XYZ Films has unveiled the first official trailer for the upcoming exorcism horror film The Ritual, starring Al Pacino and Dan Stevens as two priests battling to save a woman from demonic possession. Set for theatrical release in June, the film dramatizes “the most infamous exorcism in American history, the 1928 case of Emma Schmidt. The chilling trailer showcases Pacino as the experienced exorcist Father Theophilus Riesinger alongside Stevens as Father Joseph Steiger, a priest questioning his faith, as they undertake a dangerous 72-hour exorcism ritual in a secluded convent in Earling, Iowa. With ominous visuals of supernatural phenomena and body contortions performed by Abigail Cowen as the possessed Emma Schmidt, the trailer establishes a tone of escalating dread while emphasizing the priests’ determination to battle against demonic forces. It’s no wonder The Ritual is one of the most anticipated horror movies of 2025.

“The Devil will do whatever it takes to foil our plans. We must be resolute… and hold back the darkness,” warns Pacino’s character in the trailer’s voiceover, setting up the film’s central conflict. The footage reveals glimpses of the convent where the exorcism takes place, showing religious imagery corrupted by malevolent forces and the increasingly harrowing physical transformation of Emma Schmidt under demonic influence. Finally, the teaser suggests a narrative that explores both the supernatural elements of possession and the psychological toll on all involved, particularly focusing on the contrasting approaches of the two priests: one a veteran exorcist with a controversial past and the other facing a crisis of faith when confronted with undeniable evil.

[RELATED: The Exorcism Director Reveals They Originally Pitched Biopic About Making of The Exorcist]

Directed by David Midell, who co-wrote the screenplay with Enrico Natale, The Ritual appears to be taking a historically grounded approach to the exorcism subgenre while delivering intense horror sequences. The film’s supporting cast includes Ashley Greene, Maria Camila Giraldo, Meadow Williams, Patrick Fabian, and Patricia Heaton, though their specific roles remain undisclosed in the promotional materials. XYZ Films’ marketing emphasizes the “based on a true story” aspect, with the promotional website theritualmovie.com offering research materials about the historical case that inspired the film.

The True Story Behind Al Pacino’s The Ritual

The historical case depicted in The Ritual revolves around Emma Schmidt, a woman whose exorcism became one of American history’s most thoroughly documented cases of supposed demonic influence. Born in 1882, Schmidt began experiencing symptoms considered consistent with possession during her adolescence, including violent reactions to religious objects and unexplainable afflictions. After years of unsuccessful medical and psychiatric treatments, 46-year-old Schmidt was brought to Earling, Iowa, in 1928 for what would become a months-long ordeal culminating in a marathon 72-hour exorcism.

The real Father Theophilus Riesinger, portrayed by Pacino in the film, was a Capuchin friar born as Francis Xavier Riesinger in Germany in 1868 before immigrating to America. Having previously performed exorcisms, Riesinger was specifically requested by the Bishop of Des Moines to handle Schmidt’s case due to his experience. Father Joseph Steiger, played by Stevens, was the parish priest at St. Joseph’s Church in Earling who permitted the ritual to be performed at a nearby Franciscan convent for privacy.

According to historical accounts, the exorcism was extraordinarily challenging, with witnesses reporting disturbing phenomena, including violent convulsions, speaking in unknown languages, and extreme physical reactions that tested the faith of everyone present. After multiple sessions spanning several months, the exorcism concluded on December 23, 1928, when Schmidt was finally freed from her alleged possession. The case gained significant attention after being documented in a pamphlet titled “Begone Satan” by Reverend Carl Vogl, which was later translated into English in 1935. The case achieved even broader recognition when Time magazine published an article about it in February 1936.

The production of The Ritual marks a significant return to religious horror for Pacino, who famously played Satan himself in the 1997 thriller The Devil’s Advocate opposite Keanu Reeves. The 84-year-old Academy Award winner’s participation lends considerable gravitas to the project, especially in the exorcism subgenre, which has seen numerous entries since the benchmark The Exorcist in 1973. For Dan Stevens, the role continues his versatile career trajectory following mainstream success in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and critical acclaim for smaller projects. The film’s exploration of faith and doubt through Stevens’ character offers potential depth beyond typical horror fare, suggesting The Ritual might balance supernatural scares with substantive character development.

The Ritual begins in theaters on June 6th.

Will you be watching The Ritual in theaters? What did you like the most about the teaser trailer? Let us know in the comments! 

The post The Ritual Trailer: Al Pacino & Dan Stevens Try to Save A Soul appeared first on ComicBook.com.

To star in comic book adaptations is to know you’re about to face some big challenges. It’s not always guaranteed that a production will take off, whether it’s because of staying true to the original material or even the depth of the plot on screen. Josh Brolin has become one of the most memorable actors in comic book movies, bringing characters to life across different franchises. Whether it’s playing the ruthless Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the scarred bounty hunter Jonah Hex, he’s always been praised for his versatility when it comes to playing heroes, anti-heroes, and villains in these kinds of adaptations.

But not all of his films have had the same level of quality or success, ranging from massive hits to completely forgettable flops. Each one had its highs and lows, but which one was really the best and worst of his career?

7. Jonah Hex

Anyone who thought Brolin had only been in the MCU is mistaken. An adaptation of the DC comics, Jonah Hex (2010) had Brolin in the titular role. The plot follows the ex-soldier of the same name who becomes a bounty hunter, haunted by his violent past and gifted with supernatural abilities after a near-death experience. The US government soon hires him to stop Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich), a terrorist planning to use a weapon of mass destruction. Although it’s a very good premise for the big screen, when it comes to the script, everything was a mess.

Despite a renowned cast that includes Megan Fox and Michael Fassbender, the film suffered from criticism for its plot and even the shallow development of the characters – behind-the-scenes issues and numerous rewrites contributed to this. With an estimated budget of $47 million, Jonah Hex grossed only about $10.5 million worldwide, making it a box office flop. Many have said that Brolin does his best, but it’s not enough to give the film something to stand for.

Jonah Hex is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

6. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

[RELATED: Josh Brolin Shares Condition for Bringing Back Thanos in Avengers: Secret Wars]

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014) was released as a sequel to the original 2005 film. Here, Josh Brolin played Dwight McCarthy, a private detective who finds himself once again involved with Ava Lord (Eva Green), a woman who manipulates him and drags him into a world of betrayal and violence. However, its success wasn’t great compared to its predecessor, largely because it contained unpublished plots written especially for the sequel and thus didn’t follow the comics’ original material one hundred percent.

Despite bringing together a very stellar cast and maintaining the iconic visual aesthetic, critics pointed out that, although the film was faithful to the tone and visuals, it still lacked more innovation in the narrative. The long gap of nine years between the two films may have contributed to the loss of the initial impact on audiences as well. Besides, Brolin’s role is still quite small, so it’s certainly not one of his most outstanding productions.

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is available to stream on Starz.

5. Deadpool 2

Another sequel that Josh Brolin acted in was Deadpool 2 (2018), one of the films that most entertained audiences. Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) faces new challenges after suffering a personal tragedy right at the start of the plot. The story revolves around his attempt to protect the young mutant Russell (Julian Dennison) from the time traveler Cable (Brolin), who seeks to eliminate the boy due to catastrophic future events. This is a high point production for the actor, as, in general, Merc with a Mouth adaptations have always done well.

The film was very well received by critics and audiences, maintaining the usual acid humor and breaking of the fourth wall that characterized the original, as well as adding more emotional layers. The chemistry between Reynolds and Brolin is one of the highlights, with Cable serving as a serious counterpoint to the main character’s irreverence. However, the movie’s proposal ends up being less ambitious in terms of narrative compared to the great epics of the MCU.

Deadpool 2 is available to stream on Disney+.

4. Avengers: Age of Ultron

Of all the incredible four Avengers films, one that gets the least love is Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), even though it is one of the greatest films in the MCU. Here, Brolin only appears in the post-credits scenes as Thanos, but it’s the moment that sets the stage for the chaos and danger that would come later. Bringing together Earth’s greatest heroes, the Avengers must face the threat of Ultron, an AI created by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner with the intention of maintaining world peace. However, he ends up interpreting his mission in a distorted way, deciding that humanity is the greatest threat to peace and devising a plan for its destruction.

The production is the first time we’re introduced to characters like Pietro Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his sister, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), who would become a fundamental part of the franchise. It grossed more than $1.4 billion at the box office worldwide but also received some mixed reviews, with criticisms such as an overloaded narrative and flaws in the rhythm and cohesion of the story. It’s still a good start to introduce the whole plot of the Mad Titan and the Infinity Stones, though.

Avengers: Age of Ultron is available to stream on Disney+.

3. Guardians of the Galaxy

James Gunn’s trilogy for Marvel is one of the best projects, and certainly the first Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) movie stands out as the best of them. The plot introduces us to Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), a space adventurer who, after stealing a mysterious orb, finds himself the target of Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace), a fanatical villain with plans to destroy the universe. To escape, the hero forms an unlikely alliance with four misfits: Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and Groot (Vin Diesel). Brolin’s role as Thanos is small but significant.

This is another film that explores irreverent humor, charismatic characters, and a nostalgic soundtrack. The production is, to this day, one of the most successful in the MCU and considerably broadened the scope of the studio’s entire universe of superheroes. It’s also very easy to fall in love with characters who, compared to others, were less well known – they became favorites of many through the film. It’s an excellent movie in Brolin’s career, and his presence, although short, fulfills the role of establishing connections that would become very important later on.

Guardians of the Galaxy is available to stream on Disney+.

2. Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame (2019) is the culmination of more than a decade of interconnected narratives in the MCU. The film is the last with the original line-up of Avengers, revolving around a time-travel mission in which the heroes left behind by the Blip return to key moments in their own timelines to collect the Infinity Stones before Thanos does. With a totally impactful and unforgettable plot, Brolin’s participation is essential, especially at the end with the iconic battle between him and a host of heroes.

The movie broke records with over $2.7 billion at the worldwide box office, making history. Applauded for its ability to balance intense action with emotionally profound moments, it’s a satisfying conclusion to a variety of characters developed over the years. However, if you really consider the productions of Brolin’s career, this isn’t exactly what made him shine. Endgame is certainly the climax of an epic saga, but in this particular ranking, putting it second seems like the right thing to do.

Avengers: Endgame is available to stream on Disney+.

1. Avengers: Infinity War

When it comes to Josh Brolin’s best comic book movie, Avengers: Infinity War (2018) certainly takes the prize. This is because the production combines being one of the most relevant and memorable in the MCU with the size of the actor’s role in the narrative. The film is the third in the Avengers franchise and brings together an array of heroes. The story basically begins with Thanos and ends with him. In search of the Infinity Stones, the plot is divided into multiple groups of characters trying to stop him from completing his goal of decimating half the world’s population.

The movie serves as a precursor to its acclaimed sequel and is definitely a milestone in the history of cinema for the shocking success of the villain at the last minute. Brolin’s performance is fundamental in driving the whole story, almost acting as the central engine for everything to be cohesive. Not far from Endgame‘s success, Infinity War also surpassed the $2 billion mark at the box office, proving to be the actor’s best project in terms of adaptation.

Avengers: Infinity War is available to stream on Disney+.

The post All 7 Josh Brolin Comic Book Movies Ranked Worst to Best appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When one thinks of franchises Indiana Jones could crossover with, Star Wars is probably the first one that comes to mind since they’re both Lucasfilm properties. And while Dr. Jones never officially interacted with any characters from a galaxy far, far away during his adventures, the Indiana Jones films unsurprisingly feature several Star Wars Easter eggs for fans to find. Everyone knows about the R2-D2 and C-3PO hieroglyphic in Raiders of the Lost Ark or Club Obi-Wan in The Temple of Doom. But even the most die-hard Indiana Jones fans are probably unaware there’s a crossover with the popular Harry Potter franchise.

Similar to the Star Wars references in the Indy movies, this isn’t a full-blown crossover where Harry, Ron, and Hermione team up with Dr. Jones and Sallah on a mission. However, both franchises contain stories that center around the same MacGuffin: the philosopher’s (or sorcerer’s) stone.

What is Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone?

After the original Indiana Jones trilogy wrapped up with 1989’s The Last Crusade, there were attempts to keep the famed archeologist in the forefront of the zeitgeist. A series of novels were published throughout the ’90s by Bantam Books. The ninth of these, written by Max McCoy, is called Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone. Its story sees Indiana embark on a quest to find an ancient manuscript detailing alchemy secrets concerning immortality and transforming metals into gold. The document is vital to discovering the location of the Philosopher’s Stone. On this adventure, Indy works alongside Alecia, the sister of someone well-versed in the Stone’s history. Sallah also has a role in the book, joining the two when their travels take them to Libya. In typical Indiana Jones fashion, the hero is in a race against fascists to find the Stone.

[RELATED – 10 Indiana Jones Adventures You Didn’t Even Know About]

It’s important to note that Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone was published in 1995, two years before readers were introduced to the magical Wizarding World. So this isn’t an actual crossover as much as it is a very strange coincidence; for all the differences that exist between the two tales, the two stories do share one notable similarity: the presence of Nicolas Flamel, who is a character in both. Flamel was actually a real-life figure who lived from 1330-1418. Legends say he was an alchemist who created the Philosopher’s Stone and found the secret to immortality. Of course, the accuracy of such claims is up for debate, but the legends made for a fascinating element in fictional stories.

In the Harry Potter version, Flamel is only mentioned by name, but author J.K. Rowling implemented some of the legend into her take. While doing research on the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry and his friends learn that Flamel was an alchemist and wizard who was close to Dumbledore and made the magical object. Indiana Jones follows many of the same beats (minus being a wizard, of course), though in the book, there is a moment when Indy sees the old alchemist with his wife, Perenelle.

Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone Also Has a Crystal Skull

A retroactive Harry Potter connection isn’t the only surprising coincidence present in Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone. The book also marks the first appearance of a Crystal Skull in the franchise. The novel’s opening sequence sees Indy tracking down the Crystal Skull of Cozán. In a twist reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark, he finds the artifact but loses it to a rival. A man known as Sarducci, an Italian who serves as the story’s primary antagonist, steals the Skull for himself.

Crystal Skulls, of course, became the titular item in the 2008 film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, in which Indy and the Russians are in pursuit of the Crystal Skull of Akator. The movie does not reference Jones’ previous attempts to locate the Crystal Skull of Cozán, but it’s interesting to see the concept dates so far back prior to the film’s development. Initially, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford didn’t agree with George Lucas’ decision to inject sci-fi elements into the Indiana Jones franchise, but this shows the idea had already been long established. Like the Crystal Skulls in the movie, the one from the books is said to have supernatural powers.

After the box office failure of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, it seems unlikely there will be future Indiana Jones movies. However, the franchise remains active, with the critically acclaimed video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle gearing up for its debut on PlayStation 5. It’ll be interesting to see if its success paves the way for more Indy stories, and if those will feature any coincidental ties to other popular franchise. Perhaps Indy will track down a Tesseract next.

The post There’s a Surprising Indiana Jones and Harry Potter Crossover That You Didn’t Even Know About appeared first on ComicBook.com.

NOTE: This article was originally published in 2016 as a review and discussion of Batman v Superman’s Ultimate Edition, when it was originally released. The article below remains as originally published.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will never stop being debated. Director Zack Snyder presented us with an event that many had long waited to see (Batman on the movie screen alongside Superman), but he did so according to his own unique vision – for better or worse. Seemingly the latter though, because since Batman v Superman hit theaters, it’s suffered massive criticism for what is supposedly a convoluted and overly grandiose storyline. The home release of Batman v Superman: The Ultimate Edition sparked that debate all over again.

While Batman v Superman’s Ultimate Edition may not fix all of the problems with Batman v Superman‘s story, it does present a much bigger – and yet, more precise – a thematic arc that arguably takes a gimmicky superhero team-up, and elevates into a socio-political metaphor not only fit for the times, but eerily predictive of where things would soon be headed.

Here’s Why Batman v Superman Is Smarter Than You Think.

True Edition

For the purposes of this discussion, we need to be clear: as far as I’m concerned, Batman v Superman: The Ultimate Edition is the only version of the movie worth discussing. Sure, people often try to argue that a “special edition” or “director’s cut” of a film doesn’t constitute the “real” version of the movie; that only the theatrical cut is considered canon. That may be a fair point, but I’m not here to argue canon. In evaluating Batman v Superman‘s merit as smart cinematic work, I need the whole of Snyder and Co.’s vision, and not (as will be discussed later) what Warner Bros. cut together to sell in theaters.

So, from here on out, this discussion will be in reference to Batman v Superman: The Ultimate Edition. If you have not seen that version of the film, and find the theatrical cut to be so unforgivably bad that you can’t give the film a second look, then there’s nothing for us to discuss: you simply dislike this movie.

For those who have seen both versions, or are at least open to another interpretation of the film they saw, let’s break this down.

The American Now

The first thing to realize about Batman v Superman is that it’s not just a comic book movie. This is not just a parable about how Batman and Superman came to respect another after having clashing ideas of what heroism is; that’s certainly part of the story, but it’s not the major thematic subtext which drives it. To understand the thematic narrative of Batman v Superman, one must first look back at Man of Steel.

Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot was met with just as much controversy as Batman v Superman – particularly for its final act, in which the city of Metropolis is decimated in a battle between Superman and the Kryptonian militants led by General Zod. That “Battle of Metropolis” rattled and angered many viewers, who felt that Superman allowing such an excessive level of destruction in Metropolis was both uncharacteristic of his character and in a larger sense, was a cinematic exploitation of Americans’ post-9/11 fears. It was no surprise, then, to learn early on in Batman v Superman‘s development that the film would use the controversy over The Battle of Metropolis as the catalyst for its Batman vs. Superman conflict.

Many fans are able to discern Snyder’s answer to his critics in BvS‘s story, but writer Chris Terrio’s script is woefully underappreciated for how it takes the Battle of Metropolis 9/11 comparisons and extends them into a full-fledged socio-political commentary, as embodied by two of the biggest icons in Americana mythology. It plays like this:

Batman is the right-wing hawk reaction to 9/11. He represents an America that prefers security over civil liberties; the Bush-era mentality of stopping threats pro-actively before they can threaten close to home; He believes in severe (i.e., morally dubious) punishment of criminals; uses military-grade hardware to casually annihilate enemy combatants; and the movie is none to shy about pointing out that Bruce Wayne belongs to the wealthy elite, while The Batman preys on the poor and destitute of Gotham. In short: Batman is the darker and more militant version of America, as scarred by the tragedy of 9/11. He is, as Alfred clearly states, the cruel end result of unchecked rage and feelings of powerlessness (like many felt after 9/11). Batman’s actions – inspired by those feelings – end up starting as misguided a war as… well, you get it.

Superman, on the other hand, isn’t so much a character in the story as he is a symbol – and that symbol is of the more left-wing, liberal American ideal. Superman represents the classic American ideas of hope, justice, and morality for all people; he believes it is his job to police the world and protect the defenseless, no matter their nationality; and in his Clark Kent guise, he spends most of the film trying to defend the civil liberties of the criminal branded by The Batman – a person who, to Clark, represents the poverty and desperation behind Gotham’s criminals, empathy that he faults Batman for not showing to those he punishes so harshly. Clark is also none to shy about pontificating about the role of media and the civil responsibilities of journalists – a far cry from the “bumbling geek” persona of Christopher Reeve, but a clear metaphor.

As the film demonstrates, none of the ideas Batman and Superman represent are infallible. Batman’s rage and need for retribution have him start the wrong kind of war, allowing greater threats to foster. Superman’s actions, though noble in intent, cause political turmoil on a global level; his (excessive?) empathy and concern with maintaining moral high ground in the eyes of the American public, media, and government prevent him from stopping a horrific terrorist attack; and his obsession with judging the other side of the aisle (Batman) stops both him and his political opponent from seeing the true threat facing them both. By the time both parties finally become aware, the situation has grown into a (literal) monster, and it costs the sacrifice of Superman to slay that monster.

In the aftermath, we see a world and a former political rival all transformed by the loss of the noble ideal (Superman), inspired to do better so that the ideal is not truly lost forever. It’s almost eerie how resoundingly accurate a theme it is for the present moment, and that accuracy extends to the much-hated villain in this thematic opera.

Lex Luthor

Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor was one of the most universally criticized parts of Batman v Superman. But while the character is eccentric and downright weird, his role in the thematic narrative is actually pinpoint on the mark.

If Batman and Superman represent the two clashing political ideologies of a post-9/11 America, Lex Luthor is (clearly) the embodiment of the insidious opportunists who exploited (and still exploit) the turmoil of a post-9/11, war-torn world for personal gain. His criminal empire and machinations may seem vague and confusing narratively, but thematically, Lex’s schemes actually invoke references to so many ugly things that have thrived in the post-9/11 world: arms dealing, human trafficking, an unchecked military-industrial complex, political lobbying, bio-weapons development, corporate corruption – the list goes on.

The real point is: Lex is the businessman opportunist shark looking for personal gain by pitting two political ideologies against one another. Reading that back, Terrio and Snyder deserve a crystal ball and a gig as fortune tellers, more so than ridicule, given where American politics has steered us today (I’ll just leave it there…).

On a more personal level, Lex confesses to a childhood of abuse at the hands of his father, an East German man who felt powerless from having to submit to the will of tyrants. For Lex, Superman is a threatening new socio-political paradigm, in which he, Lex (the top 1%), will experience a profound loss of power and control – something that Lex cannot accept. While criticized for its convolution, there is a sort of intelligent real-world parallel to how this bombastic tycoon manipulates events in foreign nations, in the prison system, politics, and stokes the fears of the public.

Sure, Eisenberg arguably may kill a lot of the smart metaphor to his character with an overly eccentric performance, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s an interesting framework the filmmakers have set up – and one that’s deeper than most people give the film credit for. Batman v Superman is in many ways the story of how America has become violently divided in a post-9/11 world, and (at least on paper) Lex Luthor serving as the unseen hand nurturing that division makes sense both thematically and characteristically. As does the turn that unravels Luthor’s carefully guided plan…

The Martha Moment

Given the thematic framework we’ve identified, let’s talk about Batman v Superman’s much-hated, much-debated climactic turn:

When the violent fight erupts between Batman and Superman (those two halves of American political ideology) all sense of reason and communication has been lost. These two men, heroes, each see “the other” as the symbol of something that must be fought: Batman hates the uncontrollable threat that is Superman, while the Ultimate Edition makes it much clearer that Batman is the intolerant bully that Clark/Superman knows all too well (remember Man of Steel?) – a bully that must be stopped by “a fist.” Batman v Superman tried to add an ambitious level of thematic grandeur to its titular battle, and therefore, a great deal hinges on the resolution of that battle.

Everyone who has seen the film knows “The Martha Moment” by now: Batman is about to impale Superman to death with a Kryptonite spear, but is stopped when Superman utters the phrase “You’re letting him kill Martha!” When Lois Lane elaborates that Martha is Superman’s mother’s name, Batman remembers his own mother, Martha Wayne, and he and Superman become instant pals.

Here’s the thing: The Martha Moment isn’t a bad idea within the thematic framework of the story (it’s even kind of clever since a lot of comic book fans probably never connected the thread between Marthas Kent and Wayne). But even though it’s smart in concept, the moment is executed quite poorly, and the whole thematic payoff nearly collapses as a result of that mishandling.

It’s a problem of dialogue, really: Superman saying lines like “You’re letting him kill Martha,” or “Save… Martha…” are so clunky and false, since no son that I know ever refers to his mother in times of desperation by her first name. There’s enough built into the character of Batman (and his thematic symbolism) that a line like “You’re letting him kill my mother,” would have just as much impact, and, more importantly, thematic resonance (Lois Lane could’ve easily supplied the “Martha Kent” name that sealed the connection).

The whole idea of “The Martha Moment” is that there is common ground these two heroes (i.e., warring political ideologies) find, and it’s something personal, not ideological. That’s the entire thematic payoff of the story – the larger takeaway that we, the audience, are supposed to incorporate into our real lives. Yet, because it’s handled in such a clunky manner – with inauthentic dialogue, and Ben Affleck forced into overly-dramatic gravitas (“Why did you say that name!“) – the most important thematic turn in the film falls painfully flat, no matter which version you are watching.

When it comes to writing and dialogue, the devil is truly in the details. With a slight revision, Batman v Superman may have stuck its thematic landing.

Comic Book Roots

Let’s not forget where this all sprung from: right from the start of BvS’ production, director Zack Snyder let it be known that Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns storyline (in which an older Batman comes out of retirement for a more brutal campaign against crime) would be direct inspiration for Batman v Superman. What is once again underestimated is how much of a socio-political commentary Dark Knight Returns was for its time – and just how well Snyder emulates that in his film.

Dark Knight Returns was written in the Cold War mid-80s era of Reganomics, the War on Drugs, and fear of nuclear winter; Miller used constant “cut scenes” of media news segments (the rise of the 24-hour news cycle), as well as personal anecdotes from third-party citizens, which all help to flesh out the character and phenomenon of The Batman.

Obviously, Batman v Superman exists in a much different world than the one Dark Knight Returns was written for, but the Ultimate Edition makes it clear that Snyder attempted to honor the spirit of Miller’s story, with the multiple asides to other characters, anecdotal stories, and media broadcasts – all of which frame the question of who Superman is in today’s world. Miller’s story was also unapologetically political, and Snyder clearly sets up from the beginning of the Ultimate Edition (in a much longer segment of the Lois Lane incident in Africa) that politics are a definite part of his film, as well (hence the aforementioned political metaphors).

This is all to say: Not only is Batman v Superman a generally smarter film than many give it credit for being, it’s also a pretty smart adaptation of one of the most respected Batman stories out there.

Does BvS Deserve Another Chance?

No.

Yeah, it might seem strange that after 2000 words of arguing otherwise, I would arrive at this conclusion. But here we are.

The bottom line is that I do believe Batman v Superman is a much better movie than people are giving it credit for being, but only in terms of its depth and ambition. As I already said, the execution of those ideas wasn’t the strongest, resulting in major issues like The Martha Moment, or the confusing nature of Lex’s plot. And in all this analysis, there still is the glaringly simple fact that the theatrical version of Batman v Superman takes all this depth and ambitious storytelling described above and mangles to high hell until it’s something unrecognizable.

More to the point: it seems as though Warner Bros. trimmed away the very subplots and characters that helped to convey the more politicized thematic message of the film; purposeful reduction so that audiences wouldn’t have to sit through (or think beyond) anything more than a basic superhero team-up story. And for those viewers who won’t even invest in watching the Batman v Superman: Ultimate Edition, the film will likely leave a much more negative impression than it would if they engaged with the full version.

Still, for those few of you on the fence (see what metaphor I’m working here?) maybe this will help tip the scales toward getting to watch (or re-watch) Batman v Superman with a new subtext in mind – one that hopefully improves the viewing experience.

…Or just yell at me on Twitter @KofiOutlaw, asking me what I’m thinking and why I even bothered to write this. I know how it goes.

Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League are now streaming on Max.

The post Why Batman v Superman (Ultimate Edition) Is So Much Smarter Than You Think appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A cult horror classic got sabotaged by its own promotional campaign, according to one of its stars. Amanda Seyfried recently shared her unfiltered thoughts about 2009’s Jennifer’s Body during a GQ video interview, heaping praise on the film itself while pointing fingers at its marketing strategy for its financial shortcomings. The actress, who portrayed Anita “Needy” Lesnicki opposite Megan Fox’s demonic cheerleader Jennifer Check, didn’t mince words about the disconnect between the film’s actual content and how it was presented to audiences. The supernatural teen horror film has experienced a remarkable resurgence in popularity over the past decade, transforming from a commercial disappointment into a celebrated feminist horror milestone. Seyfried’s recent comments highlight the ongoing conversation about how marketing decisions can significantly impact a film’s initial reception and commercial success, especially when dealing with female-led projects that blend genres and challenge conventional storytelling approaches.

“I can’t critique this movie, it’s, to me, a perfect movie,” Seyfried said, before adding, “If the critics criticize anything, it would be the marketing. The marketing sucked. It just did, and we all agree.”

The horror-comedy, written by Oscar-winner Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusama, follows best friends Jennifer and Needy as their relationship transforms after Jennifer becomes possessed by a demon with a hunger for teenage boys. Despite its clever script, feminist undertones, and genre-bending elements, the film’s promotional materials primarily focused on Fox’s sex appeal.

“The marketing team cheapened it, like it was just, you know, a romp,” Seyfried explained. “A gory romp. I think they ruined it.” This approach to selling the movie clearly frustrated the creative team, who had crafted something far more substantive than the advertisements suggested.

[RELATED – Diablo Cody Plans to Bring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried Back for Jennifer’s Body Sequel, Prequel or Musical (Exclusive)]

Seyfried isn’t alone in this assessment. Her co-star Adam Brody previously stated to IndieWire that the marketing “couldn’t have missed the mark harder,” criticizing how it downplayed the female-driven creative team to focus on Fox’s appearance. Screenwriter Diablo Cody has also expressed disappointment, noting that because of the marketing, “people wanted to see the movie as a cheap, trashy, exploitative vehicle for the hot girl from Transformers.”

The film underperformed upon release, earning $31.5 million worldwide against a $16-million budget. However, it has since developed a devoted following that appreciates its layered commentary on female friendship, sexuality, and horror tropes.

Despite these initial setbacks, Seyfried remains enthusiastic about the project and even hinted at future possibilities.

“You know, I’m looking forward to the sequel,” she revealed. “They’re working on it. I already said thumbs-up. I was like, ‘Whenever you’re ready, I’m ready.'”

In her GQ interview, Seyfried also expressed admiration for both the film’s writer and director. She described Cody as “outspoken and beautiful and smart and funny,” noting that together they were “expressing a certain angst in a very, very specific comedic way, in a very specific genre.” About Kusama, she stated, “Karyn is a fierce advocate of women in storytelling. She is able to enhance the relationships between women on film and TV.”

When considering the potential sequel, Seyfried acknowledged the narrative challenge created by Jennifer’s fate at the end of the original film. While Fox’s character dies in the climactic confrontation, Seyfried playfully questioned this apparent obstacle, “She’s kind of dead, right? But is she? I don’t think she is.”

The post Amanda Seyfried Thinks Jennifer’s Body Was Perfect (But Marketing Ruined It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There have always been a lot of questions about the 73 years of Hunger Games before Katniss and Peeta were selected as District 12’s tributes. Some answers came in the books that followed The Hunger Games, while others arrived in the form of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. One of the biggest mysteries, however, revolved around the 50th Games, when District 12 mentor Haymitch Abernathy emerged as the lone victor. No one was quite sure how Haymitch actually won, but we did know that he has spent 24 years drinking himself away as the result of what he experienced. Thanks to Suzanne Collins’ latest novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, we now know the details of Haymitch’s victory — and what it ultimately cost him.

WARNING: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Sunrise on the Reaping. Continue reading at your own risk…

Haymitch was reaped into the 50th Hunger Games, otherwise known as the Second Quarter Quell, which featured twice as many tributes from each district. 48 kids and teenagers from the districts were put into the arena, making it the deadliest edition of the Hunger Games in Panem’s history. So how did Haymitch manage to survive it?

Well, we discover in Sunrise on the Reaping that Haymitch had an ulterior motive once the gong sounded and his Hunger Games began. Like many others, Haymitch hated the Capitol, and he had no interest in being part of their narrative. So he was approached by people like Beetee and Plutarch who were secretly planning a new rebellion. His objective was to get beneath the arena and use explosives to blow a hole in a massive water tank, flooding the control center and ruining the Games.

Haymitch knew that President Snow had it out for him, and the President had even made a veiled threat that he would harm everyone Haymitch loved if he didn’t die in the arena. So Haymitch planned on helping one of his allies win after completing his task. But pulling off the explosion caused him to spent most of the early part of the Games on his own.

After the explosion, which didn’t do the damage the Rebels had hoped, Haymitch focused on partnering up with Maysilee, his fellow District 12 tribute who because his very close friend. They worked together as end of the Games drew near, but she was killed by mutts while he wasn’t by her side. Another ally, a young girl from District 6 named Wellie, became Haymitch’s protection mission, but she was ruthlessly killed by a career tribute when there were only three people left.

This left Haymitch no choice but to try and win, and he used the arena against the Gamemakers to try and make a show of things. At the edge of the arena, Haymitch found a cliff, and figured out that there was a force field at the bottom that sent objects right back to where they came from. When the Games came down to just two left, a nasty fight left Haymitch mortally wounded, with his intestines starting to fall out of his stomach. He made it to the edge of the arena and simply dodged and ax throw from his opponent, allowing it to go off the cliff and back up into his rival’s face. Both tributes ended the Hunger Games on their death bed, which Haymitch felt was the best conclusion. He used a final explosive to blow up a generator at the bottom of the cliff as an act of defiance as he died.

[RELATED: Ranking the Saddest Deaths in the Hunger Games]

Except, as we already knew, Haymitch didn’t die on that cliff. The Capitol went to great lengths to keep Haymitch alive in the days and weeks following the Hunger Games. Ultimately, that was likely because Snow wanted to punish Haymitch for his rebellious nature. Haymitch was healed and sent home to District 12, where he returned just in time to see his mother and brother die in a house fire (set by Capitol Peacekeepers). The next day, a trick from the Capitol saw Haymitch’s girlfriend, Lenore Dove, die in his arms.

By winning the Hunger Games, and refusing to play by the Capitol’s rules, Haymitch lost everything he loved. That’s what caused Haymitch to be the grumpy, disconnected-from-the-world alcoholic that we met at the start of the original Hunger Games book. He spent 24 years dealing with the loss that he fought to prevent and the horrible things he saw in the arena. He also used all that time to push away anyone and everyone, hoping that President Snow wouldn’t find anyone else to punish for his actions.

Long story short, Haymitch won the Hunger Games by doing everything he could to not win the Hunger Games. His intention was never to win, but to help end the Capitol’s reign of terror against the districts. By doing that, he was essentially turned into an example to anyone else who wanted to defy President Snow.

Sunrise on the Reaping is available to purchase now. Lionsgate has already set the film adaptation for a theatrical release in 2026.

The post Sunrise on the Reaping Finally Reveals How Haymitch Won His Hunger Games appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Max’s exclusive film The Parenting is a star-studded horror comedy with standout performances by Brian Cox, Parker Posey, and Lisa Kudrow and a tone that’s accessible and humorous. The plot follows the 30-something couple Josh and Rohan (Brandon Flynn and Nik Dodani) who rent a country house in the hopes of bringing their parents together for a bonding session. Unfortunately, it’s less a peaceful house and more a haunted house, and now an ancient evil entity has taken over the soul of one of their fathers (and one of their mother’s dogs). It’s Paranormal Activity, but with a scene where Breaking Bad‘s Dean Norris puts a finger up a possessed pup’s butt.

The following are movies that make for a nice aperitif to Craig Johnson’s spooky chuckle fest. From fellow haunting comedies to another standout Johnson movie, these are the best movies to watch after The Parenting.

The Skeleton Twins

Craig Johnson’s movies tend to be on the smaller scale, with an attention devoted to character that is only matched by their desire to carry a light tone. In that way, The Parenting is similar, but outside that it’s something of a departure from the remainder of his filmography.

And, while 2009’s True Adolescents, starring Mark Duplass, and Wilson, starring Woody Harrelson, each has their fans, it’s The Skeleton Twins that stands as his best work to date. With career-best performances by Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader (up to that point for the latter, as The Skeleton Twins was released before Barry), it’s a heartfelt movie with as many laughs as moving moments.

Stream The Skeleton Twins on Peacock.

Beetlejuice

Need another comedic film about a haunting? Well, there’s really no better choice than Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice. And, while you’re at it, check out the financial smash of a legacy sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Beetlejuice is probably the most similar movie to The Parenting out there, and for several reasons. For one, yes, there are ghosts. Just as importantly, it’s a movie about ghosts and two families living under one roof. It’s just, in this case, the ghosts are the protagonists, and they’re one of the two families under that one roof.

Stream Beetlejuice on Philo and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice on Max.

The Addams Family

The classic TV show The Addams Family has continued to show its influence to this day. Though, just as much if not more so, it was the pair of ’90s films that truly inspired Netflix’s megahit Wednesday.

More beloved than the original comic strip or the ’60s TV adaptation, Barry Sonnenfeld’s The Addams Family and Addams Family Values are true treasures of the ’90s. Like The Parenting, it’s focused on a kooky family, it has more than a few supernatural elements, and it carries a tone that skews funny over genuinely scary far more often than not.

Stream The Addams Family on Hoopla.

[RELATED: This Zombie Movie Is a Bigger Deal Than You Think]

The Campaign

Brian Cox can certainly be funny, but not quite as often as he plays things straightforward. But just as with more serious projects like Succession he never stops short of delivering devoted work in a comedy. This is the case in The Parenting, where he dives into playing a possessed grumpy father.

But The Parenting isn’t the first time Cox has thrown himself into the comedy genre. And, after The Parenting, the viewer would do well to check out The Campaign, a political comedy where he plays another stern, disappointed father. And, while they’re at it, they should check out Cox in both Super Troopers movies.

Scream 3

Parker Posey is a natural in every genre. One of the most perpetually underappreciated performers of her generation, she can take even a middling film and make it something worth watching. This was the case with Scream 3, where the best character wasn’t Ghostface, it was Posey’s Jennifer Jolie. Posey has even pitched a return to the franchise and, considering Scream 7 is bringing back Scott Foley’s Roman Bridger to some degree, a Jennifer Jolie return in a full-length Stab movie sounds like a winner of an idea.

Like Brian Cox, Posey never delivers anything below a game effort, which is as much the case in The Parenting (and her acclaimed role in Season 3 of The White Lotus) as it is in anything. And, once one’s screening of The Parenting is over, they might as well stay on the same streamer and make it a Parker Posey horror-comedy double feature night.

Stream Scream 3 on Max.

The post 5 Movies to Watch After The Parenting appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s official: Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal is taking a swing at 007. Following recent reports that the Spider-Verse franchise producer was in talks to shepherd the first James Bond film from Amazon MGM Studios — which recently assumed creative control of the franchise from longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson — the studio announced on Tuesday that Pascal and Harry Potter producer David Heyman are bringing Bond back to the big screen.

The former Sony Pictures Entertainment chairperson is producing via her Pascal Pictures, which produced Sony’s Tom Holland Spider-Man trilogy with Marvel Studios. Heyman is producing through his UK-based Heyday Films, the production company behind Warner Bros.’ Wizarding World saga of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films.

“We are approaching every creative decision with James Bond, which Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have so masterfully steered, with the greatest sense of responsibility,” said Amazon MGM Studios’ Head of Film, Courtenay Valenti. “Part of an elite group of producers who have developed and managed massive film franchises to box office success and critical acclaim, Amy Pascal and David Heyman are two of the most accomplished, experienced, and respected film producers in our industry. We are honored to be working with them on James Bond’s next chapter and are excited to deliver to global audiences storytelling that upholds the impeccable legacy of this beloved character.”

“James Bond is one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema,” Pascal and Heyman said in a joint statement. “We are humbled to follow in the footsteps of Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson who made so many extraordinary films and honored and excited to keep the spirit of Bond very much alive as he embarks on his next adventure.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter‘s Borys Kit, the Pascal-Heyman deal is for the still-untitled Bond 26 rather than an ongoing pact.

During her tenure as Chairperson of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, Pascal oversaw the Daniel Craig-led Bond films Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and 2012’s Skyfall, the first Bond film to gross over $1 billion at the global box office. Heyman, as producer of another storied British franchise, shepherded the eight-movie Harry Potter saga, which grossed a combined $7.7 billion between 2001 and 2011.

Pascal and Heyman are currently co-producing Jay Kelly, a dramedy directed by Noah Baumbach and starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler, for Netflix. Pascal’s projects at Amazon MGM Studios include Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, starring Zendaya, and the upcoming Spider-Noir series starring Nicolas Cage. The Prime Video series reunites Pascal with Sony’s Spider-Verse producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who are also directing the Pascal-produced Project Hail Mary for Amazon MGM.

Heyman is among the most successful and prolific British film producers. Besides the Harry Potter films and the Fantastic Beasts trilogy, he produced Quentin Tarantino’s Best Picture-nominated Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie, and acclaimed dramas Gravity and Marriage Story. Heyman’s Heyday Fims produced the first two Paddington films as well as Wonka, starring Timothée Chalamet, and Robbie’s Barbie, which became the highest-grossing film in the history of Warner Bros. in 2023.

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After Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Deadpool & Wolverine, cameos are clearly the name of the game for MCU movies, especially ones exploring the possibilities of the multiverse. Audience expectations for these titles now firmly involve unexpected figures from past Marvel adaptations showing up (particularly ones that weren’t previously in the MCU) and making an auditorium full of moviegoers explode with joy. Undoubtedly, the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars will include any such cameos given that it’s basically the ultimate multiverse Marvel story, and frankly the possibilities are endless.

There are a bunch of Marvel characters who should show up in this feature to really exploit the multiversal possibilities of this universe. These ten specific must-see Secret Wars Marvel characters, though, aren’t just past 21st-century Marvel movie adaptation stars. They’re some weird figures from all corners of the Marvel multiverse. Why settle for just routine cameos when you can go big and brash? If Secret Wars wants to really tap into its multiversal potential, let’s see these ten Marvel characters grace the silver screen.

Some Version of Storm

Ororo Munroe/Storm has never gotten her due in live-action X-Men movies. Despite being played by a deeply talented and Oscar-winning performer like Halle Berry, Storm has always been a background figure in X-Men motion pictures. Avengers: Secret Wars would be an optimal time to correct this flaw by giving some incarnation of Storm a chance to shine. There are so many different Storms across the multiverse to choose from, including Berry and Alexandra Shipp’s live-action versions and X-Men ’97’s Storm. Whichever one is picked, give Storm a grand Secret Wars set piece please!

Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man

Now that Spider-Man: No Way Home broke the seal of using Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man in MCU movies, why not bring him back for the grand multiversal showdown that is Avengers: Secret Wars? Even if it’s just for another brief appearance, it’d be wise to bring back this character given that Maguire’s varying cameos in No Way Home and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse have intertwined his Spidey with the multiverse. Plus, the potential for seeing Maguire share the screen with other Marvel heroes would be welcome.

Madame Web

In 2024’s Madame Web, Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) only gets to suit up as Madame Web in brief flickering images of the future. It’s just one of many weird elements of that S.J. Clarkson movie that’s become a punchline for moviegoers everywhere. Still, No Way Home’s use of the various Amazing Spider-Man characters proved that bad comic book movies can be redeemed in multiversal movies. Maybe a brief appearance from a comics-accurate Madame Web could give Dakota Johnson some redemption in this cinematic realm.

David Haller/Legion

The acclaimed TV show Legion followed the trippy exploits of mutant David Heller/Legion (Dan Stevens) across three seasons. That project came to an end years ago, but who’s to say Heller couldn’t return for a brief Secret Wars appearance? After all, the MCU has been clearly intent on exploiting every possible piece of pre-existing mutant media in recent years. Why not shift the focus to a small screen X-Men property? Plus, Legion’s fluid reality means briefly intersecting it with the MCU wouldn’t capsize its atmosphere.

[RELATED: Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars Directors on Whether MCU Movies Are Still Major Box Office Draws]

Darryl Jacobson

After heading various Taika Waititi-directed short films like Team Darryl, Darryl Jacobson (Daley Pearson) finally appeared in a proper MCU movie in 2022 with Thor: Love and Thunder. Now working as a New Asgard tour guide, his close proximity to all things fantastical makes it inevitable that Jacobson’s path will cross with a superhero adventure. Perhaps even Secret Wars, which could use a fleeting Darry Jacobson appearance to solidify to viewers that anyone from the MCU, no matter how throwaway, could show up here.

Lockjaw

Lockjaw is a very good boy who deserved better than the 2017 Inhumans show, which couldn’t think of anything better to do with this character than knock him unconscious with a dirtbike. While it’s impossible to imagine Marvel is bringing the Inhumans Royal Family into Secret Wars, surely Kamala Khan will appear in this Avengers installment. Given her close bond with Lockjaw in the comics, it would only make sense for this teleporting bulldog to show up in some capacity during Secret Wars. Heck, maybe Lockjaw could even get revenge on that fateful dirtbike with his big screen debut.

Japanese Spider-Man

Tobey Maguire isn’t the only past version of Spider-Man that absolutely needs to appear in Secret Wars. If directors Anthony and Joe Russo want to get really wild with the multiversal cameos of this blockbuster, then let’s make room for Japanese Spider-Man. A wild reinterpretation of Spidey from the Toei Company in the late 1970s, this incarnation of the character is such an unpredictable blast. The possibilities of seeing this Spidey Variant rubbing shoulders with Tom Holland’s web-crawler are endless and conceptually enthralling.

Matt Salinger’s Captain America

For years, the 1990 Captain America movie starring Matt Salinger as the titular superhero was treated as nothing but a joke. However, in late 2024, director Albert Pyun’s original version of the feature finally screened for the public and garnered a significantly better reception. With the restored reputation of this feature, why not find a way to bring back Salinger’s Cap for Secret Wars? Whether it’s Salinger reprising the role or some new actor wearing the costume from this 1990 feature, Captain America’s redemption tour should really continue into Secret Wars.

Doreen Green/Squirrel Girl

Squirrel Girl’s been overdue to come to the MCU for ages now, especially since a proposed and promising-sounding MCU New Warriors TV show starring Milana Vayntrub as Doreen Green/Squirrel Girl never made it past the pilot stage. With Avengers: Secret Wars being an “all hands on deck” situation for the multiverse, why not call in Vayntraub’s Squirrel Girl to help save the day? Plus, it’d be so fitting for Squirrel Girl to make her overdue MCU debut in a project as massive as Secret Wars.

1986’s Howard the Duck

Seth Green’s Howard the Duck has proven a resilient member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe across the three Guardians of the Galaxy movies and multiple episodes of What If…? Now that the MCU has made room for one Howard, though, why not have two in Secret Wars? That’s right, this multiversal blockbuster should, however briefly, feature the star of 1986’s Howard the Duck once more, preferably still in creepy puppet form and accompanied by his rollicking theme song.

Once an embarrassment for Marvel as it was their first movie, the feature is far from the worst adaptation anymore, thanks to subsequent films like Dark Phoenix and Fantastic Four. Between this and Howard’s new MCU incarnation, why not have Secret Wars provide a tip of the hat to one of the earliest live-action Marvel movie adaptations? Especially since this means audiences could hear that groovy Howard the Duck song in IMAX speakers!

Howard the Duck is now available for rental or purchase from digital retailers.

The post 10 Marvel Characters That Need to Be in Avengers: Secret Wars appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Transformers franchise has been something of a roller coaster over the years. The original animated film is a massive favorite amongst fans, and Michael Bay’s first live-action adaptation in 2007 launched a new chapter for the Autobots and Decepticons. Since then, only Bumblebee has stood out as a real winner for the Transformers movies, but that changed last year with the release of Transformers One.

The animated feature acts as an origin story for so much of the Transformers saga that we’ve come to know and love. Since its release, Transformers One has been immediately recognized amongst fans as one of the franchise’s very best, and now that movie is available to stream on Prime Video.

Transformers One has been streaming on Paramount+ for some time now, but Tuesday morning saw it make its debut on Prime Video. This puts one of the most acclaimed Transformers movies of all time on an even bigger streaming platform, giving it more eyes than ever before.

[RELATED: Pluto TV Adding More Than 300 Free Movies in April]

Recently Added to Prime Video

Transformers One is not the first massive addition to Prime Video’s streaming roster this month. March has already seen recent hits like Smile 2 and Twisters added to Prime Video, but the streamer’s biggest day of new additions actually took place on March 1st. Below, you can check out the full list of movies that hit Prime at the start of the month.

90210 S1-5
12 Angry Men (1997)
A Fistful of Dollars
A Million Ways to Die in the West
Admission
All Saints
Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Blame it on Rio
Blue Velvet
Bowfinger
Cold Pursuit
Contagion
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Delta Force
Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection
Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Doom (2005)
Easy Money
Flawless
Fluke
For a Few Dollars More
Getting Even With Dad
Hang ‘Em High
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
Hoosiers
It’s Complicated
Koyaanisqatsi
Life (2017)
Lilies of the Field
Lone Wolf McQuade
Madagascar
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Michael Clayton
Midnight Run
Moonlight and Valentino
Mystic Pizza
Non-Stop
Once Upon A Crime
Penguins Of Madagascar
Pitch Perfect 2
Road House (1989)
Ronin
Rumble Fish
Snatch
Soul Surfer
Starship Troopers
Super 8
Tammy
The Accountant
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension
The Andromeda Strain
The Best Man
The Front Runner
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
The Hurricane
The Mule
The Night Of The Hunter
The Rundown
Thief
Touch of Evil
Wargames
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
Yours, Mine & Ours (1968)

The post Prime Video Is Finally Streaming The Best Transformers Movie in Years appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A third entry in the crossover series featuring the Godzilla and Kong of Legendary’s MonsterVerse is in the works. With a release date already confirmed for 2027, there are plenty of questions that are surrounding the next cinematic chapter of the kaiju universe. Despite this sequel being years away, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is still getting plenty of eyes on it in some unique ways. In a shocking, hilarious twist, one of the funniest moments from the previous sequel is getting a statue of its own as Kong and Suko’s first meeting gets a new lease on life.

If you want to learn more about this new statue that is arriving later this year, here’s how Spiral Studio describes the hilarious recreation of Kong using Suko as a weapon, “Get ready to unleash a whole new level of hilarity with the Kong 2024 Statue (Weaponized Suko Version) from the epic showdown in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire! Forget your typical action figures; this legendary piece captures the moment when Kong proves that even titans need a little finesse—and a trusty sidekick like Suko! This statue features the mighty Kong in all his glory, muscle-bound and ready to throw down, but wait, what’s that in his hand? It’s Suko! That’s right, the not-so-innocent creature gets the honor of being Kong’s go-to weapon against Skar King’s minions. It’s like having a best friend who’s also your secret weapon—if only that best friend had a knack for getting tossed around!”

[RELATED: Everything We Know About Godzilla x Kong 3, and What Happens After A New Empire]

Will Suko Return?

Suko, the orange-furred primate that first made its debut in the New Empire, initially had many thinking that the MonsterVerse had received its own “Grogu.” In a surprise twist, Suko was anything but as he was more than willing to take a bite out of Kong and was working in the sway of the Skar King. When Kong used Suko as his personal nunchucks, it cemented how hilarious Legendary’s series of kaiju films could be when it wanted to.

Luckily, for those hoping to see this smaller ape making a comeback in Godzilla x Kong 3, there is a glimmer of hope. The ending of New Empire saw Suko survive and become a loyal follower of Kong, as Skull Island’s ruler took the Skar King’s followers as his own. Now that Kong has truly become a king in the bowels of the Hollow Earth, we have to imagine that his new empire is one that will play a major role in the third entry of this trilogy.

Want to stay up to date on all the happenings within the MonsterVerse? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Godzilla and Kong and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post New Godzilla x Kong Statue Recreates New Empire’s Greatest Moment appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fandango has released its list of the most anticipated movies this summer, and the film claiming the top spot may surprise you. The Top 10 list is filled with familiar franchises and superhero fare, from Marvel to DC to Mission: Impossible to John Wick to Jurassic World, just to name a few. One would assume that big-budget remakes of Fantastic Four and Superman would fight it out for box office dominance, but a surprising contender has risen to the top to be the #1 film on the minds of moviegoers for the summer. But that doesn’t mean these superhero films are far behind, still making it into the Top 5.

The Top 10 Most Anticipated Summer Movies in Fandango’s list is led by Jurassic World Rebirth, followed by The Fantastic Four: First Steps in second place, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning in third place, Superman in fourth place, and Thunderbolts* in fifth place. The list is rounded out by From The World of John Wick: Ballerina in sixth place, 28 Years Later in seventh place, How to Train Your Dragon in eighth place, Lilo & Stitch in ninth place, and Freakier Friday in tenth place. You can check out the full list below.

The top 10 most anticipated summer movies are:

1. Jurassic World Rebirth
2. The Fantastic Four: First Steps
3. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
4. Superman
5. Thunderbolts*
6. From The World of John Wick: Ballerina
7. 28 Years Later
8. How to Train Your Dragon
9. Lilo & Stitch
10. Freakier Friday

These results come from Fandango’s annual Moviegoing Trends & Insights Study as the industry gears up for CinemaCon, running March 31-April 3 in Las Vegas. The online movie ticketing service surveyed over 5,000 moviegoers and split them between Loyal Moviegoers — those who saw five or more movies in theaters in 2024 — and Casual Moviegoers — those who saw fewer than four movies in theaters in 2024.

“As consumers’ appetite and interests continue to evolve, understanding moviegoing behaviors is essential to find new areas of opportunity and help drive industry growth,” said Jerramy Hainline, EVP of Fandango. “With a diverse slate of upcoming films, from superhero epics to action thrillers to cult classic sequels, this summer is proving to have something for all movie fans.”

[RELATED: Superman Star Teases What James Gunn Movie Is Really About (and It Sounds Perfect)]

Loyal Moviegoers made up 41% of the survey sample, seeing an average of 10 movies in 2024. The statistics say they are most likely to be millennials or Gen X, and most likely male. Casual Moviegoers represented 59% of the survey sample, saw an average of two movies in 2024, and are likely to be Gen Z and female. 

It may come as a surprise that neither The Fantastic Four: First Steps or Superman is the most anticipated movie for Summer 2025. Comic book fans like to think that the world revolves around their favorite heroes, but apparently, that isn’t the case. The Jurassic Park/Jurassic World franchise continues to churn out films that audiences look forward to.

Jurassic World Rebirth is something of a soft reboot for the franchise. Its narrative takes place five years after the events of 2022’s disappointing and critically panned Jurassic World Dominion. Directed by Gareth Edwards, the film stars Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, and Audrina Miranda.

Jurassic World Rebirth hits theaters on July 2nd. Let us know what your most anticipated movie of Summer 2025 is in the comments below!

The post The Most Anticipated Summer Movie of 2025 Will Surprise You appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Wicked became a cultural juggernaut when it arrived in theaters last November, and the wait for the second part, Wicked: For Good, later this year is going to be a long wait. An adaptation of the Broadway musical, which is loosely based on Gregory Maguire’s novel of the same name, director Jon M. Chu’s Wicked tells the story of Elphaba, later to be known as the Wicked Witch of the West. Elphaba’s experiences with discrimination based on her green skin and her friendship with Glinda lie at the heart of Wicked‘s spellbinding narrative. The film has garnered near-universal acclaim, with much of the praise directed toward Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande‘s lead performances as Elphaba and Glinda. Wicked even won a pair of Oscars for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design.

Fans of the movie and the Broadway musical are looking forward to the story’s conclusion in Wicked: For Good, but many need something else to satisfy their craving in the meantime.The following three movies are great choices for Wicked fans to watch after seeing the film. These titles will also help audiences prepare for Wicked: For Good.

[RELATED: This Dark Take on The Wizard of Oz Is a Must Watch After Seeing Wicked]

Into the Woods

Wicked fans in search of a fantasy-themed musical will find a worthwhile jaunt in 2014’s Into the Woods. Based on the Broadway musical of the same title, Into the Woods combines story threads from the Grimm Brothers fairytales Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel. The narrative of Into the Woods focuses on a childless couple who attempt to end a curse placed upon them by an evil witch. To do so, they must acquire four items to make a potion that will break the Witch’s own curse of eternal decrepitness. Tied together with a myriad of great musical numbers, Into the Woods delivers a spirited rendition of the Stephen Sondheim musical.

Meryl Streep’s performance as the Witch stands out the most among Into the Woods‘ impressive character portrayals. The movie features intricate costumes, and alluring visuals to complement its fairytale-inspired story. Into the Woods‘ musical numbers are thoroughly enjoyable, and those who loved Wicked will relish having some new tunes to sing along to. An entertaining, wild, and fantastical ride, Into the Woods tells an engaging narrative that will feed Wicked fans’ desire for brilliant musicals well-adapted to the big screen.

Wicked is currently available to stream on Peacock.

Oz the Great and Powerful

Like Wicked, 2013’s Oz the Great and Powerful is a standalone prequel to The Wizard of Oz. Sam Raimi’s movie follows Oscar Diggs, a magician and con artist. A tornado brings Oscar’s hot air balloon to the Land of Oz, where he encounters three witches: Theodora, Evanora, and Glinda — who end up becoming the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked Witch of the East, and the Witch of the North. Oscar resolves to convince the witches that he is a powerful wizard, thus beginning his transformation into the famous Wizard of Oz.

Despite its mixed reviews, Oz the Great and Powerful makes for a fun viewing experience, especially for those who love The Wizard of Oz and other related stories like Wicked. Furthermore, like Wicked, Oz the Great and Powerful offers fascinating context into its main character’s backstory — just with a different flavor than Wicked. Oz the Great and Powerful is not a musical, but it remains a fun story that Wicked fans should enjoy thanks to their shared story elements in characters — even though they exist in an entirely different universe.

Stream Oz the Great and Powerful on Disney+.

The Wizard of Oz

1939’s The Wizard of Oz is an obvious choice given that it inspired the story of Wicked, but hear us out. Directed by Victor Fleming and based on L. Frank Baum’s novel, the movie of course follows Dorothy Gale on her journey through the mythical Land of Oz with her dog Toto. Striving to find a way back home, Dorothy and Toto receive help from Glinda, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion as they follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to meet the supposedly all-powerful Wizard of Oz. Meanwhile, the Wicked Witch of the West pursues Dorothy for stealing her sister’s powerful ruby slippers.

The Wizard of Oz is considered an all-time classic for a reason, as its superb qualities have cemented it as a legendary work of storytelling. Iconic performances from Judy Garland as Dorothy and Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch stand out in particular, and the film’s supporting cast is additionally fantastic. Moreover, The Wizard of Oz‘s musical numbers add a level of irresistible charm to the narrative. Those who somehow haven’t yet seen The Wizard of Oz need to watch it right now in order to fully appreciate Wicked‘s story; and those who have seen the movie should give it another look as they’ll no doubt pick up on surprising references and Easter eggs that Wicked hides in plain sight.

Stream The Wizard of Oz on MAX.

Wicked: For Good will open in theaters on November 21st.

The post 3 Movies to Watch After Wicked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Despite rumors to the contrary, it seems that the game is far from over for the Saw franchise. THR reports that behind-the-scenes disagreements over the direction for Saw XI ultimately led to the project vacating its planned September 26th release date, with The Strangers — Chapter 2 assuming that release window. However, none other than Jigsaw’s own ventriloquist dummy Billy the Puppet issued a statement on the status of Saw XI via Lionsgate and relayed in THR‘s reporting, “I’ve seen the rumors. They say it’s Game Over. You all should know me better than that. The game is never over.”

THR previously reported that one of Saw XI‘s writers Patrick Melton spoke of “inter-squabbling,” with Melton also stating, “It’s stalled at a managerial level. It has nothing to do with the creative or anything else. There’s higher-level things at play.” The news of such creative disagreements on Saw XI are a bit surprising, given the annual turnaround the Saw series maintained in its heyday along with the franchise’s major comeback with 2023’s Saw X. Still, Billy the Puppet’s reassurance indicates that Saw XI remains a priority for Lionsgate.

The Saw franchise began all the way back in 2004, marking the feature directorial debut of James Wan and establishing he and Saw co-writer/co-star Leigh Whannell as Hollywood’s new horror movie power players. The Saw movies maintained a grip on the Halloween timeframe from 2004 through 2010, with the franchise officially concluding at the time with 2010’s Saw: The Final Chapter. Despite this, and the death of series star John Kramer aka Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) in 2006’s Saw III, the Saw franchise nonetheless returned, first with 2017’s Jigsaw and 2021’s spin-off Spiral, followed by 2023’s Saw X.

[RELATED: Iconic Saw Star Set to Return for Saw 11 Despite Character’s Death]

The Saw franchise is well known as the reigning king of the “torture porn” subgenre of horror, introducing Bell’s Jigsaw as as a cancer-stricken civil engineer who devises deadly traps that test their subject’s will to live. The traps of the Saw franchise typically call upon their occupant to either engage in a horrific act of self-mutilation or die, with Kramer striving to impress the value of life upon his test subjects. Of those who have survived Jigsaw’s traps, many have gone on to join his cause as accomplices, including Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) and Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith).

Saw X proved to be a surprising revitalization of the Saw franchise and among the best-received entries in the series. Taking place between Saw and Saw II, Saw X sees Kramer travel to Mexico when an off-the-grid team of doctors offers a potential cure for his cancer, only to discover too late that the whole operation was a fraud. Kramer and Amanda subsequently put the phony medical team through another horrific game. It seems that Saw XI is intended to build upon the healthcare-based plots of Saw VI and Saw X, with Melton telling THR, “Saw XI may or may not be made, but we have a very timely story in it, and I hope it gets made just because of that,” with Melton reportedly likening the plot to that of Saw VI.

Despite the setbacks that Saw XI has faced, it’s no surprise that Lionsgate is eager to get their ducks in a row on Jigsaw’s next game, especially after the new life breathed into the series with Saw X. Jigsaw himself once warned his associate Detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) in Saw IV, “You think it’s over just because I am dead? It’s not over. The game’s have just begun.” Given how eerily Billy the Puppet’s message mirrors that of Jigsaw, it seems that it is still very much game on for Saw XI.

Stay tuned for updates on the future of the Saw franchise.

Are you hoping the series continues? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Saw’s Billy the Puppet Breaks Silence on Reports That It’s “Game Over” for the Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Former Batman actor Ben Affleck reflects on what really went wrong with his take on the character during his time in the DC Extended Universe. In a wide-ranging interview with GQ, Affleck discussed his Batman years and offered his take on why it ultimately didn’t work out in the long run. While he “had a really good time” bringing the Dark Knight to life and appreciated the concept of portraying an older, grizzled Bruce Wayne, he eventually noticed that there was a disconnect between Zack Snyder’s vision for the franchise and what Warner Bros. wanted. It was actually Affleck’s kid who made him realize there was an issue.

“I had a really good time. I loved doing the Batman movie. I loved Batman v Superman,” Affleck said. “And I liked my brief stints on The Flash that I did and when I got to work with Viola Davis on Suicide Squad for a day or two. In terms of creatively, I really think that I like the idea and the ambition that I had for it, which was of the sort of older, broken, damaged Bruce Wayne. And it was something we really went for in the first movie.

“But what happened was it started to skew too old for a big part of the audience,” he added. “Like even my own son at the time was too scared to watch the movie. And so when I saw that I was like, ‘Oh s—, we have a problem.’ Then I think that’s when you had a filmmaker that wanted to continue down that road and a studio that wanted to recapture all the younger audience at cross purposes. Then you have two entities, two people really wanting to do something different and that is a really bad recipe.”

[RELATED – 3 Things That Still Don’t Make Sense About Batman v Superman]

Including the Snyder Cut of Justice League, Affleck appeared as Batman in five DC Comics adaptations, alternating between headlining roles (Batman v Superman, Justice League) and cameos (Suicide Squad, The Flash). At one point, he was going to direct a solo film for his Batman, but that project eventually changed hands to Matt Reeves and became The Batman, a franchise reboot set in a separate continuity starring Robert Pattinson in the titular role.

From the beginning (2013’s Man of Steel), the DC Extended Universe received a mixed critical reception, with many people taking issue with Snyder’s grounded, serious tone. Things reached a breaking point with the theatrical cut of Justice League, which was a widely panned box office bomb. Infamously, Joss Whedon was brought in to oversee extensive reshoots, and his style clashed with Snyder’s. The end result was a mishmash of visions that effectively killed the DCEU. Now, James Gunn and Peter Safran are overseeing the DC Universe reboot.

Darker Batman adaptations have achieved a great deal of success over the years, as Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and Reeves’ Batman Epic Crime Saga illustrate. What made the DCEU unique when compared to those franchises is that it was WB’s attempt to replicate the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which was breaking box office records with largely family-friendly fare. If Affleck’s son didn’t want to watch his dad be Batman, it was a sign the studio had lost a key demographic it was hoping to appeal to. This is why WB attempted to course correct with Justice League and lighten the tone, but that obviously didn’t land with the intended results. Snyder fans were upset over the film becoming such a deviation from its original vision, and casual moviegoers weren’t interested. WB had no choice but to hit the reset button after this.

It’s a shame, because Affleck’s performance as Batman (particularly in Batman v Superman) was well-received. Many fans enjoyed his take on a world-weary Dark Knight and would have liked to see him star in several more projects. At the same time, WB’s interest in something that skewed a little more family-friendly is understandable. Kids are a big part of Marvel’s audience and WB wants to be able to tap into that with DC. While the Batman Epic Crime saga certainly leans towards an older demographic (The Penguin is rated TV-MA), the film The Brave and the Bold is in development at DC Studios. Separate from Pattinson’s take, this is an opportunity for the filmmakers to craft a Batman movie that’s lighter and might appeal to the youngsters. Especially with members of the Bat Family running around, The Brave and the Bold could prove to be the perfect counterpoint to The Batman, giving fans of the Caped Crusader multiple choices depending on their preferences.

The post Ben Affleck Reveals What Really Went Wrong With His Batman appeared first on ComicBook.com.

2007’s War isn’t the most highly regarded action movie in either Jet Li or Jason Statham’s careers, but it deserves a reappraisal. Directed by Philip G. Atwell, War focuses on the vendetta of FBI agent John Crawford (Statham) and his determination to avenge the murder of his partner Tom Lone (Terry Chen) and his family by a mysterious assassin known only as Rogue (Jet Li). When Rogue re-appears three years later in San Francisco right as a war is on the verge of breaking out between local yakuza and Triad bosses, Crawford is determined to bring down Rogue for good, but as War unfolds, it becomes clear that Rogue has his own unexpected agenda.

Originally titled Rogue before its retitling to War, the movie marked a reunion of Li and Statham after their previous team-up in The One, but War didn’t become the action movie hit many would have expected and drew an all-around negative reception. While Li and Statham would later team-up again in the Expendables franchise, War has aged into something of an underrated martial arts crime thriller gem that warrants a rediscovery by Statham and Li fans alike, especially for its shocking twist ending.

War Merges Different Action Sub-Genres In An Effective Combo

One of the biggest attributes of War is how well it combines several different styles of action movies into one. Under Philip G. Atwell’s direction, War kicks off as an FBI crime thriller with Statham’s gruff John Crawford determined to get his man at all costs and Terry Chen’s Tom Lone his equally capable but more even-keel partner. War quickly brings a yakuza thriller element into play with Shiro Yanagawa (Ryo Ishibashi) as its arch-villain ruling over San Francisco from afar, with the added dynamic of warring crime families in play with the movie’s conflict between Shiro’s yakuza and the rival Triad family ruled by Li Chang (John Lone).

Naturally, with Jet Li as co-lead opposite Statham and fight choreography overseen by the late action movie great Corey Yuen, War has the heart of a Hong Kong action movie beating in its chest. Finally, War is, when all is said and done, a revenge thriller of Crawford’s vendetta against both Shiro and Rogue for the murder of Tom and his family. War manages quite a lot of hybrid genre storytelling impressively well with all that it has on its plate from the outset, and when it comes to the movie’s revenge element, it saves its best trick for last.

[RELATED – 3 Jason Statham Action Movies That Don’t Get Enough Love From Fans]

War Puts Statham & Li Into Their Darkest Movie (& This May Have Caught Audiences Off-Guard)

While the marketing for War sold the movie as a kinetic, fast-paced martial arts action thriller headlined by two of the biggest action stars in the world, it is arguable that this was at least somewhat misleading — not to the point of false advertising, however, to be clear. War has action a-plenty in Crawford’s determination to bring down Rogue and Shiro, but it is also somewhat more conservative in its pace compared to the mile-a-minute speed its trailer and poster sold (Li’s fight scene with Kane Kosugi, while great, is a bit on the short side, with Kosugi still an unfortunately underrecognized martial arts movie star even after his role in 2013’s Ninja II: Shadow of a Tear opposite Scott Adkins.) However, a far more unexpected curveball for audiences surely had to be the dark tone of War.

Compared to the flashiness of the trailers, War is an extremely dark, bitter revenge movie, which wouldn’t necessarily have been a problem for audiences on its own. However, the movie’s third act twist is such a reversal that War becomes a revenge thriller where the vengeance itself feels much more tragic than cathartic. With audiences having been sold on 100 minutes in which (direct quote from the trailer) “Jet Li and Jason Statham are. at. War!”, the final resolution of the movie and its overall bleak tone probably threw audiences for an unexpected loop that they weren’t ready for (I confess, this at first made War a bit of an acquired taste for me personally, as well.) However, looking back on War, the twist in question is a marvelous pay-off to the movie’s dark tale of vengeance in an underworld crime story.

The Twist In War Is Still Amazing (& Completely Pulls The Rug Out From Under The Audience)

When Rogue finally turns on Shiro in the third act of War, engaging him in a phenomenal katana duel that is the movie’s highlight martial arts fight, Rogue reveals the truth to Shiro and the audience — that he isn’t actually Rogue at all. It turns out, when Rogue attacked the Lone family on Shiro’s orders, Lone’s wife and daughter were killed but Lone managed to subdue and kill Rogue. He then burned down the house to fake his death and has assumed Rogue’s identity through plastic surgery and vocal chord alterations, all to get him close enough to enact his revenge on Shiro. However, just before Lone beheads Shiro, the yakuza boss makes his own surprise reveal — that Crawford was an FBI informant in his employ, and was the man to give Lone’s identity and location to Shiro (Lone at the time believing that Rogue was dead and that Shiro’s enforcers were simply going to Lone’s house to “rough you up a bit” in retaliation for Lone’s apparent but failed killing of Rogue in the movie’s opening.)

The twist ending of War is a huge shocker, and one that completely flips Li and Statham’s respective protagonist-antagonist roles in the movie. This also undoubtedly caught audiences unaware, since when Li and Statham finally do meet in the movie’s smashing final warehouse showdown, the dynamic of who the audience is cheering for has completely shifted. What would normally be a typical revenge fight has instead changed into a battle of friends over one’s betrayal of the other. That also makes it a tough pill to swallow when Lone, upon hearing Crawford’s plea for forgiveness after realizing his friend’s identity, declares “Tom Lone is dead. My name is Rogue” before shooting his former friend in the back. Lone may have been genuinely wronged and gotten his revenge before leaving to start a new life, but the reveal that it was Crawford who betrayed Lone is a lot for the audience to absorb after spending most of the movie rooting for his vengeance against Rogue.

While all of these factors make War a bit of a gut punch on its first viewing, giving it enough time to process ultimately shows its great strength as a Jet Li-Jason Statham action thriller. War delivers on the action quotient with excellent martial arts fight scenes and stunts enveloped in a genre-blending sandwich. Best of all, the twist ending of War does exactly what a twist ending should do: leave the audience shocked and still processing it years later. Jason Statham and Jet Li have plenty of modern action classics on their respective resumes, and it can be said that they share a mutually underrated martial arts crime thriller gem in War.

You can stream War on Paramount+.

The post This Jason Statham & Jet Li Action Flick Is An Underrated Winner appeared first on ComicBook.com.

New Line Cinema has released the full trailer for Final Destination Bloodlines, which is set to revive the horror franchise after a 14-year absence from theaters. The footage provides a fresh look at the sixth installment starring Brec Bassinger as Stefani, a college student experiencing recurring nightmares about her family’s impending doom. The trailer reveals the film’s central premise of a generational connection to Death’s design, suggesting that consequences of cheating fate can extend across bloodlines — a significant evolution from the standalone disasters of previous entries. Finally, the new Final Destination Bloodlines trailer features Tony Todd on his final on-screen appearance as the enigmatic mortician William Bludworth, with the trailer indicating his character’s mysterious connection to Death will be explored in depth. 

The Final Destination Bloodlines trailer represents the culmination of a long development process that began in 2019. The project underwent several conceptual iterations before arriving at its current form, which centers on the generational aspects of Death’s design. Producer Craig Perry originally envisioned a story focused on first responders, stating, “These people deal with death on the front lines every day and make choices that can cause people to live or die.” This concept evolved through multiple screenplay iterations, with writers Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor crafting the current script based on a story developed with Spider-Man: No Way Home director Jon Watts.

[RELATED: Devon Sawa Reveals Why He Didn’t Return for Final Destination 2]

Final Destination Bloodlines’s production faced significant hurdles, including pandemic-related delays and the 2023 Hollywood labor strikes, before finally shooting between March and May 2024 under cinematographer Christian Sebaldt. The trailer teases the franchise’s first installment since Final Destination 5 in 2011, showcasing how directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein have approached a series known for its inventive death sequences and exploration of fate versus free will.

How Final Destination Bloodlines Reinvents the Horror Franchise for a New Generation

The new trailer suggests Bloodlines takes the most substantial mythological expansion yet by exploring how Death’s design might target families across generations rather than just individuals who have directly cheated fate. This approach maintains continuity with the franchise’s fundamental premise while providing new narrative possibilities that could extend beyond a single film. There’s definitely potential for sequels, as directors Lipovsky and Stein are true fans of the franchise who secured their position through what industry insiders described as an unforgettable pitch meeting involving staged accidents and visual effects.

Warner Bros.’s decision to upgrade Final Destination Bloodlines from streaming exclusive to theatrical release with IMAX presentations demonstrates significant confidence in the finished product. Their decision is already paying off, as following a brief teaser release, four of the five Final Destination entries simultaneously appeared in Max’s top 10 most-watched movies, with the original film claiming the second overall position on the platform’s rankings. The success of the previous Final Destination films on Max showcases the continued interest in the franchise, which may translate into a considerable box office haul.

Final Destination Bloodlines arrives in theaters on May 16th.

What did you think of the new Final Destination Bloodlines trailer? Are you excited about the franchise returning to theaters? Let us know in the comments!

The post Final Destination Bloodlines Trailer Unveils the Franchise’s Deadliest Sequel appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Nicolas Cage has made a name for himself in just about every genre on the map, but none more so than the action genre. Like Keanu Reeves, Harrison Ford, and, of course, the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal, and Sylvester Stallone, it’s his true comfort zone. And, of his theatrical actioners, some have been great and some have been, well, not so great. Those are the movies that follow, his leading man theatrical action films. Meaning, no direct-to-video movies here. Furthermore, movies like 8MM and Snake Eyes skew more thrillers than action, meaning they were excluded, as was Windtalkers, considering it skews more toward the war genre than straightforward action.

Not to mention, they had to have a wide theatrical release (so, no Mandy) — after all Cage made a lot of smaller movies between 2012 and 2023. With those parameters set, here’s every Nicolas Cage-led wide-release action movie, ranked.

10) Season of the Witch

Starting in 2006, the quality of Cage’s projects dropped considerably. 2006 had The Wicker Man, 2007 had Next, 2008 had Bangkok Dangerous, 2009 had Knowing (a box office hit but a broken film), 2010 had The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and 2011 had Season of the Witch. None of those films were particularly good, but they were still leading man projects, and they still received wide theatrical distribution.

It’s surprising that was the case for Season of the Witch, though. It deserved to go direct to video or video on demand as Rage, Outcast, Dying of the Light, The Runner, Pay the Ghost, Dog Eat Dog, USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage, or any of the other seemingly innumerable micro-budgeted forgettable fare the actor churned out between 2014 and 2020.

Stream Season of the Witch for free with ads on Tubi.

9) Ghost Rider

Perhaps it’s for the best Ghost Rider didn’t show up in Deadpool & Wolverine because Johnny Blaze is a role best left in Cage’s rearview mirror. As written (particularly in the first film), it’s a role that just about any actor could have played. A dour film that both fits within the early days of Marvel cinema while simultaneously standing a bit too far from the likes of X-Men and Spider-Man, Ghost Rider is more of an ugly duckling of that era than even Hulk or director Mark Steven Johnson’s other devoid-of-personality superhero movie, Daredevil.

The acting across the board is pretty weak, and in terms of action sequences, the only particularly memorable one is Blaze’s ascension of a tall building, leaving flaming tracks in his wake. Toss in a bland soundtrack and a noticeable age gap between Cage and Eva Mendes (whose character is supposed to be the same age as his) and the only saving grace in Ghost Rider is the presence of Sam Elliott.

Stream Ghost Rider on AMC.

8) Gone in 60 Seconds

The weakest of Cage and Jerry Bruckheimer’s collaborations (including The Rock, Con Air, the two National Treasure movies, G-Force, and the nearly-as-bad The Sorcerer’s Apprentice), Gone in 60 Seconds is the very definition of style over substance. It honestly makes similar car heist movie The Fast and the Furious from the following year look like high art.

The difference is that The Fast and the Furious had a soul. It also had performances that all seemed unified in understanding just what kind of pulpy movie they’re in. Gone in 60 Seconds is played as blandly as it is darkly lit. It’s a shame, too, because the cast is outstanding. Cage, Angelina Jolie, Robert Duvall, Will Patton, Delroy Lindo, Vinnie Jones, Timothy Olyphant — they’re all here. And they’re all given roles as compelling as cardboard.

[RELATED: Nicolas Cage’s Spider-Man Show May Release in Black & White (and That’s Perfect)]

Stream Gone in 60 Seconds on AMC+.

7) Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance isn’t a significant improvement over the first film, but it is an improvement. Like Drive Angry (more on that in a bit), it contains a certain B-movie charm that forever prevents it from being a particularly effective superhero film, but it never stops it from being one with a personality.

And, unlike the 2007 movie, Spirit of Vengeance actually tries to let Cage have some fun in the role of Johnny Blaze. Unfortunately, it often seems like he’s either sleepwalking through the project or just playing his eccentric self.

Rent Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance on Amazon Video.

6) National Treasure: Book of Secrets

It is a little strange that there’s never been a third National Treasure movie because even National Treasure: Book of Secrets isn’t half bad. It’s not quite as solid as the first film, which wasn’t exactly high art yet it is still a lot of fun, but it still did too well commercially to be a franchise killer.

If anything really holds Book of Secrets back, it’s that it seems a bit too comfortable treading the same path its predecessor did. Tonally they’re practically identical and, in terms of narrative, there’s still not much that separates them. In other words, some of the novelty has worn off, but not enough to keep it from being a fun time at the movies.

Stream National Treasure: Book of Secrets on Disney+.

5) Drive Angry

Drive Angry is a goofier movie than A Goofy Movie and, oddly enough, that’s just what it required. It’s a movie about a man who escapes from Hell to take down the cultists who have kidnapped his still Earthbound daughter.

Like some other Cage films of the era, as he was working his way down towards the direct-to-video market, its budgetary constraints show and the actor is a bit low energy, but there’s enough B-movie style to keep it afloat. What really helps Drive Angry breeze by is the antagonistic performance by William Fichtner as Hell’s “Accountant.”

Stream Drive Angry on fuboTV.

4) National Treasure

Cage had a good time making National Treasure and its sequel, and that’s quite apparent. His heart really seems to be in both the project and the character Benjamin Franklin Gates. Gates is essentially Cage’s Indiana Jones, and his obvious relishing of that helps National Treasure stay afloat even when it can be a bit too goofy (or shoddily written) for its own good.

National Treasure also skates by thanks to its trademark Jerry Bruckheimer bombast. As a PG-rated movie, it can only go so far with the intensity of its action sequences, but it makes do with what it has. Not to mention, it’s always fun to see Sean Bean play a villainous role.

Stream National Treasure on Disney+.

3) Con Air

A ’90s action movie that still holds up, Con Air is one of the definitive adrenaline-rush movies. It’s a very swift two hours, with everyone playing up their roles and more explosions than can be counted on a dozen hands. The ace in the hole is its casting. Cage and John Malkovich, in particular, are perfect in their roles. They both clearly know they’re in a silly movie, but they never perform as if they’re looking down on the material, even when they’re turning it up to 11.

Of the three movies Cage made between 1996 and 1997, all of them action, Con Air is the weakest, but that’s not as much of a slight as it sounds like. It’s just that the same goofy tone that serves as an asset also restrains it from being a truly great film. Great fun? Sure. But a great film? Not quite.

Stream Con Air on Hulu.

2) The Rock

It’s difficult to say which of Cage’s three action hero movies between 1996 and 1997 is the best, because it’s actually fairly close. On one hand, The Rock gets points for the novelty of having Cage as the co-lead of a mega-budget straightforward actioner. Prior to this, he was known far more for his roles in rom-coms like Valley Girl, Peggy Sue Got Married, Raising Arizona, Moonstruck, and Honeymoon in Vegas than for holding a machine gun in standoffs with terrorists. The closest he had really come was as a man on the run from those with guns in Red Rock West or as an unstable and talkative gangster in Kiss of Death.

Perhaps that’s what makes The Rock so special as a Cage actioner: he’s not really even the action hero. That place is reserved for Sean Connery. Cage’s Stanley Goodspeed is instead something of a nerd dragged into a dangerous situation. He’s out of his element and in over his head. Even by the end of the film, Goodspeed is still not fully comfortable during the set pieces. It was the perfect role to get Cage into the genre and it’s quite nearly still his best. And it would be, if there weren’t a high-concept John Woo film in his filmography.

Stream The Rock on Hulu.

1) Face/Off

One of the best summer blockbusters of the ’90s, John Woo’s Face/Off is an inventive, energetic, and very well-acted rollercoaster ride. With a nearly two-and-a-half-hour run time, it might be too much violence in one sitting for some people, but the novel core concept and enthusiastic performances from Cage and John Travolta are more than enough to keep just about everyone interested.

It’s amazing how well Face/Off works given how easily the face-swapping thread could have come across as just silly. Naturally, it still comes across as a little silly, but the movie is aware of that, and kudos to Cage especially for never playing the material like it shouldn’t be taken seriously. He makes some great faces here or there, but for the most part, he convincingly sells the notion that he’s truly Travolta’s Sean Archer stuck in a position where he can’t even convince those he loves most that he’s genuinely the one they love most.

Stream Face/Off on Paramount+.

What’s your favorite Nicolas Cage action movie? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Nicolas Cage Action Movies Ranked From Worst to Best appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Pedro Pascal and Isabela Merced are having a friendly rivalry for their upcoming superhero movies, The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman, respectively. This summer will see Marvel and DC compete outside of comics with the release of new Fantastic Four and Superman films. Both movies reboot their respective properties and feature stars of HBO’s The Last of Us in central roles. Pedro Pascal leads The Last of Us as Joel, with Isabela Merced joining Season 2 as Dina. Pascal is also playing Fantastic Four leader Reed Richards, and Merced suits up as Hawkgirl in Superman. But which superhero film will dominate at the box office? Let’s find out from the stars themselves.

The stars of The Last of Us are out doing press in anticipation of Season 2. After Isabela Merced discussed her new character Dina, she transitioned into promoting Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps both coming out this summer. “See you this summer!” Pedro Pascal teased his The Last of Us co-star, with Merced jokingly responding, “I hate you!”

[RELATED: Superman Star Teases What James Gunn Movie Is Really About (and It Sounds Perfect)]

The Last of Us announced Isabela Merced’s addition to Season 2 as Dina in January 2024. For those who haven’t played The Last of Us Part II, Dina is a new love interest for Ellie and travels with her throughout her latest adventure. She’s also the ex of Jesse, which makes for an interesting and complicated situation that plays out between Dina, Ellie, and Jesse. 

“Dina is warm, brilliant, wild, funny, moral, dangerous and instantly lovable,” said showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann in a joint statement. “You can search forever for an actor who effortlessly embodies all of those things, or you can find Isabela Merced right away. We couldn’t be prouder to have her join our family.”

Merced previously spoke of her role in The Last of Us and called out how Dina is the only character who gets a decent ending. “[TLOU’s Dina is] sort of a light in Ellie’s life, in Ellie’s world. I think that’s the general consensus, because you look at the video game, too, and she is really the only one who actually gets sort of a decent ending,” Merced told Total Film. “Everyone else gets kind of screwed or dies!”

[RELATED: Will Marvel and DC Movies Ever Cross Over? (And Should They?)]

As for Merced’s starring role as Hawkgirl in Superman, she teased what fans can expect from Hawkgirl’s superhero costume. “Well, there have been some leaked pictures online,” Merced told Deadline. “However, I think James [Gunn] knows what he wants, and this specific suit is for this specific timeline in the story. I don’t know what else I can say, but I gotta say, the helmet was my absolute favorite. It’s so sick. It’s so badass. It’s perfect.” 

Fans finally got to see Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards in the first trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps in February. Concept art for Fantastic Four and Avengers: Doomsday made its way online, featuring a more comics-accurate look at Reed Richards. Pedro Pascal has a trademark mustache, but was missing Mister Fantastic’s signature white sideburns in the FF trailer. However, the leaked concept art featured Pascal ditching his mustache for the white sideburns fans have come to love.

Which superhero movie are you looking forward to the most between The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Pedro Pascal, Isabela Merced Hype Fantastic Four, Superman Box Office Rivalry appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Harry Potter remake is in a special place right now, with pre-production underway yet casting news still scarce, leaving room for fans, journalists, and franchise veterans to speculate. This week, the question came to Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the film series from 2002 to 2011. Isaacs is currently promoting The White Lotus Season 3, but he spared time for a Harry Potter question during an interview with Variety on Monday. When asked who should take over the role of the Malfoy patriarch, Isaacs proposed “Meryl Streep. She can do anything, that woman. There’s literally no limit to what she can do.”

Isaacs may have been joking here, at least to some extent. Streep is one of the most accomplished actors of all time, and her ability to slip into any role with complete immersion has become a bit memetic over the years. He may also have been going for a subtle jab at author J.K. Rowling, who has made her preoccupation with other peoples’ gender presentation very plain. At the same time, the idea of changing characters is clearly not off the table in this remake — the frontrunner to play Severus Snape Ghanian-British actor Paapa Essiedu, so why not toy around with the Malfoy family’s demographics as well?

Isaacs went on to say that he “wouldn’t have any advice at all” for the next actor to take on the role of Lucius — or any role in this massive franchise. “Why would I bother?” he said. “I know some of the people they’re casting already. They’re brilliant actors. It’s going to be fantastic, and the last thing they need is advice from some old fart like me.”

[RELATED: These Are the 7 Most Powerful Harry Potter Characters]

It seems highly unlikely that the Harry Potter remake could lock down the incomparable Meryl Streep for a 10-season TV commitment, but Isaacs’ suggestion does pose an interesting idea. It also seems highly unlikely that Rowling would sign off on a woman playing a male version of Lucius Malfoy after her years-long tirade against transgender rights. Many Harry Potter stars have distanced themselves from Rowling over this rhetoric, but Isaacs was relatively neutral when he commented on it in 2022.

“There’s a bunch of stuff about Jo… I don’t want to get drawn into the trans issues, talking about them, because it’s such an extraordinary minefield,” Isaacs told The Telegraph at the time. One of the things that people should know about her too — not as a counter-argument — is that she has poured an enormous amount of her fortune into making the world a much better place, for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children through her charity Lumos. And that is unequivocally good. Many of us Harry Potter actors have worked for it, and seen on the ground the work that they do. So for all that she has said some very controversial things, I was not going to be jumping to stab her in the front — or back — without a conversation with her, which I’ve not managed to have yet.”

Rowling’s advocacy against transgender rights has already driven many fans away from to boycott the Harry Potter franchise altogether, and it poses a challenge for any actor joining the remake series. The new show will reportedly begin filming in August, and is expected to premiere sometime in 2026 on HBO and Max. The White Lotus Season 3 has two more episodes to go, airing on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

The post Harry Potter Star Suggests Meryl Streep Play Key Role in HBO Series (and Not Who You Think) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The big-screen comeback of Street Fighter has hit a major speedbump, with the project reportedly losing its release window in Sony Pictures’ upcoming slate. Under development with Sony and Legendary Pictures and originally set to debut in theaters on March 20th, 2026, Variety reports that the Street Fighter movie has been removed from Sony’s release calendar. At present, little other info is available regarding the Street Fighter project, including any prospective production start date or timeframe to when its release might be rescheduled.

Barely a month before the project’s delay, Kitao Sakurai was announced as director, while game developer Capcom is set to co-produce the film with Legendary Pictures. Given the suddenness of the project’s delay, it is unclear whether Sakurai remains attached to Street Fighter, or if there had been any movement on casting the project. However, the delay unfortunately continues an extended string of bad luck the Street Fighter franchise has had in achieving big-screen success.

1994’s Jean-Claude Van Damme-led Street Fighter was the first live-action adaptation of the popular fighting game series, and despite its box office success, the movie was widely panned for its campy, silly tone and deviations from the games. However, Raul Julia’s over-the-top performance as M. Bison was widely praised, with Julia even earning a posthumous Saturn Awards nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Since then, Street Fighter has gone on to become something of a cult classic for its cartoonish tone, with Capcom reportedly still earning significant revenue the Street Fighter movie.

RELATED: Street Fighter 6 Reveals Teaser Trailer for Terry Bogard

2009’s Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li was a far more disastrous reboot attempt, earning just $12.8 million worldwide on a $50 million with none of the cult fandom of its 1994 predecessor. Street Fighter finally achieved live-action success with the 2014 web-series/movie Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist, directed by Joey Ansah with Mike Moh and Christian Howard respectively portraying Ryu and Ken, along with Ansah playing Akuma. Assassin’s Fist subsequently spawned a 2016 follow-up series, Street Fighter: Resurrection, with plans for a much larger series titled Street Fighter: World Warrior (per Ansah in an interview with Scott Adkins, David Ayer was even attached to direct the pilot episode.) However, these plans never got off the ground.

Street Fighter has a rather unique history as a video game franchise, with its 1987 inaugural entry earning negligible attention, only for its 1991 follow-up Street Fighter II to become one of the biggest video game hits of all time and kickstart the Street Fighter franchise. This also made Street Fighter II the true foundation of the entire franchise, with the animated film Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie adapting the game’s story (hence its title), and the 1994 Street Fighter movie explicitly identifying Street Fighter II as its source material in the opening credits.

With the popularity of recent video game movie hits like the Sonic The Hedgehog movies along with the rebooted Mortal Kombat franchise releasing its second movie later this year, it is no doubt both disappointing and frustrating for many gamers that Street Fighter has had such difficulty being adapted. With news of the project’s delay, the Street Fighter movie’s status is now seemingly up in the air. Between that development and Assassin’s Fist and Resurrection standing as the only major successes Street Fighter has found in live-action, reviving Ansah, Howard, and Moh’s plans for Street Fighter: World Warrior might end up being the strongest prospect the Street Fighter franchise has for a thriving cinematic future.

The post Street Fighter Movie Gets a Major Update (And Fans Will Be Disappointed) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Given the recent leaks, it should come as no surprise for fans of LEGO and LOTR that the The Lord of the Rings: The Shire #10354 set has been officially unveiled for an April 2025 release. No doubt the leaks have only served to increase the hype for what will be an amazing set. It will include 2017 pieces and 9 Minifigures: Bilbo Baggins, Frodo, Mrs. Proudfoot, Farmer Proudfoot, Merry and Pippin (with interchangeable heads to recreate the dragon firework scene), Rosie, Samwise and Gandalf the Grey. What’s more, you’ll be getting an exciting (and slightly disturbing) free GWP set with your purchase. Everything you need to know to add it to your collection alongside the Barad-Dûr and Rivendell LOTR sets can be found below.

The design of the LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: The Shire set is inspired by the Peter Jackson films, mostly taking its inspiration from Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday celebration from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Naturally, the diorama is loaded with features and nods to the films, which includes a detailed interior and interactive elements like the ability to transform a burning letter into The One Ring and make Bilbo vanish with a turn of a dial. You’ll also find Gandalf’s horse and cart, fireworks, a firework dragon figure, the Party Tree, a party pavilion, and Bilbo’s book, which can be displayed open or closed.

Now for the really important part. If you want to be among the first to own The Shire LEGO set, you need to sign up for a LEGO Insiders account (its free) and be ready and waiting on April 1st / 2nd at 9pm PT / 12am ET right here at the LEGO Shop where it will be available to purchase in early access for $269.99. The general public will be able to pick it up starting at the same time and in the same place on April 5th. However, there will be a free GWP set attached to this release, and there is little chance that it will survive long enough for non-members to get one. Read on for details on the GWP set as well as Sean Astin’s (Samwise Gamgee) special message for fans.

The Lord of the Rings: Smeagol & Deagol #40761 – See at LEGO (free with the purchase of The Shire): This model recreates Sméagol and Déagol’s discovery of The One Ring in The Return of the King, which ends badly for Déagol. Honestly, it’s quite a sinister choice for LEGO, so we have no doubt that it will be extra popular. The set includes a rotatable boat and accessories like The One Ring and fishing gear.

To celebrate the release of the new LOTR LEGO set, Samwise Gamgee himself takes fans back to the Shire in a video that can be viewed on the product page. LEGO notes that the mini-film is “more than just a recreation of The Lord of the Rings in LEGO bricks; it’s a tribute to the cinematic artistry of the trilogy. Echoing the iconic Osgiliath monologue and cross-cutting sequences that define the films, the mini-film features Sean Astin taking viewers on a personal tour through the set.”

Sean Astin had the following to say about the project: “Not all those who wander are lost… especially when travelling through the astonishing detail of the Shire made out of LEGO bricks! From the smallest hobbit-hole to the grandest fireworks, building this set brought back so many fond memories of Middle-earth. Now fans can journey there themselves and build their own adventures.”

You can find many of the upcoming LEGO releases here in the “Coming Soon” section on the LEGO website.  After the launch, they will shift here in the “Available Now” section. Some of the new releases will be available here on Amazon, but in most cases you’ll want to stick with LEGO to take advantage of their special offers. 

The post LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: The Shire Set Gets a Release Date appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A Minecraft Movie stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa have revealed their vastly different history with video games. The two leads of Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures’ long-awaited adaptation of the world’s best-selling video game discussed their gaming experience during an exclusive ComicBook interview. The upcoming adventure comedy follows four ordinary people transported through a mysterious portal into the blocky Minecraft “Overworld.” There, they encounter expert crafter Steve, played by Black, who guides them through this strange new reality as they embark on a quest to discover their unique qualities and find their way back home. Directed by Jared Hess after passing through several filmmakers, including Shawn Levy and Rob McElhenney, the film has been in development since 2014 and will finally hit theaters on April 4, 2025.

“It was over pandemic times. I played Red Dead Redemption Part Two, and I lived in it,” Black revealed during the interview. “It was not a game. It was like a way of life. I got 400 hours clocked, and it was a lot, and I don’t regret any of it. It was so fun. It’s beautiful out there, it’s an incredible universe they created.” The actor’s passionate endorsement of Rockstar Games’ critically acclaimed open-world western clearly demonstrated his deep appreciation for immersive gaming experiences. When Momoa admitted he had “never heard of it,” Black expressed visible shock before enthusiastically recommending the title. “Dude, you never heard of Rockstar Games? These guys are the artists. You have to play it, it’ll change your life. If you play one game, that’s the one,” Black insisted.

[RELATED: Jack Black Sings About Zombies and Crafting on New Minecraft Movie Song]

“I got a pretty addictive personality. That’s why I stay away from that,” Momoa confessed, suggesting a self-awareness about potentially getting too absorbed in gaming. Black acknowledged the validity of Momoa’s concern, adding, “Probably better. You get lost in there. You’d be in there for years.” The two actors then joked about Momoa potentially disappearing from social life, with Momoa quipping, “Where’s Momoa? He’s out at the pub? Nah, he’s playing Red Dead Redemption.” Despite his limited gaming background, Momoa did share his experience with Capcom’s iconic fighting franchise Street Fighter, naming two specific characters as his favorites: “I have two. Ryu, and then Blanka.”

The Long Journey to A Minecraft Movie

A Minecraft Movie faced a troubled, decade-long production journey before reaching screens. Announced in February 2014 when Mojang began talks with Warner Bros., the film was originally slated for a May 2019 release with a preliminary $150 million budget. The project cycled through several filmmakers, slowly losing momentum. Subsequent COVID-19 delays in 2020 removed the film from release schedules entirely before Legendary Entertainment became involved in April 2022, securing Jared Hess as director, with Momoa in early talks to star. Principal photography finally began in Auckland, New Zealand, in January 2024 after being delayed by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike and concluded in mid-April 2024. The finished product promises a blend of live-action performances with visual effects, transforming the game’s iconic pixelated aesthetic into what early marketing materials describe as “freakishly realistic.”

The production created a lasting bond between Black and Momoa, fueling speculation about future collaborations. “Yeah, we’re together for life now,” Momoa told ComicBook, with Black enthusiastically adding, “We are! We’re bros for life now.” The actors appeared together at press events wearing matching knit cardigans while promoting the film, with Momoa suggesting they’ll “be doing movies when we’re old…er” despite their busy individual schedules. Black is currently working on the Anaconda remake, while Momoa juggles commitments, including his role as Lobo in the DCU and the finale of the Fast & Furious franchise.

A Minecraft Movie arrives in theaters on April 4, 2025.

Are you excited to see Jason Momoa and Jack Black in A Minecraft Movie? Let us know in the comments!

The post Minecraft’s Jack Black and Jason Momoa Reveal Which Video Games They’ve Played the Most appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Shudder has unveiled the official green band trailer for their upcoming slasher film Clown in a Cornfield, showcasing a blood-soaked rampage through the fictional town of Kettle Springs at the hands of a murderous mascot named Frendo. The horrifying two-minute preview reveals the killer clown employing an impressive arsenal of weapons against his teenage victims, including crossbows, sickles, chainsaws, and repurposed sports equipment in increasingly creative and brutal murder sequences. Based on Adam Cesare’s popular young adult horror novel, the film appears to lean heavily into both the rural setting and the killer clown iconography that has proven successful for the horror genre in recent years. The trailer shows director Eli Craig has crafted a visually striking slasher film that balances traditional horror elements with innovative kill scenes, positioning the adaptation as a must-watch for genre enthusiasts when it arrives in theaters on May 9, 2025, following its well-received premiere at South by Southwest earlier this month.

Clown in a Cornfield green band trailer introduces viewers to the horror film’s premise through protagonist Quinn (Katie Douglas), who moves with her father (Aaron Abrams) to the struggling town of Kettle Springs, a community divided following the closure of the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory. Soon after Quinn’s moving, the factory’s mascot, Frendo, emerges from the surrounding cornfields to begin a murderous purge. The creative team appears to have embraced the inherent creepiness of clowns, with Frendo’s permanently fixed grin and pork-pie hat creating an unsettling silhouette against the rural landscape.

[RELATED: 7 Movies to Watch After Terrifier 3]

The adaptation of Clown in a Cornfield marks a significant milestone for author Adam Cesare, whose novel has spawned a successful trilogy with the most recent entry, The Church of Frendo, published last year. While the film industry has long mined literary horror for adaptations, young adult novels have rarely received the R-rated treatment suggested by this trailer’s graphic content. The screenplay, co-written by Craig and Carter Blanchard, appears to preserve the novel’s generational conflict themes while amplifying the visceral horror elements.

From Cornfield to Screen: How Eli Craig Brought Frendo to Life

The journey to bring Clown in a Cornfield to theaters began in 2020 when Temple Hill Entertainment, fresh off producing the successful horror film Smile, acquired the rights to Cesare’s novel before it had even hit bookshelves. The production company, known for both the Twilight and Maze Runner franchises, recognized the potential of combining the resurgent killer clown subgenre with contemporary themes of small-town American decline. Director Eli Craig, who established himself in the horror-comedy space with the cult favorite Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, signed on to helm the adaptation alongside screenwriter Carter Blanchard, whose previous credits include Independence Day: Resurgence.

Early reception from the film’s South by Southwest premiere has been overwhelmingly positive, with several critics highlighting it as one of the year’s standout horror releases thus far. The film’s May theatrical release through RLJE Films and Shudder positions it as a counter-programming alternative to early summer blockbusters, similar to the strategy that helped Smile become a surprise hit in 2022.

Are you watching Clown in a Cornfield in theaters? Are you excited about the movie? Let us know in the comments!

The post Shudder’s Clown in a Cornfield Trailer Promises Movie to Be a Thing of Nightmares appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Elizabeth Olsen has confirmed she will not be appearing in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday film, putting to rest fan speculation about Scarlet Witch’s potential return in the highly anticipated Multiverse Saga conclusion. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Olsen revealed that she has already returned to the United States after completing work on Sam Esmail’s Panic Carefully in London and is moving on to a different project entirely. This news is a significant development for Marvel fans who have theorized about Wanda Maximoff’s fate since her apparent demise in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The timing of the production schedules and Olsen’s clear statement about her immediate career plans effectively confirms that Scarlet Witch will not be among the heroes facing Doctor Doom in the 2026 blockbuster, despite the character’s deep connection to the multiverse narrative that has defined this phase of the MCU.

“No, I’m back [in the States],” Olsen said unequivocally when asked directly if the Russo brothers were extending her stay in London for the Avengers production. “I just finished [Panic Carefully]. I’m moving on to filming a pilot for FX [called Seven Sisters],” she added, explaining her future commitments beyond the MCU. Olsen’s straightforward answer contradicts widespread fan theories that Scarlet Witch would play a pivotal role in the upcoming Avengers films, especially considering her character’s reality-altering powers and her significance in the multiverse storyline established through WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

[RELATED: Avengers: Doomsday Theory Predicts Spider-Man’s Pivotal Role After No Way Home]

The absence of Scarlet Witch from Avengers: Doomsday is surprising, considering Wanda’s central role in expanding the MCU’s understanding of alternate realities. After Wanda apparently sacrificed herself to destroy all copies of the Darkhold at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the character’s status has remained deliberately ambiguous. However, Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer revealed that she was specifically instructed to use the word “gone” rather than “dead” when referring to Wanda, suggesting Marvel has maintained flexibility regarding the character’s eventual return. During a November 2024 interview, Feige stated, “We are excited to find out when and how Scarlet Witch can return,” suggesting the Scarlet Witch would eventually make a comeback without committing to any specific timeline or project.

How Marvel Could Reintroduce Scarlet Witch Without Avengers: Doomsday

With Scarlet Witch now confirmed to be absent from Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel Studios has several potential pathways for reintroducing the character that would maintain narrative coherence while honoring her previous development. The most obvious possibility would be saving her return for Avengers: Secret Wars, where her reality-warping abilities would be particularly relevant to a story about colliding universes. The Russo brothers have described their approach to the upcoming Avengers films as establishing “a new beginning” for the franchise, and Wanda’s return could serve as a bridge between phases of the MCU.

Another avenue for Wanda’s return exists through the upcoming Vision series, which continues the story of the synthezoid character last seen flying away in WandaVision. While few details about this project have been confirmed, the deeply intertwined stories of Vision (Paul Bettany) and Wanda make this series a natural entry point for reintroducing Scarlet Witch, potentially in a cameo that wouldn’t require the extended commitment of an Avengers film. This approach would allow Marvel to address Wanda’s fate while maintaining focus on Vision’s independent journey.

The groundwork laid in Agatha All Along provides yet another pathway for Wanda’s eventual return. The series established that Billy Maximoff has been reincarnated as William Kaplan, with the implication that Tommy exists somewhere in the world as well. The twins’ presence in the MCU creates a natural narrative pull for their mother to return, especially given that Wanda’s search for her children was the primary motivation for her actions in Multiverse of Madness. A storyline focused on the reunion of this magical family could serve as an emotionally resonant way to bring Scarlet Witch back into the fold.

Whatever route Marvel chooses, Olsen’s comments make it clear that fans will need to be patient for Scarlet Witch’s return. In the same interview, the actress also reflected on her approach to balancing Marvel roles with other projects. “I didn’t realize this until about six years ago, but because Marvel and its influence takes up so much physical time and space in the world, it’s really important for me to make choices outside of Marvel that reflect my own taste,” Olsen explained. “Your taste does create the artist that you are, and that wasn’t something I was thinking about when I first started working.”

Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to be released on May 1, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars following on May 7, 2027.

Would you like the Scarlet Witch to return to the MCU? Which project do you think is most likely to feature Elizabeth Olsen? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Marvel’s Elizabeth Olsen Has Surprising Answer About Avengers: Doomsday Return appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the best films by the legendary James Cameron, Terminator ended up becoming a franchise with six movies, a TV series, an animated spinoff, not to mention video games, books, comics, and more. The filmmaker previously revealed his desire to expand the saga even more, proving that the fight against Skynet and its robotic killing machines still captivate the minds of storytellers and audiences. With lots of action and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role, this is one of those films that needs to be seen and revisited over time for its power in the history of cinema.

Serving as a great inspiration for other feature films that came later, there’s a wide selection of stories that any Terminator fan would love to know and watch to relive the tension of time travel, the confrontation with killing machines, complex artificial intelligences, and the whole atmosphere of a post-apocalyptic world. Here are seven must-watch movies if you love the Terminator franchise.

Upgrade

Upgrade (2018) could even be seen as a modern version of Terminator, exploring the fusion between man and machine and the dangers of artificial intelligence. Directed by Leigh Whannell, the film follows Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green), who becomes paralyzed after a brutal attack. He receives an implant called STEM, which restores his mobility and turns him into a lethal weapon. Like in the Terminator franchise, the technology initially seems to be an ally, but soon becomes an autonomous threat, similar to the rise of Skynet and the danger of machines going out of control.

Despite the similarities, Upgrade is more restrained and personal, focusing on Grey’s psychological deterioration, while Terminator broadens its scope to include time travel and larger global conflicts. The film also offers a deep dive into human autonomy and the unpredictable evolution of technology, exploring how it can spiral into something dangerous. It features intense action, chase scenes, and confrontations, delivering an experience that is both thrilling and thought-provoking.

Upgrade is available to stream on Netflix.

[RELATED: 3 Terminator Plot Holes That Are Still Super Confusing]

RoboCop

Famous for also being a sci-fi classic, RoboCop (1987) follows police officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller), who is brutally murdered and transformed into a cyborg by the OCP corporation, turning him into a weapon for the company. While the Terminators are cold, relentless machines, Weller’s RoboCop struggles to regain his humanity while battling a corrupt system. Like Terminator, the film explores the dangers of uncontrolled technological advancement and the use of AI as a tool for domination.

Though both films deal with the threat of machines, RoboCop focuses more on corporate corruption and the protagonist’s internal struggle with his identity, while Terminator scales the threat to humanity’s survival. The movie also stands out for its deeper character development, particularly Murphy’s fight against his programming. Still, both films deliver intense action and iconic lines, making RoboCop a resonant experience for Terminator fans.

RoboCop is available to stream on Max.

I, Robot

Bringing together investigation and action, I, Robot (2004) explores the fear of machines surpassing their limits. Directed by Alex Proyas, the film is set in a future where robots coexist with humans under strict guidelines inspired by Isaac Asimov’s Laws of Robotics. The plot follows detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) as he investigates a crime that may have been committed by a machine, bringing up the reliability of automated systems and the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.

Both films question how far technology can go in a world where humans have lost control. However, while Terminator shows hostile machines from the outset, I, Robot focuses on the gradual transition from submission to rebellion by technology. The movie leans more into an investigative angle, but shares the same underlying fear of technology turning against humanity. Also, while both films showcase machines that threaten human survival, I, Robot introduces a more gradual revelation of the AI’s true power and intentions.

I, Robot is available to stream on Hulu.

Cyborg

Exploring similar fears and fascinations with the technological future as The Terminator, Cyborg (1989) offers a comparable experience but with a slightly more focused approach. Directed by Albert Pyun, the story is set in a dystopian future after a devastating pandemic. Mercenary Gibson Rickenbacker (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is tasked with escorting Pearl Prophet (Dayle Haddon), a cyborg with vital information that could cure the plague. Along the way, they must fend off a ruthless band of marauders led by Fender Tremolo (Vincent Klyn), who wants to exploit the cyborg for his own benefit.

Similar to The Terminator, Cyborg delves into the theme of a future ravaged by technology – whether as a direct threat or a potential salvation. However, Cyborg places more emphasis on intense combat and physical challenges, while Terminator is more focused on questions of destiny, and the rise of advanced machines. A significant difference is that Cyborg also explores human connections amidst harsh circumstances. For those who crave pure action, this film delivers, without as much emphasis on the complex technological and philosophical dilemmas seen in Terminator.

Cyborg is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Solo

Solo (1996) captivates with its portrayal of an android hero, fighting against a brutal and oppressive world. Directed by Norberto Barba, the film follows Solo (Mario Van Peebles), a solitary android in a dystopian urban setting, built to be a combat machine. After a mission goes wrong, he ends up on a journey to figure out his purpose while dealing with bounty hunters and fighting against a corrupt system that sees him as nothing more than a tool.

The film’s intense combat scenes and gloomy atmosphere show the character’s isolation, much like The Terminator, where survival depends on resisting an almost unstoppable force. On the other hand, Solo explores a dehumanizing battle, focusing on personal redemption rather than the global conflict against machines. Here, the story is more introspective; however, compared to the Terminator franchise, it shares a similar sense of urgency and tension, with high-stakes action scenes set against a harsh and distorted future.

Solo is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

The Matrix

The Matrix (1999) is one of the most iconic franchises of all time and connects with The Terminator in several key ways. Directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, it presents a dystopian world where humanity is trapped in a digital simulation controlled by powerful AIs, with machines using human bodies as an energy source. Neo (Keanu Reeves) discovers the truth and joins a group of rebels fighting to free humanity from this technological oppression.

While The Matrix takes a more philosophical approach, it still shares The Terminator‘s core theme of man versus machine. Both explore the dangers of technological control, but The Matrix delves deeper into existential questions about reality and free will. For fans of The Terminator, it basically offers a more reflective story with groundbreaking visual effects and a unique perspective on the struggle against AI domination. For anyone looking for something more intellectually intense, this one’s a great pick.

The Matrix is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Edge of Tomorrow

A bit of a departure from the premise of an action slasher, where a machine is sent to kill the enemy, Edge of Tomorrow (2014) tries to focus more on the whole action and time travel together. Directed by Doug Liman, the story takes place in a near-future Earth invaded by aliens. The protagonist, Major William Cage (Tom Cruise), is trapped in a time loop, reliving the same day of battle repeatedly and gaining experience with each cycle.

Much like the franchise, Edge of Tomorrow explores the idea that knowledge gained through repeated experiences can be key to salvation, pointing out the tension between fate and humanity’s ability to adapt. The thrilling combat sequences and impressive visual effects, along with themes of adaptation and survival, make this a highly appealing choice for Terminator fans who are looking for something a bit different.

Edge of Tomorrow is available to stream on Apple TV+.

The post 7 Movies You Need to Watch If You Love the Terminator Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Before it was an iconic HBO show (which is unfortunately now nearly impossible to watch), Tales from the Crypt was a 1972 movie. And, like the HBO show, it was based on Al Feldstein, Johnny Craig, and Bill Gaines’ 1950s EC Comics line of the same name. The anthology film was directed by Freddie Francis (who also helmed an episode of the HBO show’s final season) and manages to get away with showing quite a bit, though of course not to the extent of the late ’80s to mid ’90s show. Other than the basic concept of showing multiple stories introduced by a Crypt Keeper, however, the two projects couldn’t be any further apart tonally.

But, watching the 1972 movie, one can see certain tracks being lain. In other words, the movie walked so the show could run.

What Is Tales from the Crypt About?

Excluding the wraparound segment which, of course, comes equipped with a twist ending, Tales from the Crypt is made up of five stories. There’s “…And All Through the House,” starring Joan Collins of Dynasty fame, “Reflection of Death,” “Poetic Justice,” starring Star Wars: A New Hope and Hammer Horror’s Peter Cushing, “Wish You Were Here,” and “Blind Alleys.”

Two of the stories, “Reflection of Death” and “Poetic Justice,” are entirely unique to the film. They never received so much as loose adaptations in the HBO show.

“Reflection of Death” follows Carl Maitland, a man who leaves his wife and children to run off with his secretary. They get into a car accident at which point he is thrown from the vehicle. As he awakens, he attempts to walk home only to realize his appearance terrifies all those who see him. When he gets to the home of the secretary, he learns she was blinded during the accident, which not only occurred two years ago but also took his life. He’s now a decaying zombie. Carl then wakes up once more, still alive and behind the wheel of the car…right as it gets into the accident.

“Poetic Justice” focuses on Cushing’s elderly Arthur Edward Grimsdyke, a kindhearted man who loves dogs and loves entertaining local neighborhood children. He’s an innocent person, outside his proclivity for the occult. When two mean-spirited neighbors start to tear apart his life, Grimsdyke ultimately takes his own life, but not before ensuring he’ll rise from the grave and seek his revenge.

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What Are the Similarities Between Tales from the Crypt the Movie and Tales from the Crypt the Show?

The other three stories were all adapted to various extents for the television show. The clearest companion is “…And All Through the House,” which was remade practically verbatim with Lethal Weapon and Die Hard‘s Mary Ellen Trainor standing in for Collins as a woman tormented by an axe-wielding serial killer who is making it awfully hard to get away with murdering her husband.

The adaptation of “Blind Alleys” isn’t quite as exact, but it’s close. The underrated Season 6 episode “Revenge is the Nuts,” starring Teri Polo and Isaac Hayes features a very similar concept, in that a cruel man runs a home for the blind with an utter lack of care for the residents. And, by the end of the story, the residents get their revenge via a trap involving razor blades.

“Wish You Were Here” was only loosely adapted. Specifically, Season 7’s “Last Respects” also adapts W. W. Jacobs’ short story “The Monkey’s Paw.”

It’s odd to know that HBO’s 1989-1996 series is harder to watch than the niche 1972 movie, but that’s the case thanks to complicated rights issues that have been hovering over the premium network television show for years. How many years? Enough years that even back in 2018 a reboot couldn’t get off the ground despite the backing of M. Night Shyamalan.

Even still, for now, you can stream the 1972 movie for free with ads on Tubi. Not to mention you can stream the excellent Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight with a STARZ add-on on Apple TV and rent the not-so-excellent Bordello of Blood on Amazon Video. As for the HBO show itself, you’re just going to have to go DVD shopping.

The post You’ve Never Seen One of the Best Comic Book Movies of All Time (And You Can Stream It Free) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Movies are full of mistakes. From micro-budget indie comedies to huge blockbuster extravaganzas, every film has at least one or two gaffs, goofs, or bloopers, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is no exception. While not all MCU films are created equal, continuity mistakes are the one unifying element that all Marvel films — good or bad — share. Even a carefully thought-out franchise like Guardians of the Galaxy isn’t immune to the occasional screw-up. James Gunn may have deliberately crafted the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and the Holliday Special as an overarching narrative about found family, but the series still features goofs like magic transforming shoes and vanishing rodents.

Chances are you were too busy marveling over a CGI tree’s ability to make you cry the first time around to notice most of these mistakes, but we promise, after you finish reading this list, you’ll never watch Guardians of the Galaxy the same way again.

Peter’s Disappearing, Reappearing Rat in Guardians of the Galaxy

One of the highlights of the first Guardians of the Galaxy is Peter Quill rocking out to killer tunes while treasure hunting on the planet Morag. Not only is this scene the perfect introduction to the goofy adventurer, but also to the classic rock soundtrack that defines the franchise. The best part of an already awesome scene is easily when Quill grabs a nearby rodent and starts singing into it like a microphone.

Unfortunately, said rodent either has magic teleportation powers or one of the editors fell asleep on the job because not long after Peter picks the creature up, it mysteriously disappears from his hand … only to reappear a second later like nothing happened.

The Nova Corps Shouldn’t Know About Lylla in Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy introduced a lot of new concepts to the MCU, including a group of space cops known as the Nova Corps. Nova has a file on every one of the Guardians, as evidenced during a scene in which they take turns posing for mugshots while information about them appears on the screen. Most of this information is standard stuff like aliases and known accomplices, or in Rocket’s case, a major continuity mistake.

Nova’s file has one of Rocket’s former partners listed as Lylla. The problem? We know from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 that Lylla died before Rocket started bumming around the galaxy committing crimes. In other words, the Nova Corps shouldn’t know about her whatsoever.

Rocket Grooms Himself Lightning Fast

At one point in the original Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket, Groot, Quill, and Gamora are sent to the high-security prison, The Kyln, where they meet Drax the Destroyer. The prison is full of criminals who are only there because of Gamora, and unfortunately for her, many of them want revenge. One such group of miscreants waits until everyone else is asleep and kidnaps Gamora, waking Quill in the process. Quill, in turn, wakes up Rocket, whose fur is comically flat on one side of his face.

The camera cuts away from Rocket momentarily, and when it cuts back, his fur is no longer matted down but is now perfectly groomed, as if he smuggled a brush into prison with him.

The Collector’s Body Guards Vanish

About an hour into Guardians of the Galaxy, the team arrives on a world known as Knowhere, seeking a being known as the Collector. Soon after landing, Quill and Gamora are introduced to the Collector by a pink-skinned alien named Carina. When Carina first brings the duo to meet her boss, the Collector is seen in the background flanked by two men — presumably bodyguards. As Gamora and Quill get closer, however, the men on each side of the Collector vanish and are never seen again.

An unfortunate detail when you realize how much help they could have been a few minutes later when Carina, attempting to wield an infinity stone, almost destroys Knowhere and the Collector with it.

Meredith Quill’s Voiceover Doesn’t Match Her Note at the End of Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy ends with Peter Quill reading a letter from his mother he’d been carrying around for 26 years unopened. It’s a bittersweet moment as Peter is finally forced to face his Mother’s death while also receiving a new mixtape in the process. The scene starts like most cinematic letter readings do, with a glimpse at the letter followed by a voiceover reciting its contents, in this case, the late Meredith Quill. Unlike similar scenes, however, this one features a mistake.

As Peter reads the letter, the camera zooms in close enough for viewers to notice that Meredith’s voiceover isn’t delivering every single word on the page. In fact, Peter’s mother skips a whole section of her letter.

Anachronistic Audio Technology in Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

The soundtracks to the first two Guardians movies are labeled Awesome Mix Vol. 1 and Awesome Mix Vol. 2, respectively. One interesting thing about the Awesome Mix Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 is that unlike most other soundtracks, they exist in both the real world and in the world of Guardians of the Galaxy as mixtapes made special for Peter Quill by his late mother. Another interesting thing about them is that they’re magical time-traveling cassettes .

OK, not really, but that would be one way to explain how Meredith Quill used Type II “CDing 2” TDK cassette tapes from 1993 to make her son’s mixtapes when she passed away in 1988.

Meredith Quill’s Boots Weren’t Made for Walkin’ in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 begins with a flashback of young Meredith Quill on a joyride with celestial-in-disguise Ego the Living Planet. After driving for a bit to the sweet sounds of “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass, Ego pulls over so he can show Meredith something in the woods. As the couple runs through the trees, for a split second, you can see Peter’s mother wearing a pair of Ugg-style boots before they inexplicably turn into heels.

Police are Light Sleepers in the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

The delightful but often overlooked Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special takes place between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. One of the special’s plots involves Drax and Mantis traveling to Earth in hopes of finding Kevin Bacon and bringing him back to Knowhere as a Christmas present for Quill. Not being the stealthiest kidnappers, Drax and Mantis eventually have a heated run-in with several police officers.

At one point in the scuffle, Mantis puts a female officer to sleep using her empathic abilities, only to have the same officer show up later in the fight. Once again, Mantis puts the officer to sleep despite having already done only moments earlier. While it could be a case of the officer waking up on her own, it’s much more likely that James Gunn accidentally had Mantis fight two versions of the same woman without realizing it.

Mantis Has the Right Franchise but the Wrong Slasher in the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

During Drax and Mantis’s mission to kidnap Kevin Bacon, Mantis mentions that Bacon fought the infamous horror movie icon Jason Voorhees. While Mantis is correct that the actor was part of the Friday the 13th franchise, she’s wrong about him fighting the machete-wielding killer. Like many actors, Kevin Bacon got his start in horror movies, most famously starring in the original Friday the 13th, where he was given one of the most gruesome deaths in the entire series — an arrow through the Adam’s apple.

It wasn’t Jason Voorhees who shoved the arrow through Kevin Bacon’s throat, however, but his mother, Pamela Voorhees. Jason wouldn’t become a killer until Friday the 13th Part 2.

Rocket’s Disappearing Gear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Rocket Raccoon is the Guardians’ resident tinkerer, so it only makes sense that he has any manner of doodads on him at any given moment. And like any good tinkerer Rocket has plenty of pockets in which to store his random odds and ends. But what if Rocket feels like going au naturel for a bit to let his fur air out? He puts his stuff on a side table or desk like the one in Rocket’s Knowhere bedroom. And what happens after he puts his stuff down? Well, it disappears, of course!

Right before the pivotal moment in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, when Adam Warlock bursts through the wall and tries to kill him, Rocket puts some random trinkets on a table next to his bed while he takes off his shirt. A second later, the table is empty, and Rocket’s things are gone, vanished into the ether, never to be seen again.

If you enjoyed these mistakes in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, or you want to let us know about one we missed, let us know in the comments!

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to get access to the one franchise that every Marvel fan wants to see: the X-Men. They were once Marvel’s most popular property, selling millions of comics, starring in animated series, and helming big-budget movies that grabbed fans’ imaginations and showed what Marvel could be on the big screen. There are hundreds of great heroes and villains on the X-Men side of the Marvel Universe, and many of Marvel’s best stories have had the name “X-Men” on the cover. The X-Men have all the potential in the world in the MCU, and the franchise could bring the team back to the top of the superhero charts.

Obviously the MCU doesn’t straight-up adapt comic stories, but instead uses them for inspiration. The X-Men have over 60 years of amazing stories that can inspire modern MCU content, and supply fans with what that they want from Marvel Studios.

These five X-Men stories would make the best MCU movies, showing off the flavor of the X-Men comics to a wider audience.

X-Men (1963) #1

One of the biggest questions about the X-Men is how the MCU is going to approach the team. Will they start out with more popular characters like Wolverine and Storm, like Fox did, or will they start at the beginning? An argument can made that they should start at the beginning, and that means taking inspiration from the team’s first appearance, X-Men #1 from 1963, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

This story introduced the world to Charles Xavier and his X-Men, and started the saga of Magneto. It sees the X-Men trying to stop Magneto’s attack on Cape Citadel, and is the perfect way to introduce the heroes and villains of the series. Magneto’s disposition in the MCU is another big question, and using this story first would answer that question, giving the MCU time to develop Magneto in whatever way they want. It’s a great starting place that can be easily modernized and serve as a perfect re-introduction to the X-Men.

X-Men (1991) #1-3

X-Men (1991) #1 is the bestselling comic of all time, and kicks off a three-issue story, by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee, that resets the relationship between Magneto and the X-Men for an entirely new generation of fans. A group of mutants is chased to Magneto’s Asteroid M by S.H.I.E.L.D., which draws Magneto back into the conflict between mutants and heroes. The X-Men spring into action, with the group’s Blue Team battling Magneto’s Acolytes and Magneto himself, leading to an X-Men versus X-Men battle and a surprising end for Magneto.

This is another story that does an amazing job of setting out the relationship between Magneto and the X-Men, and is full of amazing action-packed scenes. If the MCU wants to start with the X-Men already extant, this is the perfect tale to begin with. On top of that, the X-Men Blue Team has some of the most popular mutants of all time — Wolverine, Cyclops, Rogue, and Gambit — giving moviegoers a fan-favorite team to root for in the battle against Magneto. It’s a win-win.

God Loves, Man Kills

God Loves, Man Kills, by Chris Claremont and Brent Anderson, is one of the most important comic stories of all time. It introduces readers to Reverend Stryker and the Purifiers, a group of religious bigots who start killing young mutants. This spurs the X-Men into the action, where they are joined by an unforeseen ally — Magneto. It’s a monumental story, using the underlying themes of the X-Men to take a look at bigotry in society and the problems with organized religion.

The MCU isn’t exactly known for its depth. The franchise’s superheroes are quippy and sarcastic and the stories are light, breezy action-comedies. This has been a major stumbling block for the MCU and God Loves, Man Kills is the way to change that. Superheroes like the X-Men are perfect for social commentary and the MCU needs to go in this deeper direction. God Loves, Man Kills, if done right, could change the way everyone looks at the MCU forever and use the X-Men in the exact way they should be used.

“The Brood Saga”

“The Brood Saga”, by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum, is a classic X-Men story that showed just how versatile the team could be. The X-Men are called for help by their allies in the Shi’Ar Empire for help against a new alien threat — the Brood. Based on the xenomorphs from the Alien franchise (years before Marvel’s parent company Disney bought it), the X-Men are tested to their limits by this savage race, and one member in particular has to dig deep to save the day.

“The Brood Saga” is another example of a story that would take the MCU out of its comfort zone, which is exactly why it should get adapted. Superhero horror is an important part of comic history, and “The Brood Saga” is one of the best examples of it from Marvel. The MCU needs to broaden its horizons, and “The Brood Saga” is exactly the kind of story that could do so. While the MCU may not be able to pull off the more serious X-Men stories, it can easily pull off “The Brood Saga”.

“E is for Extinction”

“E is for Extinction” stands tall among the best X-Men stories of all time. The story relaunched X-Men as New X-Men, courtesy of the revolutionary creative team of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. The story sets up a new, more mutant-centric direction for the team, with the X-Men eschewing traditional superhero activities to become mutant teachers and rescue workers. However, a new threat rears its ugly head, Cassandra Nova, who wants to destroy everything her brother Professor X loves.

“E is for Extinction” is a great place to start with the X-Men. Sure, it doesn’t have the traditional superhero costumes, but it serves to set up everything else about the team. Cassandra Nova is already known to MCU fans, which is a good thing; the story features Wolverine, which is another feather in its cap – and it’s just a casually brilliant story. Going in this direction would allow the MCU to set up the school status quo, and have a great roster of X-Men, including Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Beast while also introducing Emma Frost to the team. And, hey, if Marvel wants the X-Men in their more traditional costumes for the movie, that’s an easy tweak. New X-Men is the best reboot of a Marvel franchise in the last twenty-five years and would make for an excellent MCU reboot movie.

X-Men films and MCU films are streaming on Disney+.

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The 2025 Paley Honors Spring Gala is celebrating Lynda Carter for the 50th anniversary of Wonder Woman. Carter portrayed the DC icon in the Wonder Woman live-action series of the mid-’90s and became synonymous with the character. So much so that all other Wonder Woman performances are compared to Carter’s. While fans wait to hear news on who will play Wonder Woman in James Gunn’s new DC Universe, Carter will get the recognition she deserves when she’s honored by the Paley Center for Media when the celebration kicks off on Monday, May 19th.

“Lynda Carter’s iconic portrayal remains a timeless symbol of strength, courage, and empowerment,” said Maureen J. Reidy, President and CEO of The Paley Center for Media. Lynda Carter was a Wonder Woman in front of and behind the camera. While she performed heroics when the lights were on, she continued her valiant work in her personal life as well. Carter is an advocate and philanthropist who works with the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, City of Hope/TGen’s blood cancer research, and the ERA Coalition, just to name a few organizations she’s a part of.

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Along with celebrating Lynda Carter, the 2025 Paley Honors Spring Gala is also celebrating billionaire and businessman Joe Tsai; media and sports entrepreneur Crystal McCrary; and the ABC News morning program Good Morning America, which is also celebrating its 50th anniversary. Tsai is the owner of the NBA basketball team the Brooklyn Nets and the WNBA champion New York Liberty. He’s also the co-founder and chairman of Alibaba Group.

“Joe Tsai is a world-renowned industry icon whose innovative and visionary leadership continues to shape the future of business,” stated Reidy. “Crystal McCrary is an award-winning producer making a groundbreaking impact as a media and sports trailblazer.”

James Gunn comments on Wonder Woman prequel series

A prequel series based on Wonder Woman was one of the many projects announced when DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran unveiled the new DC Universe’s opening slate of projects. When asked in November if Paradise Lost is still “in active development,” Gunn replied: “Very active development.”

Paradise Lost was among the first projects announced in January 2023 when Gunn and Safran announced their plans for the DC Universe. At the time, they held a press conference, describing Paradise Lost as a “Game of Thrones-ish story” set on the island of Themyscira before Diana was born. Fans speculated that the show might take inspiration from the comic series “Paradise Island Lost” by Phil Jiminez and George Pérez, which was about a civil war on Themyscira.

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“It’s really about the political intrigue behind a society of all women,” Safran said at the time. Gunn added: “How did that come about? What’s the origin of an island of all women? What are the beautiful truths and the ugly truths behind all of that? And what’s the scheming like between the different power players in that society?”

So it appears that Wonder Woman is moving on from the likes of Lynda Carter and Gal Gadot. They will both hold a special place in the hearts of fans, but DC and Warner Bros. are looking to start with a fresh face. Let us know your thoughts on Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman celebration in the comments below!

The post Lynda Carter to Be Honored for Wonder Woman 50th Anniversary (But Will She Return?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Nearly a year after The Strangers — Chapter 1 was unleashed, star Madelaine Petsch took to social media to announce that the sequel, The Strangers — Chapter 2, is set to hit theaters in September. The star also offered up a new photo from the upcoming film, and while it doesn’t offer much insight into what the story could explore, knowing how long it’s been since we’ve heard updates on the project comes as a relief. You can check out a first look at The Strangers — Chapter 2 below, which is set to hit theaters on September 26th. The previous film is currently available to rent on multiple platforms.

Petsch merely captioned the image, “strangers chapter 2. only in theaters 9/26.”

The actor shared in a statement, “I promise that we’re making The Strangers — Chapter 2 as terrifying as possible, and I can’t wait to show you on September 26th.”

Producers Courtney Solomon and Mark Canton added, “Like Strangers fans everywhere, we’re thrilled for Chapter 2 — it’s the kind of film that’ll have audiences watching through their fingers. Bringing it to theaters this Halloween season feels perfect, and we can’t wait for everyone to see where the story goes next.”

The original The Strangers hit theaters back in 2008 and largely established the successful formula for contemporary home-invasion horror movies. After landing on home video, its popularity grew exponentially, though the story’s conclusion presented a major challenge for continuing any type of narrative. Instead, 2018’s The Strangers: Prey at Night served as a continuation of the concept, focusing on a group of masked killers tormenting a family, yet didn’t include much narrative connection to its predecessor.

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In hopes of reviving excitement in the property, director Renny Harlin was tapped to helm a new take on the concept, but rather than being another straightforward reboot or even a spiritual sequel, Harlin went an entirely unconventional route: he filmed a whole trilogy of movies over an extended production time.

Given the timeline of the project and how it was made when COVID restrictions were lifting and many studios were pivoting to streaming debuts, the release of the first The Strangers — Chapter 1 went through an evolution, first envisioned as a streaming release before being upgraded to a theatrical effort. Unfortunately, the movie didn’t resonate exceptionally well with critics or audiences, sitting at 21% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and taking in $47.8 million worldwide.

As teased at the end of the previous film, the next chapter is set to pick up shortly after that film concluded, so while principal photography wrapped on Chapter 2 quite some time ago, it’s possible that this lengthy wait could have resulted in tweaks being made to improve on the upcoming installment.

The Strangers — Chapter 2 is set to hit theaters on September 26th.

Are you looking forward to the new movie? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The post The Strangers — Chapter 2 Finally Gets Release Date With New Look Unveiled by Star appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The full length trailer for Final Destination: Bloodlines is coming on Tuesday, but first we’ll all have to hold our breath after the new teaser set up something gruesome. A brief 10-second clip dropped — pun intended — on social media on Monday, showing a glass falling and shattering over a trough of ice behind a bar. Someone swept up most of the glass, but they accidentally knocked a shard of it into the that will probably go into drinks later. It’s not hard to imagine what’s in store for the person who gets that in their cup, and it won’t be refreshing. Of course, knowing Final Destination, it could be one of many misdirects before the actual tragedy takes place.

Final Destination: Bloodlines is the long-awaited sixth installment of this horror franchise, following the longest breaks between sequels since the story began. comes with an almost entirely new creative team, including writers Guy Busick, Lori Evans Taylor, and Jon Watts along with directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein. However, it reaches back into the franchise’s deepest history by exploring the mysterious William Bludworth (Tony Todd) more deeply than before.

Each Final Destination movie kicks off with one character having an uncanny premonition of a horrific mass death that they are about to be a part of, and narrowly escaping it with as many others as they can convince. However, each time, the survivors find that they are pursued by the spirit of death itself, eager to claim the lives that were denied to it. They are faced with more and more unlikely circumstances that threaten their lives unless they succumb, or somehow circumvent the “rules” of death.

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Bloodlines will pick up this format for the first time in over a decade. According to the official logline, the movie is about “A college student experiencing a recurring nightmare that foretells her family’s demise.” He “returns home to find the person who can prevent it.” That may be Bludworth, a funeral home operator who seems to know more about what’s going on than he’s ever willing to tell the characters. This time might be different.

Sadly, Bloodlines will be a swan song for Todd, who passed away after filming wrapped. The actor was a horror genre icon, known also for his role as the Candyman in the 1992 original movie, among many other roles. The rest of the cast has been announced, though their characters and dynamics still haven’t been revealed.

Final Destination: Bloodlines hits theaters on May 16th, 2025 in both IMAX and standard formats. A full trailer is expected to debut online on Tuesday, March 25th.

The post Final Destination Bloodlines Teaser Has Us Cringing Ahead of Full Trailer appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Among the most popular horror franchises still running, The Conjuring has delivered plenty of scares since the movie of the same title started it all in 2013. Revolving around the work of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the Conjuring universe includes eight feature-length movies. In addition to the three main Conjuring films, the franchise has established recurring storylines based on Annabelle and The Nun. Director James Wan’s The Conjuring marked the beginning of Ed and Lorraine’s adventures with the supernatural, introducing the fantastic duo of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in the lead roles. Although every movie in the Conjuring franchise has produced its fair share of jump scares and terrifying scenes, the first film is widely considered the most frightening.

It should come as no surprise that the Conjuring franchise’s scariest scene lies in the very first movie, as its resounding success paved the way for all of its sequels and spinoffs. Loosely based on a true story, The Conjuring‘s events also inspired The Amityville Horror over three decades earlier. In the film, Roger and Carolyn Perron and their five daughters move into a new house in 1970s Rhode Island. The family begins to witness paranormal events, compelling them to call Ed and Lorraine, who later determine that a demonic entity living in the house has possessed Carolyn and will force her to sacrifice her children to the devil. The Warrens perform an intense exorcism to rid the family of this evil spirit. The Conjuring‘s most horrifying scene occurs during one of the first nights the Perron family spends in their new home. Often referred to as the “hide and clap” scene, this bloodcurdling sequence continues to scare audiences.

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The Conjuring‘s “Hide and Clap” Scene Is Horrifying

One night, Carolyn is awoken by strange noises coming from the cellar. After she wanders around a bit, the cellar door swings open on its own. Rather than going down into the spooky cellar, Carolyn yells that she’s going to lock in whoever’s lurking down there, but the door suddenly slams shut behind her. Carolyn tumbles to the bottom of the stairs, and after a few moments of eerie silence, a ball is tossed across the cellar floor. Panicking, Carolyn dashes up the stairs toward the locked door while the cellar’s only light bulb explodes, leaving her alone in the pitch dark. Carolyn screams for help to no avail and lights a match. Out of the clear blue, a child’s voice says, “Want to play hide and clap?” A couple of seconds later, a pair of clapping hands appears beside Carolyn, and she screams while pounding on the door.

The Conjuring‘s “hide and clap” scene is brilliant because it relies entirely on a terrifying atmosphere rather than imagery. Slamming doors and a random pair of hands aren’t visually creepy on their own, but the sequence’s dim lighting, stirring score, and slow-building tension generate a truly hair-raising viewing experience. “Hide and clap” contains some classic horror movie jump scares, and they are extremely well-executed. Far too often, the horror genre overuses jump scares, dulling their effectiveness. While most jumps scares in today’s horror blockbusters are more intended to surprise audiences than actually frighten them, The Conjuring‘s “hide and clap” scene flawlessly achieves both.

2013’s The Conjuring Is Still the Franchise’s Best (and Scariest) Movie

Unfortunately, none of the Conjuring‘s successors have lived up to the original film. 2016’s The Conjuring 2 and 2017’s Annabelle: Creation represent the most worthy follow-ups to 2013’s The Conjuring, but even their scares fail to reach the same heights as the first movie. Other subsequent titles such as 2014’s Annabelle, 2018’s The Nun, and 2021’s The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It feature a few spooky moments, but at times, their stories devolve into ridiculousness.

Genuinely suspenseful and eventually outright horrifying from one scene to the next, The Conjuring still stands as the best and brightest the horror universe has to offer. Wan, whose other horror movies include Saw, Insidious, and Malignant, has cemented himself as a master of the genre, and The Conjuring is easily his best film. The Conjuring franchise remains highly enjoyable despite its shortcomings. Set to conclude the famed movie series, The Conjuring: Last Rites will release in 2025. Horror fans should be excited to see how Ed and Lorraine’s story ends and to discover if the franchise can return to its former glory.

The Conjuring is currently available to stream on Max.

The post This Is Still the Scariest Scene in The Conjuring Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Like any fandom, Star Wars has its fair share of fan theories and headcanons. From the idea that Boba Fett was the one who set fire to the Lars Homestead, earning him the famous “No disintegrations!” warning from Darth Vader, to the popular — but misguided — concept of Grey Jedi, Star Wars fans have always taken what was on screen and added their own twist to it. While some of these theories might seem a little far-fetched to the casual viewer, there’s one so out there that it has even hardcore Star Wars fans scratching their heads. We’re referring, of course, to the “Bigger Luke” theory.

There are fan theories, and then there is outright lunacy. Bigger Luke falls squarely in the second camp. The theory itself isn’t particularly complicated. Basically, the idea is that there are two Lukes appearing in the original Star Wars trilogy, with one being slightly taller than the other — slightly being the operative word here. We’re talking two or three centimeters at most.

Fans who subscribe to the Bigger Luke theory believe that throughout the original three Star Wars movies, any scene with Luke Skywalker either features the real Luke, “Luke Prime,” or the mysterious Bigger Luke. If that already sounds pretty wacky, just wait. We haven’t even scratched the surface of the Bigger Luke iceberg.

Bigger Luke came about when some fans noticed that throughout the original trilogy, Luke’s height fluctuates relative to Han Solo. These dedicated fans have combed through A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi scene by scene in order to find evidence of this height discrepancy. Star Wars: A New Hope is allegedly the film with the most “proof” of the Bigger Luke phenomenon, which makes sense given it’s the film where Luke and Han have the most scenes together. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the act of searching the movies for scenes featuring Bigger Luke is referred to as — and we promise we’re not making this up — “Luking.”

According to the Bigger Luke community, the inclusion of Han Solo in a given scene is usually crucial to figuring out which Luke is which, but not always. Sometimes, fans will use a different character to determine Luke’s relative height in a pinch. After Han, the second most popular character to measure Luke next to is Obi-Wan Kenobi, followed by Princess Leia. The Bigger Luke theory also considers Leia’s famous line, “Aren’t you a little short for a Stormtrooper?” confirmation of an inconsistently sized Luke, or at least one of the theories does…

The Bigger Luke Theory is Actually Two Theories

The Bigger Luke theory is actually two theories: the Canon Luke Hypothesis and the more meta, Hamill Hypothesis. The Canon Luke Hypothesis theorizes that within the actual Star Wars universe, there are two Luke Skywalkers, the aforementioned Luke Prime and his marginally taller doppelganger. If that sounds unbelievable, the Hamill Hypothesis ventures so far off the rails that it enters “Paul is Dead” territory.

The Hamill Hypothesis posits that Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill shared the screen with a taller, uncredited Mark Hamill look-alike for secret reasons never disclosed to the public. If you think about it for too long, the Hamill Hypothesis quickly goes from fun fan theory to the stuff of conspiracies. After all, for the Hamill Hypothesis to be correct, it would mean that Mark Hamill, George Lucas, and all the other actors and crew from the original Star Wars trilogy agreed to take this secret to the grave. Considering that Star Wars: A New Hope is almost 50 years old at this point, it’s inconceivable that out of the hundreds of people who worked on those films, none of them happened to let it slip that a second, slightly stretched, Mark Hamill is running around out in the world.

It’s much easier to believe in the Canon Luke Hypothesis. This is not only because it doesn’t require you to believe in some grand Hollywood conspiracy but also because there seems to be more evidence — even if it is flimsy — of Bigger Luke being an in-universe concept. One of the scenes fans point to in support of the Canon Luke Hypothesis is when Obi-Wan tells Luke in A New Hope, “You’ve taken your first step into a larger world.” Fans think this line is Kenobi’s acknowledgment that the galaxy contains a second, bigger Luke Skywalker. Some even go so far as to assume this Bigger Luke is a Force manifestation created by Obi-Wan to help protect Luke and intimidate any Imperial Stormtroopers he might encounter.

Other fans reject this idea in favor of a more tangible, physical clone. Of course, even this sub-sub-sub theory isn’t as simple as it sounds. Bigger Luke fans are further split on who actually created this clone of Luke, with some believing it was Owen Lars and others believing it was R2-D2’s handiwork. Oddly enough, the idea of a clone of Luke Skywalker has been brought up before, specifically in the Legends novel The Last Command. The book by popular Star Wars writer Timoty Zahn features the infamous Luuke — a clone of Skywalker made using the hand he lost in The Empire Strikes Back.

While the whole Bigger Luke concept is largely tongue-in-cheek, it’s a great example of the love Star Wars fans have for their fandom. Few franchises could inspire the level of devotion it takes for a fan to comb through a combined 6 hours and 24 minutes of footage frame by frame just to support an obscure fan theory.

What do you think of the Bigger Luke theory? Do you subscribe to the Canon Luke Hypothesis or the Hamill Hypothesis? Let us know in the comments, and as always, may the Force be with you!

The post This Hilarious Star Wars Theory Will Change How You Watch the Original Trilogy appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the most successful film franchises of all time, the Caped Crusader himself, Batman, has been busy ever since his eponymous live-action debut in Tim Burton’s 1989 film (not counting the 1966 film based on the TV series, of course). There have been highlights and low points of each era. Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns may be iconic but Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever and, especially, Batman & Robin were letdowns. Sir Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy started out well and even had a masterpiece in the middle, but ended on an overlong note with The Dark Knight Rises. As for the DCEU, well, while Ben Affleck ended up being solid casting he was perpetually let down by weak writing.

In short, the Batman movies aren’t always quite as compelling as they should be. But do you know what is? The movies’ behind-the-scenes facts. Even a movie as jumbled as Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice has at least one factoid that most bigtime fans know and just about any other film fan should know. What follows are the most interesting facts from each era, from Burton and Nolan to the DCEU. Will Matt Reeves’ saga produce even more? It’s likely…if a sequel to the 2022 film ever actually sees the light of day.

Billy Dee Williams’ Harvey Dent Would Have Been Two-Face in Tim Burton’s Batman 3

Sadly, Billy Dee Williams’ take on Harvey Dent was relegated to a minor role in just Tim Burton’s original Batman film. He didn’t appear in Batman Returns but was, in fact, supposed to return down the line. For the most part, a third Burton Batman movie would have focused on Riddler. But, there would have been something in there for Williams’ Dent as well, and whether it would have been Burton’s third Batman or a fourth, he would have become Two-Face. Fans can get a taste of what this would have been like in the comic series Batman ’89.

Marlon Wayans Would Have Been Robin in Tim Burton’s Batman 3

Like with Billy Dee Williams’ Two-Face, Burton fans can get a taste of what he had in store for Robin in the Batman ’89 comic. In fact, Batman Returns was initially supposed to serve as the character’s debut before he was ultimately bumped back to a third Burton Bat flick.

His debut in Batman Returns came so close to happening that it was guaranteed for a third film. How close did he come to playing Robin? Close enough for Burton’s choice, Marlon Wayans, to still get paid for Returns. His character may have been excised during pre-production due to the film having too many characters, but Wayans was given a paycheck for his time and even receives some residuals for it.

Robin Williams Refused to Play The Riddler in Batman Forever for a Very Specific Reason

The late, great Robin Williams was an affable, kind-hearted guy. He was also a guy who stuck to his guns, as it were. See, for example, his feud with Disney. In that case he agreed to a reduced salary for his work as the Genie in Aladdin on the condition that his voice and likeness would not be used to hawk merchandise. Disney went ahead and did it anyway and Williams didn’t work on their films for years.

Something similar happened with Warner Bros. when they were making Tim Burton’s original Batman. They first approached Jack Nicholson for the role of Joker and he said no. They then went to Williams who said yes. The thing is, the studio didn’t actually want Williams, they still wanted Nicholson, and the casting of Williams was really just an attempt to get Nicholson on board. It worked, but Williams was rightly upset and didn’t work with Warner again until Fathers’ Day, released nearly a decade later. This means he said no to Batman Forever, specifically during the brief time Burton was set to direct it.

Michelle Pfeiffer was Strongly Considered for Vicki Vale Before Kim Basinger

The role of photography and Bruce Wayne love interest Vicki Vale was a highly-sought-after one in late ’80s Hollywood. Many of the biggest names were either already up for it or eager to toss their hats in the ring. This included Michelle Pfeiffer who would, of course, end up playing Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Batman Returns.

But Bruce Wayne himself, Michael Keaton, was against Pfeiffer’s casting. Why? He was dating her at the time and felt it would be awkward to fake a developing connection with someone he was, in real life, developing a connection with. By the time Batman Returns was getting off the ground, however, their relationship had ended and she secured the part. It’s for the best, because while Vale is a somewhat bland role, Kyle was anything but and Pfeiffer knocked it out of the park.

Jack Nicholson Was Paid A Lot of Money to Star in Batman

Usually when a movie’s poster is seen, the actor who is playing the hero comes before the name of the actor playing the villain. Not the case with Batman. And not only was Nicholson billed over Keaton, but he also received a percentage of the film’s final gross.

Of course, Burton’s film made a ton of money. At the time, Nicholson reportedly made about $60 million. Adjust that to 2025 dollars and the actor walked away with a paycheck of nearly $155 million.

[RELATED: 5 Batman Characters Ruined by the Movies]

Tommy Lee Jones Hated Jim Carrey on the Set of Batman Forever

Like Robin Williams, Jim Carrey is a likable fellow. That is, unless you’re Tommy Lee Jones. The two may be cackling side-by-side in just about all their scenes in Batman Forever, but as soon as the camera stopped rolling Jones’ smile disappeared faster than Batman after dropping a smoke bomb.

Carrey has talked about it over the years, relaying a story to Norm McDonald at one point about how he approached Jones at a restaurant the night before they were set to shoot one of their big scenes and said “Hey Tommy, how ya doing?” According to Carrey, Jones turned pale and started shaking, approached Carrey, and whispered in his ear “I hate you. I really don’t like you. I cannot sanction your buffoonery.”

Joel Schumacher Wanted Batman Forever to be More in Line with Burton’s Two Films

Tonally, Batman Forever is a pretty heavy departure from Batman and Batman Returns. Unlike Batman & Robin, though, there are still some touches of Burton’s take on Gotham in Batman Forever (Burton served as producer on Forever but not on Batman & Robin). If director Joel Schumacher had his way, Forever would have been even more tonally in line with Burton’s two films.

The director of The Lost Boys initially wanted his first Bat film to have a more substantial focus on Bruce Wayne’s fear surrounding the effects of his having dawned the cape and cowl. It also would have focused on Wayne suffering from burnout. But Warner Bros. wasn’t thrilled with all the backlash to the grim nature of Batman Returns and insisted on it being lightened up. There’s a Schumacher Cut out there somewhere and comic book aficionado Kevin Smith has seen it, so too should the rest of the world.

Most of Batgirl’s Scenes Were Cut from Batman & Robin

Some behind-the-scenes facts about Batman & Robin are funny, like how George Clooney, who has never been shy about his feelings towards the film, personally refunding those who saw the mocked blockbuster on the big screen. Other facts, however, are disappointing. For instance, the reason why Alicia Silverstone is barely seen wearing her Batgirl suit in the movie.

As it turns out, Silverstone’s Barbara Wilson was intended to suit up for a longer period of time in the movie. The reason many of these scenes were reportedly excised been attributed to Silverstone’s physique, and alleged weight gain during production. It’s well documented however that tabloids and the press mocked Silverstone. All this rubbed director Joel Schumacher the wrong way, who confronted journalists who displayed such mean-spirited audacity. None of this footage has seen the light of day though.

The Language Spoken by Ken Watanabe in Batman Begins Is Gibberish

In the first third of Batman Begins, the viewer is led to believe that Ken Watanabe’s character is Ra’s al Ghul, not Liam Neeson’s. They’re also led to believe that Ra’s al Ghul is speaking Urdu.

But just because the subtitles say it’s Urdu doesn’t mean it’s Urdu. In fact, it’s not a known language at all. It’s gibberish, and Watanabe made it up himself for the role. Along with the fact that Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr. both auditioned for it, it’s one of the more compelling behind-the-scenes factoids about Nolan’s trilogy kickstarter.

Bruce Wayne’s Voice Modulator in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Was Kevin Smith’s Idea

In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it is revealed that Bruce Wayne has a voice modulator to further help shield his identity from those around him. This idea was only introduced after Ben Affleck was cast, and it was provided by none other than Affleck’s friend, Kevin Smith.

Smith felt that Affleck’s speaking voice was too high-pitched for the Caped Crusader, but that wasn’t the only reason. An electronic voice modulator would also deepen the voice while simultaneously helping it stand apart from what Christian Bale did with his voice in Nolan’s trilogy.

Stream the entirety of the Batman franchise on Max.

The post 10 Batman Movie Secrets That Only Real Fans Know appeared first on ComicBook.com.

James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was both a literal and figurative sendoff to the beloved team of Marvel Cinematic Universe heroes, as it marked Gunn’s final collaboration with Marvel and marked many characters’ final appearances in the franchise. Even though Gunn might not return, Adam Warlock actor Will Poulter recently confirmed that he’d happily stand by for Marvel to confirm they needed him to return to the franchise in either the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. As fans wait to see if Poulter will reprise his otherworldly role, they can see him in Death of a Unicorn, which hits theaters on March 28th.

When asked by ComicBook if he would be open to a Marvel return, Poulter confirmed, “Oh, dude, I’d love it. I had so much fun playing my character, and so, yeah, if they come calling, I’m definitely picking up.”

Poulter’s Warlock has had an interesting trajectory in the MCU, as his overall significance in the world of Marvel Comics has been quite different from his role in live-action Marvel Studios projects.

[RELATED – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Reveals Deleted Adam Warlock Scene]

Warlock was first teased in a post-credits scene of 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, signaling his impending arrival in the franchise. The figure was a key component in the miniseries The Infinity Gauntlet and even obtained possession of the titular weapon. This also meant Warlock was an important figure in the subsequent comic series Infinity War and Infinity Crusade. Understandably, when it was announced that the MCU would deliver fans Avengers: Infinity War, fans assumed Warlock would be an important character in that adventure, only for the movie to deviate from the source material quite significantly.

While fans were excited to see Warlock get more screen presence in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, he remains a figure with a wealth of storytelling potential, so Poulter’s willingness to reprise the role, even in a project disconnected from Gunn, means there’s still a chance to explore the figure’s potential.

As fans wait for updates on Poulter’s potential MCU return, they can check out Death of a Unicorn.

Death of a Unicorn is described, “A father (Paul Rudd) and daughter (Jenna Ortega) accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss (Richard E. Grant) seeks to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties. “

Death of a Unicorn was written and directed by Alex Scharfman and also stars Teá Leoni, and Richard E. Grant.

Stay tuned for updates on Poulter’s potential return to the MCU. Death of a Unicorn hits theaters on March 28th.

Would you like to see more of Warlock? Let us know in the comments!

The post Guardians of the Galaxy Star Weighs in on Returning for Avengers (Even Without James Gunn) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Budgetary concerns kept Hank McCoy/Beast out of the initial live-action X-Men films, despite his character being part of this superhero group since its inception. Thankfully for comic book geeks everywhere, X-Men: The Last Stand corrected this erasure with the inspired casting of Kelsey Grammer as Beast. From there, Beast has been a constant presence in live-action X-Men movies, particularly with the Nicholas Hoult version of the character introduced in X-Men: First Class. Heck, Grammer’s Beast even became only the second X-Men movie character (following Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier) to appear on-screen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, thanks to a mid-credits scene in The Marvels.

Beast’s ubiquity, though, could’ve been increased even further in the 20th Century Fox era of mutant cinema. There were once plans to give this blue superhero a solo movie that would’ve finally let Beast take center stage. Though the production never materialized, X-Men: Fear the Beast is a fascinating “what if?” scenario reflecting a volatile era in X-Men cinema.

What Was X-Men: Fear the Beast?

John Ottman is most known for working as a film composer, a career that’s included multiple X-Men installments like X2 and X-Men: Days of Future Past. However, Ottman is also an editor, screenwriter, and director, and he would’ve possibly utilized all of those talents for a project focusing on Hank McCoy/Beast. Coinciding with Dark Phoenix’s release (and thus the demise of all future non-MCU X-Men movies), Ottman recalled to THR how his assistant Bryan Burton came up with an idea for a solo Beast movie.

Initially dubious of the notion, Ottman became enamored with Burton’s script and began pushing for it passionately. The gist of this feature would’ve been that Beast in the 1980s (presumably the Hoult version established in First Class) is torn between his most monstrous and human impulses. A potential friend, Dr. Paul Cartier, who also suffers from the same Beast-ly circumstances, turns out to be a nefarious foe Beast must stop. This situation would lead to Beast teaming up with Wolverine and both mutants putting their most monstrous tendencies to good use.

[RELATED: 10 X-Men Movie Mistakes You’ll Never Be Able to Unsee]

This would’ve been a smaller-scale exercise in the vein of Logan, Deadpool, and The New Mutants, while everything about Beast’s storyline in Fear the Beast sounds reminiscent of classic werewolf stories. In the late 2010s, when Fox was enamored with giving X-Men characters like Gambit, Kitty Pryde, and Multiple Man solo movies, the idea of giving Beast his own motion picture didn’t sound so ludicrous. After all, this guy had already been in several First Class-era movies and was played by an acclaimed actor on the rise in popularity (Hoult). Why not hand this staple of X-Men stories a more modestly budgeted solo movie?

What Killed Fear the Beast?

In 2019, Ottman recalled that the biggest obstacle facing Fear the Beast was the approval of producer/writer Simon Kinberg, who was in charge of all things X-Men at Fox. Kinberg declined to read the project, allegedly because he didn’t want the screenplay to influence his own grand plans involving a new post-Hugh Jackman version of Wolverine. Even after this setback, Ottman still harbored ambitions of directing Fear the Beast if it ever got the green light, though that day never came. This proposed Beast movie stalled out after a first draft, thanks to the Disney/Fox merger.

Disney and Marvel Studios had their own X-Men plans and they certainly wouldn’t involve a Hank McCoy/Beast solo movie. With that, X-Men: Fear the Beast was dead, though nobody could be surprised at this outcome, especially given how the production never got very far. After all, that solo Gambit movie never got off the ground despite having a major star attached (Channing Tatum), and getting years of development including securing countless release dates. The significantly lower-profile X-Men: Fear the Beast was a no-brainer casualty in the corporate shenanigans that reset the X-Men movie franchise’s trajectory.

If nothing else, the very existence of Fear the Beast speaks to how much allure and power Beast has as a fictional character. Having existed in the comics for over 60 years, the dissonance between a big burly blue guy with the brain of an intellectual continues to captivate screenwriters and audiences alike. Given his enduring popularity, it was only inevitable that someone in Hollywood would try giving Beast his own solo movie. That kind of feat makes it inevitable that audiences haven’t seen the last of Beast on the silver screen, though it’s doubtful future appearances will involve Fear the Beast.

X-Men: The Last Stand and The Marvels are now streaming on Disney+.

The post  Remember When Most Unexpected X-Men Character Almost Got Their Own Movie? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Ever since the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduced Thanos into the franchise, fans wondered how any member of the Avengers could be powerful enough to take down the Mad Titan, with Ant-Man’s unique powers resulting in fan theories about an unconventional way to destroy the villain. Years later, actor Paul Rudd is still pondering whether Scott Lang could really shrink down, enter Thanos’s anus, and then turn into “Giant Man” to essentially explode Thanos from inside his gastrointestinal system. If you’ve never heard of this theory, you’re not alone, as Rudd’s costar in the upcoming movie Death of a Unicorn Jenna Ortega was also unfamiliar. Death of a Unicorn lands in theaters on March 28th.

“I often wonder, though, could he really have stopped Thanos in that way? Because didn’t he, at that point, have the Space Stone or whatever?” Rudd shared with ComicBook when asked if this “Thanus” plan could be used to take down Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. When Ortega appeared visibly confused, Rudd questioned, “Do you know what we’re talking about? There was a theory — going against Thanos, why didn’t Ant-Man just … instead of Thanos, it was ‘Thanus,’ go up Thanos and then expand.”

Ortega questioned, “I thought he was already big … the purple one?” Rudd clarified, “I get really small,” with Ortega then remembering, “Oh, that’s right, you’re called Ant-Man!”

[RELATED – Avengers: Endgame Directors on That Ant-Man and Thanos Butt Theory]

Given that Doctor Doom and Thanos have different strengths and vulnerabilities, it’s likely Ant-Man wouldn’t need to go to quite these measures to take down Doom. As evidenced by the conversation, Ortega doesn’t quite remember all the details about the MCU, despite the actor recently reminding fans that she had a small role in a previous entry into the series.

“It was one of the first jobs I ever did, and they took all my lines out,” Ortega recalled with Entertainment Tonight. “They even took my name away.”

As fans wait to see how Rudd’s Scott Lang could use his unique abilities to battle against Doom and potentially see if Ortega could ever return to the franchise in some capacity, they can see the actors in their new A24 movie.

Death of a Unicorn is described, “A father (Paul Rudd) and daughter (Jenna Ortega) accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss (Richard E. Grant) seeks to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties. “

Death of a Unicorn was written and directed by Alex Scharfman and also stars Will Poulter, Teá Leoni, and Richard E. Grant.

Stay tuned for updates on Ant-Man’s return to the MCU. Death of a Unicorn lands in theaters on March 28th.

What do you think of the theory? Let us know in the comments!

The post Ant-Man’s Paul Rudd Still Wondering if “Thanus” Plan Could Have Really Worked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Amazon is running another buy 2 get 1 free sale, and if this isn’t your first rodeo you’ll know that means you can score the deal on a mix of over 1000 books, toys, movies and more. However, we’re going to focus on the Blu-ray deal as it has an especially strong lineup of options. At a glance you’ll find the horror masterpiece Nosferatu along with hit films like Alien: Romulus, Akira, Blade Runner, John Wick Tommy Boy to name a few. Everything you need to know can be found below.

You can shop the entire collection of Blu-rays that are eligible for the Amazon B2G1 free sale right here while it lasts, which should be through the week (we’ve highlighted some of our favorite options below). Note that titles can be added and removed from the sale at any time, and you can mix and match your Blu-ray selections with any other item in the sale to earn your freebie. The entire list of eligible items can be found here an Amazon.

• Nosferatu (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
• The Substance 4K UHD
• Akira Movie – Steelbook 4K UHD
• Aliens [4K UHD]
• Unforgiven (4K Ultra HD) [4K UHD]
• Alien: Romulus [4K UHD]
• Amadeus [4K Ultra HD + Digital 4K UHD]
• Blade Runner 2049 (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) 
• Tommy Boy [4K UHD Steelbook + Blu-Ray +Digital Copy]
• Seven (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
• John Wick: Chapter 1-4 Collection (Blu-ray)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (4K Ultra HD)
• Deadpool & Wolverine 4K UHD

In other Blu-ray sale news, Universal’s own physical media website GRUV has been running a March Madness sale that showcases tons of movies at low prices, and they’re in the midst of a 3 4K UHD Blu-rays for $30 sale. That’s a pretty fantastic deal, especially when you consider that most of these titles are list priced at $15 or higher. Head to GRUV here to check out the entire list of movies included in this deal. Again, we’ve picked out some of our favorites below to get you started.

• Fast X (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) [UHD] 
• Parasite (4K Ultra HD) [UHD] 
• The Northman (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) [UHD] 
• The Thing (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) [UHD] 
• Inglourious Basterds (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) [UHD] 
• Unforgiven (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) [UHD] 
• The Nun 2 [UHD] 
• Watchmen Chapter I (4K Ultra HD) [UHD] 
• The Mummy (1999) (4K Ultra HD + Digital) [UHD] 
• The Big Lebowski (20th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD + Digital) [UHD] 
• V for Vendetta (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) [UHD]

The post Amazon Buy 2, Get 1 Free Sale Includes Top 4K Blu-rays appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Jack Reynor is getting wrapped up in The Mummy. The Midsommar and The Perfect Couple actor has been cast in filmmaker Lee Cronin’s (Evil Dead Rise) Mummy reboot from James Wan’s Atomic Monster (M3GAN) and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse (Wolf Man), and will reportedly play “a husband and father who runs afoul of supernaturally sinister forces,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Production will get underway in April in Reynor’s native Ireland.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but Cronin has described the remake as being “unlike any Mummy movie you ever laid eyeballs on before. I’m digging deep into the earth to raise something very ancient and very frightening.”

RELATED: Texas Chainsaw Massacre Rights Shopped, Glen Powell Reportedly Circling Horror Reboot

Cronin’s Mummy is set to be unleashed at New Line Cinema instead of Universal Pictures, which released the 1932 classic starring Boris Karloff as the Ancient Egyptian high priest Imhotep. Universal first rebooted the Mummy franchise with 1999’s trilogy launcher The Mummy, starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, and planned to relaunch the franchise with Tom Cruise’s Mummy remake before the first film in the now-scrapped Dark Universe flopped in 2017.

Reynor is perhaps best known for his role opposite Florence Pugh in Ari Aster’s A24 folk horror Midsommar. His first major role was as an Irish rally car driver in the Michael Bay-directed Transformers: Age of Extinction in 2014, which he followed with director Andy Serkis’ Rudyard Kipling Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle for Netflix. In 2015, Reynor starred opposite Toni Colette and Will Poulter in the Dublin-set drama Glassland, which won him the Sundance Film Festival’s Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting. Most recently, he starred alongside Chloë Grace Moretz in the Prime Video sci-fi series The Peripheral and opposite Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber in the Netflix mystery drama series The Perfect Couple.

The first co-production from the combined Atomic Monster-Blumhouse, the new Mummy movie is produced by horror masters Wan and Blum with Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise and The Hole in the Ground producer John Keville. Michael Clear (Wan’s Malignant), Judson Scott (M3GAN 2.0) and Macdara Kelleher (Blum’s Wolf Man) are the executive producers.

Warner Bros. and New Line have dated Lee Cronin’s The Mummy to release in theaters on April 17, 2026.

The post The Mummy Reboot Casts Midommar Star in Lead Role (But Are They the Monster?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There was one thing that John Boyega requested from J.J. Abrams when the filmmaker returned to direct Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Boyega played Finn in the sequel trilogy, spanning 2015’s The Force Awakens, 2017’s The Last Jedi, and 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. Depending on which fans you speak to, there are several things to nitpick about the Star Wars sequel trilogy, from storyline choices to character development. John Boyega has been vocal about his Star Wars feelings, though he did give some thoughts on how to grow his character of Finn in the third movie.

The request that John Boyega gave to director J.J. Abrams for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was to have Finn stop falling. “I was doing a lot of falling in Star Wars,” Boyega said during a spotlight panel at Emerald City Comic Con. “I was always falling. Come on guys, be honest with me. You know I was always falling. So, I was like to J.J., ‘Can I be on my feet a little bit longer?’”

Boyega also lobbied for Finn to continue growing as a character, while also experiencing moments of triumph. “There was a level of growth from The Last Jedi to The Rise of Skywalker that me and J.J. had spoke about adding,” he said. “I was like to J.J., ‘I’m sick and tired of eating dirt J.J., I know how to move. My lightsaber skills are undeniable. Get me out there on the field.’ I remember J.J. coming up to me and saying, ‘John, we’ve got you, we’ve got Poe, we’ve got Chewbacca running through the corridors, taking out these stormtroopers.’ And that’s when I said, ‘Yeah, that’s enough.’ That was a nice moment and something for me to revel in.”

[RELATED: Star Wars: Should The Skywalker Saga Be Revived?]

The actor has previously said that he’s “open to all opportunities” when it comes to a return to the Star Wars franchise. However, he prefaced it by saying it would depend on who the creatives were behind the scenes and what story they had to tell.

“That was a few years ago, so they were the subject of that particular project,” Boyega clarified to TechRadar in regards to vocalizing his prior frustrations with Lucasfilm. “But I’m open to all characters and scripts that are enjoyable, have a great cast attached, and a terrific director. So yeah, I’m open to all opportunities.”

Lucasfilm is bringing Daisy Ridley back to star in a new Star Wars solo movie featuring Rey Skywalker. Naturally, she’s been asked about reuniting with some of her former co-stars, like John Boyega, which she of course said she’d be glad to do.

“Absolutely, of course,” Ridley said when asked if she’d like Boyega to be a part of her upcoming Star Wars project on the red carpet of her newest movie, Young Woman and the Sea. “It feels like we should, yeah.”

When asked if it would be weird to make a Star Wars movie without the likes of Boyega, Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), or Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Ridley said, “No, because I don’t know what is what or who is who [in the new movie]. So much has happened for me [since the Skywalker saga]. I feel like a grown-up now. When I first started, I was, like, 20. I was the youngest on set. It took me the first two Star Wars films to feel worthy of being there. Now I’m in my 30s. The whole thing feels quite different. I’ve been able to work with other filmmakers, and hopefully, I’ve got better as a performer.” 

What did you enjoy the most about John Boyega’s performance as Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

The post John Boyega Reveals His Surprising Rise of Skywalker Request to J.J. Abrams (and How It Was Met) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Terminator franchise is extremely good at making subtle references to itself — so much so that fans are just picking apart the details on rewatches today. Many have documented the development of the various Terminator models and how their experiences shape them or drive their evolution, but it’s still remarkable to see for yourself when the movies pay off a change that has been more than a decade in the making. Just last week, many fans had a eureka moment when they noticed subtle hints in Terminator 2: Judgement Day which set up major plot points in the latest movie, Terminator: Dark Fate.

WARNING: There are spoilers for the Terminator franchise ahead!

The Terminator movies center around different cyborgs with the same design — Cyberdyne Systems Model 101, T-800, T-101, or simply The Terminator — usually played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. In Judgement Day, John Connor gives him the alias Uncle Bob, which is how fans often refer to this particular individual, to distinguish him from the Terminators in other movies or other models created by Skynet with the same appearance.

These cyborgs go back and forth between fighting on the side of humans or against them from movie to movie, depending on their programming and their experiences while traveling through time. In Dark Fate, Schwarzenegger plays a seasoned T-800 that has already traveled back in time and killed John Connor in 1998. With its mission complete, the cyborg continued to blend in with humans, taking on a normal life and gradually developing a very human-like personality. It gained a form of self-awareness, and took on the name “Carl.”

[RELATED: 3 Terminator Plot Holes That Are Still Super Confusing]

The movie shows that these artificial creatures can become very human with time, displaying compassion, repentance, and honor. It’s a poignant new twist on the Terminator template for the sake of Dark Fate, but Redditor u/Spongebobgolf just pointed out that it’s not a new concept. They noted that Carl’s gradual adoption of human-like traits is just the logical extrapolation of Uncle Bob’s character development in Judgement Day.

Commenters’ minds were also blown by this revelation — the famous half-robotic, stilted line deliveries in T2 show how Uncle Bob has been changed by his time with young John Connor, and his self-sacrifice at the end shows that the changes went deeper than his dialect. Over time, he actually developed the capacity to ignore direct orders and override his own programming, essentially making him a sentient being in his own right. Seeing how that idea carried over into Dark Fate gave many fans a fresh appreciation for the film.

Small references like this are a testament to the creators’ reverence for the material that came before, and their trust in fans to see the small details without being guided by the hand. It’s the real strength of long-lived franchises like this, and a great example of how collaborative the whole process can really be. For those interested in looking for themselves, Terminator 2: Judgement Day is streaming now on Pluto TV, while Dark Fate is available on Hulu + Live TV. The whole franchise can also be found on PVOD stores, or on Blu-ray and DVD.

The post 6 Years Later, Terminator Fans Are Realizing How Judgement Day Set Up Dark Fate in a Big Way appeared first on ComicBook.com.

If you’re into the idea of streaming movies for free, you’ll want to pay attention to Pluto TV next month. The ad-supported service, known for its 24/7 channels, has a big library of on-demand titles to check out, and that library is set to grow in a massive way in April. Pluto TV recently revealed the list of movies being added to the lineup next month, and that list is surprisingly long.

All in all, there are more than 300 films being added to Pluto TV’s streaming offerings in the month of April. The new additions include No Country for Old Men, Beverly Hills Cop, Paranormal Activity, The Godfather, and hordes of others.

You can check out the full list of Pluto TV’s new April movies below!

Pluto TV New Additions (A-F)

10 To Midnight
200 Motels, Frank Zappa’s
30 Days Of Night (2007)
30 Days Of Night: Dark Days
48 Hrs.
7500
88 Minutes
The Accidental Spy (Te Wu Mi Cheng)
Ace In The Hole (Aka The Big Carnival)
The Addams Family
Addams Family Values
The Adventures Of Hercules
Against The Ropes
Agatha Christie’s Ordeal By Innocence
Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker
Alfie (2004)
All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)
All The Old Knives
American Friends
American Heist
American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt
And Justice For All
Another 48 Hrs.
April Fools
Are You In The House Alone?
Area 51
The Aviator
The Bad News Bears Go To Japan
The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training
The Bad News Bears
Bang The Drum Slowly
Barquero
Beast
Beastly
The Beautician And The Beast
Beavis And Butt-Head Do America
The Bells Of St Mary’s
Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop II
Beverly Hills Cop III
Big Jake (1971)
Big Top Pee-Wee
Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Billy Two Hats
Black Christmas (2006)
Blended
Blind Alley
Bloodsport
Blue In The Face
Bottle Rocket
Bounce
Bowling For Columbine
A Boy Named Charlie Brown
Boys And Girls
Braddock: Missing In Action III
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Breathless (2011)
Bringing Out The Dead
The Broken Star
Bugsy Malone
Burn!
The Burning Bed
The Cabin In The Woods
La Cage Aux Folles
La Cage Aux Folles III
Carolina
Cassandra’s Dream
Cast A Long Shadow
Cheech & Chong’s Nice Dreams
Child 44
Children Of The Corn 666: Isaac’s Return
Children Of The Corn II: The Final Sacrifice
Children Of The Corn III: Urban Harvest
Children Of The Corn V: Fields Of Terror
Children Of The Corn: Revelation
Children Of The Corn: The Gathering
Cinema Paradiso
Citizen Ruth
City Island
Clue
Cold Pursuit
The Conqueror Worm
The Conversation
Cool World
The Couch Trip
Crash
Crawl
The Crazies (2010)
Crisscross
The Crow
The Crow: City Of Angels
The Crow: Wicked Prayer
Cult Of The Damned
Cyrano
D.A.R.Y.L.
Dead Again
Dear God
Death Wish (1974)
Death Wish V: The Face Of Death
Deathwatch
Delirious
Deliver Us From Evil
Disturbia
The Doorman (2020)
Down A Dark Hall
Down To Earth
Down To You
Dragons Forever
The Duchess
Dying Of The Light
Easy Come, Easy Go (1967)
Echo Boomers
Emma
Empire Records
Enchanted April (1992)
The English Patient
Escobar: Paradise Lost
Evil Dead II
The Evil Dead (1983)
The Ex (2006)
Eye Of The Beholder
Fighting With My Family
Five Guns To Tombstone
Flesh And Bone
Flirting With Disaster
Fools Rush In (1997)
Force Of Nature
Fort Yuma
Free Angela And All Political Prisoners
Freelancers (2011 Grindstone)
Fright Night (1985)

[RELATED: Hulu Adds One of the Highest Rated Movies of 2024]

Pluto TV New Additions (G-L)

Gamer
Gattaca
Go Tell The Spartans
God Forgives…I Don’t
God’s Own Country
The Godfather
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Coda: The Death Of Michael Corleone
Golden Gate
Goon: The Last Of The Enforcers
Grace: The Possession
Grease 2
The Green Hornet
Gretel & Hansel
Greyfriars Bobby
The Grudge 2 (2006)
Gunslinger
Hannibal
Hannibal Rising
Happy, Texas
Hardcore Henry
Hatari!
The Haunting
Heartbreakers (2001)
Hellraiser: Judgment (2018)
High Noon
High School
Homefront
The Homesman
Hoosiers
Host, The
The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959)
Hours (2013)
House Of Yes
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
How To Murder Your Wife
Human Stain, The
The Hunt For Red October
Hunter Killer
The Hunter
Hunters Prayer
The Hustle (2019)
I, Frankenstein
Idle Hands
The Importance Of Being Earnest
Impossible, The
The Indian Runner
Ironweed
It Takes Two
Jane Eyre (1996)
Jeepers Creepers
Jeepers Creepers 2
Jessabelle
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Jinn
Johnny Mnemonic
Jungle (2017)
Justin Bieber’s Believe
Kes
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
Killing Them Softly
The King’s Speech
A Kiss Before Dying
Kiss The Bride
Ladybug Ladybug
The Last Legion
Legend Of The Lost
Legion
Let Me In (2010)
Like Crazy
The Locusts
Love And Basketball
Love And Monsters
Loved Ones, The

Pluto TV New Additions (M-R)

Major League
Man Of The West
Man With The Gun
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
The Master
Memorial Day
Menace Ii Society
Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate
Mid-Century
Missing In Action
Missing In Action 2: The Beginning
The Monster Squad
Moon
My Bloody Valentine (2009)
National Champions
Nick Of Time
The Night They Raided Minsky’s
No Country For Old Men
No Such Thing
Noah
Oculus
Odds Against Tomorrow
The Offence
An Officer And A Gentleman
On A Wing And A Prayer
The One (2001)
Ong Bak (Sub)
Ong Bak 2 (Sub)
Only Lovers Left Alive
Operation Condor
Operation Condor 2: The Armour Of The Gods
Our Idiot Brother
Outlander (2009)
Pajama Party
Paranormal Activity
Paranormal Activity 2
Paranormal Activity 3
Paranormal Activity 4
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones
Patty Hearst
Paul, Apostle Of Christ
The Pawnbroker
Penitentiary
Penitentiary II
The People We Hate At The Wedding
Pet
Pet Sematary II
Piranha 3-D
Piranha 3dd
Planet Of The Vampires
Postcards From The Edge
The Prince Of Tides
The Prodigy (2019)
Prowl
Pulp Fiction
Push
Quarantine
The Rage: Carrie 2
Rancho Deluxe
Rappin’
The Remains Of The Day
Remember Me (2010)
Replicant
Revenge Of The Ninja
Ride Like A Girl
The Ring
The Ring Two
Rings
The Road
Robin Hood (2018)
Robinson Crusoe On Mars
Rocky Marciano
Rogue (2007)
Rolling Thunder
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
The Ruins

Pluto TV New Additions (S-Z)

Save Me (1994)
Scream And Scream Again
Seabiscuit
Seconds
Seized
Sense And Sensibility
The September Issue
Seven Swords
Shake Hands With The Devil
Sheba, Baby
The Silence Of The Lambs
Silent Hill
A Single Man
Sketch Artist
Sketch Artist II: Hands That See
Skinwalkers
Sleepover (2004)
Smoke
So I Married An Axe Murderer
Solstice
Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
Sorority Row
Sprung
The Station Agent
Step Up All In
Stonewall (2015)
Stuart Saves His Family
Student Bodies
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Surfer Dude
Switchback
Tales From The Darkside: The Movie
Targets
They Call Me Mister Tibbs!
Things Are Tough All Over
Thirteen Lives
Thunder Soul
Thunderbolt And Lightfoot (1974)
The To Do List
To Live And Die In L.A.
The Tournament
Toys In The Attic
Trading Places
Trainspotting
Trapeze
The Trip (1967)
True Grit (1969)
True Grit (2010)
Tumbledown
Turbulence
Two Weeks
The Unforgiven
Unlovable
The Untouchables
Up In Smoke
Urban Legend
Urban Legends: Bloody Mary
Urban Legends: The Final Cut
Vacancy (2007)
Vampire Academy
Vampire In Brooklyn
Vanquish
Varsity Blues
Virtuosity
Vivarium
The Voices (2014)
Wander
War Of The Wildcats
Wargames (1983)
We’re No Angels (1955)
Welcome To Woop Woop
While She Was Out
The White Buffalo
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?
Winchester
Wolf
The Woman In Black
The Woman In The Window
The Woods (2006)
Zeros And Ones

The post Pluto TV Adding More Than 300 Movies to Free Streaming Lineup appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Screenwriter Patrick Melton has revealed that the reportedly canceled Saw XI would have featured a timely social commentary similar to Saw VI, widely considered one of the franchise’s strongest entries. The next installment in the long-running horror series was initially postponed in April 2024 from its original September 2024 release date to September 26, 2025. Still, by March 2025, industry reports indicated Saw XI was scrapped. According to Melton, the film has made “zero progress” since the spring of 2024, when he and writing partner Marcus Dunstan submitted their script. The production collapse stems from what Melton describes as “inter-squabbling between producers and Lionsgate” rather than creative issues, essentially killing the sequel despite the critical and commercial success of 2023’s Saw X, which revitalized the franchise with a $112 million global box office performance against a modest $13 million budget.

“Saw XI may or may not be made, but we have a very timely story in it, and I hope it gets made just because of that,” Melton told The Hollywood Reporter in a recent interview. “It taps into the same themes of Saw VI, where you’re a citizen, you feel angry and frustrated with something, you feel like you can’t do anything, and John Kramer’s going to do it.” This approach mirrors the social commentary of 2009’s Saw VI, which targeted health insurance executives who denied coverage to patients.

[RELATED: These Are The 7 2025 Horror Movies I’m Most Excited For]

“It has nothing to do with the creative or anything else. There’s higher-level things at play,” Melton clarified. “The reason it’s held up is just, there’s inter-squabbling between producers and Lionsgate. They just can’t quite get on the same page.” According to a March 2025 report, the situation deteriorated significantly, with sources claiming the project is “totally dead” and has been “100% over” for “almost a year.” The report further alleged that “everything went sideways in January 2024” when producer conflicts emerged, with one attempting to “plow forward” while another “put up roadblocks” that halted production.

How Saw VI Set a Template for Socially Conscious Horror That Saw XI Hoped to Follow

Saw VI represented a significant turning point for the franchise, injecting relevant social commentary into the series’ established formula of elaborate death traps and moral quandaries. The 2009 sequel focused on William Easton (Peter Outerbridge), an insurance executive who denied coverage to John Kramer (Tobin Bell) and countless others based on cost-benefit calculations. By targeting the healthcare insurance industry, Saw VI tapped into widespread public frustration with a system that prioritized profits over patients’ lives — a theme that resonated with critics despite the film’s underperforming at the box office due to competition from Paranormal Activity.

The production troubles facing Saw XI come at a particularly unfortunate time for the franchise. Saw X, directed by franchise veteran Kevin Greutert, took a fresh approach by focusing on an earlier period in John Kramer’s timeline, specifically his desperate journey to Mexico for experimental cancer treatment that ultimately leads to bloody revenge against medical scammers. The film’s success indicated a promising new direction for a series that had previously struggled to maintain relevance after numerous sequels. 

The apparent cancellation of Saw XI raises serious questions about the franchise’s long-term viability. While Lionsgate has yet to officially cancel Saw XI or remove it from the release calendar, the reported complete collapse of the production. Unless the reported producer conflicts can be resolved, it seems Jigsaw’s game may have finally reached its end game.

Saw X is currently available for streaming on Starz.

Do you think Saw XI can still be salvaged? Or is it better for the franchise to hibernate for a while? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Saw XI Writer Reveals Scrapped Movie Would Have Been Like the Franchise’s Best Sequel appeared first on ComicBook.com.

“Who will survive and what will be left of them?” asks the tagline for Tobe Hooper’s 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It’s also what one might ask now that the rights for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise — which spans sequels, prequels, and remakes — have hit the market, sparking a frenzy among interested parties like actor and producer Glen Powell (Hit Man, Twisters) and filmmaker Andy Muschietti (the It movies).

According to Deadline, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre rights are being shopped by the independent talent agency Verve, who represent rights holders Exurbia Films (which assumed ownership of Texas Chainsaw in 2017). The Austin-based Exurbia consists of producer and agent Pat Cassidy, original Texas Chain Saw Massacre co-creator and co-writer Kim Henkel, and his son, 2022’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre producer Ian Henkle.

Powell, an Austin native, has reportedly shown interest in a potential reboot from Strange Darling writer-director JT Mollner and his producer Roy Lee, whose horror credits include The Ring (2002), The Grudge (2004), The Strangers (2008), 2015’s Poltergeist remake, the 2016 Blair Witch Project sequel, 2017’s Death Note, and 2024’s Salem’s Lot remake.

Deadline notes that Powell has expressed interest in reading a script, should Mollner pen one. The outlet also reports that A24 Films (Ti West’s X trilogy, Talk to Me, Heretic) and Lionsgate (which distributed 2013’s Texas Chainsaw 3D and 2017’s Leatherface) are among the studios interested in a Mollner-Powell Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Also said to be in the mix is Neon, which is “looking for its next big horror film” after Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs (2024) and The Monkey (2025) grossed a combined $187 million. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Muschietti, who founded production company Double Dream with his producer sister Barbara Muschietti (The Electric State), is interested in what could be his first horror film since It Chapter Two in 2019.

“Verve represents The Texas Chainsaw Massacre estate and is building out a multimedia strategy for the seminal horror franchise,” a representative told Deadline, adding that the company “has not officially submitted the property into any filmmakers, producers or buyers. Because this is such a hot and iconic horror property, packages are pre-emptively being brought to Verve.”

Best known for its chainsaw-wielding cannibalistic killer who wears the flesh of his victims, the nine-movie Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise has grossed a collective $248 million since 1974. (The Michael Bay-produced 2003 remake is the highest-grossing installment with a global box office haul of $107 million.)

In 2018, it was reported that Legendary sought the rights to develop films and a television series. Legendary and Exurbia produced 2022’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a 50-years-later sequel to the 1974 original, which was released on Netflix and massacred by critics. The storied franchise has been left hanging on meat hooks ever since.

The post Texas Chainsaw Massacre Rights Shopped, Glen Powell Reportedly Circling Horror Reboot appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the most acclaimed and most talked-about movies of 2024 is finally available to stream. In fact, the movie in question was just added to Hulu’s streaming lineup this past week and has been firmly seated in the number one spot on the service’s daily Top 15 list. If you haven’t been able to tell, the film we’re talking about is none other than Sean Baker’s Anora, the Neon release that was crowned Best Picture at the Oscars earlier this month.

Anora won 5 Academy Awards this year, including Best Picture and Best Actress in a Leading Role (for Mikey Madison’s performance as the titular character). It has been in huge demand since the Oscars earlier in March and now movie fans have the opportunity to stream it, thanks to Hulu’s ongoing deal with Neon.

In addition to its massive victory at the Academy Awards, Anora stands out as one of the best reviewed movies of last year. The film has a 93% Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, along with a 3.9 out of 5 average score on Letterboxd.

Coming Soon to Hulu

Anora was just added to Hulu and was easily one of the biggest new arrivals in all of March, but there’s still a horde of films set to join the service at the start of April. Below, you can check out the full list of movies hitting Hulu on April 1st.

[RELATED: Everything Coming to Disney+ in April 2025]

Arrival
Arrival En Espanol
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Black Swan
Boys on the Side
Concussion
Concussion En Espanol
Copycat
Enough Said
The Equalizer
The Equalizer En Espanol
Gifted
The Good Thief
Gone Girl
Gulliver’s Travels
The History of the World Part I
I Heart Huckabees
Interstellar
Interstellar En Espanol
Jumanji
Jumanji En Espanol
Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park III
The Karate Kid (1984)
The Karate Kid En Espanol (1984)
The Karate Kid Part II
The Karate Kid: Part II En Espanol
The Karate Kid Part III
The Karate Kid Part III En Espanol
Little Man
Little Man En Espanol
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Made in America
Me, Myself and Irene
Mrs. Doubtfire
Oddity
Red Sparrow
The Revenant
Runaway Jury
Sexy Beast
Shark Tale
The Spy Who Dumped Me
Superbad
Superbad En Espanol
Tombstone
True Story
21 Jump Street (2012)
22 Jump Street
Wall Street
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
War of the Worlds (2005)
Widows
Wild
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Wolf Of Wall Street En Espanol
Year One
You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger

The post Hulu Finally Adds One of the Highest Rated Movies of 2024 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The superhero genre is one of the biggest – if not the biggest – in movies and TV. Back when they weren’t even being adapted and only existed in comic books, they were already a huge deal. Now, in 2025, we all know that just one Marvel Cinematic Universe movie can easily turn into yet another record-breaking hit. There was a time not too long ago when the pressure was building, with people feeling that the whole heroes vs. villains thing was becoming oversaturated. But it looks like everything’s going back to how it used to be – or at least, that’s what all the fans are hoping for.

When The Avengers hit theaters in 2012, it kicked off a massive era. With it came the unwavering loyalty of a massive audience and a fandom that, although it had existed long before, exploded in size and passion. To this day, it just keeps growing, building traditions, making memes, freaking out together, and coming up with a million wild theories. This community has been going strong for over a decade, and even now, there are things that only MCU fans truly get.

No Middle Ground Feedback in the MCU Fandom

Every fan knows there’s no middle ground when it comes to MCU movies and shows – just like everyone knows the expectations for these productions are insanely high. It’s normal for huge fandoms to have clashing opinions, but it’s rare to hear balanced feedback that actually weighs the strengths and weaknesses of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, The Marvels, or Captain America: Brave New World, for example. Before 2019, this wasn’t as intense, but Avengers: Endgame set the bar so high that every movie after it was bound to struggle.

This isn’t exactly new, though. The backlash was so massive that even now, most fans either love or completely trash whatever Marvel Studios puts out. Let’s face it: when it’s good, the praise is through the roof, but one tiny flaw in the script or CGI? Instant flood of criticism.

The Collective Trauma of Avengers: Infinity War

[RELATED – Every MCU Movie Ranked From Worst to Best (According to CinemaScore)]

The four Avengers films have been incredible, but there’s no denying that the last two completely shook audiences. Infinity War, in particular, was a turning point for the MCU, leaving a deep and pretty traumatic mark. Sure, Tony and Natasha’s deaths in Endgame are still a touchy subject for fans, but losing half the heroes at the end of a movie, all at once? That was pure devastation. The helplessness of watching Thanos snap his fingers created a worldwide, collective emotional breakdown. The impact of the film went beyond just the story itself – it took a whole year for fans to even begin forgiving the Russo brothers.

Watching beloved characters like Bucky, Wanda, T’Challa, Groot, Doctor Strange, and so many others vanish into dust out of nowhere still haunts fans to this day. But Peter? Terrified, clinging to Tony, begging for help? That scene hit on a whole different level. Even now, it feels like something we’ve never fully recovered from. After the movie dropped, every fan needed a long moment just to process the sheer weight of what had just happened.

Iconic Dialogue That Became Jokes

“On your left,” “Dormammu, I’ve come to bargain,” “I can do this all day,” “We have a Hulk,” “Who the hell is Bucky?” – just a few examples of how iconic the writing and, more importantly, the performances in the MCU have been. Some of these lines were only said once, yet they transcended their original moments, becoming memes and inside jokes within the fandom. Quotes that were originally packed with emotion and drama have been reinterpreted in hilarious ways, turning into some of the most well-known running gags in the community.

To put it in perspective, this has gone so far that if you don’t have at least half the lines from the Guardians meeting Tony, Peter, and Stephen in space memorized – or Thor struggling to activate the Quinjet – then, do you even know the MCU? It’s just another testament to how deeply connected fans have become to these characters over the years.

Legendary Quotes and Habits from the Cast

Just like the fans, the MCU cast has had their fair share of fun. Especially during the studio’s golden age – when everything revolved around the Avengers – the actors did an avalanche of interviews, and in the age of the internet, those clips spread like wildfire. Mark Ruffalo accidentally dropping spoilers for Endgame while Don Cheadle panicked next to him; Benedict Cumberbatch acting as Tom Holland’s personal spoiler filter; Anthony Mackie constantly roasting Sebastian Stan; Chris Evans’ absolutely chaotic laugh; and Robert Downey Jr. casually slipping into Tony Stark mode – all became legendary moments that fans never let go of.

Some interview lines even turned into inside jokes, like Paul Rudd naming Thor’s hammer “Jonathan.” And who could forget Mackie comparing himself to Cinderella and hitting up Chris Evans for 20 bucks? These moments feel uniquely MCU – almost like every piece of this wildly successful franchise just clicks together perfectly.

The Milestone That Was Spider-Man: No Way Home

Deadpool & Wolverine certainly shattered records, but when it comes to pure fan service and absolute mind-blowing moments, no movie did it better than Spider-Man: No Way Home. Theaters were packed, and the crowd’s reaction to Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire’s appearances was so loud that you could barely hear their first lines. Even before the movie dropped, the rumors were out of control, and if there’s one lesson every MCU fan learned from that experience, it’s this: never trust what the cast says about future projects – anyone could be lying.

No Way Home made MCU history, pulling in nearly $2 billion at the box office. And while its success was undeniable, no one outside the fandom will ever truly grasp just how massive that moment was. It wasn’t just a movie – it was an event, a defining milestone for the superhero genre and the multiverse narrative, all while uniting entire generations of Spider-Man fans.

Crazy Theories That Became Famous

The MCU has always been a breeding ground for wild theories, and some have reached “classic” status within the fandom – either because they went viral or because they actually made sense. Long before certain twists were revealed in the movies and shows, fans were already speculating about hidden connections, secret characters, and future plotlines. Some of the most talked-about theories included a Venom prequel back in 2017, Tony’s arc reactor secretly being an Infinity Stone, Thanos resurrecting major villains, and even Stan Lee being Uatu.

For years, these and countless other theories have circulated all over the internet, with content creators dissecting every frame to explain the most convincing ones. This kind of speculation has basically become a geek ritual – it’s what makes the audience truly immerse themselves in the franchise rather than just passively watching. The fact that some of these have become so legendary that they’re practically MCU folklore is one of the coolest things about the fandom.

The Ritual of Waiting for Post-Credit Scenes

Maybe this isn’t as much of a thing anymore, since the MCU’s massive popularity has broken the bubble and made a lot more people aware of how it all works. But how many times have you gone to see a superhero movie and been the only one in your group still sitting through the credits? It’s a tradition that started from day one and has basically turned into a ritual. If you’re a Marvel fan, you have to stay and watch – no matter what, even if it’s just a throwaway scene like in Guardians of the Galaxy.

What’s funny is that this habit has spread so much that now people expect any movie, no matter the genre, to have a post-credits scene. Marvel started this. And even today, it still feels like a little reward for the most dedicated fans. Sure, they usually tease what’s next in the universe, but they also fuel speculation and keep the theory train rolling. If post-credits scenes aren’t one of those things only an MCU fan truly gets, they’re definitely a prime example of what it means to be an MCU fan.

Easter Eggs from the Comics

Everyone knows the MCU takes its own path, separate from the comics. But the comic book easter eggs? Those are gold. They make fans feel like they’re part of an exclusive club, catching little details that others might miss. Whether it’s a quick glimpse at an iconic object, a setting pulled straight from the panels, or a famous catchphrase snuck into a scene, these references remind us just how deeply the movies stay connected to their roots. And it’s one of the most rewarding things about being a fan.

Wolverine rocking his classic yellow suit in Deadpool & Wolverine; Wanda and Vision’s spot-on Halloween costumes in WandaVision; the nod to Thor’s first-ever comic appearance in Thor: The Dark World; or even Rhodey’s phone playing the Invincible Iron Man theme in the first Iron Man movie – this is the kind of stuff that makes fans lose their minds. For many, finding an Easter egg isn’t just fun, it’s like uncovering hidden treasure.

Stan Lee’s Cameos

Before Stan Lee passed away, any chance the MCU got, there he was – making a cameo. Whether it was a quick one-liner or just a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance (especially in the Spider-Man films), every time he showed up, it brought a smile to fans’ faces. His cameos were always packed with humor, but today, they carry an immense sentimental weight. With Lee, we weren’t just seeing a fun Easter egg – we were witnessing the heart and legacy of Marvel itself.

More than just one of the main visionary minds behind the comics, Lee became a living symbol of the Marvel fandom. His presence in the films wasn’t just a running gag – it was a reminder of Marvel’s history, a tribute to its roots, and a piece of the franchise’s identity. Seeing him pop up on screen, sometimes even interacting with the main characters, was always a special moment. He produced many films, but in the eyes of fans, he wasn’t just a creator – he was the God of Marvel.

Symbolic Numbers Hidden Across Productions

Numbers have always held a special, symbolic significance within the MCU, appearing in subtle but meaningful ways across various productions. Who doesn’t recognize the iconic “3000” immortalized by Tony Stark? It has become synonymous with affection and is proudly repeated by the fan base. Along with it, numbers like 42 and 616 also carry meanings far beyond just being a simple count, appearing multiple times in the studio’s films and series.

Each time these numbers show up, they’re carefully analyzed and interpreted as intentional elements, reinforcing Marvel’s commitment to maintaining a cohesive universe full of intricate details. This is one of the unique aspects of the MCU, almost like an Easter egg, but more than just a nod to fans. Compared to other franchises like DC or Star Wars, which may use numbers in a more structured or functional way, the MCU integrates them in a manner that goes beyond homage or fan service. They’re woven into the narrative so seamlessly that, even if they aren’t the main focus, they add layers to the world and keep fans engaged at all times.

The post 10 Things Only Real MCU Fans Will Understand appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There’s always a ton of secrecy surrounding new entries into popular franchises, whether they be movies, books, video games, or any number of formats. So it was no surprise to learn that the new Hunger Games novel from Suzanne Collins, Sunrise on the Reaping, was completely shrouded in secrecy ahead of its release. Fans knew the book would be about Haymitch Abernathy and the 50th Hunger Games, and that’s about it. But advance copies of the book weren’t sent out to critics ahead of release. There’s a movie already on the schedule for 2026 but absolutely no casting information yet. That’s because there were a ton of secrets hidden with the new novel’s pages.

Everyone expected Sunrise on the Reaping to have some interesting nuggets about the backstory of Haymitch. What nobody suspected, though, was just how deeply connected to the original Hunger Games trilogy the book would actually be. Now that Sunrise on the Reaping has been released, fans are discovering just how many surprises were waiting for them.

If you haven’t read Sunrise on the Reaping and don’t want to know anything about the book, consider this your final spoiler warning. We won’t be talking about specific plot details or how the book ends or anything like that, but this article is going to discuss many of the secrets and surprises that have been purposefully left out of the marketing material ahead of the Sunrise on the Reaping launch.

So we’ve always known this book would be about Haymitch, and we knew that President Snow would obviously be involved. What we didn’t know is that most of the major characters from the original Hunger Games books (particularly Catching Fire) would be so important to Haymitch’s story. Seriously, every couple of chapters in this book you’re introduced to the younger version of a character that you already know.

In the very first chapter, you’re introduced to two of Haymitch’s friends from District 12: Burdock and Asterid. They don’t play huge roles in the story of the book but die-hard Hunger Games fans will likely piece together that they are the eventual parents of Katniss Everdeen.

Once Haymitch is reaped into the Games, more and more of his eventual allies from the events of Catching Fire start to pop up. First and foremost is Plutarch Heavensbee, who we know is a major force behind the Second Rebellion and is named Head Gamemaker ahead of the 75th Hunger Games. In Sunrise on the Reaping, he is a wealthy citizen of the Capitol and the person in charge of documenting Haymitch’s journey for television. He’s one of the biggest characters in the entire book and readers do get the chance to see the seeds of the rebel leader Plutarch being planted.

[RELATED: 5 Hunger Games Characters Who Deserve a Prequel]

Plutarch is far from the only member of the eventual rebellion to help Haymitch along in Sunrise on the Reaping. Since District 12 had no living mentors at the time, two victors from other districts were assigned to Haymitch and his peers. Those two former winners were none other than Mags and Wiress. Mags, from District 4, won the 11th Hunger Games and eventually joined the 75th Hunger Games by volunteering in place of Annie. Wiress, from District 3, won the 49th games, just one year before Haymitch was reaped.

Of course, it wouldn’t be right to have Wiress without her partner in crime, Beetee, and he plays a critical role in Sunrise on the Reaping. It would be something of a spoiler to dig into the specifics of how he factors into the story, but Beetee is much more than just a cameo.

Just when you think the surprise appearances are over, right before the actual games begin, readers are introduced to the one and only Effie Trinket. From the moment Katniss and Peeta are reaped in The Hunger Games, readers are made aware that there is a longstanding history between Haymitch and Effie. It makes sense, given that he has to mentor every single District 12 competitor for 25 years. But this book gets to explore the very start of their relationship, and how Effie’s role in the Hunger Games came to be.

So if you’ve been wondering why there has been very little in the way of casting for the Sunrise on the Reaping movie, despite the fact that it will go into production this year, it’s because many of the key characters that need to be cast are young versions of people we’ve already seen on-screen. Announcing any of those cast members would spoil the surprises of the book.

That said, can we all start petitioning for Cooper Hoffman to land the role of a young Plutarch? The late Phillip Seymour Hoffman played Plutarch in three of the four Hunger Games movies, and Cooper is a spitting image of his father. It would be great to see him in the role, keeping the character in the family. The same can be said for President Snow and actor Kiefer Sutherland, who is the same age as the version of the character in Sunrise on the Reaping. Remember, Donald Sutherland originated the live-action version of Snow in all four Hunger Games movies, before Tom Bltyh played him The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

What did you think of Sunrise on the Reaping? Are you excited to see how the film comes together? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Is Much More Connected to the Original Trilogy Than Anyone Expected appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk, hasn’t been seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law aired its finale in October 2022, but fans think they know when the character will make her return. Actress Tatiana Maslany was one of the scheduled guests to attend Comic Con Liverpool 2025, which runs from May 3rd-4th. Sadly for people hoping to see the She-Hulk star at the convention, she had to cancel that appearance due to what Comic Con Liverpool’s official social media refers to as “filming commitments.” In the post, it was confirmed that fans who already paid for photo ops and/or autographs will be refunded.

Because of this, Marvel fans are starting to think She-Hulk will be part of Avengers: Doomsday. Comic Con Liverpool coincides with principal photography on the massive MCU blockbuster, so many are theorizing that if Maslany has to skip the event due to “filming commitments,” odds are it’s to shoot her role in Avengers: Doomsday.

Avengers: Doomsday directors Joe and Anthony Russo plan to begin production in the near future, and filming will run through the summer before the cast and crew take a break prior to reconvening for Secret Wars. Even though shooting starts soon, a full official Doomsday cast has not been announced at this time. Fans have pieced the ensemble together through various confirmations from stars like Anthony Mackie and Benedict Cumberbatch. The cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps will also be reprising their roles.

[RELATED – Daredevil: Born Again Ignores She-Hulk With Matt’s New Love Interest]

Earlier this month, Avengers concept art leaked online, and one of the images clearly depicts Bruce Banner and Jen Walters in what appears to be a period setting. This led fans to believe that She-Hulk would factor into the Doomsday narrative somehow. However, the Russo brothers later clarified the artwork is not from their pair of upcoming Avengers films and nothing has been spoiled.

Maslany does have a few non-Marvel projects in pre-production listed on her IMDb page, so it’s possible one of those has taken a step forward and will begin shooting soon. That said, her cancelation happening so closely to the start of Avengers: Doomsday production feels too big to be just a coincidence. The Russos have said that “anybody” who’s a part of the MCU is fair game to return for these Avengers movies, so it wouldn’t be surprising if She-Hulk had a part to play. Bruce is one of the few Original Six Avengers left still active in the MCU, and it would be strange if he was on the sidelines during a significant event like Doctor Doom’s arrival. And if Bruce comes back, it’d only be logical for his super-powered cousin to join the fray as well. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law hasn’t been renewed for a second season yet, so Marvel could opt to use Doomsday as a means of continuing Jen’s story.

If that happens, it will be interesting to see how She-Hulk fits into the overall narrative of an Avengers movie. Fourth-wall breaking was an integral part of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and that aspect would likely have to be tuned down for something like Doomsday. Jen talking to the camera fits within the framework of a comedy, but might be jarring in a story with dire stakes — even considering Marvel’s penchant for injecting levity into films and TV shows. Unfortunately, fans might have to wait a bit before finding out if their theories about Maslany’s return are true. The Russos are going the extra mile to ensure there are no set leaks during Doomsday production, so it sounds like casting information won’t be revealed until the studio is ready to share it.

The post Why Marvel Fans Think She-Hulk Returns in Avengers: Doomsday (Could They Be Right?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the most frustrating aspects of the streaming era is that film series can often get split up between different services, making it difficult to finish an entire story without paying for multiple subscriptions. That has been the case for the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy for a while now. The first two films in the series are on Netflix, but the third entry — How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World — isn’t on any service at all. That will change very soon.

On April, the widely acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon trilogy will finally be available on a single service. According to Peacock’s April newsletter, the streamer will be adding How to Train Your Dragon, How to Train Your Dragon 2, and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World on April 1st.

The timing of this couldn’t be better for the franchise, as the live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie is hitting theaters this summer. Starting April 1st, fans will have the chance to watch the entire animated trilogy before heading out to see the new How to Train Your Dragon on the big screen.

Coming Soon to Peacock

All three How to Train Your Dragon movies are going to be coming back to Peacock at the start of April, but they just a few of the horde of movies set to be added to the streamer’s lineup. You can check out the full lineup of Peacock’s April 1st movie additions below!

[RELATED: The 7 Best Shows on Tubi You Didn’t Know Were Streaming]

Age of Adeline
All Star Comedy Jam: Live From Atlanta
Along Came A Nanny
American Graffiti
At Home In Mitford
Babe
The Babe
Babe: Pig In The City
Bad Boys
Bad Boys II
Balls of Fury
Best Christmas Party Ever
The Big Bang
Big Sky River
Birds Of Paradise
Blue Streak
Bruce Almighty
Carlito’s Way
Casino
Caught-Up
Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie
Christmas Bedtime Stories
Christmas For Keeps
Christmas Homecoming
The Con Is On
Creed III
Crimetime: Freefall
Dark Waters
The Dilemma
Dr. Seuss’ The Cat In the Hat
Draft Day
Dreamgirls
Entertaining Christmas
The Exorcist
Exorcist: The Beginning
Eye Of The Beholder
Face/Off
The Fighter
Flipping For Christmas
For a Good Time Call…
Funny People
Gangs of New York (2003)
The Good House
Good Neighbors
Grandma’s Boy
Grease
Half Baked
Happy Gilmore
Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
The Homesman
Hop
How High
How To Train Your Dragon
How To Train Your Dragon 2
How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
The Huntsman: Winter’s War
Interstellar
The Italian Job
Jawbone
Joseph: King of Dreams
Kicking & Screaming
Last Night in Soho
Legend
Make It Happen
Mallrats
Mamma Mia!
Michael Jackson’s This Is It*
Moneyball
My Dreams Of You
Napa Ever After
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
No Country For Old Men
Noah
Nobody
A Novel Romance
One Summer
The Photograph
Prey
The Prince of Egypt
Pulp Fiction
Richard Pryor: Line & Smokin’
Ride Along
Ride Along 2
Savages
Scarface
School Dance
Sea Level
Shanghai (2015)
Shaun The Sheep
Shutter Island
Sister Act
Sisters
Sleigh Bells Ring
Small Town Crime
Snow White and The Huntsman
Soul Plane
Sprung
Taken
Tarzan (2014)
A Taste Of Love
That Awkward Moment
Trainspotting
True Justice: Family Ties
An Uncommon Grace
The Untouchables
Vampire Academy
The Vatican Tapes
Wild Oats
You, Me, And Him

The post One of the Best Animated Trilogies of All Time Is Finally Heading to the Same Streaming Service appeared first on ComicBook.com.