The screenwriter of the original 1989 Road House film is suing Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios and parent company Amazon Studios for copyright infringement. According to Variety, R. Lance Hill -- who uses the pen name David Lee Henry -- is claiming in his lawsuit that Amazon ignored his ability to reclaim rights to his original screenplay and went forward with their Road House remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal which will debut March 21st on Prime Video.

According to the specifics of the lawsuit, Hill claims that in 2021 he filed a petition with the. U.S. Copyright Office requesting that the copyright to Road House return to him once United Artists' claim expired in November 2023. The lawsuit also alleges that Amazon ignored the claims, going forward with the film and even using artificial intelligence to replicate the voices of the film's actors in order to complete ADR during the SAG-AFTRA strike so that they could finish film prior to the November 10th deadline. Hill claims that work on Road House wasn't actually completed until January 2024 -- months after the copyright deadline.

"On Nov. 11, 2023, the Screenplay's copyright thereby duly reverted to Hill under the Copyright Act. Yet, in contravention of the Act's fundamental authorial termination right, Defendants refused to acknowledge Hill's statutory termination," the suit reads. "Instead, Defendants steamrolled ahead with the production of a remake of the 1989 Film derived from Hill's Screenplay."

Interestingly, this isn't the first time there have been AI-related allegations when it comes to the Road House remake. According to Variety's report, sources alleged that producer Joel Silver, who was fired from Amazon in November over verbal abuse, was instead actually being fired over concerns regarding Amazon's use of AI to complete Road House.

Amazon denies the use of AI in making Road House and called Hill's lawsuit "without merit" in a statement.

"The lawsuit filed by R. Lance Hill regarding 'Road House' today is completely without merit and numerous allegations are categorically false. The film does not use any AI in place of actors' voices. We look forward to defending ourselves against these claims," the statement reads.

What is the Road House Reboot About?

The description for Prime Video's Road House reads, "In this adrenaline-fueled reimagining of the 80s cult classic, ex-UFC fighter Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems."

Anthony Bagarozzi (The Nice Guys) and Charles Mondry (Doc Savage) wrote the script for the new Road House. Joel Silver, whose credits include the original Road House as well as Lethal Weapon and Predator, is producing via his Silver Pictures. JJ Hook (6 Underground, The Lost City), Alison Winter (The Wall, Chaos Walking), and Aaron Auch (Orphan, The Losers) are also executive producers. The film stars Gyllenhaal, Conor McGregor, Billy Magnussen (No Time To Die), Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad), Gbemisola Ikumelo (A League of Their Own), Lukas Gage (Euphoria), Hannah Love Lanier (The Tiny Mighty Club), Travis Van Winkle (You), B.K. Cannon (Why Women Kill), Arturo Castro (Broad City), Dominique Columbus (Ray Donovan), Beau Knapp (The Lost Symbol), Bob Menery (Full Send Podcast), Joaquim de Almeida (Fast X), Darren Barnet (Agents of SHIELD), Kevin Carroll (Showtime's Let the Right One In), and JD Pardo (Mayans M.C.).

Road House (2024) is scheduled to be released on March 21st.

Dune: Part Two arrives in theaters in just a matter of days, and the sci-fi epic has already earned quite a lot of praise. In addition to its star-studded ensemble cast and distinct source material, the Dune franchise has been praised for Hans Zimmer's award-winning score, with the sequel expected to up the sonic ante even further. As Zimmer revealed in a recent interview with The Wrap, he has actually already previewed part of his Dune: Part Two score, playing the film's main theme during as the opening song for his recent concert tour. Zimmer did not identify the theme when asked by fans, because he wanted the audience to discover the piece's true origin once they saw the entire movie.

"The main theme, really, for this one, I did something very naughty," Zimmer revealed. "I toured it with my band through Europe, and I would play it as the opening to our set, and no one knew what the piece of music was. I thought, a year later, wouldn't it be cool to go to the cinema and they hear this piece of music and they go, 'Oh, it's weirdly familiar!'"

Will There Be a Dune 3?

As fans of Frank Herbert's books know, the grand narrative of Dune extends far beyond the events of the first book, which has led to a lot of speculation about whether or not Dune: Messiah could become the franchise's next film. Dune director Denis Villeneuve has teased that a script for Dune: Messiah exists, and that he is focusing on telling the best possible distillation of the source material.

"I'm working on four different screenplays -- I know that Dune: Messiah will be one of them, I don't know if it will be the next or the second next," Villeneuve shared in an interview earlier this year. "My job was to try to keep the spirit of Frank Herbert alive as much as possible -- the whole meaning of Dune becomes clear with Dune: Messiah."

What Is Dune: Part Two About?

Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

The big-screen epic Dune: Part Two includes Timoth?e Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and L?a Seydoux, with Stellan Skarsg?rd, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem. Denis Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Frank Herbert's iconic novel.

The original voice of Moana is returning to Motunui for Disney's highly anticipated sequel. Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger surprised the industry earlier this month when he announced that Moana 2 was not only in the works, but that it would be released in theaters this coming November. When the announcement was first made, it was unclear whether the original film's two stars would be reprising their roles.

According to Deadline, Auli'i Cravalho is coming back to once again voice the titular Moana. The publication's report suggested that she and Dwayne Johnson, who voiced Maui, had both been in talks with Disney about their returns, but things hadn't been made official when Moana 2 was announced. They're now both expected to be back and leading the sequel.

Disney had initially planned to continue the story of Moana as a streaming series on Disney+. However, as the project started coming together, and the popularity of the original Moana soared, Disney made the decision to turn the series into a feature film for theaters.

Disney announced that Moana 2 is hitting theaters on November 27th, keeping in the tradition of releasing an animated film around Thanksgiving every year. The film is directed by Dave Derrick Jr. featuring music from Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina. Lin Manuel Miranda won't be coming back to write songs for Moana 2.

Moana Live-Action Movie

In addition to Moana 2, Disney is also working on a live-action version of the first Moana film. Dwayne Johnson is producing the live-action film and reprising his role as Maui. In that film, however, Cravalho won't be playing the titular role. A new actress will be taking over the role, but Cravalho is set to be an executive producer.

The live-action Moana is being directed by Hamilton's Thomas Kail. Original Moana writer Jared Bush wrote the new screenplay alongside Dana Ledoux Miller.

As it stands right now, the live-action Moana is slated to be released in theaters in 2025, but that could change very soon. The news of Moana 2's release this fall has led to reports that the live-action adaptation will be delayed, allowing the franchise a little room to breathe. Disney has yet to make an official announcement about the film's status.

Are you looking forward to seeing Moana 2 in theaters later this year? Let us know in the comments!

Mean Girls (2024) has apparently cut out a joke about Mean Girls (2004) star Lindsay Lohan, which had been the source of controversy.

The movie adaptation of the Mean Girls stage musical follows many of the same beats as the original film - but obviously has to factor in one big societal change of the last twenty years: social media. Tweets and TikToks are thrown around aggressively in Mean Girls (2024), as the school community, local community, and even online community influencers and stars all get in on the reign of queen Regina George (Rene? Rapp) and the rise of would-be challenger for the high school crown, new girl Cady Heron (Angourie Rice). Like in the original Mean Girls, the new version sees Cady's social status after a pivotal turn at the Winter Talent Show.

In the original, the Plastics' dance routine going wrong is an embarrassment limited to those in the attending audience; in Mean Girls (2024), the Plastics have to see their embarrassing moment go viral on social media. It becomes the will of the online masses that Cady becomes the new queen of the Plastics - and even Megan Thee Stallion co-signs the change in lineup.

Originally, Mean Girls (2024) featured a cut scene of social media reactions to Plastics' dance routine featuring a cameo by Megan Thee Stallion, who declares to her "Hotties" (i.e. fans) that "We are going back to red! Y2K fire crotch is back!" The line is a reference to Lindsay Lohan's infamous nickname, which began with a 2006 Papapprazzi video of Paris Hilton and friend, oil fortune heir Brandon Davis leaving a club. In that video, a seemingly inebriated Davis went on a tirade about Lindsay Lohan, grossly disparaging her body in a way that would certainly get one canceled in the era of Twitter. "Fire Crotch" became the safest soundbite from rant for publications and talk shows to run with, and Lohan soon found herself often being verbally accosted by those imitating or referencing the original video.

The Messenger reported that Lindsay Lohan was "very hurt and disappointed" that the joke from Megan Thee Stallion made it into the theatrical cut of Mean Girls (2024). Lohan makes a cameo appearance in the climax of the film, and apparently didn't know the line was in the movie until she saw it at the premiere.

Mean Girls (2024) Cuts Controversial Lindsay Lohan Joke

Popculture Planet reporter Kristen Maldonado has watched the digital release of Mean Girls (2024) and quickly spotted something different: the joke about fire crotch is gone. "It seems it has been removed for the film's digital release," Maldonado writes, "During my re-watch of the film, I noticed that Megan Thee Stallion's line now ends at "We are going back red" and jumps to her laughing, cutting out 'Y2K fire crotch is back' entirely."

By today's standards, the entire incident with Lindsay Lohan and that nickname seems grossly inappropriate - and the objections to it being a joke played for laughs are understandable. Especially if you're Lindsay Lohan.

Mean Girls (2024) is now available of VOD and digital release.

Now that The Marvels is streaming on Disney+, the actors involved in the show have been given the ability to take fans on a journey behind the filming of the movie. Tuesday, Captain Marvel star Brie Larson took to social media to share some of the snapshots she's holding back. Not only is Larson in the pictures on the set of her Captain Marvel follow-up, but Ms. Marvel's Iman Vellani has a presence as well.

"ICYMI, The Marvels is now on Disney+," Larson said on Instagram alongside a series of pictures, which you can see below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Brie Larson (@brielarson)

Are we getting Captain Marvel 3?

Though it once appeared a Captain Marvel franchise was a guarantee given the stellar box office performance of the property's first film, The Marvels earned the MCU's smallest box office haul. When asked about her MCU future earlier this month, Larson bluntly said she didn't "have anything to say about that."

There's also been speculation Ms. Marvel could end up receiving a second season given the character's popularity, but Marvel Studios hasn't confirmed anything on that front either.

"No, we're waiting for The Marvels, so that will decide what the next step will be," Ms. Marvel helmer Adil El Arbi said on an episode of The Discourse podcast last year. "So we're very much looking forward to that. I can't wait to see it, man. It's great to see the trailers and to see the whole family back there and Iman Vellani doing great work, so looking forward to that."

What is The Marvels about?

In The Marvels, Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan, Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol's estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Together, this unlikely trio must team-up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as "The Marvels." The Marvels will also see the franchise returns of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Saagar Shaikh as Aamir Khan, Zenobia Shroff as Muneeba Khan, and Mohan Kapur as Yusuf Khan. New cast members include Zawe Ashton, Park Seo-joon, and Shamier Anderson. Produced by Marvel Studios, The Marvels is directed by Nia DaCosta with a script from DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, and Elissa Karasik.

The Marvels and Captain Marvel are both now streaming on Disney+.

Where do you want to see Carol Danvers pop up next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!

Captain Marvel has been a topic of conversation this week and a lot of people have been making a big deal about her. Extra caught up with Brie Larson on the awards circuit and asked about her Marvel future. When the actress said, "I don't have anything to say about that," chaos ensued on social media. But, does that small aside really mean there won't be anymore Captain Marvel in the MCU? Is Captain Marvel 3 not happening anymore? Well, the first one is hysterically unlikely and the second one is cloudy at best right now. Here's why everyone is freaking out about Captain Marvel.

First, a little recent Marvel history. The Marvels underperformed against projections as a result of numerous factors. (Launching during a dual actors and writers strike that cut promotion off at the knees, Marvel Studios seemingly pivoting on marketing the movie three times, and of course, a summer at the movies that saw all but a handful of films underperform as a result of those strikes paired with some corporate-gouging-influenced inflation to boot.) Mix all of that into the constant observer-led navel gazing about the theater system and the picture starts to take shape.

One thing that didn't help The Marvels was its close proximity to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Secret Invasion. Both of these Marvel Studios efforts weren't well-received by critics or fans in the way a majority of the studio's output tends to be. So, there was just an ill-wind all around. An absolutely tough hand for director Nia DaCosta to maneuver through. (The movie is the highest-grossing box office performance for a Black female director) Still, the path forward isn't as clear as it might have been two years ago.

The Idea Of Superhero Fatigue And The MCU

As a larger part of the conversation around these movies, critics have decried "superhero fatigue" as evidence for the recent swaths of underperformance. Such tidy explanations fails to explain why a majority of last year's blockbusters failed to take hold. (In this area, the continued effect of the pandemic, streaming habits and numerous worldwide real-world events might loom larger than a lot of observers are willing to admit to themselves.) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was universally beloved. Black Panther's sequel managed more than 800 million in this post-reopening climate. Spider-Man continues to print money.

Clearly, this idea of superhero fatigue is selective at best and disingenuously deployed at worst. Last November, Disney CEO Bob Iger pointed towards executive oversight when pinpointing what happened with The Marvels. "The Marvels was shot during COVID," Iger told onlookers at The New York Times' DealBook Summit. "There wasn't as much supervision on the set, so to speak, where we have executives [that are] really looking over what's being done day after day after day."

That first part is true and might be the most important part of the statement. Keep in mind how many media reports there have been about pivots, of projects being shuffled due to the ongoing health emergency. Is it any wonder things may have felt disjointed. Also, Marvel Studios probably should have ushered in a team-up movie before Phase 4's end because of the fans' constant outcries for it. They underestimated how impatient a lot of them would become in "The Multiverse Saga."

So, What's The Path Forward?

Well, to be brief, cohesion. Deadpool & Wolverine just broke the record for most trailer views ever. That movie is set to move The Multiverse Saga right along. (You don't put a Secret Wars comic book in the trailer if you don't plan to speed things up expeditiously.) They're also putting more characters together. Daredevil is coming next year with all the familiarity you could imagine. Captain America: Brave New World would be a natural place for some more appearances. Later this year, Agatha is poised to bring back mid-pandemic favorites from the Marvel show literally everyone watched. So, getting the band back together is the move.

Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani told The Direct that getting these people together and establishing connection is the way forward. She's assembling a group of Young Avengers as we speak. There's virtually no way Marvel Studios doesn't have one of the strongest Avengers on-hand whenever Secret Wars gets rolling. So, buckle up and mute some words on Twitter because the ride is not over yet.

"I don't know. I don't know if it's about just getting bigger and bigger and bigger. Because then, like, what's left? You know, I think it's just about making the audience care about their characters," Vellani told the outlet. "And I think they've established so many wonderful characters in the last phase of the MCU that it would be nice to see them all again and see them team up."

"I think, because there are so many new characters people want to like, start shipping people together and be like, 'Oh, seeing Kamala and like the Red Guardian together,'" the actor Continued. "Like imagining all these pair-ups, and I think that would definitely pay off. It'll be like, you know, the next Avengers."

The Marvels Is Now Streaming On Disney+

In The Marvels, which arrived in theaters on November 10th, Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan, Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol's estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Together, this unlikely trio must team-up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as "The Marvels."

The Marvels will also see the franchise returns of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Saagar Shaikh as Aamir Khan, Zenobia Shroff as Muneeba Khan, and Mohan Kapur as Yusuf Khan. New cast members include Zawe Ashton, Park Seo-joon, and Shamier Anderson. Produced by Marvel Studios, The Marvels is directed by Nia DaCosta with a script from DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, and Elissa Karasik.

Where do you think Captain Marvel will show up next? Let us know down in the comments!

DC Universe announcements could be coming soon in a variety of formats. Taking a break from pre-production on Superman: Legacy, DC Studios boss James Gunn has spent some time Tuesday responding to fan questions on Threads. In one of the inquiries, a fan asked if more DCU announcements would take place either at San Diego Comic-Con or during a livestream.

"Those are our only two choices?" Gunn responded, hinting announcements could surface through means other than a Hall H panel or social media video.

Post by @jamesgunn

View on Threads

The fan question comes just days after Warner Bros. boss David Zaslav teased impending announcements regarding the franchise, though he didn't set a clear timetable on more announcements.

"I've had a glimpse into what James and Peter are doing, and it really does serve as an exciting indicator of where the new DC is headed under their leadership," Zaslav said in the company's latest earnings call. "There'll be more you'll hear from them in the months ahead...We'll have James and Peter take you through in the next few months a full spectrum of what they see over the next 10 years."

What Is Superman: Legacy About?

Per DC Studios, Superman: Legacy tells the story of Superman's journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and a better tomorrow, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.

"It's not an origin story," DC Studios co-head Peter Safran told reporters last year. "It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Superman represents truth, justice, and the American way. He has kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned."

The DC Universe officially kicks off with Creature Commandos, which has yet to set a release date, and Superman: Legacy, which enters theaters July 11, 2025.

What part of Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters excites you most? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @AdamBarnhardt up on Twitter!

The Purge franchise launched in 2013 with the debut film and has spawned a global phenomenon, as the concept has cemented itself as a reference for sanctioned lawlessness, and frequent star Frank Grillo claims that if The Purge 6 ends up happening, it'll be the final chapter in the saga. In addition to earning five feature films and taking in millions at the global box office, the concept of 12 hours in which violent crimes are legal also inspired two seasons of a TV series. With each installment seeing dwindling returns, Grillo confirms it's a matter of whether or not Universal Pictures wants to actually spend the money to bring the project to life.

"The script is done. It basically centers around Leo Barnes, my character. It would be the last of the last of the last, it's like the guy who keeps retiring," Grillo confirmed to Screen Rant. "[Franchise creator] James DeMonaco is going to direct it, if it happens, and it's a matter of money. It's a matter of how big they want the movie to be, how much money they want to spend on the movie, considering they've done a lot in this franchise. But it's a great script."

Grillo starred in the second and third installments of the series, The Purge: Anarchy and The Purge: Election Year, which feasibly served as a contained trilogy. 2018 saw the debut of The First Purge, which explored the creation of the violent tradition, while 2021's The Forever Purge took place after the events of the first three movies and delivered a world in which the violence failed to be contained to 12 hours.

DeMonaco similarly expressed last year that he was ready to move forward on the film, though that it was a decision that was up to Universal, while also hinting at the intense nature of the world he has created.

"I wrote the script. Universal has seen it," the filmmaker confirmed to The Playlist last July. "There are concerns about budget, but it definitely presents a fractured America ... The America I present in Purge 6 is where we are all separated by ideology and sexual preference. So, the states are broken down in different ways."

He continued, "It's written, it's in [Universal's] hands. I think they're scared about the budget. But my thing was if I was going to come back and direct a sixth one, it was going to be something bigger and a little more epic in scope, with this new America I want to present and bringing back [Frank Grillo's] character. So, it's kinda in limbo."

Stay tuned for updates on a possible The Purge 6.

Are you hoping the sequel gets brought to life? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

Halle Berry is letting social media "rediscover" one of her most epic moments in the movie business: the speech she gave at the Razzie Awards after winning the "Worst Actress" award for Catwoman at the 25th Razzie Awards in 2004.

Berry had just won the Oscar for "Best Actress" in 2002 for her performance in Marc Forster's Monster's Ball, before taking on the role of (wait for it) "Patience Phillips," the version of Catwoman created for director Pitof's 2004 superhero movie - which had nothing to do with Batman, Selina Kyle, or any DC lore outside of an Easter egg photo of Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman from Batman Returns. Instead of becoming a major superhero franchise star, Halle Berry saw her career stumble out of its 2000s heyday of X-Men, Bond girl franchise stardom and Oscars glory; she would give solid performances in hit-or-miss projects for years thereafter. At the very least, Berry got a whopping $12.5 million payday for doing Catwoman - and despite it stlll being regarded as one of the worst comic book movies ever made, Catwoman has aged into being appreciated as ironic cringe, and comes with the now-standard Film Twitter apologists.

More than anything: no one can argue at this point that Halle Berry's Catwoman was one of the hottest superhero characters we've seen onscreen - or that the actress didn't handle the "infamy" around the film like a total champ. Case in point:

WATCH: Halle Berry's Epic Razzie Awards Speech for Catwoman

"I never in my life thought that I would be up here, winning a Razzie! It's not like I ever aspired to be here, but thank you," Berry says at the start of the speech, mockingly recreating her emotional winning speech at the Oscars. "When I was a kid, my mother told me that if you could not be a good loser, then there's no way you could be a good winner."

"I've got so many people to thank because you don't win a Razzie without a lot of help from a lot of people." Berry continued, in clear winking sarcasm. "First of all, I want to thank Warner Brothers, for putting me in a piece-of-sh*t, godawful movie. It was just what my career needed! I was at the top, and then Catwoman just plummeted me to the bottom. Love it! It's hard being on top. It's much better being on the bottom."

While Halley Berry cut the clip of her speech of there in the Twitter X post, the actual speech went to a much sharper place. Berry actually called out her manager at the time, Vincent Cirrincione, as the reason she had to do Catwoman:

"I want to thank my manager Vincent Cirrincione. This guy loves me. He loves me so much that he convinces me to do projects even when he knows they're sh*t! That's how much he really loves me. My only advice to you is next time I do a movie, if I get a chance to do another movie, maybe you should read the script. Just counting the zeros behind the one really isn't enough. You really have to read the script. I love you, man. Love you."

Cirrincione closed his agency in 2018 after receiving multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against several women. Halle Berry soon after revealed in a public statement that tshe had broken off her 25-year working relationship with Cirrincione years prior due to hearing allegations from other women in the industry about his conduct.

Given all the circumstances surrounding it, it's even more comforting to see that Halle Berry can now look at Catwoman and laugh with so many of us about it.

Catwoman (2004) is currently streaming on Max and Amazon Prime Video.

Dune: Part Two opens in theaters this week and the film is tracking for a truly epic opening weekend at the box office. According to Deadline, the second part of Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic novel Dune is expected to have a $170 million opening weekend at global box office. That breaks down to an estimated $80 at the domestic box office and between $85 and $90 million overseas. 2021's Dune had a $41 million domestic opening, though that film also saw a day-and-date release on HBO Max which impacted those numbers.

The idea that Dune: Part Two will be a strong box office performer is bolstered by the reviews. Dune: Part Two presently has a 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising not only the film's look and feel, but also its sophisticated approach to the complex story. ComicBook.com's Patrick Cavanaugh gave Dune: Part Two a four out of five rating, noting that "Villeneuve continues to circumvent expectations and, while there was the opportunity to offer up more bombast than the debut film, instead focuses on the tragic elements of Paul Atreides, serving instead as a cautionary tale of anyone deeming themselves to be a messiah."

What Is Dune: Part Two About?

Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

The big-screen epic Dune: Part Two includes Timoth?e Chalamet , Zendaya , Rebecca Ferguson , Josh Brolin , Austin Butler , Florence Pugh , Dave Bautista , Christopher Walken , Stephen McKinley Henderson , and L?a Seydoux , with Stellan Skarsg?rd , Charlotte Rampling , and Javier Bardem . Denis Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Frank Herbert 's iconic novel.

Anya Taylor-Joy Will Also Appear in Dune: Part Two

It was recently revealed that Anya Taylor-Joy will also appear in Dune: Part Two, a detail that Villeneuve had kept from fans for months. The director recently explained that he kept the secret as a "gift" to surprise audiences so close to the film's release on March 1st.

"I think that Hollywood is the most gossipy town on earth and I wanted, as an experiment, to see how long we could keep a secret," Villeneuve said. "We did it. It was a special unit, we went to Africa to shoot with Anya under super-secrecy. I just loved the idea to keep something as a surprise for the audience until the very end; it was like a gift I wanted to keep for the fans."

Dune: Part Two opens in theaters on March 1st.

Are you excited for Dune: Part Two? Will you be seeing it opening weekend? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

James Gunn and Peter Safran are confirmed to be resetting the DC Universe, debuting a string of movies and Max-exclusive television shows in the next few years. The first cinematic venture for the new DCU will be Superman: Legacy, which is written and directed by Gunn and is set to begin production in the very near future. In a recent post on Threads, Gunn set the record straight on one new reported aspect of Superman: Legacy -- its potential filming budget. A report from BizJournals.com suggested that the film's production budget is $364 million, which would be the second-most-expensive superhero movie of all time after only Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Gunn confirmed that the report does not accurately reflect Superman: Legacy's budget at all, writing "Absolutely not. ? How in the world do they think they know what our budget is?"

What Is Superman: Legacy About?

Per DC Studios, Superman: Legacy tells the story of Superman's journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and a better tomorrow, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.

"We got James Gunn and Peter (Safran) working very hard on DC, which is going to be a very big growth driver for this company," Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav explained last year. "We are very bullish on DC. The Superman script first draft is done. Gunn is on a mission from god. It is a really good moment to prove out on DC what we got and how strong it is globally for long-term sustainable growth."

Who Will Star in Superman: Legacy?

Superman: Legacy will star David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Terence Rosemore as Otis, Mar?a Gabriela de Far?a as Angela Spica / The Engineer, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt / Mr. Terrific, and Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason / Metamorpho.

"We've been having a lot of great conversations, David and I, with James Gunn, the director," Brosnahan revealed in a recent interview. "We've been talking a lot about where this project fits into the canon of the Supermans that we know. So hopefully, this'll be... we'll be putting our own stamp on things."

When Will Superman: Legacy Be Released?

Superman: Legacy is currently scheduled to be released in theaters on July 11, 2025, with Gunn previously confirming that the film will not be delayed due to last year's Hollywood strikes.

"It may seem far away to many of you, but it's close to me!" Gunn previously wrote of the release date on social media. "We have a lot to do between now and then. But I haven't been more excited about a project in forever... and this cast, slowly coming together... holy cow..."

Are you excited for Superman: Legacy to begin production? What do you think of James Gunn's new comments about the film's budget? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Barbie composer Mark Ronson revealed how he came up with "I'm Just Ken." The musician stopped by The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon last night to talk about the movie's whirlwind success. He actually shared that he had the idea for "I'm Just Ken" while he was walking around. Those words and "anywhere else I'd be a ten" were the first kernels of Barbie's super-hit. From there, the producer assembled his songwriting partner and they got to work. Ronson actually supplied the rough vocal for the song in the early going. Fallon actually discovered that the composer still had the voice note on his phone and he played it for the crowd!

"I knew nothing, I really didn't," Ronson revealed when asked about early Barbie conversations. "You know, we were asked to come in and write two songs, and I wrote 'Dance the Night.' That became "the" track. That's the jam. So, I was just so inspired. I thought--Greta Gerwig is just so amazing. I love the script. And, so we wrote Ken. And then, we started to do a little bit more and more music for the film. We just loved it and we wanted to do the whole thing."

"That's what we were kind of hoping to do because Ken is like the character, and Ryan Gosling, who's just so incredible in the film. He's so ridiculous, but yet, you feel all his pain, I feel like," he added. "So, I was walking down the street, and I don't usually write lyrics. I usually come up with the music, but I just had that line. Like, 'I'm just Ken, anywhere else I'd be a ten.' You know? I just thought, this guy is so hot, but he can't get what he needs in life, which is the love of this woman. So, I came up with that line, went to the piano and came up with some chords. Then, my brother Andrew, my songwriting partner, came over and we wrote the rest of the song."

Ryan Gosling Performing At The Oscars

Ryan Gosling is the man who brought Ken to life and now he'll be sharing that joy with the world. Variety reported that the Barbie star would be performing "I'm Just Ken" at The Oscars this year. It's a big moment for the televised ceremony. Although Gosling's song faces steep competition from other songs on the same project like "What Was I Made For" by Billie Eilish, the people demanded Ken and they're going to get it. (It probably won't hurt the ratings either because of the recent push to get viewership back in front of the TV.)

When Variety previously asked Gosling about performing, he remained coy about it. But, it's clear this is a bit of dream for him and Ronson. "Well, I haven't been invited. And I wasn't thinking about it until now, and now it's all I'm going to think about," Gosling smirked during a lengthy profile. "Do you get paid to sing at the Oscars? Do you have to drive yourself? What kind of scratch is involved? They pick you up at least, right?"

Ronson Pushed For "I'm Just Ken" At The Oscars

For the Barbie producer, this is a whole lot to digest. From the sounds of things, his star singer is in the same boat. THR asked about how Gosling was adjusting to the adulation. Ronson told them that he's just gobsmacked by all the love from people he's never even met.

"He kind of feels like someone who doesn't get caught up in the hype from the little bit that now I know about him," Ronson shared, explaining that he would send Gosling updates on the milestones reached by "I'm Just Ken." "Even he'd be like, 'This is so surreal, I don't even know what to tell you.' I think he's a real musician, he loves music, and I think he was really touched by that and like when Slash played on it, you know? So there's certain things that he's been really, I think, excited about."

Are you excited to hear "I'm Just Ken" at The Oscars? Let us know down in the comments!

The last few years have been a bit of a tumultuous time for movies, as the growth of streaming platforms has seen highly anticipated projects come to life in these markets, while some of these companies have also been able to expand their markets to offer theatrical experiences. The upcoming Road House reboot has found itself at the center of unexpected conflicts regarding its debut, as director Doug Liman claims he was developing the project for a theatrical release and that Amazon Studios changed the plan and it will instead be a streaming-only movie, yet star Jake Gyllenhaal is now pushing back against Liman's claims. Road House is set to hit Prime Video on March 21st.

"I adore Doug's tenacity, and I think he is advocating for filmmakers, and film in the cinema, and theatrical releases. But, I mean, Amazon was always clear that it was streaming," Gyllenhaal confirmed to Total Film, per GamesRadar. "I just want as many people to see it as possible. And I think we're living in a world that's changing in how we see and watch movies, and how they're made. What's clear to me, and what I loved so much, was [Liman's] deep love for this movie, and his pride at how much he cares for it, how good he feels it is, and how much people should see it."

He continued, "I've also sat watching a film on my computer, or in different places, and been so profoundly moved. If the job of a story is to move people, I have been moved in both forms. I'm a deep lover of cinema and the theatrical release - but I also do really embrace the streaming world."

The film was originally being developed by MGM, though during development, Amazon acquired the studio, understandably complicating the film's future. Back in January, Liman shared an open letter about his experience, claiming that he wouldn't be in attendance at the film's premiere at next month's South by Southwest Film Festival.

Earlier this month, however, a report from Variety claimed that during the development process, Liman was offered the opportunity to either have a smaller budget and get a theatrical release or earn a larger budget to send the movie straight to streaming, the latter deal he took.

Road House is set to premiere on Prime Video on March 21st.

Are you looking forward to checking out the movie? Let us know in the comments!

Spaceman director Johan Renck says that the ending of the movie wasn't always the same. ComicBook.com caught up with the filmmaker for the Netflix science fiction project. Renck told us that they swapped the original planned ending for something with a bit of a more hopeful tone. Spaceman filmed during the pandemic and Renck admits that the global outlook could have affected his feelings about the ending. People's hope is really remarkable at the end of the day, and that ray of light ended up factoring into the director's decision. Check it out up above!

"No, they did not always plan for that. And, it's funny how that kind of works because to some extent, anything you do is going to be very much subjected to where you are on your personal journey at that very moment," Renck mused. "We shot this film during the pandemic. At the sort of 'tail end of it' and so on and so forth. There was a certain sort of slightly dystopia view on us as humans in the world at that end. And at some point, the ending was not gonna be like it was in the book. But, it was less hopeful to be honest, but then I guess I'm getting old. I don't know what it is, but I really felt that we need to show the beauty of..."

"Like Hanus says in the end of the film. But, you know when Jakob says, 'I feel fear' and Hanus says 'But, you also feel hope, that is the wisdom of your kind.' I do think that is the wisdom of our kind. It is the sense of hope and the fact that we, no matter how bad things might look, we have this ability to look for grains of hope within that. And I do think that it became at least slightly a more impressionistic ending towards something that would really suggest that we don't know if they're going to get back together again. But, at least they're going to try.

Adam Sandler In Spaceman

Sandler has spent the last few laughs providing emotional drama performances alongside his trademark comedic output. In a conversation with Netflix's TUDUM, the director of Spaceman talked about shooting for a more dramatic version of Sandler with this movie. From the initial reactions, it sounds like he's absolutely got something there.

"I really wanted to have a performance from him that had nothing to do with the Adam Sandler we all know," Renck explained to TUDUM earlier this year. "I don't think people understand how [although] he may come across as funny and sweet and all that, he's very intelligent, really smart, profound.

"It's tremendously uncomfortable with all these harnesses and hanging in your own body weight," Renck continued when describing Sandler's performance. "I think it's painful in a way that's actually going to be intrusive to your performance -- unless you're Adam, because he just pushed through that in an incredible way."

What Is Spaceman About?

Netflix has a fresh synopsis for their new movie: "Six months into a solitary research mission to the edge of the solar system, an astronaut, Jakub (Adam Sandler), realizes that the marriage he left behind might not be waiting for him when he returns to Earth. Desperate to fix things with his wife, Lenka (Carey Mulligan), he is helped by a mysterious creature from the beginning of time he finds hiding in the bowels of his ship. Hanu? (voiced by Paul Dano) works with Jakub to make sense of what went wrong before it is too late. Directed by Johan Renck and based on the novel Spaceman of Bohemia, the film also stars Kunal Nayyar, Lena Olin, and Isabella Rossellini."

Do you think happy endings are better? Let us know down in the comments!

Actor Anya Taylor-Joy's appearance on the Dune: Part Two red carpet last week confirmed that she had been cast in the project, solidifying a rumor that had been swirling for months, and as for why director Denis Villeneuve kept this detail a secret from fans for so long, Villeneuve said it was an "experiment" to see how long the secret could be kept. Given that fans know the story that is set to conclude in the sequel, and that there have been so many trailers that have been released for the film, he considers it a "gift" to surprise audiences with this casting reveal so close to the film's official release. Dune: Part Two hits theaters on March 1st.

"I think that Hollywood is the most gossipy town on earth and I wanted, as an experiment, to see how long we could keep a secret," Villeneuve confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. "We did it. It was a special unit, we went to Africa to shoot with Anya under super-secrecy. I just loved the idea to keep something a surprise for the audience until the very end; it was like a gift I wanted to keep for the fans."

While Taylor-Joy might not earn the most screen time in the upcoming sequel, essentially serving as an uncredited cameo, the role she plays in the overall mythology of Dune will prove to be more significant in the story's future than in this specific chapter. Villeneuve has been professing his desire to develop the second Frank Herbert book, Dune Messiah, into a movie, which would involve Taylor-Joy's character more substantially, but the director shared this week that he isn't in a rush to bring that project to life.

"There is absolutely a desire to have a third one, but I don't want to rush it," Villeneuve explained to The Times of London. "The danger in Hollywood is that people get excited and only think about release dates, not quality."

Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

The big-screen epic Dune: Part Two includes Timoth?e Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and L?a Seydoux, with Stellan Skarsg?rd, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem. Denis Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Frank Herbert's iconic novel.

Dune: Part Two lands in theaters on March 1st. Stay tuned for updates on Dune Messiah.

What do you think of the filmmaker's remarks? Let us know in the comments!

Josh Hartnett has nothing but good words for M. Night Shyamalan and his upcoming movie Trap. The movie, in which Hartnett stars alongside Hayley Mills, Marnie McPhail, and Vanessa Smythe, is set for release in August, and according to the 40 Days and 40 Nights star, Trap isa career highlight, both because of the experience he had making it, and because of his admiration for Shyamalan. Hartnett, who appeared in Oppenheimer last year, has an unusual career path, and

Little is known about the plot to Trap so far -- which is of course not very unusual for Shyamalan projects. When it was announced, Shyamalan described Trap as a "psychological thriller set at a concert."

"It's a pivot," Hartnett told IndieWire. "But I try to make all of my roles pivots. If you're playing the same thing again and again, it gets boring to the audience. Working with M. Night was one of the best experiences of my career. I think he's a true Artist in the capitol-A sense of the word. And I think people are gonna be really surprised and excited about the movie we make. It's very bizarre, very dark, and it's wild."

Hartnett made his comments during an appearance at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, where Oppenheimer won a number of awards.

Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer is an IMAX-shot epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it.

The film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Emily Blunt as his wife, biologist and botanist Katherine "Kitty" Oppenheimer. Oscar(R) winner Matt Damon portrays General Leslie Groves Jr., director of the Manhattan Project, and Robert Downey, Jr. plays Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.

Academy Award(R) nominee Florence Pugh plays psychiatrist Jean Tatlock, Benny Safdie plays theoretical physicist Edward Teller, Michael Angarano plays Robert Serber and Josh Hartnett plays pioneering American nuclear scientist Ernest Lawrence.

Oppenheimer also stars Oscar(R) winner Rami Malek and reunites Nolan with eight-time Oscar(R) nominated actor, writer and filmmaker Kenneth Branagh.

The cast includes Dane DeHaan (Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets), Dylan Arnold (Halloween franchise), David Krumholtz (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Matthew Modine (The Dark Knight Rises).

The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Atlas Entertainment's Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan.

Thanks to his compelling performance in Reacher, as well as his impressive physical stature, actor Alan Ritchson has been endorsed by fans to take on a number of iconic superhero roles, with Ritchson recently recalling how he was nearly cast as Thor for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor even claimed that he was told the part was essentially his, though by not investing as much in his performance for an audition, the role would instead go to Chris Hemsworth, largely based on the performing aspect he brought to the opportunity. While Ritchson would go on to play Hawk in the DC series Titans, he also revealed he initially attempted to play Nightwing.

"I didn't take it seriously," Ritchson revealed to Men's Health about his Thor audition. "I was like, 'They'll throw me the part if I look like the guy; nobody really cares about acting.'" The outlet also noted, "After the audition, the casting cabal told his team the role had been his to lose but he hadn't shown that he had 'the craft.'"

Ritchson's debut performance in the world of superheroes came in Smallville, where he starred as Aquaman. Years later, he attempted to return to the world of DC as Dick Grayson for Titans, an experience he approached with more confidence than his Thor audition.

"I was so confident. I was like, 'This is the best damn audition I've ever had in my life. There's no way they can do this show without me,'" the actor admitted. Rather than losing the role due to his performance, it was reportedly due to being too old for the version of the character the show had in mind.

While Robert Pattinson is playing the Caped Crusader in The Batman II, there is an opening for someone to take on the role of The Dark Knight for James Gunn's DC Studios franchise, with no casting having yet been announced for The Brave and The Bold. Ritchson recently reflected on fan campaigns to get him to play the iconic hero.

"As huge as this rumor mill is, I feel like this part should be offered on a silver platter at this point," Ritchson joked to ComicBook.com. "I would love to play Batman. But, I'm not yet Batman. I don't know what Gunn's approach is gonna be. But, yeah, that'd be great. He's one of the most iconic characters."

Stay tuned for updates on Ritchson's possible future in the world of superheroes.

What do you think of the actor's remarks? Let us know in the comments!

Dave Bautista took a moment to elaborate on his Marvel future after the end of Drax the Destroyer's journey in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. io9 spoke to the Dune: Part Two star as he gets ready for the premiere of that massive sequel. However, a lot of people are still sad about the Guardians packing it up. Bautista clarified that he wasn't done with Marvel entirely and if the right role came across his desk, a return could be in order. However, that big MCU appearance wouldn't be as Drax. He says that door is closed. But, he's always wanted to play a complicated villain in that universe.

"No, no. When I said that I was done, I was really just done with my journey as Drax," Bautista clarified. "I still have a relationship with Marvel. I've seen Kevin Feige again, Lou [D'Esposito] as recently as two weeks ago. And they know that I would be up for a role. I love the universe--the superhero universe, I love it. I'm a fan."

"So Marvel or DC, if they call, I would answer the phone. And if the role makes sense, I'd be all over it," he added. "I just would like the opportunity to do a bigger role, a different role. Maybe a deeper role. I'd love to have the opportunity to play, like an ominous villain in the superhero universe. Yeah. But never. I'm not done with it. But my journey with Drax is over."

Bautista On Working With James Gunn And DC

There's been a lot of reflection for the former WWE star over the last 12 months. ComicBook.com had to ask Bautista about the possibility of working with James Gunn again. He obviously loves the Guardians of the Galaxy director and would leap at the chance at a reunion. Despite that desire, Gunn hasn't come calling yet. But, Bautista wants the filmmaker to know he's down if the opportunity presents itself.

"I couldn't give you an honest answer to that because I think..." Bautista told us. "And, I'm only gonna say this because we've had conversations, over the years, it would the WWE Hall of Fame. I was supposed to go in last year and I was on a film and I just couldn't travel. I was on a film in South Africa and logistically we just couldn't make it happen. So, you know, and I haven't talked to James about the DC Universe."

"I would love to work with James again, whether it's DC Universe or not. I just love James Gunn. He's an incredible director and we have a camaraderie that's priceless," he continued. "So to work with him again ? I mean I'd do it for free. But, we just haven't had the conversations. He's on top of DC now. He's doing his thing. I'm trying to grind along in my processing. But, I'm always open-minded too and I've expressed that to him."

How Drax Changed Bautista's Life

It's clear from previous conversations about Drax that Bautista cares for that character a lot. Back in 2021, he told IGN that the Guardian changed his life. The former champion explained how his exit from WWE led to a period of uncertainty. Now, he's in a much better spot with a clear vision for his future.

"For people to really understand how much my life has changed, they would have to understand where I came from, what I went through when I was in wrestling, what I left behind to take a chance on going into acting," Bautista explained.

"And when I got the role of Drax in Guardians, I barely worked in three years. So I'd really left wrestling behind and I could have gone back with my tail between my legs, but I still [would] have been just stuck in a place that I never would have gone any further, but I just took a chance," the actor shared. "And then when I got [cast], not only because I was broke, [everything changed]. When I say broke, my house was foreclosed, I had nothing, man. I sold all my stuff. I sold everything that I made from [when] I was wrestling. I had issues with the IRS. I was just lost in everything."

Do you think we ever see Bautista in the MCU again? Let us know down in the comments!

With virutally all of its competition struggling to make ends meet in a competitive streaming space, Netflix is expected to expand its control of the market this year -- and probably to increase its prices to match. That's according to market analysts from UBS Securities, who say in a new Variety article that they expect Netflix to "take a bigger bite out of overall TV viewing" in 2024. Since this is a theoretical hike, it's hard to say when or how much it would be, assuming it actually does happen -- but the idea of Netflix hiking prices is not exactly new.

Last year, Netflix rolled out its first-ever ad-supported tier, which it can now point to as a lower-cost alternative when users complain about price hikes. More recently, Amazon's Prime Video incorporated ads into its standard plan, asking fans who wanted an ad-free experience to pay more. In general, streaming seems to be moving toward FAST (free, ad-supported television) models. So, basically, it's just like when you would record something to your DVR -- except now you can't fast-forward through the ads.

Last October, Netflix increased the price of the Basic plan from $9.99 to $11.99 per month in the U.S. They also hiked prices in some European markets. Per the Variety story, executives at the streamer have not articulated any plans for a rate increase soon, but they have also declined to take the idea off the table.

In June of 2023 -- that's four months prior to the October price increase -- the streamer had claimed they didn't have plans to increase prices again for a year. That's because in addition to introducing ads, Netflix also rolled out a plan to goose revenue by charging its existing users to share their passwords with family members living outside the main house where Netflix is registered.

Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said in the company's Q4 earnings call that "saw that as a form of substitute price increase," but that now that the program is fully rolled out, they're going to be more or less back to normal.

And because this is how things work on Wall Street, UBS characterized the likely price hike as good news, designating Netflix's stock as a "buy." They explained that the price hike might not be popular, but will likely be tolerated by the audience, because Netflix is so popular and so widely used that people tend to think they're getting value for the money. Nielsen data indicated that Netflix's share of U.S. TV viewing rose to 7.9% in January 2024, up from 7.7% in December of last year.

Hocus Pocus fans don't have to wait until Halloween to enjoy a spooky treat. Last year, Loungefly, Disney and Entertainment Earth teamed up to launch an exclusive Billy Butcherson cosplay crossbody purse, and it was originally priced at $60. However, an outlet sale has dropped the price of the purse to only $9! If that wasn't enough, it's in stock with an additional 10% discount using our exclusive link. Note that US shipping is free at Entertainment Earth on orders $79. Even with shipping costs it will be a steal.

The Hocus Pocus purse allows you to carry around your essentials in Billy Butcherson's disembodied head, which seems appropriate. "It is made of faux leather and features a top zipper closure, adjustable strap, matching themed lining, silver hardware, applique, reverse applique, embroidered, and printed details. This crossbody purse approximately measures 8-inches wide x 8-inches tall x 4-inches long."

Resurrecting Billy Butcherson

Doug Jones spoke with Collider in 2022 about Billy Butcherson's return for Hocus Pocus 2 The actor revealed that he has always thought Billy deserved more story, and that he's long hoped to bring the character back for another film.

"I've been asked, in many interviews over the years, and I've been acting for 36 years now, is there any one character I've played that I would love to revisit again? And Billy Butcherson was always my number one answer," Jones said. "There were more layers to him and I wanted more backstory. When you've had a career like mine, and you're glued into so much rubber and glue, and contact lenses and mechanics, and you can't go to the bathroom with your hand claws on, I don't always look forward to going into work because I know the day I have ahead of me. But Billy was a character that was human-ish, with humor, goofiness, fun, and a family friendly vibe, who was headed toward a happy ending. All of that made going into work a joy. I thought, 'I wanna do that again.'"

"When that call came, I was excited to get to do all of that again. I got to reunite with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, which was so dreamy," Jones continued. "The difference between 30 years, working with them, is that I was starstruck the first time. I was such a huge fan of Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, who had done The Kathy & Mo Show and Sister Act, at that time. They were all huge, in my world. I was just like, 'I can't believe I'm on the same set with these people. Oh, my gosh!' Coming back, you never lose your starstruck-ness, really, or I don't. I was still like, 'Oh, my gosh, there they are again.' But now, with the 30 years that have passed, my career has gone places, and thankfully, I've been very blessed with what's happened in my life, that they were treating me, and we were interacting more as peers. That was a big difference that I noticed, and was very happy about. We're all 30 years older, and have matured and come through a lot of life in that time, so there was a lot to chat about on set. It was really quite lovely."

Hocus Pocus Sequels

It took nearly 30 years, but Hocus Pocus did eventually spawn a sequel. 2022's Hocus Pocus 2 saw the return of Midler, Parker, Najimy, and Doug Jones, with the characters once again descending on the town of Salem. The film was released exclusively on Disney+ and quickly became the biggest original movie in the streamer's history.

Given the success of Hocus Pocus 2, it should come as no surprise that a third film is in the works at Disney. Hocus Pocus 3 will be bringing back the director and one of the writers from the hit sequel, with both Anne Fletcher and Jen D'Angelo reportedly returning for the next film.

As of right now, there has been no word as to which characters could appear in Hocus Pocus 3. The Sanderson Sisters are the cornerstone of the franchise, and Hocus Pocus 2 ended up establishing a new trio of main characters. There are also the teens from the original film that didn't make an appearance in the sequel, but could turn up for the third film.

It's now been over a year since James Gunn and Peter Safran unveiled the first few projects that'd make up the new DC Universe. From Superman: Legacy to a Booster Gold series, Swamp Thing film, and everything in between, it's been said the first unveil is only a segment of DC Universe Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. Now, Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav says fans can expect to find out more details about the franchise much sooner than initially thought.

"I've had a glimpse into what James and Peter are doing, and it really does serve as an exciting indicator of where the new DC is headed under their leadership," Zaslav said in the company's latest earnings call. "There'll be more you'll hear from them in the months ahead...We'll have James and Peter take you through in the next few months a full spectrum of what they see over the next 10 years."

According to Gunn and Safran, they expect the first two chapters of the DCU to last between eight to 10 years. Judging by Zaslav's comments, that means fans could theoretically find out the remaining shows and movies part of Chapter 1 and the entirety of Chapter 2 yet this year.

"A lot of people think it's going to be Marvel 2.0, and definitely I learned a lot of stuff at Marvel. I think that we have a lot of differences," Gunn explained at a press event last January. "We are telling a big, huge, central story that is like Marvel, except for, I think that we're a lot more planned out than Marvel from the beginning because we've gotten a group of writers together to work that story out completely. But we're also creating a universe that is like Star Wars, where there's different times, different places, different things, or Game of Thrones, where characters are a little bit more morally complex."

The DC Universe officially kicks off with Creature Commandos, which has yet to set a release date, and Superman: Legacy, which enters theaters July 11, 2025.

What part of Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters excites you most? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @AdamBarnhardt up on Twitter!

James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe is on the horizon, with 2025's Superman: Legacy expected to reignite the modern DC franchise. Earlier this year, it was confirmed that the DCU has cast another of its flagship heroes, with House of the Dragon star Millie Alcock set to play Kara Zor-El / Supergirl. Alcock's Supergirl will star in her own live-action solo film, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which reportedly begins filming later this year. During Warner Bros. Discovery's recent quarterly earnings call, CEO David Zaslav very briefly commented on Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and teased that other characters are being cast for the project.

"As I've said, we've really targeted DC," Zaslav explained. "We have Superman [and] Supergirl -- great script has been written and that's being cast."

Who Is DC's Supergirl?

Created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino in 1959's Action Comics #252, Kara Zor-El is the cousin of Clark Kent / Superman, who is also sent to Earth from their dying home planet, Krypton. Shortly after her debut, Supergirl appeared in a backup strip in Action Comics, and became a public-facing superhero beginning in 1962. She made an array of comic appearances -- including a 23-issue solo series -- leading up to 1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, in which she was killed off in an effort to streamline continuity. The mantle of Supergirl was held by multiple women in the years to follow, including Linda Danvers, Cir-El, and eventually Kara herself when she was brought back to life in 2004.

Supergirl has been portrayed onscreen a number of times over the years, across film, television, and animated projects. In live-action, she has been played by Helen Slater in the 1984 film Supergirl, Laura Vandervoort in later seasons of Smallville, Melissa Benoist on the Arrowverse's Supergirl television series, and Sasha Calle in last year's The Flash movie.

Who Is Writing Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow?

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow does not have a release date or a director attached, but it has been confirmed that Ana Nogueira is writing the film's script. Nogueira was actually previously attached to write an earlier incarnation of a Supergirl movie, which would have starred Calle and spun directly out of the events of this year's The Flash movie. According to the reports, even though Nogueira's previous version of the movie was scrapped, Gunn and Safran liked her work and gave her an overall DC writing deal.

"A hearty public welcome to Ana Nogueira to the DC Studios family," Gunn stated on social media last year. "Ana is an amazing writer whose screenplay adaptation of Woman of Tomorrow is above and beyond anything I hoped it would be. We're excited to be moving forward on this unique take on Supergirl in this beautiful, star-spanning tale."

Are you excited for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow? What do you think of David Zaslav's new comments? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

The fourth Bad Boys movie is about to arrive a little bit earlier. On Monday night, Sony Pictures announced that Bad Boys 4 will be moving to June 7th, after previously being scheduled to debut in theaters on June 14th. With this new release date, the currently-untitled movie will now screen in IMAX and premium large formats. This new release date will now place Bad Boys 4 against The Crow and The Watchers, while it was previously slated to debut on the same week as Inside Out 2.

Bad Boys 4 will see the return of franchise stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, as well as Bad Boys for Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. It is being described as the "culmination" of a lot of the franchise's story beats, which have been entertaining moviegoers throughout the past three decades.

What Is Bad Boys 4 About?

Plot details are currently under wraps about the fourth Bad Boys film, outside of the notion that it will follow the ongoing adventures of Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence). The ensemble cast will also include Vanessa Hudgens as Kelly, Alexander Ludwig as Dorn, Paola N??ez as Captain Rita Secada, John Salley as Fletcher, and Tasha Smith as a recast Theresa Burnett. Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd, Rhea Seehorn, and Joyner Lucas have also been cast in currently-unknown roles.

"We had a great experience on the first one, both through the development process with Tom Rothman [chair of Sony] and his team, and then through the editing process and filming process... We put together, along with their help, a movie that's very satisfying for the audience, and we'd like to do it again, and I think they'd like us to do it again. We're currently working on a draft for the fourth one," franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer said during a 2020 interview.

What Is Bad Boys 4 Titled?

At the moment, Bad Boys 4 does not currently have an official title -- although El Arbi has teased that Bad Boys Ride or Die could end up being a possibility.

"Well, you know, the title that we like - I don't know that they're going to go for it yet - would be like Bad Boys Ride or Die because Bad Boys 4 Life is already taken. We didn't know there was going to be a fourth one, you know?" El Arbi told The Playlist's The Discourse podcast. "But yeah, what's going to happen in this one is, I think that there's going to be way more comedy. The third one had the dramatic tone. With this one, it's really our purpose to get people laughing and having a good time in the theater. Martin [Lawrence] is going to a higher level in this one. This is the culmination of the Marcus Burnett arc."

What do you think of Bad Boys 4 getting a new, earlier release date? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

As mentioned above, Bad Boys 4 will be released exclusively in theaters on Friday, June 7th.

Even though Marvel Studios has revealed Thunderbolts is a movie the studio is producing, the production house has yet to confirm Sentry is a character actually appearing in the film. Trade reports, however, previously revealed Steven Yeun as the Marvel character Sentry, although the actor eventually departed the project because of scheduling conflicts. Subsequent trade reports have said Top Gun 3 star Lewis Pullman has signed onto the project, except Pullman is far from making a public unveiling. During a recent red carpet, Pullman was asked when he starts filming Thunderbolts, and it's something the actor didn't come close to touching on.

"I am having fun at Venice Beach in Santa Monica. I'm just going wherever the wind takes me," Pullman said with a laugh.

Lewis Pullman plays coy when asked if he's going to begin filming for 'THUNDERBOLTS' soon ?

pic.twitter.com/25WbJ2aT0j

-- Thunderbolts News (@thunderbnews) February 26, 2024

Why did Steven Yeun leave Thunderbolts?

Yeun has said he hopes to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe at a later point, hinting he only left Thunderbolts because the film's delays caused conflicts with another project schedule. Florence Pugh revealed Sunday Thunderbolts just started filming this week.

"I think for me, time passing and things shifting kind of pulled me out of it," Yeun explained to Variety earlier this year. "But [director] Jake [Schreier], I know, is going to do an incredible job."

"I think it's too early to say that," Yeun added, when asked what other Marvel project he would like to join. "I probably pissed off too many people leaving, so I'm just gonna say, 'Thank you for having me.' I have some ideas. But I heard if you put it out there, you'll never get it, so I'll keep it close to my chest."

Thunderbolts is expected to be based on the Marvel Comics team of the same name, an alliance of antiheroes and villains who reluctantly work for the government. The cast of Thunderbolts includes Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Wyatt Russell as John Walker / U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost, Olgya Kurylenko as Taskmaster, and Harrison Ford as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross.

Thunderbolts is set to be released exclusively in theaters on July 25, 2025.

Disney has another major personnel shakeup on its hands. Monday, the company announced the departure of Sean Bailey, the executive who had been serving as Disney's President of Motion Picture Studios. Bailey is leaving after 15 years in the role, making way for the promotion of Fox Searchlight's David Greenbaum.

"These 15 years at Disney have been an incredible journey, but the time is right for a new chapter. I'm deeply grateful to my exceptional team and proud of the slate and history we've built together," Bailey said in a statement (via Deadline). "I joined Disney while producing Tron: Legacy, so it seems fitting that I will have the opportunity to work on the latest Tron as I depart. I wish Bob Iger, Alan Bergman, and all my amazing colleagues the very best for a bright future."

Bailey reported to Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment. Greenbaum will continue reporting to Bergman even though he has a new title: President, Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios.

"Sean has been an incredibly important member of the Studio's creative team for well over a decade," Bergman added in the statement. "He and his team have brought to the screen iconic stories and moments that have delighted fans around the world and will stand the test of time. I know he'll continue to do great things, and I couldn't be happier that he's staying on as a producer of Tron: Ares."

According to Deadline, Bailey was one of the leading candidates to replace Scott Stuber as Netflix's head of film, though the trade says that's not the case. Instead, the trade suggests Bailey could be moving onto "entreprenurial adventures" when he finished producing the latest Tron flick.

"Seven years ago, Reed and Ted offered me the amazing opportunity to join Netflix and create a new home for original movies," Stuber said about this Netflix departure. "I am proud of what we accomplished and am so grateful to all the filmmakers and talent who trusted us to help tell their stories. Thank you to Ted, Reed, Greg, Bela and the entire team, and I look forward to continuing to work with them in the future."

Even though the Oscars are typically a star-studded affair, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is pulling out all the stops for this year's gala. Not only is Ryan Gosling set to sing his breakout hit "I'm Just Ken" from Barbie, but the initial list of presenters reads like a list of Hollywood's most popular actors.

The first batch unveiled Monday includes Zendaya, Mahershala Ali, Nicolas Cage, Brendan Fraser, Jamie Lee Curtis, Mattew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong'O, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ke Huy Quan, Sam Rockwell, Jessica Lange, and Michelle Yeoh.

First batch of #Oscar presenters include Nicolas Cage, Zendaya, Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh and Brendan Fraser. pic.twitter.com/eJa9vEwplJ

-- DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 26, 2024

Though it doesn't beat Oppenheimer's 13 Oscar nominations, Barbie itself earned eight nominations at this year's awards ceremony including Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Gosling), and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for America Ferrera. "I'm Just Ken" is also one of two Barbie songs nominated for Best Original Song.

Gosling had previously been asked if he'd ever consider singing the song at the Oscars, joking he'd do it for a considerable amount of cash. "Well, I haven't been invited. And I wasn't thinking about it until now, and now it's all I'm going to think about," Gosling joked earlier this month. "Do you get paid to sing at the Oscars? Do you have to drive yourself? What kind of scratch is involved? They pick you up at least, right?"

Earlier this month, Simu Liu told us that although he thinks Gosling should do it by himself, he'd do anything the actor asked of him. "I think Ryan is Kenough all on his own," Liu told us. "But I would never turn down a call from a Canadian as iconic as him. That's my bro-homey, so if he calls, I'm answering."

Barbie stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel.

The future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in full swing. The Fantastic Four cast was officially announced on Valentine's Day, getting the ball rolling on franchise's biggest title over the next couple of years. Now, it appears the Thunderbolts team-up movie has finally started filming.

At a premiere event for Dune: Part Two on Sunday night, MCU star Florence Pugh confirmed that she's already filming Thunderbolts. While the film is a team-up movie, Pugh's Yelena Belova is set to be one of the lead characters.

"I've just started my next movie, my next Marvel movie, Thunderbolts," Pugh told Entertainment Tonight on Sunday. "I've been shooting that."

Pugh is one of many returning MCU stars set for a role in Thunderbolts. The rest of the cast includes Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen, and Olga Kurylenko. The film is being directed by Jake Schreier, with a script from Joanna Calo, Lee Sung Jin, and Eric Pearson.

After several release date shifts, Thunderbolts is now poised to hit theaters on May 2, 2025. It was scheduled for later that year, but a recent shift saw Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four swap release dates.

Thunderbolts Casting Changes

Following the delays caused by the strikes last year, a couple of key actors from the Thunderbolts cast had to drop out of the movie. Steven Yeun was set to play Sentry in the film, but had to depart due to scheduling conflicts. He was replaced by Top Gun Maverick's Lewis Pullman.

A similar situation happened with Ayo Edibiri, who was cast in the film in a mystery role. She was replaced by Drive-Away Dolls and Miracle Workers star Geraldine Viswanathan.

While speaking to ComicBook.com about Drive-Away Dolls, Viswanathan opened up about getting the call for a role in Thunderbolts.

"I don't know. Who knows what goes on behind the scenes, but I've always wanted to join the universe in whatever capacity, and this just came up," she told us. "There's a lot of ... It was destiny. Destiny called me on the phone and I picked up and I said, 'I'll be there.' Very excited."

Are you excited to see what Thunderbolts will bring to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Let us know in the comments!

By now, Godzilla Minus One has cemented its place in history. The movie went live towards the end of 2023, and it has since become renowned as one of the monster's best films to date. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the movie has been praised for its nuanced take on Godzilla. Of course, this means movie lovers are enamored with Yamazaki these days, and they did a double take recently when the Godzilla Minus One director shared his thoughts on Godzilla 1998.

And yes, we are referring to that movie. Godzilla has some interesting films to say the least, but none have been lambasted like Godzilla 1998. The Hollywood movie was roasted by audiences decades ago, but speaking to Movie Maker, Yamazaki said his view of Godzilla 1998 was not so bad.

"The 1998 Godzilla was fairly well put together and a fun film, but I can understand the people who also say this isn't Godzilla," he shared. "I think as a Kaiju-horror type of film, it is quite well executed."

There is no denying Yamazaki is a movie buff himself, so it is refreshing to see some positivity aimed towards Godzilla 1998. For decades now, the movie has been used as an example of what not to do in Hollywood. Directed by Roland Emmerich, the big-budget Godzilla adaptation was a first for the franchise. Hollywood had never tackled a Godzilla film before, and sadly, this 1998 adaptation fell short.

Likened to Jurassic Park in the worst way, Godzilla 1998 was lambasted for its flimsy story and overdramatic tone. For years, Hollywood was unable to touch Godzilla thanks to the movie's reputation, but that all changed in 2014. Thanks to director Gareth Edwards revived Hollywood's love of Godzilla by kickstarting the MonsterVerse at Legendary Entertainment. And in the wake of hits like Godzilla Minus One, the kaiju is enjoying a long overdue renaissance.

What do you think about this comment from Yamazaki? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Twister fans got their first official look at the upcoming sequel Twisters last month with the film's first trailer, which finally shed some light on the thrills the follow-up film is set to offer, with star Glen Powell promising a "badass" experience for audiences. Powell and other members of the cast and crew have confirmed that the project isn't meant to be a direct sequel to the original movie, nor does it aim to remake the plot points of that 1996 movie, but instead serve as a spiritual sequel that aims to offer the same kinds of thrills as the crowdpleaser.

"I still don't know how to talk about it. All I can say is it's badass," Powell shared with PEOPLE. "It's really cool. The movie - I mean we have the best of the best in terms of actors and department heads on this thing. Lee Isaac Chung directed the hell out of it."

He added, "We just saw it and it's spectacular. I'm super excited to unleash it on audiences this summer."

Having previously starred in Top Gun: Maverick, clearly Powell knows a thing or two about finding ways to honor the spirit of an iconic movie without merely repeating what has already been done.

The sequel was previously described, "Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Golden Globe nominee Anthony Ramos, In the Heights) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better. As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler, and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives."

Also starring in the film are Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, Daryl McCormack, Kiernan Shipka, Nik Dodani, and Golden Globe winner Maura Tierney.

The original film was directed by Jan de Bont and starred Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt as estranged stormchasers looking to capture data from powerful tornados that could lead to exciting discoveries to aid in the development of early warning systems. The only issue, of course, was that to collect the data, they had to put themselves right in the middle of the "suck zone" of these deadly weather patterns.

Twisters is set to hit theaters on July 19th.

Are you looking forward to the sequel? Let us know in the comments!

It's finally official: Ryan Gosling will take to the stage during the Academy Awards to perform "I'm Just Ken." The song, which is nominated for an Oscar, was originally performed by Gosling, with contributions from Simu Liu, who played Ken's arch-nemesis (also Ken), and joined the song as part of a huge music video-style song-and-dance war during the movie's third act. Liu has also performed it in concert on his own since the film's release, and recently said he would be open to joining Gosling on stage if the opportunity presented itself.

The song has taken on a life of its own, winning a Critics Choice Award for best song and being nominated for an Oscar. Fans have been wondering whether it will be performed at the Academy Awards, with Barbie's soundtrack producer saying they would only sign off on it if Gosling -- who is also nominated for an acting Oscar for Barbie -- would be allowed to perform it himself.

"Well, I haven't been invited. And I wasn't thinking about it until now, and now it's all I'm going to think about," Gosling joked earlier this month. "Do you get paid to sing at the Oscars? Do you have to drive yourself? What kind of scratch is involved? They pick you up at least, right?"

Ironically, Gosling played the lead role in a prestige musical -- 2016's La La Land -- and didn't get nominated for any of his songs in that movie (although his co-star Emma Stone did, for "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)"). This time around, it could be argued that "I'm Just Ken" is a favorite to win, especially since the movie itself is nominated in a number of categories, but unlikely to win any of the "big" ones because it's up against a more conventional Oscar favorite in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.

Here's the official synopsis for the film:

In Barbie, to live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you're a Ken. From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig comes Barbie.

Barbie stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel.

Last year's The Marvels failed to make a major impact at the box office, both in comparison to the debut Captain Marvel and compared to other entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and star Brie Larson offered a disappointing update about her future with the franchise, noting that she has nothing to discuss at the moment. Anyone who has been following the MCU over the past year knows that the franchise has been seeing more disappointments than usual, as both The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania were considered financial disappointments as the small screen's Secret Invasion also failed to ignite much excitement in fans. While we can't rule out Larson's return to the franchise entirely, it's possible that even Marvel Studios doesn't know the best place to bring her back.

When asked by Extra about her future with Marvel, Larson bluntly expressed, "I don't have anything to say about that." It's worth noting, though, that she made her remark and followed it with a wry smile, possibly teasing that she was leaning into the well-known shroud of secrecy around all MCU projects.

Despite making many public appearances during awards season, this is one of Larson's first updates on the beloved franchise in months, with her last remarks about Carol Danvers's future coming last November. At the time, Larson was much more optimistic about what was in store for her character's future.

"I don't want Marvel to come for me, but there is something," Larson previously explained to Entertainment Tonight. "There is definitely something, to answer your question, that I would want to say, but I am not going to so..."

With months having passed since those more optimistic comments were made, it's possible that Marvel Studios has reevaluated what its future will look like.

Larson's tenure in the franchise has seen her bring unique dynamics to life, as she was first teased in Avengers: Infinity War before making her feature-length debut in Captain Marvel, while then returning months later for a small yet significant role in Avengers: Endgame. The Captain Marvel sequel The Marvels saw Carol becoming unlikely teammates with Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) and Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), so whether Carol will earn another solo adventure or be established as part of a team is yet to be confirmed.

Two Avengers movies are set for 2026 and 2027, so it's possible we won't be getting significant glimpses of the character until those massive team-up adventures.

What do you think of the actor's remarks? Let us know in the comments!

Kevin Costner has shared the first trailer for Project Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1, an epic Western set in the years during the U.S. Civil War. The project is part one of a planned four-part series, with two movies already filmed and scheduled and then two more in the wings. It's the first big project from the Oscar-winning Man of Steel star since announcing his departure from the megahit Yellowstone.

"When no one wanted to make the first one, I got the bright idea to make four," Costner joked (via THR, who first revealed the trailer). "So I don't know what's wrong with me. But I wanted it to step away from what we usually see in Westerns where there's a town that's already there. No one knows how [the town] came to be. There's a guy comes in off the horizon, if you will. We don't know much about him, except that he has some skills he'd like to put behind him and this town ends up needing those stills desperately ... Too often, it's just a convenience for the hero guy to knock down a dumb guy."

You can see it below.

Here's how the project is described by New Line:

Academy Award-winning visionary filmmaker Kevin Costner directs New Line Cinema's vast "Horizon: An American Saga" Chapters One and Two, a multi-faceted chronicle covering the Civil War expansion and settlement of the American West. A story of America too big for one film, this true cinematic event also stars Costner, who co-writes with Jon Baird ("The Explorers Guild") and produces through his Territory Pictures.

In the great tradition of Warner Bros. Pictures' iconic Westerns, "Horizon: An American Saga" explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won-and lost-through the blood, sweat and tears of many. Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, Costner's ambitious cinematic adventure will take audiences on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.

Costner stars alongside an impressive ensemble cast that includes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Owen Crow Shoe, Tatanka Means, Ella Hunt, Tim Guinee, Danny Huston, Colin Cunningham, Scott Haze, Tom Payne, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Will Patton, Georgia MacPhail, Douglas Smith, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jamie Campbell Bower, Alejandro Edda, Was? Winyan Chief, Michael Anganaro, Angus Macfadyen, Jon Beavers, Alex Nibley, Kathleen Quinlan, Etienne Kellici, Amos Jason Charging Cloud, Bodhi Okuma Linton, Gregory Cruz, James Russo, Jeff Fahey, David O'Hara, Chris Conner, Leroy M. Silva, Bernardo Velasco, Tom Everett, Glynn Turman, Giovanni Ribisi and more.

Costner returns to directing for the first time since his 2003 critically acclaimed hit Open Range, and revisits Civil War-era America, the setting for his 1990 blockbuster and directorial debut, Dances with Wolves, which won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. He produces alongside Howard Kaplan and Mark Gillard, with Danny Peykoff, Robert Scannell, Armyan Bernstein, Charlie Lyons, Barry Berg and Rod Lake executive producing.

Costner is joined behind the camera by director of photography J. Michael Muro ("Billionaire Boys Club," "Parker"), production designer Derek R. Hill ("Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan," "The Magnificent Seven"), editor Miklos Wright ("For All Mankind," "Open Range") and costume designer Lisa Lovaas ("Ambulance," "Transformers: The Last Knight"). The music is by Oscar nominee John Debney ("The Passion of the Christ," "The Greatest Showman").

A New Line Cinema presentation of a Territory Pictures production, "Horizon: An American Saga" will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The films will be released in theaters nationwide, the first on June 28, 2024, the second on August 16, 2024.

Long live the fighters... the kung fu fighters. DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda 4 spiced up its marketing with a Dune: Part Two spoof, sending Po (voiced by Jack Black) to the sand dunes of Arrakis. "Just the right amount of spice," says a graveled-voiced Po, who chows down on a bowl of grub after doing his best impression of Timoth?e Chalamet's hooded Paul Atreides. Let the spices flow and watch the new Kung Fu Panda 4 teaser below.

Nearly a decade after Kung Fu Panda 3, legendary Dragon Warrior Po returns with a new prot?ge (the Awkwafina-voiced fox thief Zhen) and a new villain (Viola Davis' shape-shifting sorceress The Chameleon), who schemes to steal the kung fu of all the old master villains Po defeated in the Kung Fu Panda trilogy.

In Kung Fu Panda 4, after three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills, Po, the Dragon Warrior, is called upon by destiny to ... give it a rest already. More specifically, he's tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. That poses a couple of obvious problems. First, Po knows as much about spiritual leadership as he does about the paleo diet, and second, he needs to quickly find and train a new Dragon Warrior before he can assume his new lofty position.

Even worse, there's been a recent sighting of a wicked, powerful sorceress, Chameleon, a tiny lizard who can shapeshift into any creature, large or small. And Chameleon has her greedy, beady little eyes on Po's Staff of Wisdom, which would give her the power to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm. So, Po's going to need some help. He finds it (kinda?) in the form of crafty, quick-witted thief Zhen, a corsac fox who really gets under Po's fur but whose skills will prove invaluable. In their quest to protect the Valley of Peace from Chameleon's reptilian claws, this comedic odd-couple duo will have to work together. In the process, Po will discover that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places.

Jack Black (The Super Mario Bros. Movie), Awkwafina (The Bad Guys), and Viola Davis (The Suicide Squad) lead a cast that includes Dustin Hoffman (the Kung Fu Panda trilogy) as Shifu, James Hong (Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Mr. Ping, Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) as Li, Ke Huy Quan (Loki) as Han, and Ian McShane (Kung Fu Panda) as Po's arch-nemesis Tai Lung. Kung Fu Panda 4 is only in theaters March 8.

As any Marvel Studios fan can tell you, the excitement of a highly anticipated film earning a release date can be met with a mixed response, as apprehension about such a project actually arriving on such a release date can signal there are obstacles in regards to the quality of the story being told. In that sense, Dune and Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve isn't in a rush to announce a release date or timeline for Dune Messiah, as he expressed that he's more interested in developing the best story possible as opposed to capitalizing on public interest. Dune: Part Two is set to hit theaters on March 1st.

"There is absolutely a desire to have a third one, but I don't want to rush it," Villeneuve confirmed to The Times of London. "The danger in Hollywood is that people get excited and only think about release dates, not quality."

As compared to other filmmakers, Villeneuve knows all too well the misinterpretations people can make about a film's release date and an evolving release strategy.

Villeneuve's first Dune was originally slated to hit theaters in the fall of 2020, though it was pushed into 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Then, Warner Bros. Discovery announced its slate of movies that year would hit both theaters and HBO Max on the same day, a move that Villeneuve vocally decried. Still, Dune would go on to become one of the more financially and critically successful movies of that year.

Dune: Part Two similarly faced release date delays, as it was first supposed to hit theaters in the fall of 2023, only to be pushed to March of 2024.

Release dates aren't the only issue Villeneuve took up with the Hollywood industry, as he noted that the success of stories being told on TV caused movie execs to wish for more movies that would replicate the spirit of those series, while Villeneuve thinks that movies should be more ambitious and experimental.

"Frankly, I hate dialogue," the director confessed. "Dialogue is for theatre and television. I don't remember movies because of a good line, I remember movies because of a strong image. I'm not interested in dialogue at all. Pure image and sound, that is the power of cinema, but it is something not obvious when you watch movies today. Movies have been corrupted by television."

He continued, "In a perfect world, I'd make a compelling movie that doesn't feel like an experiment but does not have a single word in it either ... People would leave the cinema and say, 'Wait, there was no dialogue?' But they won't feel the lack."

Frank Herbert's novel Dune was first brought to life back in 1984 by David Lynch, with that project being considered a disappointment by many, Lynch included, largely due to the dense source material not translating well into a single feature. Even without Part Two officially being confirmed, Villeneuve only adapted the first half of the story for the original Dune. With the two films together running for more than five hours, the director isn't nervous about audiences remaining invested, as he pointed towards last year's success of Oppenheimer as proof of viewer interest.

"I trust the audience ... This story's too dense. I would never make Dune as one movie. This was the only way I could succeed," Villeneuve pointed out. "Also, think of Oppenheimer ... It is a three-hour, rated-R movie about nuclear physics that is mostly talking. But the public was young -- that was the movie of the year by far for my kids. There is a trend. The youth love to watch long movies because if they pay, they want to see something substantial. They are craving meaningful content."

Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

The big-screen epic Dune: Part Two includes Timoth?e Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and L?a Seydoux, with Stellan Skarsg?rd, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem. Denis Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Frank Herbert's iconic novel.

Dune: Part Two lands in theaters on March 1st. Stay tuned for updates on Dune Messiah.

Are you hoping we get a third film in the series? Let us know in the comments!

The first reviews for Dune: Part Two emerged last week and boasted that the follow-up film was even more impressive than Denis Villeneuve's first Dune, but for Brian Herbert, son of Dune author Frank Herbert, he understandably approaches the material through a different lens, though took to Twitter to confirm that the two-part adventure is "the best film interpretation" of the material to date. Not only was the sci-fi epic crafted by his father, but Brian Herbert took over writing duties on the saga in the late '90s, having developed more than a dozen entries into the series with Kevin J. Anderson.

"I saw Dune: Part Two at a private studio screening, and it is gratifying to see my father's story told with such great care," Herbert shared on Twitter. "When the new movie is combined with Dune: Part One it is by far the best film interpretation of Frank Herbert's classic novel DUNE that has ever been done."

I saw Dune: Part Two at a private studio screening, and it is gratifying to see my father's story told with such great care. When the new movie is combined with Dune: Part One it is by far the best film interpretation of Frank Herbert's classic novel DUNE that has ever been done pic.twitter.com/YlzbKPAeK8

-- Brian Herbert (@DuneAuthor) February 24, 2024

One of the first major attempts to bring Herbert's story to life came in the '70s from The Holy Mountain director Alejandro Jodorowsky, with the filmmaker's hypnotic and surreal storytelling sensibilities aiming to lean heavily into the psychedelic elements of Herbert's epic. Despite having figures like Orson Wells, Salvador Dal?, and Mick Jagger attached, Jodorowsky failed to find the funding for the project and the adaptation was scrapped. In preparation for the project, Jodorowsky created a massive tome filled with concept art and storyboards, the existence of which would help inspire studios for sci-fi projects like Star Wars and Flash Gordon.

In 1984, David Lynch delivered an official adaptation of Dune, but between the dense subject matter and overall ambitious nature of the story, as well as Lynch's filmmaking sensibilities, condensing the concept into one feature-length film made for a largely disappointing experience that Lynch has distanced himself from. In 2000, the miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune debuted on the SciFi channel, and while it was more authentic to the source material, it failed to make a major impact on general audiences.

Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

The big-screen epic Dune: Part Two includes Timoth?e Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and L?a Seydoux, with Stellan Skarsg?rd, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem. Denis Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Frank Herbert's iconic novel.

Dune: Part Two hits theaters on March 1st.

What do you think of the author's remarks? Let us know in the comments!

Ti West's horror series that kicked off with X and continued with Pearl might not be wrapping up with MaXXXine, as the director recently teased that he might have an idea for a fourth film in mind. While audiences were excited enough for X back in 2022, West surprised audiences at the film's world premiere when he revealed that the production process allowed for him to collaborate with star Mia Goth to secretly make the prequel Pearl, while MaXXXine was announced just ahead of the release of Pearl. The filmmaker noted that the possibility of a fourth film would likely be contingent upon how audiences connect with MaXXXine, which doesn't yet have a release date.

When asked by the YouTube channel What's Under the Bed? about another sequel or spinoff after MaXXXine, West teased, "Maybe, I don't know. There is this one weird asterisk idea that, if I explained it, it would make sense, but let's see what happens. Let's get this movie done first, see if people like it, and we'll go from there."

As far as the status of MaXXXine is concerned, West admitted, "I don't know what I can tell you. It's coming along. I'm editing it, so it's on its way, so far, so good. I don't mind telling you some stuff, but at the same time, the less people know, the more ... I feel like so many movies now, you know everything about them, and, surely, whenever the trailer comes out for this movie, they always give away too much, so there's something nice about not knowing a lot about it."

In X, a group of friends in the late '70s aim to capitalize on the growing trend of adult movies by making one of their own, only for their hosts on a remote farmhouse to stalk and kill them in the process, an ordeal which Goth's Maxine manages to survive. In Pearl, audiences jumped back decades to see some of the first violent tendencies of X's killer Pearl (also played by Goth) and what sent her on a path of violence.

MaXXXine is described, "The film follows Maxine (Goth), after the events of X, as the sole survivor who continues her journey towards fame setting out to make it as an actress in 1980s Los Angeles."

Also starring in MaXXXine are Halsey, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon.

Stay tuned for updates on the future of the series and for MaXXXine's release date.

Are you hoping to get another entry in the series? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is no stranger at the box office. Time and again, the anime has tackled the big screen with its set of films. This past weekend, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba brought itself back to theaters as its Hashira Training arc film went live. And thanks to new numbers, we know Tanjiro nearly toppled Bob Marley in taking first place at the box office.

According to reports, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - To the Hashira Training earned $11.5 million USD in its opening. This solid total was spread across 1,949 theaters, so the per-theater haul was nothing short of impressive. This overall total managed to outperform the opening weekend of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - To the Swordsmith Village which grossed just over $10 million. But of course, neither film managed to touch the high earned by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Mugen Train at $21 million.

There is no denying this new Demon Slayer premiere earned big bucks, but it did come in second at the weekend box office. Bob Marley: One Love slid in first with $13.5 million USD. The biopic made its debut earlier in February, and to date, it has grossed more than $70 million domestically and $120 million globally.

As for the rest of the box office, the weekend put Ordinary Angels in third place with $6.5 million USD. Madame Web swung in with just $6 million over the weekend, and then Migration managed to earn $3 million thanks to a limited rerelease.

If you did not get to see this new Demon Slayer film, it will be playing in theaters for a limited time now. The movie recaps the end of the Swordsmith Village arc before moving into the premiere of the Hashira Training arc. For those needing to catch up on Demon Slayer in light of its new season, no sweat! The hit anime is streaming everywhere from Hulu to Netflix and Crunchyroll. So for more info on Demon Slayer, you can read its official synopsis below:

"It is the Taisho Period in Japan. Tanjiro, a kindhearted boy who sells charcoal for a living, finds his family slaughtered by a demon. To make matters worse, his younger sister Nezuko, the sole survivor, has been transformed into a demon herself. Though devastated by this grim reality, Tanjiro resolves to become a "demon slayer" so that he can turn his sister back into a human, and kill the demon that massacred his family."

What do you think about this Demon Slayer update? Are you ready for the anime's return? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Lori Singer, who starred in the original Footloose, hasn't seen the 2011 remake -- but probably not for the reason you would guess. Typically, when these kinds of things pop up in the press, the answer is that the actor couldn't bear to see the character handed off, or were somehow put off by some aspect of the second version. In the case of Footloose, there's nothing so dour going on. Singer just...kind of missed it. The star explained as much when ComicBook.com's Chris Killian asked her about the experience of watching somebody else play the role of Ariel Moore, a part she played in 1984.

Singer said ironically, she was interested in seeing the movie, in part because of how it differed from the original.

"I'm embarrassed to tell you, I didn't see it," Singer told ComicBook.com. "And it wasn't for any specific reason. There's just so many films and things that I just didn't see it. I saw a clip of it, it looked really good. They focused on the dance, which, I know when we were doing the film originally, that [director] Herb Ross was very insistent on who the actors were and we rehearsed every scene. We went to the locations to rehearse them weeks before. It was really very serious."

Singer continued singing the praises of her 1984 co-stars, adding, "Every scene was taken very seriously, with great actors. John Lithgow? Amazing. Diane Weist? Phenomenal. Kevin [Bacon]? Amazing. I sound like a reviewer. And Chris [Penn]? Everybody, Jim Youngs... We had a high-powered, intense, serious cast. We expected a lot from each other, and that came through in the scenes, I think. We lived a lot of what we had written."

In Footloose, Bacon plays a Chicago teen who moves to a small town in the Midwest, where dancing is illegal. "Footloose laws" actually existed in parts of the U.S., with one in Arkansas being taken off the books as late as 2018 (although nobody had actually been arrested or fined for it in at least 20 years at the time). The movie was inspired by a similar in Elmore City, Oklahoma. That particular ordinance ended in March 1980, when the school board allowed students to organize a high school prom. In 2010, residents recreated the prom for its 30th anniversary, and kicked things off with Kenny Loggins' famous Footloose title track.

Footloose is available now for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD 2024 from Paramount Home Entertainment.

DVDs could be coming back in a big, big way. Researchers in China have figured out how to make a DVD-like disc be able to hold an absurd amount of content. According to a new study released in Nature, the research team has been able to make a disc with upwards of 100 layers, allowing it to store roughly 220,000 feature-length movies. As it stands now, single-layer DVDs can hold about two hours' worth of content while dual-layer discs can hold four.

"We increase the capacity of [optical data storage] to the petabit level by extending the planar recording architecture to three dimensions with hundreds of layers, meanwhile breaking the optical diffraction limit barrier of the recorded spots," the team writes in its paper.

Why are DVDs disappearing?

The technological advancement comes at time when retailers are scaling back their physical media offerings. Earlier this year, Best Buy started removing their physical media sections from stores entirely.

"To state the obvious, the way we watch movies and TV shows is much different today than it was decades ago," a spokesperson for the retailer said at the time. "Making this change gives us more space and opportunity to bring customers new and innovative tech for them to explore, discover and enjoy."

Late last year, Netflix even sunset its mail-order DVD service, the product responsible for the service's popularity at launch. It was Netflix's subscription service, afterall, that many attribute as the reasoning behind the downfall of Blockbuster and other home media stores.

"Those iconic red envelopes changed the way people watched shows and movies at home -- and they paved the way for the shift to streaming," Netflix boss Ted Sarandos said last September. "From the beginning, our members loved the choice and control that direct-to-consumer entertainment offered: the wide variety of the titles and the ability to binge watch entire series. DVDs also led to our first foray into original programming -- with Red Envelope Entertainment titles including Sherrybaby and Zach Galifianakis Live at the Purple Onion."

He added, "We feel so privileged to have been able to share movie nights with our DVD members for so long, so proud of what our employees achieved and excited to continue pleasing entertainment fans for many more decades to come."

Madame Web is finishing its second weekend at the box office after opening on Valentine's Day, and the Sony flick has been having a tough run. Not only does it have the lowest Rotten Tomoates score of any Spider-Man movie made by Sony, but it also had the worst opening weekend of the films. The movie even managed to make less in six days than Morbius did during its three-day opening. Now, after 12 days in theaters, Madame Web still hasn't surpassed what Morbius made its first weekend.

Madame Web dropped to fourth place at the box office this weekend and has only made $35.45 million domestically for a global total of $77.4 million. In its first weekend, Morbius made $83.9 million. However, it didn't have much success after that and ended up with a total gross of $167.5 million. While it seems no one is going to the theater to check out Madame Web, the movie did end up being the most popular film on Letterboxed this week.

What Is Madame Web About?

In Madame Web, Cassandra "Cassie" Webb (Dakota Johnson) is forced to confront her past while trying to survive with three young women with powerful futures who are being hunted by a deadly adversary. In addition to Johnson, Madame Web also stars Sydney Sweeney as Julia Cornwall / Spider-Woman, Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon / Spider-Woman, and Celeste O'Connor as Mattie Franklin / Spider-Woman. The film also stars Tahar Rahim as Ezekiel Sims, with Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott, and Zosia Mamet.

"It's really the story of Madame Web," producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura previously told ComicBook.com. "So, in that respect, if you're a Spider-Man fan, you're gonna love the character because you know it from the comic books, which she doesn't really have that big a character in the comic books, we're doing the origin story of Madame Web. And so you meet her before she's actually the person that you know in the comic book and you come to understand how she becomes that person. So, I think that'll be a really fresh new terrain for the fans."

Madame Web is now playing exclusively in theaters. Be sure to check out Phase Zero's Spotlight interview with Madame Web director S.J. Clarkson, which is currently available on YouTube.

Josh Gad is entering the land of sequential storytelling. The Frozen star will soon make his comics' writing debut thanks to The Writer, a new series set for release by Dark Horse Comics later this summer. According to the publisher, The Writer will be a meta take on writing that combines creative processes with popular folklore tales.

"Teaming up with the brilliant Berkowitz brothers on 'The Writer' has been an absolute blast and an education," Gad said in a press release. "Here we are, diving headfirst into a universe where cultural folklore meets the high-octane adventures that defined our youth. It's like all those Saturdays spent watching action flicks and dreaming up stories are finally paying off. What makes this project truly special, though, is the chance to celebrate personal stories. We're talking about tales that not only entertain but resonate on a deeper level, reflecting a rich heritage and the kind of heroism that doesn't always wear a cape. The Writer isn't just a comic; it's a milestone for nerds like us, proving heroes come in all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Can't wait for you all to see what we have in store!"

DARK HORSE TO PUBLISH THE DEBUT COMICS WORK FROM ACTOR JOSH GAD AND THE DYNAMIC PRODUCER DUO OF BEN AND MAX BERKOWITZ! @DarkHorseComics #comics #comicboks https://t.co/SgBmdMmfSp pic.twitter.com/jrcukVTEgb

-- Comic Crusaders(TM) (@ComicCrusaders) February 24, 2024

Gad is writing the series alongside Benjamin and Max Berkowitz, with Ariel Olivetti taking the reins on art. Frank Cvetkovic is listed as the letterer across the series. At the center of the story is Stan Siegel, a writer who inadvertently finds himself thrust into a "Nazi occult-fueled nightmare."

Max Berkowitz added, "This series is our childhood dream realized, free of Dunkin' coffee spills (we promise). It's not just a comic; it's a celebration of our storytelling, past and present, and our hope to inspire more tales of heroism and humor. Get ready for an exhilarating, laugh-filled journey through our most fantastical dreams. Trust us, you won't want to miss this adventure."

Olivetti said he took on the project because of its "unforgivable" nature.

"I've lost count of how many comic books I've drawn over my career--artists and numbers aren't exactly best friends," the artist said. "Now, I'm in the lucky position to choose projects that truly resonate, the kind that leave a lasting impression both on me and the readers. When I first read the script from Josh and the Berkowitz Bros., it was clear this was one of those rare, unforgettable projects."

The Writer #1 is set for release on June 19th.

Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer was released last year, and it became the third-highest-grossing movie of 2023. In addition to the film's box office success, it's also become a critical darling, earning a 93% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film scored 13 Academy Award nominations, including ones for Best Picture and Best Director. Cillian Murphy is also nominated for Best Actor, and it's believed the award will either go to him or Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers. Murphy has already won multiple awards this season, including a SAG Award last night. Recently, Murphy appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live alongside his co-stars and fellow Oscar nominees, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt. During the chat, Blunt revealed she gifted Murphy a special pillow during the production of Oppenheimer, which led to a head injury.

"I just felt Cillian needed, even more than food, was sleep on this movie. So I got him this very beautiful pillow that I'm obsessed with. These pillows, H?stens pillows. I gave him this pillow, but... do you mind if I tell the story?" Blunt began. "He was really luxuriating in this pillow one night, and he woke up in the middle of the night, this is what he told me the next day."

"He went to fluff himself back down in the pillow, misjudged where it was, and smashed his head open on the bedside table," she continued. "So he came to work, and they had to glue his head shut!"

"I was a bit shocked you know! I was having a great sleep, and I had this amazing pillow, strange bed, strange table, and bang," Murphy added. "We were getting up at before it was bright, like at 2 AM or something, 3 AM. So I called [makeup designer Luisa Abel] then, and I just came in, and then she glued my head, and covered it all up, and you don't even see it in the movie, I think."

Christopher Nolan Says Oppenheimer's Success Signifies a "Post-Franchise" Movie Landscape:

During a recent appearance on the Countdown to the BAFTAs podcast, Nolan talked about how the success of Oppenheimer could point to a "post-franchise" shift in Hollywood.

"Everybody has a tendency to talk down the movie business," Nolan explained. "Really for the whole time I think I've been working in movies, I felt the sort of cultural establishment always predicting the demise of movie theaters. Now I get asked that question, you know, 'What do I think about the health of the movie business?' I don't really know how to respond. We just released a three-hour, R-rated film about quantum physics and it made a billion dollars. Like what? Obviously, our view is that the audience is there and they're excited to see something new."

"The success of Oppenheimer certainly points to a sort of, post-IP landscape for movies ... It's kind of encouraging," he continued. "It reminds the studios that there is an appetite for something people haven't seen before or an approach to things that people haven't seen before."

"Something like Oppenheimer working gives other filmmakers a point of reference for how something can work in the marketplace that the studio can relate to," he added.

Are you rooting for Oppenheimer this awards season? Tell us in the comments!

Mean Girls (2024) is now available to watch digitally, so ComicBook.com spoke to the film's directors, Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. about the musical numbers and their hopes for the future. Mean Girls marks the first narrative feature helmed by Jayne and Perez Jr., but they do have some interesting experience helming short films and music videos. Perez Jr. directed Justin Timberlake's "Say Something" video and Paul McCartney's "Grand Central" music documentary. During our interview, we asked Perez Jr. if his music video history helped when making Mean Girls.

"Everything," Perez Jr. said when asked about pulling from music videos. "I started coming up through a blog called La Blogoth?que, the Takeaway shows. And I would hold my own camera and I would do live improvised music videos with all these bands that came from doing the indie scene. So Lumineers, Edward Sharpe. The blog did Arcade Fire and Phoenix and Bon Iver and everybody. The exercise was just, 'Think as quickly as you can, you get one...' Because the idea was in between sound check and the show, there was a little bit of time and we could just improvise a music video. And it was so much fun. So that gave me the confidence to think outside the box a little bit."

"And to not be afraid of live performance and capturing it all in one take," Jayne added.

"Yeah, so I think that that was my film school," Perez Jr. shared.

What Is Mean Girls About?

You can check out the official description for Mean Girls here: "From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic, Mean Girls. New student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called 'The Plastics,' ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George (Rene? Rapp) and her minions Gretchen (Bebe Wood) and Karen (Avantika). However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina's ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), she finds herself prey in Regina's crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group's apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis (Auli'i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school."

You can watch our interview with Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. at the top of the page.