Jim Carrey returning as the Grinch is one of those ideas that sounds both completely inevitable and kind of impossible. The live-action How the Grinch Stole Christmas has become a full-blown holiday rewatch staple since its 2000 release, but the already sequel-averse Carrey has been very open about how miserable that makeup process was. Not bad enough, though, as

So, if he is really heading back to Whoville, I hope the sequel looks beyond Christmas. I hope it draws inspiration from a deep-cut cartoon that most don’t even know exists.

What We Know About The Sequel

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Universal and Imagine Entertainment are developing a sequel to Ron Howard’s 2000 film, with Carrey in talks to reprise the role and Howard expected to return as director. Brian Grazer is also involved, while Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer and David Mandel are writing the script. (The three writers all hail from Curb Your Enthusiasm, which features one of pop culture's biggest grinches in Larry David.) That team being in place alone is enough to make this feel like a true continuation of one of the best Christmas movies of all time, rather than some disconnected rebrand with a new green grump under the fur.

Which definitely matters, because the live-action Grinch has had a strange pop culture life. It was huge when it came out, earning $260 million domestically and $345 million worldwide. It also won the Best Makeup Oscar, which feels right considering Rick Baker and Gail Rowell-Ryan basically turned Carrey into a walking Christmas fever dream.

Of course, that makeup process also became infamous. Carrey has said the transformation initially took around eight hours a day, and he once recalled wanting to quit on the first day and return his $20 million fee before the process was eventually reduced to about three hours. When he laid out his conditions for returning to a sequel back in 2024, they mostly centered on avoiding that same painful costume ordeal.

I understand why getting Carrey back might require some modern movie magic. If motion capture or improved prosthetics can make the experience less brutal, great. Let the man be green without sending him through another round of torture training.

The question now is what story Universal wants to tell. The original 1957 book, the 1966 animated special and Howard’s movie all center on the Grinch learning not to hate Christmas. The 2000 film expanded his tragic backstory and introduced the Whos and Cindy Lou Who, but it still ended with the same big-hearted holiday conclusion. A sequel has to do something different.

Luckily for everyone involved, I have a great idea. They should focus on Halloween like this forgotten 70s cartoon sequel.

The Deep Cut Halloween Grinch Sequel

This is where I really hope someone in the writers’ room has watched Halloween Is Grinch Night.

The Emmy-winning 1977 animated TV special is basically the weird, spooky cousin of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It is technically a Grinch follow-up, but instead of another Christmas story, it throws the character into a Halloween-adjacent nightmare. The Grinch comes down from Mount Crumpit on a strange, wind-driven night with a wagon full of surreal horrors, and a young Who named Euchariah has to face him.

It is odd., eerie, and has that unmistakably Seussian nonsense logic. Honestly, that is exactly why it could be a success. I am not saying the live-action sequel should remake Halloween Is Grinch Night outright. Borrowing its energy is a smart move, and changing the Holiday focus is a no-brainer.

The 2000 movie already leaned into grotesque Whoville production design, weird humor and Carrey’s goblin-mode physical comedy. A sequel that moves into a spooky, autumnal Grinch story could let the character be nasty, theatrical and funny without simply rehashing stolen presents.

It would also give Universal a way to make the sequel feel less like a late cash-in and more like an actual swing. The Grinch has already learned Christmas. What happens when he has to deal with fear, chaos or some other holiday-flavored emotional disaster?

That is the movie I want. Give me Carrey back in the suit, Howard back behind the camera, and a little Halloween Is Grinch Night weirdness crawling around the edges. Christmas may belong to the Grinch, but his next movie could use a little October in its bloodstream.

The OG How the Grinch Stole Christmas is available to rent with an Amazon Prime Subscription. Or, if you want to check out Halloween is Grinch Night, luckily for you, it's streaming online for free over on YouTube.

The entertainment world lost a legend, as the shocking news of Catherine O’Hara’s death came Friday. The actress known for TV and movies including in Home Alone, Best in Show, Schitt’s Creek and so many others unquestionably affected countless people over her five-decade career. And former co-stars including Macaulay Culkin, Pedro Pascal and Michael McKean are paying tribute to the comedy icon.

One of Catherine O’Hara’s most beloved roles was as Kate McCallister in Home Alone — a Christmastime staple and one of the best movies of the ‘90s overall. I’m not even sure it’s possible to say the name, “Kevin!” without doing your best O’Hara impression. Macaulay Culkin — Kevin McCallister himself — took to Instagram with a photo from the movie and another from a more recent reunion between him and O’Hara, penning a heartbreaking message to his on-screen mother:

One of Catherine O’Hara’s last roles was on The Last of Us Season 2, and Pedro Pascal shared a sweet photo of the two of them on set, writing that there is “less light in my world” without her in it:

The actress was a regular in Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries like A Mighty Wind and Best in Show, making Michael McKean a somewhat frequent co-star. The This Is Spinal Tap actor wrote on X upon hearing the news:

Tom Green also paid his respects to the comedic legend and fellow Canadian, writing on Instagram:

Catherine O’Hara’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice co-star Justin Theroux also posted a photo in remembrance of her:

Ron Howard wrote that he worked with the late actress several times over the years and called her death “shattering”:

Michael Keaton wrote on Instagram that his friendship with Catherine O’Hara goes back even further than 1988’s Beetlejuice:

Not many details about Catherine O’Hara’s passing were immediately available, with a rep confirming to Rolling Stone only that she died at her home in Los Angeles “after a brief illness.”

It’s unclear how this will affect The Studio Season 2, as production kicked off just last week on what will be known as her final role. Ike Barinholtz — one of her co-stars on the award-winning comedy — posted a photo to Instagram to say how “incredibly grateful” he is to have known her:

It’s clear from the reactions we’ve seen already how beloved Catherine O’Hara was and how much of an impact she’s made in Hollywood. Our condolences go out to her family, friends and everyone affected by her death.

Eden is one of those 2025 movie releases that came and went too quickly when it was first released in August. But now that it’s available to watch with a Netflix subscription, a lot more people are getting a chance to check out the latest Ron Howard film. Which means it’s time to talk about Jude Law’s metal teeth.

When CinemaBlend spoke to Jude Law and Ron Howard via Zoom back in August, the British actor shared details about portraying Dr. Friedrich Ritter, who was a German physician and naturalist who really moved to Galapagos with his partner to escape society. Law said this about wearing the metal teeth for the role:

Eden was shot completely outdoors in Australia with the likes of Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, Ana de Armas and Daniel Brühl. (At one point, a poisonous spider landed right on Sweeney, but the dogs were apparently a lot nicer to her than they were in that birthing scene!) Law went more in-depth about how the look of the metal teeth in the movie were decided on in our conversation with these words:

Ritter and his lover Dore Strauch (played by Kirby) decided to abandon civilization back in 1929. As the movie shows and Law confirms, the doctor decided that removing all of his teeth and replacing them with metal ones would help him survive outside of civilization the best, and therefore it was an important detail about the character for him to adopt. As he continued:

Ron Howard added that another note they exchanged was one iteration of the metal teeth being “too James Bond” as well. Despite all the work, and pain that went into Law’s metal teeth, the actor loved being outdoors so much for the shoot that Howard had to tell him “you can’t actually live out here on set – the insurance company will not allow it.”

Eden earned a mixed to positive response from critics when it came out over the summer. You can check out our Eden review, which gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars for being “another strong and character-driven work” from Howard. The movie just landed on Netflix, and is trending among the top ten. You can also rent/buy the historical drama on Amazon.

Ron Howard’s 1995 film Apollo 13 is one of the best movies of the ‘90s, winning two Academy Awards (but not Best Picture) from nine nominations. The fact that it’s based on the real-life doomed moon mission of Jim Lovell and his crew adds to the suspense and horror, even if you already know how it ends. I decided recently to revisit the movie for the first time in decades, and I was really struck by one story in particular.

I am so captivated by the majesty of space, and with Apollo 13 being one of the best space movies ever, it was always those scenes — of Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon’s characters crammed into a broken ship flying through the vastness — that held my attention when the movie came out. This time, though, I was blown away by Ed Harris’ Gene Kranz and the people on the ground helping to bring the astronauts home.

The Space Emergency Is Straight-Up Terrifying, But I Was More Fascinated By The Rescue Efforts This Time

It’s incredible to witness the star power that Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton bring to Apollo 13 as Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, respectively. The audience understands how much this mission means to them, because the first hour of the film shows their preparation, their excitement, their years of work all leading to this moment.

All too soon their dreams of walking on the moon are vanquished, and it’s a long shot they’ll even make it back to Earth alive. It’s no wonder this used to be my primary focus, with Tom Hanks’ ability to rip our hearts out, but now, years later, I found that during those tense scenes on the ship, I was really anticipating getting back to Houston to see how their rescue efforts were going.

I honestly think it was that 1970s technology (or lack thereof) that I found so fascinating.

My Mind Was Blown By What Mission Control Was Able To Accomplish Without Modern Technology And A.I.

Look, I’m an Xennial, so I’m fully capable of solving math problems without a calculator and doing research without the Internet. Still, now that I’ve had a smartphone and a stable Wi-Fi connection for half of my life (not to mention A.I.), I’ll admit I, like everyone else, have become pretty dependent on the convenience of modern technology.

This is why I found myself amazed at what the Mission Control workers were capable of. Lives were at stake, and these scientists were calculating degrees of re-entry by hand! With pencils! On paper! There was simply no margin for error, and I couldn’t help but think of how much easier it would be today to just punch some numbers into a machine.

Of course back in the ‘90s, which was probably the last time I watched Apollo 13, I had no idea of the technological advancements that were to come, so it makes sense that seeing the analog work didn’t affect me the way it did on this viewing. Back in 1995, the biggest technological achievement in my life was probably a search engine. And not a good one.

What Was More Fascinating Than When They Built That Filter Using Only Things That Were On The Ship?

One of the big standout moments for me was when the people on the ground had to fashion an air filter using nothing but what the astronauts had on board when carbon dioxide levels started to get dangerously high — literally figuring out how to fit a square peg in a round hole.

I’d watch an entire documentary on what I imagine was a grueling trial-and-error process of hacking an air filter using the cover of the crew’s flight plan, some plastic bags, duct tape, etc. MacGyver’s got nothing on these Mission Control heroes! That kind of effort and resourcefulness is just something you don’t see every day — especially without the help of a YouTube tutorial.

Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise) — who was grounded shortly before the launch due to his exposure to measles — contributed to his colleagues’ rescue in similar fashion. He recreated the conditions of the Aquarius “lifeboat” back on Earth to figure out how to power up the craft without using too much power. It appeared to be a slow and frustrating process, but somehow, all involved kept their cool and pressed on until they came up with a solution.

Ed Harris’ Award Nominations Make So Much Sense

I recall Ed Harris being celebrated for his portrayal of flight director Gene Kranz, but I feel like I never fully appreciated the performance — or the character’s control over the situation — until my most recent viewing. Harris was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes, and he won in that category at the SAG Awards.

I know that the famous movie quote, “Failure is not an option,” was not actually uttered by Gene Kranz in real life, but it embodied the man and the mission all the same. What struck me most in Ed Harris’ portrayal of him was how cool he stayed under pressure.

On my worst day on a job, I have never been tasked with an unprecedented rescue of three of my co-workers, yet I’m sure I’ve gone into a full-blown panic over issues that are trivial in comparison. Not Gene Kranz, though. In fact, it wasn’t until well into the second half of the nearly 2.5-hour film that he even raised his voice, and he may have only done it once.

Instead, he listened to the experts around him, he trusted his people to do their jobs and he found solutions instead of listing the problems. He was focused on bringing his men home — not worried about lawsuits or running his every move up a corporate ladder, as I imagine would be protocol in a more modern era.

Am I more in awe of Gene Kranz or Ed Harris’ portrayal of him? Honestly, I don’t know (probably both), and I think that speaks to the quality of the film.

Apollo 13 is one of those survival movies that leave you exhausted, and I’m so glad that it lived up to my memory of how good it was. It’s also interesting to me that watching it again so many years later made me appreciate different aspects of the rescue more, while still enjoying the marvels (and horrors) of space.

Sydney Sweeney’s career has been full of sharp turns lately, from Euphoria (available with an HBO Max subscription) to rom-com stardom in Anyone But You and, most recently, her neo-western 2025 movie schedule release, Americana. The Madame Web star’s next project may be her boldest. Sweeney will lead Eden, Ron Howard’s dark new thriller that’s already got people talking, not just for its true crime roots, but for the way it’s pushing both Sweeney and Howard into new creative territory.

In a recent interview with Screen Rant, Howard, alongside star Jude Law, shared that Eden is unlike the kinds of real-life stories he’s famous for adapting. Some of his best films, such as Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind, often celebrated resilience and triumph, but Eden is a cautionary tale. The director explained:

The child star-turned filmmaker also described why the story has stuck with him for years, calling it a true crime thriller that keeps viewers guessing until the very end. Unlike the celebratory arcs in much of his earlier work, and though it's not on our list of upcoming horror movies, despite having a brutal birthing scene, Eden is designed to leave audiences unsettled and questioning what they just watched. He continued:

That change in tone shaped how Ron Howard put his cast together, as he wanted performers who weren’t afraid to get a little messy and take risks. Enter Sydney Sweeney. She’s made a career out of bouncing between glossy blockbusters and roles that cut right down to the bone, so she feels like the perfect choice for a story that demands raw intensity without the safety net of studio polish. And when you stack her alongside Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, and Ana de Armas, you can tell this cast wasn’t just assembled, but chosen to rise to the challenge.

After nearly fifty years behind the camera, Howard could easily stick to the kinds of inspiring movies based on a true story he’s already mastered. Instead, he chose to step into darker territory, telling a story about human nature turning destructive when survival is on the line. For Sweeney, the film doubles as another career move that proves she’s not afraid to push beyond expectations—and that she can hold her own alongside some of the industry’s most seasoned stars.

Eden premiered at TIFF in 2024 and is now reaching wider audiences in 2025. While reviews have been mixed, our own Eden review leaned more toward praise than criticism. Personally, what excites me about the film isn’t only its dark, true-crime subject matter, but the way it highlights Sydney Sweeney’s growing range while proving Ron Howard still isn’t afraid to take risks.

Ron Howard’s Eden isn't even in our list of upcoming horror movies, but it has one of the scariest scenes of the year. The thriller, which just became part of the 2025 movie releases in theaters now, tells the story of a few people who decided to escape society and move to the Galapagos between World War I and World War II. And during this time, one woman named Margret Wittmer (who is played by Sydney Sweeney) gave birth to her child during some dire circumstances...and not a hospital was in sight.

When CinemaBlend had the chance to speak to Eden’s director, Ron Howard, along with star Jude Law, about shooting the movie, which occurred in the Australian wilderness, I had to ask Howard about what it was like to direct Sydney Sweeney during her chilling birthing scene. In his words:

It’s not spoiling the scene at all to share that this Eden scene is truly harrowing to watch, because you won’t truly know what I’m talking about until you see it for yourself.

The movie based on Margret Wittmer’s accounts of life on the Galapagos’ island of Floreana is a fascinating one because it shows how she and the other settlers couldn’t escape society’s problems despite literally leaving their own countries. Howard continued by speaking about what Margret did and didn't detail about her birth, saying:

Along with Howard telling us that an actual poisonous spider hijacked one of the shots he did with Sweeney, he spoke to how difficult it was to shoot the birthing scene, between the intensely hot weather, and simulating that a bunch of wild dogs were barking at Sweeney's Margret while she’s having contractions without anyone by her side.

The scene is nightmarish to watch, but apparently, Sydney Sweeney was “tough as nails” on the set of the project while getting the scene shot. He also said this:

While Eden has earned mixed reviews overall from critics, our Eden review has more praise to offer than criticisms. Along with Sweeney playing Margret Wittmer in the movie and Jude Law portraying Dr. Friedrich Ritter, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby and Daniel Brühl are among the cast.

Eden is just the latest of movies from Sweeney, following the recent release of Americana, which is being debated as a box office bomb lately. The actress will also be in The Housemaid later this year and the boxing biopic Christy as well. First, see her harrowing performance in Eden in theaters now!

The latest of the 2025 movie releases heading to theaters this weekend as the summer season dies down is director Ron Howard’s Eden. It's a thriller about a group of people who moved to the Galapagos in between World War I and World War II to flee society. When CinemaBlend spoke to the legendary filmmaker and star Jude Law, they talked with us about the roses and thorns of shooting completely outdoors in Australia.

Ron Howard Recalls 'Scary Movie' Moment On The Set Of Eden

While Ron Howard and the star-studded cast of Eden, including Sydney Sweeney, Ana de Armas and Vanessa Kirby, could enjoy the luxuries of modern life every night thanks to a 45-minute drive back to the Gold Coast in a “perfectly reasonable apartment”, per Howard, they were absolutely exposed to the elements on the shoot. As the director shared:

In Eden, Jude Law and Vanessa Kirby play the real-life husband and wife who decide to leave Germany to live isolated in the Galapagos. Law’s portrayal of Dr. Ritter adapts the doctor’s life, which included him removing all his teeth and wearing metal dentures in order to avoid infection in the wilderness. Sweeney plays Margret Wittmer, another German settler of the Galapagos who wrote about her experiences in the 1961 book Floreana. As Howard continued in our interview about filming Eden:

As the director detailed to us, Eden really went into the wilderness to tell the story of the Ritters and the Wittmers. Howard recalled that while shooting a scene with Sweeney, who previously filmed in Australia for Anyone But You and recently did a method dressing moment to promote the film, a poisonous spider made a surprise appearance in a shot they were rolling cameras, and they had to pause filming to set it free.

But spiders weren’t the only dangerous creatures on set. Production also had to make sure all the poisonous snakes in the region were cleared before each day started to avoid any incidents. While it's not technically one of the upcoming horror movies coming out, it sounds like it felt like that on set for a moment.

On The Other Hand, Jude Law Had To Be Told 'No' For Loving The Outdoor Set So Much

While one might think Hollywood stars wouldn’t necessarily be prepared for the conditions in Eden, it sounds like Jude Law was having an absolute ball being one with nature. As Ron Howard continued when talking about working with the actor on the set of the new movie:

Law also noted, while they would have loved to be even more true to the true story by shooting in the Galapagos, that’s not an option for filmmakers in order to preserve the islands to their “natural glory.” Law shared these words about filming in Australia:

You can see Eden only in theaters as of today.

I don’t know about you, but the world our society has concocted can get seriously exhausting to live in day-to-day. Don’t get me wrong: I absolutely love being human and getting to live exactly where I am in our world – but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’ve daydreamed before about a life “off the grid.” I imagine myself really connecting with myself in nature, gardening and homesteading becoming more than just a hobby I have on a Nintendo Switch game, and leaving bills at the door. But then I watched Ron Howard’s Eden, and I was met with a very real truth I’m often ignorant of during these fantasies, which is that we cannot escape from human nature no matter where we go.

Eden reminds me why we all find ourselves part of a society that has a lot of baggage. While it may not feel like it to us all the time, we are more comfortable and better off than we have ever been. (For example, as we often forget, sewers used to run down the streets?!!) Director Ron Howard’s latest biographical passion project follows the story of a few groups of people who decided to leave society between WWI and WWII to live on the isle of Floreana in the Galapagos. Through a tense two-hour ride, the true story exposes natural flaws of human nature... and it was impactful enough that I definitely won't be pulling the trigger on off-the-grid living anytime soon.

Eden serves up a solid tale (based on a true story) to examine human nature at its darkest.

The movie starts with a German family consisting of Margret and Heinz Wittmer (played by Sydney Sweeney and Daniel Brühl) and Heinz’s son Harry (Jonathan Tittel). The clan lands on Floreana in 1929 after growing tired of their life in society where they’ve had to choose between feeding themselves and paying rent, as Margret suggests. Once they get there, they are quickly eager to introduce themselves to the only other settlers they know to be there: Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) and his wife Dora Strauch (Vanessa Kirby). They made the newspapers for fleeing Germany and inspired the Wittmers to do the same thing.

Friedrich and Dora are immediately peeved that their life of isolation on Floreana has been disrupted by three more settlers sharing the island with them. Dr. Ritter is hellbent on spending his days sitting at his typewriter writing the next great philosophical novel about what it means to be human, and he doesn’t like distractions. But the Wittmers prove to give them their space much of the time as they settle on the other side of the isle. However, an even more annoying problem soon sails on the horizon when Ana de Armas’ Baroness Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn and her colleagues also land ashore with plans to build her own luxury hotel on the coast, but very little survival and settler skills to show for it.

Early in the movie, Ritter suggests that human nature’s cycle can be described by "democracy, fascism then war", and it's actually fascinating to see how having three groups of settlers on Floreana slowly escalates into running this cycle through, even though each party had every intention of living outside of society. Howard and screenplay writer Noah Pink’s adaptation of this story serves as a movie with a staunch ability to examine how humans get in our own way, and have a tendency to cause conflict, even in a self-proclaimed “Eden”.

Ron Howard’s direction is thrilling, tense and places a large focus on its ruthless, often unlikeable characters.

The legendary director, who has been especially well known over the years for helming movies based true stories, sets the scene for Floreana by putting us in the shoes of the Wittmers as they adjust to life in the Galapagos. From finding a water source to capturing their own food, Howard immerses the audience into the woes of settling away from society. Even more tension is naturally added to the situation once we find out that Sweeney’s Margret is expecting her first child.

The birthing scene that comes out of Eden is one of the most stressful scenes I’ve seen this year. It's so increasingly intense that you’d think you were watching a horror movie. It most certainly helps that the great Hans Zimmer composed the score, and it's shot inviting palpable elements of nature, the film having been made on location in Australia. While the storyline isn’t working particularly hard to get you to root for any of the other characters besides the Wittmers (that will certainly put off some people), and the murky paths they can go on can weigh on the audience, it also serves the greater good of the work to expose a perspective on human nature – perhaps in an effort to start our own conversations about who we think we inherently are.

The all-star cast deliver here, even if their accents aren’t always on point.

Along with Ron Howard’s dark direction of Eden, its talented cast helps build up the growing tensions with their character work that successfully (for the most part) gets each of the actors outside of their movie star personas we know them for. Jude Law and Vanessa Kirby are particularly interesting as a couple that feels lived-in, and a slow-burning contempt for one another brews after they've spent every waking moment with the other on the island. Law’s inherent charm helps ground this hermit-like ego-centric take on Dr. Ritter while Kirby’s harsh spiral is understated but absolutely a highlight of Eden. (Between this and Fantastic Four, Kirby is having an excellent 2025 of being a scene-stealer.)

Ana de Armas takes on sort of a villain role in Eden, but I don't want to give away to what extent. Similarly to Law, her likability helps round out her arc, and makes one sit up rather than instantly write her off, but once she does show her cards, the Baroness does come off as more one-dimensional than I would have liked. Sweeney ends up needing to anchor the movie a lot more than I expected, and this gives her the space to do so with the talented Brühl by her side. But some of the cast issues with the German accent, and their star power does remove some of the illusion this film is trying to immerse us in.

All in all, we've seen a better character study of this ilk with the latest season of The White Lotus, but even still, Eden does something I am always looking for when I watch movies. It challenges my own beliefs about the off-the-grid fantasy, and it introduced me to a true story that I had never known prior to watching it. While it's full of unlikable characters and runs a bit long, entertaining storytelling is always in the center of its filmmaking. It's a worthwhile watch as a study of human nature, and another strong and character-driven work from Ron Howard.

Sydney Sweeney has quite a bit going on these days, between her latest release Americana seemingly bombing at the box office (which it didn’t really) to her jeans controversy to MGK dating rumors. That doesn’t even cover it, given the work she’s done on the highly anticipated Euphoria Season 3 and now Eden, which is set to hit the 2025 movie calendar on August 22. The reviews are in, and while the critics don’t agree on the movie overall, they all seem to be praising the performances.

Eden is directed by Ron Howard and stars Sydney Sweeney alongside Ana de Armas, Jude Law, Daniel Brühl and more in the film that’s based on the true story of settlers on Floreana Island in the Galapagos. While Sweeney’s TIFF premiere method dressing was giving more Handmaid’s Tale than Eden, it didn’t distract from the “astounding true story,” according to Pete Hammond of Deadline, who writes:

Jesse Hassenger of AV Club grades the movie a B, agreeing with other critics that the trio of female leads (Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney and Ana de Armas) are impressive with nuanced performances in this tale of a “hell-is-other-people collapse of a society.” The critic writes:

Itzel Luna of the AP notes the impressive cast assembled by Ron Howard and says Sydney Sweeney steals the show. The performances, however, aren’t enough to make up for the overambitious plot, Luna says. The critic gives Eden 2.5 out of 4 stars and says:

Travis Hopsin of Punch Drunk Critic rates Eden 2.5 out of 5 stars, saying there’s a lethargy that hangs over Ron Howard’s portrayal of the fascinating true events. The screenplay lacks tension, Hopsin says, and while there are some good performances, the lack of depth to the characters leads to some unintentional moments of humor. The critic continues:

Ross McIndoe of Slant also takes issue with Eden’s tone, as well as the characters, ideas and accents never quite coming together as a coherent whole. The critic rates the film 2 out of 5 stars and calls it a “ridiculous shambles,” but strangely that doesn’t make for a wholly unenjoyable experience. In McIndoe’s words:

Critics as a whole seem as conflicted as those above, with Eden sitting with a 60% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. If there’s one thing they do seem to agree on, though, it’s the work of the leading actors, particularly the women. If this sounds like a thriller you can’t miss, Eden hits theaters on Friday, August 22.

Of all the Star Wars movies that have been released so far, there’s only one that failed to turn a profit. 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, released just five months after The Last Jedi, earned a decent amount of positive critical reception (it certainly doesn’t deserve any hate), but only ended up around $393 million worldwide. Besides chronicling the origin story of Alden Ehrenreich’s younger Han, Solo is known for the behind the scenes shakeups that led to Ron Howard taking over directing the flick from Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Howard recently reflected on his period of his professional life, describing what happened as “a shame.”

While one director being hired to replace another who drops out ahead of principal photography is hardly uncommon, Solo’s switchover from Lord and Miller to Howard occurred after the Star Wars movie had been rolling cameras for six months. In an interview with Vulture, Howard recalled how Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy arranged for him to have breakfast with Solo producer Alli Shearmur and co-writer Jon Kasdan, which led to the following:

Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s dismissal from Solo: A Star Wars Story stemmed from creative differences, as the directing duo reportedly thought they were making a comedy movie, but Disney and Lucasfilm only wanted shades of humor. Between that, Lucasfilm not liking how Lord and Miller were frequently shooting additional takes with improvisational dialogue, and a handful of other issues, and it was ultimately decided that they were no longer a good fit for the movie. Just two days after Lord and Miller’s exit, Ron Howard was announced to be taking their place.

Though Ron Howard ultimately received sole directing credit for Solo, as he reportedly reshot about 70% of it, Phil Lord and Chris Miller were still credited as executive producers. As far as it was like on his end to take over helming duties, Howard said:

Set roughly 10 years prior to the events of A New Hope, Solo: A Star Wars Story depicted major events in the title character’s life, including meeting Joonas Suotamo’s Chewbacca and Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian, and winning the Millennium Falcon. Its lineup of new characters included Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra (whom later resurfaced in the comics), Woody Harrelson’s Tobias Beckett and Paul Bettany’s Dryden Vos. Unfortunately, Solo’s dismal box office performance resulted in sequel plans being scrapped.

At least it sounds like Ron Howard had a pleasant enough time working on Solo, even though the circumstances behind his hiring were less than ideal. And hey, if Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian movie ever gets off the ground, that could easily be a platform for Alden Ehreneich to reprise Han in a supporting role.

Some of the most enduring stars got their starts more than six decades ago, and they are still going strong today. Stars like Harrison Ford, Dame Judi Dench, Jeff Bridges, and even Jodie Foster have been acting their whole lives, and their amazing careers will live on forever. Here is our list of amazing actors who started in the 1960s and are still working today.

Robert Duvall

After cutting his teeth with some television appearances starting in 1959, Robert Duvall made one of the most memorable film debuts of all time as Boo Radley in 1962's To Kill A Mockingbird. Duvall hasn't stopped stealing scenes in the 60+ years since. He's starred in some of the greatest movies ever, like The Godfather, and won an Oscar for Tender Mercies. His most recent credit is The Pale Blue Eye from 2022.

Sally Field

Sally Field is truly America's sweetheart. Her breakout role came on the classic TV show Gidget, and she's starred in some legendary movies and TV shows ever since. With roles in movies as diverse as Smokey and the Bandit, Forrest Gump, and Fried Green Tomatoes, Field has proven she can handle any role she takes on.

Clint Eastwood

There are no bigger legends in Hollywood history than Clint Eastwood. Not much has been said here. His career started in earnest with Spaghetti Westerns, and he's been directing and starring in movies ever since.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda is Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Henry Fonda, so it's no surprise that she started her career at a young age. Her first credit goes all the way back to 16960's Tall Story, and she's still starring in movies today, like 2023's 80 for Brady.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman's career really didn't take off on screen until the 1980s (though he had plenty of credits in the '70s, too). He started mostly on stage in the 1960s and kept his focus there until landing a TV gig in 1971 on PBS's The Electric Company. Today, he remains one of America's most beloved stars.

Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine made her film debut way back in 1955 and by the 1960s was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Her star has never dimmed in the decades since, either, with memorable roles in Downton Abbey and the live-action The Little Mermaid in 2018.

Dustin Hoffman

When you burst onto the scene in a movie like The Graduate, as Dustin Hoffman did in 1967, it's pretty much a guarantee you're going to be a star. In the 60 years since that seminal movie, Hoffman has won countless awards and starred in everything from comedies like Tootsie to dramas like Rain Man, getting nominated for Oscars for both (and winning his second for the latter).

Faye Dunaway

If you look at a list of the best movies of all time, you'll notice Faye Dunaway in the credits of many of them. Starting with Bonnie and Clyde in 1967, right up until the 2020s. She took a small hiatus in the teens, but has been back working regularly since.

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell's career started when he was just a kid, often starring in Disney projects. It's even Hollywood folklore that Walt Disney's last words were when he scrawled Russell's name on a piece of paper. Though there is no way to know when the note was written. Still, for the better part of seven decades, Kurt Russell has been a Hollywood superstar.

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (you know they are important when they get a title like "Dame") started in film in 1966, and that was after having already started acting professionally on stage in the UK. She's never stopped, including starring in the recent hit MobLand on Paramount+

Anthony Hopkins

Sir Anthony Hopkins' first credited film role came in the Shakespeare adaptation The Lion in Winter in 1968 alongside Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn. He's since become one of the most beloved actors of his generation and has won countless awards and accolades.

Jodie Foster

If you look at Jodie Foster's credits, you might think she started in the 1970s as a teenager, but she was starring in commercials as far back as 1967 when she was just three years old.

Jeff Bridges

When you have a legend for a father like Jeff Bridges with Lloyd Bridges, its not hard to understand how he got his start so young. His amazing career in the decades since can only be credited to his immense talent, charm, and charisma on and off screen. And that's not, like, my opinion, man, it's a fact.

Rita Moreno

Puerto Rican superstar Rita Moreno can do it all. She can act, she can sing, and she can dance, and she's been dancing into our hearts since she first way back in 1950! For those of you counting, that's EIGHT decades of excellence.

Judi Dench

Like Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Judy Dench started in the theater, especially doing Shakespeare plays. Her first professional stage credits date back to 1957, and right up through the 2020s, she's been a favorite of millions. One of the best actors of her generation, it's crazy she's only won one Oscar (for Shakespeare in Love).

Harrison Ford

The first thing you might think of when you think of Harrison Ford is Star Wars or Indiana Jones. It's true that it was those movies in the late '70s and early '80s that made him a superstar, but his career started humbly with roles in movies like A Time for Killing and Luv in 1967.

Sophia Loren

For more than 70 years, Sophia Loren has been a star in Europe and the United States. She started in her native Italy in 1950 before coming Stateside in 1958 when she signed on to star in movies for Paramount. Before long, she was a superstar on both sides of the pond.

Warren Beatty

Like his co-star in Bonnie and Clyde, Faye Dunaway, Warren Beatty has been a star in Hollywood for decades. He's also been discerning in the roles he's taken over the years, so he doesn't have a long list of credits like most of the people on this list. That's not because his star dimmed. He's just particular, and that is something we all strive for.

Barbra Streisand

What can we really say about Barbra Streisand? She's a legendary singer and actor, and she's equally well-known for both. There are few stars as enduring and amazing as "Babs."

Robert Redford

Though he is officially retired now, Robert Redford is still one of the biggest Hollywood stars today (and ever). His career started with early roles on shows like The Twilight Zone, and by the time he hung up his cleats, so to speak, the star of The Natural was one of the biggest stars in the history of the industry.

Blythe Danner

Like many on this list, Blythe Danner started her professional career on Broadway and Off-Broadway in the 1960s. Her first movie credit came in 1972, but by then, she was a seasoned pro. She may be best known as the mother of Gwyneth Paltrow these days, but that is selling her way short, as she's been an award-winning actress for decades.

Al Pacino

Famously, Al Pacino entered the American consciousness in 1972's The Godfather, but he'd been working for a few years at that point, mostly on stage. His film debut was in Me, Natalie, alongside Sopranos cast member Nancy Marchand. He has been widely considered one of the best actors of his generation ever since.

Ellen Burstyn

Though her breakthrough didn't come until 1971 with The Last Picture Show, Ellen Burstyn had been picking up small roles on TV shows for years at that point. She has since gone on to win an Academy Award, a Tony Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe Award. Not too shabby.

Robert De Niro

When you ask someone who the best actor of the last 60 years is, there is a decent chance Robert De Niro will be the name that comes out of their mouth. For many, many decades, De Niro has been stealing scenes and working his tail off to be the best actor he can be. He's gained weight for roles, dropped weight for others, and gotten completely cut for still others. All the while delivering his trademark charm and skills.

Cher

If you could turn back time and you were taking bets in the 1960s that Cher would still be one of the biggest stars in the world in the 2020s, you would probably get pretty good odds that she wouldn't be. She's proven everyone wrong, winning an Oscar for Moonstruck and continuing to wow audiences with her concerts.

Martin Sheen

It's hard to say just what role Martin Sheen will be best remembered for long after he's gone. Will it be Jeb Bartlett on The West Wing? Captain Benjamin L. Willard in Apocalypse Now? Carl Fox in Wall Street? Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg? What is for sure is that Sheen, who landed his first movie role in 1967, will be remembered fondly by millions of fans.

Vanessa Redgrave

English actress Vanessa Redgrave got her star in period pieces like A Man For All Seasons and Camelot in the 1960s. She parlayed that into a decades-long career that is still going, including a role in Cold Storage in 2025.

Ian McKellen

For modern generations, Ian McKellen is known for his roles as Gandalf the Grey and Magneto, but his career is so, so much more. One of the great Shakespearean actors of the last 60 years, he's been starring on stage and screen since the mid-'60s.

Candice Bergen

Candice Bergen found her biggest fame in the 1990s with Murphy Brown, but her career started way back in 1966 in the Sidney Lumet film The Group. She was a model before that, and has turned in role after beloved role on TV and in films.

Ron Howard

These days, Ron Howard is pretty much sticking just to directing, and he's an ace director to be sure. He famously started his Hollywood career as a kid in the 1950s and became a child star in the '60s as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show. He later starred in Happy Days, before getting behind the camera and becoming one of the great directors of his time.

Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn first became a household name in 1968 when she starred in Laugh-In. She's been a star ever since, including starring in a slew of box office hits in the '70s and '80s. There is no question she is one of the funniest actors of her generation, and now she's also the mother to some big stars, too, in Wyatt Russell and Kate Hudson. Not a bad legacy to leave.

Patrick Stewart

Like others on this list, Patrick Stewart will be best known for roles that came in the second half of his career, like Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor X in The X-Men series. Of course, his career is much more than those two roles. It's a career that started in TV in the '60s on British shows like Coronation Street and Civilisation.

I was late to the game with The Studio. Apple TV+’s 2025 TV schedule hit was sold to me by friends as something that I’d truly dig, a fact that I actually knew from a moment in the series’ first trailer. Between that moment, and the new behind-the-scenes facts Ron Howard shared behind its inspiration, I'm now convinced that the already-greenlit Season 2 needs to continue an important plot thread.

Ron Howard’s Big Outburst In The Studio Was Unscripted…But Very Much Appreciated

Back when The Studio’s Season 1 trailer landed, the snippet where a very angry Howard threw one of his trademark baseball caps at Continental Studios’ head Matt Remick (Seth Rogen) stuck out to me. As it turns out, I owe a debt to the director of A Beautiful Mind, as he admitted in the latest Variety’s Making a Scene that this gag was a "Ron Howard Original." Here's how everyone else on set learned of its existence in real time:

You read that right, Ron Howard, Academy Award-winning director and star of one of the best sitcoms of all time, really wanted the “asshole version” of himself to deliver a 100% cotton beatdown to Seth Rogen’s protagonist. But as you'll see in the trailer for The Studio Season 1, that instinct was a beautiful one:

For a man who’s considered as wholesome as frequent collaborator Tom Hanks, it’s a heel turn for the ages. Thanks to Ron Howard’s acting and directing muscles, what could have been a simple guest spot became what I think should be a fixture of The Studio’s foreseeable future.

Ron Howard’s Instincts To Be ‘Actually Good’ Have Created The Studio’s Ultimate Nemesis

Every hero needs a nemesis, and most shows tend to have a “gimmick” episode that push these sorts of themes. After watching “The Note,” I now think The Studio has found itself a formidable foe in Ron Howard. That notion is another cause for thanks, as the Happy Days alum shared with co-creators Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg this important note of his own:

Mr. Howard succeeded in his quest to be “actually good,” so much so that I can’t imagine future seasons of The Studio not building on this story. While there’s already a celebrity in mind for Season 2’s planned episode “The Test Screening,” I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a mention of the now infamous A Beautiful Mind incident Matt Remick will forever be known for.

But why not have Ron Howard recur every season, further inching him towards fulfilling the threat to “fucking destroy” Matt Remick? Maybe Bryce Dallas Howard can make her own appearances, helping push the family feud whenever her father's out of town? Or perhaps Martin Scorsese can form an alliance with the Splash helmer, building a foundation of ultimate Tinseltown terror.

For now, the future of the Remick/Howard feud remains under wraps; which is great because I still need to finish The Studio Season 1. If you’re on the same lot, or if you just want to hear Mr. Howard swearing his head off again, the entire first season is now available to stream only on Apple TV+.

The Ron Howard-directed Rush came out in 2013, which was right around the time I became a fan of Formula 1. That was the last time I saw the movie, which was based on a true story, starring Chris Hemsworth (just as he was about to become a franchise movie superstar) as James Hunt and Daniel Brühl as Niki Lauda. I had been seriously following the sport for about a year, and when the movie was released, I went on opening weekend. I was so excited. I loved it.

Formula 1 has found a new level of popularity in the United States in recent years. Netflix’s Drive To Survive is wildly popular, and Brad Pitt has a movie about F1 (called, simply, F1) coming out next month. The biggest race of the F1 calendar will be happening in the South of France on May 25. The Monaco Grand Prix, a legendary race known all over the world, is set to kick off on Sunday, and you can watch it with a Disney Plus/Hulu/ESPN Plus Bundle subscription.

In preparation for the Monaco GP, I sat down to watch Rush again, and while I still think the movie has some amazing moments and some fantastic performances, I was frustrated at the end. Today, I know a whole lot more about F1, both the history of the motor sport and how races are won and lost. Rush has some great racing sequences, but it gets much of the history wrong, and even some aspects of the races are wildly inaccurate. Let’s get into it.

The Rivalry Between Hunt And Lauda Was Intense, But Not Nearly So Tense

James Hunt and Niki Lauda were two of the top racers on the circuit in the mid-’70s. For three years, between the 1975 and 1977 seasons, they built an intense rivalry. Lauda won the championship in ‘75 and ‘77, and Hunt won in 1976. The movie is mostly about Hunt's winning year, in part because Lauda suffered a horrific crash at the Nürburgring towards the end of the season.

I won’t recap the story of the ‘76 championship, as the movie does a decent job of explaining the nuts and bolts of it. What I did get annoyed with was how Hunt and Lauda’s rivalry and relationship were pretty distorted throughout the movie. It’s true that they had a rivalry with each other, but it was much friendlier than the movie portrays. Hunt’s son even remembers the two being roommates early in their careers.

In the film, the two characters have a serious disdain for each other, something that just wasn’t true in real life, by any account. Sure, they might have talked a lot of trash to each other, and the two of them definitely fought hard on the track to beat one another, but they respected each other and their driving skills. That is something completely lost in the movie. They just hate each other for most of it, but seemingly begrudgingly accept each other’s place in F1.

That Wasn’t The Only History That Was Stretched, Either

It's not unique for movies to be historically inaccurate, but Rush is especially frustrating. In the movie, after Lauda holds his first press conference post-accident, a reporter asks him how he expects his marriage to survive after his disfigurement. Hunt takes exception to the question (understandably) and beats up the reporter after the presser. There is no evidence that this ever happened. It’s a fabricated story, likely included to show that despite their disdain, Hunt respected Lauda. There would be no need for such a scene had the truth about their friendship been present in the movie.

This goes for the final scene in the movie, too, when Lauda and Hunt meet at an airport and talk through their apparent differences, finally shaking hands in a sort of peace between the two. Again, there would be no need for this kind of silliness if their relationship had been portrayed accurately. Sure, it makes for a great resolution to the movie, but it was a meeting that never occurred and wouldn’t have gone down that way if it had.

The Racing Scenes Were Off, Too

Before I get too into this, I will say that many of the racing scenes are fantastic. The sequences are what make this a good movie. However, some of the ways the racing is depicted just aren’t all that reflective of what real F1 looks like. Unlike NASCAR, where “rubbin’ is racin’,” in F1, the drivers do everything they can to avoid contact with anything, especially their fellow drivers.

There are a few scenes that appear to show Hunt and Lauda bumping tires with each other, and while I suppose it could have happened, there’s no way it happened as often or as hard as it did. F1 cars are powerful but delicate machines. They aren’t stock cars like in NASCAR, that can handle some abuse; tiny bits of damage to any part of the car can greatly affect their performance. Not to mention that the cars are light, and even a slight bump can send them flying out of control. To avoid all of this, drivers are careful not to hit each other, lest both be in danger of crashing.

I Still Like The Movie, Just A Little Less

I think, in the end, if this had been a fictional story, instead of being “based on a true story,” I would have enjoyed Rush much more. It’s a great movie, with a lot of fantastic moments, both on and off the track. The acting, especially from Hemsworth and Brühl, is fantastic. The action scenes are exciting and leave you on the edge of your seat. It’s a great looking movie. It’s slick, fast-paced, and full of glamor, which are all reflective of F1.

It isn’t a true story, though, not in the strictest sense, and now that I’ve been a fan of the racing league for a long time, and I know much more about its history, the movie leaves me frustrated for not being a better-told story. James Hunt and Niki Lauda are legends in F1, and their real-life friendship was inspiring, so why mess around with that? At least I have F1 to look forward to on the 2025 movie schedule, and that is a fictional story.

Since Seth Rogen’s Matt Remick is the newly-minted head of Continental Studios on The Studio, that obviously means he meets with creative talent in Hollywood on a regular basis, including the blunt Charlize Theron and various directors. In the latter category, Ron Howard, Sarah Polley and Olivia Wilde are among the ones who’ve appeared on this 2025 TV schedule offering, and Alex Gregory, who co-created the Apple TV+ subscription-exclusive series, shared with CinemaBlend the story behind how Rogen recruited these three. I especially got a kick out of Gregory sharing what Howard thought about his “asshole” appearance.

Ron Howard In The Studio

Let’s start with that one first. Howard stopped by during “The Note,” which saw Matt Remick struggling to give the director a note about his movie Alphabet City because of a traumatic experience more than two decades earlier when Howard mocked Matt over a suggestion he made for A Beautiful Mind. While it looked at first like The Studio’s Howard was a nice enough guy, his mean side eventually came out, and Gregory informed me that the filmmaker actually welcomed the opportunity to play himself in this way. In his words:

The Studio’s Ron Howard showed his true colors when he was informed in a meeting by Kathryn Hahn’s Maya Mason that Matt Remick had feedback for Alphabet City. Howard proceeded to embarrass Matt to everyone in the room by telling them how Matt had suggested back in the day that viewers of A Beautiful Mind know from the start that Paul Bettany’s Charles Herman was a figment of Russell Crowe’s John Nash’s imagination from the start. An angry Matt proceeded to tell Howard about how boring the motel sequence in Alphabet City was, and an an altercation ensued.

Ron Howard ultimately agreed to cut the motel sequence, but informed Matt that he’d destroy the film executive if he ever crossed him again. So the Howard in The Studio’s world is definitely not a nice guy, but the real deal relished the opportunity to play an “asshole.” Like Alex Gregory mentioned, he may not be that way in real life, but that doesn’t mean he feels like a nice guy all the time.

Sarah Polley In The Studio

The week prior to Ron Howard’s appearance, Sarah Polley of Ramona fame appeared in the critically-acclaimed The Studio as herself in “The Oner,” a.k.a. the episode that was entirely one take. She and Seth Rogen had worked together 2011’s Take This Waltz, which Polley directed, and the Apple TV+ show actually marked her first time acting in a decade and a half. But Alex Gregory recalled that Rogen knew she was the right person for this episode:

You could feel Polley’s frustration as Matt Remick kept ruining the oner she was trying right at sunset, as that’s the only time of the day the shot would work. But it was just one thing after another, and by the end of the episode, they weren’t able to get the shot. What was a series of unfortunate events for this Continental Studios production made for hilarious hijinks for the viewer, and both Rogen and Gregory were pleased with how Polley played this fictional version of herself.

Olivia Wilde In The Studio

And then there’s Olivia Wilde, who appeared in the noir-inspired “The Missing Reel.” As the title indicates, the episode revolved around a reel from Wilde’s movie being stolen… only for it to be revealed that Wilde herself was the culprit. It provided the opportunity for Wilde, known from House, Tron: Legacy and Drinking Buddies, among other projects, to play an unhinged version of herself, which she was all too welcome to do. As Alex Gregory told me:

The Studio’s Olivia Wilde stole that reel because she was unhappy with the scene on it and intended to force reshoots. By the end of the episode, she destroyed the reel, and Matt Remick was forced to pay for the reshoots by selling his $2 million car to Zac Efron, one of the movie’s stars. However she may be as a director in real life on set, at least those who are working with her can take comfort knowing she won’t fly off the handle like she did on this series… probably.

We’re now at the halfway mark with The Studio's debut season, so check out the latter five episodes Wednesdays on Apple TV+. Should it return for Season 2, I look forward to seeing what other directors will poke fun at themselves, like perhaps Greta Gerwig considering how Barbie influenced the series, and I’d also welcome seeing Ron Howard exacting revenge on Seth Rogen’s character.

Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Sarah Polley and Olivia Wilde. We’re four episodes into The Studio’s run on the 2025 TV schedule, and that’s only a few of the wildly impressive A-list directors Seth Rogen and co. have rounded up to guest star in this show. However, there’s one more director who I think would be a great fit for this series, and I desperately, and I mean desperately, need her to be on this fabulous Apple TV+ series.

Now, the director I’m talking about is Greta Gerwig, and I doubt anyone is really shocked by this choice. The first episode of The Studio is all about Rogen’s Matt Remick trying to secure a director for the Kool-Aid movie, and Barbie and its success are mentioned while talking about how it was an artistic anomaly in the world of IP-driven films. Plus, the Superbad writer has been open about how Gerwig’s movie influenced The Studio.

That alone makes her a great and fitting addition to this show. I mean, to have her come in and enter this ongoing conversation about the state of film would be perfect, based on that one episode alone.

However, I also want you to consider the other directors who have guest-starred on The Studio, because it gives us another reason why Gerwig would be a perfect fit.

Of the four directors I mentioned at the top of this story, three of them are or were also actors. Ron Howard got his big break playing Opie Taylor on the Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham on Happy Days. Then, he went on to direct Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind (among many others). Olivia Wilde was on screen in projects like House and Tron: Legacy before she helmed Booksmart. And Sarah Polley acted in films like Dawn of the Dead and Go way before she directed Women Talking.

Gerwig is also an actor-turned-director. You can see her on screen in Frances Ha and Mistress America. However, she’s best known for directing Ladybird, Little Women and Barbie. She’d fit in perfectly with the talent that has been lined up for The Studio, and I just know she’d give an A+ performance.

All this is to say, so far, the director guest stars have been my favorites on The Studio because they are playing themselves, which helps show how relevant this series is, while also getting to show off their skills as performers. Ron Howard playing an absolute diva was hilarious. Sarah Polley getting more and more frustrated over that one-take was incredible. Then, seeing Olivia Wilde freak out about a missing roll of film was really, really funny. So, let’s get Greta Gerwig in the mix.

Her films have played a major role in making the film industry what it is right now, and she’s got the acting history to exceed on camera. Putting her in The Studio would give her a chance to show off both things while also providing a poignant and impactful commentary about the state of movies.

Quite literally, I think she’s the perfect person to get on this series all about making movies in this day and age, so Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, can we get on this?

In the meantime, Season 1 of The Studio is in full swing, and it will feature even more iconic directors and writers like Zack Snyder and Aaron Sorkin, as well as TV bosses like Hacks’ Paul W. Downs and Abbott Elementary’s Quinta Brunson (among others). So, make sure you tune in every Wednesday with your Apple TV+ subscription, while I hope and pray that this dream of mine comes true.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Without George Lucas, there would be no Luke Skywalker, no Death Star, no Boba Fett, no Baby Yoda, and the collection of great movies on Disney+ would look vastly different. However, while Lucas is responsible for creating the massively popular franchise set in a galaxy far, far away, there are a handful of others whose names are listed as director for some of the best Star Wars movies.

With the property being as popular as ever, and a few high-profile upcoming Star Wars movies on the way, we decided to take a step back and look at all of the directors who have helped shape the franchise into what we know it as today. With all three sequels from the “Skywalker Saga” and every released standalone movie included, we’ve put together a rather robust list sorted by release date.

George Lucas, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)

When he sat behind the camera for Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, George Lucas was a talented yet relatively unknown director who only had two credits to his name: THX 1138 and American Graffiti. That would soon change upon the May 1977 release of the franchise starter, which propelled Lucas and the film’s cast into superstardom and made him a household name, a distinction that has remained true for nearly 50 years.

Irvin Kershner, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Though very much involved with the story, production, and everything else surrounding Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Lucas passed on the opportunity to direct the film due to not wanting to relive the stress from the first film, per the New York Times. He took a risk and selected Irvin Kershner, best known for films like The Hoodlum Priest, Up the Sandbox, and S*P*Y*S, and it ultimately paid off and gave us one of the best sequels of all time. However, it wasn’t all pleasant for everyone, as Mark Hamill butted heads with Kershner during his first and only Star Wars movie.

Richard Marquand, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return Of The Jedi (1983)

When it came to closing the Star Wars trilogy, Lucas selected Richard Marquand to direct Return of the Jedi, who beat out names like Steven Spielberg, David Lynch, and David Cronenberg, per Collider. Marquand would close out the first phase of the franchise with a divisive finale that seems to get much more praise as the years go on.

George Lucas, Star Wars: Episode I – Phantom Menace (1999)

When it came time for Star Wars to return to the big screen with the long-awaited prequels, George Lucas returned to the director’s chair 20 years after taking a more behind-the-scenes role with The Empire Strikes Back. The result of his return was 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menance, a movie that is not without its shortcomings but also one that gave us the iconic “Duel of the Fates” lightsaber battle.

George Lucas, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones (2002)

The filmmaker stuck around for the second installment in the “Prequel Trilogy” Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Though fans have started to appreciate the prequels, including the middle chapter, in recent years, this 2002 movie remains a low point for the franchise.

George Lucas, Star Wars: Episode III -  Revenge Of The Sith (2005)

The “Prequel Trilogy” came to an end in 2005 with Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, which was once again directed by Lucas. Conversations surrounding the film’s legacy have gone in every direction in the nearly 20 years since its release, but there’s no denying that Lucas directed the hell out of the Mustafar duel.

Dave Filoni, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

Dave Filoni has gone on to be one of the driving forces behind the brand over the years, and it all started with him directing the 2008 animated movie, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The beloved film, which would lead into the the TV series of the same name, took place not long after the events of Attack of the Clones and further expanded the story of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, while also introducing fan-favorites like Ahsoka Tano.

J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)

In December 2015, three years after Disney acquired Lucasfilm, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens was released into theaters around the world and became a massive box office hit. J.J. Abrams, who became one of the major stakeholders in the property following the acquisition, directed the first live-action Star Wars movie in a decade and kicked off the “Sequel Trilogy” in the process.

Gareth Edwards, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

One year after The Force Awakens made beaucoup money at the box office, Disney released its first anthology film with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Directed by Gareth Edwards, who was hot off of the release of Godzilla two years earlier, told the story of the rebel spies who secured the secret Death Star plans and chronicled the sacrifices they made to save the galaxy.

Rian Johnson, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017)

Either the most daring or divisive Star Wars movie depending on who you ask, Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi broke from the status quo and offered a fresh take for the galaxy far, far away. There has been talk of Johnson returning to the franchise at some point in the future, but he has been rather busy the past few years with the Knives Out series, including his upcoming Wake Up Dead Man.

Ron Howard, Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

More than 40 years after working with Lucas in American Graffiti, Ron Howard joined the franchise with 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, replacing Phil Lord and Chris Miller in the process. The movie, which saw Alden Ehrenreich take on the role of a young Han Solo, wasn’t well received and is currently the final Star Wars anthology film. 

J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

Colin Trevorrow was supposed to direct the final installment of the “Sequel Trilogy,” which at one point had the working title of Duel of the Fates, but J.J. Abrams ultimately returned to wrap up the Skywalker Saga with The Rise of Skywalker. Though the lowest-ranked live-action Star Wars movie on Rotten Tomatoes, TROS still made a ton of cash at the box office, though there hasn’t been a new theatrical release since its December 2019 debut.

Though there aren’t any Star Wars movies on the 2024 movie schedule, there are some promising series set in the galaxy on the 2024 TV calendar that should hold fans’ attention while we wait. 

Acting and directing are two very different skills, and for someone to be able to do both is a mark of a hard-working and talented person. It doesn't always work out for actors, but it's remarkable how often it does. Here are 32 such examples of great actors who became great directors as well. 

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood's career has lasted an unbelievable eight decades. He started humbling with small roles in the '50s and as the decades have gone on, he's only gotten bigger and bigger. After directing his first movie, 1971's Play Misty for Me, he's gone on to helm a remarkable 39 more and has won 2 Best Director Oscars, for 1993's Unforgiven and 2005's Million Dollar Baby.

Ron Howard

Ron Howard has been in the lives and living rooms of Americans since he was just a kid as an actor on The Andy Griffith Show. He went on to star in Happy Days in the 1970s before directing his first low-budget film, Grand Theft Auto, in 1977. He's since gone on to direct such classics as Splash, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and many others. 

Bradley Cooper

If the start of Bradley Cooper's directing career is any indication, you can expect huge things. So far, the actor-turned-director has only helmed two movies, A Star Is Born and Maestro and both have been nominated for Best Picture Oscars. Not a shabby record. 

Penny Marshall

Penny Marshall got her first big break on the sitcom The Odd Couple but became a household name as Lavern in Lavern & Shirley. She didn't stay in TV though, instead, she started directing and made two of the most beloved Gen X movies of all time, Big and A League of Their Own. 

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck might not have been the first actor you picked to become a director, but his stellar career as an actor is matched by his work as a director. In fact, though he's never won an acting Oscar (something that should be remedied), he did win Best Director for Argo. 

Robert Redford

By the time Robert Redford directed his first movie, Ordinary People, in 1980, he was already one of the most legendary film stars ever. The second half of his career is as known for his directing as it is for his acting, with movies like Quiz Show and A River Runs Through It.

Jon Favreau

Jon Favreau's acting career started humbling with supporting roles in movies like Rudy and PCU. After he wrote and starred in Swingers, his star shined a little brighter. That was only the beginning though. Favreau has the honor of directing the movie that launched the most successful film franchise of all time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Iron Man and its sequel. He's since moved on to Disney live-action remakes with The Lion King and The Jungle Book. Oh, and he also directed one of the most beloved holiday movies ever with. Elf.

Mel Gibson

The controversial career of Mel Gibson began with a small movie that made huge waves in his native Australia. Mad Max made him famous and by the late late-'80s, he was one of the biggest stars in the world. He then moved into directing and reached his pinnacle early with Braveheart for which he won Best Director. 

Richard Attenborough

As an actor, Richard Attenborough starred in massive hits across generations with movies like The Great Escape and Jurassic Park. As a director, he helmed some of the best biopics of all time, like Gandhi, A Cry Freedom, and Chaplin as well a the legendary war flick, A Bridge Too Far. 

Regina King

Regina King's directorial career is only getting started, but judging by her first movie, One Night In Miami, the future is bright. So far, the Academy Award-winning actress has mostly directed TV shows, but you can be sure more films will be coming her way.

Denzel Washington

What can we say about Denzel Washington that hasn't already been said? He's a living legend at this point, as a multiple Oscar winner and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He's also one heck of a director with movies like Fences and The Great Debaters.

John Krasinski

John Krasinski became part of our collective family as Jim on The Office. Who would have thought from that role, his career in Hollywood would reach the point that he is a major power player? Now that he's moved into directing, the sky is truly the limit. The first movie Krasinski directed, The Hollars, made for a humble beginning, but his second, A Quiet Place established him as a force to reckon with and it's since become a franchise.

Elizabeth Banks

Elizabeth Banks might not have been an actor you'd have guessed would go into directing, like others on this list, but she has in a big way. She has shown she can direct blockbusters like Pitch Perfect 2 and indie darlings like that one about the bear who indulges in some, uh, white powder he finds, and goes on a rampage.

Greta Gerwig

Greta Gerwig is quickly becoming a voice of a generation. Her direction and writing of Barbie has been praised far and wide for its snappy dialog and heartfelt message. Gerwig's acting career started in the mid-'00s when she was mostly in smaller, supporting roles. Since moving into directing, she's become a huge star.

Jordan Peele

Key & Peele was a huge hit for Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, and made them both stars. No one expected Peele to turn to directing horror movies, but that's exactly what he did and we should all be grateful for it. With massive hits like Get Out, Nope, and Us, the future is bright for Peele and for all of us too, who will get to watch his work.

Rob Reiner

Though he had a leg up coming from a Hollywood family, Rob Reiner has staked out a claim all his own in the entertainment business. First as an actor on the hit show All in the Family, then as the director of some of the most loved movies of all time. Starting with his first movie, This is Spinal Tap, and running through the '80s and early '90s, he had an unbelievable run that included The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, and Misery. Wow!

George Clooney

Not only is George Clooney one of the most bankable movie stars ever, he's also a fantastic director. His acting career is legendary and his directing career, while not quite at the level of his acting, is still fantastic. He's directed TV (Catch-22) and movies (The Boys In The Boat, The Midnight Sky, Good Night, and Good Luck, among others) and you can be sure there will be more from him.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie's directing career hasn't always gotten the best reviews, but I'd say her movies are very underrated. The talented actress has an eye for behind the camera as well, and movies like Unbroken and First They Killed My Father are powerful movies.

Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton's acting career came on as a slow burn to fame, but his directing career started with a band. His first film was a masterpiece called Sling Blade. he followed that up with the underrated All The Pretty Horse and a few others, though his pace has slowed over the last couple of decades. Let's hope he finds that directing bug again. 

Ben Stiller

There was a time in the '90s and '00s when it seemed like Ben Stiller was in every movie released. Not only was he working hard in front of the camera, he was killing it behind the camera as well. Starting really with Reality Bites, and moving on to great movies like the controversial but hilarious Tropic Thunder, and the Zoolander movies. 

Jodie Foster

The great Jodie Foster has been an acclaimed actor and star since her teenage years and of course, that talent has translated to directing. Though lately she's done mostly TV work like directing episodes of Black Mirror and Orange is the New Black, she's done a few movies too, like Little Man Tate and Money Monster.

Kevin Costner

In addition to being one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, Kevin Costner has never shied away from making epic films. Though he's only directed four movies in his career, they have all been big films. Starting with Dances With Wolves in 1990, he's since directed The Postman, Open Range, and 2024's Horizon: An American Saga.

Tim Robbins

The directing bug caught Tim Robbins in the early '90s and he directed a couple of great movies with Bob Roberts and Dead Man Walking. He's directed a smattering of movies and TV shows more recently, but he's mostly stuck to acting over the last few years. 

Sean Penn

Since the early 1980s, Sean Penn has been wowing moviegoers with his impressive acting chops and diversity. In the '90s he dipped his toe into directing with his first film, The Indian Runner and has directed a good handful of movies since, with his best being Into The Wild in 2007. 

Zach Braff

Acting-wise Zach Braff's big break came as a regular cast member of the hit sitcom Scrubs. As a directed, he burst onto the scene with his very first movie, Garden State in 2004. He's continued directing here and there over the last 20 years, including the great movie about getting older, Going In Style, and a few others, in addition to some TV work. 

Warren Beatty

In the 1970s, there was no bigger movie star than Warren Beatty. By the end of the decade, he had moved into directing as well, starting with 1978's Heaven Can Wait and continuing the '80s and '90s with acclaimed movies like Red and maybe his most remembered, Dick Tracy in 1990.

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton is a force of nature. For decades she's been one of the best and most popular actresses in Hollywood, and though she's only dipped her toes into directing, mostly in TV, she's on this list for one important reason. Keaton directed the music video for "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" by Belinda Carlisle and that is a stone-cold Gen X classic. 

Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh might be as well known for his directing as he is for his acting, and that's really saying something. Not only has he directed some of the best Shakespeare adaptions for the silver screen, but more recently he's been killing it with his Agatha Christie adaptations. 

Leonard Nimoy

Appropriately, Leonard Nimoy's first foray into feature film direction came in the Star Trek franchise when he directed both Star Trek III: The Search For Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Outside of the iconic franchise he helped make famous he also directed the beloved Three Men and a Baby. 

Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone has always been a self-starter. His work to get the original Rocky made is legendary and after it made him a huge star, he wasted no time getting into directing, starting with Rocky II and adding Rocky III, Rocky IV, and 2006's Rocky Balboa as well. Of course, he's also directed in two other franchises he was at the center of with 2008's Rambo and the first Expendable movie. 

Helen Hunt

This one might surprise you, but Helen Hunt has had an impressive career as a director. Most of her work has been on television on shows varying from her own Mad About You and This Is Us. She also has two feature films under her belt with 2007's Then She Found Me and 2014's Ride. 

Joel Edgerton

Joel Edgerton is seemingly everywhere these days, popping up in all kinds of movies and TV shows from Star Wars stuff to Dark Matter. He's also started directing, but his output is limited, with 2015's underrated The Gift and 2018 Boy Erased. Let's hope he finds more time to direct in his busy schedule. 

It’s a sad reality that every so often, the filmmaking community loses one of its own and, this past week, it lost an absolute giant within the industry. Roger Corman – the acclaimed director and producer – passed away at the tender age of 98. The show business legend was highly regarded for his work within the independent film space and for being instrumental in cultivating the careers of some of cinema’s greatest directors. Admirers have since taken to social media to send well wishes and honor the late Corman. A plethora of big names are doing that as well, including William Shatner and John Carpenter.

William Shatner has a lengthy filmography filled with plenty of titles not related to Star Trek. One of those entries is the 1962 drama The Intruder, which was produced and directed by Roger Corman, who died on Thursday at his Santa Monica home per THR. Shatner referenced his collaboration with the late Corman while sharing a sweet tribute to him on X (formerly known as Twitter):

Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1926, the late filmmaker began his career in the mailroom at 20th Century Fox. After dabbling in on-stage work and screenwriting, he eventually produced his first movie, 1954’s Monster from the Ocean Floor and followed that up with the 1955 thriller The Fast and the Furious. (The title of the latter would be licensed off for the contemporary FF film series decades later.) The Highway Dragnet scribe would eventually move into theatrical distribution, through which he would open the floodgates for movies from acclaimed foreign directors to reach the states. While reflecting on his work, John Carpenter – whose films are revered – discussed on X just how the producer impacted him:

What many tend to remember the Filmgroup co-founder for is the way in which he invested in directors. Jonathan Demme, Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron and Martin Scorsese are just a few of the esteemed individuals who benefited from his generosity. Ron Howard is another person who owes a portion of his career to the late auteur. The Apollo 13 helmer also used X as his forum to reflect on his relationship with his former colleague:

Famously known as the king of the b-movie, Corman, who also acted in movies, directed 55 films between the 1950s and the 2000s. He helmed science fiction and horror fare like The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) and It Conquered the World (1956) as well as dramas like I Mobster (1959) and The Wild Angels (1966). Corman also had a few westerns to his name, including Five Guns West (1955) and The Oklahoma Woman (1956). He also carved out a niche for himself by adapting Edgar Alan Poe’s work. Robert Rodriguez, who’s directed great films himself, shared via X what he learned from Corman:

Few would deny the sheer impact that Roger Corman had on the medium that is film. The moviemaking community as a whole owes him a great deal of gratitude for the doors that he opened, and the mark he leaves on Hollywood is indelible. It’s certainly sad that he’s no longer with us but, through his work, and the memories that these stars and more have shared, he’ll surely never be forgotten. And we here at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to Corman’s family, friends and loved ones during this time.

Yesterday, Sam Rubin, an incredible entertainment journalist who was a staple of KTLA 5 News in Los Angeles, died of a heart attack at the age of 64. He had been with the news channel since 1991, and he was beloved by viewers, journalists and the artists he interviewed. Now, as we mourn the death of the beloved reporter, many have taken to social media to pay tribute to him, including Ryan Reynolds, Hannah Waddingham, Ryan Seacrest and more. 

As a staple in Los Angeles and the world of entertainment journalism, Rubin had interviewed so many celebrities across his decades-long career, and he was adored by many. For example, Ted Lasso cast member and Emmy-winner Hannah Waddingham took to X to share her tribute for the reporter, noting how much she loved chatting with him during interviews:

Ryan Reynolds shared a similar sentiment on X. Actors participate in an intense number of interviews to promote their projects – which is something Reynolds is about to do for his upcoming project Deadpool and Wolverine – and it can be really difficult and repetitive. However, as the actor pointed out, chatting with Rubin was always a delight:

Ryan Seacrest, a great interviewer himself and the incoming Wheel of Fortune host, posted a sweet and personal tribute for Rubin on Instagram, noting the impact the reporter had on his life and career, he wrote: 

Tom Hanks, posted a photo of him on Instagram with a simple and sweet tribute, writing:

Director and actor Ron Howard reposted an obituary about Rubin on X, and he shared his own tribute for the reporter. The A Beautiful Mind director made sure to note the impact the journalist left on Los Angeles, writing:

Known for his interviews on red carpets, sets, junkets and in-studio, most of the actors noted how much they appreciated Rubin’s work. Mayim Bialik did too, as someone who was part of  Blossom and The Big Bang Theory casts, she’s been interviewed by him many times. However, as an LA local, she also explained that she loved that her mom could tune into the local news to watch his interviews, posting on X:

More celebrities took to Twitter too to share their tributes for and stories about Sam Rubin. From TV stars to comedians to film legends, the outpouring of love is overwhelming in the best way. Here are a few of them:

• @ktlaENT omg this is a terrible loss .. for Sam’s family , his co workers , friends and his fans . IT WAS ALWAYS a pleasure to be on set with Sam . He will be Sorely missed . We winklers are so saddened by this horrible news . THANK YOU for your constant support ! Love, Henry -Henry Winkler
• Today we lost LA legend Sam Rubin from @KTLAMorningNews I had the privilege of doing countless segments with him over the last 15+ years. In studio or on the streets it was always a pleasure. I will miss you Sam. Thank you 😥 -Gabriel Iglesias
• EVERYONE loved Sam Rubin. He has supported my career and countless others since day one. And he had the best sense of humor about life, and we would make each other laugh all the time. But most of all, he was a loving father and husband and just a good person. Sending all my love to Sam’s family and everyone whose lives have been blessed by him. Love you @SamOnTV. -Ken Jeong
• I last talked to Sam Rubin at the Critics Choice Awards this year. His smile and his genuine excitement for all things Hollywood ever present. In nervous situations he was a buoy of kindness. I will miss him. -Kiefer Sutherland

Overall, this outpouring of love simply confirms what we already knew: Sam Rubin is and always will be a legend, and he will be dearly missed. It’s a true tragedy that he won’t appear on KTLA 5 as it continues to air on the 2024 TV schedule, however, his legacy will live on forever.

We here at CinemaBlend extend our condolences and love to Sam Rubin’s family, friends and colleagues during this tragic time.   

It’s been nearly 25 years since Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace came out. The movie has gone through multiple reevaluations over the years, but at various times, different parts of the film have been severely criticized by fans. Even major publications took shots at the movie back before its release, which once caused former child star and director Ron Howard to write a letter to Newsweek to slam them for going after child actor Jake Lloyd.

Lloyd, who played the young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace, is back in the news after his mother spoke out about her son’s mental health struggles and the impact being Star Wars had, and did not have, on his mental health. Likely as a result of that, a Star Wars fan Twitter account @sw_tweets republished a letter that Ron Howard, who had once been asked to direct The Phantom Menace, wrote after Newsweek went after the kid…

The letter is dated January 19, 1999, and Howard even mentions during the letter that the Newsweek story, which seemingly bashed Jake Lloyd for alleged bad acting, was basing what it was saying on rumors and anonymous sources. After all, nobody had seen the movie at this point. Howard strongly disagrees with the sentiment regarding Lloyd’s ability, but is mostly upset that Newsweek would say such terrible things about a kid before they had even seen the movie. Mark Hamill has also come to Lloyd's defense in the past.

Of course, Newsweek would be far from the only place where Jake Lloyd would be criticized. After The Phantom Menace was released, a lot of people were less than complementary about the child actor. He would not act again following the Star Wars movie, though his mother recently discounted any suggestion that the Star Wars backlash had anything to do with that.

Beyond that, Lloyd’s mental health, as he has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, is also unrelated to Star Wars. His mother says the cause was likely genetic and would have happened regardless. Lloyd is reportedly 10 months into an 18-month stay at a mental health rehab facility following an incident last year. He is doing well, according to his mother.

While the negative response to the Phantom Menace may not have impacted Jake Lloyd’s mental health, we know that’s not always the case. Ahmed Best has spoken openly about how the hate focused on Jar Jar Binks took a toll on him mentally. Best has since admitted to suicidal thoughts at one point as a result of the constant negativity. 

While the hypercritical response to the actor's performance might not have had a significant influence on his choice of career or his mental health, it’s difficult not to agree with Ron Howard’s ultimate point, that bashing a child actor, whether or not you’ve seen the movie, is simply unnecessary. It doesn’t accomplish anything good. 

The Phantom Menace is largely seen as a bad movie, and that's fine. Some fans have even suggested a way of watching the Star Wars movies that eliminates The Phantom Menace. It's ok that it's a bad movie, but it can be bad without attacking children.

While Tom Hanks is definitely one of our acting living legends, he was still pretty early in what would become and Oscar-winning career when he was paired with someone who was already becoming a comedic legend in his own right: John Candy. The two portrayed brothers in 1984’s critically acclaimed romantic comedy, Splash, which launched Hanks’ A-list career. He and director Ron Howard opened up about the time Candy got to set late and drunk…but still nailed a big scene in one take.

What Did Ron Howard And Tom Hanks Say About John Candy Being Late And Drunk But Nailing His Scene With One Take?

During his sadly short career, John Candy gave us many hilarious ‘80s movie quotes and scenes that stick with us, including a scene from Splash that it turns out he was rather ill prepared for, but still managed to film perfectly in just one take. It was the famous racquetball scene, which required Candy to serve the ball and immediately get hit in the head by it. When talking about the film with Josh Gad, Ron Howard and Tom Hanks were asked about that moment, with Howard noting:

Honestly, anytime someone has to apologize for being drunk and says “here’s what happened,” you just know it’s going to be a good story, and Candy didn’t disappoint. Howard continued laying out the story the funny man relayed, saying:

Now, being late for work and showing up drunk isn’t great, but I don’t think anyone could fault Candy for being enticed to stick around the bar when Jack Nicholson showed an interest in chatting with him. Who among us wouldn’t stay out way too late and possibly imbibe too much if a noted famous person decided to show us a good time? 

As Howard stated, though, the comedian was a true professional, and after telling the director what happened they went on with their filming as planned, with Candy (who admitted something surprising on the set of Cool Runnings before his death) managing to pull it off on the first take. Hanks added:

This is why Splash is one of the best John Candy movies, despite him not being one of the stars on the poster, and why so many wish he’d been able to bring us dozens of additional movies.

The original The Twilight Zone has had one of the most enduring legacies in entertainment. Though it only ran for five seasons (156 episodes, some of which are among the best TV shows ever), its influence and reach are remarkable. Three further series have been created over the years, including Jordan Peele’s short-lived reboot, and one ill-fated movie. 

Its influence has also been felt in the huge number of stars appearing on the show early in their careers. Some were established actors who found great fame later, and some were just starting. Here is a quick list of actors who found huge fame after appearing on The Twilight Zone.

William Shatner

Star Trek legend William Shatner appeared in two episodes of The Twilight Zone before landing his gig as captain of the Enterprise. His first episode, "Nick of Time," came in Season 2, but his most remembered is "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" in Season 5. Both are considered among the best episodes of the show. 

Charles Bronson

Future action movie legend Charles Bronson took the slow road to fame. Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s he, like so many actors, grabbed gigs wherever he could on film and TV. One included a spot on an episode in Season 3 called "Two." In the episode, Bronson plays one of the last two people on earth who finds love with the only other one. 

Carol Burnett

The Season 3 episode "Cavender Is Coming" is not a well-thought-of episode of the show, but it is notable for starring a true legend. Carol Burnett, in a very early role for her, plays a down-on-her-luck woman who is helped by an angel to get her out of her doldrums. While it does provide Burnett with an opportunity to show off her comedic chops, in the end, comedy doesn't really work in The Twilight Zone. 

Burt Reynolds

Burt Reynolds appeared on one episode of The Twilight Zone very early in his career, playing a satirized version of Marlon Brando in an episode in Season 4 called "The Bard." The episode focuses on William Shakespeare, who arrives in the present day to help write a TV show but is horrified by the Reynolds' character's acting style.  

Dennis Hopper

Watching the Season 4 episode "He's Alive" is a wild experience in the present day. There is no other episode in the series that is so prescient today. The episode stars Dennis Hopper as a Neo-Nazi in America who has a run-in with Hitler himself. It proves just how edgy the show was, especially for its day. 

Cloris Leachman

Season 3's "It's A Good Life" is one of the most enduring episodes of the whole series. It stars Cloris Leachman as the mother of a boy with the devastating power of conjuring whatever he wants who often uses it for ill. 

Donald Pleasence

Donald Pleasence was most famous in the mid '60s through '70s, most notably for his role in The Great Escape and for his oft-forgotten turn as James Bond's #1 enemy, Blofeld in You Only Live Twice. But, in the '70s and '80s, he was most famous, of course, for his role as Dr. Loomis in the Halloween franchise. Before those roles, he starred in the Season 3 episode "The Changing of the Guard."

Robert Redford

Robert Redford is one of the biggest movie stars of all time, but like many actors, he got his start in television. In addition to a lot of credits in the early '60s on other big shows, Redford starred in one episode of The Twilight Zone in 1962. The episode, "Nothing in the Dark," aired during Season 3. 

Sally Kellerman

In truly a "blink or you'll miss her" moment, Sally Kellerman appeared in the episode "Miniature" in The Twilight Zone's fourth season. In an uncredited role, the Back to School star plays an office worker who is seen just at the very beginning. Interestingly, her M*A*S*H co-star Robert Duvall also appears in the episode.  

Burgess Meredith

For a generation of movie fans, Burgess Meredith will always be Mick from Rocky, but the actor had an accomplished career outside of that series, including starring in four different episodes of The Twilight Zone. His first is in one of the most beloved episodes of the whole series, "Time Enough At Last" in the first season. Later he starred in "Mr. Dingle, the Strong" and "The Obsolete Man" in Season 2, and "Printer's Devil" in Season 4.

Don Rickles

Don Rickles is best known for his no-holds-barred insult comedy. A true legend of Hollywood. He also strung together quite the acting resume when he wasn't making fun of his peers. That career included one episode of The Twilight Zone in Season 2, "Mr. Dingle, the Strong," alongside Burgess Meredith. 

Ron Howard

It's hard to imagine there was ever a time that Ron Howard wasn't famous. He first found fame when he was just six years old on The Andy Griffin Show, but even before that, he appeared on a Season 1 episode of The Twilight Zone called "Walking Distance." 

Robert Duvall

Before making one of the most impressive movie debuts ever as Boo Radley in 1962's To Kill A Mockingbird, Robert Duvall appeared on a handful of TV shows. One, of course, was The Twilight Zone, in an episode called "Minature," in Season 4. 

Ann Jillian had a long career in Hollywood before she retired in 2000 to devote herself to raising her son. Her career started in the early '60s when she was a kid. In Season 4 of The Twilight Zone, she starred as an orphan who refused to speak, or so thought the aunt and uncle raising her. It's a classic, creepy episode called simply "Mute."

George Takei

Star Trek legend George Takei is best known as the senior helmsman of the Enterprise, but years before that, he starred in the Season 5 episode "The Encounter." In it, Takei's character and his neighbor end up in a very unfortunate, but seemingly inevitable, situation that only the show can provide. 

John Astin

It was a different show where John Astin was "creepy and kooky," when he starred as Gomez Addams in the original Addams' Family. A couple of years before that though, he starred in a Season 2 episode called "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim." The show co-starred the great Montgomery Clift, as well. 

Buddy Ebsen

Buddy Ebsen had a very interesting career. He was famously cast as the Tin Man in The Wizard Of Oz but had to leave the production due to a serious medical reaction to the silver paint for the costume that landed him in the hospital (the production also used asbestos for snow). He then left for World War II and when he returned to Hollywood after, didn't find a ton of success. He starred in a Season 2 episode of The Twilight Zone called "The Prime Mover" in 1961, just before landing the role he would become world famous for, Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies. 

Elizabeth Montgomery

The first episode of Season 3, "Two," stars Charles Bronson as one of the two, and Elizabeth Montgomery as the other. Her star had just begun to rise as she was nominated for an Emmy around the same time for a one-episode turn in The Untouchables, but it was in 1964 when she landed the role of the one and only Samantha on Bewitched that made her part of television history.  

Lee Marvin

Tough guy Lee Marvin was already starting to make a name for himself when he appeared in two episodes ("The Grave" in Season 2 and "Steel" in Season 5). Marvin was still a few years away from the superstardom he found in the late '60s with movies like The Dirty Dozen, Cat Ballou, and Point Blank. 

Leonard Nimoy

Before Star Trek, Leonard Nimoy appeared in an episode of The Twilight Zone as a soldier on a Pacific island in World War II. The episode, "A Quality of Mercy," aired in December of 1961, in the show's third season. Nimoy would continue to guest spot on TV shows for another five years before landing his iconic role as Spock. 

Dean Stockwell

When Dean Stockwell died in 2021, he had been in show business for more than 70 years. It's an astonishing feat, and as you'd expect, he had a whole slew of acting roles, including the Season 3 episode of The Twilight Zone titled "A Quality of Mercy," alongside Leonard Nimoy. 

Jack Klugman

Future Odd Couple star Jack Klugman was as close as an actor could be to being a regular on The Twilight Zone. In total, he appeared in four episodes of the show. First, he starred in "A Passage for Trumpet" in Season 1, followed by "A Game of Pool" in Season 2, alongside the great Jonathan Winters. In Season 4, Klugman appeared in "Death Ship," and finally, in the Season 5 episode, "In Praise of Pip."

Julie Newmar

Before finding her greatest fame as Catwoman in the first two seasons of the '60s Batman series, Julie Newmar starred in the Season 4 episode, "Of Late I Think of Cliffordville." In the episode, Newmar doesn't have cat ears, but she does have devil horns, as she plays Satan trying to get the protagonist played by Albert Salmi (who played Danny's father in Caddyshack) to make a deal with the devil. 

James Coburn

By 1963, when James Coburn starred in the Season 5 episode "The Old Man In The Cave," the actor was already well on his way to fame. Earlier that year he had starred in the legendary World War II movie The Great Escape, and by the next year, he was one of Hollywood's most famous stars. 

Ted Knight

Judge Smails in Caddyshack and Ted Baxter in The Mary Tyler Moore Show will forever be the roles that the great Ted Knight will be remembered for. It took him quite a while to find big fame in Hollywood and along the way he had a lot of voice-over work and small TV roles, including an uncredited role in "The Lonely" from Season 1. At first, he's hard to spot, but once he delivers one of his few lines, viewers will immediately know it's Knight from his distinct voice. 

Peter Falk

When you think of Peter Falk you probably think of one of two roles, that of the titular detective in Colombo or as the grandfather in The Princess Bride. Those are only two roles in a storied career, however. Before ever landing his role as TV's most famous bumbling detective (all due respect to Monk), Falk starred in an episode in Season 3 called "The Mirror" where he weirdly played a Fidel Castro-like dictator in an unnamed Central American country. 

Richard Kiel

"To Serve Man" in Season 3 of The Twilight Zone is one of the most famous episodes of the series. Starring as the unspeaking, imposing alien is the one and only Richard Kiel. It's a perfect role for the actor who would become most famous for playing one of the all-time great henchmen in the James Bond movies, Jaws. 

Telly Savalas

"Who loves you, baby?" It's one of the most iconic catchphrases in TV history, made famous by Telly Savalas in Kojak. A decade before he starred as the super cool TV detective, he played a gruff stepfather who gets into a fight with his stepdaughter's baby doll in the Season 5 episode "Living Doll." 

Jonathan Winters

Jonathan Winters was most renowned for his comedy work. In addition to many comedy albums, his appearances in movies like It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and on TV shows like Mork & Mindy made him very famous. On The Twilight Zone, he played a more serious role of a legendary pool shark called down from heaven to prove another player's mettle in "A Game Of Pool" from Season 3. 

Martin Landau

When Martin Landau won an Oscar in 1994 for his role in Ed Wood, he'd been in the business for decades. His big breakout came as part of the cast of the original Mission: Impossible TV show in the late '60s. Before that, he starred in two episodes of The Twilight Zone, "Mr. Denton on Doomsday" from Season 1 and "The Jeopardy Room" from Season 5. 

Roddy McDowall

Roddy McDowall is most famous for playing Cornelius in The Planet of the Apes series, appearing in three of the original movies. He also starred in "People Are Alike All Over" from the first season of The Twilight Zone.

Sydney Pollack

Sydney Pollack is one of the best directors in Hollywood history, known for films like Tootsie, Out of Africa, and Michael Clayton. It makes perfect sense that in an early acting role, he played a director in the Season 2 episode, "The Trouble with Templeton."

This is a list that could go on and on, especially when you add in already established stars like Buster Keaton who also appeared in episodes, but for now, we'll leave it here with these big names who starred in The Twilight Zone early in their career. 

Today, we know Tom Hanks for his movies like Toy Story, Saving Private Ryan and Forrest Gump, among, many, many others. However, the movie that kicked off his career as a leading man was Splash. It turns out, he ended up doing that movie partially because of a small role he had on Happy Days where he got to kick Fonzie. And I gotta say, what a way to kick off a career! 

While talking with SiriusXM Hanks talked about the one episode of Happy Days he appeared in during his early acting days, much like other big actors like Robin Williams who appeared in an episode during the start of his acting career. Hanks is now talking about his experience working with Henry Winkler on the show, and explained he got to do something not many have: 

He then revealed that when Splash was in development they were looking for someone to play the lead, and the writers -- who had worked on Happy Days with Ron Howard and were involved with the Disney film -- thought of Hanks for the role because of his interaction with The Fonz. Hanks said: 

Hanks has also explained that he didn’t think he was auditioning for the lead of Splash at the time. However, now that the movie has been out for multiple decades it’s hard to imagine him as anything but Daryl Hannah’s love interest, clearly, Howard and co. had a similar thought.

Well, all those connections he made on Happy Days both in the ways of kicking and networking, paid off, because following his appearance on the classic sitcom in 1982 and Splash in 1984 he went on to star in massive movies like Big and Turner & Hooch, and those are just his movies from the 1980s. The early ‘90s brought us Philadelphia, Sleepless in Seattle and Forrest Gump, just to name a few. So, I think it’s safe to say we should all thank Happy Days, Henry Winkler for letting Hanks kick him, and Ron Howard for hiring him, because that was the springboard for Hanks to go on to have a legendary career, that is still thriving. 

Based on this story from Hanks, and the Splash reunion that happened in 2020, the actor is very aware of what got his career going, and looks back on the unique experience fondly. Now, his career is still going strong as he has a film on the 2023 movie schedule called A Man Called Otto currently playing in theaters, and more projects on the way, and it’s all partially because of him kicking Henry Winkler on Happy Days. 

If you are interested in watching Hanks in the movie he was hired for after Happy Days, you can check out Splash with a Disney+ subscription. 

Despite the pedigree of Solo: A Star Wars Story, specifically the growing pains that Ron Howard’s film went through behind the scenes, the midquel has attracted a healthy fanbase. While the director has moved on to new movie releases like Thirteen Lives, there are Star Wars junkies that still want to see the continuing adventures that made this scruffy looking nerf herder the dashing rogue we know and love. The noise is so great in fact that Howard himself has opened up about the possibility of Solo 2 happening. 

Unfortunately, that update isn’t as hopeful as some would like, as this is what Ron Howard told NME in a recent interview:

Let's just address the bummer in the room right out of the gate: Solo 2 doesn't look any closer to happening. In fact, the most hopeful update in these remarks is that Ron Howard, and presumably Lucasfilm Ltd., are still very much aware of the fan push to get this story back off the ground. 

This isn’t even the first time that the legendary director has interacted with this continued fan demand. Even in the earlier days of the #MakeSolo2Happen campaign, Howard cheered on fans with simple messages of encouragement. Looking at the variety of films and series on the roster of upcoming Star Wars projects, it’s kind of surprising that Solo 2 is something people have latched onto.

Then again, everyone has their reasons for wanting Solo: A Star Wars Story to lead to further installments with Alden Ehrenreich’s incarnation at the forefront. Fan pitches for Solo 2 have ranged from seeing more of Donald Glover’s Lando to hoping that the story teased with Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra, and that shocking reveal at the end of the first film, will eventually be fulfilled.

Meanwhile, co-writer Jon Kasdan wants to give Ehrenreich a chance to fully embrace the Han Solo character, since his origin story is officially out of the way. All of this promise is something that Ron Howard sees as well, and that leads to the more hopeful part of this update. Further elaborating on his feelings towards Solo: A Star Wars Story, Howard chipped in these optimistic hopes for the future:

A sequel for Solo: A Star Wars Story sits pretty much in the same position that the potential follow-up to Alita: Battle Angel currently occupies. Fan interest seems high if the internet is any indication, and the talent involved, including Ron Howard, seems game to return to that world. All that really has to happen in either of those scenarios is for a studio greenlight to come through, ushering in another chapter of crowd-pleasing sci-fi adventure.

This means that you Star Wars fans gunning for more Solo adventures need something to pass the time with. Luckily, a Disney+ subscription lets you enjoy that entire galaxy far, far away, in animated and live-action variants. And, of course, you can rewatch Solo: A Star Wars Story through that very same platform, which is the reason for the season considering the story you've just read.

Ron Howard has had a string of stone-cold classics in his time. Some of them have been box-office behemoths like Solo: A Star Wars Story or the Dan Brown adaptations he did with Tom Hanks. Others have been critically acclaimed, with A Beautiful Mind earning Howard two Oscars for Best Picture and Director. These are some of Ron Howard’s Top 10 movies. But according to the Academy Award-winning director, none of the above movies received the highest test scores from preview audiences. In fact, Apollo 13 used to be his highest… until this movie came along. 

Ron Howard was attending the SCAD Savannah Film Festival last month, where the acclaimed director was bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award. This gave CinemaBlend the opportunity to cover his entire career during an exclusive interview, even though he brought his recent drama Thirteen Lives to Georgia to show to audiences. And when he started talking about that harrowing story, he admitted to us:     

Thirteen Lives came out earlier this year, and falls into the camp of Ron Howard stories that convey real-life experiences, with a layer of Hollywood drama. In the case of this movie, Howard recreated the miraculous rescue efforts to retrieve a team of young soccer players and their coaches who’d become trapped in a cave system in Thailand.  

Perhaps because of the language barrier, Ron Howard wondered how the movie would connect with a larger, mainstream audience. But as he told CinemaBlend:

This could be what Thirteen Lives played so well when audiences with an Amazon Prime Subscription started to screen it over the summer. You have to listen to Ron Howard talk about the movie at length. He’s really a fascinating storyteller. 

If you still are on the fence about pressing play on Thirteen Lives, our official review sings the movie’s praises, and critics overall gave the film high marks. It could compete for year-end awards if enough people see it, but we still have so many 2022 movie theater releases, the competition could get stiff from here on out.

Ron Howard joins the show to talk about his new film Thirteen Lives, his career, and more. We sat down with Ron Howard at the SCAD Savannah Film festival, and the filmmaker opened up about films from across his career including Apollo 13 and its parallels to Thirteen Lives. 

Also this week, we react to news of James Gunn and Peter Safran being appointed co-chairmen and CEOs of DC Studios, overseeing DC’s film, TV, and animation projects. We also react to the previous weekend’s box office results, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania’s new trailer, and review the powerful new film Till which hits theaters this weekend. 

Timestamps (approx. only)

00:00:00 - Intro
00:07:26 - Ron Howard Interview 
00:30:55 - James Gunn DC Studio Co-CEO
00:43:50 - Box Office Reactions
00:57:30 - Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania Reaction
01:07:42 - This Week In Movies
01:16:05 - The Good Nurse Review
01:21:20 - Till Review
01:30:58 - Our Favorite Cate Blanchett Movie
01:41:55 - Outro

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There are popular movie franchises, and then there’s Star Wars. Entire generations were brought up on the galaxy far, far away, and it’s a huge part of pop culture as a whole. Plenty of famous faces have joined the space opera on the small and silver screens, but what about the great Tom Hanks? The Elvis actor recently confirmed he almost had a secret cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

There’s been a ton of Star Wars content produced and released since Disney acquired Lucasfilm and started the property back up. This includes a pair of standalone films, the last of which was Ron Howard’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. Tom Hanks recently appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, where he was asked to confirm or deny rumors that Howard approached him to cameo as a Stormtrooper. Hanks got honest about the situation, saying:

Well, there you have it. It looks like scheduling and travel prevented Tom Hanks from getting to join the galaxy far, far away as a Stormtrooper. And in the process, he would have joined the ranks of various celebrities and executives who have suited up to play within the property in this subtle way. Maybe that’s why Stormtroopers have such notoriously bad aim. 

Tom Hanks’ comments from Happy Sad Confused came during a round of quick fire questions, where the acclaimed actor was able to confirm or dispel rumors about his career. While he denied being approached for certain rumored roles, that wasn’t the case when it came to the chatter about Solo: A Star Wars Story. But which Stormtrooper could Hanks have played in the somewhat infamous blockbuster?

Solo: A Star Wars Story is somewhat infamous as far as the franchise’s big screen installments go. The project began filming with directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller behind the camera, before they were unceremoniously fired from the project by the Lucasfilm powers that be. Ron Howard stepped in to complete the project, which ended up being the franchise’s sole box office disappointment. Still, Tom Hanks seems like he wished he got the chance to do a top secret cameo.

As the Forrest Gump icon mentioned, Daniel Craig got to join the beloved space opera in a similar fashion. He was a Stormtrooper in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, specifically the one that Rey managed to mind control while in First Order captivity. Now someone has to ask Ron Howard where he would have included Tom Cruise’s scrapped cameo.

The Star Wars franchise continues to expand on the small screen, and Taika Waititi is expected to helm the next standalone film for theaters. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

In 2018, 12 soccer players and their coach ventured into the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Thailand and became trapped when the cave flooded. The search-and-rescue operation made international headlines for weeks, as rescuers from around the world came together to try to save them. Director Ron Howard has proven his ability to adapt real-life stories for the drama of the big screen, and he is now exploring the Tham Luang cave rescue in the upcoming film Thirteen Lives. Critics have screened the film, so let’s see what they have to say.

Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell and Joel Edgerton star as part of the team attempting the rescue of the young footballers. Expectations are high, as the survival drama is already generating 2023 Oscar buzz after receiving the best test scores in MGM studio history. So let’s get right to it, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Thirteen Lives. Mike Reyes rates the movie 3 out of 5 stars, saying that while survival movie lovers should still be pleased, Ron Howard opts for realism over melodramatic thrills. For example, conversations about the expectation of casualties replace rousing inspirational speeches. Reyes said:

Lovia Gyarkye of THR calls it a reliably tense retelling but says it lacks depth. This critic wishes more time were devoted to the parents’ struggles or how the boys survived, rather than the discomfort the divers felt with the press:

Danielle Solzman of Solzy at the Movies rates Thirteen Lives a 4.5 out of 5, lauding Ron Howard for being able to bring the intensity, despite the fact that we already know the ending going into the film: 

The only problems that Todd McCarthy of Deadline has with Ron Howard’s latest project is that the story was already told in the high-profile documentary The Rescue last year, and Thirteen Lives’ release to streaming after only a week might discourage audiences from seeing it on the big screen as Howard intends: 

David Erhlich of IndieWire agrees, at least on the point of Thirteen Lives having to compete with The Rescue, which this critic argues might have been better. This movie garnered a C+, but the review acknowledges that the story of the Tham Luang cave rescue is incredible enough to survive any storytelling deficiencies, and Ron Howard provides an engrossing rendition of the event: 

With the Oscar buzz this movie is already garnering, you might want to catch this one in theaters when it premieres Friday, July 29. However, if a trip to the movies isn’t in the cards, Amazon Prime Video subscribers will have access to Thirteen Lives starting on Friday, August 5. In the meantime, check out some more movies based on true-life survival stories, and keep up with what else is coming to theaters soon with our 2022 Movie Release Schedule. 

Acclaimed director Ron Howard has long been a steady hand when it comes to handling true life drama on the big screen. Epics like Apollo 13 and In the Heart of the Sea, as well as more grounded efforts like Hillbilly Elegy have seen the man hone his craft with real, human stories. His return to the genre with Thirteen Lives gives the director another chance to further his reputation dramatizing the all-too-real events that took place during 2018’s Tham Luang cave rescue. Opting for a less blockbuster styled approach, Howard and his team deliver a sober-but-intriguing, look at people in crisis. 

Over 18 days, thirteen members of the Wild Boars junior soccer team were trapped in the Tham Luang cave system. As efforts were mounted for a rescue attempt, the world’s eyes were watching, with every setback and success making the news. Portraying the stories of those who experienced it first hand, Thirteen Lives shows the audience the viewpoints of everyone from the parents who hoped for their children’s survival to the government and military officials who navigated the perils of bureaucracy and nature to battle the rising waters. 

Among the varying lenses that Thirteen Lives uses to tell its story is that of the international team of divers (Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, and Tom Bateman) that came in to assist the Royal Thai Navy. Revolving through its contingent of real world figures, the movie is a well-rounded story that opts for realism over melodramatic thrills.

The cinematic approach to Thirteen Lives borders on documentarian, foregoing sensationalism for grounded drama. 

When someone mentions Ron Howard in the same breath as historical drama, Apollo 13 is the film that immediately springs to mind. The rousing tribute to a fine hour in the American space program is inspirational and insightful. That being said, that’s not the type of movie that Thirteen Lives is trying to be, as there’s certain segments that show a decision making process that’s the antithesis of “failure is not an option.”

Amid tense segments that show the underwater diving team’s efforts to complete their mission, there are moments when the setup of governmental scapegoats is played out. Conversations of the ethical and practical elements of some rescue plans show characters like Joel Edgerton’s Dr. Harry Harris weighing the pros and cons of the solutions we already know work out. Instead of speeches meant to inspire round-the-clock brainstorming sessions, conversations where the end result may be the expectation of casualties hammer home the stakes. 

Human angles such as those help ground Thirteen Lives in the real drama. Thirteen Lives is still a major studio film that includes impressive spectacle, but also a cast of notable actors that haven’t undergone any massive transformations. But with the way that it’s handled by Ron Howard, as well as everyone else involved, it feels more like a documentary than a narrative feature film. 

Ron Howard’s direction and the cast’s performances do not distract from the story being told on screen. 

Thirteen Lives boasts an ensemble including Colin Farrell, Viggo Mortensen, Tom Bateman, and Joel Edgerton, but their presence isn't a distraction from the very real drama in the movie. As the realism-heavy approach anchors the film, so too do their respective portrayals of John Volanthen, Richard Stanton, Chris Jewell, and Dr. Richard "Harry" Harris. In addition to their depicted bravery, there are scenes with light humor that allow those figures to endear themselves to the audience as humans.

A huge debt of credit should go to production designer Molly Hughes and director of photography Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, as their work in recreating the atmosphere of the Tham Luang cave system is stellar. Whether it’s prolonged sequences of divers making hours long journeys underwater to save the captive soccer team, or settling for stretches in the cave that the Wild Boars unwillingly called home for those 18 days, the claustrophobia is real, and properly adds dramatic weight.

Other than light moments of emotional punctuation that are included, it’s a straightforward narrative that’s being told within the film. There are few huge moments where the story stops in its tracks to dig into a more dramatized version of events, as one might expect. 

Fans of more flashy historical epics will still enjoy Thirteen Lives, but they might have reservations.

Moviegoers who love to compare historical truth to Hollywood dramatization are obviously going to get a lot out of Thirteen Lives. The efforts that were engaged to painstakingly tell this story with the right balance of humanity and technical prowess are top notch. It’s hard not to admire the results.

Those who are looking for another Apollo 13 are going to have to adjust their expectations, as Thirteen Lives isn’t interested in “selling” the events that happened. Ron Howard may have chosen to tell another story of a miracle outcome in the face of terrible odds, but this time out we’re given a story of hope tempered by expecting the worst and hoping for the best.

Thirteen Lives occupies a rather interesting place in cinema. Both a narrative feature and a National Geographic documentary have already covered the Tham Luang cave rescue at this point, leaving this movie as a relative latecomer to the game. Which will inspire the most skeptical minds to wonder who this movie is for. Even in spite of these questions, however, the film is a solid effort that respects its subject while resisting the temptation to dial up the dramatics. There aren't any rousing French horn solos, or fantasy sequences that envision the lost opportunities of history. Instead, such flourishes are traded for nail-biting suspense through realism and intense craftsmanship.

There are popular movie franchises, and then there’s the Star Wars movies. The galaxy far, far away has entertained audiences for decades, although there have been a few bumps in the road during recent years. This includes the production of Solo, with Ron Howard recently explaining what it was like taking over the Star Wars movie-- and his relationship with original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

During filming for Solo: A Star Wars Story, Phil Lord and Chris Miller were fired, to the shock of the generations of fans out there. Ron Howard was brought in to complete the project, while Lord and Miller would later earn an Oscar for their work on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. During a conversation with THR, Howard opened up about what it was like stepping into the drama to complete the standalone film, saying:

What a class act. It sounds like Ron Howard understood what a tense moment he was entering into with Solo: A Star Wars Story. And while the Happy Days icon was tasked with completing the spinoff starring Alden Ehrenreich, he was also in contact with Chris Miller and Phil Lord. This no doubt helped the passing of the torch happen with minimal interruption to production.

Chris Miller and Phil Lord were ultimately let go by Lucasfilm reportedly after having creative differences over Solo: A Star Wars Story. The story of the filmmakers being escorted off set broke the internet, and immediately had folks concerned about the contents of the standalone film. And in the end it would be the first financial flop of the Star Wars franchise. 

Despite Solo’s poor box office performance, there has still been plenty of talks about a potential sequel among fans of the galaxy far, far away. Indeed, there were a number of narrative seeds planted for a follow-up, including the return of Maul and hints at Jabba the Hutt. It remains to be seen if Lucasfilm will ever change its mind and continue that story. In fact it’s currently unclear when Star Wars as a whole will return to theaters.

From the looks of it, the next Star Wars movie hitting theaters will be the one currently in development with director Taika Waititi. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Everyone loves a thrilling true-life survival story, right? Well, in not much time at all, movie goers and subscribers to a certain streaming service will get to watch Ron Howard’s upcoming biographical drama, Thirteen Lives, which will tell the story of one of the most harrowing and well-known rescue missions in recent memory: the Tham Luang cave rescue.

But, before you watch what is being considered one of the 2023 Best Picture Oscar frontrunners, there are a few things you’ll probably want to know about the upcoming picture, including who will be in it, when it will be released, and just how much the cast and crew put into telling the unforgettable story of just how far complete strangers will go to save a group of teenagers from an untimely death. Let’s dive in and check out Thirteen Lives, shall we?

Thirteen Lives Will Be Released Theatrically And On Prime Video In August 2022

Although an exact date has not yet been revealed for Thirteen Lives, Ron Howard’s upcoming biographical survival drama is slated to open in theaters and on Amazon Prime Video at some point in August 2022, according to Variety. The film, which is being released by MGM (which was purchased by Amazon for $8.5 billion in March 2022), will have a limited theatrical run shortly before it makes it streaming debut on the popular platform.

Thirteen Lives was scheduled to open in theaters on November 18, 2022 along with other awards season hopefuls, but will now become one of one of the major summer tentpoles available to anyone with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, And Joel Edgerton Lead The Thirteen Lives Cast

Over the years, Ron Howard has pulled together some pretty amazing casts in movies like The Paper, Apollo 13, Cocoon, A Beautiful Mind, and countless others. Considering that, it should come as no surprise that Thirteen Lives will feature not only a great all-star cast, but also a large international ensemble of actors to help tell the true-life story of heroism and survival.

In March 2021, Deadline revealed that Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, and Joel Edgerton would be portraying cave and rescue specialist Richard Stanton, cave diver John Volanthen, and anesthetist and cave diver Richard Harris, respectively. The rest of the large cast includes Weir Sukollawat, Thiraphat Sajakul, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Vithaya Pansringarm, Teeradon “James” Supapunpinyo, Nophand Boonyai, Tom Bateman, Paul Gleeson, and Lewis Fitz-Gerald.

Thirteen Lives Chronicles The Events Of The 2018 Tham Luang Cave Rescue

When Thirteen Lives was first announced back in 2020, The Hollywood Reporter revealed the movie will center on the true story of the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue operation which became an international media story as rescuers from around the world came together to save 12 young soccer players and their coach who had become trapped in a flooded and impenetrable cave system in Thailand. 

According to CNN, the 12 players and coach of the Wild Boars youth soccer team spent three weeks in the cave from June 23 to July 10, 2018, when the last member of the group, the head coach, was pulled out of the system alive.

Viggo Mortensen And Colin Farrell Trained With Divers From The Actual Rescue Operation

With Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell playing two of the lead divers in the Tham Luang cave rescue mission, you would assume they would undergo an intense training program. Instead of training with just any divers, though, the actors worked with some of the rescuers from the actual operation, as Ron Howard told The Hollywood Reporter in May 2022:

But, it wasn’t just Mortensen and Farrell learning the ropes from the accomplished divers, as other members of the Thirteen Lives cast were given special training during prep and on set to get everything down properly.

Ron Howard And His Team Built Their Own Artificial Cave And Tunnel System For Thirteen Lives

One of the major obstacles hampering the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue operation was the amount of rain that drenched the area and further flooded the intricate cave system. Because of the issues that could mount due to filming out in the wild, Ron Howard told The Hollywood Reporter (in the same interview from above) that he and his team constructed five different tanks for the shoot with each of those tanks having a different cave and tunnel network to better recreate the actual location.

Even though he shot in artificial caves with high safety standards, Howard described the whole process as a “feat” and compared it to the systems he put in place to film the fire scenes in Backdraft and the famous zero-gravity scenes in his 1995 historical drama, Apollo 13, which were filmed in a KC-135 aircraft commonly referred to as “the vomit comet.” 

Production On Thirteen Lives Took Place In Australia Throughout 2021

The process of bringing the story of heroism, survival, and the human spirit of those involved in the Tham Luang cave rescue got underway in March 2021 near Brisbane, Australia, according to William Nicholson, the film’s screenwriter, who previously penned scripts for Gladiator, Unbroken, and Everest. This came a few months after Deadline announced that the MGM production would take place in Australia after the government injected $13 million into the project.

Thirteen Lives Had The Best Test Screening Scores In MGM’s History

At one point in time, Thirteen Lives was slated to open theatrically in April 2022, but MGM elected to push the movie back in the 2022 movie schedule into the awards season territory after incredibly successful test screenings. According to Deadline, the movie had the best test scores in studio history, though there weren’t a lot of details provided at the time. Considering the titles MGM has released over the years — Gone with the Wind, Rain Main, 2001: A Space Odyssey — it’s beginning to sound like Ron Howard’s movie isn’t one any of us will want to miss.

While it's obvious that the best part of a wedding is seeing a beautiful couple share their love for one another, another perk is that the ceremony brings families together. Filmmaker Ron Howard’s brood just got bigger as of late, since his daughter, Paige, got married to actor and singer Tim Abou-Nasr. Her older sister, actress and director Bryce Dallas Howard, shared footage of the special day and revealed the fun advice their father gave to close out the ceremony.

The Jurassic World star shared a number of photos from Paige's wedding on her Instagram. Her sweet slideshow consisted of snapshots showing the bride and groom sealing their marriage with a kiss, with white roses in the background. Fans can also get a good look at the bride's dress, which was flowing with flowers. But the sweetest pic had to be the one of the two sisters alongside their father. Check out the post for yourself: 

In her caption, Bryce Dallas Howard mentioned how even though the pandemic delayed this ceremony, it was still a perfect day. They wouldn’t be the only couple to have done this, as Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost had to postpone their nuptials and Bindi Irwin had to rush her own wedding to avoid COVID restrictions. But thankfully, all of these events came to fruition in beautiful fashion. In the post, Howard also made sure to thank her sister’s hair and makeup team as well as Hera Couture for designing the dress that apparently made everyone at the event “gasp.” 

Another important person The Help actress thanked was her father, Ron Howard. We know him as the former child star and director extraordinaire that he is but, on that special day, he was the wedding officiant for his daughter. Bryce included a video in her slideshow, which sees her father donning a Cool Hand Luke hat as a tribute to his own dad, actor Rance Howard. Before telling his future son-in-law to kiss the bride, he had to offer up his own fatherly advice for the newly wed couple that everyone is sure to remember:

Ron Howard and Bryce Dallas Howard have always had a close relationship, and it's clear that she's more than following in his professional footsteps. She made her directorial debut with the documentary, Dads, which centered around contemporary fatherhood. From there, she directed two episodes of The Mandalorian and an episode of The Book of Boba Fett. Her father offered his sage advice to his daughter about living and breathing in the Star Wars universe before she took on the first of her gigs with the franchise. You love to see such a loving father-daughter relationship.

Other than getting into dino-tastic trouble in Jurassic World: Dominion, the actress will also continue directing sci-fi with the reboot of Flight of the Navigator. Since that's going to keep her busy for a while, it's probably a good thing that the wedding did happen at this time.

As we can tell from photos of Paige Howard’s wedding, the Howard family has a beautiful and strong family dynamic Hopefully, Bryce Dallas Howard will share more sweet tidbits like this, when she's not busy working, of course. You can catch her on the big screen when Jurassic World Dominion, one of 2022's biggest upcoming movies, hits theaters on June 10th.

Every once in a while, celebrity siblings - such as Ben and Casey Affleck or Dakota and Elle Fanning - end up sharing the screen together. Well, apparently it happens a little more often than just every once in a while, given the amount of examples we compiled below.

Jake And Maggie Gyllenhaal (A Dangerous Woman, Homegrown, Donnie Darko)

Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal and his twice-nominated older sister, Maggie, are in three movies together: 1993’s A Dangerous Woman, 1998’s Homegrown (both were directed by their father, Stephen), and the eventual sci-fi cult classic, Donnie Darko, in 2001.

Jeff And Beau Bridges (The Fabulous Baker Boys)

Oscar winner Jeff Bridges and his older brother, Beau, also played siblings in The Fabulous Baker Boys - a 1989 comedy in which the titular musicians become rivals after teaming up with a beautiful aspiring singer (Michelle Pfieffer).

Kate And Rooney Mara (Urban Legends: Bloody Mary)

Kate Mara of the House of Cards cast led the 2005 straight-to-video slasher, Urban Legends: Bloody Mary, in which her younger sister, Nightmare Alley’s Rooney Mara, made her acting debut.

Sean And Chris Penn (At Close Range)

Future two-time Oscar-winner Sean Penn and his late younger brother, Chris (best known from the Reservoir Dogs cast) played siblings in the 1986 crime thriller, At Close Range, starring Christopher Walken as their criminal father.

Andrew, Owen, And Luke Wilson (Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums) 

Owen Wilson and his younger sibling, Luke have also acted alongside their eldest brother, Andrew, in 1996’s Bottle Rocket and The Royal Tenenbaums from 2001 - both of which Owen also co-wrote with director Wes Anderson.

Chris And Luke Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok)

Chris Hemsworth has yet to star in anything with his little bro, Liam, but the Australian Marvel movie star’s older bother, Westworld star Luke, did show up in Thor: Ragnarok as a dramatized version of the God of Thunder, whom he is set to reprise (along with Matt Damon as “Actor Loki”) in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Dylan And Cole Sprouse (Various)

Twin brothers Dylan and Cole Sprouse (the latter of which went on to join the Riverdale cast) have shared the same role in several TV shows (most notably Grace Under Fire) and movies (such as Big Daddy with Adam Sandler) and have played siblings just as often, most famously as the title characters of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, its spin-off The Suite Life on Deck, and 2011’s The Suite Life Movie.

Tia, Tamera, And Tahj Mowry  (Sister, Sister, Smart Guy, Seventeen Again)

Twin sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry have shared the screen with their little brother, Tahj, several times - most notably as guest stars on each other’s respective sitcoms, Sister, Sister and Smart Guy, and in the 2000 Showtime original movie, Seventeen Again.

James And Dave Franco (The Disaster Artist)

After years finding success in the business in separate projects, James Franco and his younger brother, Dave, played Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero of the infamous cult favorite, The Room, in the 2017 biopic, The Disaster Artist.

Hilary And Haylie Duff (Various)

Haylie Duff would appear on three episodes of her younger sister, Hilary’s, Disney Channel show, Lizzie McGuire, and provided the singing voice of Isabella Parigi in the theatrical spin-off before they both played a singing group on an episode of American Dreams, sisters in the 2006 rags-to-riches story Material Girls, and both leant their voices to the infamous animated movie Foodfight!, which was released in 2012.

Aly And AJ Michalka (Various)

Singer-songwriter duo Aly and AJ Michalka first shared the screen in the 2006 Disney Channel original movie Cow Belles as sisters, again in the MTV original Super Sweet 16: The Movie the next year as rivals, followed by three episodes of Aly’s CW series Hellcats in 2011 as half-sisters. Most recently, they appeared in the 2015 drama, Weepah Way For Now, as what appear to be fictionalized versions of themselves.

Dakota And Elle Fanning (I Am Sam, Taken)

Elle Fanning has portrayed a younger version of her older sister, Dakota, on two separate occasions: first in the 2001 drama I Am Sam and secondly in the Steven Spielberg-produced, Syfy original miniseries, Taken, in 2002.

Spencer And Abigail Breslin (Various)

Academy Award nominee Abigail and her older brother, Spencer, played siblings in both Raising Helen and The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement in 2004, played elves in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause in 2006, and later played cousins in the 2014 crime drama, Perfect Sisters.

Jason And Justine Bateman (Arrested Development)

Justine Bateman played her real-life brother, Jason's, sibling in the 1986 TV movie Can You Feel Me Dancing? and a sex worker whom Jason’s Michael Bluth mistakes for his long-lost sibling on Arrested Development.

John, Joan, Ann, And Bill Cusack (Grosse Pointe Blank)

While beloved star John Cusack and his Academy-nominated sister, Joan, have appeared in more films together than most celebrity siblings can claim (including Say Anything… and High Fidelity), the only screen credit that they also share with both their sister, Ann, and brother, Bill, is 1997’s Grosse Pointe Blank, which John also co-wrote and produced.

Bill And Brian Doyle Murray (Various) 

Bill Murray and his older brother, Brian, are both Saturday Night Live veterans (although at different times) and have several classic movies in common - including Caddyshack, Scrooged, Ghostbusters II, Groundhog Day, and The Razor's Edge.

Ben And Casey Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Chasing Amy)

Years before casting him in his amazing directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck shared the screen with his younger brother and fellow Oscar winner, Casey, in Good Will Hunting (which Ben co-wrote with Matt Damon) and Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy in 1997.

Macaulay And Kieran Culkin (Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York)

Kieran Culkin (now more famous than ever since starring on HBO’s Succession) made his acting debut alongside his older brother (child megastar Macaulay Culkin) in 1990’s Home Alone cast as his cousin, Fuller - a role he would also reprise in the 1992 sequel.

Rory And Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down)

In addition to playing Macaulay’s younger self in Richie Rich, the youngest Culkin brother, Rory, also played a younger version of Kieran as the title role in 2002's Igby Goes Down.

The Wayans Siblings (Various) 

Where do we start with the Wayans Siblings? Well, for instance, several of them (such as Damon and Kim Wayans) were a part of the In Living Color cast with star and creator Keenen Ivory Wayans, who later directed his younger brothers, Marlon and Shawn, in movies like White Chicks, the first two Scary Movie installments, and Little Man.

Zooey And Emily Deschanel (Bones)

In Season 5 of Bones, star Emily Deschanel’s sister (Zooey of the Elf cast fame and later the lead of the New Girl cast) guest starred as Temperance Brennan’s second cousin, Margaret Whitesell.

Fred And Ben Savage (Little Monsters, The Wonder Years, Boy Meets World)

After playing siblings in the family-friendly horror film, Little Monsters, in 1989, Ben Savage made a guest appearance on his older brother, Fred’s, hit dramedy, The Wonder Years, in 1990 and later returned the favor by inviting him to the Boy Meets World cast for an episode in 1998.

Charlie Sheen And Emilio Estevez (Various)

After making several movies together - including Young Guns, Men At Work, and Rated X (the latter two of which Emilio Estevez directed), Charlie Sheen (née Carlos Estevez) reunited with his brother on an episode of his hit sitcom, Two and a Half Men, in 2008.

Vanessa and Laura Marano (Saving Zoë)

Both of these talented ladies had guest appearances on Dexter at different times in the series’ run, but Vanessa Marano and her younger sister, Laura, did appear together in the 2019 mystery, Saving Zoë, as siblings torn apart by one’s unsolved murder.

Nat And Alex Wolff (The Naked Brothers Band, Mr. Troop Mom, Stella’s Last Weekend)

Hereditary’s Alex Wolff and his older brother, Peacock’s Joe vs. Carole cast member Nat Wolff, both debuted as fictionalized versions of themselves in Nickelodeon’s faux rockumentary, The Naked Brothers Band, its series continuation, and the 2009 TV movie Mr. Troop Mom before reuniting in 2018’s Stella’s Last Weekend, which was written and directed by their mother, Polly Draper.

Vera And Taissa Farmiga (Higher Ground, At Middleton, The Nun)

Scream Queens Vera and Taissa Farmiga, who are often mistaken for mother and daughter, played mother and daughter in 2013’s At Middleton after Taissa previously played her older sister’s younger self in Vera’s 2011 directorial debut, Higher Ground. However, interestingly, their characters in the 2018 Conjuring spin-off, The Nun, have no apparent familial ties.

Maude And Iris Apatow (Knocked Up, This Is 40, Funny People)

Euphoria’s Maude Apatow and her younger sister, Iris, have played siblings in 2007’s Knocked Up, its “sort-of sequel” This is 40 from 2012, and 2009’s Funny People - all three of which also starred their real mother, Leslie Mann, as their mother, and were written and directed by their father, Judd Apatow.

Dan And Sarah Levy (Schitt’s Creek)

While Annie Murphy plays co-creator Dan Levy’s on-screen sister in the Schitt’s Creek cast, Café Tropical owner, Twyla Sands, is played by his real-life sister, Sarah.

Mary-Kate, Ashley, And Elizabeth Olsen (How The West Was Fun)

After Full House made the Olsen Twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, household names and  before the Marvel movies made their younger sister, Elizabeth, an A-lister, all three of them appeared together in the ABC original TV movie How the West Was Fun in 1994.

Bill And Alexander Skarsgård (White Water Fury)

Years before his terrifying performance as Pennywise in It, Bill Skarsgård made his acting debut alongside his older brother, True Blood cast member Alexander, in the 2000 Swedish thriller, White Water Fury.

Blake And Robyn Lively (Simon Says)

Robyn Lively, star of 1989’s Teen Witch, shared the screen with her then up-and-coming half-sister, former Gossip Girl cast member Blake Lively, in a 2006 slasher flick called Simon Says, which also stars fellow ‘80s icon Crispin Glover.

Brian And Domhnall Gleeson (Mother!, Frank Of Ireland)

Despite plenty of years of experience between the them, it was not until 2017 when Star Wars star Domnhall Gleeson and his younger brother, Brian, shared the screen in Mother! before reuniting as co-creators and co-stars of the Amazon Prime original comedy Frank of Ireland - also starring their father, Brendan Gleeson.

Eddie And Charlie Murphy (Harlem Nights, Norbit)

Comedy icon Eddie Murphy worked behind the scenes a lot with his older brother, Charlie, who passed away in 2017, but the two would also share a few acting credits, - namely Eddie’s 1989 directorial debut Harlem Nights (also Charlie’s first movie), and in 2006’s Norbit, in which Charlie voiced a dog named Floyd.

Phylicia Rashad And Debbie Allen (The Cosby Show, Grey’s Anatomy, The Old Settler)

Phylicia Rashad and her younger sister, Emmy-winning dance legend Debbie Allen, have made guest appearances on each other’s shows - The Cosby Show, on which Rashad played Claire Huxtable, and Grey’s Anatomy, on which Allen plays Dr. Catherine Fox (née Avery) - and both starred in a 2001 TV movie called The Old Settler, which Allen also directed.

Ron And Clint Howard (Various) 

You can find Clint Howard in just about every movie directed by his brother, Ron Howard - including his feature-length directorial debut from 1977, Grand Theft Auto, which was also the brothers’ third time acting alongside each other after the 1963 film The Courtship of Eddie’s Father and a handful of episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.

Angelina Jolie And James Haven (Gia, Hell’s Kitchen, Original Sin)

Audiences probably remember Angelina Jolie’s brother, James Haven, better for other reasons than all the times he shared the screen with his younger sister - namely Gia and Hell’s Kitchen from 1998, and 2001’s Original Sin.

Jared And Shannon Leto (Various)

In addition to being bandmates with his young brother, Oscar winner Jared Leto, in 30 Seconds to Mars, Shannon Leto also shared the screen with him on a couple of episodes of My So-Called Life (on which Jared played the iconic Jordan Catalano) and through brief appearances in the movies Prefontaine from 1997, 1998’s Highway, and Sol Goode in 2003.

Chris And Scott Evans (Before We Go, Playing It Cool)

Former Captain America actor Chris Evans has a brother named Scott who has also appeared in two romantic-comedies from 2014 with his older sibling, called Before We Go (which Chris also directed) and Playing It Cool.

Sarah And Laura Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program, Bob’s Burgers, Masters Of Sex)

Comedian and actress Sarah Silverman and her sister, Laura, played heavily fictionalized versions of themselves as series regulars on The Sarah Silverman Program, made guest appearances on Showtime’s Masters of Sex together, and have recurred on Bob’s Burgers as Jimmy Pesto’s twin sons, Andy and Ollie.

Kevin, Nick, And Joe Jonas (Camp Rock Movies, Jonas)

Back when they were the biggest thing to come out of Disney Channel, Kevin, Nick, and Joe Jonas played three brothers in a band not named the Jonas Brothers in the Camp Rock movies, and later played themselves to more comedic effect in their own sitcom, aptly titled Jonas.

Looks like talent really does run in the family.

Movie audiences seeking an escape from their own dysfunctional families this Thanksgiving had the option to turn to Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy, an adaptation of the memoirs of J.D. Vance, a Kentucky boy who fought against personal and cultural obstacles in order to achieve success as an attorney. Howard’s new film, in select theaters and available on Netflix, follows J.D. at different stages of his journey, though he’s always bookended by the mother (Amy Adams) who held him back, thanks to her own addictions.

While interviewing the cast of Hillbilly Elegy, I explained to them my guttural reaction to Amy Adams’ character, Beverly, a heroin addict and a very young mother who feels like she has traded in her own life in order to “provide” for her children. When I asked if it was wrong to root against Bev in the movie, the cast gave me their own thoughts on the push and pull of the movie’s central relationship. Press play on the above video to see what they had to say.

There comes a time, in every abusive relationship, where the person on the receiving end has to stand up for themselves and say, “Enough is enough.” As Ron Howard notes, there’s a pivotal scene in Hillbilly Elegy where the older J.D. (played by Gabriel Basso) has to make a tough decision between his future, and the past that’s anchoring him in Kentucky. Howard notes that every audience member is going to bring their own baggage to the film, but in terms of the J.D. versus Beverly debate, he had this to say:

Howard says that it really was his challenge, while making the movie, to reflect how complicated it was for J.D. Vance to pick between his mother (played by Amy Adams) and his potential future. Adams isn’t playing a clear-cut villain. But the actress tells me she understands exactly why I, as the audience, was rooting against her. Adams said:

Because, as you watch, you learn that Bev, like J.D., has to choose to be better. Does she? Find out in Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy, which you can see now in select theaters, or on Netflix if you have a subscription.

This time of year we'd normally be looking forward to the big movies that tend to come at the end of the year looking for big awards. While it's easy to write off the "awards bait" films, they frequently do include strong performances in dramatic stories. And while this year is certainly going to be very different when it comes to awards season, many of these movies, especially those that were planned for streaming releases, are still coming out. One such project, Ron Howard's Hillbilly Elegy, isn't getting the love from critics that many were perhaps expecting, but that love is certainly still coming from the audience.

While Hillbilly Elegy's critical response has been more than a little rough, the audience is certainly here for the film, as the movie recently became the number one item being viewed on Netflix in the U.S. The praise has also been coming directly to Ron Howard from fans on social media, and he's thanking them for their support.

Ron Howard has been responding to a lot of individual comments sent his way by those that loved Hillbilly Elegy. Even if he's responded to every single comment that he's received, which seems unlikely, there are a lot more people who were at least interested in seeing the film as it's at the top of the Netflix charts. True, Netflix doesn't require viewers to watch all, or even most, of a movie for it to count in the viewership numbers, but people are certainly interested enough to give it a look.

And the fan response is important because, as mentioned earlier, the critical response hasn't been strong. The movie only has a 25% score on Rotten Tomatoes, though the audience score is a lot higher, which shows that most of those watching on Netflix are enjoying the film.

If there's one place where fans and critics do seem to be in some agreement, however, it's in the performance of Glenn Close. Even among many of the negative reviews, Close frequently got singled out for her strong performance, and the fans are doing the same. As in Ron Howard for that matter.

One of the issues many critics had with Hillbilly Elegy was based in the fact that the source material, the memoir the movie is based on, is something of a divisive piece of writing, but for those that enjoyed the book, some at least think the movie is that rare animal that surpasses the book.

Hillbilly Elegy is certainly one of those movies that fans like a lot more than critics. There's really no shortage of those. Hillbilly Elegy is available on Netflix now.

Spoilers for the latest episode of The Mandalorian – “Chapter 11: The Heiress” – lie ahead.

With only three episodes under its belt, The Mandalorian Season 2 has managed to give viewers some big moments. From Timothy Olyphant’s explosive introduction to that daring battle with the ice spiders, the season is off to a great start. But this week’s episode really kicked things into gear, and we can thank director Bryce Dallas Howard for that. Not only did she manage to give us some great battles and massive reveals, but she even managed to stick in a not to Apollo 13, which was directed by her father – Ron Howard.

In the opening scene of this latest episode, the heavily damaged Razor Crest manages to arrive on the moon of Trask, though it does so after coming in way too hot. The sequence is visually stunning, and some astute viewers happened to pick up similarities to the re-entry scene from Ron Howard’s Apollo 13. Bryce Dallas Howard, upon seeing these posts, excitedly took to Twitter to confirm their assumption:

You have to love when directors pay tribute to other directors, especially when there’s a close familial tie like there is here. Aside from the fact that the scene is a sight to behold, you also have to admire how Dallas Howard found an organic way to work it in.

This episode marked Bryce Dallas Howard’s second time being in the director’s chair for The Mandalorian, as she previously helmed Season 1’s “Chapter 4: Sanctuary,” which received strong reviews following its initial debut. The same has also been true of this new episode, as the director both ramps up the set pieces and moves the story forward in major ways.

The episode marked the introduction of Katee Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan Kryze, who offered Mando some info on the Jedi in exchange for his help in taking down an Imperial cargo ship. In the end, Mando, Bo-Katan and her Mandalorian allies are successful in raiding the ship. Kryze also holds up her end of the bargain by directing Mando to Ahsoka Tano’s location, which is exciting for a number of reasons.

With her latest directorial effort, Bryce Dallas Howard is starting to make a serious case for why she should receive her own Star Wars project. The two episodes she’s produced prove that she knows how to balance storytelling with massive set pieces and action. The Mandalorian’s Deborah Chow has already landed her own project with the Obi-Wan series (and rightfully so), and Dallas Howard could become the next of the show’s directors to get the opportunity. Only time will tell if this actually comes to pass, but let’s hope it does and that Howard will also be able to throw in some other cool nods to the work of her father and other filmmakers.

Be sure to watch new episodes of The Mandalorian when they premiere Fridays on Disney+.

It requires serious cynicism to believe that any artist would make a piece of work solely for the sake of trying to win some shiny hardware, but the term “awards bait” does still have merit when applied to the feeling a particular kind of film gives off. Rather than being about the intention that went into creation, some movies seem to simply lack a particular raison d'etre in their existences beyond being material that classically catches the attention of those who vote in various guilds, academies, and organizations that give out annual trophies. They typically have something to showcase – like an impressive performance, or elaborate production design, or hyper-detailed costuming – but otherwise possess an emptiness in their storytelling.

Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy is such a film. It’s rich material from an acting perspective, as stars Amy Adams and Glenn Close play wild and flawed women of Appalachia trying to do right by their family, and they both sink their teeth into the meaty roles. That, unfortunately, is where the real substance ends, however. Based on a memoir, it has no real story to tell, but hopes to distract you from that fact with its non-linear construction and heightened circumstance. Save for its best performances, it’s merely another rote story about basic family drama and accepting one’s own roots, and is unable to possess any real emotional impact.

Hoping back and forth between a central narrative set in 2011 and events of the 1990s, the movie moves through the life of J.D. Vance (Gabriel Basso and Owen Asztalos) – a young man from a broken home who is studying law as a graduate student at Yale University. While trying to get a summer position that can help him afford tuition and be with his girlfriend (Freida Pinto), he gets a call from his sister (Haley Bennett) and is hit with the scary news that his mother, Bev (Amy Adams), has overdosed on heroin and is in the hospital. While he is waiting to hear about a final interview for a big opportunity, he opts to get in his car and make his way back to his family’s home in Ohio.

Bev gets a quick discharge from the hospital, having let her health insurance policy lapse, and J.D. finds himself with the responsibility of trying to find a safe place for her to recover and restart rehabilitation. Doing so inspires various memories of his teenage years, filled with the drama of living in poverty, his mother’s addictions and mental issues, and his relationship with his hard-nosed grandmother known familiarly as Mamaw (Glenn Close).

There is nothing unique or particularly compelling in Hillbilly Elegy’s story.

Hillbilly Elegy is based on J.D. Vance’s autobiographical memoir of the same name, and its scattershot storytelling is very much reflective of the source material in that it’s built as a pile of memories with no real purpose or defined structure. Vance makes for an inert protagonist, as we never actually see any of his accomplishments or are provided any context for how far he has come from his humble beginnings (the film tells us about but otherwise skips over his time in the military, and the only academic achievement we see is when he gets the highest grade in the class on a high school algebra test). He’s an entirely passive character, with all of the action involving him, but not actually functioning through him, and it gives the movie no room to grow.

Without any arcs to speak of, the film is left to congeal as an anthology set within the life of a random individual from Ohio, and while that does result in a few intense and dramatic moments being adapted, it’s not much of a cinematic experience stretched over 116 minutes. Its strength is found in personalities, and while that lends to some great performances, they can’t provide the bedrock that Hillbilly Elegy needs to succeed as an actual movie.

Amy Adams and Glenn Close both deliver impressive performances.

Far and away the best thing about the Ron Howard film is the turn from Amy Adams, which is in itself an interesting thing because it really is a wholly unpleasant performance. Bev clearly loves her family and wants to provide them the best life she can, but she is also a woman who exhibits symptoms of some mental health conditions and struggles in her battle with addiction – all of which is material that Adams uses to deliver some blistering moments. It’s a character without the same kind of awesome fortitude that we usually see from her work, and that makes it all the more powerful, not to mention that the character is shockingly horrible in moments. It’s an atypical turn from Adams in many respects, but an impressive one that further proves her versatility.

With Adams vying for Best Actress, that leaves Glenn Close with the fight for Best Supporting Actress, and it’s a field in which she’ll compete well with her Hillbilly Elegy turn. It’s most certainly a trope role – the family matriarch who gets shit done regardless of personal cost – but Close has a lot of fun with it. There is a particular unpleasantness that comes with her exhibited bigotry, which serves as a roadblock from really being able to appreciate the character, but it is a real transformative performance from the actor, complete with some impressive hair and make-up work that allows her to fully disappear physically.

It’s never a bad thing for a film to feature a pair of exceptional performances, but it does become a bad thing when those exceptional performances are all a film really has to offer. Thanks to Amy Adams and Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy is a title that may pop up a lot in the coming months, read on cards pulled out of envelopes by on-stage celebrities, but it’s a shame that those who watch the movie based on that hype will be left disappointed.

The Star Wars franchise is one of the most popular in history, with entire moviegoers brought up on George Lucas' colorful galaxy far, far away. Since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, the franchise has greatly expanded through the sequel trilogy, small screen content on Disney+, and a pair of standalone movies. Solo: A Star Wars Story was the last of those movies, with Ron Howard stepping into complete the project and reveal Han Solo's origin story. And now the filmmaker has shared the great Harrison Ford's reaction to the movie.

Actor Alden Ehrenreich had some majorly big shoes to fill with Solo: A Star Wars Story, as the character was previously played to pitch perfection by the iconic Harrison Ford. While Solo failed to perform at the box office, it turns out that Ford himself was a fan of the project-- as well as Ehrenreich's performance as the nerf herder. As Ron Howard recently shared,

Well, there you have it. Because while Harrison Ford isn't known for keeping up to date on every single twist of the Star Wars franchise, he was able to appreciate the work done in Solo. Specifically, he gave his stamp of approval on Alden Ehrenreich's performance, which had its own mixture of swagger and heart. It's just not clear if we'll ever return to that burgeoning franchise.

Ron Howard's story about Harrison Ford comes from his recent appearance on Lights, Camera, Barstool podcast. Ron Howard stepped in to complete Solo: A Star Wars Story after original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller departed the project. It was quite the task which was met with a somewhat tepid reception from the fandom. But the OG Han was apparently happy with the standalone movie's contents.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is currently streaming on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Including his brief role in The Rise of Skywalker, Harrison Ford played Han Solo for a whopping five Star Wars movies. As such, the fans were nervous about seeing Alden Ehrenreich stepping into the role. He managed to embody the future Rebel leader while not doing an impression of his predecessor, and it seems Ford gave his thumbs up.

It's been interesting to see Solo: A Star Wars Story's life after its release. Ron Howard's movie was the first box office disappointment of the franchise, which originally seemed to put the kibosh in any plans for a sequel. But Solo has gotten more love in the years since, with many still hoping to dive back into the world of Star Wars' gangsters. So perhaps it'll end up happening one day.

Narratively, Solo was definitely doing a bunch of world building for future sequels. The movie's end saw Emilia Clarke contact Darth Maul, who was revealed to the leader of Crimson Dawn. Additionally, Han and Chewie took off on the newly won Millennium Falcon for Tatooine to seek out Jabba the Hut. Unfortunately, we'll just have to wait and see if those plans ever become a reality.

The Star Wars franchise is continuing to expand thanks to The Mandalorian on Disney. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.

While the newest generation of Star Wars projects have brought about a wide spread of opinions from fans, from a box office standpoint the new films have been nearly universal blockbusters. The one exception to that trend was Solo: A Star Wars Story, a movie that, while it wasn't a financial flop by any stretch, came up significantly short when compared to the other films. Having said that, there are still a lot of people that would love to see more stories from this particular corner of the galaxy far, far away, and Solo director Ron Howard thinks that such a thing is, at the very least, a real possibility.

Ron Howard recently appeared on the LCB Podcast and he was asked about the possibility of a follow-up film to Solo or possibly a Disney+ series using some of the characters. Such things have been rumored as possibilities in the past. Howard, had no specific information about such things happening, or even being discussed as possibilities, but the director still had some positive thoughts about the future as he says there is interest in some aspects of what was created in Solo and the support fans have shown certainly helps. According to Howard...

While fans have been campaigning for a Solo sequel since the first film came out, most indications we've seen have been that such a film isn't particularly likely. Having said that, there have been rumors that we could see Disney+ series spinoffs from the film, including one focused on Donald Glover's Lando or another that could follow Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra into the underworld.

It seems to be these two ideas, or something similar, that Ron Howard is referring to when he says there is some interest in the characters and/or the world that Solo helped build out. While there may be nothing currently moving forward as regards these ideas, that could certainly change. And while a direct Solo sequel may be a long shot as it stands, fan support certainly counts for something, so completely discounting that possibility isn't something we should do either.

Between films, TV, books and comics, it's actually unlikely that we won't see parts of Solo's world again, the only question is how, and how high profile it will be when it happens.

It's more than fair to say the last few Star Wars movies have been polarizing and controversial, though while they may not be as universally popular as other Star Wars entries, they have their fans. This is especially true in regards to Solo: A Star Wars Story, and while the movie failed to impress Disney at the box office, there have still been calls from fans to see a sequel get made.

Unfortunately, it appears that any plans for a sequel movie are not in the works. That doesn't mean it'll never happen, though, so for anyone wondering if that day should come, here are some great reasons to push and advocate for Solo 2 to get made.

We Need More Star Wars Movies Without Jedi

Jedi are the lifeblood of the Star Wars franchise, but they aren't the only entertaining thing about this universe. And yet, time and time again Star Wars leans on its ancient order of protectors that continually pop up despite being driven to near-extinction. The reality is that it takes more than one Jedi to end a war, yet the ones with lightsabers are often given the lion's share of the credit!

To be fair, it's not like Han Solo was some major advocate for the Rebels prior to A New Hope, as he was just trying to get by – not that there's anything wrong with that, and, really, it would be nice to see more adventures where the stakes don't necessarily determine the fate of the entire galaxy and the ultimate battle between good and evil. It's hard to do that when that's seemingly every move a Jedi makes on their journey, so I'm fine with seeing more smuggler antics while Star Wars figures out how to make Light and Dark Side conflict interesting again.

There's An Opportunity To Bring Back Jabba The Hutt

One of the most exciting prospects of a Solo sequel is the ability to bring back Jabba The Hutt. In the original trilogy, Jabba sent bounty hunters after the smuggler because he had dropped a shipment to escape a bad situation, and in the process lost Jabba some money. Whether that incident occurs before or after Solo 2, there's an option to incorporate Jabba The Hutt in the sequel if not especially because the role has already been teased.

The prequel trilogy tried its best to bring back Jabba, but if we're being honest, it was too soon. CGI technology just wasn't there to effectively recreate him, and even the latest attempt to clean up that deleted scene in Star Wars: A New Hope isn't up to today's standards. In 2020, the technology is there, or at least there exists the budget to do another proper animatronic Jabba. Jabba The Hutt is one of the coolest creatures of the Star Wars movies, and bringing him into the next story would be a major motivator to anyone on the fence about a sequel.

The Cast Of Solo Is Pretty Great

There's something to be said about the cast of Solo: A Star Wars Story when examining the overall quality, featuring a lineup including Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Paul Bettany in addition to Alden Ehrenreich. This movie pulled some sizable star power, and I think there's an argument to be made the core of this cast would only continue to grow in popularity with each successive movie. That's usually a good thing for franchises, especially ones that are already part of major money-making franchises.

To be perfectly candid, Alden Ehrenreich never got an appropriate amount of praise for his portrayal as Han Solo. It takes some skill to not only play an iconic character, but also an iconic character portrayed by an equally iconic actor. Ehrenreich managed to pull it off, and even if you think he did fine, that's still saying a lot more than you can for any actor bringing an original character to life. Solo 2 would have the audience past the adjustment hump of seeing Han Solo not played by Harrison Ford, and Ehrenreich would have the opportunity to shine even brighter.

It's A Rare Opportunity For Chewbacca To Get A Lead Role

Chewbacca has never gotten as much credit in Star Wars as he's deserved. It started with missing out on a medal after the Death Star's destruction, and unfortunately Chewie has always been relegated to essentially lurking in the background since. In Solo, he got a chance to be a real part of the story, and it stands to reason that would only continue to be the case in future Solo movies.

Even if Chewbacca has to play the second banana, it's still far more attention than he has gotten as a character in past Star Wars movies. Chewie is a great character with a rich history outside of the movies in the expanded universe material, and while I get it's a challenge to give meaningful arcs to a character who can't speak galactic basic, I think R2-D2 has gotten more overall screen time than him. Solo sequels are one of the only logical ways to expand his part in the franchise, so make it happen and we can cross our fingers that a screenwriter will figure out how to give Chewbacca a great arc.

There's Rumored To Be A Lando Show That Would Help Expand The Story

Lando Calrissian may not be the biggest fan of Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story, but canon tells us these two will have a long and somewhat complicated friendship ahead of them. Disney may be on the fence about another Solo movie, but there's rumored to be talks of Donald Glover doing a Lando series for Disney+, and developing Solo 2 could potentially help further support that venture.

If rumors turn out to be true, a Lando show could be the way to drum up support for the Solo sequel if nothing else will. Worst case scenario, perhaps there can be some way the world of Solo can live vicariously through the Lando series with the rogue smuggler as a supporting character. Perhaps the middle ground would be to tease more Solo stories in the rumored Lando show with mini-arcs, just to gauge and see if the interest is still there for another movie to be made.

Theres Unresolved Drama With Qi'ra

One of the biggest cliffhangers in Solo: A Star Wars Story is the reveal that Han had a serious relationship with Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra, and that she was working for a crime syndicate. The way Qi'ra and Han went their separate ways at the end was really awesome, and it also set up for a Solo sequel that we have not yet seen – which would presumably end with some real heartache for the titular lead. At least that's what we can assume, as we never really learned why Han was so eager to get back out in space and away from Leia after the war.

There is something really cool about the fact that Solo tries to build that former romance, and in doing so it made Han a lot less one-dimensional as a character than he was previously. Honestly, it's the thing I'm most looking forward to seeing resolved in a Solo 2, and not seeing it resolved is the thing that would me most sad if a sequel never happens. I need to see what happened with Qi'ra, what became of her, and where things ended with her and Han.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is available to stream on Disney+. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more on whether or not a sequel will ever happen, and for the latest news happening in the world of movies and television.

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The Star Wars franchise has been entertaining moviegoers for decades, with entire generations of film fans growing up on the galaxy far, far away. When Disney acquired Lucasfilm and its properties, the House of Mouse kickstarted the franchise back up with main installments and standalone films. Solo: A Star Wars Story was the last of those solo flicks, and some fans are still wondering if a sequel might happen. Now director Ron Howard has addressed this lingering question directly.

Legendary filmmaker Ron Howard stepped in to complete Solo: A Star Wars Story after original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were fired by Lucasfilm. While the flick arrived on time, it became the franchise's first box office disappointment. Still, the movie's ending did a ton of set up for a sequel, and fans are hoping that they might return to the prequel. Howard recently addressed this possibility, saying:

That seems pretty cut and dry. Because while there's been a campaign for Solo: A Star Wars Story to get a sequel and continue Han and Chewie's early adventures through the galaxy, Ron Howard doesn't seem to believe those plans are coming to fruition. And while he's still happy to have contributed to such a beloved franchise, it's unclear if we'll ever see the next chapter in Han's life on the big screen.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is currently streaming on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Ron Howard's comments to Andy Cohen on Radio Andy is sure to be disappointing for Star Wars fans who are hoping to see Alden Ehrenreich play everyone's favorite scruffy looking nerf herder. Solo: A Star Wars Story definitely planted a bunch of narrative seeds to be explored in future installments, although the first movie's box office performance seemingly put a kibosh in those plans.

In the third act of Solo: A Star Wars Story, Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra kills Dryden Vos, and contacts his supervisor in Crimson Dawn. This brought on the long awaited return of Darth Maul in live-action, as he's actually the boss of the criminal organization. Qi'ra set off to Dothomir to meet with the Sith villain, which was an exciting and unexpected reveal. Additionally, Han and Chewie departed for Tatooine to meet Jabba the Hutt for the very first time.

With Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ending the Skywalker Saga forever, the franchise will be taking a break from theaters. The galaxy far, far away will continue to be expanded in Disney+ shows like The Mandalorian, which earned a whopping 15 Emmy nominations. And while there are a few directors who will be developing their own Star Wars movies, the franchise will primarily be living on the small screen for the time being.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Star Wars and Solo as details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.

It’s not uncommon in Hollywood for children to follow in the footsteps of their celebrity parents. Ron Howard took after his father Rance Howard, and now Bryce Dallas Howard is taking after Ron Howard. Of course, those relationships will be tested and recently it was revealed how Ron Howard used to punish Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard as a kid. And it's thoroughly adorable and appropriate for an industry family.

Father’s Day is approaching. So appropriately, Bryce Dallas Howard and Ron Howard recently spoke a bit about fatherhood with CBS News. In the interview, Bryce Dallas Howard recalled how being on set was important to her. And when she was grounded, those privileges were revoked. Here’s what she said:

That's a unique Hollywood way of parenting, and one that's a great anecdote for Ron Howard's family. As an actress, Bryce Dallas Howard would make uncredited appearances in some of her father’s movies, including Parenthood, Apollo 13, and A Beautiful Mind, before starring in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village. Bryce Dallas Howard come a long way since then, starring in major franchises, including Spider-Man 3, Terminator Salvation, and the Jurassic World trilogy. And she's confirmed to be to be returning to the franchise in the threequel Jurassic World: Dominion.

Even though she’s working on the third movie, Bryce Dallas Howard still loves the Jurassic World franchise as much as she did when she first started, saying she wants more after all is said and done. And, if Jurassic World: Dominion is successful, producer Frank Marshall thinks the franchise could continue.

While Bryce Dallas Howard is mostly known for acting, she’s also followed her father Ron Howard into directing and has done a fair amount of directorial work, too, including an episode of The Mandalorian. And, who better to get sage advice from than an Academy Award winning director Ron Howard?

Turns out, Ron Howard had plenty of advice to give Bryce Dallas Howard about directing a Star Wars story. He, of course, directed Solo: A Star Wars Story after the departure of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and seemed to have learned his fair share of what it’s like to be a part of the Star Wars movie making experience.

While Bryce Dallas Howard has primarily directed shorts, she feels like she’s ready to take the next step and direct a full-length feature film. However, she also noted the major time commitment and that she wants it to be the right project. I’m sure whatever that turns out to be, Ron Howard will have plenty of advice to give.

While many are now starting to venture out, most of the world remains in self-quarantine due to the global health crisis. Most would agree that it’s been somewhat difficult to stay indoors for so long, but it hasn’t been without a silver lining. During this time, casts from various films and TV shows have been reuniting to reflect on their projects, entertain folks at home and even raise some money for charity. Frozen star Josh Gad has been a driving force behind this movement, and his latest venture reunited the cast and crew of the hit ‘80s comedy Splash.

The latest installment of Josh Gad’s Reunited Apart series brought together Splash’s Tom Hanks, Darryl Hannah, and Eugene Levy, along with producer Brian Grazer, screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandell and director Ron Howard.

During the chat, the group discussed a number of topics, ranging from how Splash was conceived to what it was like to shoot it. For instance, Tom Hanks and Darryl Hannah recalled having to learn how to scuba dive in order to shoot underwater scenes. Hannah also revealed that she was nervous during the scenes in which she had to kiss Hanks because she was so young at the time and hadn’t really had a boyfriend.

Brian Grazer explained that he came up with the story for Splash before he and Ron Howard collaborated on Night Shift. However, Howard wanted to do the latter before acting on Grazer’s idea. After finishing that film, Grazer floated the idea again, and the two got to work.

Although it was great to see the cast and crew share their memories from the film, the sweetest part of the reunion came when Josh Gad invited Ryan Reynolds to close it out with a touching tribute to fellow Canadian and late Splash cast member John Candy. You can check out the video in its entirety down below:

Josh Gad has done an effective job with getting casts back together, and this latest reunion only adds to his winning streak. He previously rounded up the casts of The Goonies and Back to the Future for some nostalgia-filled conversations. Based on his choices so far, Gad seems to have a particular love of the ‘80s, as many of us do.

Splash was released back in 1984, and the movie has become a classic that moviegoers still seek out. It’s most recently found its way onto Disney+, though the streamer was taken to task by fans for editing some of its content.

Seeing the Splash cast back together and taking the time to honor the memory of the late John Candy is nice to see. Hopefully, Josh Gad can squeeze in a few more of these before everyone is out and about again. If you’re looking to revisit Splash, it’s still available to stream on Disney+.

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Star Wars is arguably the most popular film franchise of all time, as George Lucas' colorful world has entertained audiences for decades. As such, there are entire generations of hardcore fans, each feeling a personal connection to the galaxy far, far away. This can help the franchise break box office records, although backlash can also be intense. And it turns out that Lucas gave director Ron Howard some valuable advice about the fans when he was working on Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Ron Howard came in to complete Solo, after Phil Lord and Chris Miller were suddenly fired from blockbuster in the midst of principal photography. This was obviously a daunting task, but luckily the acclaimed director has a relationship with Star Wars visionary George Lucas. As Howard recently explained:

Well, that is some solid advice. Because while Star Wars movies are ultimately made for the fans, George Lucas still thinks it should be a director-driven franchise. And as such, Ron Howard needed to take ownership of his role.

George Lucas' advice to Ron Howard were revealed when the latter director recently spoke to Collider. Ron Howard has had a long and successful career as a director, but jumping into the Star Wars franchise presented its own set of challenges. Especially when another set of filmmakers had developed and starting shooting the blockbuster.

Star Wars fans can re-watch the franchise on Disney+. You can use this link for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service.

The first six Star Wars movies were all helmed by George Lucas, with the filmmaker able to have full creative direction over the space opera's many twists and turns. But when Lucasfilm was acquired by Disney, he relinquished control over the sequel trilogy. But he was kind enough to speak with friend Ron Howard about the potential dangers of working with such beloved material.

Solo: A Star Wars Story ultimately failed to perform at the box office, and marks the Star Wars franchise's first financial flop. While it seemed to set a potential sequel/franchise involving Jabba The Hutt and Darth Maul, Lucasfilm hasn't revealed any plans to produce another standalone film like Solo or Rogue One. Ron Howard delivered and helped the project arrive on time, although it failed to become a sensation like its predecessors.

It should be interesting to see how the Star Wars franchise's life on the big screen continues in the wake of The Rise of Skywalker. The Skywalker Saga has come to an end, with a few potential projects in the works-- including one by The Last Jedi's Rian Johnson. In the meantime, the galaxy far, far away will continue to expand through Disney+'s live-action series like The Mandalorian and Ewan McGregor's upcoming Obi-Wan series.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is still in theaters now, and you can watch The Mandalorian on Disney+. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Spoilers below for the fourth episode of Disney+'s The Mandalorian, so be sure to check it out before reading through.

Despite those who thought The Mandalorian would just be a retread of Star Wars' big screen adventures, the Disney+ action-drama has defied many expectations across the board, thanks in part to the emotionally viable relationship between the masked protagonist and the innocence-oozing Baby Yoda. Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian has employed several high-profile directors to bring its mystery-filled episodes to life, and Gina Carano's big Episode 4 introduction was helmed the Jurassic World franchise Bryce Dallas Howard.

As the daughter of Hollywood icon Ron Howard, who brought his directing chops to the Star Wars universe to pick up the reins on Solo last year, Bryce Dallas Howard has shown interest and promise in the world of directing, with The Mandalorian's battle-ready installment serving as her most prominent project to date. (And not only because of the Baby Yoda soup meme.) CinemaBlend's Mike Reyes spoke with Howard ahead of the episode's airing, while she was promoting her work in the Elton John biopic Rocketman, and here's the advice she told us she got from her father upon entering the Star Wars universe.

Ron Howard's point there is basically that there isn't anyone on a Star Wars set who is there out of spite, or because they're only in it for the money, and that's not the mindset that directors should enter the projects with. Not that a big-budget Star Wars project would ever pull in a random filmmaker off the street to tackle a movie or a TV episode, but the notion still holds strong. To work in this universe, you have to live and breathe this universe. (And probably shouldn't listen to trolls.)

What a joy that must be to experience on a daily basis. How many of us can say that we work in a place where all of our coworkers have dreamed about their occupation since children? Positive motivation like that goes a long way, and when you're working on a project that's in a galaxy far, far away, experience can be more valuable than money (or quarter-portions). Would Apollo 13 have been as good if Ron Howard, Tom Hanks and the rest had only a passing interest in NASA and space exploration?

Here, Bryce Dallas Howard continued talking about the pleasures of working on a project where everyone involved is part of the same creative hivemind that only seems interested in putting out a quality project. In her words:

A lot of credit has gone to both creator Jon Favreau and showrunner Dave Filoni (of Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels fame) for creating a work environment where everyone could freely get giddy about bringing The Mandalorian to life for Disney+ subscribers. This was a project that was important enough for even the merchandizing masterminds at Disney to balk at spoiling the Baby Yoda reveal, so you know it was important to the producers that everything on the set work out in the the most positive favor possible.

Bryce Dallas Howard is only the second female director to get behind the camera for a Star Wars project, with pioneer Deborah Chow having helmed Episode 3 (as well as the impending seventh installment). Chow will be the lone director putting together the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series for Disney+, and her Mandalorian episode was a great sign that big things are coming for Ewan McGregor's doomed Jedi. Perhaps we'll next soon hear about Howard taking on another role behind the scenes in a new Star Wars project.

Rian Johnson Wants To Direct The Mandalorian In Season 2 And That Needs To Happen

It sounds like she would be into it, especially if Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni were some of the people in charge. In talking about the ways that The Mandalorian differed from other Star Wars projects, Bryce Dallas Howard credited their willingness to listen to everyone else on the creative team, and the fact that all of the directors worked together to bring forth a more unified vision, as opposed to each episode feeling completely different. In her words:

So long as that whole boom mic mistake gets blown over without too much social media chatter, everything should go smoothly.

The Mandalorian hits Disney+ with new episodes every Friday at 3:01 a.m. ET. To see what other shows are on the way in the future, head to (and bookmark) our Winter and Spring 2020 TV schedule.

Despite running for 11 seasons, producing 255 episodes and eventually being recognized as one of the most beloved TV sitcoms in history, Happy Days wasn’t a ratings powerhouse during its initial run. It only spent three seasons rated among the top 10 programs, and as such, was always a contender for network meddling and notes. One helpful suggestion was apparently to rename the show Fonzie’s Happy Days after the show’s most popular character. The idea was so poorly received by lead actor Ron Howard that he threatened to quit, and it was never discussed again.

Howard, who later went on to direct a stream of classic movies including Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind, told the story during a cast reunion honoring super producer Garry Marshall. Marshall took care of the situation with the studio and the other producers after Howard expressed his disapproval.

Here’s the story directly from Ron Howard, as per Entertainment Tonight…

There’s actually a lesson in here that Hollywood often forgets. Some of the best characters in the history of television and movies are so spectacular because we don’t see them very often. The Silence Of The Lambs, as an example, is two hours and eighteen minutes of greatness. Anthony Hopkin’s Hannibal Lecter is on screen for less than twenty of those minutes. In fact, there’s a long history of people winning Oscars without very much screen time, and the same idea works for TV supporting characters too.

The Fonz, who is an all-time great character, works so well because he’s the contrast to the other more buttoned-up and conservative characters. His appearance starting with that iconic leather jacket and the way he communicates all paint him as the coolest guy in the room (in fact the show was almost originally called Cool). If the show just followed him for most of its runtime, he wouldn’t be the contrast anymore. Everyone else would be the contrast to his energy, which we would perceive as more normal because he would be the primary perspective.

Long story short, I’m glad Happy Days didn’t change its name. I’m glad Ron Howard put his foot down, and I’m glad if you look hard enough, you can still find reruns, slot machines, collectibles and references to Happy Days forty-five years after it premiered, despite the network's tinkering and sometimes bizarre decisions.

Over the course of the decade-long development process The Dark Tower wound itself through, producer Ron Howard was on board for almost the entire ride, joining the project in the wake of J.J. Abrams’ departure. So if anyone knows what the first film in the failed Stephen King franchise went through in its birthing process, it’s him.

As such, Ron Howard is also qualified to discuss just what went wrong with the 2017 film that baffled critics as well as fans, and saw Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey occupying the center of the black hole that was The Dark Tower’s would-be origin story. And discuss this he did in a recent interview, in which Ron Howard admitted to the following mistake when it came to Roland the Gunslinger’s big screen debut:

It's a story that any Dark Tower fan could tell you from memory: the day that what was supposed to be the first entry in a series of films and TV seasons that told the story of all seven books was confirmed to be a PG-13 film. With the focus shifted to Tom Taylor’s Jake Chambers, and the story retooled to be a sequel that took the series past the events of the final written volume, aptly titled The Dark Tower, the Sony-produced picture eventually became a pretty big flameout when it was released into theaters.

As the literary source was a darker, more mature fantasy that saw much weirder and more gruesome events, including Jake’s own death after being sacrificed by Roland himself, the PG-13 style of filmmaking just couldn’t cut it. And while he was initially bullish on the film, even Stephen King himself admitted that the studio went crazy with trying to turn an R-rated novel into a franchise-ready, less hard-edged product.

But alas, hindsight truly is 20/20, and Ron Howard’s discussion on Happy, Sad, Confused showed just that. And while he admits it was a mistake, Howard does note that it was one that helped the movie get made, seeing as the studio may not have wanted the R-rated version of what was eventually a $66 million film version of The Dark Tower’s first, and so far only, cinematic installment.

However, the storied franchise’s fortunes aren’t totally washed out, as Amazon has been working on a brand new Dark Tower TV series that would stick to the original plan of adapting book four, Wizards and Glass, into a sprawling epic that would fill in the backstory for Roland. So while there was a failure to be had in The Dark Tower’s initial journey to the screen, it looks like that regret might become a big stepping stone on improving for the future.

We don’t have a premiere date on when The Dark Tower will hit Amazon, but you can see Ron Howard’s latest documentary, Pavarotti, when it opens in theaters this Friday. And if you’re looking for more excitement in theaters this weekend, or anytime in the near future, you can check out our 2019 release schedule to see what’s on the horizon. Results may vary depending on which dimension you’re reading this article in.

Now that a full year has passed since Solo: A Star Wars Story hit theaters, fill-in director Ron Howard is sharing his nuanced take of what went right and what went wrong.

He jumped into the mix late in the game, after the departure of directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The box office for the May 2018 movie was huge for Ron Howard, but disappointing by Star Wars' standards, and he knows that. However, he came in eager to help the team, and had a blast in his short experience in the galaxy. A year later, there's even a big push for Solo to get a sequel.

Here's part of Ron Howard answer on whether a Christmas release for Solo would've given it $100 million more than its spring release.

Ron Howard had more to say on that topic on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, but I like his take on core Star Wars fans vs. "tagalongs" -- or casuals -- who wait to see if a movie becomes a major watercooler topic before jumping in with their own time or money. Casual fans sometimes wait for strong reviews from critics (Solo's reviews were middle-of-the-road) but even more often they wait to see fan reactions. They want to hear the buzz, see the audience ratings, scores, and word-of-mouth. (Think Venom.)

When the audience scores for Solo looked lower than usual, and words like "underperformed" and "disappointing" started coming out about the ticket sales, casual/tagalong fans might've come away thinking it was a movie they could safely skip. (The problems behind-the-scenes probably left more than a few fans expecting disaster, making them more wary to spend time and money on the movie.)

Here's more from Ron Howard on that angle, and how "trolling" from fans who hadn't even seen Solo yet may have led the tagalong types to pass on seeing Solo in the theater. Howard knows the pushback against Solo came from several different directions, but also included some Star Wars fans who were upset with Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Yeah, Rotten Tomatoes has actually changed the audience score function now, wanting more proof that fans have actually seen the movies before they rate them. Non-fans could rate a movie "0" before it even came out, but that is changing now.

Ron Howard isn't too familiar with that online world, but he said some friends from Silicon Valley explained the algorithms to him and basically let him know Solo was being trolled by fans who were boycotting its existence, in addition to those who did actually watch the movie and just didn't like it. Howard praised young Han Solo star Alden Ehrenreich, who was put in the center of the fray, and noticed the backlash has turned more in favor of the movie a year later:

Ron Howard already responded, briefly, to the Solo sequel campaign on Twitter. Is it likely to happen? Maybe. Probably not. The point seems more to show support for the movie, which was clobbered from all sides last year for disappointing the franchise. Now the quieter core fans are speaking up to say they liked Solo, thank you very much, and they would be happy to see the story continue.

Now Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in the hot seat, as the final movie in the Skywalker Saga, but also the next trilogy movie after Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which divided a fandom that has been debating the merits of every new Star Wars addition since the arrival of Ewoks. The Rise of Skywalker opens in theaters December 20.

The first Star Wars movie opened 42 years ago today on May 25, 1977. That's when we first met Han Solo, as played by Harrison Ford. Over 40 years later, we finally got Han's backstory in Solo: A Star Wars Story, with the young scoundrel played by Alden Ehrenreich. Solo ended up a Star Wars scapegoat, since the box office wasn't quite what was expected for a franchise movie. Reviews were mixed, but the fans who loved it are staunch defenders for it. Those fans recently launched a campaign to continue the story, getting #MakeSolo2Happen trending. Solo director Ron Howard had a simple reaction, but co-screenwriter Jon Kasdan had more expansive thoughts:

Yeah, Solo was set several years before the first Star Wars movie and ended with potential for how to continue Han's story until reaching the point of Episode IV - A New Hope. Solo 2 could've filled that timeline easily -- and maybe still could?

Jonathan Kasdan worked on the Solo script that his father, longtime Star Wars writer Lawrence Kasdan, had started before joining the The Force Awakens writing team. Solo infamously hit a rough patch when initial directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller left the film. One of the rumored issues behind-the-scenes was the directors encouraging a lot of improvisation away from the script. Ron Howard took over as director for the rest of filming, and reshoots.

The resulting film has a 70% fresh rating from 442 critics and a 64% audience score from nearly 41,000 RT users. Solo also has an A- CinemaScore from polled moviegoers, which is slightly down from the A that Rogue One, The Force Awakens, and The Last Jedi all received. But the A- ties all three prequels, and it's still better than the B- that The Clone Wars got in 2008, marking the lowest Star Wars CinemaScore.

Solo wasn't everyone's cup of blue milk, but it's clear the film still has a lot of fans out there, and they have "galvanized" Jon Kasdan. Maybe he's gearing up to make a new argument to Lucasfilm to give Solo 2 a chance -- either in theaters or (more likely?) on the new Disney+ streamer launching in November. Never tell him the odds!

Meanwhile, there's disagreement in the rest of the galaxy when it comes to the Star Wars movies that will hit the big screen. There's a petition against the Star Wars movie being made by the Game of Thrones showrunners, and some fans aren't excited about The Rise of Skywalker after The Last Jedi. But on the flip side, some fans are thrilled about the new Star Wars movies coming, especially The Rise of Skywalker as it ends the nine-film Skywalker Saga. Keep up with everything heading to theaters this year with our 2019 movie schedule.