It feels like it’s been ages since we’ve seen Tom Holland swooping across the big screen in Spider-Man garb, but that drought will thankfully end when the reality-upending Brand New Day hits theaters this year. There’s still a lot we don’t know, such as the key antagonist, and the actor is struggling not to spill the beans.While waiting on the upcoming Marvel movie, Amazon’s Prime Day deals are here to give fans a less costly chance to catch up on the webslinger’s MCU journey so far.

That’s not all, of course, with quite a few other Spider-Man deals also on the table for fans like me who will never turn away from physical media as the ultimate way to experience most things. So sneak some money out of Aunt May’s pocketbook — you’ll pay her back, honest! — and dig into these Spidey-sensible deals.

Tom Holland's Spider-Man Movie Deals

• Spider-Man: Homecoming - 4K + Blu-ray + Digital: Buy it for $10.99 and save 60% (Reg. price $30.99)
• Spider-Man: Far from Home - 4K + Blu-ray + Digital: Buy it for $14.99 and save 52% (Reg. price: $30.99)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home - 4K + Blu-ray + Digital: Buy it for $18.64 and save 47% (Reg. price: $34.99)

Tom Holland is already the Spider-Man actor who's appeared in the most movies as that superhero, and Brand New Day will make him the first to lead four different films under the mask. Not that it was an easy road to get to that movie's timeline. Relive all of current-day Peter Parker's ups and downs in the first three movies. If the three-release collection isn't your bag, the standalone deals above for the 4K releases are not part of Mysterio's illusions.

The Tobey Maguire And Andrew Garfield Spider-Man Movie Deals

• Spider-Man (2002) / Spider-Man 2 (2004) / Spider-Man 3 (2007) - Blu-ray: Buy it now for $26.99 and save 27% (Reg. price: $36.99)
• Amazing Spider-Man, The / Amazing Spider-Man 2 - 4K + Digital: Buy it now for $28.04 and save 44% (Reg. price $49.99)

Okay so technically, Marc Webb's pair of Spidey movies are the only ones that somehow aren't part of the the Prime Day sale, but the deal noted above is hard to pass up regardless of why the discount exists.

Other Spider-Man Movie Deals And More

Below are more Spider-Man Prime Day deals that aren't just for the live-action movies, with more focus put on animated projects and comic books.

• Spectacular Spider-Man: The Complete Animated Series DVD (2008-2009): Buy it now for $22.49 and save 38% (Reg. price: $35.99)
• Ultimate Spider-Man Vol 1. by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto: Buy it now for $11.91 and save 40% (Reg. price $19.99)
• Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 2 by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto: Buy it now for $12.84 and save 36% (Reg. price $19.99)
• Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 3 by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto: Buy it now for $13.33 and save 33% (Reg. price $19.99)

If you happen to need a magnificent television to watch all those movies on, this Prime Day TV deal is everything, though you might have to sell a ton of photos to J. Jonah Jameson to afford it.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day will hit theaters on July 30, 2026.

Yes, we’re still waiting for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, and that’s a bummer. However, considering the stellar reviews for Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse, I have a feeling the wait will be worth it. Plus, after Jake Johnson, who voices Peter B. Parker, said there are moments where “theaters are gonna explode” in this new installment, I’ve started speculating about what he could be talking about, and I think that will hold me over until this third movie’s premiere.

What Jake Johnson Told Me About Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse

At the moment, the cast of Beyond the Spider-Verse is recording their parts. So, when I had the chance to chat with Jake Johnson about his new show on the 2026 TV schedule, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, I also brought up Spider-Man. I asked him how the recording was going and if there was anything different with the process this time around. In response, he said, “It’s going great,” and then teased what’s to come:

Well, that’s very exciting! To this day, Miles jumping off the building in Into the Spider-Verse lives rent-free in my head alongside the Spider-Men chase in Across the Spider-Verse. Plus, the introductions of Oscar Isaac’s Miguel O’Hara and Jason Schwartzman’s Spot in the sequel helped both expand and bend the universe in ways I never could have fathomed. So, if what’s to come exceeds those moments, I’ll 100% be exploding in the theaters.

However, we won’t find out what those moments are until Beyond the Spider-Verse comes out in June of 2027. So, in the meantime, I have some guesses.

My Guesses About Why ‘Theaters Are Gonna Explode’

Now, as someone who has watched and rewatched the first two movies over and over – you can stream Into with a Netflix subscription and Across with a Disney+ subscription – I’ve been theorizing about what exactly will happen after that cliffhanger involving Miles and the Prowler. I’ve also been wondering how this new movie will push the boundaries of animation like its predecessor.

So, here are my guesses about potential moments that could make theatergoers lose their minds:

A Fight Between Miles And The New Prowler Leads To A Reunion

Considering that Across the Spider-Verse ended with a reveal that the Miles we know was in a universe where his variant was the Prowler instead of Spider-Man, I’m certain some kind of standoff is coming. With that in mind, I cannot wait to see a Miles v. Miles fight, and I think it’d be extra impactful if Peter B. Parker found his Miles as this was happening. It would be dramatic, likely emotional and super cool. Therefore, it’d be cause for an audience freak out as an epic fight leads to a wanted reunion.

A Battle That Includes A Massive Mashup Of Animation Styles

Into the Spider-Verse is considered a game-changing animated movie, and Across the Spider-Verse pushed the form even further. So, I fully expect Beyond the Spider-Verse to take it up a notch once again. I don’t know how that will manifest itself, but I’m hoping it involves using various animation styles and maybe even live-action in a massive battle.

Wild Card Idea: One To Three Of The Live-Action Spider-Men Make A Cameo

Now, to throw something truly crazy out there: What if Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield and/or Tobey Maguire showed up as their Spider-Men? The three Peters united for Spider-Man: No Way Home, and we’ve seen bits of live-action in the Spider-Verse movies, so I don’t think it’s impossible. Plus, it’d be fun to see Jake Johnson’s Peter B. Parker interact with the Peters we already know and love. Also, this is the multiverse, so anything could happen…

Now, obviously, I don’t know what moments Jake Johnson was referring to. However, I do feel good about my guesses, and whether I’m right or wrong, my hype for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse has certainly gone up. So, you best believe I’ll be ready to “explode” when this highly anticipated movie finally makes its way to the big screen.

If you can believe it, thanks to lengthy delays, it has been nearly three years since Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse landed in theaters. And ever since, we Spidey fans (Web-Heads?) have been dying for just the slightest little glimpse of the next entry, wondering how Beyond the Spider-Verse was coming along. It might not be on the 2026 movie calendar, but after all this waiting, we finally have our first footage from the highly anticipated follow-up, and it apparently picks up where that wild Miles Morales cliffhanger left off.

Per Entertainment Weekly, new footage from Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse was shown off during Sony's CinemaCon event in Las Vegas on Monday. Directors Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson took the stage at Caesar's Palace, along with producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, to introduce a scene from the start of the final chapter in the animated trilogy. The clip picks up right where the ending of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse left Morales, stuck on Earth-42, where an alternate version of Miles (played by Jharrel Jerome) is acting as the villainous Prowler.

The footage reportedly wastes no time throwing Miles back into the deep end. It opens with him realizing the worst-case scenario is real: there is no Spider-Man in this world. And before he can process that, he’s face-to-face with his uncle Aaron and then promptly knocked out by the alternate version of himself. When he wakes up, he’s tied up and forced into a conversation with a Miles who didn’t become a hero. Instead, he became the Prowler. The back-and-forth is tense in that very Spider-Verse way, with our Miles trying to explain canon events and the fact that his dad is going to die in two days, while Aaron and Prowler-Miles are understandably stuck on a much simpler question: what is a Spider-Man, and why should they care?

Things spiral quickly from there. Our Miles starts glitching out, admits his atoms don’t even like being in this dimension, and tries to de-escalate a situation that’s clearly already past that point. Prowler-Miles, not exactly moved by any of this, points out he’s doing a lot of talking for someone chained to a punching bag. That’s when Miles finally switches gears, drops the explanations, and makes his move, blasting his way out and escaping. From there, the footage reportedly jumps into a rapid-fire montage, teasing bigger action, multiverse chaos, and the growing list of problems Miles has to deal with. Save his dad, stop the Spot, outrun Miguel and the Spider-Society. His answer? Simple: that’s just what heroes do.

Looking at the bigger picture, it’s easy to see why expectations are so high. The Spider-Verse story kicked off with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which introduced Miles and went on to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature while pulling in over $390 million worldwide. It then expanded in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which blew things open into a full multiverse story and earned nearly $700 million globally.

Beyond the Spider-Verse was always meant to finish that story. It was originally planned as the second half of Across the Spider-Verse, but delays, including the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, pushed it back.

The Spider-Verse world isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Sony is already working on a Spider-Punk spinoff centered on Daniel Kaluuya’s version of the character, while Nicolas Cage is set to return as Spider-Noir in a live-action series for folks with an Amazon Prime Video subscription, though that one will take place in its own separate corner of the multiverse. As for the main story, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is currently slated to hit theaters on June 18, 2027.

The superhero genre is showing no signs of slowing down, to the joy of fans like me. While some folks are looking forward to upcoming Marvel movies, there are plenty who are counting down the days until Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse hits theaters next year. Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller recently claimed that we'll be getting the first trailer "soon-ish", and fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have an idea about when this might happen.

Across The Spider-Verse (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) greatly expanded the animated franchise's multiversal story, and fans are eager to see what comes next for Miles Morales and company. While speaking with Tech Radar, Miller said to "stay tuned" for the threequel's trailer, and Lord followed up with:

How delightfully cryptic. There's clearly a ton of fan interest in this Oscar-winning franchise, especially after Across the Spider-Verse's cliffhanger ending. While Lord and Miller didn't give us an exact date, fans are reading behind the lines and think they figured out when the trailer for the next movie might arrive.

"Soon...ish" is a hopeful message, and has fans thinking that Beyond the Spider-Verse's trailer should be arriving this year. Specifically, the most popular theory is that it'll be in theaters when Spider-Man: Brand New Day is released in July. Considering they're both Sony projects about web slingers, this does make a great deal of sense.

Of course, this is just a theory at this point, and there's been no concrete information as to when we'll see the first glance at Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. But there's a ton of hype surrounding the animated franchise, which has a giant scope and a unique visual language. And fans can't wait to see what Chris Miller and Phil Lord have up their sleeves for the next installment in the property.

Given how wildly popular the first two Spider-Verse movies were, there are also plenty of fans who are hoping that Miles Morales gets the live-action treatment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There's been no indication that Marvel is actually moving forward with that, but the character will likely only get more popular once the third Spider-Verse movie hits theaters next year. We'll just have to wait and see if its first trailer actually comes this July.

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is currently expected to arrive in theaters on June 18th 2027. First up is Brand New Day arrives on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to see if Tom Holland's fourth solo movie brings us the first trailer for the animated threequel. Fingers crossed.

When Across The Spider-Verse left us with that cliffhanger ending in the summer of 2023, Beyond The Spider-Verse was due to hit theaters less than a year later in March 2024. Cut to it being nearly two years since that previous release date and we’re still awaiting the next Spider-Verse sequel. Will next summer finally bring us the next chapter? Sony Pictures Animation presidents Kristine Belson and Damien de Froberville have shared updates on what’s going on with it.

As of late, Beyond The Spider-Verse co-writers and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller have been splitting their focus between the new installment and helming Project Hail Mary, which was shot in late 2024 and hits theaters next month. Here’s what de Froberville said about how that’s affected the production to The Hollywood Reporter:

As announced in late 2024, Lord and Miller left directing duties to Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson during their work on Project Hail Mary, but have been splitting up their duties between the two movies. Persichetti co-helmed Into The Spider-Verse and Thompson was a co-director on Across the Spider-Verse.

The two Spider-Verse sequels were initially supposed to come out close to one another when Lord and Miller started production on both films at the same time. But when Across reportedly proved to be a more ambitious film, resources went completely to the sequel prior to its 2023 release. There were also allegedly some story elements of Beyond that got reworked quite a bit over the years, as well as the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike disturbing the movie’s production as well.

One animator also claimed Across “barely” made its own release date, and alleged 11-hour days seven days a week among the crew in order to make it. When the Sony Pictures Animation bosses were asked if there’s strains among the animators right now regarding Beyond The Spider-Verse making its summer 2027 release date, Belson said this:

De Froberville also added that some shifts have been made to Sony Picture Animation’s workflow since Across The Spider-Verse. In his words:

Beyond The Spider-Verse is set to come to theaters on June 18, 2027 – with the latest release date shift being made over the summer to play on more IMAX screens. As we count down the days until the movie closes out the Spider-Verse trilogy, you can see the latest Sony Pictures Animation movie, Goat, in theaters now. You can also check out what other upcoming Spider-Man movies and TV shows are on the way.

Spider-Man has always been a popular character, one of the most popular heroes ever created for comics. However, we’re now in a world where there are actually two different Spider-Mans (Spider-Men?) who have taken over the cultural imagination. It isn’t just Peter Parker that everybody loves, it’s Miles Morales.

Miles has become a major part of Spider-Man media outside the comics, starring in the insanely popular Spider-Verse movies, which still have a third entry yet to come, and appearing in Spidey video games that have made the character as popular. And, in some cases, he's become more popular than the original wall-crawler. However, this success doesn’t benefit those who invented the character, a fact that has sparked a firestorm of late involving one of his co-creators.

Miles Morales Co-Creator Makes Comments On Royalties That Go Viral

Sara Pichelli is the Italian comics artist who co-created the character of Miles Morales alongside Brian Michael Bendis in 2011. She was recently interviewed by Brazilian publication Jamesons during CCXP 25, and the topic of royalties came up. Pichelli commented that she would “be a billionaire” if she received compensation for Morales’ success, but that didn’t happen. She stated (translated from Portuguese)…

Royalties are a major point of contention in many industries. For instance, they were a significant factor in the last major writers' strike. The fact that comic creators rarely, if ever, see any compensation following the success of characters they created isn’t news. It’s been an issue many creators have lamented in the past. Pichelli received an easter egg in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but that's about all.

Pichelli’s comments about her lack of royalties have since gone viral, with many stories written about her comments and lots of opinions being dropped on social media. She's not too keen on that buzz, though.

How Pichelli Has Responded To Her Viral Comments

Sara Pichelli’s comments became such a hot button that the artist herself felt obligated to respond to the online chatter. Via a post shared to her Instagram, Pichelli was critical of the article, stating that the article twisted the tone of the conversation and calling the headline “click bait news.” She called on people not to use her comments to go after one side or the other on the topic of royalties. Pichelli wrote in part…

The fight over comic character royalties isn’t likely to end anytime soon, but Sara Pichelli isn’t looking to become part of that battle. Maybe she'd be rich if things were different, yet she still created a character who had a lasting impact on culture. That's something at least.

The superhero genre continues to be wildly popular, with a number of shared universes competing at the box office. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were thrilled when Tom Holland got his movies, and have also watched as the animated franchise Into The Spider-Verse became an Oscar-winning success. There were some early plans for a spinoff starring Daniel Kaluuya's Spider-Punk, and now the actor has offered an update about what's happening behind he scenes.

While there hasn't been much news about Across The Spider-Verse 2, fans are hoping for more information about the upcoming Marvel movie sooner rather than later. Luckily the Get Out star recently spoke to Deadline, and offered some news about what's going on. He teased that script's first draft is in its "finishing stages", claiming:

This is definitely exciting news. There's been a startling lack of information about the animated franchise as a whole since Across the Spider-Verse's ending teased what was coming next. Miles has come face to face with an alternate version of himself, and there's no telling what wild twists are coming with the multiversal property. And that includes the Spider-Punk spinoff.

Daniel Kaluuya first entered the superhero genre with Black Panther, although he was notieably missing from Wakanda Forever. But fans really responded to his character Spider-Punk in Across The Spider-Verse, and fare eager to see what the spinoff might include. Later in the same interview he shared more about what's happening behind the scenes, saying:

Points were made. The Spider-Verse movies offered a unique visual language, and as well as a great multiverse story. Fans are hoping for the franchise to keep going, hopefully through spinoffs for fan favorites like Spider-Gwen and Spider-Punk. The latter is voiced by Kaluuya, who seems thoroughly invested in sticking around for the long haul. The Nope actor spoke more about what's inspiring him to stay involved in the animated property, offering:

With the first draft of the Spider-Punk movie nearly done, the animated spinoff has never felt more real. Hopefully fans are treated to more information about that title, as well as the third Across the Spider-Verse movie, sooner rather than later. I'd hate the excitement from moviegoers who calm down over time.

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse is streaming now on Disney+. The next live-action Marvel movie heading to theaters is Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list.

While there’s been a surge in talk about Spider-Man: Brand New Day following the reveal of Tom Holland’s new Spidey suit and filming beginning, let’s not forget it’s not the only upcoming Spider-Man movie. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse remains in the works and is currently set for a 2027 release. Today, however, I’m pumped to learn that one of the best characters introduced in Across the Spider-Verse is getting their own spinoff movie.

Today brings word that Sony is in early development on an animated feature centered on Daniel Kaluuya’s Hobie Brown, a.k.a. Spider-Punk. In addition to reprising his role from the 2023 movie, which he’ll also be doing in Beyond the Spider-Verse, Kaluuya is writing the script with Primetime’s Ajon Singh. Deadline reports that no other deals are currently in place, and plot details are being kept secret.

Based on the character created by Dan Slott and Olivier Coipel, Daniel Kaluuya’s Spider-Punk hails from Earth-138, where he uses his guitar and punk rock attitude as his main weapon against the totalitarian regime in control of his world. Hobie teamed up with Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, Pavitr Prabhakar and more to combat The Spot, and Hobie in particular helped Miles escape from Miguel O’Hara and the Spider Society after they’d imprisoned him. By the end of Across the Spider-Verse, Hobie was among the Spider-heroes Gwen recruited to help her find Miles in the multiverse (he ended up trapped on Earth-42, the world where the spider that bit him came from).

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a Spider-Verse spinoff movie being worked on. Shortly before Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was released in 2018, Sony announced a feature focusing on three generations of Spider-heroines, including Gwen Stacy, Jessica Drew and Cindy Moon. As of 2023, that spinoff was still in development, but it’s unclear if that remains the case two years later. Given how well received Daniel Kaluuya’s version of Spider-Punk was received, I’d like to think that improves the chances of his spinoff officially being greenlit, because I’m definitely keen on seeing this.

Along with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, 2023 also saw Kaluuya making his filmmaking debut with Netflix’s The Kitchen, when he co-directed with Kibwe Tavares and co-wrote with Joe Murtagh. Looking beyond… Beyond the Spider-Verse, the actor has two A24 projects lined up. The first is co-starring in the untitled Chris Rock movie that began filming last month, and the second is the adult-focused Barney movie, which he’s producing through his 59% banner and has The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri attached.

Assuming there aren’t anymore setbacks, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse will swing into theaters on June 25, 2027, and it’s hard to say how long after that the Spider-Punk spinoff would arrive if it does indeed move forward. Meanwhile, you’re welcome to revisit Across the Spider-Verse by streaming it with a Disney+ subscription.

Do you ever wonder if the world was just destined to never see Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse? That’s certainly the way it feels sometimes with the movie’s seemingly endless delays. Progress was made earlier this year, though, after Sony officially announced a new release date for the eagerly awaited flick. It’s now been revealed, however, that the Spidey film has been delayed yet again. Honestly, though, I think it's good news in this case.

Fans who have been waiting for the cliffhanger ending of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to be resolved were excited earlier this year when Beyond the Spider-Verse was given a new release date of June 4, 2027 amid CinemaCon 2025. However, the movie has now seen a slight delay, having been pushed back to June 25, 2027. In a post shared to X, producer Chris Miller revealed the delay has nothing to do with the movie itself, but about ensuring that one aspect of the film's rollout will be optimal. In his post, which reshared the news of the new date, Miller specifically said…

A quick look at the current 2027 movie schedule (which is far from complete) reveals that Beyond the Spider-Verse was set to open just one week after Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter, the franchise entry that will star Ryan Gosling. An IMAX release is being planned for that film and, theoretically, bigwigs at both Lucasfilm and IMAX might hope it’s a big enough hit that it can justify a run within that premium format that'll last at least a couple of weeks.

By being moving to June 25, Beyond the Spider-Verse now has some breathing space IMAX-wise. The live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon II is currently set to open June 11, meaning it should have a solid two weekends of those screens for itself, and the first planned IMAX release after Spider-Verse’s date is an untitled upcoming Marvel movie set to open almost a month later on July 23.

Considering that one of the reasons that fans love the Spider-Verse movies is their stunning visuals, it makes all the sense in the world for the filmmakers to want to present the sights and sounds in the best possible way. There will almost certainly be a lot of people who want to see Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse in the aforementioned format, and possibly people who want to see it more than once. The better an IMAX window the movie can get, the better for fans, and. of course, that could work out for Sony when it comes to box office revenue.

In an era when simply getting an audience out to the theater can be challenging, a premium format like IMAX that offer an experience that can’t be easily replicated at home is all the more important. And, as a fan, I certainly want to see Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse in the best possible way so, if I need to wait a couple extra weeks for that to happen, I guess I can wait a little longer.

For now, stream the second film in the franchise -- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse -- with a Disney+ subscription.

This week, April comes to an end, and May gets started. While this likely means temperatures are going up and people are looking to spend a little less time in front of the television, your favorite streaming services are certainly going their best to keep us on the couch.

From brand new films to classic franchises, the movie content coming in May is solid. We will, of course, get three new episodes of Andor this week, but that’s not the end of the Star Wars goodness, as there’s also some excellent new Star Wars content for May the Fourth. Here’s a look at what’s hitting streaming this week.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - May 1 (Disney+)

Spider-Man is the one Marvel character the studio still doesn’t completely own the movie rights to, but thanks to a deal with Sony, most of the live-action Spidey movies can now be found on Disney+. Starting May 1, the Spider-Verse grows even larger with the animated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse makes the jump from Netflix to Disney+.

Another Simple Favor - May 1 (Prime Video)

A Simple Favor was one of those simple, character-driven dramas that occasionally surprises with its level of success. Despite a solid box office return, the sequel, which will see both Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick return, will only be available with a Prime Video subscription.

The Four Seasons - May 1 (Netflix)

In The Four Seasons, three couples who vacation together go through major life changes over the course of one year. Based on the hit 1981 film written, directed, and starring Alan Alda, this adaptation reimagined for Netflix the story as a limited series and boasts an incredible cast including Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, and Will Forte.

Ocean's Franchise - May 1 (Netflix)

With reports that George Clooney and Brad Pitt may be looking to get the team back together for another Oceans 11 sequel, now may be a great time to revisit the original series. All three previous Oceans movies hit Netflix this week.

Black Bag - May 2 (Peacock)

Based on Black Bag's meager box office take, you probably didn't see it. But based on Black Bag's reviews, this spy thriller starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett from the incomparable Steven Soderbergh is a movie you absolutely should see. If you've got a Peacock subscription, you can do exactly that this week.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge & Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance | Disneyland® Resort - May 4 (Disney+)

May the Fourth is celebrated as Star Wars Day, and Disney+ usually adds something from the franchise as a way to celebrate. This year, we’ll get the animated Star Wars: Tales From the Underworld, but far more interestingly, this week, a Disney+ subscription will get you a virtual walk-through video of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, as well as a full ride-through of the incredible Rise of the Resistance attraction. One can only hope this will be the first of a new breed of Disney Parks content on Disney+ that will let us experience rides when we're not in the parks.

Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor - May 4 (Netflix)

Conan O’Brien stole the show at the Oscars this year, and his performance as host was so popular he’s already set to return next year. It’s as good a time as any for Conan O’Brien to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from the Kennedy Center. You’ll be able to watch the whole show with your Netflix subscription.

Next week, two popular series return. Fans of Conan O'Brien will get even more of him when his travel show Conan O'Brien Must Go returns, and the long wait for Season 2 of Natasha Lyonne's Poker Face finally comes to an end.

There are a lot of exciting sequels and franchise films on the 2025 movie schedule but one project that is still conspicuously absent is Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. It’s been a year and a half since we got the epic Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and we still have no idea when we’ll see it. But now Bryan Tyree Henry has me seriously concerned about what’s going to happen when it eventually arrives.

Bryan Tyree Henry is part of the Beyond the Spider-Verse cast as the voice of Jefferson Davis, the father of Miles Morales. He was recently asked by Variety when we might see the next film. The actor, who is currently appearing in The Fire Inside (see our review here), had no information on when the film might finally arrive, but he teased that the movie is going to leave people in tears as it won’t be a happy ending for everybody involved. Henry said…

We might expect the final film in a trilogy to give us a conclusion that sees all our heroes come to some sort of definitive conclusion, but based on what Bryan Tyree Henry says that may not be the case. The ending of superhero movies are usually meant to make us cheer, but this one may make us all cry.

One immediately has to wonder about the fate of Henry’s own character. Across the Spider-Verse already prepared us for the possibility that Jefferson Davis will die. He is set to play the “Uncle Ben” role in Miles’ Spider-Man story. Miles plans to fight to change that, but that doesn’t mean he will be successful.

Such a moment would certainly leave many fans in tears. The relationship between Miles and his parents has been built up over two movies and most of the audience probably loves them as much as they are cheering for Miles. Certainly, a loss of Henry’s character would be as big for the audience as it would be for Miles as a character.

But Henry could also just be speaking in broader terms. Not wrapping up in a bow could be a reference to the story as a whole not coming to a true "conclusion" in some way. Whatever he means, it indicates the movie may not be everything we're expecting.

But when we’ll find out what it is that will leave us all in tears is anybody's guess. Originally, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse was set to release in 2024, a year after the previous film. However, shortly after Across the Spider-Verse debuted it was announced the movie would need more time to reach the high bar of quality of the previous films. The movie was delayed before being removed from the release calendar entirely. No release date is currently listed.

A lot of Spider-Man news started hitting the interwebs this week, giving fans of the wallcrawler plenty to chew over. For starters, it was confirmed that the anticipated Spider-Man 4 with Tom Holland in the lead finally has a director, as Marvel staple and Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton has hopped aboard the sequel. Over on the TV side of things, Nicolas Cage’s Spider-Man Noir is continuing to bulk up its cast, hiring Brendan Gleeson to play the main villain in the streaming series. And then there was a report that the animated Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse was going to be facing tremendous delays because the bulk of the movie had been scrapped for creative reasons. Except, that one turned out to be false.

Internet speculator Jeff Sneider hid the information behind his paywall, claiming that the third and final installment in the animated Into the Spider-Verse saga would be delayed until 2027 because creatives scrapped most of the film. Sneider may have the date right. Animation takes a very long time, and Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse already has faced significant delays. But Oscar-nominated Spider-Verse composer Daniel Pemberton took to social media overnight to push back on Sneider’s reporting, sharing with his followers:

If asked to choose which party I’m going to believe, give me the guy who has collaborated with the Spider-Verse team on two movies, and who no doubt has a line in on the creative process happening on the animated Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. It doesn’t change, however, that the movie is facing delays, and none of us know when the movie could be in theaters.

When last we left our main characters, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) had jumped back to an alternate universe where there was no Spider-Man, and Miles instead had fulfilled a different destiny to become The Prowler. Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld) was putting together a team of Spider-People to rescue Miles, and Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac) was bending reality to keep everything together as best as he could.

For the longest time, I was in the camp of, “Let them take as much time as they need.” The first two Spider-Verse movies rank amongst the best Spider-Man films ever made. The use of the multiverse the demonstrate the reality that anyone can wear the mask is a fresh, inventive way to slide into the very familiar Spider-Man mythology. And the animation employed in the Spider-Verse movies is some of the most eye-popping visuals you will ever see.

But the longer that we wait, the harder it becomes to defend that position. Right now, 2026 seems like a reasonable release date, putting three years between the installments. But what if Sony wants Spider-Man 4 in theaters that year. Will they pack the multiplexes with multiple Spidey adventures, and dare to overcrowd the market? Or are the two features so drastically different, that they wouldn’t necessarily compete in a traditional sense?

I’m glad that we are hearing some details from the creatives involved in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. Even if it took a false shot in the dark to get them to weigh in.

Spider-Man has been the one Marvel character who has been nearly ubiquitous on the big screen for nearly a quarter century. From Tobey Maguire to Andrew Garfield to Tom Holland, and sometimes all three at once, he’s been everywhere. But we’re now in a strange lull period where we have no idea when we’ll see the next Spider-Man movie. This is especially strange considering we have an unfinished trilogy waiting for its final installment.

Sony’s two animated Spider-Man movies are seen as two of the best Spider-Man movies, perhaps the best superhero movies, ever made. Both Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse were massive hits. And yet, the future of the third installment, Beyond the Spider-Verse, is unknown. It’s apparently still in active production as, Karan Soni, the voice of “Indian Spider-Man” Pavitr Prabhakar, still has voice acting to record. He recently told ETimes…

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse's release date was originally set for March 2024, less than a year after the release of Across the Spider-Verse. However, shortly after the last film became a box office smash, it became clear the final film wasn’t going to be ready in time. Rather than rush a substandard product into theaters, Beyond's release date was pulled, and the movie entered a state of “it will come out when it’s ready.”

But when will it be ready? Voice acting is usually, though not always, done before scenes are animated. So if Karan Soni is going in to record new dialogue months from now, those scenes won’t be ready for a theater for quite some time.

Animated movies have a different life cycle than live-action films. Stories can be written and rewritten numerous times. Even while animation is being done, stories can change, requiring old animation to be completely thrown out, new dialogue recorded and new shots created. This usually results in the stories being perfected, or at the very least improved, over time.

If the work that Soni will be doing later this year is one of the last pieces to fall into place, then maybe we’ll see Beyond the Spider-Verse soon. It could find its way on the 2025 release calendar, perhaps only about a year after its original release date. If the movie has made a lot of recent changes requiring a lot more new voice acting and new animation, it could still be quite some time before we return to the Spider-Verse.

Between the live-action and animated movie versions of Spider-Man fans of the wall-crawler are spoiled for choice but before too long we’re going to get even more, as a new Prime Video series starring Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir is on the way. While what we know about Spider-Man Noir is fairly limited right now, the plot synopsis of the new series has allegedly leaked, and it reveals who may be the perfect villain.

According to Daniel Richtman (via ComicBookMovie), the series will see Cage as PI Ben Reilly, who, upon investigating a mysterious death, discovers that the mayor is up to something that involves ”crime boss Silvermane and femme fatale Yuri Watanabe.”

In the Spider-Man comics Silvio Manfredi, known as Silvermane, is the leader of an organized crime family known as the Maggia. He doesn’t have superpowers. He’s just an incredibly powerful crimelord. For a noir detective story, he’s the perfect sort of villain, as many classic noir stories deal with that sort of criminal activity. It was recently reported that Brendan Gleeson had been cast in Spider-Man Noir, and while his role has not been confirmed, he would be an excellent Silvermane.

Kingpin is the more well-known Spider-Man villain who is also a crime boss, but Silverman is perhaps a better choice here simply because we haven’t seen him in live-action. While this series won’t be directly connected to the MCU, using a different character will help the new series differentiate itself from the various other Marvel projects, especially now that Vincent D’Onofrio is back as the MCU’s official Kingpin.

And what good noir story doesn’t have a femme fatale? In Spider-Man Noir that role will be filled by Yuri Watanabe. Yuri is traditionally depicted as an NYPD detective who becomes frustrated with the fact that the law limits what she can do to stop crime. She becomes the vigilante known as Wraith. She battles criminals like Spider-Man though frequently uses far more brutal methods to do so than Spidey.

The name Wraith isn’t used in the allegedly leaked synopsis, so it’s unclear if this version of Yuri will also be Wraith. That could be something being held back as a surprise for the series, or it could be something we might see in the future if the show is able to get multiple seasons.

As a fan of Spider-Man and a fan of the noir genre, I’m as excited for the new series as I have been anything Spidey-related in a long time. It makes me quite glad I have a Prime Video subscription. Grabbing Nicolas Cage to play Ben Reilley, who did such a great job as the voice of the character in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, is only going to make the show better.

What do the best Spider-Man movies have in common? Well, besides showing Peter Parker take on some of the comic world’s most notorious villains and piss off J. Jonah Jameson? If you guessed tackling mental health issues, then you’d be correct. Over the years, the various film franchises about the beloved Web-Slinger haven’t shied away from touching on delicate topics, but instead, these great superhero movies opened up conversations about anxiety, depression, and even grief on multiple occasions.

I’ve had my fair share of struggles with mental health over the years, and so I’ve always felt a connection with Peter Parker, no matter if he’s in one of his iconic suits or just walking the streets as an angst-ridden New Yorker. I would even go as far as to say that each of these movies is made even better because of the conversations about mental health in the Spider-Man universe. Let me explain… 

Peter Parker's Anxieties And The Stresses In The Tobey Maguire Movies Make Him An All-Time Great Spider-Man 

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, though not always the best the franchise has to offer (looking at you, Spider-Man 3), had a habit of focusing on a myriad of mental health issues, especially when it came to Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker. From high school graduate to fresh-faced superhero to seasoned yet flawed protector of the “Big Apple,” the first live-action version of the character went through a lot, and all those stresses, anxieties, moments of grief, and confusion shaped and guided him along the way.

This is especially true in Spider-Man 2 when Peter, due to the stress of the job, loses his superpowers and is forced to deal with his stress and get a handle on his anxieties before he can be the hero the city deserves. Only when he was responsible and taking care of himself did he fully understand his great power. This struggle and revelation added so much to Maguire’s version of the character, and made him an all-time great in the process. 

Andrew Garfield's Performance In The Amazing Spider-Man Movies Perfectly Captured The Power Of Self-Confidence 

Each of the three live-action Spider-Man franchises, as well as the animated Into the Spider-Verse movies, have centered on characters who are able to find a sense of confidence and self-assurance when suited up despite being awkward, neurotic, and self-conscious in their normal lives. One of the things I’ve always loved about Andrew Garfield’s take on the character in the Amazing Spider-Man movies was that his confidence was pretty much another superpower that gave him the edge in his various battles.

Sure, he’s a socially awkward mess of a young man when he’s Peter, but Garfield’s Spider-Man, maybe because he has the physical and emotional protection of a mask, is full of quips, quick action, and drive. Yeah, there’s the whole death of Gwen Stacy weighing him down in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but Spidey can almost compartmentalize that tragic loss to save the day in the end. You could argue that this response is a negative trait, but you have to do what you have to do. 

The Way The Tom Holland Movies Handle The Psychological Effects Of Thanos' Snap Was Impressive

Though Spider-Man: Homecoming took place before Thanos’ snap gave audiences one of the most unforgettable movie moments and one of the MCU’s landmark events in Avengers: Infinity War, every other movie in the Tom Holland saga is rooted in its fallout. The next two Spider-Man movies (Far From Home and No Way Home) both spent a considerable amount of time not just talking about the physical impact of the event, but also the psychological toll it had on everyone, especially Peter.

These long-term effects of the Snap, and its reversal in Avengers: Endgame, turned Holland’s Spider-Man from a young and naive teenager into an experienced hero with all kinds of issues he had to work out. Though technically the same person after being brought back from the beyond, the post-Snap Peter was less carefree, more centered, and more in tune with his mental and emotional well-being. 

Spider-Man: No Way Home Explores How Grief And Past Trauma Shapes Us Through Its Three Peter Parkers 

Pretty much every character in Spider-Man: No Way Home is shaped and impacted by some kind of grief, and that’s especially true for the three Peters. Peter #1 (Holland), Peter #2 (Maguire), and Peter #3 (Garfield) struggling to get over the loss of Aunt May, Uncle Ben, and Gwen Stacy, respectively, shapes their motivations as well as their plan to defeat the villains by giving them a second chance instead of simply sending them to their deaths, and that’s honestly one of the most heroic decisions in the history of the medium.

Whether we know it or not, we all carry our lost loved ones’ spirits and memories with us wherever we go. For the most part, we have overcome the immediate shock of the loss, but that grief is still there, weeks, months, and even years later, influencing our decisions and shaping who we are as people. We may not be trying to fix a multiversal crisis, but the rationale remains the same.

The Into The Spider-Verse Movies Have Brought Up New Mental Health Conversations  

The animated Spider-Verse movies also go head-first into discussions about various mental health issues, especially those impacting Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) as he tries to find his place in the world. If being a teenager trying to balance school, friends, family, and normal obligations wasn’t hard enough, Miles is constantly on the verge of a full-fledged identity crisis throughout the first two movies in his franchise, and that makes his story so much more relatable.

These conversations, either directly or indirectly, have touched upon several different topics over the years like anxiety, stress, depression, guilt, panic attacks, and imposter syndrome through the lens of a teenage crime-fighter. This is also seen in The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story short film when Miles experiences a massive panic attack while thinking about the pressures and responsibilities of being Spider-Man. How his fears manifest into terrifying creatures is a tremendous and startling metaphor for our own anxieties and how ruminating on them can turn them into a nightmare. 

With several upcoming Spider-Man projects on the way, I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more conversations about mental health for years to come, which is really cool to think about.

The following contains spoilers for 32 movies with great cliffhanger endings. 

One of the things that usually defines the cinematic experience is that movies, unlike an episode of TV,  tell a complete story. They have a beginning middle and end. While sequels are always possible, that only means more adventures with our favorite characters. However, not all movies end quite so cleanly.

Many movies end on cliffhangers, with heroes either not completing the story by the end of the movie and finding themselves in jeopardy, or some new threat looming its head as the credits roll. This is often done when movie sequels are already planned, or at least expected. Other times it seems to happen just because filmmakers think it will be cool. Here are 32 times movies ended in cliffhangers, whether we eventually got a resolution or not.

 Back to the Future 

Back to the Future appears to have a happy ending. Marty has, however accidentally, changed his family life for the better. Or at least so he thinks. In the final moments, Doc Brown returns from the future to tell Marty that something is wrong with his kids. A big "To Be Continued..." promised us more to the story, which came after a very long four years. 

 The Matrix Reloaded 

While not technically called Part One, The Matrix: Reloaded was filmed alongside its sequel, so it's little surprise that the movie ended on a big cliffhanger. Agent Smith makes the jump from the Matrix to the real world somehow. Neo has shown some ability to use his abilities outside of The Matrix, and Zion is in danger. What is going on and what will happen next?

Avengers: Infinity War 

There has been no movie franchise in the last two decades as big as the Marvel Cinematic Universe and so it's not surprising that the biggest cliffhanger in recent memory was the end of Avengers: Infinity War. Half of our heroes were erased from existence and fans had to wait a year to find out what happened to everybody. 

The Italian Job (1969)

If we're talking cliffhangers, then it's impossible to leave out discussion of the original The Italian Job, a movie that ends with the cast hanging from a literal cliff. The thieves are on one side of the bus handing off a ledge, the loot is on the other, and Michael Caine is in between, trying to figure out how to get the goods without killing everybody.

The Thing 

One of the most talked about endings of all time. John Carpenter's The Thing sees an Antarctic research team battling an alien threat that can take the form of anybody. In the end, only two men remain and the alien might be dead, or one of the two survivors might not be a man at all. While some have suggested The Thing ending has a clear answer we never saw a true resolution.

 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest 

There are currently five films in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise starring Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow, but the character's fate was in question after only the second movie. Dead Man's Chest ended with Jack Sparrow taken to Davy Jones' Locker. His crew has plans to rescue him however, with help from an unlikely source, Geoffrey Rush's Captain Barbossa, who up until the final shot of the film, had been dead himself.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 

Sony's animated Spider-Verse movies are viewed by many as the best cinematic version of Spider-Man we've ever seen. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's ending gave fans an incredible story that left all our favorite heroes in a difficult position. Miles is in a universe other than the one he knows, the prisoner of an alternate version of himself. Gwen Stacy is mounting a rescue mission that hasn't even begun when the credits roll. 

 Halloween 

Considering just how many Halloween movies there have been over the years where Michael Myers wreaks havoc it's easy to forget that the original Halloween left fans wondering just what would happen next following its ending. Michael Myers is shot multiple times and falls off a balcony for good measure. He appears motionless at the bottom, seemingly dead. But when we look again his body is gone, leading the audience to wonder if the fight was really over.

John Wick: Chapter 2 

The first John Wick movie was a self-contained story that saw our hero set a particular goal, and achieve that goal. However, by doing so, he set in motion the events of John Wick: Chapter 2, which in turn, left viewers with a major cliffhanger at the end of that film. The entire assassin world is out to get John Wick, and all John can do is start to run. 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 

During all of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the audience has one question. What happened to Luke Skywalker? The final moments of the film only partially answer the question. Luke has been found, but why he is where he is, and how he'll respond to being found is not revealed until the opening moments of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Kill Bill: Volume 1 

Kill Bill makes it clear from its title that Vol 1 is only going to give us part of the story, but beyond the fact that The Bride has yet to get revenge on all the Deadly Vipers at the end, the first movie teases the audience with a piece of news the main character doesn't yet know, that he daughter is still alive. 

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One

By the end of a Mission: Impossible movie you can usually count on Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt saving the day. Unfortunately, by the end of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, the day is not yet saved. While Ethan has the key that is needed to help stop the rogue AI, the location of that AI, is still a big mystery. 

Alita: Battle Angel 

James Cameron worked for years to turn Alita: Battle Angel into a film, and in true Cameron fashion, the movie didn't do anything by half measures. The film didn't simply tease a sequel, but demanded one, revealing a villain, played by Edward Norton, in the final moments who was meant to be part of sequels that have yet to materialize. Fans have wanted to see Alita sequels for years, but a follow-up to this cliffhanger is increasingly unlikely. 

The Divergent Series: Allegiant 

Following successful franchises like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games it became common for franchises to split their final stories in half. Unfortunately, this was bad news for The Divergent Series as it left its characters in the middle of their final adventure with a cliffhanger ending, before deciding to end the series without making the last Divergent movie, so the cliffhanger would never be resolved.

Godzilla (1998) 

Roland Emmerich's attempt at a Godzilla movie in the late '90s was not well received by critics or audiences. It's not the best Godzilla movie by a long shot. The movie would never get the chance to improve with a sequel, which is too bad considering the film had a solid cliffhanger. The movie would reveal that this version of Godzilla was female, and had laid eggs before dying. More of the creatures were going to be born, and who knows what they would have done.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 

J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit is one of the most popular novels of all time, so it seems unlikely that anybody watching The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug didn't know what was going to happen after the second movie of the trilogy ended. However, for those few, the movie did conclude with a very angry Smaug flying to Laketown to destroy everything, and that's a pretty good cliffhanger. 

Saw III 

While the entire Saw franchise is a sort of bizarre horror soap opera, Saw III saw the greatest cliffhanger ending where Angus Macfayden's Jeff would fight his way through a series of traps only to lose his wife, and learn that Jigsaw had also captured his young daughter. What's worse, as the majority of Saw IV would actually be set prior to the events of Saw III, we wouldn't actually see this cliffhanger resolved until the opening of Saw V.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 

One of the all-time great cliffhanger endings. Han Solo has been captured and frozen in carbonite. Luke Skywalker has lost a hand and learned that Darth Vader is his father. What's been lost to the decades however is that it wasn't until Return of the Jedi that we learned for sure Vader was telling the truth. At the time fans had to simply wait to see how the trilogy would resolve.

Evil Dead II 

The first Evil Dead movie ends on a sort of cliffhanger when it is implied that the evil was not, in fact, dead. However, the sequel goes even harder when Ash vanquishes the evil by using the Necronomicon to open a portal to suck in the monsters. Unfortunately, he is also pulled through and the movie ends with him having traveled back in time to the past. How will he get out of this?

Super Mario Bros. 

While many people have worked hard to forget the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie, anybody who was a fan is very disappointed the movie wasn't a bigger hit. The film ends with Samantha Mathis' Daisy busting down Mario and Luigi's door to ask them for help. She doesn't say why, and we'll never know since a sequel never happened.

The Birds 

Alfred Hitchcock was one of the greatest film directors ever and his movies frequently ended with a twist or with some sort of finale that had people talking as they left the theater. The Birds sees every winged creature on Earth attacking humanity. There's no explanation for it, nor is there an explanation for why the birds stop attacking at the end of the film. Will they attack again? It's far from clear, but the movie certainly implies the story is not over.

Split 

M. Night Shyamalan is known for twists, but not necessarily cliffhangers. His multiple-personality monster movie Split appears to be just another of the director's mysterious films until the final scene reveals that Split is taking place in the same universe as the superhero film Unbreakable, and it's clear that a clash between The Beast and David Dunn is coming. 

It Follows 

Horror movies often have cliffhanger endings, as it's the perfect way for the horror to last all the way to the end. It Follows sees a monster transmitted via sex murder a number of teenagers, and while the evil appears to have been defeated by the end, in the final shot, something is following our characters. It's probably nothing...probably. An It Follows sequel has been discussed. That's all I'm saying.

28 Weeks Later 

28 Weeks Later was not a direct sequel to the original 28 Days Later, but it did continue the story of the world where the rage virus has ravaged The U.K. By the end of the film, however, we learn that the virus has made the jump to France, and potentially all of Europe. Whether there's any hope of survival at all is the only question left to ask.

The Dark Knight 

The first of Christopher Nolan's Batman movies teased us with the inclusion of The Joker, but that's not quite the same thing as a cliffhanger. The Dark Knight, however, ends with Batman on the run, with the city he protects believing he's the enemy. Now that is a cliffhanger.

Dune 

We knew Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part One wouldn't tell the entire story of Frank Herbert's novel. The only question was where would it end. While the movie doesn't leave any characters in jeopardy at the moment, it is still sure to give us a flash forward of one possible future for Paul Atraides, making us wonder just what would happen to him.

Fast X 

While Fast X wasn't given a title that implied it would be a "part one" we knew that another movie was planned after this one, so it wasn't exactly a shock when the movie ended on a cliffhanger. However, the Fast X ending saw half the team seemingly die in a plane crash while everybody else was looking to drown under the water of an exploding dam. That's a pretty furious ending.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 

While there have been several Jurassic Park movies, most of them end with the major threat, whatever it may be, having been dealt with. This made Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom a bit different as the film ended with dinosaurs having escaped into the continental United States. We knew this would change everything in the world but we'd have to wait for the next movie to see how. 

Planet of the Apes (2001) 

The original Planet of the Apes had one of the all-time great twist endings, and so it's little surprise that 2001's remake tried to do something to top it. Astronaut Mark Wahlberg believes he's made it home, only to find a version of his reality that Apes have taken over. What did it all mean? The movie's lackluster box office meant we would never find out.

Spider-Man: Far From Home 

Additional scenes during the credits of Marvel movies are commonplace now, but they usually tease the future of the wider franchise. Spider-Man: Far From Home, however, did something a little bit different by taking this moment to actually reveal Spider-Man's identity as Peter Parker to the world. What would happen next would be a major question for fans until Spider-Man: No Way Home answered it.

X2: X-Men United

For some the ending of X2: X-Men United might not have actually seemed like a cliffhanger. While Jean Gray dies saving the X-Men, that's a downer ending, not a cliffhanger. However, the movie's final moments give us an image of a phoenix, a reference to the Phoenix Saga from the X-Men comics, and a note for knowing fans that more was to come. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 

The second of the three live-action Spider-Man franchises was clearly planning for a big finale to its trilogy. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ended with a man, cloaked in shadows walking through a collection of gear that belonged to Spider-Man's greatest comic book enemies. The movie teased the creation of the Sinister 6, but we never saw them, and exactly who this character was supposed to be was never revealed. 

Many of these movies eventually saw their cliffhangers resolve. For others, it seems no answer was ever planned. But who knows lots of movies in recent years have seen sequels decades after their original installments, so maybe seeing how these cliffhangers play out is still possible. 

In a parallel universe, fans of Sony’s animated Spider-Verse movies have already experienced the trilogy's thrilling conclusion. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse was originally set to release two weeks ago, but the movie was delayed indefinitely to ensure it's completed with the same care that the first two films received. We still don’t know when Beyond the Spider-Verse will arrive, but a composer who claims to be part of the film is now teasing us with what seems to be a window for release that' not too far away.

Singer and songwriter d4vd recently posted a TikTok video responding to a fan who wants to hear more from the artist when he’s in a “happy mood.” Seemingly indicating that he had performed a “happy” song that will be part of Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, d4vd said simply…

Overlooking that d4vd has committed the punishable offense of not including the hyphen in Spider-Man, the man is telling us that we'll be seeing the final chapter in the animated trilogy in 2025. Which, on the one hand, seems forever from now, but we’ve already waited one year, and waiting for one more is certainly a lot better than things could be.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was seen by many as a movie that surpassed the previous Spider-Verse movie, and was arguably the best Spider-Man movie ever seen. That’s a fairly powerful statement especially when you consider that the Across the Spider-Verse ending left fans with an epic cliffhanger, so in many ways, it wasn’t even a complete story.

The original plan was to release the second and third Spider-Verse movies in quick succession, less than a year apart from each other. It was an ambitious timetable, to say the least, but one that proved to be too ambitious. It became clear shortly after Across the Spider-Verse’s release that Beyond simply wasn’t going to be ready in time to meet its 2024 release date. Rather than seeing the date pushed back again and again, Beyond the Spider-Verse was taken off the schedule, and as of right now, there is no official Beyond the Spider-Verse release date.

While there might not be a public release date, there likely is a date being used internally, if only as a way to properly schedule all the work that will need to be done. So people writing music for the movie, as d4vd seemingly is, likely know what the plan for release is because it impacts when their own work needs to be done.

While fans were certainly disappointed with the delay, most would rather wait longer for a great movie than get a less-than-perfect one earlier. Of course, “next year” still covers a lot of ground, but odds are that if Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is already planning for a 2025 release date, it will be earlier in the year rather than later. If it aims for the same release weekend it was supposed to hit this year, which is a strong possibility, then that would mean we’re already less than a year from seeing it on the big screen.

Anybody who’s ever engaged in Spider-Man adventures knows that great power comes with great responsibility, but the franchise always manages to steer clear of the arguably more universal perspective: spiders can be some of the freakiest, fear-sparking creatures on the planet. Well, some of the team behind the massively successful Spider-Verse features have once again shattered expectations in the form of the new animated mini-movie The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Short, which features possibly the most harrowing moment in any Spidey project, all thanks to the eight-legged sources of Miles Morales’ powers.

Maybe “thanks” is the wrong word, even if I’m quite grateful that Sony Pictures Animation gave fans a chance to touch base with Shameik Moore’s Miles Morales and Bryan Tyree Henry’s Jeff again ahead of Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and other upcoming Spider-Man projects. Because for as awesome as anything Spider-Verse-related can be, this short is meant to raise awareness for mental health, and thus features a few highly stressful moments for Miles that will no doubt spark anxiety in anybody who suffers from even an iota of arachnophobia. Check out the full short below, and take heed that the 4:30 mark is where the creepy-crawly elements are turned up to 11.

Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope. That’s one nope for every spider eyeball that needs to look somewhere else right now, instead of at my wide-eyed disgust. While I don’t necessarily fear spiders the way one might be afraid of a slasher movie monster, there’s something about being covered in tiny skittering creatures that immediately sparks cold sweats and jaw-stretching grimaces.

Do I realize that they’re all animated spiders and definitely cannot leap from my screen to attach themselves directly onto my eyeballs? Of course. I also know that there aren’t actually any spiders in the real world that would stand taller than Miles, and equally none that have the knowledge to know how to traverse a subway car. But does that make me any more comfortable with the idea of an arachnid crawling around on my tongue? Not for a Gwen Stacy-saving second.

Honestly, it's kind of bonkers that it took until 2024 to see a fully produced Spider-Man sequence go all Fear Factor by covering its main character in spiders in such a menacing way. I dunno if this is evolution, exactly, but I'm into it.

Outside of giving me the skeevy-jeevies — the gangly second cousin to the heebie-jeebies — The Spider Within is a well-crafted side trip to a more average day in Miles’ life that doesn’t involve saving the city. (Yet.) It’s the result of a partnership between Sony Pictures ANimation and the Kevin Love Fund, an organization dedicated to removing stigmas surrounding mental health. The short will be used within the org’s newest lesson plan focusing on mental health, dubbed “The Hero Within,” which is described as a way for “students to tell their own story through the lens of mental health awareness via an interactive curriculum.”

Within this franchise, it’s clear that Miles Morales is changing with the times and is striving closer to becoming a functioning adult. So it’s important for him to be able to talk out the wild variety of things going through his mind and body. And the same goes for anybody whose lives weren’t forever altered by radioactive spider bites.

A lot of people might not be comfortable expressing the idea that they turn ghostly pale at the thought of thousands of spider legs tiny-trampling across their skin and beyond. But I’m here to say it’s okay to say you mentally dry heave about it, but it’s also okay to not feel comfortable saying so, because I’m also here to loudly preach that thought out for everyone anyway.

I’d also like to stay at the pulpit to say this short, along with other moments within the Spider-Verse films so far, serve as definitive proof that the world could really use a straightforward horror movie with the webslinger front and center. A teen summer camp movie with a masked killer, with Peter or Miles as one of the counselors? I need to jump over to the universe where that exists.

Continuing one of comic book cinema’s most complex arcs, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is one of many upcoming superhero movies that audiences can anticipate, though it will likely arrive beyond the 2024 movie schedule.

There are always Oscar decisions that are going to upset people. When you’re talking about five movies or performances that are the best of the best, there is going to be an argument as to why one deserves the award over another. The Best Animated Feature category was even more stacked than usual this year, with a beautifully animated Pixar film, a new movie from the great Hayao Miyazaki and the sequel to a previous Oscar-winner. So of course, many expected an Oscar repeat, but that didn’t happen. 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse lost the Oscar to Miyazaki’s critically aclaimed The Boy and the Heron, and while it’s difficult to argue with an Oscar win for one of the greatest animation directors of all time, t star Shameik Moore is arguing, posting simply one word on Twitter…

On the one hand, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse previously won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and it’s hard to not agree that Across the Spider-verse was an even better movie by every conceivable metric. So then of course the sequel should have also won an Oscar. 

But at the same time, Into the Spider-Verse didn’t face the depth of competition that the sequel did. I think most would agree that Elemental was a far better movie than Incredibles 2, the movie from Pixar the first Spider-Verse film beat out. And there was no Miyazaki movie in the running last time.

In a follow-up tweet, Moore made it clear that he meant no disrespect to those who won Oscars, and even admitted to being a "sore loser" over the Spider-Verse loss, saying...

I’m not sure anybody would have had a problem with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse winning the Oscar. The movie really was incredible, but it’s also difficult to take anything away from Miyazaki. The Boy and the Heron was also an amazing movie. They’re so different that beyond the medium in which they were created, they have little in common, making judging them difficult for anybody. 

It’s also understandable that more than anybody, Shameik Moore is going to feel robbed. There isn’t an Oscar for voice acting, possibly something that should be considered, and as such, the Best Animated Film Oscar is the closest he’s going to get to seeing his work recognized. Considering how popular Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has been, he’s probably incredibly proud of the movie and was hoping to see it recognized.

Still, the franchise isn’t over yet. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse will be coming at some point, and an Academy Award nomination for that movie seems quite likely under the circumstances. If it wins, two out of three certainly isn’t too bad.  

I can’t be the only person still reeling from that cliffhanger ending to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. With the sequel Beyond the Spider-Verse undated, but still counting as an upcoming Marvel movie, how Miles Morales is going to get himself out of his currently precarious situation still remains to be seen. But as it turns out, those final Across the Spider-Verse moments included a key detail that could spell good news for Miles in the the next installment.

Co-director Joaquim Dos Santos was on hand for a Collider screening of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse which was held to celebrate the movie’s place among the 2024 Oscar Nominees. As Dos Santos discussed along with co-directors Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thomson how that ending came to be, he gave the following clue as to what we should expect: 

If the movie had ended with its original finale, we’d have seen Miles Morales merely confined to the punching bag, with even more of a mystery ahead. However, thanks to some last minute changes, Earth-42’s Miles became that universe’s Prowler, and a clue to his defeat was served up. 

Those sparks on the chain indicate two things. First, Spider-Family Miles is draining power from the Prowler’s Gauntlet. Second, and more importantly, it looks like he’s going to use those special powers that helped him break out of Miguel O’Hara’s force field, which allowed him to accidentally “go home” to Earth-42 after a merry chase

Apparently the original ending also lacked the hopeful moment of Spider-Gwen putting together her “band," in addition to Miles charging up his special attack. At six weeks before Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was supposed to wrap, its directing trio sprinted to restructure the ending to add such delights. This was partially inspired by, as Justin K. Thompson revealed in this Q&A, one crucial moment in Star Wars history: 

Once again, The Empire Strikes Back has proven itself to be the sequel that helps define trilogies in their middle act. Thanks to what Thompson called the “Save Han” moment, Miles is now set up for that next scene that only the directors of Beyond the Spider-Verse know about. That makes the uncertain wait ahead of us even more unbearable, hope and all.

At this point, I definitely need to rewatch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, as I want to put the pieces together a little finer and see what else is hiding within the movie. If you’re on the same multiverse of thought I am, then we’re all in luck, as that Spider-flick is currently streaming for those of us with a Netflix subscription. 

When Avengers: Endgame came out in 2019, we were introduced to “America’s Ass” thanks to a hilarious line first coined by Paul Rudd's Scott Lang during the titular heroes' time heist. And, in CinemaBlend’s favorite movie of 2023, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Oscar Isaac’s Miguel O’Hara gave Steve Rogers a run for the money, as the hero from the Sony Animation feature was a hit. Ultimately, the internet was thirsty for Spider-Man 2099. And, as the filmmaker’s recently revealed, they very much intended for O'Hara to be a "thirst trap."

When the Across The Spider-Verse team were awarded the Letterboxd trophy for the highest-rated movie of 2023, they sat down to read audience reviews from fans of the film. One of the reviews read. “Shout out to whoever made the decision to give the Oscar Isaac Spider-Man an absolutely ginormous ass.” Funny enough, Justin K. Thompson sharing some surprising sentiments on that front (or behind?):

That’s right. One doesn’t mistakenly make a character as attractive as Miguel O’Hara is in Across The Spider-Verse. Justin K. Thompson specifically took credit for being on “butt detail” during the movie’s production due to his aim to make Spider-Man 2099 an absolute hottie from the very beginning of production. To which we say, thank you for your service, king! Co-director Kemp Powers also chimed in, saying this: 

Truly, for years, so many female characters have been drawn for the male gaze, with a character like Roger Rabbit’s Jessica Rabbit being a prime example. It sounds like the filmmakers wanted to even the playing field and really focus on giving audiences some male characters to dream about. As writer/producer Phil Lord shared as well: 

Honestly, they knew what they were doing with the entire Across The Spider-Verse cast! You can check out the full video of the Spider-Verse filmmakers talking about Miguel O’Hara’s “ginormous ass” below, amidst the team winning the top spot on the Letterboxd 2023 highest rated films list: 

In addition to the acclaimed sequel earning the aforementioned honor, we also named it the best of all the Spider-Man movies, and it's also among the 2024 Oscar nominees that's up for Best Animated Feature. We certainly haven’t seen the last of Miguel O’Hara following the cliffhanger ending of Across The Spider-Verse. I'm curious as to how the creative team manages to maintain (or expand upon) his sexiness in the trilogy capper, Beyond The Spider-Verse, which is currently in production. While we wait, you can revisit Across or check it out for the first time using a Netflix subscription.

The 2024 Oscar nominations are in, and many of the great films from the past year have earned some major nods. Among them is the critically acclaimed Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which was nominated in a pretty obvious category. As a fan of the movie, I’m so pleased that it managed to score a nod. However, there’s still a discussion to be had here, in my humble opinion. In a perfect world, the massive sequel should currently be in a few more notable categories. So, at the risk of wasting time, let’s talk this out. 

What Oscar Category Was Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Nominated In?

You’re probably able to guess the category that Across the Spider-Verse did manage to swing into. The film received a nomination for Best Animated Feature. Considering the other prizes the flick has raked in so far this awards season, this turn of events isn’t all that shocking. It’s already won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Animated Feature and taken home the same honor from the Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards. Additionally, the Spidey flick was also named one of the Top 10 Films of the Year by the American Film Institute (AFI). 

The film is in good company, too, as Elemental and Nimona (another one of 2023’s best films) are in the category as well. Another massive title that’s in the lineup is Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron (which some would say should win over Spider-Verse). Honestly, the race will probably come down to Miyazki’s latest work and the superhero film. While I’d love to see Spidey take home the gold, I honestly wouldn’t be mad if the anime film were to score the victory. 

What I’m still having a somewhat hard time accepting, however, is that the Phil Lord and Chris Miller-produced flick was only recognized by the Academy in one area. So what else should it have been honored for? I’m so glad you asked.

There Are Three Other Categories That Across The Spider-Verse Should Be Included In

One of the best aspects of the movie is the music, which was masterfully orchestrated by Daniel Pemberton of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Steve Jobs fame. Not one note ever feels out of place throughout this multiversal tale, which is why the film deserved a nomination for Best Original Score. There are so many moments in which the music elevates the narrative, like during a more action-oriented moment like Miles Morales’ escape from the Spider-Society’s headquarters. The score is also more than effective during the quieter segments, and the tender conversation between Miles and his mother, Rio, is a prime example of that.

A Best Adapted Screenplay nod would’ve also been fitting, given how tight the script is. The dialogue is as sharp and affecting as that of 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse. Yet I’d argue that Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Dave Callaham deserve credit for just how mature a story this is. There are some deep themes at play here – some that even move into more existential concepts. In the wrong writers’ hands, this could’ve been a messy story, but the three scribes more than managed to control the chaos, making them very deserving of an Oscar nod. 

And, finally, Across the Spider-Verse deserved a Best Picture nomination. This is more than an animated superhero movie, folks. Yes, it gives you the thrills and chills that come with the genre, but it also provides a deeply complex story about flawed individuals. That’s not unlike other Best Pictures nominees like Barbie, Poor Things or The Holdovers. On top of that, there’s just a lot of fine filmmaking at work, from the stellar voice acting and impeccable animation to the stellar music and sweet visual effects. While the movie may end on a cliffhanger (that some find disappointing), this is truly a complete piece of work from a movie-making standpoint.

The thought of the movie being left out of these categories does sting a bit. However, I do remain grateful that it at least picked up Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. I’ll be watching intently to see if it can follow in the footsteps of its 2018 predecessor and nab the gold statue. 

You’ll be able to find out who wins when the 96th Academy Awards air on Sunday, March 10 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. In the meantime, stream Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse using a Netflix subscription.

Many of the best kids movies that the whole family will love tend to fall under a genre category that people of all ages and all walks of life can enjoy: adventure. With so many great titles to choose from, we figured we would save you the time and compile some of favorite adventure family movies that would be perfect for your next big movie night. Let the journeys begin!

The Goonies (1985)

A group of young friends must evade deadly booby traps and outwit a ruthless criminal family in search of buried loot that could save their neighborhood.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: The Goonies is easily one of director Richard Donner’s best movies for its funny take on adventure tropes from a child’s perspective.

Stream The Goonies on Tubi.
Rent or buy The Goonies on Amazon.

How To Train Your Dragon (2010)

A young man (voiced by Jay Baruchel) strikes up a relationship with a dragon that could change the course of people’s war with the creatures forever.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: By flipping the script on how humans typically interact with winged, fire-breathing creatures in most fantasy tales, the exciting How to Train Your Dragon cements itself as one of the best DreamWorks Animation movies ever.

Stream How To Train Your Dragon on Netflix.
Stream How To Train Your Dragon on Amazon Prime.
Stream How To Train Your Dragon on Peacock.

Shrek (2001)

A cantankerous ogre (voiced by Mike Myers) and a talking donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy) set out to rescue a princess (voiced by Cameron Diaz) so the selfish Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) will remove fairy tale creatures from the ogre’s swamp.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: DreamWorks’ groundbreaking adaptation of William Stieg’s children’s book, Shrek, was the clear winner for the first Best Animated Feature Oscar for its ruthless parody of animated fantasy movies at the time.

Stream Shrek on Peacock.
Rent or buy Shrek on Amazon.

Spy Kids (2001)

Two children (played Alexa PenaVega and Daryl Sabara) discover their kidnapped parents (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino) are secret agents and become their last hope to be rescued.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: While the filmmaker is known better for grown-up entertainment, Spy Kids is still one of director Robert Rodriguez’s best movies for brilliantly bringing a child’s idea of espionage to life.

Stream Spy Kids on Netflix.
Stream Spy Kids on Paramount+.
Rent or buy Spy Kids on Amazon.

The NeverEnding Story (1984)

A lonely boy named Bastian (Barret Oliver) becomes transfixed by the wondrous world of a mysterious book.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: You too will be transfixed by the incredible visuals and hair-raising thrills in Wolfgang Petersen’s adaptation of Michael Ende’s novel, The NeverEnding Story.

Rent or buy The NeverEnding Story on Amazon.

The Princess Bride (1987)

The story of a heroic loner (played by Cary Elwes) aspiring to reunite with his true love (played by Robin Wright) is read to a sick boy (played by Fred Savage) by his grandfather (played by Peter Falk).

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: Director Rob Reiner’s action-packed, surprisingly funny, and endearingly romantic adaptation of screenwriter William Goldwyn’s novel, The Princess Bride, is a beloved, undisputed classic of the adventure genre.

Stream The Princess Bride on Disney+.
Rent or buy The Princess Bride on Amazon.

Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989)

An inventor (played by Rick Moranis) discovers his shrink ray works, but only after it accidentally makes his son, daughter, and next door neighbors' two boys microscopic. 

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: Arguably the best Honey, I Shrunk the Kids movie is Disney’s timeless original, in which the bulk of the action takes place in a grassy backyard that seems like a dangerous jungle from our young protagonists’ perspective.

Stream Honey, I Shrunk the Kids on Disney+.
Rent or buy Honey, I Shrunk the Kids on Amazon.

Peter Pan (1953)

A group of siblings are taken by the chivalrous leader of the Lost Boys to a magical land where no one ever ages and pirates like Captain Hook sail the seas.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: Not only is Disney’s classic animated movie, Peter Pan one of the definitive adaptations of J.M. Barrie’s seminal stage play, but it is also one of the best pirate movies ever made.

Stream Peter Pan on Disney+.
Rent or buy Peter Pan on Amazon.

An American Tail (1986)

A young Russian mouse (voiced by Phillip Glasser) struggles to find his family after becoming separated from them while immigrating to America.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: A classic you might have thought was a Disney movie growing up, An American Tail is one of animation legend Don Bluth’s most exciting, and heart-wrenching, masterworks.

Rent or buy An American Tail on Amazon.

The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

Dorothy (Judy Garland), her dog, Toto, and others embark on a quest through a wondrous land “somewhere over the rainbow” to find a legendary being who may be able to send her home.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: Few films from Hollywood’s golden age are quite as influential to the fantasy/adventure genre, especially in terms of aesthetic, than this adaptation of Frank Baum’s novel, The Wizard of Oz — a not-so-scary witch movie with a still-pretty-creepy and wicked antagonist.

Stream The Wizard of Oz on Max.
Rent or buy The Wizard of Oz on Amazon.

Spirited Away (2001)

A young girl (voiced by Daveigh Chase) finds herself in a strange place inhabited by odd creatures that were once human.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: Perhaps the best anime movie for both kids and adults is writer and director Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning Studio Ghibli classic, Spirited Away.

Stream Spirited Away on Max.
Rent or buy Spirited Away on Amazon.

The Spider-Verse Movies (2018, 2023)

A teenager (voiced by Shameik Moore) embarks on thrilling adventures with people from different realities after a radioactive spider bite gives him extraordinary powers.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: Arguably the greatest Spider-Man movies so far are Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (also one of the best superhero movies to win an Oscar, for Best Animated Feature) and its first follow-up, Across the Spider-Verse, for their unbelievably inventive depiction of the Multiverse.

Rent or buy Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse on Amazon.

Stream Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Netflix.
Rent or buy Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Amazon.

Jumanji (1995)

Two children (played by Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce) play a board game that releases a man who has been trapped in the jungle for decades (played by Academy Award winner Robin Williams) and must help them finish the game to stop its exotic mayhem.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: While this franchise has changed dramatically in recent years, despite a few things that don’t make too much sense, director Joe Johnston’s original Jumanji is, arguably, the most dazzling adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg’s children’s book to date.

Stream Jumanji on Amazon Prime.

Labyrinth (1986)

After her wish sends her infant stepbrother into an enchanted land, a teenage girl (played by Jennifer Connelly) must set out to rescue him from the Goblin King, Jareth (David Bowie), before it is too late.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: Jim Henson’s most iconic creations may be the Muppets, but his cult favorite fantasy epic, Labyrinth (which was also executive produced by George Lucas), has a very special place in the hearts of its devoted followers.

Buy Labyrinth on Blu-ray.

Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)

Pee-wee (played the late Paul Reubens) searches far and wide for his prized, stolen bicycle.

Why it is one of the best adventure family movies: Reubens’ iconic man-child headlines his first big screen effort in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which is not only one of director Tim Burton’s best movies, but also his feature-length debut.

Rent or buy Pee-wee's Big Adventure on Amazon.

You and your whole family can have an epic time without leaving your home by watching these classic adventure movies.

Heroes. They come in all shapes and sizes, and serve so many different purposes. Lately, thanks to his involvement in the animated Spider-Verse saga, New Girl’s Jake Johnson finds himself rising to the challenge of Spider-Man’s heroics. That’s what happens when you star in two of the greatest Spider-Man movies ever made. Fans respond in kind, and sometimes turn to you for help. Now, Johnson is an actor. A voice actor. And even a director. His new film Self-Reliance is one of the better upcoming 2024 movies we have seen. And while having a conversation with Johnson about his directorial debut and his career, he opened up about something spectacular he did for the Spider-Man fan base, and a surprise he got through the interactions. 

Jake Johnson’s version of Spider-Man in the two animated films, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, is Peter B. Parker, a version of the classic hero who exists on Earth 616. He served as a mentor for Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), and appears to be part of the team who will come to Miles’ rescue, based on the ending of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. So Johnson’s legacy will be tied to Spider-Man for the rest of his career, which he learned when the world went through a global pandemic. While appearing on the ReelBlend podcast to discuss Self-Reliance, Johnson spoke about an action he did for Spidey fans during the pandemic, and explained: 

This doesn’t surprise me. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Ellen Degeneres and many more have told stories about recording messages for young fans while in character as Woody, Buzz or Dory. So it’s very cool that Jake Johnson agreed to do that for young Spider-Man fans. But then he got hit with a massive surprise, and it breaks my heart a little. As Johnson went on to explain:

I wish I knew that Jake Johnson was doing that for Spider-Man fans of all ages. I definitely would have hit him up, Cameo-style, so that I’d always have my own recording of Peter Parker telling me that everything is going to be OK. I could play it during tough times. Spider-Man’s voice can help get me through, the way that he did for kids and grown fans. 

We still don’t know when the third chapter of the Spider-Verse trilogy is due to arrive. During the ReelBlend interview, Jake Johnson admitted to us that he has yet to record any dialogue for the sequel, but also said that means nothing, as vocal parts can come together quickly. So stay tuned here for any updates on Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, and also, keep an eye on Johnson’s socials, in case he opens up the window to personalized messages again.

Over the past 12 months, audiences were treated to some of the best movies in recent memory, career-defining breakout performances, and unforgettable big-screen moments we won’t soon forget.

As part of our partnership with AMC Theatres, where you can purchase tickets to movies like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Wonka, we’re going to look back on the year that was and break down the best big-screen moments of 2023. Here are a baker’s dozen of impressive scenes that we can’t help but celebrate. 

This list contains spoilers from the 2023 movies featured, so read on with caution!

The Dog Days Are Over (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)

James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could have very well been the most emotional superhero movie of the year with its multiple scenes of heartbreak, joy, and everything in between. Rocket (Bradley Cooper) listening to Radiohead’s “Creep” in the opening minutes, the various flashbacks, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) dealing with his issues, and the “one last ride” feel of the movie were all superb.

The most cathartic of those moments was the final dance scene set to Florence + The Machine’s “The Dog Days Are Over,” which felt like a celebration of friendship, family, life, and a franchise we’ve followed for the past decade.

Barbie Becomes Human (Barbie)

Heading into Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, we had a feeling this was going to be something special, but what we got was not only that, it was also mesmerizing and something iconic, especially during the ending. 

In the final moments, after meeting her creator, Ruth Handler (Rhea Perlman), Barbie (Margot Robbie) becomes human and is immediately flooded with raw emotion. The combination of Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?’ and scenes of mothers, daughters, good times, bad times, and everything in between, created an unforgettable and incredibly emotional moment.

Escaping The Spider-Society (Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was one of the most exhilarating and refreshing comic book movies in quite some time and gave us one terrific moment after another. The action sequence that stands above the rest is the one where Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) has to fight his way through the Spider-Society headquarters and escape back to his universe. The visuals, the intense action, the drama, and all of those random versions of Spider-Man, including Spider-Rex, all work together to create a moment that feels like a massive splash page in the middle of a comic book. 

The Trinity Test (Oppenheimer)

The Trinity Test explosion in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is one of those moments you just had to see on the biggest screen possible in 2023. Massive in scope and scale, this achievement in filmmaking and storytelling was the stuff of wonder and something we’ll surely be talking about for years to come.

The lead-up to the explosion, the blinding flash of light, and the anticipation for the thundering shockwave to push through the vast landscape worked in concert to create something real, powerful, and raw.

The Stairs Sequence (John Wick: Chapter 4)

John Wick: Chapter 4 was one hell of a thrill ride and featured one bonkers action sequence after another. When you thought Keanu Reeves’ titular assassin surviving the Osaka Continental raid couldn’t be topped, there was the rave scene, which was followed by the Arc de Triomphe spectacle. But that wasn’t all…

The Sacré Coeur Stairs fight, which is essentially two long fights with a brief reprieve in the middle, was one of those set pieces that had us on the edge of our seats, especially within the context of the story. Brutal, quick-paced, grueling, and at times, hilarious, this had it all.

‘Memory’ (The Marvels)

We saw a lot of silly and awesome moments in comic book movies in 2023, and one of the best was the “Memory” sequence in The Marvels. Set to Barba Streisand’s famous song from the Cats musical, this incredible scene depicts a litter of Flerkittens devouring anyone and everyone in their way aboard the S.A.B.E.R. spaceship, and is something to be seen. It’s one of those Marvel moments that’s so silly and off-the-wall you just can’t help but appreciate it, even long after the scene passes and we go back to the rest of the movie.

Godzilla Attacks Ginza (Godzilla Minus One)

Godzilla Minus One was one of the best movies of the year, partially due to the kaiju film’s various large-scale and destructive action sequences, including the attack on Tokyo’s Ginza district. The way the classic Godzilla theme comes in just as the gigantic sea monster begins destroying roads, buildings, and subway cars creates a heightened sense of urgency and desperate tone.

The Motorcycle Jump (Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One)

Going into Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, we knew that at some point Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) would drive a motorcycle off a cliff and then parachute onto a runaway train. And while the sequence was hyped up even before the first trailer dropped, watching it in IMAX was like seeing it for the first time.

Sure, it has been fun revisiting this moment at home, but nothing will ever compare to the deafening silence and pure spectacle of this instant classic moment.

The Ice Battle (Napoleon)

When Ridley Scott directs a historical drama, you know you’re going to get at least one or two great action sequences, and his 2023 biopic, Napoleon, did just that and then some. The best is the highly publicized “Ice Battle,” a.k.a. the Battle of Austerlitz, where Napoleon (Joaquin Phoenix) sets a trap for the Austrian and Russian armies over a frozen lake.

Watching the cannon balls break up the ice and open up massive holes that suck in the emperor’s enemies is epic, to say the very least.

Bodega Attack (Scream VI)

Scream VI gave audiences one of the most thrilling horror experiences of the year as well as another great addition to the iconic slasher franchise. And while the movie was a fun watch with twists and turns, the instantly iconic bodega attack sequence was one of the most exciting moments in the entire series. It’s chaotic, frightening, brutal, and intense. The crashing and thrashing of Ghostface trying to kill Sam (Melissa Barrera), Tara (Jenna Ortega), and everyone else in his way is the stuff of nightmares. 

Indy Goes Back In Time (Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny)

The first four movies in the franchise featured wild third acts, and it was no different for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny when Harrison Ford’s experienced archeologist/adventurer travels back in time to 212 BC to witness the Siege of Syracuse. It was wild and bonkers, but it was very much on-brand. Indy meeting Archimedes and contemplating staying behind before being taken back to 1969 was quite an experience.

Bowser’s Peaches Song (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was one of the biggest films of the year, but all everyone wants to talk about is the “Peaches” power ballad by Jack Black’s Bowser, and for good reason. This song slaps. Like, it’s an undeniable hit that even topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart after the movie’s release.  The scene, which is both amazing and absurd, adds so much dimension to Mario’s Peach-obsessed nemesis while also looking awesome. Who doesn’t like a random music number in a video game adaptation? 

Intro To The Reputation Era (Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Film)

In 2023, Taylor Swift was named the Time Person of the Year, was at the center of one of the biggest celebrity dating stories in a long time, broke all kinds of records with her Eras stadium tour, and released a concert film based on said tour. It was T. Swift’s year and we were just living in it.

Luckily we did because we got to experience the phenomenal “Reputation” intro during Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film before the uber-successful musician performed a powerful rendition of “...Ready for It?” The animated snake wrapping itself around the stage at the start was the perfect way to shift the mood and kick off the Reputation era segment of the show. Add that to the screaming Swifties, Swift’s performance, and her Rep-themed costume, and it was all something to behold.

It was a great year to take in these unforgettable big-screen moments in 2023. Though the year is almost over, it’s not too late to buy tickets at AMC Theatres for the remaining movies coming out in December. And don’t forget to check out AMC Scene for the latest on those releases and some of the most anticipated 2024 movies. 

I can’t believe I’m actually writing this, but I’m not rooting for Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse to win Best Animated Feature at the Oscars this year – as much as another film, anyway. That's not to say I’ll be throwing anything at my TV if the Sony Animation film does in fact take home the prize come the 2024 Academy Awards. However, I do believe another movie needs to win instead: Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy And The Heron. Let me explain why, and I should note that this is all coming from someone who's not only a huge fan of Spider-Man (especially the Spider-Verse franchise) but also has much respect for all the work that was done on both projects.

When I watched Across The Spider-Verse in June, I was absolutely awe-struck by the accomplishment that is the superhero sequel, which is by all measures an animated masterpiece. And I’m certainly not the only one, considering our CinemaBlend staff collectively voted it the best movie of 2023. The well-reviewed Across the Spider-Verse is undoubtedly a great cinematic achievement for both the medium of animation and the comic book genre, but I cannot shake how much of a missed opportunity it would be if the Academy chose not to recognize The Boy and the Heron with Best Animated Feature during the upcoming 96th Academy Awards. 

Why I Hope The Boy And The Heron Wins Best Animated Feature At The 2024 Oscars

While I had a memorable experience seeing Across The Spider-Verse in theaters, I had an even more transformative time with The Boy And The Heron for a few reasons. I’m a life-long Spider-Man fan, but Hayao Miyazaki movies are most definitely make up a cornerstone of my childhood as well. So it was a pretty big deal for me to experience the latest movie from Studio Ghibli on the big screen. While Spider-Man fans have been able to see the wall-crawler on the big screen nine times across the past decade, Heron is the first Miyazaki movie to come out during that time period, following 2013’s The Wind Rises, which was supposedly meant to be the final movie of the filmmaker’s career.

As I watched the Japanese film's story unfold in theaters, I realized that I never imagined I’d be experiencing a brand new vision from the legendary filmmaker in my adulthood. And in a lot of ways, the movie is the culmination of Hayao Miyazaki’s incredible body of work across over 40 years, which critics have applauded the anime movie for. 

From the filmmaker’s trademark artistic style to the movie’s deep discussion about love, loss and environmentalism (which he’s been weaving into his work all along), the 82-year-old deserves the Oscar more than ever. There’s no denying how much he's had an impact on the forward movement of animation in cinema across his years in the industry. He's influenced so many filmmakers in the genre and, if there’s any movie that could symbolize his lifetime of glorious achievement in the medium, it’s The Boy And The Heron.

The Underrated Story Behind Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy And The Heron 

You could certainly make the argument that more work went into Across The Spider-Verse, considering all the animation styles involved in the over two-hour film. However, The Boy and the Heron’s production process sounds just as impressive to me, considering the filmmaker started work on the project back in 2016 and the two-hour release is completely made up of traditional, hand-drawn animation, It's reportedly the most expensive Japanese film ever made, per Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki’s conversation with Sora News 24. With all that in mind, the movie was released with little marketing or press, so much of the incredible work behind it hasn’t been revealed to the public. Once one experiences it though, it’s clear that it's something special. 

The six-year production process piloted by Hayao Miyazaki included the filmmaker writing and directing the project with a story that is reportedly very much inspired by his own childhood. Along with the movie being one of the most personal works from Miyazaki, it has also broken box office records for Studio Ghibli, surpassing Howl’s Moving Castle’s record opening weekend in Japan. It's also become the first original anime film to reach number one at the box office in both Canada and the United States. We need to honor those achievements, and an Oscar is a great way to do so. 

Hayao Miyazaki’s History With The Oscars Isn't The Best, And That’s Honestly A Crime

Lastly, it's also worth noting that Spider-Verse franchise has earned a Best Animated Feature Oscar before, as Into the Spider-Verse won the prize at the 2019 ceremony. The franchise will will have the potential earn the gold again when Beyond The Spider-Verse comes out at some point. So, with all of that in mind, this could be the Academy’s final chance to award Hayao Miyazaki an Academy in his career. 

While we don’t know it for sure, it’s very possible this could be the filmmaker’s final movie both, considering his age and the fact that he has retired before. He has earned Oscar nominations before, as he won for the category for Spirited Away in 2003 and was nominated for Howl’s Moving Castle in 2006 (which beat out by Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit) and The Wind Rises in 2014 (which Frozen bested). Seeing Hayao Miyazaki up on that stage and being recognized by Hollywood for The Boy and the Heron in particular would make for such a gorgeous tribute to the filmmaker’s animation legacy. 

Of course, at the end of the day, an Oscar is just an Oscar, and whoever a golden trophy goes to doesn’t discount the incredible achievement that The Boy and the Heron is an incredible feat of filmmaking like Across the Spider-Verse is. Both are among the best animated movies of 2023, and I’ll be cheering on Oscars night if either of them take home the Best Animated Feature prize. We can look forward to 2024 Oscar nominations being announced on January 23, 2024, and the ceremony itself will take place on Sunday, March 10. 

From stories of womanhood and growing up, to historic biopics to slapstick comedy involving theater and a fight club, the films on the 2023 movie schedule blew me away this year! For the first time in my life, I watched over 100 films that came out in a given year, and now I’m here to report my own best movies of 2023. 

While Barbie was my clear and obvious #1 film of the year, how the other nine entries shook out came as a surprise. I’m thrilled that so many highlight women’s stories and all of them tell compelling tales in totally unique ways. So, without further ado, let’s get into my top ten films of 2023.

10. The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes 

As someone who grew up with The Hunger Games books, I was curious to see President Snow’s backstory, and his tale left me in shock and awe. Tom Blyth plays the future president of Panem in a way that allows you to have empathy for him while also giving us hints of the evil leader we know from the original trilogy. Then, when you pair him with Rachel Zegler’s Lucy Gray, you get a fascinating story of love and survival that also revealed a vital part of The Hunger Games history. 

The book-to-screen adaptation of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes drew me in and pulled me through this brutal story about corruption and power set in a dystopian world I grew up reading about. That mix of nostalgia and astonishment left me thinking about this movie for weeks after I saw it. 

9. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves 

The joyous fantastical romp that is Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was one of the biggest delights of the year. Like a D&D campaign, the cast of characters, played by Chris Pine, Justice Smith, Michelle Rodriguez, Sophia Lillis and Regé-Jean Page, are true chaos together, and their chemistry is unmatched. Their scrappy attempt to save their land is full of heart, humor and some glorious practical effects – like our favorite human-sized bird Jarnathan – making John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein’s film one of the most creative of the year.  

8. Bottoms

The Bottoms cast is led by Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri, and they play two besties who set out to start a fight club to get with their crushes. When I walked out of the theater, I couldn’t help but think about how these two women are well on their way to becoming major forces in this genre, following in the footsteps of Kristen Wiig and Tina Fey. Overall, Bottoms is raunchy, violent, wickedly fun and an excellent example of great Gen Z comedy. 

7. The Color Purple

After the book was adapted into a beloved film in 1985, and then into a Broadway musical in the 2000s, another adaptation of The Color Purple made its way to the big screen, blending the cinematic elements of Steven Spielberg’s film with the gorgeous music of the musical. Capturing the sunlight and darkness of Celie’s story through Dan Laustsen's cinematography, and illustrated through the moving lyrics and choreography, this film tells the odyssey of her incredibly difficult life and her finding strength in herself and the women around her. And while everything about this film shines, if you take anything away from this it’s that Fantasia Barrino, who plays Celie, is an absolute star, and as she sings, she’s “here.”  

6. May December

There’s a scene in May December in a dress shop, and Natalie Portman’s Elizabeth has come with Julianne Moore’s Gracie to study her for a film. The shot is framed so Moore and her reflection are sandwiching Portman’s Elizabeth as she imitates her subject, and it perfectly illustrates the unique tone and impeccable directing of this film. Todd Haynes directs a movie that balances perfectly between prestige drama and soap opera to tell the story of a woman attempting to figure out a couple’s story that was ripped from the tabloids for a television film. 

Portman, Moore and especially the actor behind Gracie’s husband, Charles Melton, give standout performances worthy of awards. It's in their simultaneously subtle and over-the-top work that we get this nuanced and thought-provoking film.

5. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse redefined what was possible in animation. Then the insanely well-reviewed Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse managed to take the precedent the first film set and smash it. Every single frame in this movie is fine art, and the mixing of animation forms alone had me staring wide-eyed at the screen. However, when you mix these stunning visuals with the incredible Across the Spider-Verse voice cast and the high-stakes plot set across the vast multiverse, you get the greatest Spider-Man movie yet.

4. Theater Camp

Theater Camp had me cry laughing over the genius physical comedy from Ben Platt, Molly Gordon, Noah Galvin and Ayo Edebiri, and I found myself getting actually emotional as the uber-talented children sang the finale song “Camp Isn’t Home.” Theater Camp is heartfelt and hilarious, and it harkens back to classic comedies like Best in Show while also being wholly original. It's a movie made by theater kids, for theater kids, and you can feel the love and affection for the art radiating off of it while they absolutely roast it in the funniest way. 

3. Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer terrified me, and I mean that in the highest regard. This historical drama about the father of the nuclear bomb is a three-hour film that moves like a high-stakes 90-minute thriller. The way Christopher Nolan wrote and directed this movie made the tension palpable, and Cillian Murphy’s searing and masterfully subtle performance as the lead of the Oppenheimer cast underlined and emphasized that point. Complimented by a rousing score from Ludwig Göransson and impeccable sound design, this film made you feel the historical implications of this scientific discovery in a profound and deeply moving way.

2. Poor Things

If we don’t see Emma Stone on the Oscar stage again for Poor Things, I’ll be so mad. Her performance as Bella Baxter in Yorgos Lanthimos’ epic Frankenstein-esque fantasy is a true tour-de-force. You can feel the actress’s love and commitment bursting through the screen. Then, when you mix that with the quick-witted script from Tony McNamara, a brilliant supporting cast and the colorful-fantastical-punk-rock world designed by Zsuzsa Mihalek, and you are left with a modern sci-fi tale of a woman on a journey of self-discovery and liberation byway of confident curiosity. 

1. Barbie

Since Barbie’s release, I have found myself referring to my apartment as a “mojo dojo casa house,” singing along to “Dance The Night” regularly and wearing more pink. The Barbie effect was, and still is, real. I’m here to say, that not only is it my favorite film of the year, I think it’s one of my all-time favorites. 

Sure, you can credit Barbie’s record-breaking box-office success to its stellar cast led by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, immaculate candy-colored set design and wildly hilarious plot. However, I think this film resonated with so many, myself included, because of how it illuminated the experience of girlhood and all its juxtapositions. 

I can’t even begin to describe how emotional it makes me think about how many folks felt understood by Greta Gerwig’s film. Knowing that it will be around to support so many kids as they grow up for generations to come moves me to a point beyond words. 

Well, folks, there you have it! My top ten of the year. It’s safe to say that 2023 was a fantastic year in film, and it's one I’ll remember forever. Here’s hoping 2024’s new movie releases can live up to this year’s excellence! 

There only a few days left to go until we reach 2024, which means if you haven’t already, it’s a good time to take stock of the cinematic entertainment this past year delivered. Many kinds of stories were were released over the course of the 2023 release schedule, and in addition to ranking the best 2023 movies, we here at CinemaBlend have also broken down the best of the best delivered across specific genres, including the best 2023 action movies and best 2023 comedy movies. But before this year is over, it’s important to go over what was delivered on the superhero front, specifically from heavy-hitters Marvel and DC.

This was a big year for both companies, with each delivering four features to the public. While it’s too soon to tell whether some of the entries we’ll be discussing will go down in history as some of the best Marvel movies and best DC movies, we can at least rank how these seven movies stacked up against one another.

Some SPOILERS are ahead for the listed movies.

8. Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania

While Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp aren’t the most beloved critical darlings of the Marvel movies in order, they’re nonetheless enjoyable romps that set up the Quantum Realm, which later played a key role in Avengers: Endgame. Our first deep-dive into this alternate dimension, however, wasn’t nearly as good. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’s story proved to be disappointing, ranging from its odd choices in humor to Jonathan Majors’ first outing as Kang the Conqueror following his debut as He Who Remains in Loki not being as big a deal as it was hyped up to be (Marvel Studios has since fired Majors). It’s likely we’ll see Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne again in the MCU, but it feels like the Ant-Man film series should be retired now.

7. Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom

It wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that Aquaman is the most surprising success of the DCEU, as it ended up becoming the highest-grossing DC movie of all time, though its critical reception was more on the mixed side. Well, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom is a far cry from its predecessor. Although the back-and-forth between Arthur Curry and Orm is fun to watch, and Black Manta is certainly a more formidable villain this time around, nearly all of the wonder and charm from the first movie is absent. Even though The Lost Kingdom expand upon the DCEU’s Atlantean lore, it often feels like this sequel is trying too hard. Not to worry though, Topo the octopus, your expanded role was most welcome.

6. Shazam! Fury Of The Gods

Despite the Shazam! mid-credits team teasing an alliance between Dr. Sivana and Mister Mind, we only briefly reunited with these in Shazam! Fury of the Gods during its end-credits scene. Instead, the sequel saw the Shazamily clashing with Hespera, Kalypso and Anthea, the daughters of Atlas, one of the entities from which Billy Batson and his siblings draw their powers. While Fury of the Gods isn’t a bad movie by any stretch, it is underwhelming when compared to its predecessor. The sisters of Atlas just weren’t that compelling as villains, some of the magic infused into the first movie was gone this time around. Frankly, I wish Shazam! 2 had either delivered the machinations of Sivana and Mind as promised, or pitted the World’s Mightiest Mortal against Black Adam, a battle many DC fans had been eager to see.

5. The Flash

The Flash movie finally arrived in in summer 2023, nearly a decade after it was initially announced, and just a few weeks after The Flash TV show concluded its nine-season run on The CW. So was the long wait worth it? When it comes to performances, one could argue yes, as Ezra Miller did a stellar job playing two versions of Barry Allen, Sasha Calle’s Supergirl was a force to be reckoned with, and Michael Keaton killed it reprising Batman after nearly three decades. The story, on the other hand, wasn’t anything exceptional, and the use of AI and CGI to recreate the major cameos in the movie’s climactic multiverse sequence drew controversy. For the Scarlet Speedster’s first solo feature outing, this could have been worse, but also could have been better.

4. The Marvels

Although The Marvels now ranks as the lowest-grossing MCU movie yet, story-wise, it’s a fine enough entry in the franchise. This follow-up to Captain Marvel, WandaVision, Ms. Marvel and other stories excels with its character work, specifically the dynamic between Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan, who finds themselves switching places when using their light-based powers, as well as the involvement of Kamala’s family. All this makes up for an unexceptional story and Dar-Benn being a subpar villain, and that major X-Men cameo in the post-credits scene makes for a delightful extra treat.

3. Blue Beetle

Blue Beetle is unquestionably the superhero movie on this list with the smallest stakes, but that doesn’t take away from how well it handled Jaime Reyes’ theatrical debut. Xolo Maridueña did an amazing job bringing the young hero to life, but this movie wouldn’t have been as fun to watch without Jaime’s family by his side. Sure, it’s cool to see Jaime kicking ass using the alien Scarab bonded to him, but Blue Beetle is at its best when it’s delivering heartfelt moments. While it remains to be seen how much of the events in this movie will be canon in the new DC Universe, it’s nonetheless good to know that Maridueña will continue playing Jaime in the shared continuity replacing the DCEU.

2. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

There was once a time when James Gunn wasn’t going to return for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, so let’s all be thankful this didn’t happen. The saga that Gunn began in 2014 came to an emotional conclusion this year, with Rocket Raccoon and his fellow Guardians clashing with The High Evolutionary, the madman who turned our favorite trash panda into what he is today. Once again, we have a movie that by no means skimps on delivering great action, but it’s the emotional content that shines brightest, particularly the heartbreaking details surrounding Rocket’s origins. We’ll see some of the original Guardians again in the MCU, including Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, but Vol. 3 served as an outstanding goodbye to this specific lineup.

1. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

While it remains to be seen if Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will win the Best Animated Feature Oscar like Into the Spider-Verse did, you won’t find any shortage of people who feel that this sequel is better than its predecessor. This time around, Miles Morales is the one traveling through the multiverse, and his conflict with The Spot results in him meeting people like Miguel O’Hara, Jessica Drew, Pavitr Prabhakar and Hobie Brown. What starts off as a Spider-hero team-up many times bigger than what Into the Spider-Verse delivered turns into a story about fighting one’s supposed destiny and doing whatever it takes to protect the people you love. All this and more (including the massive cliffhanger ending that’s left many itching to see Beyond the Spider-Verse) make Across the Spider-Verse worthy of being 2023’s best superhero movie.

So now that we’ve covered the Marvel and DC movies released in 2023, it’s time to look at what awaits us in the coming year from these companies. That information can be found in our 2024 release schedule, and you should also keep visiting CinemaBlend for news about upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming DC movies slated for 2025 and beyond.

Science fiction movies are frequently among the most successful movies at the box office. They show us things we cannot see any other way and often include incredible visual action along the way. 2023 was certainly no different in that regard, but it also gave us sci-fi stories that were much smaller, movies that used the genre of science fiction to show us elements of our real world that maybe we wouldn’t see any other way.

While it's too early to tell if any of these movies are among the best sci-fi movies of all time, they are all great in their own right. From the massive big-screen blockbusters to the character-driven stories that were released directly on streaming platforms, here’s a look at the 10 best sci-fi movies in 2023.

 10. The Creator

Gareth Edwards' The Creator couldn’t have picked a better time to come out considering 2023 is the year AI truly became part of our world. While the film suggests a worst-case scenario for the future of technology, it does so while creating a beautifully-realized future world, even if the world itself is less than beautiful. The relationship between our two main characters, one who's human and one who's not, is one that can be understood 

9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 

We’ve seen Ninja Turtles on the big screen countless times before, and yet, never quite like this. Mutant Mayhem makes the revolutionary decision to use teenagers to play the Ninja Turtles, giving their story an entirely different tone and feel that makes the story far more interesting than it has been in the past. Combine that with a unique and frantic animation style, and you have a must-see movie for Ninja Turtles fans, animation fans or just movie fans. 

 8. They Cloned Tyrone 

While the title of Netflix’s They Cloned Tyrone certainly indicates you’re about to watch a sci-fi movie, you wouldn’t otherwise guess that from the first few minutes of the film. John Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris play three unlikely allies investigating strange occurrences in their neighborhood. What they discover is not at all what they expect. The cast and setting make for an unlikely sci-fi movie, but that's exactly why it works, because it's something we've never seen before.

 7. Nimona 

The line between what qualifies as science fiction and what is fantasy is usually fairly easy to see. With Nimona, things get a bit more fuzzy, but because the film has science fiction elements, we get to call it a sci-fi movie, and that’s wonderful because it’s a film greatly deserving of praise. ND Stevenson’s graphic novel adaptation was resurrected by Netflix after dying at Disney, and we’re all the better for it. Hilarious and heartfelt, Nimona's title character is the hero we all need in our lives. 

 6. Wandering Earth II 

If you thought that three-hour-long science fiction blockbuster tentpole movies were purely the domain of Hollywood, then you haven’t yet seen China’s Wandering Earth franchise. The 2019 original film became one of the nation’s highest-grossing films ever. The sequel is actually a prequel that tells the story of Earth’s attempts to deal with the expanding sun, and the ultimate decision to transform the Earth into a massive spaceship to take the entire planet to a new home. The action set pieces are as good as any from a Western franchise.  

 5. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was a movie that, at one point, we weren’t sure we’d ever see. Finally seeing it made it clear what a tragedy that would have been. The best trilogy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe came to a satisfying conclusion with all the spectacle, laughter and heart that we’d come to expect from our favorite band of damaged misfits. Guardians 3 was absolutely beautiful in every way that word can be defined, and yeah, it had an absolutely killer soundtrack to boot.

 4. No One Will Save You  

If there was a Best Actress Oscar strictly for sci-fi movies, it would be difficult to give it to anybody in 2023 other than Kaitlyn Dever. She’s in every single scene and nearly every single shot of No One Will Save You. She is the movie, and she does it all while barely uttering a word. Elements of No One Will Save You’s alien invasion are boilerplate, to be sure, but it’s all done in the service of making sure the audience’s focus is where it needs to be: on a stellar performance that must be seen, because it cannot be heard. Furthermore, No One Will Save You's ending is among the best of the year.

3. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse 

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was arguably the best cinematic outing ever for one of the most popular fictional characters in history. Topping it was going to be near impossible, and yet somehow, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse doesn’t simply clear the bar, it web swings over it with ease. Despite the cliffhanger ending for Across the Spider-Verse, it still feels complete because despite what it claims, it's not Miles Morales' story. This movie belongs to Gwen Stacy, and she kills it.

2. Poor Things 

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often called the first science fiction story, and so one must therefore call its descendants, like Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, science fiction as well. It also takes place in a clearly fictionalized and stylized world that, while it’s enough like our own, is also clearly “other.” Emma Stone’s performance as Bella, the woman who must learn and understand the world in a whole unique way, is beyond incredible.  

1. Godzilla Minus One

Godzilla movies are usually sold on massive monster battles or Godzilla destroying everything in sight, but the real battle is between showing us those amazing kaiju sequences while still giving us compelling human characters with whom we can empathize. In that regard, Godzilla Minus One may truly be the best Godzilla movie ever made. The monster is as terrifying and destructive as he’s ever been, but it’s the story of the humans, and the trauma they experience, that really draws you in and makes the stunning visuals truly matter.

2023 was a good year for science fiction. Looking at the 2024 movie schedule, sci-fi fans are going to want to take note. The second half of Denis Villenueve’s Dune is on the way, as well as Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the fourth installment in this rebooted timeline.  

When Pinocchio filmmaker Guillermo del Toro accepted the Best Animated Film Oscar at the 95th Academy Awards, he proclaimed that “Animation is cinema. Animation is not a genre. Animation is ready to be taken to the next step.” While the medium is often looked at primarily for the entertainment of kids, the best movies of 2023 crafted from paper, a computer or clay show that the capacity for storytelling in animated movies is limitless.  

As the year comes to a close, let’s delve into the best animated movies to come out. In a year when Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros became the first billion dollar hit before Barbie took the top spot, which films best employed the use of the medium? Take a look at our picks: 

10. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

To start things off, we have Netflix’s hilarious Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. The sequel comes over 20 years after the original hit theaters from British’s Aardman Animations as its first feature prior to the stop-motion studio later producing the Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep movies. The welcome return of sharp-humored farm chickens sees them hatching a rescue mission from their old enemy. Albeit critics’ thoughts were a tad mixed on Dawn of the Nugget, it’s not only a comforting watch for fans of the 2000 classic, but a stunning feat of claymation artwork to behold in a 97-minute package. 

9. Wish 

Walt Disney Studios turned 100 years old this year and decided to celebrate the occasion with a tribute album of a movie called Wish. The animated film drew on the company's century of history, including its tropes and clichés, to bring to life an original story of a young woman who makes a wish on the night sky and gets to meet the star she made her plea to. Between Ariana DeBose delivering a new classic with “This Wish” and Chris Pine delivering on an especially dark and delicious villain, Wish may not break new ground for the studio, but it is an entertaining nostalgia trip. 

8. Unicorn Wars

One particularly under-the-radar animated movie of 2023 that falls in the camp of 'movies in the medium not meant for kids' is the Spanish-language film Unicorn Wars. The movie that comes from Spanish comic book artist Alberto Vásquez Rico is essentially a satirical war movie about a civilization of teddy bears who are in an ongoing conflict with unicorns who are residing in a magical forest. The rather violent animated horror comedy tackles rather nuanced topics of military fascism and deforestation with boldness and wit.

7. Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia

After 2012’s Ernest & Celestine became a critically-acclaimed hit, the titular grizzly bear and mouse are back together for Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia. The French-language animated film based on a series of children’s books has the unlikely friends going on a journey to his home of Gibbertia to repair the beloved violin Celestine breaks on accident. It’s a tender and delightful family film that is a lovely followup to the decade-old original. 

6. Suzume

Following Makoto Shinkai catching the attention of anime fans with 2016’s Your Name and 2019’s Weathering With You, the Japanese filmmaker returned with another well-received fantasy animation film in Suzume. This movie follows a 17-year-old high school student named Suzume who meets a stranger in Souta Munakata whom she teams up with to prevent a series of disasters across Japan through magical doors. Along with Suzume being a visual feast, it’s also a deeply moving and emotional addition to this year’s animated releases. 

5. Elemental

After a stint of streaming-only Pixar films and the commercial disappointment of Lightyear, the animation studio found its footing again this year with Elemental, which not only performed better than expected at the box office, but is one of the best animated movies of the year. Can fire and water mix? On a practical level, the answer to that question is simple, but in Pixar’s imaginative world of Element City, it makes for an enticing and fantastical romantic comedy between a flame and puddle of water that somehow also speaks authentically the immigrant experience and spoke to those in interracial relationships.

4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise has lived as a comic book, Saturday morning cartoon and a live-action movie series, but this year, it was given its best treatment yet with Mutant Mayhem. The Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg-written and produced animated comedy gave the beloved four mutant turtles a stylish, cinematic edge against an all-star cast including Ayo Edebiri, Jackie Chan, Ice Cube and Giancarlo Esposito, and an engaging, original piece of animation splendor to behold. 

3. Nimona

After reports came in last year that Disney shelved Nimona after pushing back against its LGBTQ+ storyline, the adaptation of ND Stevenson’s graphic novel of the same name was given a new life on Netflix, and we’re so grateful it did. Set against the backdrop of a futuristic medieval world, Nimona redefines the fantasy adventure by telling the tale of Riz Ahmed’s Knight Ballister Boldheart, a hero who becomes a villain in an instant when he's framed with a terrible crime in front of his kingdom. As he tries to remain in the shadows, he meets the titular shapeshifter and they team up to prove his innocence. It’s a fun family-friendly film with a valuable message about daring to question things and rewrite one’s own story. 

2. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

Speaking of rewriting one’s story, it's time to talk about a masterpiece of not only the animation genre, but the superhero landscape with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The Into The Spider-Verse follow-up from Sony Animation is a jaw-dropping feat of animation creation once again from directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson that continues Miles Morales journey as Spider-Man across a multiverse of infinite Spider-heroes he’s being exposed to. Across The Spider-Verse is not only another entertaining and emotional chapter for Miles that stands out amongst piles of Marvel Studios movies, it’s a towering moment for mixed medium artistry in blockbuster films. 

1. The Boy And The Heron

Lastly, the best animated movie of the year is Hayao Miyazaki’s first movie in ten years, The Boy and the Heron. The two-hour hand-drawn animated film that was made across seven years is not only inspired by the legendary Japanese filmmaker’s own childhood, but feels like an amalgamation of his over four decades of impact on the animation industry. Between lovable fantastical characters, breathtaking landscapes and scenes of tables of food to the film’s exploration of the nature of existence and the cycle of life and death through a sprawling adventure that expands through the fabric of space and time. 

Across 2023 new movie releases, it’s been a strong year for animated movies. We can’t wait to see what the 2024 movie schedule has in store for the medium. 

If the cinematic landscape of 2023 were to be described as a buffet, I could say that I’ve been feasting since January. I make a goal every year to see as many new releases as I possibly can so that I have the best possible context to judge my favorites, and I managed to squeeze in 138 screenings in the last 12 months. Naturally, I ended up seeing a lot of movies that I didn’t like at all, but there was also more than enough greatness out there to make a challenge out of determining my Top 15.

It took a lot of thinking, taking into consideration many different factors, but as I look back on 2023, these are the titles that stand out as the best that I saw.

15. The Zone Of Interest

I heavily debated whether or not The Zone Of Interest would make my Top 15 list this year. Rewatchability is an element that is kept in heavy consideration when I sort out my favorites, and I can say with authority that I will not watch Jonathan Glazer’s latest film ever again. That being said, I’ve never had an upsetting cinematic experience on the level of what it delivers, and my inability to shake it deserves recognition. Any horror filmmaker will tell you that what’s not shown on screen is always more terrifying than what’s revealed, and The Zone Of Interest is 106 minutes of imagined nightmares conjured from simple train whistles and the distant popping of gunshots. It’s a painful watch, but one that is also so foreboding as a metaphor for the present that it demands to be viewed.

14. Perfect Days

Contentment is undervalued in an ambition hungry society, and that’s what makes Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days so beautiful. Kôji Yakusho's Hirayama has what many would consider to be an objectionable job – cleaning public toilets in Tokyo – but he is so at peace with the world that it doesn’t matter. Not only does he take pride in his work, but he finds satisfying joy in the simplicity of classic rock cassettes, photographing trees, and eating a nice meal at a familiar restaurant. It’s poetry and cinematic meditation that heals the soul.

13. Sanctuary

Without actually checking, I’d wager that the majority of the end-of-year lists I’ve written for CinemaBlend over the last decade-plus have featured at least one single setting drama/comedy where characters have to sort out their issues together while literally or metaphorically locked together in a space. Director Zachary Wigon’s Sanctuary scratched that itch for me in 2023. Christopher Abbott and Margaret Qualley make an incredible duo as a soon-to-be wealthy and powerful heir and the dominatrix who is desperate to stop him from severing their relationship. The cat-and-mouse games are thrilling and funny in equal measure, and it manages to successfully land on what seems from the outset would be the least likely conclusion to the narrative.

12. John Wick: Chapter 4

Truth be told, I am a John Wick fan who went into John Wick: Chapter 4 with a bit of dread. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is my least favorite movie in the series, and I largely attribute that to its length and it becoming a tad exhausting by the end. Chapter 4 is 38 minutes longer, but the difference is that it earns every second. The outrageous, bold set pieces orchestrated by the brilliant Chad Stahelski and his production teams all stand among the best in the franchise, and witnessing the skills of Donnie Yen is literally jaw-dropping.

11. Godzilla Minus One

In Takashi Yamazaki Godzilla Minus One, the presentation of the titular King of the Monsters is phenomenal. Not only do we get to see a cool evolution for the creature, as he goes from being as big as a house to as big as a skyscraper, but the terror he unleashes when he is on land hits like a truck. But that’s not what makes the film great. Instead, that’s the story of Ryunosuke Kamiki's Kōichi Shikishima and his search for redemption after shirking his mission as a kamikaze pilot. It’s impressive how emotional it is, and his relationship with Minami Hamabe’s Noriko Ōishi is one of 2023’s greatest cinematic romances.

10. Dream Scenario

Between the memes and his most over-the-top performances, it’s easy to forget that Nicolas Cage can deliver a tremendous turn when paired with the right material – but he’s been working to remind us in recent years, most notably in 2021 with Pig, and now with Dream Scenario. It’s a movie about public perception and one’s inability to control it, and Cage is remarkable as he rides the wave of fame that comes from first appearing in people’s dreams and then in their nightmares. With a demonstrated skill for capturing the surreal and blending comedy, horror and drama, writer/director Kristoffer Borgli instantly emerges as a talent to keep an eye on.

9. Anatomy Of A Fall

As someone who doesn’t watch legal dramas or police procedurals on television, I appreciate a well-made feature courtroom drama, and this year I saw two: William Friedkin’s The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (which just missed out on inclusion on this list), and Justine Triet’s tremendous Anatomy Of A Fall. In the latter, it’s fascinating by itself to witness trial proceedings in a foreign country, but what makes the movie special is both its gripping maintained mystery concerning the truth behind the crime, and its genius, natural approach to exposition. Enthralling details about the potential murder and the relationship between the victim and his wife, who is accused of murdering him, are slowly unveiled, and each revelation sucks you in deeper. Sandra Hüller delivers one of the best performances of 2023.

8. No One Will Save You

I knew I loved Brian Duffield’s No One Will Save You as soon as the end credits started to roll, appreciating its daring creative choices and the spectacular performance from star Kaitlyn Dever – but my appreciation for it grew stronger as my brain chewed on it. More than just being a rad home invasion thriller and a terrific use of classic grey aliens, it’s a superbly crafted meditation on grief that sees its protagonist progress through the five stages via her battles with extraterrestrials. Duffield shows no sign of a sophomore slump, and I hope it’s getting people to check out his stellar directorial debut, Spontaneous.

7. The Holdovers

After watching The Holdovers, one dominant thought that came to mind was, “Why have Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti not made five movies together at this point?” They’re obviously great independently, but they clearly evoke the best from each other – first demonstrated in Sideways and now once again 19 years later. Giamatti is genius as the principled, strict, lazy-eyed and malodorous Paul Hunham, but not to be overlooked are the incredible Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa. Together, they play three broken individuals who begin to find some emotional rehabilitation while trapped together at a private school during winter break, and their healing is magic.

6. May December

I love how hard it is to get a total grip on Todd Haynes’ May December. On the one hand, there’s the staggering dramatic work from Charles Melton as the mentally and emotionally stunted Joe Yoo – the victim of a stolen childhood. On the other hand, you have Juliane Moore’ Gracie staring into a refrigerator with concerns about hot dog quantity (amid a soap opera-esque musical cue) and Natalie Portman’s Elizabeth getting way too far into her craft while discussing acting with a class of high school students. You’d think that these tones would viciously clash, but they instead harmonize to make one of the most compelling, messed-up movies of 2023.

5. Talk To Me

As evidenced by both this list and my ranking of 2023’s best horror movies, this year was tremendous for terrifying original films, and the king of them all is Talk To Me. It has it all: a deeply considered mythology with creative iconography that serves as a smart metaphor, an amazing performance from an up-and-coming star in Sophie Wilde, and some of the most disturbing imagery that was projected in theaters over the last 12 months. The work of directors Danny and Michael Philippou suggests an exciting understanding of the genre, with instincts that lead them away from clichés, and I’m thrilled to see what they cook up for the announced Talk To Me 2.

4. Saltburn

There are few things more exciting for a cinephile than discovering a new filmmaker with sensibilities directly tuned into one’s own, and I felt that glorious feeling in my gut when first watching Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman – my #1 film in my Top 10 from 2020. In 2023, Saltburn has only affirmed my feelings. The shocking soulnessness of Rosamund Pike’s Elspeth Catton nicely sums up the pitch black comedy that Fennell aims for in her work, but the truth is that during my first watch, there was a big, dumb grin on my face through every diabolical twist and example of deviant behavior that the film had to offer. It’s deliciously fucked up, and that’s 100% my jam.

3. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

From Fast X to Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning to Rebel Moon, this was a big year for the advancement of serialization in cinema, but of the many “Part 1s” that came out in the last 12 months, none fully satisfied like Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. There is certainly a lot more story to tell and a cliffhanger that requires conclusion, but I was blown away by Miles Morales’ scary first taste of independence and adulthood, and the growth we see in Gwen Stacy as she repairs her relationship with her father. It’s also the most visually dazzling film of the year and introduces one of my favorite big screen characters of 2023 (Daniel Kaluuya’s Hobie Brown a.k.a. Spider-Punk), so it’s really been a lock for my Top 5 since June.

2. Killers Of The Flower Moon

David Grann’s book Killers Of The Flower Moon is an objective view of history that unfolds akin to a whodunit. It presents the shocking details of the horrible crimes that occurred in the Osage Nation while painting a picture of life at the time and the extreme prejudices that were held against Native Americans. It’s a powerful work, but Martin Scorsese’s adaptation packs an even more forceful punch with its horrifying subjective perspective. Witnessing the cruelty, hate and disgusting brazenness of Robert De Niro’s William Hale and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Ernest Burkhart adds whole new layers to the murders that contradict the notions of the American Dream, and the striking visual beauty and intense ugliness create an incredible contrast that keeps you enraptured for the full 206 minutes.

1. Poor Things

First watching Dogtooth in 2010 and having my mind blown by the creative brilliance of writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos, I never would have guessed that he would eventually find his perfect muse in Emma Stone… but here we are. The two conjured gilded wickedness together in 2018 with The Favourite, but with Poor Things they have mined a diamond. The strange tale of the Frankensteined Bella Baxter is as weird as it is empowering, as her innocence and naivety lead her down paths that are exciting, terrifying, heartbreaking and just about always super horny. It’s audacity is deliriously hard to fathom minute-to-minute (in the best way), and I can’t wait to watch it over and over again.

As evidenced by all of these excellent titles 2023 was another great year for film, and I look forward to seeing what the 2024 movie calendar has in store.

As we say farewell to another year, it’s the perfect time to get nostalgic about one’s experiences across twelve months. Here on CinemaBlend, that means remembering the best movies of 2023. While sometimes movies are just a couple of hours to pass the time (or over three if you’re Martin Scorsese’s masterful Killers Of The Flower Moon or Christopher Nolan’s incredible Oppenheimer), and other times their sights, sounds and emotions become an impactful memory that changes the way we go about the world or think about the subject. 

In the spirit of connecting about the different ways in which 2023’s movies have affected our staff (who have collectively watched over 1,500 films), we asked some of our writers to pick one movie that personally affected them this year. Check out what we had to say: 

Polite Society Made Me Feel More Grateful For Sisterhood

"Nida Manzoor’s Polite Society is not only one of the best comedies of the year, it’s a new unabashed favorite of mine I can’t wait to revisit for years to come. I saw Polite Society when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and I remain one of its most enthusiastic cheerleaders as 2023 comes to a close. Not only is it a super fun action comedy in the vein of two absolute bangers of movies in my book: Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs the World and Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, it also told a super authentic sister story that made me feel like I was watching my and my own older sister’s dynamic (minus the fight choreography of course!) 

I find that experience rare somehow, but I absolutely loved being called out. While me and my sister are opposites and often approach things from completely different angles, there’s an underlying sense of deep love and support underpinning it all that was so evidently conveyed in between the elevated filmmaking. I loved Polite Society for reminding me how precious it is to have a Player 2 in my sister when push comes to shove." - Sarah El-Mahmoud, Staff Writer 

Barbie And Poor Things' Liberating Stories Of Women Exploring The World Were Empowering To Me

"From the jump, if you know nothing about these films, you might assume that the only commonality between the bright pink billion-dollar blockbuster Barbie and the wonderfully wild and fantastical Poor Things is the stellar reviews. However, they’re incredibly similar at their cores because they both follow strong women on liberating journeys to find themselves and explore the world. Both of these women go on journeys of self-discovery, and while Barbie’s involves rollerblades and patriarchy, Bella Baxter’s quest sees her embracing her sexuality and dealing with privilege and, well, patriarchy. As a young woman, both of these stories were so empowering and made me feel seen and understood. 

Watching Margot Robbie’s journey in the Real World and Barbie Land mirrored my own experience growing up and dealing with the juxtapositions of womanhood. The same can be said for Emma Stone’s Bella Baxter, as her journey sees her unapologetically experimenting with her sexuality and discovering what she loves and despises about the world around her with admirable confidence. Overall, both Barbie and Poor Things confidently and creatively tell liberating stories of women finding their power and exploring their worlds, and to me, that’s infinitely meaningful and impactful." - Riley Utley, Weekend Editor

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Inspired Me To Pave My Own Path Like Miles Morales

"There’s a pivotal moment in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (which definitely deserves a Best Picture nomination ) where Miles is being pursued by Spider-Man 2099, who keeps telling him that he needs to follow what he says since he knows better than Miles. But then, once Miles gets pinned down, he comments on how everybody keeps telling him how to write his story, to which Miles finally says, “Nah, I’m doing my own thing.” And let me tell you, this scene made me so proud. 

On a number of occasions, people have spoken to me about what Black people should do in order to be more accepted in this country. Since I’m nice, I don’t tell them how I really feel, but next time, I might have the courage to speak up just like Miles. Cause nah. We’re gonna do our own thing." - Rich Knight, Freelance Writer

Haunted Mansion Addressed The Topic Of Grief In A Way I Wasn’t Expecting

"I was prepared for Haunted Mansion to tackle the topics of ghosts and death, with some spooky humor and suspense, but I did not expect to see grief depicted so vividly. Loss and grief may go hand in hand, but they aren’t the same thing. While there are certainly examples in past Disney movies of characters who lost a loved one — particularly characters who have (or are assumed to have) lost one or both parents -- I don’t recall seeing many Disney movies growing up that depicted the grief that follows in such a direct way. 

In Haunted Mansion LaKeith Stanfield’s Ben lost his wife, and Chase Dillon’s Travis lost his father – but we don’t just learn that they’ve each experienced a deep loss; the film shows us the face of their grief and the seemingly impossible challenge they have to move forward in life without their loved one. Having experienced grief in my life, including the loss of a parent at a very young age, I connected with Haunted Mansion in a way I really didn’t expect, and I left the theater wondering how I might have been affected by this movie, had I seen it as a child." - Kelly West, Assistant Managing Editor 

Skinamarink Sent Me Head-First Into A Childhood Nightmare

"When I was a child, I was afraid of the dark, but thought I had outgrown it once I reached adulthood. That was until I saw writer and director Kyle Edward Ball's debut,  Skinamarink -- an indie-horror game-changer in which a child wakes up to find his parents missing, the windows and doors disappeared, and his house invaded by an unseen omnipotent being. I have already seen it twice -- first in a theater, which had its own lasting effects, and again in my own home, in the dark, and alone, which led to one of the most immersive horror movie experiences of my life.

With a style of cinematography that masterfully resembles a child's perspective by shooting at low angles and relying on what it hides from you to build tension, the movie immediately put me directly in the shoes of its four-year-old protagonist, Kevin (Lucas Paul), who spends much of the film in the dark alone (save the evil unnamed entity). Watching it under the same conditions brought me back to a time when I crouched in fear of a dark hallway and the feeling has not gone away since. I think the best horror movies continue to haunt you long after the credits roll and Skinamarink is most definitely that kind for me." - Jason Wiese, Content Writer 

Talk to Me Showed Me How Scary the Social Media Generation Can Be

"Danny and Michael Philippou's horror film Talk To Me was considered the scariest horror film in years. Believe me, I absolutely agree with that as the possession scenes brought the same shock and discomfort as when I first saw The Exorcist. However, it was scary for me for a whole other reason. When a group of teens allow themselves to be possessed by spirits due to an embalmed hand, they don't see it as a call for help. It becomes a social media sensation! 

The kids may be creeped out the first time they're face-to-face with a decrypted spirit. But after a while, they actually have fun with this. It's because of social media that these kids aren't traumatized by taking part in these possessions. It creeped me out seeing teens have no fear of contacting the undead as long as it gets them social media famous. These spirits are rotting in front of them, yet they're laughing and having fun! Their smartphones act as cheerleaders to support these insane antics. If kids are willing to mess with their lives all for the sake of going viral, what else are they willing to do? That is true horror for me." - Carly Levy, Freelance Writer

How to Blow Up a Pipeline Enhanced My Perspective Of Climate Activism

"How to Blow Up a Pipeline flew under the radar this year, but it’s easily one of the best films of 2023. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Daniel Goldhaber’s environmental thriller but ended up loving it. It’s the tale of eight young people who set out to destroy an oil pipeline in Texas for varying reasons. It has major stakes and frenetic energy, which puts it amongst Uncut Gems and other anxiety-inducing films. However, what really stood out to me was the social commentary, specifically the themes involving environmental activism.

Daniel Goldhaber sheds light on the topic in a very nuanced way, and what I appreciated is that he doesn’t depict his protagonists as heroes or villains. Because he doesn’t judge them, Goldhaber leaves it up to the audience to determine whether their methods were justified. I consider myself someone who wants this planet to be ecologically stable and believe in the fight for environmental justice. Still, even I had to ask myself some questions about the difference between activism and terrorism by the time I finished my viewing. It’s something we all should really be thinking about as we seek to preserve the world we live in." -Erik Swann, Senior Content Producer

Godzilla Minus One Gave Me A Better Understanding Of Post-World War II Japan

"Winston Churchill once said that 'history is written by the victors,' but only paying attention to such accounts doesn’t give one the proper understanding of how events actually unfolded. So although my main reason for seeing Godzilla Minus One was to see a giant reptilian monster rampaging across Japan, and I wasn’t disappointed on that front, I also appreciated the movie for providing a heartbreaking perspective on Japan post-World War II. 

Not only were its citizens reeling from the devastation of defeat, but they also had to contend with an unreliable government in the immediate years to follow. This historical lens aids tremendously in the lead human characters being so compelling, because in addition to having to contend with the malicious Godzilla himself, they’re also simply trying to survive everyday life and get back on their feet after this globe-spanning conflict. Critics have loved Godzilla Minus One, but in addition to being one of the 2023’s best sci-fi movies, it also succeeds at providing a hook that will hopefully lead moviegoers like myself to think about history differently." - Adam Holmes, Senior Content Producer

Past Lives Changed How I See My Friendships

"When I first heard about Celine Song’s Past Lives, I was cautiously optimistic. I had heard great things, and saw that it was marketed as a romantic drama, and as someone who tends to only check out the most realistic romantic dramas out there instead of most cliche ones on the market, I decided to watch it. I never expected to walk away from the film rethinking my friendships for my entire life. Past Lives truly changed how I view my friendships, both from the past and the present, because in the end, we never really know what would have happened if we stayed close with that one childhood best friend. Or if we pursued one relationship over another. Or if we never met these people at all. 

And I began to really ponder on that idea that in another life, maybe I was closer with someone that I had fallen away from – or maybe, it was just meant to be, and I let that sit with me for hours. I really didn’t expect to end up loving this film as much as I did, but here I am – and I’ll recommend Past Lives to anyone who is willing to watch." -Alexandra Ramos, Content Producer

All Of Us Strangers’ Commentary On Loneliness Made Me Feel More Connected 

"All of Us Strangers is a movie that I saw in October at the Chicago International Film Festival and instantly connected with. It’s a movie that tackles grief, loss, love, a search for belonging, closure, and has a thoughtful discussion on depression (amongst other things). However, All of Us Strangers' conversation on loneliness and isolation impacted me the most. I believe that we have all at least once dealt with loneliness in its many complex forms. But, the feeling itself makes us believe it’s something we suffer through alone. 

All of Us Strangers reminded me that everyone has dealt with their feelings of isolation, in some way, in some form. It made me feel more connected with the universe. These complicated emotions, such as loneliness, unite us. The ways we deal with them and how they manifest are unique to our histories and identities but the feeling is common. All of Us Strangers beautifully tells a personal story that is universal because we can all relate to the emotions on display." - Jerrica Tisdale, Freelance Writer 

Of course there are so many more we could mention, from a hilarious comedy like Bottoms punching through teen comedy tropes or Killers Of The Flower Moon pushing back against the “white savior” narrative with the retelling of the Osage murders. 2023 was a fantastic year for entertaining, affecting and relatable movies that had us understanding new perspectives, being more inspired and feeling less alone in the world. We look forward to highlighting these types of projects in CinemaBlend’s Voices section and across the site in 2024! 

In 2023, the staff here at CinemaBlend watched a lot of movies. Between us all, we screened over 270 titles – with over 1,500 screenings/streams counted. We all have individual favorites from a wide variety of genres (as evidenced by our lists of the best action movies of 2023, the best horror movies of 2023, the best animated movies of 2023, the best comedies of 2023, the best sci-fi movies of 2023 and the best thrillers of 2023), but there are certain titles that we love as a collective, and that’s what this ranked feature represents.

Every year, we maintain a screening log where members of the CinemaBlend staff keep track of all the movies we’ve seen and rate them on a one (bad) to five (perfect) scale. Only features that have been watched by five or more members of our team qualify for consideration, and the average score is taken unweighted. When sorted, what we get is CinemaBlend’s ranked favorite films of the year, and below is our Top 25.

#25. May December

Average Score: 3.85/5

There were many incredible performances featured in movies of 2023, but three of the best can alone be found in Todd Haynes’ wild May December. Charles Melton is ultimately the brilliant standout as the emotionally stunted and manipulated Joe Yoo, but both Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore do phenomenal work as a pair of world-class manipulators that finds an ideal balance between sinister and comedic.

“Twenty-three years after Gracie (Julianne Moore) began a relationship with middle-schooler Joe Yoo (Charles Melton), Natalie Portman’s Elizabeth meets the family in May December to learn as much as she can about Gracie before portraying her in a movie about their scandalous ripped-from-the-headlines relationship. The plot is salacious, the performances award-worthy (Melton in particular is drawing a lot of praise) and the levels of manipulation and tragedy are hard to stop thinking about, making this not just one of the best Netflix movies of 2023 but one of the best movies of the year overall.” – Heidi Venable, Content Producer

#24. Polite Society

Average Score: 3.875/5

Nida Manzoor's Polite Society isn’t satisfied with merely being a killer action movie or a funny coming-of-age comedy: it succeeds at being both. There’s a tremendous earnestness and sweetness to the sibling relationship between Priya Kansara’s Ria Khan and Ritu Arya’s Lena Khan – the former being concerned about the latter’s blossoming romance/forthcoming wedding – and it’s amazing to see the film not be afraid of getting a bit silly when it comes Ria’s badass martial arts skills.

“There are plenty of coming-of-age films in existence, but Polite Society has a special style and charm. This delightful flick sees a British-Pakistani teen who dreams of being a stuntwoman get more than she bargained for when she tries to figure out why her older sister has suddenly given up her dreams in favor of marriage. Director Nida Manzoor tells a thrilling tale about loyalty, perseverance and sisterly love. The strong performances, pitch-perfect humor, well-choreographed fight sequences and sweet examination of Pakinstani culture make this a unique experience.” – Erik Swann, Senior Content Producer

#23. Priscilla

Average Score: 3.917/5

“Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla tells the other, lesser-known half of Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s story – focusing on the internal battle faced by the wife of The King (Jacob Elordi), especially when she was left alone as he gallivanted around the world. This film thrives on the introspective energy for which Coppola is known, combined with Cailee Spaeny’s breakthrough performance as Priscilla Presley. The A24 project works as a searing and beautiful juxtaposition to 2022’s Elvis, as it shows the story of a queen caught up in the ivory tower of Graceland.” – Riley Utley, Weekend Editor

“Priscilla is the perfect counterpart to 2022’s bodacious Elvis, and better yet, it provides the audience with a story in greater need of being explored. Witnessing Priscilia Presley’s personal life unfolding is an eye-opening experience that adds additional layers and depth to a persona that fans have always adored without venturing too far below the surface. Paired with excellent visuals, beautiful costume design, and an impeccable performance from Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla is among Sofia Coppola’s best films, and sends my emotions into a tailspin in the best way.” – Alexandra Ramos, Content Producer.

#22. Dream Scenario

Average Score: 3.917/5

There’s only so much control a person has when it comes to their own public perception, and that idea is explored brilliantly in writer/director Kristoffer Borgli’s Dream Scenario. The film does an excellent job capturing the full and wild complexity of its central premise, with protagonist Paul Matthews unwittingly just showing up in random people’s dreams and nightmares, and two years removed from the excellent Pig, Nicolas Cage delivers yet another stellar turn that stands among the best of his career.

“Let’s admit it: We all dream about Nicolas Cage, all of the time. Well, I at least dream of Cage landing in ideal roles like the one he plays in Kristoffer Borgli dark, surreal Dream Scenario, which casts Cage as a forgettable wallflower who learns that he’s been turning up in everyone’s dreams. Cage thrives when asked to play eccentric weirdos, especially when he’s matched with a storyteller who can continuously raise the bar of unpredictability the way that Borgli does. Don’t sleep on Dream Scenario; it’s Cage at his wackiest.” – Sean O'Connell, Managing Editor

#21. Rye Lane

Average Score: 3.929/5

“Charming” is a word that immediately charges to mind when one thinks about director Raine Allen-Miller’s Rye Lane. Audiences don’t exactly get to spend a great deal of time with David Jonsson’s Dom and Vivian Oparah’s Yas, with the movie taking place over a single day, but that proves to be more than enough time for us to fall in love with them (as they fall in love with each other). The movie is equal parts funny, dramatic, and sweet, and it leaves you with a wonderful warm feeling as the credits end.

“Rye Lane is easily one of the best rom-coms of the year, and it’s unlike any other. The story follows Dom and Yas on one eventful day right after they both get cheated on. From record stealing to karaoke to a really awkward dinner, this film from Raine Allen Miller is a delightful candy-colored time filled with dry humor and lots of heart. David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah’s chemistry bursts off the screen as the lead couple, and it’s impossible to tear your eyes away from the screen as these two fall out of love with their exes and in love with each other.” – Riley Utley, Weekend Editor

#20. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Average Score: 3.933/5

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise has been beloved for decades, but fans have never seen anything quite like Mutant Mayhem, which is a remarkable success. The movie seemingly learned all of the right lessons from the outrageous animation of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and ends up being a special mix of ugly and gorgeous – a perfect level to strike for a film about a group of mutated, sewer-dwelling protagonists. And not only is it wonderful to simply visually absorb, it’s also one of the funniest films of 2023.

“I never would have guessed when I was repeatedly binge watching the first three Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies as a child that it would take another 30+ years for my absolute favorite film from the TMNT universe to be created. Not unlike what we’ve recently seen with the Spider-verse films, the animation is at a level that blew my mind and that I didn’t believe was possible. From the plot to the jokes and even the character development, Mutant Mayhem has some real turtle power.” – Cody Beck, Director Of Product

#19. Rustin

Average Score: 4/5

You may not be aware of Bayard Rustin, a man seemingly deemed too controversial for history textbooks, but in that way, George C. Wolfe’s Rustin is revelatory, as it shines a spectacular light on an unappreciated hero of the Civil Rights Movement. Colman Domingo’s turn as the titular activist is one of the best of the year – unbridled and beautiful in equal measure – and the man’s depicted efforts to organize the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom is ceaselessly compelling.

“Films occasionally fix injustices, and Rustin marks one of those occasions. George C. Wolfe, Julian Breece and Dustin Lance Black create an uplifting and transformative Civil Rights movie. It powerfully and entertainingly teaches audiences about the hero who Bayard Rustin was. Colman Domingo has always been a force, but Rustin allows him to take the spotlight he so rightfully deserves. The fantastic performances, interesting storytelling techniques and the encapsulating and moving narrative make this one of the best movies of 2023.” – Jerrica Tisdale, Freelance Writer

#18. Theater Camp

Average Score: 4.038/5

In a year with big studio musicals like Wonka and The Color Purple, Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman’s Theater Camp is the title that spoke most to the genre lovers on the CinemaBlend staff in 2023. It makes fun use of the mockumentary format, delivers silly-yet-grounded conflict, and features a number of impressive vocal performances.

“Theater Camp is made for theater kids, by theater kids, which is why it’s such a spot-on fantastic comedy. Directors Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman help imbue the film with the energy of beloved improvised riots like Best in Show, and it capitalizes on its casts’ comedic and theatrical talents, with standout performances from Noah Galvin, Ben Platt, Ayo Edebiri and Gordon. Throw in some legitimately incredible musical numbers, and you have a niche and hilarious experience worthy of a Tony (yes, a Tony).” – Riley Utley, Weekend Editor

#17. Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Average Score: 4.071/5

Thanks to his work on screens big and small as well as his incredible efforts as an activist, you may think that you know Michael J. Fox, but Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie proves otherwise. Witnessing both the horrors of Parkinson’s Disease and the fortitude of Fox’s spirit are breathtaking to behold, and the work of director Davis Guggenheim and editor Michael Harte exploring and representing the actor’s personal life with his film and television work is brilliant.

“Whether you grew up watching Michael J. Fox in Family Ties, Back to the Future and other classics, or you developed an appreciation for his work in the years since, there’s no denying he’s one of a kind. Narrated by Fox and featuring footage from his past work, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie takes audiences through key moments across his life, including his incredible career as an actor, as a family man, and as someone diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Thanks largely to Fox’s candidness, humor and charm – both as subject and narrator – the documentary is insightful, nostalgic and genuinely inspiring.” – Kelly West, Asst. Managing Editor

#16. No One Will Save You

Average Score: 4.091/5

If Kaitlyn Dever being a phenomenal talent is a secret, it’s an open one, as she has been delivering remarkable performances for years now – but No One Will Save You is her best work yet. She only has one line of dialogue (which never feels like a gimmick within the high concept plot), and that just helps you register her next level capacity for emotional expression. It’s both awesome sci-fi and terrifying horror, and you’re going to find it on a lot of CinemaBlend’s Best of 2023 lists.

“No One Will Save You is an instant horror classic. Written and directed by Brian Duffield, the movie begins as a standard house invasion horror flick, but Kaitlyn Dever's protagonist Brynn soon discovers that she's not being robbed, and that the intruders are actually deadly humanoid aliens. Tension expertly builds throughout the movie's runtime, with Dever offering an outstanding performance with almost no dialogue.” – Corey Chichizola, Movies Editor

#15. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

Average Score: 4.125/5

To think that we almost didn’t get James Gunn’s vision for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a wild thing to think about in light of the fact that there is an argument to be made that it’s the best trilogy closer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The unconventional, flashback-heavy structure delivers the heart-wrenching story of Bradley Cooper’s Rocket Raccoon, and the artistry and accomplishments with the digital character are extraordinary. It’s a beautiful, funny and passionate blockbuster that further proves nobody makes comic book movies like Gunn does.

“The two previous Guardians of the Galaxy movies are among my favorites in the MCU, so the expectations were set high for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. I wanted a satisfying conclusion to this emotional trilogy. I needed these damaged souls to find closure. And, of course, I also wanted a fun and exciting science fiction superhero adventure. Somehow James Gunn and his band of miscreants stuck the landing. Vol. 3 is everything it needs to be and more. It's a great movie on its own, but also a wonderful ending to a beautiful three-film story.” – Dirk Libbey, Content Producer

#14. The Holdovers

Average Score: 4.143/5

On a certain level, The Holdovers is frustrating. After all, it’s been nearly 20 years since the release of Sideways, and the new film demonstrates that writer/director Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti are a match made in heaven. It’s a simple movie, but one that manages to surprise nonetheless, and Giamatti’s career-best performance is matched by a tremendous wprl from Da'Vine Joy Randolph and a turn that is going to make Dominic Sessa an instant star.

“With the most Paul Giamatti role that ever Paul Giamatti-ed, The Holdovers could have just been a vehicle for its star's individual greatness. Instead, it's a beautiful and moving ensemble that also features fantastic performances from Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa. Their fully realized characters feel so authentic, which is what makes their struggles to become newer versions of themselves so relatable. I loved it. You will too.” – Mack Rawden, Editor In Chief

#13. Talk To Me

Average Score: 4.192/5

Talk To Me marks one of the most exciting directorial debuts in the genre in recent years, along with Jordan Peele, Ari Aster and Jennifer Kent. As possession becomes a metaphor for party drugs, some remarkable scares and brutality are unleashed – including some images that have remained tattooed on our eyelids since first seeing the film in July.

“Horror has been experiencing a renaissance for years now, and A24 emerged as the prime studio for new, thrilling genre efforts – with Danny and Michael Philippou's Talk to Me a prime example. One of the most chilling horror flicks of the year follows a group of teenagers who are in possession of a creepy embalmed hand that allows spirits to temporarily possess others' bodies, as displayed in a variety of chilling sequences. But practicing the occult casually gets the characters into deep, existential trouble, and viewers are taken on a dark ride to the final gut-punch of Talk to Me's twist ending, which has no doubt inspired horror fans to repeatedly re-watch the movie.” Corey Chichizola, Movies Editor

#12. The Iron Claw

Average Score: 4.25/5

“If professional wrestling was treated with the reverence that writer/director Sean Durkin’s The Iron Claw trades in, I’d have probably grown up as a loyal fan. The biographical drama covers the ebbs and flows of the Von Erich family dynasty with tenderness and humanity, rejecting the overblown tendencies biopics lean on to heighten drama. Through an ensemble cast that boasts the likes of Jeremy Allen White, Holt McCallany, and Maura Tierney, a saga of family triumph and tragedy is given awesome form – but perhaps most impressive is the performance from Zac Efron, which not only delivers extreme physicality, but also stoically anchors the entire tale.” – Mike Reyes, Senior Movies Contributor

“In a year full of great biopics, none managed to rock me to my core – not even Oppenhiemer – like The Iron Claw, which easily succeeds as one of the best A24 movies yet. The film focuses on the Von Erichs, from their success in the wrestling ring to their struggles with tragedy outside of it, featuring a career-defining performance by Zac Efron and equally impressive turns from Jeremy Allen White, Lily James, and others. With The Iron Claw, Sean Durkin crafts a moving, devastating, but overall inspiring tribute to one of wrestling's most famous families.” – Jason Wiese, Content Producer

#11. Killers Of The Flower Moon

Average Score: 4.278/5

There’s an idea that money equates to power in American society, but Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon is powerful cinema that unveils how the horrors of racism wholly undermine that clichéd notion. The unabashed greed and hate represented is a punch to the chest, and witnessing full depths of evil in the true crime story from the point of view of the monsters who committed the acts is chilling.

“Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon is a grueling, expansive, and exhilarating thriller that examines the banality of evil and how power, greed, and self-righteous ideologies can corrupt one group and cause so much pain to another. Brilliant performances by Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and standout Lily Gladstone, who is the heart and soul of this three-and-a-half hour epic, make this one of Scorsese’s best in recent memory. It’ll break your heart, it’ll make you laugh, but most of all, it sheds light on one of America’s darkest chapters.” – Philip Sledge, Content Producer

#10. John Wick: Chapter 4

Average Score: 4.294/5

Just how much more can Keanu Reeves’ John Wick endure? That was a reasonable question to ask going into John Wick: Chapter 4, and it’s jaw-dropping to witness the answer. Not only does the movie feature spectacular set pieces and introduce the franchise’s best side character (Donnie Yen’s Caine), it delivers an ending so perfect that one hopes it will be able to live as the epic series’ conclusion.

“Rarely has an action series consistently improved on itself with each installment and revolutionized the genre as a whole like director Chad Stahelski's epic John Wick saga. After seeing Keanu Reeves' fourth outing as the vengeful, dog-loving assassin, it feels safe to call John Wick is the greatest action franchise of all time. John Wick: Chapter 4 is easily the series' best in my eyes, with a breakneck pace that serves its three-hour runtime beautifully; a complex and truly sinister villain played by Bill Skarsgård; and the franchise's most gorgeously constructed and exhilarating fight sequences yet.” – Jason Wiese, Content Producer

#9. Nimona

Average Score: 4.3/5

Tradition can be a dangerous thing – particularly if it serves to blind people to historic horrors or arrest natural progression in society. Brought to life with stunning design and animation, Nimona is a wonderful expression of this lesson. Riz Ahmed's Ballister Boldheart and Chloë Grace Moretz’s titular shape-changer make one of 2023’s best cinematic duos, and the story’s narrative twists are dazzling to behold.

“Nimona is a miracle of a movie not just because it’s downright entertaining, but also because it nearly didn’t get finished due to Blue Sky Studios’ closure. This beautifully animated and well-voice-acted feature is set in a medieval-futuristic kingdom and tells the story of a knight who, after being framed for murder, must team up with an unpredictable shapeshifter to clear his name. This film skillfully blends action, humor and honest sentiment to produce a story about a unique and endearing friendship. It feels like an old-school flick with some new-school sensibilities, and that combination makes it refreshing.” – Erik Swann, Senior Content Producer

#8. The Boy And The Heron

Average Score: 4.333/5

“It’s been a decade since legendary animation filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki announced his retirement, so I’m completely overjoyed he has graced us with a new, great masterpiece in The Boy And The Heron. While it’s a return to form in many ways – from visually-striking landscapes, to mouth-watering food moments, to beloved magical little guys – it’s so much more than a nostalgia trip. It’s a complex meditation on grief for both the one’s we love most and the nature of our existence on Earth, unfolding as a sweeping adventure into a realm between space and time. It's a gorgeous, captivating and comforting new favorite of mine.” – Sarah El-Mahmoud, Staff Writer

“Whimsical and heartwarming are two words that commonly are used to describe films that come from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. While these are accurate, they do not do justice to the beauty and heart of The Boy and the Heron. Fans will recognize the layered style of storytelling that breaks your heart and still give you hope for better things. Miyazaki touches on grief, growing up, family (both the one you’re born into and the one that you make), and finding hope where it looks like there isn’t any. Additionally, there are some bright and funny moments, which rounds out the story as a whole.” – Tiffney Carter, Social Media Editor

#7. Barbie

Average Score: 4.346/5

From the moment that Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were first spotted in full costume while filming on location, Barbie looked like it was going to be something special, and it delivers on every ounce of its promise. Greta Gerwig does masterful work balancing a silly comedy based on a doll line with messages about feminism and the patriarchy, and it has one of the best final lines of 2023.

“Barbie arrived in theaters in a blaze of pink, and the Margot Robbie-led movie broke records to become the highest-grossing film of 2023. The project is much more than just bright colors and box office wins, however, with Greta Gerwig directing a heartfelt film that swerves from silly to sad to surprisingly musical from scene to scene. I never knew that I needed a movie that could impart powerful messages (with the help of supporting performances by America Ferrera and the scene-stealing Ryan Gosling as Ken in particular) while also dropping a joke about Barbie, fascism, and Benito Mussolini, but Barbie delivers.” – Laura Hurley, Senior Content Producer

#6. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

Average Score: 4.429/5

“Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour wasn’t just a movie — it was a whole event. Audiences transformed theaters into raucous concert venues as they danced in the aisles and exchanged friendship bracelets with fellow Swifties. And as Taylor Swift walks fans through her discography on screen, it’s impossible not to appreciate how she’s grown and evolved as an artist over the past 17 years. After such a unique moviegoing experience, it’s not hard to see why this is the most successful concert film in history.” – Heidi Venable, Content Producer

“There's concerts... and then there's Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. Amidst the phenomenon of an artist touring across the globe with a nonstop three-and-a-half hour show, Taylor Swift immortalized her biggest year yet with an even more impressive showcase of her larger-than-life powers with the Eras Tour movie. From flexing her muscles to ‘The Man’ to commanding all ten heart-wrenching minutes of "All Too Well," this big-screen experience proves once and for all that Taylor Swift has nothing to prove; she's an artist of a generation and this jaw-dropping concert film is bejeweled pop star bliss. – Sarah El-Mahmoud, Staff Writer

#5. Poor Things

Average Score: 4.45/5

It feels like it was only yesterday that Emma Stone was capturing our hearts as the lovable Jules in Superbad, but it’s remarkable to see the talent that she has become. She delivers one of the wildest and boldest performances of the year as the Frankenstein-ed Bella Baxter, and her bizarre coming of age is the perfect blend of enlightening and odd.

“Billed as a Frankenstein narrative, Poor Things offers so much more than a family monster tale. Its whimsical scenescapes, absurd comedy, tender-yet-horny moments, and its commentary on societal restraints all make it one of the standouts of 2023. Emma Stone is truly weird and wonderful, but shoutouts should also go to Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Suzy Bemba, Ramy Yousseff, Kathryn Hunter and more. It’s an oddball movie that may polarize some, but should just as equally land ripe on many top 10 lists.” – Jessica Rawden, Managing Editor

#4. Oppenheimer

Average Score: 4.452/5

Cinema can be a powerful tool in reflecting upon the darkness of history, and we saw that exhibited in devastating fashion this year with both Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. The latter is a gripping drama about one of the most important people in human history as he goes from trying to save the world to realizing he may have ended it – and the devastating journey is captured with immense energy by one of Hollywood’s few remaining auteurs.

“Whenever anyone talks about why Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is so impressive, the usual suspects come out to play. It’s visually stunning, Nolan’s dedication to practical effects shines through, and the insanely talented cast doesn’t miss a beat in their performances. But when I think about why I love this movie so much, it comes down to Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer. It enlightens us about the past, while hoping we can use its lessons to create a better future for us all.” – Mike Reyes, Senior Movies Contributor

#3. Past Lives

Average Score: 4.688/5

Life is long and full of diverse and interesting chapters, and Celine Song’s Past Lives is a gorgeous cinematic representation of that idea. It’s a romantic drama that’s anything but formulaic, as its setup with an emotional love triangle manages to avoid clichés at every turn and become something fresh and soul-touching.

“Past Lives irrevocably broke me in the best way possible. The best way to watch Past Lives is to go into it blind as I did, because what you expect it to be is nowhere near what it actually is: a painful story about missed opportunities, finding contentment, and learning to love both the past and the present. Greta Lee gives a captivating performance and shares perfect chemistry with both Teo Yoo and John Magaro. Celine Song’s directorial debut knocks it out of the park, and A24 struck gold with this heartbreaking drama.” – Alexandra Ramos, Content Producer

#2. Godzilla Minus One

Average Score: 4.75/5

In a year when many mega-blockbusters fell on their face, Godzilla Minus One is a breath of fresh air. It was made without an extraordinary budget, but it feels as epic as any of the nine-figure titles that we’ve seen from the franchise, and the King of the Monsters has rarely felt more dangerous. The secret weapon, however, is the film’s dedication to its human character – who we desperately want to see survive the seemingly ceaseless onslaught of terror they face during World War II and its aftermath.

“Godzilla has been rampaging across silver screens for nearly 70 years, so it’s hard to make each new entry stand out from the previous movies. Thankfully, Godzilla Minus One more than accomplishes this goal, not only featuring plenty of tense and thrilling action centered on the titular monster, but also depicting many compelling human characters in post-World War II Japan, with Ryunosuke Kamiki's Kōichi Shikishima and the exploration of his trauma being the primary focus. There’s a good reason why so many consider this to be the best Godzilla movie yet, and it may end up holding that title for a long time.” – Adam Holmes, Senior Content Producer

#1. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

Average Score: 4.880/5

In a year full of “Part 1s,” none dazzled quite like Spider-Man: Across The Universe, which received 20 perfect “5” scores from the 24 members of the CinemaBlend staff who watched it. The animation is dazzling, with Daniel Kaluuya’s Spider-Punk being one of the most impressively designed characters in memory, and the sheer depths of both the narratives and heroes are spellbinding.

“The list of sequels that successfully surpass their predecessor is relatively short, but Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse belongs on it – which is impressive, given how revolutionary, boundary-pushing and entertaining Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is. A fresh directing team brings significant innovation to the world-building within this movie’s multiverse, but the film also keeps focus on Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and those he cares about. Every new realm we visit boasts a creative visual landscape, leading up to an explosion of clever Spider-Man references and gags in the movie’s action-packed third act. It’s one of the best Spider-Man movies ever made.” – Sean O'Connell, Managing Editor

For a look at the year ahead, check out our 2024 Movie Release Calendar.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was, against all that is explainable, a movie that was even better than Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Naturally that means there's a lot of anticipation for the final film in the series, and producer Chris Miller is certainly making sure we keep our expectations high, as he is promising a satisfying conclusion. 

At a “For Your Consideration” event for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (via Jonathan Sim), Miller said he believes that Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse will be as emotional as the previous films, and that it will lead to a satisfying conclusion for the trilogy. Miller said… 

There was hope we’d have seen Beyond the Spider-Verse as early as next year, but it seems that schedule was more than a little too aggressive for the animation department. The Spider-Verse finale actually doesn’t have a release date currently, having been pulled from the schedule because the work was going to take much longer than originally expected. It's far from clear just how much work has been done on the movie at this point. We could see the film sometime in 2024, but it feels like 2025 is equally possible right now. 

While we’re sure everybody is working quite hard, it’s good news that they’re not being pushed to their breaking point. We’ve heard too many horror stories about animators and other digital effects workers being pushed hard to meet release dates, which, in addition to not being good for the people, often leads to subpar work. Nobody wants to see that, especially with Spider-Verse.

The honest truth is that a satisfying conclusion to a trilogy is a particularly difficult thing to accomplish. For as many great movie trilogies as we’ve had, there have been quite a few that just didn’t stick the landing the way fans would have liked. This trilogy has been so good so far, which would make a disappointing finale that much more frustrating.

Of course, even if Chris Miller thinks that the new film will be just as emotional as the previous ones, that doesn’t mean they’re even done with it. It’s far from uncommon for animated movies to go through significant story changes during production, and we recently learned that the big twist at the end of the Across the Spider-Verse wasn’t originally planned, with the filmmakers only coiming up with the idea later. 

Considering the ending of Across the Spider-Verse and where that left Miles Morales, as well as the rest of our heroes, the final movie will certainly hit the ground running. Whenever it finally arrives, fans will be ready.  

Though many have praised Andrew Garfield's take on Spider-Man, the actor actually prefers another iteration of the famous comic book character. 

Garfield portrayed your friendly neighborhood superhero in The Amazing Spider-Man movies from 2012 to 2014 before being replaced by Tom Holland's Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it's actually the animated spin-off Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse that he's a fan of. 

On Wednesday, December 6, the 40-year-old Brit hosted a screening of the 2023 animated superhero flick at The Cinema in The Power Station in London, followed by a Q&A with film producer Amy Pascal, screenwriters Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and composer-songwriter Daniel Pemberton. During the event (via a video in X),  Garfield revealed was the first time he's ever moderated a Q&A, the star dubbed the film not only a "masterpiece of animation" but "a masterpiece of pure cinema," full stop. He said:

Audience videos shared by Twitter user @carlimav show Garfield's praise of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse during the Q&A. 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a sequel to 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which itself was a hit with movie fans (CinemaBlend put it in our top 10 of that year) and filmmakers alike, like Star Wars director Rian Johnson. The sequel expanded on that film by introducing live-action characters to the animated franchise, including Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's versions of Spider-Man, who appeared through archival footage from their respective movies. 

Does Garfield's presence as moderator of that recent Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Q&A mean that there's a chance the actor will be a larger part of the upcoming finale of the animated trilogy? It's especially likely given that the sequel opened up the possibility of multiple variants of Gwen Stacy, Peter's love interest that was famously portrayed by Emma Stone, Garfield's real-life ex, in his two Spidey movies. 

Garfield has previously shared his interest in returning to the overall Spider-Man franchise. Of suiting up yet again as the world-famous web slinger, the performer told revealed to Josh Horowitz on an episode of his Happy Sad Confused podcast that he was "definitely open to that" possibility: 

A team-up with Miles Morales seems a natural fit for getting Garfield back into the superhero fold, but we'll have to wait and see if the star will be entering the Spider-Verse again anytime soon. Stay tuned! 

Given the way that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse ended, with Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) opening a portal to communicate with Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), we assumed that a lot of the second film was pre-planned, as if the creative voices knew that a sequel was happening. That’s not really the case, however. Yes, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse ranks as one of the best Spider-Man movies ever made, but it wasn’t as calculated as you believe. Phil Lord and Chris Miller even told CinemaBlend, during an exclusive interview, that a key element of the ending of Into the Spider-Verse had to be retconned to fit better with what they delivered in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. It turns out, a few things that we pick up aren’t intentional… which leads to Lord and Miller shooting down a popular fan theory.

If you have made it this far into the story, you probably know that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse also ends on a cliffhanger. The Miles Morales that we have been following through two movies winds up on Earth 42, an alternate dimension where there is no Spider-Man, and Morales has become The Prowler. Given that reality, fans went back to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and noticed something very clever. In the scene where Miles meets Chris Pine’s Spider-Man for the first time, the color scheme in the background shifts for Miles… and reflects the colors of The Prowler. 

Some thought this was a tease of the character’s fate in this world. But during a recent event for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and the film’s Oscar chances, I asked Lord and Miller directly if that color shift was a Prowler hint, they burst that bubble, with Chris Miller explaining:    

That’s wild. There are definitely times that eagle-eyed scoopers think that they have spotted a clue in a story, and it turns out to be nothing. There are entire TikTok accounts dedicated to such foolishness. But given the details that are put into Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, I really chose to believe the Prowler colors theory. Lord and Miller previously told the ReelBlend podcast that the bagel thrown at the character in Into the Spider-Verse INTENTIONALLY was a breakfast food with a hole in it because that person would go on to become The Spot. That’s insane. But the colors are not intentional. 

Here are Lord and Miller talking Across the Spider-Verse with the ReelBlend podcast:

Now, we patiently wait for the trilogy capper, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. We know a good deal about it already, but are scratching our head over plot details, release dates, and more. We’ll continue to track the film, so keep it here for all things Spider-Man.

The following contains SPOILERS for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse!

The Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ending left fans with one hell of a cliffhanger earlier this year. While the original plan to actually call the movie Part One was changed, the story really is only half of the complete adventure, as Miles Morales has been left in a pretty dicey situation, one that, as it turns out, wasn't originally the plan.

If you somehow haven’t seen Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse yet, and it’s on Netflix right now, so I don’t know what your excuse is, then you know that Miles has found himself in a dimension not his own, but rather the one that created the spider that bit him. In other words, it's a world without a Spider-Man. 

As a result, we learn that the Miles Morales of that world became the Prowler. Co-director Kemp Powers recently revealed to GamesRadar that the initial plan was to make Miles’ uncle Aaron The Prowler, just as he had been in Into the Spider-Verse, but then Powers had the idea to change things, apparently in the middle of an unrelated meeting. The filmmaker explained…

Miles still would have become a villain rather than a hero. He was originally going to be a sidekick to his uncle, but then Powers had the idea to swap the roles. The decision to make the character The Prowler truly flips the universe on its head compared to the character we know. 

Miles’ uncle is a major presence in Across the Spider-verse, even though the character died in the previous film. It seems those references were also added later, as a way to foreshadow where things were going. Powers continued… 

Of course, with that major twist comes millions of fans dying to know what happens next. It will likely be a while before we learn that. Originally planned to be released just a year after Across the Spider-Verse as the third film in the trilogy, the Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-verse official release date is currently unknown. If the final film is as good as the first two, it will be worth the wait. 

We have to have this conversation again? Alright, in the words of the immortal Spider-Man (as voiced by Chris Pine), “Let’s do this one last time.” 

We are approaching year’s end, when theaters and streaming services start to fill with awards hopefuls that are screening in time to be eligible for Oscar consideration. At the same time, movies that made a critical splash earlier in the year are circling back around, to drum up support for the Oscar campaigns. One such film is the incredible Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the second part of a planned trilogy that will conclude – hopefully in 2024 – with the highly anticipated Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. The animated Across the Spider-Verse is easily one of the best Spider-Man movies ever made, and one of the best movies released this year. So it must be a Best Picture contender, right? 

Right?!

Already, the conversations are starting online, and in some of the columns written by Oscar pundits. “It’s a great animated movie. But is it really a Best Picture movie?” This has prompted Phil Lord, one of the brilliant creative voices beyond the Spider-Verse movies, to scream into the void:

Say it louder for the people in the back. Why is this even a discussion? Any film released during the calendar year should contend for Best Picture. This should include documentaries, foreign-language films, and yes, animated movies. Some people who appear to be opposed to including Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in the Best Picture conversation are raising flimsy arguments, which I’d like to address.

‘It feels like half a movie.’

So what? Denis Villeneuve delivered half of an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune in 2022, and earned a Best Picture nomination. Peter Jackson had all three installments of his Lord of the Rings trilogy in the conversation for Best Picture, and eventually triumphed with the concluding chapter, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Did anyone attempt to argue that Return of the King felt like “the last third” of a full story? Maybe, but that sounds as stupid as calling Across the Spider-Verse half of a film. 

In this particular story, we see incredible growth and maturation for key franchise characters Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld). We are introduced to several new and rewarding characters who bring incredible depth to the world and only increase the stakes in the ongoing storyline – from The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) to Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), and the multiverse that he’s holding together. Sure, Across the Spider-Verse ends on a cliffhanger, but how is that any different from the open-ended stories being told in Joker, Black Panther, Avatar: The Way of Water, and other films that recently earned Best Picture nominations? 

It’s not. 

‘It’s a Shoo-In for Best Animated Feature.’

Totally agree. But special movies like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse shouldn’t be content with being relegated to a side category, never having a shot at the night’s top prize. 

There’s precedent for animated movies earning a Best Picture slot. Specifically, the Pixar masterpieces Up and Toy Story 3 were nominated for Best Picture AFTER the inception of the Best Animated Feature category at the Academy Awards. (“But didn’t Toy Story 3 feel like one-third of a story?!” No, it didn’t.) Some movies deserve recognition in both categories, because of the way they push the boundaries of storytelling and filmmaking within their medium. The screenwriting, direction, art design, production design, editing, and score for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse are better than most films you will see all year. The movie, from start to finish, is one of the year’s best films. Put it in the race for Best Picture. Not just Best Animated Feature. Best Picture. 

‘You’re Just a Spider-Man Fan.’

I am! And I’m lucky to live during a time when the film industry appreciates the deep well of stories that are possible around this fascinating character. Peter Parker, alone, creates live-action possibilities that span generations of movies (see “All of the Spider-Men coming together” in the groundbreaking Spider-Man: No Way Home). But when the Spider-Verse movies open up the realm to stories that include Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, Spider-Ham, Spider-Woman, Spider-Noir, Spider-Punk, and beyond, it stretches the reality of inclusion, the excitement of multiverse hopping, and the limitations of anyone’s creativity. 

That’s what Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse does, repeatedly. It takes a story, and a medium, that we loved in the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and it advances it. It fleshes out the characters, building on the issues they experienced in the first movie while also setting the stage for complicated solutions in the inevitable sequel. And it reinvents the animation that already was considered groundbreaking in the first place. My mind still melts over the way that Spider-Verses uses different animation styles such as watercolor, LEGO, and that jaw-dropping pencil-and-pixel hybrid in Mumbattan to bring its opposing universes to life. Watching Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse sometimes feels like you are seeing animation for the first time. It’s that revolutionary.

And why stop at Best Picture? Let’s also make sure that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is in contention for Best Score. Because the work of Daniel Pemberton on the music of Spider-Verse is nothing short of genius. Listen to him describe his process on our official ReelBlend podcast, and try to tell me this master isn’t worthy of Oscar consideration:

It’s my hope that we one day get to a point where this conversation is moot. That enough animated features, foreign language features, and documentary features have demanded the attention that’s afforded a Best Picture candidate, and the existence of separate categories at the Academy Awards doesn’t instantly negate a film’s chances of competing for the Oscars’ top prize. For if a movie like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is worthy enough to be named the Best version of any genre – animated or otherwise – doesn’t that automatically include it in the conversation of the best picture of the year? 

In more recent years, superhero movies have become major cinematic draws, and the live-action Marvel movies often tend to be the most popular events that the “genre” offers. However, some of the more beloved movies about Spider-Man, Iron Man and other Marvel heroes actually exist outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and are not live-action either. Let’s take a look at some of the best superhero movies of that persuasion with the following guide to our favorite animated Marvel movies now available to stream. 

The Spider-Verse Movies (2018, 2023)

The adventures of a Brooklyn teen (voiced by Shameik Moore) given superhuman abilities by radioactive spider bite and other people like him from alternate realities.

Why they are some of the best animated Marvel movies: The Academy Award-winning superhero movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel, Across the Spider-Verse (the second in a planned trilogy), are considered to be some of the best multiverse movies and, arguably, top the list for the the best Spider-Man movies ever made.

Rent or buy Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse on Amazon.
Stream Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Netflix.

Big Hero 6 (2014)

A young mechanical expert (voiced by Ryan Potter) and a large, friendly robot (voice by 30 Rock cast member Scott Adsit) join forces with other aspiring do-gooders as a team of technologically-enhanced vigilantes.

Why it is one of the best animated Marvel movies: Yet another superhero movie to take home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature is the fun adaptation of the Marvel comic of the same name, Big Hero 6. It's also, simply, one of Disney’s best animated movies in more recent years, which later inspired more than one spin-off TV show.

Stream Big Hero 6 on Disney+.
Rent or buy Big Hero 6 on Amazon.

Iron Man: Rise Of Technovore (2013)

When Tony Stark (Matthew Mercer) is framed for committing a terrorist act, he must stay one step ahead of S.H.I.E.L.D. as he struggles to clear his name.

Why it is one of the best animated Marvel movies: Speaking of technologically-enhanced vigilantes, Marvel’s favorite genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist leads his own Japanese anime-style feature with Iron Man: Rise of Technovore, which also stars Norman Reedus as a Marvel character the Walking Dead star would have been perfect to play in live-action, The Punisher

Rent or buy Iron Man: Rise Of Technovore on Amazon.

Iron Man & Captain America: Heroes United (2014) 

A challenge to determine who between Tony Stark (Heroes cast member Adrian Pasdar) and Steve Rogers (Roger Craig Smith) is the better combat strategist soon becomes an alliance against the infamous Red Skull (Liam O’Brien).

Why it is one of the best animated Marvel movies: Just a couple years before the MCU tore them apart in Captain America: Civil War, Iron Man & Captain: America: Heroes United saw the titular Avengers come together over a common goal, but not without some playful ribbing along the way.

Stream Iron Man & Captain America: Heroes United on Disney+.
Rent or buy Iron Man & Captain America: Heroes United on Amazon.

Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United (2013)

When two HYDRA scientists try to enhance Tony Stark’s (Adrian Pasdar) arc reactor with the gamma energy that turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk (Fred Tatasciore), it creates a horrifying threat that said Avengers must work together to stop.

Why it is one of the best animated Marvel movies: A year before he and Cap had their own movie, Stark and Banner partnered up in Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United, which also features appearances by Red Skull (Liam O’Brien, again) and Abomination (Robin Atkin Downes).

Stream Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United on Disney+.
Buy Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United on Amazon.

Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher (2014)

After he is apprehended by former assassin Natasha Romanoff (Jennifer Carpenter), the deadly, vengeful vigilante Frank Castle (Brian Bloom) must join forces with her, under Nick Fury’s orders, to retrieve S.H.I.E.L.D. technology from an evil organization.

Why it is one of the best animated Marvel movies: Perhaps the most unlikely pairing to headline their own animated Marvel movie is that of Castle and Romanoff in Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher. However, the results are anything but punishing, and it could even be called one of Jennifer Carpenter’s best movies for a performance that comes close to rivaling Scarlett Johansson’s.

Rent or buy Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher on Amazon.

Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors (2018)

A group of super-powered teens must come together in order to help their adult crimefighting peer defeat a powerful Kree tyrant. 

Why it is one of the best animated Marvel movies: We still have yet to see young superheroes like America Chavez and Ms. Marvel team up in the MCU — as well as the induction of Squirrel Girl and Patriot — but they are all together and joined by Quake (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Chloe Bennett reprising her role) and others in Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors, which originally aired as a made-for-TV movie on Disney Channel and Disney XD.

Stream Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors on Disney+.

Thor: Tales Of Asgard (2011)

Years before he landed on Earth to fulfill his destiny as an Avenger, a teenage Thor (Matthew Wolf) and his brother, Loki (Rick Gomez) embarked on an epic quest to find a fabled, mystical sword.

Why it is one of the best animated Marvel movies: Before we saw the brotherly enemies teaming up in 2013’s Thor: The Dark World (and again in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok), the God of Thunder and the God of Mischief joined forces in Thor: Tales of Asgard, which was released in tandem with the Avengers' first big screen adventure in the MCU.

Stream Thor: Tales Of Asgard on The Roku Channel.

Hulk: Where Monsters Dwell (2016) 

When a boogeyman known as Nightmare (Matthew Waterson) begins to carry out a terrifying plan to cross through the Dream Dimension, Hulk (Fred Tatasciore) teams up with Doctor Strange (Liam O’Brien) and the Howling Commandos to stop him.

Why it is one of the best animated Marvel movies: Before Disney+ released the first MCU-canon Halloween special with 2022’s Werewolf By Night, there was Hulk: Where Monsters Dwell, in which Bruce Banner’s alter ego becomes the star of his own not-so-scary horror movie featuring some of the creepier heroes known to Marvel comics.

Stream Hulk: Where Monsters Dwell on Disney+.
Rent or buy Hulk: Where Monsters Dwell on Amazon.

If you know any younger superhero fans who may not be old enough to see the live-action Marvel movies in order yet, or even if you just can’t get enough of these characters yourself, these animated Marvel movies should come to your rescue.

There’s no question that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is one of the most successful 2023 movie releases. In addition to the Into the Spider-Verse sequel earning critical acclaim like its predecessor (CinemaBlend’s Across the Spider-Verse review rated it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars), it’s also pulled in over $690 million worldwide, making it the sixth highest-grossing movie of the year. Well, good news for those of you who missed out on Across the Spider-Verse in theaters or have been eager to rewatch it on streaming: it’ll be arriving on one of the big platforms stateside on Halloween, just in time for you to ring out your Spider-Verse-themed costumes.

Netflix has announced that Across the Spider-Verse will be added to its library on October 31, close to five full months after the movie premiered in theaters. Once the animated sequel hits the platform, it will be the sixth Spider-Man movie available for Netflix subscribers to watch, following Tobey Maguire’s trilogy and Andrew Garfield’s duology. Alas, if you’re looking to stream an Into the Spider-Verse/Across the Spider-Verse double feature, you’ll need a Live TV add-on to your Hulu subscription to access the former.

Now that we know when Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will come to Netflix on Halloween, are any of you reading this planning to dress up as a character from the sequel? After all, if you intend to go out on that spooky day, you’ll undoubtedly see plenty of costumes inspired by 2023’s biggest movies, including Barbie. Like I already said, Across the Spider-Verse definitely falls into that successful club, and with only two weeks to go until Halloween, there’s still some time to come up with a solid way to suit up as Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, Miguel O’Hara or any number of people from the animated movie.

Taking place 16 months after the events of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse saw Shameik Moore’s Miles Morales clashing with both Jason Schwartzman’s The Spot and Oscar Isaac’s Miguel O’Hara, with the latter leading the Spider-Society, a group of web-spinning heroes who protect the multiverse. Without going into spoilers, Across the Spider-Verse’s ending left behind various unresolved plot threads, but the good news is that a follow-up movie, titled Beyond the Spider-Verse, has already been greenlit. The bad news is that Beyond the Spider-Verse has been removed from the theatrical calendar after originally being dated for March 29, 2024.

As such, it’s unclear when this superhero movie trilogy will conclude, but at least those of you on Netflix will be be able to stream Across the Spider-Verse to your heart’s content starting at the end of the month. For now though, you can learn what cinematic originals the streaming service has coming up by reading through the Netflix movie schedule, or feel free to take in the best movies on Netflix that are already available.

It’s no secret that superhero movies are everywhere. The genre continues to be powerful force in the entertainment industry, with various cinematic universes competing at the box office. While Tom Holland's Spider-Man trilogy was massively successful, Sony’s animated Spider-Verse is also acclaimed, with Into The Spider-Verse even earning an Academy Award. But will these characters ever get the live-action treatment? Some epic fan art transformed Oscar Isaac into a live-action Spider-Man 2099, and I’m so into it.

Prior to the release of Across the Spider-Verse earlier this year, Oscar Isaac made his debut as Spider-Man 2099 during the final moments of Into the Spider-Verse. That role was greatly expanded in the acclaimed sequel, although some fans want to see him as the futuristic web slinger in live-action. Fan art on Instagram brought that to life, check it out below:

I mean, how cool is that? Oscar Isaac looks thoroughly badass as Spider-Man 2099, complete with a comic book accurate costume. It’s unclear if/when Sony and Marvel might bring this version of the wall crawler to live-action, but clearly the Star Wars icon can pull off the look. Now make it happen, you cowards!

The above image comes to us from the Instagram of digital artist Subi Özil. They’ve got over 16k followers on Instagram thanks to epic renderings of comic book heroes, especially those within Spider-Man lore. And while we wait to see if/when Tom Holland will return for a fourth Spider-Man movie, this type of fan art might help to satiate the appetite of the rabid fanbase. 

While Into the Spider-Verse was an Oscar winning adventure through the multiverse, the world of that franchise got much bigger with Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. The trio of directors added way more variations of the hero, including Daniel Kaluuya’s Spider-Punk. Poor protagonist Miles Morales had to face off against various version of Spider-Man, to dizzying results.

Of course, Spider-Man 2099 isn’t the only character from the animated Spider-Verse that fans want to see pop up in live-action, possibly within the MCU. Moviegoers want to see  live-action Miles Morales for the first time, following the animated series and Playstation’s Spider-Man video game. For his part, actor Shameik Moore seems interested in physically playing Miles after voicing the character for two projects. 

Unfortunately, fans are currently in the dark regarding what's next for the live-action Spider-Man franchise. Tom Holland has expressed interest in taking a break, after filming 6 movies as Peter Parker in quick succession. The twist ending of No Way Home saw the world forget who Peter was, including Ned and MJ. And now the story could seemingly go anywhere. 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is available to rent now. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse introduced a plethora of new characters to the cinematic franchise launched in 2018. Plenty of them had their time to shine and played key roles in the second chapter of Miles Morales’ story. One particular player who made a serious impression, however, is Spider-Punk, voiced by Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya. The ultra-cool, anti-establishment superhero proved to be one of the most complex figures within the multiversal tale. Believe it or not though, he could’ve been left out of the film, and the producers explained the reasoning for that. 

Let’s be honest. There’s a lot going on in this particular 2023 new movie release. It features a packed story and, as mentioned, there are a lot of characters in the mix. So in theory, it would make sense that some would need to be cut for the sake of time and/or to free up narrative real estate. However, you may still wonder how in the world could a hero as awesome as Spider-Punk (a.k.a. Hobie Brown) nearly be omitted from the final cut? Writer-producer Phil Lord explained to EW that it all had to do with how Brown meshed with the creative team’s storytelling plans. He also revealed what ultimately helped keep the hero in the sprawling and colorful tale:

Though it may be hard for some to imagine a version of Across the Spider-Verse that doesn’t feature Spider-Punk (who was tied to a wild Easter egg), Phil Lord’s logic makes sense. Every element of a film must work in harmony if it’s to ultimately convey its story as intended. As mentioned, the Spidey sequel has plenty of moving parts, so even a slight shift could’ve meant a character deletion or narrative change. Thankfully though, the stars aligned for the British web-slinger to remain in the picture.

Hobie Brown is one of the more enigmatic members of the Spider-Society and is established as a friend (and possible love interest) of Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman. While that latter detail initially makes Miles uncomfortable around him, the two eventually form a mutual respect for one another. It’s that relationship that encourages Brown to help Morales escape the society when he seeks to return home to prevent the death of his father, Jefferson, which is said to be a “canon event.” Shortly after, the UK-based superhero quits the society and is last seen alongside Gwen and other costumed do-gooders as they seek to locate Miles.

The writers and animators deserve a lot of credit for crafting this version of Dan Slott and Olivier Coipel’s Spider-Punk. However, Daniel Kaluuya deserves props for helping to further flesh out the role and establish the vigilante’s backstory and more. In fact, the filmmakers ultimately felt compelled to make Camden Town Hobie’s place of origin not only because it’s viewed as the birthplace of punk but also because it’s Kaluuya’s hometown. Writer-producer Chris Miller further emphasized how it was the actor’s approach that convinced them to keep SP in the movie: 

As mentioned, the ending of Across the Spider-Verse essentially confirms he’ll be back in the game for the upcoming trilogy capper. However, it’s currently unclear as to when we’ll get to see more of Daniel Kaluuya’s portrayal. Some wondered if Beyond the Spider-Verse might be delayed from its early 2024 release date and, weeks ago, Sony officially removed it from its schedule amid the SAG-AFTRA actors and WGA writers strikes. While I’m champing at the bit to see what lies ahead for Hobie, Miles and co., I’m just glad the anti-authoritarian wall-crawler exists in this cinematic form.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is now available to own on Digital HD and will be released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on September 5.

It’s no secret that Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal are real-life besties who go back nearly 20 years now. Many love their bromance more than they can take, and absolutely loved seeing them star in the same movie with 2019’s Triple Frontier, along with both playing major characters in the Star Wars universe. With Isaac being a Marvel actor on multiple fronts, he recently mentioned Pascal when imagining the possibilities of the Spider-Verse, because of course. 

After previously playing the villain in X-Men: Apocalypse and becoming Moon Knight, Oscar Isaac found yet another Marvel role recently as the voice of Miguel O'Hara in the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse cast. When asked if there is anyone he’d like to see join the animated universe in the upcoming sequel, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, Isaac had this to say:  

Yeah… this needs to happen now that Isaac mentions it. Oddly enough, Pedro Pascal has yet to find a role from that comic book world, even though we have a few Marvel character ideas for the actor. It would be so fun for Isaac and Pascal to reunite in the animated world somehow, even if Pascal only has a small cameo in Beyond the Spider-Verse. It sounds like Isaac had his way, he’d cast him as a “cranky, old Spider-Person,” which is obviously hilarious. 

Isaac has a great idea here for his longtime buddy Pedro Pascal, and given the indefinite delay of Beyond the Spider-Verse, perhaps there’s still time to pencil him into the film. The trilogy closer was initially dated to come out in early 2024, but after rumors pointed to the production not being even close to being ready, plus the WGA writers strike and SAG actors strike currently in place, it’s going to be a waiting game before we know when to expect the next animated Spider-Verse movie. 

In the meantime, Across The Spider-Verse recently became available to buy on digital and is heading to Blu-ray on September 5. In the highly-rated sequel to 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse, Isaac played Miguel O’Hara, a Spider-Man variant who is the leader of the Spider Society, which is committed to protecting the multiverse from major threats. Miles Morales becomes the latest target for the society when a significant event in his life doesn’t happen. 

Since Across The Spider-Verse came out in June, the internet has been thirsting over his character, and undoubtedly the same would happen if Pedro Pascal would join the franchise. You can stay updated with upcoming Marvel movies here on CinemaBlend as we rack the comic book shelves for the perfect character for The Last of Us actor. 

Usually when a movie is shown in theaters, everyone around the world is seeing the exact same final product, aside from dialogue being dubbed in other languages, of course. Not so with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, as a few weeks into the sequel’s theatrical run, it was confirmed there were multiple versions of the movie playing on the big screen. Now that Across the Spider-Verse is available for digital purchase, producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller have clarified what was going on with these various tweaks to the 2023 new movie release.

While promoting about their latest movie, Strays, Lord and Miller, who also co-wrote Across the Spider-Verse’s script with Dave Callaham and had previously directed Into the Spider-Verse, spent some time talking with The Wrap going discussing Across the Spider-Verse, specifically how the immediate months leading to the wide release, though a full cut of the movie had been put together, aspects of it were altered in the aftermath. As Miller explained:

So in order for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to be presented in Europe, the movie’s team had to put together a complete version that could be played for these French censors, and once delivered, it couldn’t be changed. However, the animators discovered some ways to improve Across the Spider-Verse afterwards, and while that resulted in their preferred version of the movie, a lot of people internationally haven’t been able to see it. Miller continued:

Phil Lord then added that these tweaks amounted to “mostly improved effects shots and a couple of audio fixes,” as well as “a couple of things that we did for our own vanity here and there.” However, he and Chris Miller consider the movie that’s now available to digitally watch and will soon come out on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD to be the “posterity edition.” He and Chris Miller also asserted that they they wouldn’t describe this as multiple “versions” of Across the Spider-Verse being out there, which makes sense given that the main story unfolds the same way no matter where you’re watching it. As Lord put it:

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’s theatrical run has arrived at the finish line, and with a $684.4 million worldwide haul, it currently stands as 2023’s fifth highest-grossing movie. If you want to acquire a copy of the sequel in disc form, you’ll need to wait until Tuesday,. September 5. Let’s also not forget how Across the Spider-Verse left audiences with a wild cliffhanger ending that sets the stage nicely for Beyond the Spider-Verse. Sadly, the threequel was recently removed from Sony’s release calendar, so it’s anyone’s guess for now when this trilogy will conclude.

Meanwhile, you can learn what movies will be coming out soon by looking through our 2023 release schedule and 2024 release schedule. Also, don’t forget that streaming-wise, Across the Spider-Verse will first be made available to Netflix subscribers.

You know, there was a time when I wanted to write about how I thought animation should probably be relegated to the streaming services rather than head to the big screen now. 

This was maybe a year ago, when the Toy Story spin-off, Lightyear, underperformed, and it seemed like animation was struggling to find its audience in theaters. I mean, if Pixar, which I actually think is in its golden age, was struggling at the box office, then all hope was lost, right?     

Well, apparently I was wrong, since the 2023 animated movies coming out these days, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, make animation seem extremely healthy on the big screen right now. So much so that I actually think that this is one of the best years for animation ever, and I have four reasons why.

We Got One Of The Biggest Movies Of The Year With An Animated Movie 

Did the critics love The Super Mario Bros. Movie? No. In fact, CinemaBlend's very own Eric Eisenberg only gave it two stars in his review, commenting on its paper thin storyline and its over-reliance on Easter eggs. And yeah, he's right. The plot is paper thin, and the film is loaded with Easter eggs. But, guess what? I loved The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and so did millions of others, all to the tune of $1.246 billion dollars worldwide, making it the biggest movie (so far) of 2023.     

I mean, come on now. How often does that happen? While the powerhouse that once was the MCU has had its hit and its miss in 2023, it's interesting to note that Mario beat both Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (the miss), and (the hit) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, at the box office, and still has a lead over Barbie (though, she very well might catch up).    

It blows my mind how much Mario (an Illumination flick, no less!) made at the box office, and it just goes to show that people will come out in droves to theaters to see an animated movie if they really love and cherish the property. Critical scores be damned!  

But, We Also Got Two Highly Acclaimed Animated Films Based On Older Properties 

Honestly, 2023 feels like the year of the elder Millennial/Gen Xer when it comes to animated movies, since we're getting so many properties from our childhoods brought back to the big screen. First off, we got the aforementioned Mario. With many of us having grown up with an NES on our carpets (and some of us having seen the original, live-action Super Mario Bros. movie), watching Mario on the big screen in animated form was a shot right in the nostalgia.    

But, that wasn't all, as we also got another Spider-Verse movie (featuring a very '90s character in Spider-Man 2099), as well as another Ninja Turtles movie. I mean, could we get a better smattering of ‘90s goodness than that? As a '90s kid, my inner child has been doing backflips off the bed all year.    

Even So, The Aforementioned Older Properties Feel Extremely Fresh 

Here’s what’s really interesting, though, and why I think all of the movies I mentioned have shown such signs of success. Yes, Mario, Across the Spider-Verse (which really should have kept the “Part 1”  in its title after that cliffhanger), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem all feature characters from an older era, they’ve also been updated for a new generation that would undoubtedly want to see them.  

Let’s take The Super Mario Bros. Movie for instance. Sure, there are TONS of references to the older games to keep the graying fans in the audience happy, but the overall look of the film is modern. In fact, a lot of it has the template of the more recent games in the series, like Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario 3D World, and New Super Mario Bros., so it will be instantly recognizable for its true target audience (Because, come on now. We all saw it, but it wasn’t for us. It was for the kiddies). 

The Spider-Verse movies have been about Spider-People from all different eras, but their focus has been on the relatively recent (he debuted in 2011) Miles Morales. His struggles to break out on his own as a young person with great responsibility resonates with younger people who understand what it means to be confused about where the world is heading, and their place in it.  

And then, you have Mutant Mayhem, which actually understood the assignment this time and made the Mutant Ninja Turtles ACTUAL TEENAGERS. By doing so, it livened up a pretty old property and brought it to a whole new generation. 

This is important, because even though I would have seen a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie regardless of its quality (I’ve seen and ranked all of them prior to Mutant Mayhem), after the abysmal Michael Bay-produced Turtles movies, the brand needed something new and fresh to be relevant again in the theaters, and this is it. I loved the movie, and my children also loved it. Two vastly different generations walking out of the theater happy after seeing an animated movie? It almost feels like the heyday of Pixar again. Speaking of which…   

Animated Movies Are Benefiting From Strong Word-Of-Mouth 

I want to circle back to Pixar, because I think their current story is an interesting one. Yes, Lightyear was a bomb, and for a time, it seemed like their most recent movie, Elemental, was going to be a bomb, too. CinemaBlend’s Dirk Libbey wrote about how he was annoyed by Elemental’s then-recent mediocre ticket receipts, and it did seem like the film was going to flop at the box office.    

But then, it didn’t. As of right now, Elemental has grossed around $400 million worldwide. Does that make Elemental a massive hit? No, as it reportedly cost somewhere in the ballpark of $200 million to make (Which isn’t factoring in all of the other stuff that comes attached to marketing a movie). Is it a flop, though? Absolutely not. That's because of strong word of mouth. 

Elemental is a really good movie, and one that I think has legs because people talked about it to others. Being in an interracial marriage, I’ve talked about it myself on this website, and I think word of mouth from several others helped raise it from having what might have been disastrous numbers.        

Unfortunately, my talking up Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken couldn’t help that one, but I think the problem there is that I seem to be in the minority with liking it. A movie has to actually be well received and have an audience to get good word of mouth, after all.     

Out of the gate successes like Mario probably didn’t need much word of mouth to be a hit, but it got it with a lot of fans proclaiming that the critics were “wrong.” Inversely, Across the Spider-Verse was a sequel that was buttressed by the Oscar-winning success of Into the Spider-Verse. Of course the sequel was excellent, but a lot of people probably told others that it was just as good (if not better than) the movie that came before it. 

We’ll have to wait and see what people say about Mutant Mayhem, but I have high hopes that strong word of mouth is also going to spread for that one as well. It’s fantastic! 

So, yeah. This is a banner year for animation. But, what do you think? Have you seen any (or all?) of the movies I mentioned here? For more news on all things animation, be sure to swing around here often! 

The follow-up to the Oscar-winning Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse is now available for home viewing with its digital release. This means fans can dive into the hidden gems and special appearances that helped make Across the Spider-Verse one of the best Spider-Man movies. One standout moment is Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man cameo, borrowed directly from the 2014 film, The Amazing Spider-Man. After The Direct shared a comparison of this cameo with its original scene, an editor from Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse revealed the backstory behind it and the actor's inclusion in the final movie, and it’s pretty fascinating. 

On Twitter, Andy Leviton discussed Garfield’s memorable cameo in the critically acclaimed animated feature. He explained that a mock-up version of the scene was first created to assess its audience reception. Interestingly, before it was officially approved for the scene to be included in the movie, the poignant moment where Peter comforts a dying Captain Stacy was retrieved by Leviton from a YouTube video and refined using After Effects. You can refer to the tweets below for a deeper look into the scene's making.

For the final version of the scene, Leviton passed his preliminary design to the experts at Sony Imageworks. They sourced the original high-quality footage from the studio, and then referred to Leviton's draft to determine which specific frames to include. The editor said, “They integrated it with the computer-generated sets and enhanced its visual appeal.” He also mentioned that the intention had always been to use existing footage from both Garfield's and Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man movies rather than redesigning the scenes with a new animation approach.

It’s incredible to see how much experimentation goes into making an animated film, which probably accounts for the confirmed multiple versions of the movie that played in theaters. It's enthralling to see how the convergence of technology, creativity and nostalgia can create an on-screen moment that resonates deeply with audiences. Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man, alongside other Spider-People, only solidifies Across The Spider-Verse as a cinematic love letter to Spider-fans around the globe.

Across The Spider-Verse was a hit with both fans and critics, earning a 5-star rating from us and dominating the box office. The film, featuring Miles Morales, held the top spot for almost two weeks, dipped briefly, and then regained its number one position. Globally, it raked in a staggering $684 million. With such success behind this sequel, we're excited about the follow-up, Beyond the Spider-Verse (of which we know a few things), and hope it lives up to the high standards set. The ending of Across left viewers on edge with a major cliffhanger, setting up significant hurdles for the main characters. However, like almost all upcoming superhero movies, we assume everything will end OK for our heroes. 

You can see Andrew Garfield's standout cameo and other hidden gems and nods in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse now. The film is available for digital purchase and will be released on 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 5.

This year has been spectacular for animation. In the Spring, Hollywood received a massive surprise hit in the form of The Super Mario Brothers Movie, luring families to the multiplexes and exposing them to new animation. Just this past weekend, audiences also flocked to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which earned an impressive $43 million in its opening five-day frame. But the highlight of the animated year, to me, has to be the incredible sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which continued the adventures of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and immediately jumped near the top of our list of the all-time best Spider-Man movies.

Soon you will be able to own Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, as the animated hit is arriving on digital on August 8 (followed by 4K and Blu-ray edition arriving on September 5). And in preparation for the digital release of the film, Sony Home Entertainment shared with us an exclusive clip of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into designing the worlds of the multiverse. It also has some good insight from Hobie star Daniel Kaluuya, and the creative team. Take a look now:

It can be difficult to remember the sheer amount of work that goes into creating an animated feature of such quality as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. This sequel, in particular, had to take audiences into new worlds, including the watercolor-saturated realms of Gwen Stacy’s home universe to the vivid explosion of Mumbattan, protected by Pavitr Prabhakar (Karan Soni). These things take time … which is a major reason why we always expected the third story in this trilogy, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, to be delayed. Quality takes time. And given the fact that the first two are so magnificent, no fan of these movies wants to see them hurried, just to meet a designated release date.

We gave Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse a perfect 5 stars in our official review, so we appreciated the amount of hard work that went into the sequel, and definitely want to wait to make sure that Beyond the Spider-Verse lives up to the potential of the previous two movies. Across ended on a juicy cliffhanger, with several key members of the main storyline staring down some serious stakes. We’re fairly confident that all will end up sort of OK, but there’s a good chance there will be significant loss. Those are canon events in the life of almost every Spider-Man, and this creative team working behind the scenes on this trilogy understand that, and all of the things that make our hero tick. 

Grab Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse once it’s available to stream digitally beginning on August 8.

After a first half of 2023 that featured a few ups and a disturbing number of downs at the box office, there has been a great deal of anticipation building for what transpired this weekend. Two major studios put out contrasting tentpole films on the same Friday, and instead of inspiring rivalry or competition, buzz for Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer morphed into a blissful celebration of cinema known as Barbenheimer. And this excitement has not fizzled out as simple internet hype a la David R. Ellis' notorious Snakes On A Plane. Instead, the big screen phenomena is very real.

Check out the full Top 10 for this past weekend below, and join me after for analysis.

Barbie Sets The World Afire With A Pink Glow, Making Over $330 Million Worldwide

When box office estimates were reported last week, they were quite conservative. Deadline published predictions that Barbie and Oppenheimer together would bring in around $260 million worldwide, and Variety said that the former "could make as much as $140 million" in its first three days. These prognostications ended up being way off in the best way. 

After bringing in $70.5 million on Thursday and Friday alone, the pink-splashed Margot Robbie film quickly dismissed any limited expectations once audiences first got their opportunity to see it, and it's finishing the full weekend strongly. The $155 million that the movie has made over the last three days now ranks as the biggest domestic opening weekend of the year, having surpassed the total made by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic's The Super Mario Bros. Movie in its first Friday-to-Sunday back in April.

According to The Numbers, Barbie is doing equally well overseas, with early estimates saying that $182 million has poured in from outside the United States and Canada. This brings its global total to $337 million thus far, which is already enough for the movie to rank as the 14th biggest film of the year. It's only about $19.6 million away from matching the ticket sales of Peter Sohn's Elemental, and about $33.9 million away from catching up with Christopher McQuarrie's Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 (which had a week-and-a-half jump start).

What's particularly exciting about this remarkable start to Barbie's box office run is the fact that it may prove to be a powerhouse for weeks to come. Many blockbusters have suffered serious weekend-to-weekend drops thus far this year, but there's no reason to believe that Greta Gerwig's hit movie will suffer that same fate. There is competition ahead, but the hype and the hot start makes the movie seem invincible.

Circumstances would be different if Barbie was the center of hype for months and only delivered mediocre results, but that's not the story here when you look at the reception that the big screen release has earned. The 4.5 star Barbie review from CinemaBlend's Nick Venable quite literally matches the tenor of critical response at large for the film, which presently has a 90 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. That score is precisely matched by the audience rating, and CinemaScore surveys have delivered an "A" grade. These are happy movie-goers, and it's predictable that a fair fraction of those happy people will want to experience it again in the coming week/next weekend.

Oppenheimer Has The Third Biggest Domestic Opening Weekend Of Christopher Nolan's Career 

But this is where the magic of Barbenheimer kicks in.

Traditionally, the counterprogramming-minded simultaneous release of Barbie and Oppenheimer would see the four-quadrant, brand-based blockbuster dominate the box office and leave the dramatic, three-hour biopic to only attract "mature" audiences... but that's not at all what has happened. The clout of Christopher Nolan and the promise of an IMAX spectacle has let both films become massive hits.

Clearly we're not looking at a neck-and-neck race for #1 here, as Barbie has earned nearly double what Oppenheimer brought in this past weekend, but that's where context comes in. Despite it only being enough for second place, the estimated $80.5 million that the film has brought in over the last three days means that it has had the seventh biggest domestic opening weekend of the year – the movie having made more in its first three days than a number of other notable 2023 #1s, including Chad Stahelski's John Wick: Chapter 4 ($73.8 million), Louis Leterrier's Fast X ($67 million) and Steven Caple Jr's Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts ($61 million).

While the film wasn't able to quote make Dark Knight ($158.4 million) or Dark Knight Rises ($160.9 million), Oppenheimer now ranks as the third most successful release of a Christopher Nolan in the United States and Canada, ahead of Inception ($62.8 million), Dunkirk ($50.5 million), Batman Begins ($48.7 million) and Interstellar ($47.5 million). Barbie didn't slow it down at all, and because of the double feature bookings, one could possibly make the argument that the Greta Gerwig hit boosted Nolan's new feature.

Globally speaking, Oppenheimer and Barbie are again in similar boats, as money from foreign markets is matching what the film is doing domestically. The film has made $174.2 million so far worldwide, which is actually enough for it to already rank as the twenty-second biggest theatrical release of the year. And with matching 94 percent Critics and Audiences scores on Rotten Tomatoes and its own "A" grade from CinemaScore, it has the heat to remain at least in the Top 5 if not the Top 2 for the remainder of July.

Needless to say, next weekend should provide even more box office excitement, as we will not only be tracking the second weekends for both Barbie and Oppenheimer, but also tracking the spooky arrivals of Justin Simien's The Haunted Mansion, based on the Disneyland/Disneyworld attraction of the same name, and Danny and Michael Philippou's buzzy horror debut Talk To Me. Be sure to head back here to CinemaBlend next Sunday to see the full Top 10, and check out our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to discover all of the titles hitting the big screen in the remaining months of the year.

Superhero movies have become a powerful force in the entertainment industry over the last decade and change, and are showing no signs of slowing down. One of the most unique and awarded entries to the genre is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse, which won an Oscar and was expanded into a full-fledged franchise. Those movies star Shameik Moore, who voices the teenage protagonist. Some epic fan art transformed Moore into a live-action Miles Morales, and now I need this movie to be real. Make it happen, Sony!

Miles Morales is relatively new to Marvel comics, but has quickly become a fan favorite. This is partly thanks to the Spider-Verse franchise, which put him at the front and center of the narrative. Fans are eager to see Miles jump to live-action, and actor Shameik Moore has expressed interest in playing the role in that way. Now we can see what he might look like as his signature superhero thanks to fan art from spdrmnkyxxiii’s Instagram. Check it out below:

Take my money and please inject this into my veins. Moore looks absolutely badass rocking Miles’ signature black Spider-Man suit, and would no doubt kill it playing the young hero live-action. Let’s just hope that the powers that be at Sony and Marvel make this happen, and allow the Dope actor to reprise his role.

Spdrmnkyxxiii is a wildly popular digital artist online, with nearly 200k followers on Instagram thanks to epic fan art inspired by fan casting and rumors. In this case, it’s the hope that Shameik Moore will take Miles Morales from animated to a live-action role. Fingers (and webs) crossed that it occurs sooner rather than later.

Right now it feels like Sony could seemingly go anywhere with the Spider-Man franchise. No Way Home’s ending seemingly wrapped up Tom Holland’s trilogy as Peter Parker, although Marvels fans are expecting him to appear sometime down the line. But since Holland is also taking a break from acting, it might be the perfect time to shift the focus to Miles Morales. But technically all three Peter Parkers feel like they could return, given the crossover craziness of No Way Home. 

As for the wild animated franchise, Shameik Moore recently reprised his role as Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. The ambitious sequel further expanded the multiverse story, and it’s expected that a threequel will be developed shortly, as well as possible spinoffs. Hopefully live-action is in talks as well.

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse is still in some theaters. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next trip to the theaters. 

The Mission: Impossible movies have been consistently successful big screen blockbusters for nearly 30 years now, but that success has never really included huge opening weekend numbers. The best performer in the franchise, Christopher McQuarrie's Mission: Impossible - Fallout, only brought in $61.2 million during its first three days on the big screen in 2018. Acknowledging this, expectations have been tempered for McQuarrie's Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1, which hit theaters this past Wednesday, and it has met said expectations... but he stakes are different this time, and there is some reason to be concerned.

Check out the full Top 10 for the weekend below, and join me after for analysis.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 Opens In Line With Past Mission: Impossible Movies... But It's Budget Provides Reason For Concern

Beyond it being made as the first part of a two-part big screen epic, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 notably differs from its franchise predecessors because of how much money was spent getting it made. These films have never exactly been inexpensive to produce (according to The Numbers, Brian De Palma's Mission: Impossible is the only one with a production budget under $120 million), but the latest installment is an outlier in that it cost approximately $112 million more to make than what was previously the most expensive chapter in the series (Mission: Impossible - Fallout, which had a reported budget of $178 million).

That changes the context of the $56.2 million that the movie has made in the last three days. That goes down on paper as the third best opening weekend in the franchise, but it needed to make a lot more money than that to ward off concerns about its big picture box office earnings and legacy.

The performance by Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 warrants comparisons to James Mangold's Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny, which also cost nearly $300 million to make (per Deadline) and made a similar amount of money in its first Friday-to-Sunday. From its launch into theaters at the end of last month up until today, Indiana Jones 5 has only just made back its reported costs, with its global box office now sitting at $302.4 million... which is not good and not at all what Disney and Lucasfilm were hoping for releasing the blockbuster in mid-summer.

That situation raises red flags for the latest Mission: Impossible sequel, but there is reason to believe that the new release will ultimately be much more successful. For starters, the movie is already doing vastly better overseas – having made $217 million worldwide so far. There is also quite simply expectation that the film will have much better legs than the Harrison Ford movie as it stays in theaters. While not getting off to great starts domestically, the last three installments of this series have all made over $680 million by the ends of their respective international runs.

If Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 ends up with a $700 million global box office haul, that should help justify not only the massive investment in the production, but also the massive investment in its direct sequel, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 2, which is presently scheduled to arrive in theaters next summer. Critics provided plenty of buzz for the film pre-release, audiences are clearly digging it (evidenced by the "A" grade from CinemaScore), and it is a film that begs to be seen on the biggest screen possible, which should be a tonic against the segment of the audience we'll call the "Wait-For-VODers."

There are really only one thing standing in the way of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 creating a box office run and justifying its budget: serious competition. Rather than Hollywood giving the film room to have a solid second weekend, Tom Cruise's latest will be in a showdown come Friday with Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (which is notably taking away a lot of Mission: Impossible's large format screens). Both of those titles have crazy hype circling them going into the weekend – many cinephiles already scheduling what have been called Barbenheimer double features – and where that will leave Dead Reckoning Part 1 in the conversation isn't obvious.

Needless to say, there will be quite a lot of particular attention paid to the Top 3 when box office results roll in early next Sunday.

Insidious: The Red Door Takes A Harsh Fall In Its Second Weekend... But It Has Already Made Nearly Eight Times Its Budget Worldwide

As expected, what was good news for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 has translated as bad news for Patrick Wilson's Insidious: The Red Door. In its opening weekend, the horror sequel turned heads by sending Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny to second place, and while doing so it made more than double its $16 million production budget. One week later, the news is more mixed, but simultaneously, the film has been certified as a tremendous box office win.

The bad news for Insidious: The Red Door is that its weekend-to-weekend numbers are harsh. Following its $33 million start, the movie only made $13 million since Friday, which calculates to a rough 61 percent drop. If this were a title that cost Blumhouse Productions $100 million to make, the big picture would look bleak... but that's not the case. Instead, it can be noted that Patrick Wilson's directorial debut has made $122.6 million worldwide so far, and it is now only about $50 million away from surpassing Adam Robitel's Insidious: The Last Key as the biggest hit in the franchise.

Looking ahead, be sure to come back here next Sunday for CinemaBlend's reporting on the Mission: Impossible vs. Oppenheimer vs. Barbie box office showdown, and you can plan out all of your cinema-going plans for the coming months by heading over to our 2023 Movie Release Calendar.