Bardem is set to play a wealthy acquaintance of Fassbender's character who goes into business with the protagonist while Pitt will be a "shady type" who comes along for the ride. While there is no offer on the table just yet, talks have begun and it's reported that Cruz would play the love interest of Fassbender's character.

Production on The Counselor is currently aiming to start in the beginning of May.

December is my favorite movie month. In addition to seeing the releases of some of the best films of the year, the ones aiming for Oscar glory, the 31 days prior to the new year are peppered with trailers for movies that will likely be the biggest hits of the following year: the summer blockbusters. We saw trailers for both Transformers: Dark Of The Moon and Thor last week, and now we’ve got a little Jack Sparrow for you.

Disney has released the first trailer for the fourth installment in the Disney franchise, known formally as Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Directed by Rob Marshall, replacing Gore Verbinski, who directed the first three films, the newest movie in the series sees the return of Johnny Depp as the Keith Richards-esque buccaneer as he and Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) go on a search for the fountain of youth. What they don’t know, however, is that the infamous Blackbeard is also going after the treasure.

Check out the trailer below.

Obviously the big hope here is that this movie will be able to get the franchise back on track after two sequels that didn’t really live up to the original. As expected, Johnny Depp is his normal, witty self and just seems at home in Jack Sparrow’s skin. That said, nothing about the trailer really blew me away. Sure, it was nice to see Keith Richards in there, but it all seems a little too busy and the one-liners are more smile-inducing than laugh-inducing. The chemistry between Depp and Penelope Cruz seems fun, with a lot of back and forth (and a nice dose of sexual innuendo at 1:45).

What did you think of the trailer? Will this be the best Pirates of the Caribbean film since The Curse of the Black Pearl? Let me know in the comments section, and for a more detailed look at the Pirates 4 trailer check out more than 80, high-res screencaps here.

SECOND UPDATE: Disney has sent us all six of new high-res images. Click on any of the images below to see our full gallery.

UPDATE: Yahoo! Movies has premiered five more images, which are included below the top one in the swamp. Click on any of the three to see Yahoo's fully gallery.

With the first Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides trailer due to hit theaters next week in front of Tron: Legacy, it's time to crank up the marketing campaign for the sequel that I still can't quite believe actually exists. We got a look at the first teaser poster a few weeks ago, which showed us pretty much nothing, but now USA Today is premiering the first official image from the film, featuring Jack Sparrow and Penelope Cruz's pirate temptress Angelica tramping through the swamp.

Reporter Anthony Breznican was on the set to witness it all in action, but beyond some basic plot details didn't come back with much. Jack, as we know, is on a mission to find the Fountain of Youth on behalf of King George II (Richard Griffifths), and he's forced to work with Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) on the mission. Oh, and don't expect any great epiphanies or character development for Jack Sparrow; as Johnny Depp put it, "Captain Jack is about as fully realized a human as he can be. He's there. He's going to stay there. Which is fine."

Take a look at the new image below, and look for the On Stranger Tides trailer to hit the web December 13. The movie opens May 20 next year.

Penelope Cruz is in the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and the fact that she’s in it, is pretty much the only reason we left her off our list of 20 Actors Who Deserve Your Support. Normally she’s the kind of actress who seeks out only the most challenging and interesting roles. She pushes the envelope, sometimes she even pushes it too far and ends up in a music video making out with her sister.

That happened a few years ago with her sister Monica Cruz in this now infamous video for their brother Eduardo (warning the following video is sort of NSFW:

Yeah so, gross. But let’s just say they’re acting (besides the kiss is more of a lip bite right?) and move on because the Cruz sisters are together again, only this time in a far more wholesome way in a movie Disney hopes you’ll take your kids too. Monica is working as Penelope’s double on Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The news comes from the notoriously unreliable British tabloid The Sun where they say Monica is handling a lot of Penelope’s body shots, since her sister is increasingly pregnant and, I guess Jack Sparrow doesn’t date pregnant chicks or something.

Penelope’s 5 and a half months pregnant with Javier Bardem’s hot-blooded seed, so she’d definitely be showing, and as you can tell from the above video they’re pretty similar physically. That should work and Monica has plenty of acting experience in a variety of Spanish films, if they want more from her. See if you can spot the difference when Pirates of the Caribbean 4 arrives on May 20, 2011.

Penelope Cruz is the new female lead in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Jack needs a woman to spar with so she’s playing a character described as his foil and equal. Judging from these first ever photos of her on the Pirates 4 set, that must mean she’s some sort of pirate.

These image come from Radar Online where apparently they’ve taken a break from exploiting Mel Gibson’s personality disorder to hang out in Hawaii and take photos of Pirates 4 in the midst of filming. I’m going to assume their photog was hiding in a coconut tree. These pictures aren’t exactly quality, but they do give us our first taste of what Cruz is up to in the new film.

With the early summer start date for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sailing ever closer, casting directors are feverishly trying to fill out their cast. Some key roles have already been filled by the obvious players --Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush-- as well as newcomers to the series Ian McShane and Penelope Cruz.

But what if you need to fill a scene with scantily clad women showing off their bodacious breasts? Well send out a casting call of course. Moviehole got their hands on a casting breakdown recently shipped out to agencies in hopes of landing some ladies who will wear the film's extensive wardrobe better than others. The call reads as follows:

So if you've spent money attaching softballs to the front of yourself, navigate away and forget this even happened. Your self esteem will be better for it. But if you're rockin' what the gods gave you in a big way and are willing to show off your curves in some fancy pirate outfits, get yourself an agent and get your rack to L.A.

Now if only I could send out casting calls like this for Friday nights. Ladies?