The time is finally upon us. The 98th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, are this Sunday, and here at CinemaBlend, we’ve made our picks on who we think will take home the top eight categories of the night. Three of the categories (Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress) have clear-cut favorites amongst our staff. The remaining five (both screenplay awards, both supporting actor awards, and the award for Best Actor) are, quite honestly, very tricky to guess, because our opinions vary quite a bit.

The ceremony will be live on March 15th at 7pm ET on ABC, and available to stream live with a Hulu subscription. There are sure to be some surprises, but we’ve done our best to predict what we think will happen (though not necessarily our personal choices). We’ll start with the Best Screenplay Awards and work our way towards our pick for Best Picture, hitting all the acting awards and Best Director along the way. Each of our picks will be in bold among the list of nominees.

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Will Tracy for Bugonia
• Guillermo del Toro for Frankenstein
• Maggie O'Farrell and Chloe Zhao for Hamnet
• Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another – Our Predicted Winner
• Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar for Train Dreams

In our staff poll, the Best Adapted Screenplay choice is perhaps the most divisive. All five nominees were favored by at least one writer, and it was quite close between Hamnet, Frankenstein, and One Battle After Another. This highlights just how tricky this task can be, because it’s easy to make a case for any of the five. Ultimately, in a very tight poll, Paul Thomas Anderson came out on top for One Battle After Another.

Best Original Screenplay

• Robert Kaplow for Blue Moon
• Jafar Panahi and Nader Saivar for It Was Just An Accident
• Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein for Marty Supreme
• Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt for Sentimental Value
• Ryan Coogler for Sinners – Our Predicted Winner

Sinners set the record this year for the most Oscar nominations for a film ever, with 16, including this nomination for writer Ryan Coogler. The momentum for Sinners has only been growing as this very long awards season has gone on (thanks, Olympics). While the staff pick wasn’t as close as it was for Adapted, there was quite a bit of support for Marty Supreme and Sentimental Value, but in the end, Sinners came out on top. This isn’t quite a slam dunk, but it’s the most definitive of the five awards that weren’t easy picks for us.

Best Supporting Actor

• Benicio del Toro for One Battle After Another
• Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein
• Sean Penn for One Battle After Another
• Delroy Lindo for Sinners – Our Predicted Winner
• Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value

This race has been truly all over the place. Del Toro started the season strong with a string of critics' awards, Elordi won at the Critics' Choice, Skarsgård won the Golden Globe, and Penn has come on strong late with wins at BAFTA and the Actor Awards (formerly The SAG Awards). Four of the five nominees were picked by at least two writers each, and though Lindo hasn’t really been in the conversation until very late, on the strength of Sinners and his amazing performance, he is a real contender now. In fact, he is now the frontrunner, in our opinion.

Best Supporting Actress

• Elle Fanning for Sentimental Value
• Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value
• Amy Madigan for Weapons
• Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners
• Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another – Our Predicted Winner

Like Best Supporting Actor, the race for Best Supporting Actress has been a wild ride, but it seems to have come down to three: Madigan, Mosaku, and Taylor. Each of the three has taken home awards this season, and while our choice ultimately had quite a bit of support, it’s impossible to rule out one of the other two women winning. Two months ago, it seemed like Taylor was going to sweep the season, but Madigan and Mosaku clearly have a lot of momentum as we get to the end here. We still think Taylor is the favorite for One Battle After Another, but just barely. Madigan and Mosaku are considered the favorites by quite a few folks around here.

Best Actor

• Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme – Our Predicted Winner
• Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another
• Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon
• Michael B. Jordan for Sinners
• Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent

Now this is a fascinating race, and CinemaBlend’s poll reflects that. We asked the staff to name both who they would vote for and who they think will win. While the majority of staff have predicted Chalamet to win, a huge majority picked Michael B. Jordan as who they would have voted for, personally. It’s safe to say the race is between these two, and, in full disclosure, much of our polling took place before Jordan won at the Actor Awards. There seems to be a late surge happening in favor of the Sinners star. It would not surprise anyone if he takes home the Oscar, but we predict that Chalamet will win in what could be a historic victory.

Best Actress

• Jessie Buckley for Hamnet – Our Predicted Winner
• Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
• Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue
• Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value
• Emma Stone for Bugonia

Here’s where we’re getting to the Oscars that everyone on staff is most confident about in our predictions. In fact, in the Best Actress race, there haven’t been any surprises at all leading up to the Oscars. Jessie Buckley has completely swept the awards leading up to this Sunday, and there is no reason at all to think that will change at the Academy Awards. Buckley’s performance in Hamnet is incredible, and it’s hard to imagine anyone sneaking in and winning this over her. Stone and Byrne did receive some support from the CinemaBlend staff, but an overwhelming majority picked Buckley to win Best Actress.

Best Director

• Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another – Our Predicted Winner
• Ryan Coogler for Sinners
• Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme
• Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value
• Chloe Zhao for Hamnet

Like Best Actor, the race for Best Director comes down to two men, Ryan Coogler and Paul Thomas Anderson. All season long, the general consensus is that this is PTA’s time and he’s going to walk away with the win. Our prediction is no different, as a huge majority of our staff believe that this is Anderson’s award to lose. Could he, though? Well, interestingly, yeah, he could. As with Michael B. Jordan, when we ask the staff for their favorite, most picked Coogler as their personal choice, even if almost everyone still predicted PTA to win.

Best Picture

• Bugonia
• F1: The Movie
• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle After Another – Our Predicted Winner
• Sentimental Value
• Sinners
• Train Dreams
• The Secret Agent

It has gotten trickier and trickier to predict Best Picture over the years. Sure, there are times like two years ago when everyone pretty much knew that Oppenheimer was going to take home the biggest prize of the night. But then there are ones like last year when Anora came on very strong at the end of awards season, but was a little bit of a dark horse on Oscar night. This year could be either.

The strong consensus of the CinemaBlend staff is that One Battle After Another will win Best Picture, but as in a couple of categories, a majority of the staff picked Sinners as their personal favorite. This isn’t surprising, after all, Sinners was our choice for the best movie of 2025. The late momentum for Sinners has turned this award into a real nail-biter, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Ryan Coogler on stage accepting the award at the end of the night. However, as a group, we have to stick with our prediction, given that all but three staff members picked One Battle to win (interestingly, the other votes all went to Hamnet).

You can go to our list of the 98th Academy Awards nominees to see who could win in every category, including all the technical ones, and everything else. Other than KPop Demon Hunters winning Best Animated Feature and “Golden” from that movie winning Best Song (sorry again, Diane Warren) being pretty much foregone conclusions, there are close races in every single category.

Keep an eye out for our live blog as well, as we will be reacting along with everyone else when the winners are announced.

The Skarsgård family is very talented, and this year, they’re being recognized for it. Specifically, Stellan Skarsgård has been on the awards circuit for his performance in Sentimental Value, which earned him a 2026 Oscar nomination. However, for a little bit, his son Alexander was doing award season with him, and the Andor actor shared some sweet thoughts about getting to share this time with his kid (even though they also talked a lot of smack).

Since Stellan Skarsgård won at the 2026 Golden Globes and earned his Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, he’s continued on the awards trail. Now, while Alexander’s movie, Pillion (which recently premiered on the 2026 movie schedule and is currently in theaters), didn’t make as big a splash, he was on the trail for a while, and he got to be on it with his dad. Speaking to Variety about how much he loved doing all this with his son, the Good Will Hunting actor explained:

It really was lovely to see the father-son duo celebrating their fantastic films. It was also a blast to see them consistently ribbing and poking fun at one another.

For example, last year, the Skarsgårds talked smack about who should win during awards season, seeing as they both would have been up for supporting actor awards. They also got to do interviews together, like Actors on Actors, which is where this smack talk happened, and we got to see them joke about having a “gloves off” battle.

Of course, the trolling didn’t end there. Alexander joked that he would be “orchestrating a massive smear campaign” against his father. However, the True Blood actor has also made it clear that it had been a “joy” to do all this with his pops. Considering awards season is made up of a lot of festivals, parties and awards shows, the people in the nominated movies see a lot of each other. So, this made it so the father-son duo could spend some quality time together while also working. Talk about a win-win.

Now, two things could have made this whole situation better. One is obviously an Oscar nomination for Alexander. Then, his brilliant work in Pillion would have been recognized, and he could have continued poking fun at his dad while celebrating both films. The other, as Stellan pointed out, was having Bill Skarsgård with them. He’s also a very accomplished actor, and what’s better than two Skarsgårds? Three.

Although I will say, despite only Stellan getting a nomination, the smack talk and nice comments have continued. Alexander had a funny reaction to his dad’s nod, and they’ve both been clear about how proud they are of each other.

So, all around its been lovely and funny to see these two joking around and celebrating each other. Now, I’m kind of hoping Alexander accompanies his dad to the Oscars this year. Well, to see if that happens and if Stellan Skarsgård takes home the gold, you can catch The Academy Awards on March 15 at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.

Naming Robin Williams' greatest role is a nearly impossible task. He was in so many wonderful movies, and he put forth numerous outstanding performances, but by at least one metric, the answer to the question is easy. Williams best role was in Good Will Hunting, as that was the movie that won him his (long overdue) Academy Award. Now, one of his co-stars from that film, Stellan Skarsgård, has opened up about the comedic legend and why he had to be "funny to survive."

Many have spoken in the past about the incredible impact that Williams had on making Good Will Hunting the movie it became. During a recent screening of the film (via EW), Stellan Skarsgård talked about his experience off camera with Williams, which was apparently very different depending on how many people were around. The actor explained…

“Had to be funny to survive” is a pretty rough statement to hear, honestly. Most fans probably never saw Robin Williams as anything other than “on” as his interviews and talk show appearances frequently became a stream of consciousness madness as Williams fired off every joke he could think of. It often made for hilarious television. However, the way Stellan Skarsgård describes it makes it sound like Williams felt like he didn’t have a choice but to perform when people were around. He either wasn't able to turn it off or simply felt an obligation.

Williams' lack of “choice” in performing did lead to some interesting work on the set, however. Skarsgård indicates that if his co-star had a great idea for a scene, he felt compelled to try it, just to get it out. He also had a desire to do many more takes of any given scene, and the differences could be quite stark. He continued…

Williams' desire to do multiple takes is well known. It's what led to a fabled, though not entirely accurately reported, NC-17 cut of Mrs. Doubtfire. He would throw every joke he had to see what worked.

Traditionally, multiple takes of a scene are done just to make sure that all bases are covered or that the best possible performance gets captured. The Dead Poets Society star, however, would drastically change his performance between takes, which in turn forced his co-stars to react differently as well. Williams, who was as good at dark roles as he was comedy, would sometimes try wildly different takes on his own performance. Skarsgård indicates that director Gus Van Sant (who was also at the screening) had so many very different Williams performances that the role could have been edited together in any number of ways.

Good Will Hunting didn’t win an Oscar in 1998 for Best Film Editing (though it was nominated), but perhaps it should have, considering the movie had so many scenes to choose from, and found the right ones to make Good Will Hunting a fantastic film.

Ever since the 2026 Oscar nominations got announced, I’ve been waiting to see if Alexander Skarsgård would have something dry and witty to say about his dad, Stellan Skarsgård, getting recognized for his performance in Sentimental Value. Well, now the son of the Academy Award nominee has shared his thoughts on his father’s nomination, and, as expected, it's hilariously blunt.

For a bit of context, this week, Stellan Skarsgård received his very first Oscar nomination. He was recognized for his work in Sentimental Value, and he was nominated alongside Frankenstein’s Jacob Elordi, Sinners’ Delroy Lindo, as well as One Battle After Another’s Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn. Considering Stellan’s long list of great movies, it’s a bit shocking that this is the first time he’s been recognized by The Academy. So, folks are celebrating. However, when the LA Times asked Alexander about his father’s big news, he simply said that he felt:

It’s the “I guess” that really gets me; it's hilarious. It’s also on-brand. In the lead-up to the Oscar nominations, both Alexander and Stellan joked about competing during the awards season. At one point, the Pillion star made a quip about launching a “massive smear campaign” against his dad. They also both talked smack about who should win during their Actors on Actors segment.

So, considering the fact that the True Blood actor literally told his dad, “You’re going down, old man,” it’s unsurprising and hilarious that he responded to the nomination this way.

Plus, the Murderbot star has a history of quippy and funny remarks about his family. One time, when his brother, Bill Skarsgård, was starring in Nosferatu, Alexander was asked if his sibling’s vampire was sexier than his True Blood character. In response, he said that Nosferatu was “pure sex,” and went on to deadpan that Bill’s performance was “okay.”

What all this should tell you is that The Northman star's reaction to his father’s Oscar nomination is very on-brand for him and truly hilarious.

Now, I’m wondering how he’ll react if Stellan wins. The actor did win a 2026 Golden Globe for his work in Sentimental Value, and he seems to be a frontrunner in the Oscar race, too. So, it’s entirely possible that he’ll take home more gold when The Academy Awards air on the 2026 TV schedule. However, we’ll have to wait a bit for that potential reaction, because the Oscars are happening on March 15.

In the meantime, though, you can catch up on all the work the father and son are releasing. Alexander has two movies premiering soon on the 2026 movie schedule, with The Moment hitting theaters on January 30, and Pillion premiering in cinemas on February 6. Meanwhile, Sentimental Value is available to purchase on YouTube if you want to see Stellan’s nominated performance.

As an awards watcher, I was really shocked to see that Sentimental Value was completely blanked at the Actor Awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards. This morning, the movie hit big at the Academy Awards with six nominations (see all the 2026 Oscar nominees here), including Best Picture and Best Director for Joachim Trier. Also, despite no nods from the Screen Actors’ Guild, it landed four acting nominations.

Sentimental Value Has Been Getting Lots Of Love

Renate Reinsve (Best Actress), Stellan Skarsgård (Best Supporting Actor), Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning (Best Supporting Actress for both) all received Oscar nominations this morning for Sentimental Value. This isn’t really a surprise to many. All four have been widely discussed as potential nominees. Until the nominations for the Actor Awards were announced a few weeks ago, the movie was getting a ton of love.

One reason that Sentimental Value’s snub by SAG was so shocking is that the movie got six nominations at the Critics’ Choice Awards and eight at the Golden Globes. Of the 12, only Skarsgård has taken home a trophy, for Best Supporting Actor at the Globes. Reinsve, Fanning, and Lilleaas all received nominations at both awards. Yet, they were completely shut out by SAG. Shut out!

Does SAG Hate Foreign Films?

It’s worth noting that this is part of a trend. Not only were the four actors from Sentimental Value denied noms at the Actor Awards, but Wagner Moura, who won Best Actor at the Globes for The Secret Agent, also missed out on a nomination. He was nominated for an Oscar this morning. Both movies are foreign films. In fact, there were no performances from foreign films nominated by SAG.

I don’t think the guild hates foreign films, though they have a history of not nominating performances from them. I think this is partly because it’s really hard to judge how great a performance is when it’s not in your native language. Especially in subtle performances, such as those in both Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent. It’s thrilling to see that these roles are being rewarded by the Academy.

Now we have two months to argue over which performances were the best before the 98th Academy Awards. You can tune in for the show with a Hulu subscription, where I know I’ll be watching on the edge of my seat to see who the winners are.

Extreme transformations clearly run in the Skarsgård family. Stellan Skarsgård famously spent hours each morning being covered in barnacles to play Bootstrap Bill Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Now it sounds like his son, Alexander Skarsgård, has taken that legacy somewhere even stranger, with a new role that required him to be fully sealed inside prosthetics.

The former True Blood star (available to stream with an HBO Max subscription) recently opened up about the experience in an interview with Variety, as part of a wide-ranging profile. Among the films discussed was the upcoming Wicker, in which he plays a mysterious creature made of grasses and reeds who forms an unlikely bond with a lonely character played by Olivia Colman. The role didn’t just require emotional commitment but physical endurance, he explained:

This means for long stretches of shooting, Skarsgård was essentially trapped inside the character, forced to communicate through exaggerated movement and presence rather than subtle expression. It’s the kind of constraint that turns even simple scenes into a test of stamina.

Naturally, the comparison to his father came up. Stellan’s transformation for Pirates of the Caribbean is legendary, with individual barnacles glued on one by one during marathon makeup sessions. But the Northman actor, who is not above smack talking his Pops, was quick to point out that the two experiences were demanding in very different ways, saying:

Getting the makeup down to a one hour application process is pretty impressive. But, shorter prep time didn’t mean an easier day, though. Once the Murderbot performer was sealed in, there was no quick break or adjustment. The trade-off was efficiency for intensity. After shooting for two weeks, he was reportedly given a full week off just to let his skin recover from the glue.

The restrictions also forced him to rethink his performance. With his face immobilized, the Legend of Tarzan lead couldn’t rely on the micro-expressions he’s known for. Instead, he had to go bigger, exaggerating movement and energy to stay readable on screen, especially opposite an actor as subtle as Colman.

That willingness to embrace discomfort fits neatly into Skarsgård’s recent career choices. From playing a chilling tech mogul on Succession to pushing boundaries in films like Infinity Pool and Pillion, he’s consistently chosen roles that challenge traditional leading-man expectations. Vanity has never seemed to be the point.

The family throughline is hard to ignore. Between Stellan’s barnacle-covered Bootstrap Bill, Bill’s transformative turns as Pennywise and Count Orlok, and now Alexander’s wicker-bound role, extreme makeup has become a Skarsgård tradition. In each case, the transformation isn’t about spectacle, but about fully disappearing into the character. Alexander does exactly that here, even if his version comes with a more claustrophobic twist.

Audiences won’t fully appreciate the extent of the transformation until Wicker arrives on the 2026 movie schedule. Wicker is set for its world premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2026, in the USA, with wider theatrical release dates expected later in the year.

Awards season is ramping up as is the amount of chatter surrounding Stellan Skarsgård. Having been recognized in a few ways as of late, Skarsgård is one of the many 2026 Golden Globe nominees, thanks to his highly praised performance in Sentimental Value. As for how his actor kids are taking in buzz their father’s success, his son, Alexander, is joking about launching a “massive smear campaign” against him this awards season.

Stellan Skarsgård has been nominated 23 times in the Supporting Actor category for Sentimental Value, as of this writing. Considering the sheer amount of nominations he's received as of late, it's feeling like a certainty that there's an Oscar nomination is in his future. Murderbot’s Alexander Skarsgård spoke about his father during an episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast. The younger Skarsgård is still trolling his pop, but he also had some kind sentiments to share:

Nothing like a little family rivalry to keep things interesting, right? I was already laughing at the father-and-son pair roasting each other after being nominated in the same Gotham Awards category this year. But a smear campaign? Suddenly, we’ve hilariously entered Succession-level family drama. With Stellan Skarsgård nominated at the Golden Globes for his drama flick and his eldest son snubbed this year for his role in Pillion, I can understand why the funny back-and-forth banter is still going.

On the other hand, as Alexander Skarsgård said, his famous dad getting awards attention does mean more family time together. Film festival appearances and partying it up with dear old dad does sound fun, to be honest. Of course, despite the funny father-and-son jesting, Alexander genuinely told Variety how proud he is of his father. In fact, here’s the talented actor’s reasoning for why Skarsgård getting recognition for Sentimental Value is so important for him:

I can imagine how “moving” it is for the Northman star to see his father still receiving praise. As Stellan Skarsgård has graced the big and small screens with his best works for six decades, it’s clearly a proud moment for his children to see that their dad’s success has never wavered from him.

Amid the see of family love, it's still priceless that Alexander Skarsgård is joking about starting a “massive smear campaign” against his dad’s awards success. But, all joking aside, it’s very beautiful that the Big Little Lies actor sees his dad being on the awards circuit as an opportunity to hang out with him more and continue to create a career legacy worth being proud of.

Tune into the 2026 Golden Globes to see if Stellan Skarsgård wins Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture. The show airs tonight, Sunday, January 11, on CBS at 8pm ET/5pm PT and will be available to stream live with a Paramount+ subscription.

Stellan Skarsgård and his son, Alexander, certainly have movies that have gained awards buzz as of late, and they've been beneficiaries of that. To that point, the father-and-son duo were nominated in the same category for this year’s Gotham Independent Film Awards. And, some time before the show, the Skarsgårds talked smack about which one of them should win Outstanding Supporting Performance, which was so delightful.

As of late, Alexander Skarsgård has been receiving praise for Pillion (which will hit theaters as part of the 2026 movie schedule) and Stellan for Sentimental Value. This year's Gotham Awards marked the first time the two had both been nominated for Outstanding Supporting Performance. We can thank Variety’s Actors on Actors for giving them a forum to talk trash. Check out the A+ Instagram clip below:

I love how Stellan Skarsgård looked his son straight in the eye like it wasn't going to be a friendly competition. I guess it was only a matter of time before the pair found themselves competing for the same prize. Some fathers and sons have worked together and won in proximity to each other. Father-son pair John and Walter Huston won separate Oscars for the rags-to-riches movie The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Also, Francis Ford Coppola and his dad, Carmine, who won in different categories for one of the best gangster movies, The Godfather: Part II. But to be nominated in the same category is a whole other ballgame!

The Skarsgård siblings have acted alongside each other before, and the same is also true for Alexander Skarsgård and his dad. They both appeared in the 1984 Swedish film Åke and His World and provided their voices in Metropia and Moomins and the Comet Chase.

I can't even imagine being the child of an actor and following in their footsteps, only to ultimately find myself pitted against them for the same award. Still, I can’t get enough of the Skarsgårds' playful exchange over the Gotham Award, and they really didn't mince words:

• Alexander: I assume that people believe it’s going to be all chummy and dad-and-son, and we’re supportive of each other.
• Stellan: No.
• Alexander: Sure, we are to a certain extent.
• Stellan: There are limits. And now, there are no gloves. Gloves off.

Oh, here we go, here we go! This is one of the best exchanges I’ve ever seen on Actors on Actors. Seriously, the humorously threatening facial expressions and quips Stellan Skarsgård is giving his son show he’s not playing around here. There's a legitimately competitive spirit at play here. At the same time, Alexander doesn't go easy on his dad:

Unfortunately, for both Skarsgårds, they lost at this year’s Gotham Awards. Following all of that competitive shade the two were throwing at each other, Wunmi Mosaku won for her stellar performance in Sinners (which is streaming with an HBO Max subscription). Of course, the shared loss doesn't take away from Stellan and Alexander's competitive drives as actors.

What we also seem to know now is that these two members of the Skarsgård family do poke fun at each other when it comes to awards. Now, I'm just imagining how much more intense (and funny) Alexander and Stellan's chat may have been had they both been nominated for an Oscar at the time of that interview.

Do you want to know one of my favorite paintings? It's Francisco Goya's Saturn Devouring His Son. One of Goya's “Black paintings,” which he apparently did right on one of his own walls, is the image of a crazed Saturn (a.k.a. the titan, Cronus, in Greek Mythology) taking chomps out of one of his children and has always fascinated (and terrified!) me.

So, when I heard that there was a movie called Goya's Ghosts that starred one of the GOATS of acting, Stellan Skarsgard, and another living legend, Javier Bardem, I knew I just had to watch it. And, watch it I did!

The 2006 film (It came out in 2007 in America) isn't perfect, but if you're interested in the time period, subject matter, and actors (Natalie Portman is also in it!) then this is just the film for you!

Firstly, It Displays One Of My Favorite Artists, Francisco Goya, In A Tight Spot

Now, even though I'm familiar with some of Goya's work, I really didn't know anything about him as a man until I watched this movie. Given how expressive and dramatic some of his paintings are, such as Witches’ Sabbath (The Great He-Goat), The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters, and The Third of May 1808, I always envisioned Goya as a sort of loner who kept quiet and just painted in solitude.

I never imagined that he was actually a commissioned artist who often painted nobility, but that's what sets the story in motion here. You see, Goya (Skarsgard) is painting a portrait of a priest (Bardem), and the priest sees a portrait of a woman (Natalie Portman) that Goya painted, and is attracted to her. He sneakily pursues her and then performs a heinous act on her, but I'll get into that later.

Now, while the film is historical fiction, I would still consider it a period piece that isn't boring (though, your mileage may vary). The movie takes place during the Spanish Inquisition, and Goya often finds himself caught in the middle when others have disagreements with each other, since he just tends to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I won't spoil how he tries to keep out of trouble, but it's really fascinating to see a version of Goya who is afraid for his own safety and has to think on his feet in order to not be in the crosshairs of the church.

Javier Bardem Is Terrifying As A Priest

One year prior to Javier Bardem terrifying America in No Country for Old Men (which you can actually stream for free right now), he was terrifying an audience in Spain with Goya's Ghosts.

In the film, Bardem plays Brother Lorenzo Casamares, a priest during the Spanish Inquisition. Being of such high authority, he can use the “rules” against people, and he does so to a young woman named Ines (Portman), who he finds alluring. Ines is later brought into questioning for being Jewish, even though she claims she is not, and confesses due to extreme torture, after which she is eventually imprisoned.

Bardem's character then does something truly heinous to Ines, which I'll get into in the next section. It's for this reason alone that he’s definitely a villain who steals the show (even though most would argue that Anton Chigurh is the more terrifying antagonist).

It's a really icky performance, and it makes me think about Bardem's work in Darren Aronofsky's mother! (which I still think about to this day). He can play charming, intimidating, and terrifying, all in the same scene. However, in Goya's Ghosts, he's all of these things, but also a coward, since he eventually flees once the tide turns against him (and it turns quite swiftly, I might add). It's a fascinating performance, and one of my favorites of Bardem's, which says a lot since I love pretty much all of his performances.

Natalie Portman's Story Is Infuriating In How Wronged She Is

Natalie Portman is a badass. I thought so ever since I first saw her in Leon: The Professional, and she continued to be badass in movies like the Star Wars prequels, and in Thor: Love and Thunder. But, do you want to know my favorite performances of Portman's? It’s the ones where she's super vulnerable.

I'm talking about movies like Closer, Black Swan, and Jackie. Well, I don't think I've ever watched a movie where Portman is more vulnerable than in Goya's Ghosts, where she is physically and mentally abused to such an extent that I got viscerally angry while watching this movie.

The reason why it's so infuriating is because of what I'd consider a form of Stockholm Syndrome, as she falls in love with her abuser. Brother Lorenzo is the one who pursues her, and when she is imprisoned, he at first prays with her, lowering her guard, but then forces himself upon her at a later time, which eventually impregnates her. Later, after being imprisoned for years, she's driven to insanity, especially after her baby is taken from her.

She's a wronged woman, and I'd love to say that she eventually has her day, but I can't say that. You're just left feeling bad for her until the very end because nothing ever seems to go her way. And, by the conclusion, you're left feeling empty and upset. Portman does such a phenomenal job of playing the victim in this film, that you feel you need to watch one of her more kickass performances to feel good for her again.

The Setting Is Vivid And Haunting

I'm a big fan of period pieces, especially when it comes to costumes. Not too long ago, I wrote about lthe Tim Burton/Johnny Depp musical, Sweeney Todd, and I spent a whole section talking about how the art directors did such a good job of recreating old-time London. I very much feel the same about this film and how it recreates 18th and 19th-century Spain.

The costumes, for one thing, are exceptional. Since Goya deals mostly with nobility, we see a number of nobles sitting around for paintings, or discussing their days while Goya is taking in the whole scene. We also see the religious side, with all of their garbs and get-ups. The contrast between the regal and the religious is not as stark as it probably should be, which I think is the point - the priests in this era WERE the regal ones.

We also see the grungier side of things, as once Ines gets thrown into prison, she is pretty much at the very bottom of the totem pole, no higher than the prostitutes of that era, which she soon becomes.

All of this really brings the time period alive, and I don’t think the film would work if the scenery didn’t feel so authentic.

Overall, It Is An Overlooked Gem From The Early 2000s

As a cineast, one of my greatest pleasures is introducing people to movies they might not have heard of before. I love that I can talk about a film like Black Narcissus from the ‘40s, and then a movie like Black Sunday from the ‘70s.

Well, it makes sense when people tell me they’ve never heard of movies from the ‘40s or ‘70s, but Goya’s Ghosts seriously wasn’t even that long ago. It came out in 2006. That said, it is from Spain, so it might have slipped underneath your radar.

All the same, if it sounds interesting, I suggest you watch it. It’s often overlooked in Portman, Bardem, and Skargard’s filmographies, so if you happened to miss this early 2000’s hidden gem, check it out.

Have you ever watched Goya’s Ghosts? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Mamma Mia just became available for those with a Netflix subscription again, which means a lot of people are going to be rewatching the beloved musical, and talking about it. As a longtime fan of both Mamma Mia movies, I want to get into the ongoing dad debate, because my blunt take is that it just doesn’t matter, despite people loving to argue about it.

I Need To Talk About The Ongoing Dad Debate In Mamma Mia

If you’re out of the loop here, Mamma Mia revolves around Amanda Seyfried’s Sophie finding her mom Donna’s diary from when she was a young woman. There she finds out that she had flings with three men around the same time right before she got pregnant with her. As Sophie gets ready to get married, she decides to invite all three of them to her big day in Greece, and they all come! As you can imagine, Donna is incredibly surprised to see them all again, and hijinks ensue.

The three possible fathers are Pierce Brosnan’s Sam, Colin Firth’s Harry and Stellan Skarsgard’s Bill (ugh, I still can’t get over how good the Mamma Mia cast is!). By the time the first movie and the sequel ends, we still have no idea which one is Sophie’s biological father, and it’s never been officially revealed. Pierce Brosnan recently shared that a third movie could finally divulge this information as chatter continues for Mamma Mia 3 – including questions about how the heck Meryl Streep would come back, but I honestly don't want to know.

Look I get why it’s interesting to people to theorize who Sophie’s actual dad is. I just read a Reddit thread that attempted to math it all out down to the day, but the more I’ve watched it I’ve personally given up on it, because I think knowing who the dad is actually missing the point of the movies.

I Think Something Else Is More Interesting Than Which One Her Dad Is

So technically if the movie was actually interested in telling us about Sophie’s dad, they’d have all the men take DNA tests, and there the answer would be, but notice how that’s never happened? I think it’s because the writers know that it’s more interesting that Sophie bringing Donna’s flings together to Greece and them all becoming this weird found family is way more interesting. I love how Bill ends up with Donna’s friend Rosie, and Donna and Sam end up falling back in love as a result of the whole thing. And, Harry might have a thing with Petros?

I think one of the reasons why I love this movie so much, is how it handles its three dads. The movie actually celebrates Donna being sexually adventurous and having multiple lovers when she was young, and her life turning into this dreamlike musical ride even though she was single and without a partner for most of her life.

It’s very rare for a piece of media to turn a young woman’s sexual coming-of-age this way. While sure, each of the men must be curious about which one of them it is, I love more how they become good friends with each other and everyone in Donna’s circle, and they all kind of mentally adopt Sophie because they were each charmed by Donna so much in their younger years. It totally defies the common trope of men walking out on women they randomly get pregnant, and it just makes for such a fun storyline. None of them actually raised Sophie anyway, but knowing they all stepped up when she needed them kind of make them all her dads, and that's sweeter to me than one of them being the dad.

Anyway, I’m sure I’ll be watching Mamma Mia again for the millionth time soon, and not bothering with this dad debate.

Bill Skarsgård has been impressing critics and audiences with his versatile roles. He’s managed to transform into very scary characters, including giving us nightmares as Pennywise in the IT movies and playing creepy Count Orlok in the recently-released Nosferatu. While the Swedish actor has raw talent, he thanks the A+ advice his father, Stellan, gave that clearly made a positive impact on his career.

We know that talent is undoubtedly an inherited trait in the Skarsgård family. The Barbarian star has acted alongside his sibling Alexander in the Swedish thriller White Water Fury. But Bill Skarsgård certainly can’t forget about Stellan, whom he credited in an MTV UK TikTok as his biggest supporter. Here was the A+ advice the Pirates of the Caribbean actor passed on to his son:

That doesn’t come as any surprise that a multi-talented actor like Stellan Skarsgård would impart wise wisdom to his 34-year-old son. This is, after all, the same Stellan Skarsgård whose best projects have him showing depth as Boris Shcherbina in Chernobyl and spent a ton of time in the makeup chair for Dune. Each role shows the physical and psychological transformations the Guldbagge Award winner has gone through during his career that his son unquestionably took after in his own film projects.

With all of the impactful roles that Bill Skarsgård has portrayed throughout his career, he’s without a doubt established his own identity as an actor distinct from his father and siblings. The Hemlock Grove actor may have been in the entertainment business since he was a kid, but he says he’s discovered something about his own talent that he carries with him going forward:

Bill Skarsgård has indeed proven himself to have a real understanding of his characters. The Castle Rock actor truly brought his own brand of creepy for Pennywise, like coming up with an unpredictable voice for the evil entity and a freaky trick he did with his eyes. His experience playing Nosferatu’s Count Orlok was no different in developing his vampire character and having to “inhabit” the dark role’s evil mindset. With Skarsgård a professional adult actor in the industry, it’s plain to see he takes his career seriously and isn’t afraid to do any grunt work to deliver a stellar performance.

Stellan Skarsgård absolutely gave Bill the most A+ advice he could give him to become the incredible talent he is today. Just like the Mamma Mia! actor isn’t afraid to go all out getting into character, his youngest son inherited the same courage with his own roles as well. You can draw up your own courage to see Skarsgård’s newest petrifying performance in the 2024 movie release of Nosferatu in theaters now. While you’re at it, don’t forget to see him reprising Pennywise in IT: Welcome to Derry, soon to come to your Max subscription.

Stellan Skarsgård might be known for his broody collaborations with director Lars von Trier (Melancholia, Nymphomaniac), for his Golden Globe-winning work in the HBO miniseries Chernobyl or as the terrifying Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in Dune and Dune: Part Two. But to some circles of the Internet, he's simply Bill Anderson from the forever rewatchable Mamma Mia! movies.

It was a joyfully silly role that was seemingly out of character for the otherwise serious Swede, an unexpectedness that the actor himself was taken back by when he was hired to not only act but also dance and sing, too, in the modern movie musical. Skarsgård relayed as such during a sit-down with Variety to discuss some of his most iconic roles: 

In both the 2008 jukebox rom-com Mamma Mia! and its sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again a decade later, Stellan plays one of the three former suitors of hotel owner Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep)—alongside Pierce Brosnan's Sam Carmichael and Colin Firth's Harry Bright—who are brought to Greece unbeknownst to Donna by her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) in the hopes that one of them is Sophie's dad. 

Brosnan and Firth weren't known for their musical bonafides either—Brosnan's singing, in particular, was memorably awful—so Stellan fit right in with the genre newbies. Of course, the rest of the Mamma Mia! cast was packed with musical-theater regulars like Christine Baranski, Dominic Cooper and Seyfried, so Skarsgård knew that the song-and-dance heavy-hitting would be left to them. For the three elder men, he says: 

And it seemed they did have fun, with Stellan citing a "Voulez-Vous" dance lesson with Colin that went awry: 

Who knows if Stellan Skarsgård will be back crooning and grooving as Bill Anderson in the much-rumored Mamma Mia 3. And Meryl Streep has an idea on how Donna could return for another sequel, FYI—but if he does, we will surely be seated. We like seeing the Swede get silly every once in a while! 

In the meantime, you can revisit the first two Mamma Mia! movies with a Netflix subscription. 

The Culkin brothers and the Skarsgård brothers are two very dominant acting families in 2024. For the Culkins, Macaulay is one of the most famous child actors of all time, and Kieran just had an incredible run playing Roman Roy on Succession, which won him several awards. For the Skarsgårds, Alexander Skarsgård's best projects include True Blood and Big Little Lies, as well as arthouse favorites like Infinity Pool and The Northman. In addition, Bill is best known for his star-making performance as Pennywise in the IT movies. With both families having such cultural relevance, some people on the internet pondered about who would win in a fight between the families, and Kieran Culkin recently gave his two cents on the matter.

In speaking to Entertainment Tonight on the Emmy’s red carpet, Culkin became aware of this bizarre internet debate, and he was very quick to give his opinion. A fight with the Skarsgårds did not seem like something the Succession cast member ever would want to participate in, and the mere size of them would ensure that the Culkins would lose. He said:

The interviewer brought up that some people on the internet thought the Culkins' speed and small stature would actually be an advantage in a fight, and they may be able to overpower the Skarsgårds with their nibble quickness. To which the 2024 Emmy winner doubled down and insisted that “size matters,” and the Culkins would definitely lose if they had to take on the famously tall Swedish acting family. 

The only way he thought they might have a shot was if the Skarsgårds were maimed and tied up before the fight. You can see his full answer in the clip from the red carpet interview below: 

As much as I want to believe that the agile Culkins could use their brains to their advantage to win against the Skarsgårds in a brawl, I have to side with Kieran Culkin on this one. 

Not only are the Skarsgård brothers very very tall, they are also in insane shape. Alexander Skarsgård’s physique in The Northman is mind-boggling, and he probably would be able to take on all six Culkin brothers by himself. And with the other five Skarsgårds in the mix, it doesn’t seem like a fair fight. However, I still loved hearing the arguments to the contrary. 

Even though this is a pretty silly debate, it’s exactly the kind of tomfoolery that Kieran Culkin probably loved hearing about. The actor has a wonderful sense of humor, he and loves an opportunity to joke around. He even couldn’t help but add in a silly jab at Pedro Pascal when he accepted his Golden Globe Award last month. This is the exact kind of witty energy he brought to Succession and his new indie film with Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain. 

This quality alone is probably why some thought he and his brothers could overpower the Skarsgårds, but unfortunately when it comes to a physical fight, as Kieran put it, “size matters.”

You can see Kieran Culkin in Succession with an HBO Max subscription. In addition, A Real Pain is getting tons of buzz out of Sundance, and it will likely have a wide theatrical release later this year. For more information on other exciting films heading to cinemas in the near future that star the Culkins and the Skarsgårds, make sure to check out our 2024 movie schedule. 

One of the most famous and talented families working in the industry today is that of the Swedish-born Skarsgårds — including Emmy winner Alexander Skarsgård, his brother and horror movie star Bill Skarsgård, and their father, Stellan Skarsgård. In addition to his long and storied career, the acclaimed patriarch of this Hollywood dynasty has also become the first in his family to become a part of the Star Wars universe as a member of the Andor cast on Disney+. 

In honor of this stellar achievement, we have compiled a showcase of our choices for the best Stellan Skarsgård movies and TV shows, with where you can find them on streaming below — and his aforementioned new Star Wars TV show is where we shall start.

Andor (2022-Present)

A young loner (Diego Luna) discovers that he can put his rebellious characteristics to good use by joining a secret, slowly developing war against the oppressive governmental system ruling over a galaxy far, far away.

Why it is one of the best Stellan Skarsgård TV shows: The actor plays Luthen Rael, who recruits Luna’s title character into the Resistance, on Andor — a thrilling, critically acclaimed series prequel to the events of the film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, from 2016.

Stream Andor on Disney+.

His Pirates Of The Caribbean Movies (2006-2007)

After Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) has helped break the curse upon his old ship, he enlists the help of Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) to break a curse upon himself and, later, engage in battle for the future of piracy itself.

Why they are some of the best Stellan Skarsgård movies: For one of his earliest collaborations with Disney, he joined the cast of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies — which many might agree are some of the best pirate movies ever made — as Will Turner’s cursed father, “Bootstrap” Bill Turner, in the second installment (subtitled Dead Man’s Chest) and would also reprise the role in the third film, At World’s End.

Stream the Pirates of the Caribbean movies on Disney+.

Rent/buy Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest digitally on Amazon.
Buy Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Rent/buy Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End digitally on Amazon.
Buy Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End on Blu-ray on Amazon.

His Marvel Movies (2011-2022)

The lives of an esteemed theoretical physicist (Skarsgård) and his colleagues (Natalie Portman and Kat Dennings) are changed forever when they become acquainted with a young man (Chris Hemsworth) who claims to be a celestial being banished from his otherworldly home to Earth and may be the planet’s only hope against an impending attack if he can reclaim his powers.

Why they are some of the best Stellan Skarsgård movies: Years later, he would join another franchise owned by Disney by appearing in one of the earliest installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline, Thor, as Dr. Erik Selvig — whom he would reprise again in 2012’s The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World the following year, Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015, and Thor: Love and Thunder for a brief cameo in 2022.

Stream the Marvel Movies on Disney+.

Rent/buy the Thor movies digitally on Amazon.
Rent/buy The Avengers digitally on Amazon.
Rent/buy Avengers: Age of Ultron digitally on Amazon.

Rent/buy Thor: Love and Thunder digitally on Amazon.
Buy Thor: Love and Thunder on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Cinderella (2015)

Following a chance meeting with a charming prince (Richard Madden), a kindhearted young woman (Lily James) unjustly treated by her stepmother (Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett) and stepsisters, is given the opportunity to find true love and escape her unfair life by attending a royal ball, with help from her fairy godmother (Helena Bonham Carter).

Why it is one of the best Stellan Skarsgård movies: The talent also stepped into the world of one of Disney’s most iconic and beloved animated classics by starring as the Grand Duke in director Kenneth Branagh’s genuinely enchanting live-action reimagining of Cinderella in 2015.

Rent/buy Cinderella digitally on Amazon.
Buy Cinderella on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon. 

The Mamma Mia! Movies (2008-2018)

On the eve of her wedding day, a young woman (Amanda Seyfried) invites three men (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgård) who could be her real father and, years later, learns more about the earlier years of her late mother (Meryl Streep) as she prepares for the reopening of the hotel she once ran. 

Why they are some of the best Stellan Skarsgård movies: Another time Skarsgård appeared in one of Lily James’ movies was when he reprised his role as Bill Anderson (and played his twin brother, Kurt) in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again — the sequel to the 2008 cinematic adaptation of the hit stage musical featuring songs by legendary disco group, Abba.

Stream Mamma Mia! on Starz.
Rent/buy Mamma Mia! digitally on Amazon.

Rent/buy Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again digitally on Amazon.
Buy the Mamma Mia! movies on Blu-ray on Amazon. 

The Hunt For Red October (1990)

During the height of the Cold War, a CIA analyst (Alec Baldwin) tries to prove that a Soviet Union submarine captain (Academy Award winner Sean Connery) is planning to defect.

Why it is one of the best Stellan Skarsgård movies: One of his first major English-language film roles was Russian Captain Viktor Tupolev in director John McTiernan’s adaptation of Tom Clancy’s novel, The Hunt for Red October — the first of the Jack Ryan movies and the only to star Baldwin as the iconic action hero character.

Stream The Hunt For Red October on Netflix.
Rent/buy The Hunt For Red October digitally on Amazon.
Buy The Hunt For Red October on Blu-ray on Amazon. 

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Eager to exploit the extraordinary mathematical talents of a young, aimless custodian (Matt Damon), an M.I.T. professor (Skarsgård) forces him to seek inspiration from a disillusioned therapist (Robin Williams, in an Oscar-winning performance).

Why it is one of the best Stellan Skarsgård movies: Inciting the plot of director Gus Van Sant’s inspirational coming-of-age story, Good Will Hunting — which earned Damon and Ben Affleck Oscars for Best Original Screenplay — is Skarsgard’s character, Prof. Lambeau, and his discovery of the reluctant title character’s genius.

Stream Good Will Hunting on HBO Max.
Rent/buy Good Will Hunting digitally on Amazon.
Buy Good Will Hunting on Blu-ray on Amazon. 

Amistad (1997)

Following a violent revolt on a Spanish slave ship, a group of American abolitionist lawyers work to prove that the African men aboard were captured illegally and, therefore, deserve to be set free.

Why it is one of the best Stellan Skarsgård movies: Also in 1997, director Steven Spielberg cast him in Amistad — another powerful, Oscar-nominated drama — as New York-based abolitionist Lewis Tappan.

Stream Amistad on Paramount+.
Rent/buy Amistad digitally on Amazon.
Buy Amistad on Blu-ray on Amazon. 

Chernobyl (2019)

At a nuclear power plant in the northern Ukraine, employees face deadly circumstances to prevent the spread of disaster in the midst of a colossal explosion in 1986.

Why it is one of the best Stellan Skarsgård TV shows: More than two decades after Amistad, Stellan Skarsgård appeared in another acclaimed historical drama — this time an HBO original miniseries from creator Craig Malin — called Chernobyl, in which he plays Boris Scherbina, who served as Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union at the time of the devastating historical event dramatized here.

Stream Chernobyl on HBO Max.
Buy Chernobyl digitally on Amazon.
Buy Chernobyl on Blu-ray on Amazon. 

Ronin (1998)

A former spy turned freelancer (Robert De Niro) puts together a team of outcast specialists like himself to find and retrieve a suitcase desired by rival Irish and Russian gangs.

Why it is one of the best Stellan Skarsgård movies: Playing one of DeNiro’s outcast cohorts — namely German computer specialist and former KGB associate Gregor — was Stellan Skarsgård in Ronin, which is a classic, international crime drama in the style of a heist thriller from director John Frankenheimer and screenwriter David Mamet.

Stream Ronin on Tubi.
Stream Ronin on Freevee through Amazon.

Rent/buy Ronin digitally on Amazon.
Buy Ronin on Blu-ray on Amazon. 

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)

A journalist (Daniel Craig) enlists the help of an anti-social, but highly skilled, hacker (Oscar nominee Rooney Mara) to investigate the decades-long disappearance of a wealthy industrialist’s niece. 

Why it is one of the best Stellan Skarsgård movies: In one of the few English-language films on his resume that is also set in his home nation of Sweden, Skarsgård plays Martin — the brother of the missing Harriet Vanger — in director David Fincher’s version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which is based on the gripping, bestselling novel by Stieg Larsson.

Stream The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo on Hulu.
Rent/buy The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo digitally on Amazon.
Buy The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon. 

Nymphomaniac: Vol. I And Vol. II (2013)

After discovering a woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg) badly beaten in an alley, a man (Skarsgård) takes her to his home, where she recounts all of the events that led her to diagnose herself as a sex addict.

Why it is one of the best Stellan Skarsgård movies: For his sixth (technically sixth and seventh) collaboration with writer and director Lars von Trier, Skarsgård appeared in the prolific and polarizing filmmaker’s raunchy, two-part drama, Nymphomaniac, as a man who enjoys reexamining the main characters’ sexual escapades as fishing metaphors.  

Stream Nymphomaniac: Vol. I and Vol. I on Hulu.
Stream Nymphomaniac: Vol. I and Vol. on Amazon Prime.
Buy Nymphomaniac: Vol. I and Vol. II on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon. 

Dune (2021)

In the distant future, a prince (Timothée Chalamet) haunted by horrifying premonitions and his family find themselves embroiled in a violent struggle for ownership over the most valuable resource in their galaxy.

Why it is one of the best Stellan Skarsgård movies: Currently, the actor is shooting his reprisal of the role of the ruthlessly oppressive Vladimir Harkonnen in the second half of Dune — director Denis Villeneuve’s visually stunning, star-studded, and multi-Oscar-winning adaptation of author Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi epic.

Stream Dune on HBO Max.
Buy Dune digitally on Amazon.
Buy Dune on Blu-ray on Amazon. 

If you are a fan of the Skarsgård brothers and are curious to see where their talents stem from, all you really need is to see the Stellan Skarsgård movies and TV shows above.

No one could have predicted that a movie based on a theme park attraction could attract multiple theme parks-worth of movie-goers into theaters around the world and spawn a massively successful, long-running franchise. However, that accurately describes the success of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movies -- starring Academy Award nominee Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow, Lord of the Rings star Orlando Bloom as William Turner, and Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann.

The trio would reunite with the main antagonist of the first film, Geoffrey Rush as Capt. Barbossa, but this time as an ally in what was initially said to be the third and final installment of the franchise. A decade-and-a-half has passed since the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End cast (also including Bill Nighy as Davy Jones, Naomie Harris as Tia Dalma, Chow Yun-fat as Sao Feng, and rock star Keith Richards as Jack's father) gathered for the high-seas adventure's world premiere. Relive that night and check out how the actors look today by swiping through photos in the slideshow below.

Thanks to the success of The Mandalorian and the fan-embraced final season of The Clone Wars, the future of Star Wars television has never been filled with more Empire-thwarting promise. One of the most anticipated Star Wars TV shows coming to Disney+ is Andor, which focuses on Diego Luna's Cassian Andor and takes place around five years before the events of the well-received Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. That film's success as a Star Wars spinoff movie, and its presence on Disney+, have helped keep fans stoked while waiting to hear more updates.

The new Star Wars spin-off series – for which Rogue One writer/director Tony Gilroy serves as showrunner – has arrived on  fans streaming devices as of Wednesday, September 21, 2022. However, in case anyone has any questions regarding where else they may have seen all the returning actors and actresses, as well as all the new faces entering into the franchise's canon for the impending spy thriller, let’s take a deeper look at who plays who in the Andor cast.

Diego Luna (Cassian Andor)

Expectedly, this Rogue One prequel tale wouldn't be complete without Cassian Andor himself, Diego Luna, who was one of the first to be attached to the project when it was announced back in 2018, which is great, since fans might have rioted over a recasting. In the years after Rogue One's 2016 release, Luna continued building up his career on the feature side, with the most headline-worthy films being the Flatliners remake and If Beale Street Could Talk. Luna's most recent TV work was Netflix's Narcos: Mexico, and he even more recently joined the DC Universe (sort of) by lending his voice to the DC League of Super-Pets cast in 2022.

Genevieve O'Reilly (Mon Mothma)

Rebel Alliance leader Mon Mothma's Star Wars legacy has spanned decades, covering three films and two TV shows. While Caroline Blakiston took on the role in Return of the Jedi, Genevieve O'Reilly donned the robes for Revenge of the Sith and made a surprise return in Rogue One, while also voicing the character in Star Wars Rebels. (Kath Soucie provided her voice for Mon Mothma in The Clone Wars.) O'Reilly's film output, which has been fairly light, includes appearances in The Snowman and Tolkien, though she's had regular roles on the Australian drama Glitch and the UK/Amazon Prime Video co-distributed drama Tin Star, starring Tim Roth.

Stellan Skarsgård (Luthen)

The patriarch of a Swedish family of actors, Stellan Skarsgård has long been a dependable addition to any production, be it art house drama or genre-centric blockbuster. It's definitely a blessing of sorts to have him joining the Star Wars universe via the Andor cast as Luthen – who is seen in the series’ trailer speaking to Cassian about a box he stole from the Empire. His most recent TV work was for HBO's miniseries, Chernobyl, for which he landed a Supporting Actor Emmy nomination, and his last time acting in a high-concept sci-fi production was when he joined Denis Veilleneuve’s Dune cast as Baron Vladmir Harkonnen. Skarsgård also already has  a good relationship with Disney, having portrayed astrophysicist Erik Selvig across five different Marvel movies – the most recent being Thor: Love and Thunder.

Denise Gough (Dedra Meero)

An actress who is, at this point, more familiar to UK audiences than those in the U.S., Denise Gough will be bringing her dramatic flair to Disney+ through Andor as Imperial officer Dedra Meero, whom the actor told The Direct was inspired by Mandalorian star Giancarlo Esposito’s Breaking Bad role, Gus Fring. Gough, who appeared with Genevieve O'Reilly in 2019's A Kid Who Would Be King, is probably best known for her work on the Showtime miniseries, Guerrilla, and the BBC miniseries, Paula.

Kyle Soller (Syril)

UK actor Kyle Soller landed the role of a fellow Darksider named Syril who, as he said during CinemaBlend’s interview with the Andor cast, could have easily joined the Resistance had his situation been different. Though he doesn't have very many U.S. credits to his name, Soller is known here for his work as the titular character's son on PBS' Poldark, as well as for the HBO TV movie Brexit. He does have ties to Disney+, however, with Soller voicing the colorful standout, Dante, on the animated series 101 Dalmatian Street.

Adria Arjona (Bix Caleen)

As a Lightsider who crosses paths with Cassian named Bix Caleen (according to EW), we have Adria Arjona, who began to develop something of a “Geek Goddess” reputation even before joining the Andor cast. She played Dorothy in Emerald City (NBC’s modern, limited series reimagining of Wizard of Oz), battled Kaijus in Pacific Rim: Uprising, played an occultist on Amazon Prime’s Good Omens, and encountered bloodsuckers in the Morbius cast in 2022. She also had a recurring role on True Detective Season 2, starred alongside Ryan Reynolds in Netflix’s 6 Underground, and was the bride in HBO Max’s Father of the Bride remake.

Fiona Shaw (Maarva)

As Cassian’s adoptive mother, Maarva (as Empire confirmed), we have Fiona Shaw, who is no stranger to playing parental figures (but usually not ones quite so loving) having starred in the Harry Potter movies as Aunt Petunia Dursley, 2018’s Lizzie as Abby Borden, and Killing Eve as Carolyn Martens. Also know for the Oscar-winning My Left Foot, the Irish actor’s other notable (and geeky) credits include 1993’s live-action Super Mario Bros. movie, The Avengers (not the one you think, but a 1998 remake of a ‘60s spy show), anthology horror TV show Channel Zero, and Netflix’s Enola Holmes.

If you were not already excited for Disney’s latest small-screen installment for the Star Wars timeline because of the stellar reactions it has received, perhaps the talented Andor cast will convince you to fire up that Disney+ subscription and enjoy another trip to a galaxy far, far away. 

It took less than a week for Dune: Part 2 to get the green light following the blockbuster theatrical release of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, and it allowed the fanhood of the beloved sci-fi franchise to breathe a powerful sigh of relief. We no longer had to worry that the 2021 movie would never have a counterpart to complete the adaptation of author Frank Herbert’s seminal novel, and could focus all attention on simply getting hyped for the sequel. Thankfully, the production has made this extra easy with some tremendously exciting casting announcements in recent months.

Obviously there are a lot of stars from the first Dune who will be reprising their roles in Dune: Part 2, but there are also a number of new big names who have signed on – and we’ve built this feature in the aim of highlighting all of them. It feels logical to start with the former group, so let’s start by talking about the actor who will be back to play the central protagonist in the sequel…

Timothée Chalamet

The journey of Paul Atreides has only just begun. In Denis Villeneuve’s Dune we see the prince-adjacent character see his life essentially go up in flames – his family and clan moving to a new planet before being all but wholly annihilated – and Dune: Part 2 will see him attempt to stop the evil forces of House Harkonnen and Emperor Shaddam IV. Timothée Chalamet is back to star in the sequel, having completed work on Paul King’s upcoming Wonka while waiting for production on the sci-fi epic to start filming.

Rebecca Ferguson

Paul Atreides isn’t totally alone after the fall of House Atreides, as at the very least he still has the protection and companionship of his mother, Lady Jessica. While Paul learns the ways of the Fremen in Dune: Part 2, Jessica will continue to teach him in the ways of the Bene Gesserit – hoping that her boy will achieve what has been prophesized. Rebecca Ferguson, who delivers a brilliant performance in Dune, has been busy recently filming the new Mission: Impossible movies, but she will be reuniting with Denis Villeneuve for the sequel.

Zendaya

While her role in Dune was heavily publicized, Zendaya really doesn’t have very much screen time in the sci-fi blockbuster… but that is something that is very much going to change in Dune: Part 2. After being the literal girl of Paul’s dreams, Chani is now very much a part of his life, and the two of them will grow very close in the next chapter of this epic story – working together to try and save Arrakis from the evil forces that which to control and exploit it. Outside of the Dune franchise, Zendaya is best known for playing MJ in the MCU Spider-Man movies and her HBO series Euphoria.

Javier Bardem

Javier Bardem is very much in the same boat as Zendaya where Dune is concerned. He has some notable scenes as Stilgar in the film, but the vast majority of them aren’t until the very end. That will change in a big way with Dune: Part 2, as a huge part of the movie will be Paul and Jessica becoming acclimated in Fremen culture, and that’s a world where Stilgar stands up as leader.

Josh Brolin

By the time the third act rolls around in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, audiences don’t know the fate of Josh Brolin’s Gurney Halleck. The character is featured trying to lead men in the fight back against the invasion of House Atreides on Arrakis, but the movie doesn’t feature a definitive scene that reveals his status. As such, this might be a bit of a spoiler… but Gurney Halleck is indeed alive, and he will be back in Dune: Part 2 once again played by Brolin.

Stellan Skarsgard

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is one of the most iconic villains in the history of the science-fiction genre, and Stellan Skarsgård does a brilliant job with his performance in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune. He’s not in terrific shape at the end of the movie, as he is healing from the last-ditch effort attack by Duke Leto Atreides, but he is very much alive, and he is ready to bring the hammer down on Arrakis in Dune: Part 2 now that his enemies have been cleared off the board (or so he thinks).

Dave Bautista

Serving as one of Baron Harkonnen’s primary agents of cruelty in Dune: Part 2 will be Glossu “Beast” Rabban, played by the terrific Dave Bautista. The actor has just recently wrapped filming on another sci-fi epic – namely James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – but he’s surely excited to once again work with Denis Villeneuve, with whom he collaborated on Blade Runner 2049 before they came together on Dune.

Austin Butler

Denis Villeneuve admitted in November 2021 that Feyd-Rautha was purposefully left out of Dune so that the character could have a “more elegant” introduction, and the actor who has landed the sought after role is Austin Butler – the star of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. Butler joined the cast of Dune: Part 2 in March 2022, and he will star in the sequel as a kind of counterpart to Dave Bautista’s Glossu Rabban. While “Beast” is all about brutality and strength, Feyd-Rautha is a villain who relies on intelligence and cunning (though, like every Harkonnen, at the end of the day he is a terrifying sadist).

Florence Pugh

Preceding the casting news about Austin Butler in Dune: Part 2 by just two days was the announcement that Florence Pugh has signed on to play a key part in the ensemble. She will be playing Princess Irulan in the hotly anticipated sequel, and without giving away too much to those of you who haven’t read the book, it may be a role that stirs up some controversy when the film hits theaters. The movie will provide a second opportunity for Pugh and Timothée Chalamet to work together, as they both previously starred in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women.

Christopher Walken

Fresh off his acclaimed performance in the AppleTV+ original series Severance, Christopher Walken is joining the Dune franchise – but he’s not just headed into space; he’s going to be running the whole show. It was reported in early May 2022 that Walken has signed on to play the role of Emperor Shaddam IV in Dune: Part 2. Presumably the movie will dig more into the relationship between the Emperor and House Harkonnen, who conspired to try and decimate House Atreides on Arrakis.

Léa Seydoux

Léa Seydoux has gotten a lot of blockbuster experience in recent years starring in the last two James Bond movies starring Daniel Craig, and she'll keep her run of big films going with a key role in Dune: Part 2. As was first reported in June 2022, she will be playing Margot Fenring, a member of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood whose husband Count Hasimir Fenring is a close friend an ally of Emperor Shaddam IV.

Souheila Yacoub

In July 2022, it was reported by Deadline that Souheila Yacoub has joined the Dune: Part 2 cast. In the blockbuster sequel she will be playing Shishakli – a member of the Fremen who notably provides Paul Atreides with the hooks for riding sandworms. It's not a particularly massive role, but it's an interesting casting choice given that the character in the book is a man.

Tim Blake Nelson

Tim Blake Nelson is one of Hollywood's most gifted character actors, perhaps best known for his delightful role in Joel and Ethan Coen's O Brother Where Art Thou, and he was revealed as a member of the cast of Dune: Part 2 in January 2023. Unfortunately, reports about him being in the movie did not include details about the part he will be playing (and he hasn't been featured in any of the film's trailers). It's one of two major franchise gigs that Nelson has going right now, as he is also set to reprise his role as Dr. Samuel Sterns in Marvel's upcoming Captain America: Brave New World.

Set to arrive in theaters almost exactly two years after its predecessor arrived on the big screen, Dune: Part 2 will be released on March 1, 2024. You can consult our 2024 Movie Release Calendar to find all of the new films that keep you distracted and not thinking about the long wait for the sequel.

You want to talk about one of my favorite modern musicals? Let’s talk about Mamma Mia!

From the brilliant songs that will surely make your head bop from side to side and get up out of your seat to dance to the fun romance that makes me smile each time, Mamma Mia! is a comfort movie at its finest, and one that I can get behind. But with a movie that’s almost fourteen years old (yes, you read that right, fourteen), one might be wondering where the cast is. 

Besides most of these actors appearing in the sequel, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! in 2018, everyone has been up to so many things, from starring roles in other musicals to major dramas and award-winning portrayals. Here is everything the cast of Mamma Mia! has done since their iconic roles. 

Meryl Streep (Donna Sheridan-Carmichael)

You want to talk about an icon, let’s talk about Donna in Mamma Mia!, played by an icon herself, Meryl Streep. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to her version of the very song, “Mamma Mia." Even so, Meryl Streep, of course, has been up to her knees in amazing movies and shows for years now.

In terms of movies, one of her highlights has been playing the legendary prime minister of England, Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, for which she won an Academy Award. Some of her other major roles that you might have seen her in are Julie & Julia, the musical film, Into the Woods ,the romantic comedy, It’s Complicated, the Netflix original film, The Laundromat, the biographical movie The Post (alongside Tom Hanks), the 2021 Netflix film, Don’t Look Up, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, and many, many more. 

While she focuses a lot of her talent on movies, Meryl Streep also appeared in some major TV shows, her biggest being a part of the Big Little Lies cast during Season 2. Coming up, she'll be appearing in a new TV series called Extrapolations, a new series at Apple TV+.

Amanda Seyfried (Sophie Sheridan)

The daughter of Donna, Sophie was a young woman who just wanted answers about her mother’s past in Mamma Mia!, and who could forget the sweet duet she shared with Donna in “Slipping Through My Fingers” together? Amanda Seyfried portrayed Sophie in the film, and has been quite active in movies. 

Amanda Seyfried did for a time appear in Big Love on HBO, but has mainly kept her talents to movies. Some of the highlights of her career so far include a starring role in Les Miserables, the horror film, Jennifer’s Body, The Art of Racing in the Rain, the Scooby-Doo film, Scoob!, the Netflix original film, Mank, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, and her most recent entry, A Mouthful of Air. 

Soon, she'll be appearing in The Dropout, an upcoming miniseries on Hulu, playing the lead character, Elizabeth Holmes. 

Christine Baranski (Tanya Chesham-Leigh)

Next up, we have Tanya, one of Donna’s former bandmates and a bit of a vixen herself with sass for days in Mamma Mia!, played by the amazing Christine Baranski. This legendary actress has been active in both movies and TV, with some big roles in the latter. 

For movies, Baranski's popped up in films like Into the Woods, A Bad Moms Christmas, Christmas on the Square, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, and more. 

But some of her biggest roles have been in television. While she’s had plenty of guest and recurring roles, one of her biggest parts thus far was portraying Diane Lockhart on The Good Wife, as well as on The Good Fight, for several episodes, and a role that she has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award numerous times. 

Coming up, Baranski has a starring role in The Gilded Age, a new HBO series, as well a role in the movie, Bad Moms' Moms, which was announced in 2019, though no new news has come out since. 

Julie Walters (Rosie Mulligan)

Next up, we have Rosie Mulligan, another one of Donna’s former bandmates who comes to Greece for this destination wedding in Mamma Mia!. Played by Julie Walters, the actress has made her way into the hearts of both movie-goers and TV lovers alike. 

With film, Walters portrayed Molly Weasley in the Harry Potter series for several years, becoming the family’s matriarch and everyone’s favorite mom. Besides that, she’s had roles in several movies like the Paddington series, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, the Pixar film, Brave, Brooklyn, Mary Poppins Returns, The Secret Garden and more. 

In television, she’s appeared in several limited series, including The Jury, The Hollow Crown, Indian Summers, National Treasure and more. She’s also used her lovely voice to narrate several documentaries, like Heathrow: Britain’s Busiest Airport and For the Love of Britain.  

Walters doesn't seem to have anything in the works as of right now, but I'm sure it won't be long until we see her talented acting on the screen once more. 

Pierce Brosnan (Sam Carmichael)

Next up, we have Pierce Brosnan, who played Sam Carmichael in Mamma Mia!, one of the three lovely men from Donna’s past. Brosnan has, of course, been up to his knees in work. This is one of the former James Bonds we’re talking about. 

In movies, Brosnan has starred in The Ghost Writer, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lighting Thief, Love Is All You Need, A Long Way Down, The Foreigner, the Amazon original movie, Cinderella, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, and many others. 

Brosnan has also had success in television since his appearance, appearing in the miniseries, Bag of Bones, adapted from the Stephen King book, and The Son.  

Coming up, Brosnan is going to be appearing in a variety of movies, including DC's Black Adam, The Medusa, The Last Rifleman and more. 

Colin Firth (Harry Bright)

Moving on, we have Harry Bright, another love from Donna’s past life, played by the lovely Colin Firth. Firth, like Meryl Streep, has had quite the career after his appearance in Mamma Mia!, mainly in movies. 

Two of his biggest roles thus far in film were portraying King George VI in The King’s Speech, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, as well as a main role in The Kingsman spy series as Harry Hart. 

Other big roles of his in the last fourteen years have included Dorian Gray, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Devil’s Knot, Bridget Jones’s Baby, 1917, Supernova, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, and many more. He did appear in the romantic comedy television short, Red Nose Day Actually on television, but other than that, he has mainly stuck to the big screen.  

Firth is set to appear in a new miniseries, The Staircase, as well as appear in two new movies called Kill the Light and Empire of Light.

Stellan Skarsgard (Bill Anderson)

Next up, we have the final man from Donna’s past life in Mamma Mia!, Bill Anderson, played by Stellan Skarsgard. He has been active in Hollywood for quite some time, and has only continued to prove how much of a powerhouse he is. 

In movies, one of Skarsgard’s biggest roles was being a part of the Thor world for some time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing Erik Selvig and appearing in both Thor and Thor: The Dark World, as well as The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Some of his other big roles in movies since his appearance have been Angels & Demons, Frankie and Alice, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Romeo and Juliet, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!,  Disney’s live-action Cinderella, 2021’s epic sci-fi film, Dune, and much more. 

Skarsgard has also had quite the career in television as well, appearing in shows such as Entourage, Quarry, River, and the HBO miniseries, Chernobyl. 

He’s also going to be a part of the upcoming Disney+ series set in the Star Wars universe, Andor. Alongside that, Skarsgard is set to appear in the sequel to Dune, as well a new movie titled What Remains, so you'll surely see him again soon enough. 

Dominic Cooper (Sky Ramand)

Moving on, now we have Dominic Cooper, who played Sky Ramand, the care-free guy that Sophie was in love with and wanted to spend the rest of her life traveling around the world with, even after their wedding was a bust in Mamma Mia!. Dominic Cooper has also had a crazy career, both movies and television. 

Like Skargard, Cooper also went into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the role of young Howard Stark in Captain America: The First Avenger. He would go on to reprise this role in both the short film, Agent Carter and the series it was based on, and voice the role again for What If…?, one of the latest Marvel series on Disney+. 

In terms of other movies, Cooper has popped up in a variety of genres, such as An Education, My Week With Marilyn, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Need for Speed, Warcraft, The Escape, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, and more. 

Cooper, however, has kept a lot of his talent to television as he had a hit AMC show, Preacher, that he starred in for four seasons, acting a priest who gets insane powers and gives him the opportunity to find God. Besides his big role here, he’s also appeared in many other shows like The Grand Tour, Spy City and others. 

The actor is set to star in the series The Dirty Black Bag as Arthur McCoy, as well as pop up in some new movies as well, including The Duchess of Malfi, Peacock, and Nightfall.

Niall Buggy (Father Alex)

While he wasn’t in Mamma Mia! for long, Father Alex was a priest who was literally just there to get someone married and wanted to get the heck out of there as soon as possible, and he was played by Niall Buggy. 

Buggy has appeared in a variety of projects with both movies and TV. In movies, he popped up in Mr. Turner, A Girl from Mogadishu and the TV film As Luck Would Have It. He’s had many appearances in television as well, having guest roles in shows such as Jack Taylor, Will, Cobra and others.  

Buggy doesn't seem like he has anything lined up just yet to work on, but hopefully it won't be long before we see him appear on our TV screens or movie screens again. 

Philip Michael (Pepper)

Last but not least, we have Pepper, the saucy bartender who was heavily hitting on Tanya and the center of the song, “Does Your Mother Know?” in Mamma Mia! Philip Michael portrayed the role, and ever since he’s kept a relatively low profile in Hollywood, appearing in independent films or the occasional guest role in TV shows. 

This includes, but is not limited to, The Londoners, Prank Lab, Major Crimes, Luke Cage, Things Eternal, and others. He’s also had appearances in movies like The Black Hole, Trees of Peace and more. His biggest role was playing Joshua Udenze in Fair City, a long-lasting Irish TV drama. 

But it seems Michael has a lot of work coming up, including a miniseries titled Southbank, and a couple of movies titled Pride of the Fist and Ulysses Coyote, so hopefully we’ll get to see more of him soon. 

I think we need another Mamma Mia! movie, but only that happens, I can at least rewatch this films and feel happy all over again. Great, now that song is stuck in my head.  

Dune has finally arrived, and audiences worldwide are experiencing Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epic in all its glory. The film has exceeded box office expectations and has become a critical success as well, setting itself up to be the next big must-see franchise in movies. The cast is stacked, as it includes younger talent like Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya as well as veterans like Oscar Isaac and Jason Momoa. Dave Bautista is also a standout in the movie, though even he witnessed some amazing acting and effects first hand. As a result, one star left him acting like a bit of a "fan-boy."

The actor, alongside his co-star, Stellan Skarsgård, spoke about the film's creation, their roles, and what they want audiences to feel when watching their performances. While speaking to the AV Club, Dave Bautista revealed a moment where he fanned out while filming alongside his co-star. He described vividly described the moment it all went down, saying:

Clearly, the Guardians of the Galaxy star had to take a step back and pinch himself, though I think most of us would have been geeking out as well. The scenes he shares with Stellan Skarsgård are all chilling and unsettling, so it’s funny to think that he was bottling all of those fan-boy feelings while filming. Still, the actor has never been one to take an opportunity for granted, so it's not surprising that the moment with his co-star was surreal for him.

Dave Bautista plays Glossu Rabban, the right-hand man of Baron Vladamir Harkonnen, the ominous villain of the film. The scene Bautista describes in the steam baths is one of the most visually striking in the entire movie and is enough to give anyone chills. The pair of characters are quite formidable, and this works in part because the actors playing them have great chemistry.

Thankfully, Dune 2 is now officially happening, so we can expect more of the two actors and their co-stars in these roles. Director Denis Villeneuve has spoken about the news of a sequel and how long it will take to get filming again. It seems like the next installment will begin filming in fall 2022, which would be a pretty quick turnaround. The ending sets up an exciting future for the franchise, and it'll be great to get more info on what's to come.

Dune is now playing in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.

Okay, sci-fi fans, prepare yourself. The highly anticipated epic Dune, a feature film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel, is finally almost here. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive. The sci-fi epic will feature an absolutely legendary cast including Timothée Chalamet as Paul, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.

Dune will finally debut in theaters on October 22, with a month-long simultaneous release on HBO Max. Critics have started releasing their reviews of the film, so let’s check out what they’re saying.

We’ll start with the home team, as usual. CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg, a huge fan of Herbert’s book, absolutely loved Dune, rating it 4.5 out of 5 stars. He thought it was spectacular and jaw-dropping and commended many aspects of the epic, one being the extremely talented ensemble. He also praised Villeneuve’s ability to translate the source material without compromise, something that will surely appease fans. Eisenberg did note that the film is defined by being a Part one (it’s an adaptation of only the first part of Herbert’s novel), so it doesn’t exactly provide conclusions. But that just means that this movie demands a part two, and Eisenberg said:

Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly is also singing Dune’s praises, though she echoed Eisenberg’s sentiments that this movie begs for a sequel that you can watch immediately after. Greenblatt commended Villeneuve’s stunning visual storytelling, though she thought that if anything falls flat, it’s the sandworms. She also enjoyed every performance, and noted that this epic is packed to the brim with legendary actors. But Greenblatt also commented that anyone not familiar with Herbert’s book might be a little lost. She said:

Deadline’s Pete Hammond thought Dune was “spectacular” and a much better adaptation of Herbert’s novel than David Lynch’s 1984 film. He commended Villeneuve’s ability to focus on the “heart and soul” of Herbert’s story, as well as the cinematography and score from Hans Zimmer. Hammond also praised the cast, noting that Chalamet was perfectly cast as Paul. He said:

David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter enjoyed the science fiction epic overall, but notes that viewers not caught up on the original source material might totally zone out. He highly commended the spectacle of the cinematography and direction from Villeneuve and the epic cast, along with the costuming by Jacqueline West and Robert Morgan and the production design from Patrice Vermette. But Rooney argued that the film doesn’t make the world-building digestible enough and lacks enough interesting action, saying:

Variety’s Owen Gleiberman thought Dune was spectacular enough… until it wasn’t. He argued that while the epic was mesmerizing in its world-building, it lost steam after a while and ran out of tricks, and became a lot less interesting. Gleiberman noted:

Well, that was a pretty mixed bag of reviews. Critics seem to enjoy Dune overall or remain a bit disappointed. But audiences will be able to decide for themselves when the epic release in theaters on October 22.

Be sure to stick around on CinemaBlend to see if a Dune sequel actually gets green-lit (Villeneuve remains optimistic about those chances). In the meantime, you can plan your next movie-going experience with our new movie release guide.

When Stellan Skarsgård was announced for Warner Bros.' adaptation of Dune, his presence added to an already stacked lineup. The celebrated actor was a great choice to play Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in the anticipated film. Given the Baron’s huge presence, Skarsgård needed some extra help to channel his character. The actor revealed how much time he spent in the makeup chair.

Stellan Skarsgård’s role in Dune will bring one of fiction’s most menacing villains to the big screen for the first time in over three decades. Given the Baron’s immense size, Skarsgård needed some time in makeup to become Dune's main antagonist. The actor revealed the following about the makeup process:

As Stellan Skarsgård told The Daily Beast, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen isn’t in the film very much, so spending hours in the makeup chair was a tradeoff. Skarsgård did give props to Dune director Dennis Villeneuve for recreating the atmosphere of the original novel. The actor seemed to love working with the director by calling Villeneuve “a beautiful man.”

The announcement that Stellan Skarsgård would play the Baron sent fans’ expectations through the roof. Given the actor’s past work, Skarsgård’s performance is bound to give a new twist to celebrated book and movie villain. His version of Harkonnen from the trailer appeared to more menacing and terrifying compared to the 1984 adaptation. So the latest adaptation seems poised to be a major deal in 2021.

Despite Stellan Skarsgård’s praise for the film and its director, Dune has faced an uphill battle to its 2021 release. The film missed its original date because of theater shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Things seemed to be fine once Warner Bros. announced a new release date. However, things quickly escalated when WarnerMedia and HBO Max announced their hybrid release plan, leading to Dennis Villeneuve expressing his disappointment about the decision. Some of the film’s stars even supported Villeneuve’s stance. WarnerMedia later admitted to not giving the filmmakers a bigger voice in the controversial release plan.

While the drama between Dennis Villeneuve and WarnerMedia has died down, Dune’s hybrid strategy might still be in question, with writer Eric Roth also questioning his return for a sequel. So the Dune drama seems to still be brewing, which has seemingly been there ever since the film has wrapped up. Hopefully this doesn’t sully the experience of Dune fans as they flock to theaters and HBO Max on Oct. 1, 2021.

One of the most anticipated films of 2020, Denis Villeneuve's Dune, is now one of the most anticipated films of 2021, which means that we now have to wait an additional year to see if the Frank Herbert story, which has been seen as "unfilmable" by some, has truly been done right, in a way that diehard fans will approve. We've seen only the briefest glimpse of the movie to this point, and with the delay it seems unlikely that much more will be revealed in the short term. However, one character who has been largely kept in the shadows, Stellan Skarsgard's Baron Harkonnen, may have been revealed thanks to a new action figure.

The only image that we've seen of Stellan Skarsgard so far is the less than clear shot of the actor in the image above. Beyond that, Baron Harkonnen, the man whose plot against the Atreides family is what sets the entire story in motion, has been left out of the film's marketing. For those not familiar with Dune, this figure, (via Paul Shirley on Twitter) gives away a big part of the reason why Baron Harkonnen hadn't been revealed. He is sure to a memorable character simply because of his size. Give it a look below.

While the action figure certainly isn't a perfect replica of Stellan Skarsgard, the packaging for the figure includes what appears to be a shot from the Dune movie itself, showing off the incredibly overweight Baron Harkonnen. In the book, the baron is so large that he actually requires the use of anti-gravity lifts to hold up his girth. If anything, this Baron Harkonnen looks smaller than I picture him. In my mind's eye he's a blob of a man who is only vaguely human shaped.

As the head of House Harkonnen, and an incredibly powerful man, The Baron's physical appearance shows how much he has let his power consume him. He has given in to all of his base impulses because he has no reason not to do so. His only interest in his keeping his power intact so that he continue his way of life. And so, when he begins to see House Atreides as a threat, he takes action against Duke Leto, played by Oscar Isaac. Director Denis Villeneuve has said that the Baron will be at least a little different in his version of the story.

On the one hand, Baron Harkonnen is the main villain of Dune, because it is his actions which force the characters down the various paths they take. At the same time, the Baron could not have conceived what his actions will actually cause. From one perspective he is the villain, from another, he is merely the catalyst.

While we now have something of an idea what Baron Harkonnen will look like in Dune, it will still be a big deal when he arrives on the screen. Perhaps a future trailer will make the reveal, unless Denis Villeneuve wants to make us wait for the movie, which is now set to release in October 2021.

New live-action Star Wars action won't be coming around until The Mandalorian Season 2 debuts in October, and even the news cycle has been pretty slow for the blockbuster franchise (beyond Ahsoka Tano casting). However, this week brought a pretty fantastic update in the form of casting additions for the in-development Rogue One prequel that will be focused on Diego Luna's Cassian Andor. These are the first new cast members that have been announced since Luna and and Alan Tudyk were announced as Andor and his K-2SO droid, respectively.

While the casting additions haven't been 100% confirmed by Disney+, as it usually goes, Star Wars' Rogue One prequel is reportedly in the final contract negotiations with Chernobyl and future Dune star Stellan Skarsgard and Poldark vet Kyle Soller to join the spinoff project's first season. It would be the first time either actor got involved with the Star Wars franchise, though Skarsgard has some history with parent company Disney (as well as Marvel).

At this point, the basic storyline for the Rogue One prequel takes place during the early days of the Rebels taking action against the Empire, and features Rebel badass Cassian Andor as its central hero. (Hey, at least we know he won't die in this one, right?) It's been described as a spy thriller that will presumably delve more into the intrigue side of the Star Wars universe as opposed to massive space battles.

To be expected, Variety's news report isn't exactly flush with details about the characters that Stellan Skarsgard and Kyle Soller are meant to be playing. As such, let's take a look at each of the actors and where else we know them from.

Having been acting professionally for over 50 years now, Stellan Skarsgard was arguably as big with American TV audiences in 2019 as he'd ever been, all thanks to the brilliantly crafted, Emmy-winning miniseries Chernobyl. (Interestingly, one of his other popular TV roles in the past 20 years was also on HBO, for the comedy Entourage.) The actor is more well-known for his theatrical work, though, and Marvel fans know him well as Erik Selvig, a role he played across the first two Thor films and in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Skarsgard will presumably play something closer to that role than to, say, his role from both of the Mamma Mia! musicals. Genre fans will be able to catch him later this year for Denis Villeneuve's star-studded Dune remake.

In slight contrast to Stellan Skarsgard's vast and expansive career, actor Kyle Soller's only been displaying his thespian talents for around a decade. The Connecticut-born actor relocated to England around his college years, and that's where a lot of his jobs have originated. He initially made his biggest waves in the U.S. with the short-lived Rob Lowe comedy You, Me and the Apocalypse and then as cousin Francis on the BBC/PBS historical drama Poldark. Most recently, Soller has already been building his relationship with Disney+ as part of the voice cast of the animated spinoff 101 Dalmatian Street.

Currently, there are no publicly stated plans for when Cassian Andor's Rogue One prequel will go into full-on production for Disney+, which is understandable. It will hopefully only be a matter of time before the project kicks into gear once Hollywood is able to start up again. In the meantime, stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more casting and behind-the-scenes news for this project, The Mandalorian Season 2, and the Obi-wan Kenobi standalone series.

The original Dune novel is one of the most acclaimed and influential pieces of sci-fi literature, and so far the tale has been adapted twice in live action. First, David Lynch got to play around with Frank Herbert's mythology for the 1984 Dune movie, and then the story was revisited in 2000 for the then-Sci-Fi Channel's miniseries, Frank Herbert's Dune (which was followed in 2003 by Frank Herbert's Children of Dune). Now Dune is finally returning to the big screen with Sicario and Arrival director Denis Villeneuve at the helm.

Denis Villeneuve has provided a few details about what to expect from his version of Dune, such as how the events of the first Dune novel will be told over two movies, but now the cast is also slowly coming together. Here are the actors who are headlining the project.

Timothée Chalamet

The first actor to be brought aboard for the Dune reboot was Timothée Chalamet, who has had en eventful two years. In 2017, he catapulted to fame for his performances in Call Me by Your Name, for which he earned an Academy Award nomination, and Lady Bird, and he also appeared in Hot Summer Nights and Hostiles that same year. In 2018, he only appeared in Beautiful Boy, but that was another big addition to his resume and he walked away with a Golden Globe nomination. For Dune, Chalamet has been tapped to play the main protagonist, Paul Atreides, who must lead a revolution to reclaim his family's rightful inheritance after it's stolen from them. This will be Chalamet's first time leading a blockbuster production, so even more people will learn just how talented he is.

Rebecca Ferguson

After striking it big on British TV as the lead of The White Queen, Rebecca Ferguson scored a role in the 2014, Dwayne Johnson-led fantasy film Hercules. The year after that, she played her most well-known cinematic character, Ilsa Faust, in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, whom she reprised last year in Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Ferguson's other notable credits include Florence Foster Jenkins, The Girl on the Train and The Greatest Showman, and in addition to Dune, her other upcoming movies include The Kid Who Would Be King, Men in Black: International and Doctor Sleep. But for the latest adaptation of Frank Herbert's work, she'll play Lady Jessica, Paul Atreides' mother, who convinces her son to seek help so that their family can overthrow their enemies.

Dave Bautista

Having already become an accomplished wrestler, Dave Bautista transitioned into acting, and once he was cast as Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy, his fame skyrocketed. In addition to reprising the socially inept warrior several other times within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Bautista has also appeared in Spectre, Hotel Artemis and Blade Runner 2049, the latter of which was directed by Denis Villeneuve. With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 indefinitely delayed, that afforded Bautista the opportunity to reunite with Villeneuve for Dune. Bautista is reportedly playing Glossu "Beast" Rabban, the sadistic, but not too bright nephew of Baron Harkonnen who aids his uncle with his nefarious schemes, including taking over Arrakis, which was previously controlled by the Atreides family. In other words, Bautista will be one of the villains.

Stellan Skarsgård

Next, we have Stellan Skarsgård. His biggest movie appearances include The Hunt for Red October, Good Will Hunting, Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang), Mamma Mia! (and its sequel), the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean installments and Cinderella. Like Dave Bautista, he's also a member of the MCU, having played original character Erik Selvig four times. Skarsgård has been tapped to play Baron Harkonnen in Dune, the story's main antagonist. Having hated the Atreides family for a long time, he initiates a series of events that lead to Paul and Lady Jessica being forced to flee Arrakis, resulting in Harkonnen taking control of the planet. For this movie, Skarsgård's Harkonnen has been described as being less of a caricature and more of a predator, with the full-body prosthetics encasing the actor making him look like a "rhino in human form."

Charlotte Rampling

After that, we have Charlotte Rampling, whose primarily known for her work in European cinema. In 2016, she earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance as Kate Mercer in 45 Years, and in 2017 she earned a Golden Globe nomination for playing Frances Turner in the BBC miniseries London Spy. Rampling's resume also includes The Verdict, The Duchess, Dexter, Broadchurch and Red Sparrow. Rampling cast been cast in Dune to play Reverend Mother Mohiam, a soothsayer serving Emperor Shaddam IV who is capable of determining a person's intentions and if they're lying, as well as manipulate their emotions.

Oscar Isaac

Following her, we have Oscar Isaac, who will play Paul Atreides’ father, Leto, who is the Duke of the House Atreides. Leto is also the main character of the Prelude to Dune trilogy that was written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Among Isaac’s most notable credits are Inside Llewyn Davis, Ex Machina, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, X-Men: Apocalypse and Annihilation. He’ll appear later this year in Triple Frontier, The Addams Family and Star Wars: Episode IX.

Zendaya

Next on the list is Zendaya, who is being eyed to play Paul Atreides’ love interest, Chani, in Dune. Chani meets Paul and Lady Jessica when they’re forced to flee into Arrakis’ desert, and as she trains alongside the two, she and Paul build a connection. After making a splash on the Disney Channel leading the TV shows Shake it Up and K.C. Undercover, Zendaya has since made the jump to the big screen with Spider-Man: Homecoming and The Greatest Showman. Her other upcoming appearances include Spider-Man: Far From Home and the HBO series Euphoria.

Javier Bardem

Further proving that Denis Villeneuve is not playing around with assembling a top-notch cast for Dune, Javier Bardem eventually joined the proceedings. He will play Stilgar, the leader of the Sietch Tabr, one of the Fremen communities on the planet Arrakis. Just like with Chani, Paul Atreides and Lady Jessica meet him when they’re forced to flee into the planet’s desert. Bardem, who is arguably the most well-known actor announced for Dune so far, has an impressive acting resume filled with movies like No Country for Old Men, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Skyfall and Mother!, to name a few.

Josh Brolin

2018 was a big year for Josh Brolin. Along with debuting as Cable in Deadpool 2 and reprising Matt Graver in Sicario: Day of the Soldado, he also finally got to snag the spotlight as Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, and he’ll do so again this year in Avengers: Endgame. Now it looks like Brolin will be staying within the sci-fi realm, as he’s signed on to play Gurney Halleck in the Dune reboot, a role previously played by a pre-Star Trek: The Next Generation Patrick Stewart. Gurney is the warmaster for the Atreides family and a mentor to Paul, and continues to aid the family even after they’ve been overthrown.

Jason Momoa

Jason Momoa has finally hit it big in the realm of movies. Although he’d already made a name for himself on TV through shows like Baywatch: Hawaii, Stargate Atlantis, Game of Thrones and Frontier, his first attempt at playing a popular fictional character in a cinematic setting, Conan the Barbarian, didn’t go so well. Now, however, he’s the DC Extended Universe’s Aquaman, with the underwater-dwelling superhero’s standalone adventure becoming the highest-grossing DC Comics movie of all time. Now he's appearing in Dune as Duncan Idaho, a skilled swordsman who is fiercely loyal to House Atreides. Idaho, whom Momoa described as "Han Solo-esuqe," is the only character to appear in all of Frank Herbert’s six original Dune novels. So there’s a chance, as rare as it may be, that Momoa, could appear in a lot of Dune movies, assuming of course he’s cast and if any of those sequel stories are adapted to film.

David Dastmalchian

Making his film debut in The Dark Knight, David Dastmalchian has gone on to build a solid movie and TV career over the last decade with projects like the Ant-Man films, Bird Box, Gotham, The Flash and MacGyver. Dune, however, marks his third collaboration with Denis Villeneuve, having previously appeared in Prisoners and Blade Runner 2049. Dastmalchian has been cast as Piter De Vries, a Mentat (a human who’s trained to perform mental functions on par with a computer) who serves Baron Harkonnen. De Vries is also infamous for creating a poison that stays in the body for years and requires an antidote to be regularly administered.

Chang Chen

After rising to prominence for playing the desert bandit Dark Could in 2000's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, he'll be returning to a sandy environment for Dune. More recently, Chen has appeared in The Grandmaster, Brotherhood of Blades, The Assassin and Forever Young. In Dune, Chen will take on the role of Dr. Yueh, who, in the books, serves as the personal physician to Leto Atreides. Unfortunately, Yueh is also unwillingly working for Baron Harkonnen, so we'll see if the movie takes his character in the same direction with the same consequences.

Stephen McKinley Henderson

While Stephen McKinley Henderson primarily works on stage, he has a healthy amount of movie and TV credits on his resume, including Tower Heist, Lincoln, Manchester by the Sea, Lady Bird, New Amsterdam (the Nikolaj Coster-Waldau-one, not the current version) and Devs. In Dune, he’s playing Thufir Hawat, a Mentat who has been loyal to the House Atreides for multiple generations.

Sharon Duncan-Brewster

Sharon Duncan-Brewster already has some sci-fi cred under her belt thanks to a brief Rogue One: A Star Wars Story appearance and showing up in the Doctor Who special “The Water of Mars.” That said, British audiences likely know her best from her roles on the TV shows Bad Girls and EastEnders, and she currently stars as Roz Marchetti in the Netflix series Sex Education. For Dune, Duncan-Brewster was cast as Dr. Liet-Kynes, the Imperial Planetologist of Arrakis who was Chani’s father in the original source material, but has been reimagined as her mother for this movie.

Dune will arrive on December 18, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on the reboot. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release schedule to figure out what movies are also hitting theaters later this year.

In the literary world of author Frank Herbert’s Dune, as well as the filmed interpretations of the first couple of novels from the canon, the character of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen has been a pretty outrageous presence to behold. With a larger-than-life stature and an equally outlandish personality, the character has entrenched himself as a shorthand for the ultimate villainy being aimed at the more heroic House Atreides. But director/co-writer Denis Villeneuve has changed the character in a key way, as he’s leaning more on a restrained and intimidating portrayal of the character.

With Marvel Cinematic Universe veteran Stellan Skarsgard cast as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Denis Villeneuve had a different approach in mind for this legendary Dune villain. As he told Vanity Fair in a recent interview, his reasons included some pretty key details as to why there was such a switch:

A man described as looking like a rhino in the prosthetic work that Denis Villeneuve’s Dune required Stellan Skarsgard to wear, the “mammoth” Baron Harkonnen is an extravagant character of Machiavellian means. But past portrayals have ranged from Ian McNiece’s mildly theatric schemer in the Sci-Fi Channel’s Dune miniseries to Kenneth McMillan’s over-the-top portrayal in David Lynch’s 1984 theatrical version.

Kenneth McMillan in particular has been the memorable high bar for over-the-top Harkonnen action, as you’ll see in the clip from David Lynch’s variant of the story:

As we keep seeing new looks at the characters of Dune in their current incarnations, witnessing Stellan Skarsgard’s Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is something that fans and newcomers alike must have been looking forward to prior to this moment. But now, with a character description that leans harder on Skarsgard’s handsome and imposing features, rather than just letting the character be a massive figure of ugly lechery, these new depths make getting that first look even more tantalizing.

We’ll probably get that first look soon, as not only has a drip feed of photos started making their way online, but it could be assumed that with Dune still slated to open this winter, a trailer is on the horizon. For now, we’ll have to wait and see whether or not Dune still makes its December 18 release, and if we do get to see Baron Harkonnen rear his devious face on our screens in the near future.

For the first time since 2014, zero Star Wars movies are slated to come out this year. But, that doesn’t mean some badass sci-fi action isn’t coming our way. The visionary filmmaker behind Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 is adapting Frank Herbert’s Dune for the big screen this December. Denis Villeneuve’s feature adaptation of the 1965 classic novel is not only an incredibly highly-anticipated 2020 movie, it’s packed with an absurdly-talented cast. Check them out and read up on the Dune characters they’ll be portraying here:

Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet)

Dune’s central character is young Paul Atreides, who is the heir to the noble family that rules the planet of Arrakis. But since Arrakis is home to the most valuable substance in the universe “The Spice”, his family becomes threatened by rival house Harkonnen. Paul must then lead an uprising against them with the help of a desert tribe. Dune’s protagonist will be played by Oscar-nominated 24-year-old Timothée Chalamet. He’s well known for his roles in Call Me By Your Name, Beautiful Boy and Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird and Little Women.

Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac)

Paul Atreides’ father is Duke Leto, who the leader of House Atreides and the main character of the 1999 to 2001 prequel book trilogy, Prelude To Dune. Duke Leto is a compassionate and fair leader who is asked by the world’s Emperor to leave Caladan with his family and manage Arrakis. But, with this new power comes betrayal. Duke Leto will be played by Star Wars’ Poe Dameron. Oscar Isaac’s other notable works are in the Coen Brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis, Ex Machina and Netflix’s Triple Frontier.

Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson)

Duke Leto’s wife and Paul’s mother is Lady Jessica who will be played by Rebecca Ferguson in the upcoming Dune movie. Lady Jessica is actually the illegitimate daughter of Baron Harkonnen, who the central villain. She is raised to give birth to a powerful daughter who will have all the memories of their ancestors and see into the future. But, she falls in love with Leto and disobeys orders when she gives birth to a son instead. Ferguson is famously Ilsa Faust in the Mission: Impossible franchise and appeared in The Greatest Showman and Doctor Sleep.

Chani Kynes (Zendaya)

Paul Atreides' love interest in Dune is Chani Kynes. When Paul and his mother are forced to flee Arrakis, they meet Chani, who trains with them and the two young characters form a romantic connection. She is part of a group of travel Fremen the mother and son come across. After an early career on Disney Channel’s Shake It Up and K.C. Undercover, Zendaya has made a name for herself with roles in The Greatest Showman, as MJ in the MCU’s Spider-Man movies and HBO’s Euphoria.

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård)

Dune’s antagonist is Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, who is the ruler of House Harkonnen. He has a strong dislike for the Atriedes family that spans decades before they come to Arrakis. Vladimir is the villain behind the events that force Paul and Lady Jessica to flee their home and the force Paul must ultimately face as he molds his uprising. The Baron will be played by Stellan Skarsgård, who is known for his roles in Good Will Hunting, the Mamma Mia! movies and as Erik Selvig in the MCU.

Glossu ‘Beast’ Rabban (Dave Bautista)

Baron Harkonnen’s evil-doings are accompanied by his brutal but shallow nephew, Glossu ‘Beast’ Rabban. He helps his uncle with his schemes to take over Arrakis and therefore acts as a secondary villain in Dune. The character will be played by Dave Bautista who is an accomplished wrestler and famously Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Bautista worked with Denis Villeneuve in Blade Runner 2049, along with finding roles in Spectre and Stuber.

Stilgar (Javier Bardem)

Perhaps the most legendary name on Dune’s cast list is Javier Bardem, who will portray the leader of the Fremen tribe, Stilgar. Paul and his mother come across him while on the run from the Harkonans in the desert and he gives them shelter. Bardem is an incredible character actor who has starred in the Coen Brothers’ No Country For Old Men, Skyfall and Mother!

Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin)

Looks like Dune is going to be a No Country For Old Men reunion since Josh Brolin is also part of the cast. The actor, who recently portrayed famous Marvel villains Cable in Deadpool 2 and Thanos in the MCU, is finally playing a more good-natured character for Dune. Gurney Halleck is Warmaster for the Atreides family and mentor to Paul. He’s loyal to the family and a key friend in Dune. Star Trek: Picard’s Patrick Stewart played the character in the 1984 version.

Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa)

Another good guy in Dune will be Jason Momoa’s Duncan Idaho, who is a skilled swordmaster, ladies’ man and fiercely loyal to the Atreides family. Idaho is the only character to have a role in all six Dune novels, so depending on how well the movie does, Jason Momoa could have another franchise on his hands. The actor is, of course, known for playing Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones and Aquaman in the DC Universe.

Piter De Vries (David Dastmalchian)

After finding a role in Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners back in 2013 and then again in Blade Runner 2049, David Dastmalchian is collaborating with the filmmaker again for Dune. He will play the twisted and sadistic Piter de Vries, who is a “mentat” who serves under the House Harkonnen. Mentats are humans trained to perform computer-like functions. Dastmalchian has been seen in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, the Ant-Man movies and DC shows Gotham and The Flash.

Reverend Mother Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling)

Finally, Oscar-nominated British actress Charlotte Rampling will also play a key role in Dune. The Oscar-nominated actress will play Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam. She is a truthsayer who serves the Emperor and has powers to sense the intentions of others (including if what they say is the truth or a lie) and manipulate their emotions. She is a mentor to Lady Jessica and is interested in Paul’s unique and unusual potential. Rampling is known for her roles in 45 Years, London Spy and Never Let Me Go.

Excited for Denis Villeneuve’s Dune yet? The sci-fi epic hits theaters on December 18.

Too often there have been instances of studios interfering with the making of a Hollywood production, resulting in the final product coming off as generic at best, mediocre at worst. Stellan Skarsgård, one of the stars of the upcoming Dune, believes this won’t be a fate that befalls Denis Villeneuve’s take on the classic Frank Herbert novel, as from what he’s seen, Villeneuve is being given plenty of freedom. In Skarsgård’s words:

Dune began principal photography back in March and finished rolling cameras in July, though with a long post-production process and reshoots potentially being scheduled, it’s possible the studio, Warner Bros, might take a more active hand later on in the creative process. But for now, per Stellan Skarsgård’s comments to Collider, Dune fans needn’t worry about any interference on Denis Villeneuve’s latest directorial endeavor, as in addition to being a faithful adaptation to the original Dune book, it’ll also has his personal stamp on the material.

Denis Villeneuve already has some experience in the science fiction realm through Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, and after saying in 2015 that it was a “longstanding dream” of his to adapt Dune, he officially signed on to the movie in early 2017. Rather than adapt all of Dune into one movie like the David Lynch cinematic adaptation (which was critically maligned, but has gone on to become a cult classic), Villeneuve’s Dune will cover roughly the first half of the book, with the second half being covered in a sequel if the first movie does well.

Of course, anyone familiar with Dune knows there’s a lot more stories to be adapted beyond the one that started it all in 1965. So if Dune does launch a full-blown film franchise, it’ll be interesting to see if Denis Villeneuve sticks around or if he passes the creative reins to someone else. Villeneuve will also direct the pilot for the HBO Max spinoff series Dune: The Sisterhood.

Stellan Skarsgård is playing Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, the primary antagonist who seizes control of the planet Arrakis, the only source of the valued, mind-altering substance spice, from the Atreides family. Skarsgård is part of an ensemble that includes Timothée Hal Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem and David Dastmalchian, among others.

Dune opens in theaters on December 18, 2020, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for continuing coverage on how it’s coming along. You can also find out what else is coming out next year in our 2020 release schedule.

We’re almost a year removed from Avengers: Infinity War and like the Avengers themselves, we are still tallying the losses from The Decimation wrought by Thanos. Thanks to the posters for Avengers: Endgame, we recently learned that Shuri is indeed among the fallen, and the Avengers will not be able to rely on her brilliance for the war to come. Now a new clip for the upcoming film has revealed that another character, one we haven’t seen in a while, was dusted: Stellan Skarsgård’s Dr. Erik Selvig. Take a look:

We’ve seen a bunch of shots like this in the marketing for Avengers: Endgame, where the various surviving heroes look at images of all the missing and dead friends and teammates who fell during Infinity War. As you can see on the left of this screenshot, the new clip from Avengers: Endgame shows that Dr. Erik Selvig, the astrophysicist from the Thor films, has also been reduced to dust.

We last saw Dr. Selvig in Avengers: Age of Ultron, where he was one of the team members working at the new Avengers facility in Upstate New York. There he, along with his team of scientists, was presumably working to help the Avengers and the world protect itself against new threats. As Captain Marvel is being shown in the screenshot above and we now see, his mind and knowledge will not be on available to aid the Avengers this time around.

It’s been so long since we’ve seen him that you might have forgotten about Dr. Selvig, but the revelation of his dusting just reminds us that he was a part of this world and the scope of what Thanos did. All the characters we’ve met over the years of the MCU that were still alive at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War were subject to the indiscriminate culling of The Decimation.

With all that said, here’s where things get interesting. We thought Dr. Erik Selvig was alive. The human trio of the first Thor film, Stellan Skarsgård’s Dr. Selvig, Kat Dennings’ Darcy Lewis and Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster, all seemed to have survived the snap because they all appear in the novel Avengers: Infinity War: The Cosmic Quest Volume Two: Aftermath.

That book by Brandon T. Snider is about the aftermath of The Decimation. In it, Dr. Selvig and Darcy set out to find and understand the cause of the devastation and in their quest they are aided by Jane Foster. The three are dubbed the “Science Avengers.” So, how can Dr. Selvig be dead in this clip from Avengers: Endgame if he is one of the main characters in an entire book set after Avengers: Infinity War?

One possibility is that Dr. Selvig is only presumed dead. I’m sure with over 3 billion people snapped out of existence at once, it would take a while to know for sure who is and isn’t still alive. We’ve also seen the Avengers looking at an image of Scott Lang in these kinds of scenes in the trailers so they can be wrong. Of course, he was in the Quantum Realm.

We also know that Marvel is totally willing to add footage and change things and design the trailers to throw us off so that we don’t know too much when we see the film. That could be a possibility here, but that effort for a character we haven’t seen in an entire Phase would seem unnecessary.

I don’t know that we’ll get a firm answer that clears up this disparity, but if I were to guess, I would say that sometimes the simplest answer is the correct one. This is just a book and I don’t think Marvel is super concerned about the canonical complications from it. The movies are what takes precedence and are the official canon. We see this in Star Wars too, where the books are supposed to be canon, but their level of tie-in with the new films has amounted to a few Easter eggs at best.

So I think we can probably count Dr. Selvig among those hoping for an undusting until we hear otherwise. You can check out the new clip with Dr. Selvig’s digital headstone in the video below.

Avengers: Endgame arrives on April 26. Check out our 2019 release schedule to keep track of all the biggest movies coming this year.

Frank Herbert’s beloved Dune sci-fi novels are soon getting a second chance at the big screen, thanks to Denis Villenueve’s upcoming adaptation. The Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 director cast just about all of Hollywood. Timothée Chalamet stars as Paul Atreides, with more from Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, most recently Jason Momoa… oh and Stellan Skarsgård, who had this to say about all the exciting casting news:

The cast is quite literally brimming with talent and even includes some members of the MCU -- including MJ (Zendaya), Thanos (Josh Brolin), Drax (Dave Bautista), and Stellan Skarsgård’s Erik Selvig. So the actor isn’t too far off! Duners, assemble?

Stellan Skarsgård -- who is well known for his roles in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Good Will Hunting, and Mamma Mia! -- will be playing Dune’s main antagonist, Vladimir Harkonnen. He initiates a series of events that force Paul Atreides and his mother Lady Jessica to flee the planet of Arrakis, so he can take control of it. Paul then must lead a rebellion to restore control over the desert planet.

It’s an exciting project that has quickly become a highly-anticipated release with all the stars onboard -- and with the Oscar-nominated director behind Prisoners and Sicario at the helm.

Dune however doesn’t have an impressive track record of translating well to screen, because of the novel's dense content. In 1984, David Lynch adapted the film with Kyle MacLachlan as the star and it bombed at the box office and received negative reception. Even with all these talented actors, making another Dune could be a financial gamble. To Collider, Stellan Skarsgård continued with these words:

While the actor seems to understand the risk that comes with remaking Dune, he sounds eager to get started on the project that is set to begin filming this spring.

Besides all the stars who have signed on to Dune to get people excited, Denis Villenueve has also teased that the film will be like “Star Wars for adults” and he’s planning to cover the first half of the book in this movie and save the rest for planned sequels. The sci-fi movie has a release date set for November 20, 2020.

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

First published in 1965, Frank Herbert’s Dune is regarded as one of the great sci-fi epics of the 20th century. It was a hit that not only spawned five Herbert-written sequels, but 14 more after the author’s death, and a franchise that includes comics, TV shows, and video games.

The disappointments of the past have not dissuaded Hollywood from trying to give the franchise another shot, though, and now a brand new adaptation is in the works. The project is coming along quickly, so we’ve put together this guide to help you keep up to date with everything that’s going on. When will we see this new version of Dune? What’s the approach franchise-wise? Who are the stars? All of that and more will be explained, so read on and learn all about this tremendously exciting project!

What Is Dune’s Release Date?

Back in early 2017, between the releases of Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, director Denis Villeneuve announced that he was pumping the brakes a bit and wasn’t going to immediately jump into his next film, which was already set up to be Dune. As a result, for the longest time we didn’t know exactly when we would actually see the specific vision come to life, but now it's actually almost here.

Dune was originally supposed to be released in December 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic impacted both plans for reshoots and theatrical distribution, so Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures made the decision to bump the film to October 2021. Though it was originally set to arrive at the start of the month, that date has since been pushed back to October 22, 2021. In addition to playing on the big screen, that date will also see the launch of the sci-fi blockbuster on HBO Max – though it will only be made available to subscribers to the streaming service for 31 days.

What Is Dune’s Rating?

While Dune has some thrilling, scary, and violent moments, it's also not exactly a story that is overstuffed with gore, sex, and curse words. That in mind, and also recognizing that the studios behind the movie want it to kick start a franchise, makes it perfectly understandable that when Dune arrives in theaters later this year it will be sporting a PG-13 rating from the MPAA. The certification was given for, "sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images and suggestive material."

Dune’s Writers And Director

This latest version of Dune has been in the works since late 2016, when Legendary Entertainment acquired the rights to Frank Herbert’s novel, and it didn’t take the studio long to find the filmmakers they wanted to dive into the sand world of Arrakis. It was less than a month after the trade announcement about the project’s development that Denis Villeneuve signed on to direct.

A French-Canadian filmmaker, Villeneuve broke out with his 2010 drama Incendies, which earned an Academy Award nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. Continuing to collaborate with genius actors and filmmakers, he went on a tear between 2013 and 2015 directing hailed features Prisoners, Enemy and Sicario, and since then he has been on a big science-fiction kick. Arrival was his first film to win an Oscar (for Best Sound Editing), and Blade Runner 2049 followed up with its own win in the Best Cinematography category.

Dune will be the first time since Indendies that Denis Villeneuve is credited as a writer/director, though he does have some collaborators working on the script. Eric Roth – who won an Academy Award for Forrest Gump in 1995 and was most recently nominated for writing Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born – is collaborating on the script, as is Jon Spaihts, whose credits include Ridley Scott's Prometheus, Scott Derrick's Doctor Strange, and Morten Tyldum's Passengers.

As for the approach they are taking, production will not be taking on the monumental effort of jamming all of Frank Herbert’s tome into a single two hour-plus feature. Instead, Legendary and Warner Bros. are taking an approach similar to the one taken with Stephen King’s IT, splitting the story into two features (with the making of the second feature dependent on the success of the first). But, it is unknown as of now where exactly Dune will bifurcate its source material.

The Characters And Cast Of Dune

Part of what makes Dune so special as a story is how remarkable its scope is – not only in terms of the universe that it builds, but also its diverse cast of characters. Denis Villeneuve's production faced an early challenge trying to find all of the right actors to play these parts, but what the casting department has accomplished is remarkable. On paper, the upcoming blockbuster features one of the best casts we've seen from a movie of scale.

Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet)

As you’ll understand as you keep reading this feature, Dune is a story with a big cast of key players, but Paul Atreides is the true protagonist – which is why it makes a lot of sense that it was the first role cast for Denis Villeneuve’s new film. What’s more, the project roped in a true “get,” as it will be Timothée Chalamet playing the key role in the blockbuster. The young actor notably does have some sci-fi experience on his resume - specifically Christopher Nolan's Interstellar - but in recent years it has been his performances in films like Call Me By Your Name, Lady Bird, and Beautiful Boy that have led critics to hail him as one of the best of his generation.

Dune is very much about the maturation of young Paul Atreides, who grows from being an intelligent, strong-willed young man to a commanding messiah between the first and last pages of the book. He is the son of the noble Duke Leto Atreides, who at the beginning of the story accepts the stewardship of the planet Arrakis, despite knowing that it’s part of a trap set up by the all-powerful Emperor. Prior to his arrival on the desert world, Paul is trained in the ways of the Bene Gesserit (an influential religious order) by his mother, Lady Jessica, and there is hope and suggestion that he may be the Kwisatz Haderach – a super-being with the ability to view all time simultaneously.

Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson)

Like her son, Lady Jessica also has a very important role to play within the universe of Dune, though saying too much would spoil surprises not likely to arrive before the second movie. She is able to train Paul in the ways of the Bene Gesserit because she is a member of the group herself – giving her abilities such as extreme mindfulness and “the Voice,” which she can use to manipulate the actions of others.

Rebecca Ferguson has been tapped to play this legendary science-fiction heroine, signing on to the film just a couple of months after Timothee Chalamet. It could be an excellent new franchise for the actress, though it’s worth noting that it will join a list that already includes Mission: Impossible and Men In Black. She most recently starred as the villainous Rose The Hat in Doctor Sleep, the Mike Flanagan-directed adaptation of Stephen King’s sequel to The Shining.

Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac)

Oscar Isaac has firmly established himself as a star who makes everything he’s a part of better – and now he’s ready to add another massive sci-fi franchise to his resume. Apparently being Poe Dameron in the Star Wars universe just wasn’t enough for him, as he’s set up with what should be a crucial role in Dune.

Duke Leto Atreides is a well-regarded and respected leader when we meet him in the story, though the goodness that he represents is also seen as a threat – hence the aforementioned trap set by the Emperor. Even though he knows he is being set up, Leto sees huge things for the future of Arrakis, which is most notably the only source of the most powerful substance in the universe: a drug called Melange a.k.a. “The Spice.” While the world has long been known simply as a mining planet, he wants to change things, particularly by forging a better relationship with the indigenous people known as the Fremen - recognized by their “blue within blue” eyes.

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard)

Legendary sci-fi heroes are nothing without legendary sci-fi villains against whom they can square off, and for Dune that role is filled (and I mean filled) by the evil Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Described as being so humongously fat that he requires anti-gravity suspensors in order to move, he has spent years ruling Arrakis with an iron fist at the start of the story, exploiting the exclusive resources on the planet to become one of the most powerful figures in the universe (while still being subservient to the Emperor). In addition to being ruthless, he is also a master strategist, which is part of why he is able to maintain his position.

Played by one of four Marvel Cinematic Universe stars who now populate this movie, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen will be played by the great Stellan Skarsgard in Denis Villeneuve’s film. We can assume that it’s a role that will require a lot of both special and visual effects (the full extent remains an unknown), but the production did a fantastic job landing a talent who will be able to shine through any amount of prosthetics that are added to his body.

Gloussu ‘Beast’ Rabban (Dave Bautista)

Though it took multiple auditions and a fair amount of begging, Dave Bautista first had the opportunity to work with Denis Villeneuve on Blade Runner 2049, and given what we now know it seems that the two men had a great time working together. The actor and director are all set to collaborate together on Dune, with the new film being yet another venture into the science-fiction genre for the Guardians of the Galaxy star.

In Dune, Dave Bautista will be playing the role of Gloussu ‘Beast’ Rabban, who is the nephew of Baron Harkonnen and a sadistic horror show. Though Rabban isn’t much of a thinker, the Baron allows him to take control of the governance on Arrakis during his rule, and the work of the Fremen mining the spice… and as you might guess, things don’t exactly go smoothly.

Reverend Mother Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling)

While not exactly the biggest character in Dune, Reverend Mother Mohiam makes a very quick and meaningful impact at the start of the story, and has a larger role to play from a macro perspective. Being a Reverend Mother means that she is an extremely advanced member of the Bene Gesserit, and Mohaim specifically trained Lady Jessica in the order’s ways. Because of this connection, she is also the one to put Paul through an extreme and painful test known as the Gom Jabbar.

To play this role Denis Villeneuve got a real legend, casting the great Charlotte Rampling in the role. The actress just got her first Oscar nomination a few years ago, starring as Kate Mercer in the drama 45 Years, and has recently appeared in movies such as Assassin's Creed with Michael Fassbender, and Red Sparrow with Jennifer Lawrence.

Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin)

Like Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin is another Dune castmember with Denis Villeneuve history, having worked with the director in the making of the hit film Sicario (which wound up launching a 2018 sequel that Villeneuve didn’t direct). In that movie, his character CIA Agent Matt Graver exists in a kind of moral gray area, but the good news is that Brolin’s adventure to Arrakis will see him definitely teaming up with the heroes.

Gurney Halleck is one of the most loyal individuals within House Atreides, serving under Duke Leto as the resident Swordmaster along with Duncan Idaho (we'll get to him in a minute). His most important role is that he is responsible for teaching Paul how to fight, but he's also notably a skilled musician who is known for playing a stringed instrument called a baliset. Without going into too much detail, he does become a victim of misinformation in the middle of the story, making him a serious threat even when his heart is in the right place, but he ultimately serves as an important presence in the narrative.

Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa)

Like Gurney Halleck, Duncan Idaho is another trustworthy, noble individual working within House Atreides, and is introduced to the story as one of the closest confidants of Duke Leto. After arriving on Arrakis, Idaho is given an extremely important role, as he is named as the ambassador to the Fremen – a group that the Atreides clan hopes to live peacefully alongside during their time on the planet.

Bringing Duncan Idaho to life will be Jason Momoa, who began working on Dune as his first movie following the massively successful Aquaman arrived in theaters in December 2018. There was a time period when it wasn’t clear what the actor’s future on the big screen would look like, between disappointments like Conan The Barbarian, and Bullet To The Head, but now he’s cemented as one of the biggest film stars in the world – and he’s bringing all of that heat to Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic.

Stilgar (Javier Bardem)

Given that his role is primarily in the second half of Frank Herbert’s novel, Stilgar’s part in Denis Villeneuve’s first Dune movie is a bit of a mystery at this point – but that shouldn’t undercut the importance of his character in the story. Stilgar is one of the most significant leaders of the Fremen on Arrakis, and his relationship with the members of House Atreides is absolutely vital to the progression of the story.

The perfect reflection of Stilgar’s stature is the fact that Dune has hired Javier Bardem to play him. It will be the first time that Bardem has had the opportunity to work with Denis Villeneuve, but given the performances he has delivered with other elite directors, one can only assume that his work in this new film is going to be absolutely stellar. It’s all the more reason why we are rooting for this movie’s success.

Chani (Zendaya)

Chani represents yet another strange presence in the new Dune, as while at least Stilgar does show up briefly in the first half of the book, the same cannot be said for her. Another member of the Fremen, she winds up becoming an important figure in the life of Paul Atreides, and is literally the girl of his dreams. They first meet when Paul and Lady Jessica are looking for shelter in the desert and negotiate a partnership with Stilgar.

Much like Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya is another immensely talented young actor, and she has spent her time between making Spider-Man movies to work on Denis Villeneuve's Dune. It’s worth noting that this will be the second time that she’s had the opportunity to collaborate with Rebecca Ferguson, as the two women previously had the chance to work together in The Greatest Showman.

Piter De Vries (David Dastmalchian)

Like members of the Bene Gesserit, Mentats are individuals in the universe of Dune that have great abilities - essentially serving as living computers in a time that is fearful of advanced technology. They are embodiments of logic and reason, and as a result frequently serve at the side of great leaders. Piter De Vries, for example, is the Mentat for House Harkonnen, and a rather cruel and sadistic one at that.

David Dastmalchian will be portraying Piter De Vries in Denis Villeneuve's Dune, adding to his impressive filmmography of geek credits. He first got recognition as a psychotic follower of the Joker in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, and has since appeared in both Ant-Man and Ant-Man And The Wasp, and episodes of the television series Gotham. As cool as those titles are, however, what probably gave him an edge getting a role in this new film is his past with the director. Dastmalchian has had the opportunity to work with Villeneuve twice already, first on Prisoners, and then again most recently on Blade Runner 2049.

Thufir Hawat (Stephen McKinley Henderson)

Piter De Vries has a Mentat counterpart in House Atredies, and that is Thufir Hawat – but rather than being sadistic and cruel, he is smart and honorable. He serves the Atredies family by providing security for the family, and even trains young Paul in the ways of war and strategy. In the back half of Frank Herbert's book the character winds up being put in a compromised situation – but we'll refrain from getting too far into spoilers.

Thufir Hawat will be portrayed in the film by Stephen McKinley Henderson, who is an absolutely wonderful character actor. He recently had a supporting role on the FX series Devs, but has an impressive big screen filmmography that includes Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, Denzel Washington's Fences, and Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird.

Dr. Wellington Yeuh (Chen Chang)

It's hard to get into details about the role played by Dr. Wellington Yeuh without getting into some big spoilers (his situation is... complicated), so we'll just provide the basics here. He too works in service of House Atredies, namely as the family doctor and personal physician of Duke Leto.

The role was played by Dean Stockwell in the David Lynch version, but this time around it will be Taiwanese actor Chen Chang in the role. The blockbuster will be the first time he has starred in a live-action English-language film, though his resume does include doing voice dubs for American animated movies Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas and The Secret Life of Pets.

Liet-Kynes (Sharon Duncan-Brewster)

We've highlighted the fact that Denis Villeneuve's Dune features multiple stars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it also has a few familiar faces from Star Wars as well. In addition to Oscar Isaac, the new adaptation will also star Sharon Duncan-Brewster, who previously played Senator Pamlo in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. That's not her only big sci-fi cred either, as she also did an episode of Doctor Who in 2009.

The British actor will be playing Liet-Kynes in Dune, a character who was written as a man in the original novel. Neither belonging to House Atredies or House Harkonnen, she is a prominent planetologist/ecologist of Arrakis who helps the members of the Atredies family settle into their new home on the desert planet. He has a strong relationship with the Fremon, and is the one who establishes communication between the native people and Duke Leto.

How To Watch Dune (1984) Streaming

As noted earlier, director David Lynch was not incredibly happy with how the first ever big screen adaptation of Dune turned out – but it's a movie that definitely has its fans, and if you're interested in watching it before the new version hits theaters the good news is that's a very easy task to accomplish. 1984's Dune is currently available to stream on HBO Max, and it's rather hard to imagine the streaming service getting rid of it before Denis Villeneuve's film lands later this year.

We'll continue to update this feature as we get ever closer to the big screen release of Dune, so stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for all of the latest news, updates, movie release dates and opinion!

Like every other Marvel series, the Thor movies made an effort to establish an independent supporting cast -- but it's noteworthy that the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok breaks from that. While the blockbuster does see the return of characters played by Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, and Idris Elba among others, it cuts out all of principal human players: including Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings), and Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard). It leaves one wondering if they ever made it into a draft of the script, but as screenwriter Eric Pearson recently told me,

In the last few weeks I have had the pleasure of talking with the various stars and filmmakers behind the making of Thor: Ragnarok, and that included a great conversation over the phone with Eric Pearson. Hired as part of the project in January of 2016, a few months after the hiring of Taika Waititi, he was given the task of building a Thor script with many specific details in play, the biggest being the introduction of Hulk as a key side character. Doing this, especially with the action taking place far away from Earth, resulted in some of the key details of the series falling to the side, including Jane, Darcy, and Erik.

There are many notorious stories about superhero movies trying to cram way too many characters into one story, but that was not the case here. As Eric Pearson went on to tell me, there was recognition from Marvel Studios that certain things just wouldn't work and couldn't be included, so they didn't force their screenwriter to find some magical "in." Said Pearson,

If you're like me, you may walk out of Thor: Ragnarok noticing that the project couldn't find roles for Natalie Portman, Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgard, but you also totally understand why they aren't featured. Very little of the action takes place on Earth (basically only two sequences in the first act), and that creates certain complications in storytelling. Not only do you have to actively have Thor round up the trio, but there is also a lot of baggage that comes with carrying them to an alien planet and having them join him on his fight against Hela - which would really be the only way to shoehorn them into the story. You do kind of miss them for the sake of continuity and curiosity regarding what they've been up to since the events of Thor: The Dark World, but their exclusion is understandable.

As for the rest of the characters in the Thor-centric part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you'll be able to see them back in theaters when Thor: Ragnarok hits wide release on November 3rd. There's also plenty more from my interview with Eric Pearson in the coming days/weeks, so stay tuned for that here on CinemaBlend.

You can pre-order your tickets for opening weekend here.

While the previous two Thor movies featured a lot of Earth, Thor: Ragnarok is not expected to spend as much time on Thor’s favorite world in favor of traveling around other areas of the Nine Realms. While that doesn’t mean the movie will be entirely without humans, there aren't expected to be as many of them compared to the God of Thunder’s previous adventures. Case in point, Stellan Skarsgård, who plays Dr. Erik Selvig, won’t return for the third installment.

When asked what his future with Marvel looks like, Stellen Skarsgård, who has appeared in all of the Thor and Avengers movies until now, told Den of Geek that he won’t show up in Thor: Ragnarok, though that doesn’t mean we won’t see him again in the MCU. He said:

Like most of Marvel’s major actors, Stellen Skarsgård signed a multi-movie contract when he took the Erik Selvig role, and with four movies down, it looks like Marvel wants to save his last appearance for something else. Considering how minor his presence was in Avengers: Age of Ultron, maybe it would have been better to leave him out of that movie and save him for a more substantial role in Thor: Ragnarok, but hey, hindsight is 20/20. Considering how many characters are expected to be in the Avengers: Infinity War movies, it won’t be surprising to see him participate.

Erik Selvig was introduced in Thor as one of the world’s top astrophysicists and mentor to Jane Foster. After meeting Thor and learning that the Asgardian gods were real, he was recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D. to study the Tesseract, later revealed to be the Space Stone. This led to him being brainwashed by Loki in The Avengers in order to help create the portal for the Chitauri army to come through. Although freed from Loki’s control, Selvig went slightly insane in Thor: The Dark World, though he was still lucid and brilliant. He was last seen accompanying Thor to the Water of Sights in Avengers: Age of Ultron and later at the New Avengers facility, so it appears he’s splitting his time between teaching university students and helping out Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

As far as humans go, the only person who’s been officially confirmed for Thor: Ragnarok is Bruce Banner/The Hulk, although Samuel L. Jackson is reportedly reprising Nick Fury as well. Other characters expected to return include Loki, Heimdall, Lady Sif, and possibly Odin. Cate Blanchett has also been cast as the movie’s main antagonist, Hela, ruler of Hel and Niffelheim.

Directed by Taika Waititi, Thor: Ragnarok storms into theaters on November 3, 2017.

Stellan Skarsgard is considering getting in deeper with Disney. The Swedish star who has played Bootstrap Bill in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movies and Dr. Erik Selvig in Thor and The Avengers is currently in talks to join the studio's live-action re-imagination of Cinderella. THR reports that should he sign on, Skarsgard would play the grand duke, an adviser to the king who "just may have ulterior motives." (Imagine Skarsgard cackling, "Mwah ha ha!")

With the mention of a duplicitous royal adviser, this is the first role that has broken from the established characters from the animated 1950 release. All the other parts cast thus far have been pretty expected, though the actors cast offered some surprises. There was a long line of ingénues considered for the lead role of Cinderella from Saoirse Ronan, Alicia Vikander, and Gabriella Wilde, to Emma Watson, Bella Heathcoate, and Margot Robbie. But in the end, director Kenneth Branagh selected Downton Abbey's Lily James for the part of the bullied orphan turned fairy tale princess.

The lovely Cate Blanchett was cast to play the wicked stepmother who makes Cinderella's life hell. Filling the roles of the typically ugly stepsisters is another Downtown Abbey alum Sophie McShera, and The Borgias' Holliday Grainger. The part of the fairy godmother is going to Branagh's recurring co-star Helena Bonham Carter, who shared the screen with him in Paul Greengrass's Theory of Flight, Oliver Parker's Othello, and the Branagh-directed Frankenstein. Lastly, the role of the handsome prince classically known as Charming went to the former King of the North, Richard Madden of Game of Thrones. Basically, it's a strong cast already, but Skarsgard would definitely be a welcomed addition. Whether he's playing an earnest good guy or a seething baddie, he never seems to turn in anything but on-point performances. Here's hoping he signs on soon.

Despite being pretty public about their casting for the film, Disney has been tight-lipped about what will set this live-action Cinderella apart from those that precede it. Before the film was handed to Branagh, it was in the hands of Never Let Me Go and One Hour Photo helmer Mark Romanek. However, early this year he walked away from the project when Disney execs worried his take on the tale would be too dark for their audiences. Details on what would have made his version too dark haven't been released, but presumably Branagh's take will be a bit brighter. With a screenplay by Aline Brosh McKenna (27 Dresses, The Devil Wears Prada) and Chris Weitz (About a Boy) we expect something bittersweet but bubbly.

For now we're forced to read between the lines. While press releases have described Blanchett's stepmother as wicked, they've sidestepped calling the stepsisters "ugly" or the prince "charming." While McShera's best known for playing the homely Daisy on Downtown, she's not an unattractive woman, and Grainger is downright striking. So perhaps their ugliness will be internal only. For his part, maybe Madden's prince will be more broody (a la Robb Stark) and less charming? Unfortunately, we may have a while to wait on further specifics as Disney's Cinderella isn't set to hit theaters until March 13th, 2015. But maybe some scraps of the new storyline will fall when the shoot begins in London this fall.

Nothing says Christmas quite like a four-hour long hardcore sex drama, right? Zentropa Entertainments seems to think so, announcing Lars von Trier's sure to be controversial Nymphomaniac will open in Denmark on Christmas Day. Zentropa CEO Peter Aalbæk Jensen told Deadline (with what we imagine is a healthy dose of playful sarcasm), “What’s more Christmassy than a film like this?” Of course the answer would be: most things.

Nymphomaniac is the latest collaboration between the polarizing writer-director and his recurring leading lady Charlotte Gainsbourg. Here she stars as Joe, a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac who recounts her life and sexual exploits from the past fifty years to the man who rescued her from a savage beating in the street. To date we've had a glimpse of what seems to be Joe before her savior's arrival, as well as an image that appears to be the beginnings of a threesome with her at the center. Above is a glamorous yet depraved new shot of the ensemble cast…and is that von Trier in the back with duck tape over his mouth? I think so.

Identifying the fetishes at play above almost seems like a saucy party-game. But instead, let's pick out some of its players, shall we? Gainsbourg is in the lower right corner in a green dress, being waited on by a casually dressed Christian Slater. To their left is Stellan Skarsgård in a robe, and Willem Dafoe getting wiped down mid-coffee spill. To his left Uma Thurman stands in a blue dress with Von Trier and Jamie Bell looking on. Then on the floor beneath a suggestively arranged fruit plate is Shia LaBeouf who has been the most outspokenly enthusiastic member of this cast. Can you pick out anyone else? Click the image for a full-size version.

Magnolia will be unveiling Nymphomaniac Stateside, but a release date has not yet been revealed.

Stellan Skarsgard attended Cannes last week to promote a movie that's probably the polar opposite of his most recent film, Thor; he's part of the cast of Lars von Trier's Melancholia, the film he was promoting when he got banned form Cannes, and which won Kirsten Dunst the Best Actress statue at the festival. But because movie news is what it is, of course Skarsgard wound up answering Thor questions at Cannes, and actually had a pretty interesting anecdote to give the interviewer from Empire who asked him about it. If you haven't seen Thor you might not want to read ahead; this includes MILD SPOILERS ABOUT THE FINAL SCENE OF THOR.

"I flew over there and went down into a basement and talked to Sam for a couple of minutes and went back," he said. When Empire asked if it was with Kenneth Branagh, Skarsgard corrected him: "That was with the director Joss Whedon who's doing The Avengers." Given that Skarsgard also said the scene was shot only a few months ago, it probably makes sense for them to help Whedon get his Avengers sea legs by throwing him into a scene with three of that film's major characters. Obviously nobody would have known it was Whedon and not Branagh if Skarsgard hadn't spilled the beans, but now if you see Thor again, you can analyze it as our first evidence of how Whedon handles himself in the Marvel universe.

Here's the full video if you're curious to see every last detail.

Lars Von Trier is describing his new film Melancholia as "a beautiful movie about the end of the world," and it's hard to imagine what could make fans of the Dogville and Antichrist director happier to hear. The famously iconoclastic von Trier is back once again to merge the beautiful and the obscene and the terrifying into one captivating film, and this time it's going to be what he's described as a disaster movie, a von Trier take on what happens when a planet crashes into Earth. Namely it seems to be distracting Kirsten Dunst from an unhappy new marriage, but I'm sure it has other consequences too.

If you're curious about how this is going to work, you can at least get an idea thanks to the first trailer, which premiered today at the film's official site. It starts off like a particularly well-photographed perfume ad set at a wedding but soon segues into all kinds of strangeness, like that mysterious planet that's been hiding behind the sun, a naked woman lounging in brilliant green grass, and maybe strangest of all, the presence of Kiefer Sutherland in a Lars Von Trier film .He's just one part of a remarkable cast that also includes Antichrist veteran Charlotte Gainsbourg, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgard, Alexander Skarsgard, Udo Kier and Brady Corbet. No, I have no idea what will happen to them all when the planets collide, or even if Von Trier will show us the explosion rather than punish us for wanting to see it. But come on-- watching this trailer, aren't you dying to find out one way or another?

Odd are Melancholia will show up at Cannes next month, so keep an ear to the ground for the befuddled reviews on that one quite soon.

I've always found Stellan Skarsgård's involvement in Kenneth Branagh's Thor to be a bit funny. After all, his son, Alex, who is a mainstay on HBO's True Blood, was very much in the running for the title role before Chris Hemsworth landed the part. Now it turns out that not only will Stellan be playing a role in the solo superhero film, but he will be a part of Joss Whedon's Avengers as well.

Expressen (via Bleeding Cool) has learned that Skarsgard's character in Thor will be included in the superhero team-up movie due out next year. The actor plays a character named Professor Andrews, and while very little is known about his character, he is a scientist that works in New Mexico along with Natalie Portman and Kat Dennings' characters. As of now, the Avengers crossover cast members include Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man; Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk; Chris Hemsworth as Thor; Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America; Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow; Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson; and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury (Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye will also count should his rumored cameo in Thor turn out to be real).

This now puts a lot of question marks around Skargard's character. What larger role does he play in the film? Is he, per chance a member of S.H.I.E.L.D? Guess we'll just have to wait until May 6 to find out.

That’s right. In this day and age where you can barely walk down a street without seeing hundreds of multi-cultural people, there are still those out there who think white skin makes them superior. Their most recent complaint is that Idris Elba, talented and up and coming actor, has been cast in Thor as traditionally white god, Heimdall.

Of course, the god in Nordic mythology and in the Marvel comic book on which the movie is based is light skinned and maybe should have been left as such to be historically accurate, but the Council of Conservative Citizens (or CoCC, fitting) released this statement on their website turning a simple case of not following the source material into a racial issue and may have crossed the line in doing so:

Even though Idris Elba is in fact a hip hop DJ, when you read all of that in context you can’t help but hear the hate these white power fools are trying to preach rather than trying to make a logical argument against the casting decision.

If you want to get really technical about it, why would any of the other actors be in this film? I mean, Chris Hemsworth is a native Autralian, Anthony Hopkins is as British as you can get, the only true Scandinavian in the movie is Stellan Skarsgard and he doesn’t even play a god he plays a professor. Seems like all of the casting is wrong for this movie, not just the one guy who has dark skin.

Elba spoke to TV Times (Via The Guardian) to defend himself against raging comic book fan boys unable to let go of their precious source material:

While it’s not necessarily “good” to just change the race of a character to give your film a multi-cultural edge, it’s not exactly the end of the world either. Diversity may not be the only reason he was cast. After all, his name is gaining some clout in the industry and he may put a few butts in the seats when it’s all said and done. There’s a legitimate reason to be slightly upset in here somewhere, but no one has yet to be able to intelligently present it. So for now, why doesn’t everyone just kiss and make up and stop blaming Hollywood for all their problems.

Last we heard about the film Frankie & Alice, the film was being set up for a December release date in order to launch a major Oscar campaign that would hopefully land her her first Academy Award since Monster's Ball. With said twelfth month arriving tomorrow, we've wondered when we might actually see a trailer for the film, and that day is today.

Co-starring Stellan Skarsgard and Phylicia Rashad, Berry plays Frankie Murdoch, a woman suffering from Disassociate Identity Disorder, commonly known as multiple personalities. What makes her a special case is that her alternate personality, Alice, is a racist. Check out the trailer below and then head back for my thoughts and reactions.

I must admit that, while somewhat overused in the film and television world, DID has always been a condition that fascinates me and, when done well, can be the basis for a terrific movie. Berry, a terrific actress, may very well be able to pull it off here, much the same way that Sally Field did in the movie Sybil. While a trailer can sometimes be indicative of a film's total quality, though, I must say that I'm still rather undecided about this one. Nothing in the two-and-a-half minute first looks stands out as either horrifically bad or phenomenally good - it all just seems kind of mediocre. Perhaps the full film will be better, but we won't know that until December 17. Until then, for more about Frankie and Alice, head on over to our Blend Film Database.

Earlier today we learned that Stellan Skarsgard was in talks with David Fincher to play Martin Vanger in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a good role but one that, without spoiling anything, isn't that relevant as the three-part book series goes on. There are only a handful of characters who play major roles in all three of the Stieg Larsson books, and now one of the best ones, Erika Berger, seems to have finally been cast.

According to Deadline, Robin Wright is on board to play Erika Berger, the no-nonsense editor of the magazine Millennium who is also the occasional lover of the magazine's star reporter, Mikael Blomkvist (the lead character of the series, to be played by Daniel Craig). In the books Berger is described as a tough woman who's also incredibly attractive and capable of carrying on a relationship with both her husband and Blomkvist, all while shepherding one of Sweden's best magazines. She's pretty much a superhuman character, and there aren't many actresses other than Wright who would be capable of the part.

The trickiest and most important character in the series, Lisbeth Salander, has yet to be cast, but with Craig, Skarsgard and Wright in place, Fincher is building up a solid supporting cast to back up the young actress he chooses, who I'm hoping will be either a total newcomer or Katie Jarvis. Either way, with this many supporting players jumping on board, it's only a matter of time before we have our Lisbeth at last, and this incredibly fun guessing came has to come to an end.

Lars von Trier will cap off his impressive ensemble for the disaster film Melancholia with John Hurt. According to THR, Hurt as well as his new co-stars Kirsten Dunst, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Rampling, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Udo Kier, Stellan and Alexander Skarsgard will get to work on the $7.5 million project on July 19th in Trollhattan, Sweden.

Plot details are still sparse, only revealing that the film falls into the psychological disaster category and, as said by von Trier, something about “No more happy endings!” Peter A. Jensen of von Trier’s production company, Zentropa, also tossed in another little detail we’ve known for some time, that the story involves a "large object from outer space approaching Earth" and its affects on the inhabitants. Jensen also added something on the lighter side, describing Melancholia as a “beautiful film about the end of the world.”

Between the top-notch cast and von Trier’s knack for scandal as proven by Antichrist, you should be curious to see how Melancholia turns out. Its minimal $7.5 million budget should also provide us with a nice break from a 2012-style apocalypse. However, the one metnal connection I quite shake is between Melancholia and M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening. Let’s hope this “large object” doesn’t have the same effect on its victims as Shyamalan’s diabolical plant life.

Welcome to Europe, 2024. The sky is gray and the streets are barren, but below the surface is a thriving subway system connecting the continent controlled entirely by Trexx Corp. Roger (voiced by Vincent Gallo) is a self-proclaimed normal guy. Perhaps this is just because he’s got a dull desk job at call center and is rather plain looking, because deep down Roger is far from normal; he suffers from a severe case of paranoia. While the masses opt to ride the Metro to work, Roger uses a bike so as to avoid the system he suspects to be part of some sort of conspiracy.

Upon finding his transportation mangled, Roger has no choice but to descend into the depths of the Metro. That's when we discover another curious feature about Roger, which isn’t actually Roger at all, it’s the voice inside his head. While mind chatting with his new head case, he spots the gorgeous girl from a popular shampoo ad, Nina (Juliette Lewis). The two get to talking and Roger quickly discovers that Nina isn’t just a pretty face claiming to rid you of your dandruff.

Maybe I’m spoiled by the bright and lovable creations of Pixar and DreamWorks, but the animated characters of Metropia are more disconcerting than the plot. They’re primarily shades of grey, show little emotion and walk as though they’re stubbing their toe with every step. What makes them impossible to connect to is that their mouths barely move. The voice work is what breathes some life into this gloomy and despondent film. If only the characters looked like they meant what they were saying, let alone show the slightest bit of a facial expression.

Perhaps additional emotion would have made the plot progression clearer. Metropia is packed with twists and turns that have the potential to be intriguing, but aren’t the least bit enthralling. The problem begins with the detachment from the characters and festers into frustration over the increasingly convoluted storyline. Even with a runtime of just 80 minutes, Metropia has tons of fat that could be trimmed, particularly unnecessarily long pauses and the players’ inability to just get to the point. Director Tarik Saleh tries too hard to be dark and mysterious and obscures the main point in the process, making the film plain old boring.

Despite these gripes, there will be sinister fantasy enthusiasts out there who’ll revel in Saleh’s bold effort. For the rest, there’s little enjoyment to be had, but the impressive animation technique and underlying message still thrives. Metropia leaves you with the concern that someone could be watching you, and that the thoughts in your head might not be your own. For all you know, I could be writing this review under the influence of a menacing corporation of Metropia. But if that were the case, this would actually be a positive review.

Follow along with all of our special, Tribeca 2010 coverage right here.

When things with Penelope Cruz don’t work out, Kirsten Dunst seems like a rather odd second choice. Perhaps it’s just because the two have completely different looks and resumes, but Lars von Trier sees no problem jumping from one to the other. When Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides became top priority for Cruz, von Trier had no choice but to search for a new lead for Melancholia. Two months later, he decided on Dunst.

After the uncomfortable splash von Trier made in the fall with Antichrist, news of his next project, a psychological disaster film, was hot stuff. Not only has the public been keeping an eye on this one, but so have the stars. Deadline reports that on top of Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Rampling, Alexander Skarsgaard, Stellan Skarsgaard and Udo Kier are all on board too. The gang is set to unite in July to shoot through September in Southern Sweden.

I’ve adamantly steered clear of Antichrist, but, as 2012 proved, it’s nearly impossible to avoid any movie in the disaster genre, so the same won’t be true for Melancholia. Of course this is a psychological disaster film and only has a $7.4 million budget, so, odds are, we won’t see cities crumbling. Even after months of speculation, this is still all we’ve got. The only hint von Trier offered back in October was, “No more happy endings!”

As for Dunst’s casting, I’m as unenthused as she looked in Spider-Man 3. Everyone’s allowed their misses, but post Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, all we got was Elizabethtown, Marie Antoinette, Spider-Man 3, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People and a slew of tabloid reports claiming someone has a mean streak. Hopes are high for All Good Things and Upside Down, so could a Kirsten comeback be on the horizon?

If you’re an actor with a name like Stellan Skarsgard, you’re bound to end up playing a mythological Norse god, or at least some form of Viking warrior at some point in your career. So it sort of makes sense that Stellan is joining the cast of Marvel’s god of thunder turned superhero movie Thor.

Coming Soon picked up the story from a Swedish language site called Ystads Allehanda where Skarsgard revealed that he’s on board the film and what’s more, he’s actually read the script. You might think that’s a given, but apparently they wanted him to sign on the dotted line without reading and it was only after some negotiating that he even got a copy.

Thor, as you’d expect, is being kept tightly under wraps. Skarsgard can’t even reveal what part he’ll play. Oddly enough at one point his son Alexander was rumored to be up for the title role in the film. That eventually went to Star Trek’s Chris Hemsworth, but now there’s at least one Skarsgard involved.

Stellan was last seen this summer playing a Papal asshole, opposite Tom Hanks in Angels & Demons.