Marvel fans are about to see a very different version of Don Cheadle's James Rhodes in the MCU, as we all recently learned that the character we've been watching for several years isn't actually the real Rhodey. It was revealed in Secret Invasion that Rhodey was a Skrull, and that the actual character has been in a form of hibernation since his near-death experience in 2016's Captain America: Civil War. What no one realized is that Cheadle has been hinting at this big twist for some time now.

Last September, at Disney's D23 Expo, Cheadle spoke with ComicBook.com's Brandon Davis about his starring turn in the upcoming Armor Wars movie. When asked about where Rhodey finds himself in Armor Wars, Cheadle heavily hinted at the War Machine twist from Secret Invasion, though it was impossible to tell at the time because the show hadn't been released.

"At a very different place, and in a way that is something I can't really talk about," Cheadle said of his Marvel character. "But it is going to be very surprising to a lot of people."

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War Machine's Twist Hidden in Plain Sight

As it turns out, Cheadle did a lot of hinting at Rhodey's big Skrull twist over the last year or so. His comments seemed normal at the time, but Secret Invasion gives them a whole new context.

"We're finding Rhodey, as you said, he's someone who's gone through a lot," Cheadle said on Marvel's Instagram in September. "That's what's the fun about doing the Armor Wars series is that we're going to have an opportunity to really dig into that. What's he dealing with emotionally? What's he dealing with psychologically? So that's why I said 'yes' to it, because I think it's going to be a lot of fun to get to know him in a way that, even if that this many years we've known him, we really don't know him."

Cheadle also teased the Armor Wars story as a "rebirth" for Rhodey, during an interview with Entertainment Weekly last year.

"What does he want to do? What are his desires outside of the relationship with these people we've already seen? Who is he when he's by himself?" Cheadle explained. "A lot of these things we haven't seen before so there's a good opportunity to explore that stuff and hopefully create a full character that now when we see the suit, we see everything else... It's a rebirth in a way. It's coming back to this character, but we've never gone to the places we're about to go in the show, so I feel like in some ways we're just getting to know him even after all this time."

Marvel's Armor Wars

At this time, there isn't a release date for Armor Wars, and very little is known about the film outside of Cheadle's involvement. It was originally planned as a Disney+ series but Marvel announced at D23 last year that it would be a feature film instead.

Are you excited to see what's ahead for Rhodey in Armor Wars? Let us know in the comments!

If you're wondering why it's increasingly rare to see comedies in theaters, Adam Devine says he has a good idea as to what happened. According to the Workaholics star, Marvel is to blame for dwindling comedies, suggesting the Disney-owned studio has produced movies so large, movie-goers have not only become accustomed to seeing blockbusters rather than small-scale fare, but would rather choose to do so.

"You watch comedies nowadays and you're like, this is not a fucking comedy," Devine said on a recent episode of Theo Von's This Past Weekend. "Where are the jokes? Where are the bits? There's still good [comedy] shows, but movie comedy...it's hard. My theory: I think Marvel ruined it. I feel like superhero movies ruined comedies because you go to the theater and you expect to watch something that cost $200 million to make, and comedy movies aren't that. So you're like, 'Why would I spend the same amount of money to go watch a little comedy in the theater if I can spend that and watch something that is worth $200 million?' And they still make those movies kind of funny, like, 'Oh my god, is that raccoon talking? This is hilarious!' Which it is, but it's not a real comedy"

The comedian added, "Every studio used to put out several comedies a year and there were like 45 comedies in the theater per year. So every week or so there's a new comedy in the theaters. Now, last year, there was like 6 or 7. It's crazy."

Now Devine finds himself amongst the likes of Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola as prominent filmmakers that have a bone to pick with the House of Ideas. After all, it was Scorsese who kicked the latest movement off nearly four years ago after he said he didn't feel Marvel movies were "cinema."

"I don't see them. I tried, you know? But that's not cinema," Scorsese told Empire at the time. "Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn't the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being."

Oppenheimer's IMAX run is being extended again. According to Variety, the Christopher Nolan film's 70mm run in IMAX theaters is being continued through the end of August due to popular demand. Late last month, the film's IMAX 70mm run had been expected to end on August 17th. Shot for IMAX with IMAX film cameras, the film had originally secured an exclusive three-week run in the premium format. The extension of the film's IMAX run means that Oppenheimer will control that particular footprint until September 1st, which will see Denzel Washington's The Equalizer 3 take its spot. Dune Part II, which was also filmed with IMAX cameras, is set to get an exclusive IMAX run starting on November 3rd.

Previously, IMAX indicated in a statement that even with the extension of Oppenheimer's screenings in the format, there were plans to bring IMAX showings back in the future.

"In light of its extraordinary performance, IMAX is extending Oppenheimer's run an additional week through August 16/17, with plans to bring-back IMAX showtimes of Oppenheimer in the late summer/fall, as availability permits," a previous statement read.

Nolan has been vocal about IMAX 70mm being the preferred viewing platform for Oppenheimer, previously telling the AP that the "sharpness and the clarity and the depth of the image is unparalleled."

"The sharpness and the clarity and the depth of the image is unparalleled," Nolan said. "The headline, for me, is by shooting on Imax 70mm film, you're really letting the screen disappear. You're getting a feeling of 3D without the glasses. You've got a huge screen and you're filling the peripheral vision of the audience. You're immersing them in the world of the film."

IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond echoes this, telling Variety that the film actually looks better in the format.

"It actually looks better in film," he said. "It's not just about nostalgia. It's a better experience."

There Are No Deleted Scenes in Oppenheimer

While Oppenheimer is getting an extended IMAX run, one thing that fans of the film won't be getting are deleted scenes -- now or in the future. According to the film's star, Cillian Murphy, there simply aren't any.

"There's no deleted scenes in Chris Nolan movies," Murphy revealed. "That's why there are no DVD extras on his movies because the script is the movie. He knows exactly what's going to end up- he's not fiddling around with it trying to change the story. That is the movie."

"I tend to try and weed things out on paper because it's crazy expensive to shoot things that aren't going to be in the film," Nolan explained to MTV back in 2012 when discussing The Dark Knight Rises. "It also takes up a lot of time and energy. Pretty much with all my films, there are very few deleted scenes, which always disappoints the DVD crowd."

About Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer follows the life of theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during the Manhattan Project, and his contributions that led to the creation of the atomic bomb.

The film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt as Katherine "Kitty" Oppenheimer, Matt Damon as Leslie Groves, Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, Benny Safdie as Edward Teller, Michael Angarano as Robert Serber, Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence, Dylan Arnold as Frank Oppenheimer, David Krumholtz as Isidor Isaac Rabi, Matthew Modine as Vannevar Bush, Josh Peck as Kenneth Bainbridge, Devon Bostick as Seth Neddermeyer, Matthias Schweigh?fer as Werner Heisenberg, Christopher Denham as Klaus Fuchs, Guy Burnet as George Eltenton, Danny Deferrari as Enrico Fermi, Emma Dumont as Jackie Oppenheimer, Gustaf Skarsg?rd as Hans Bethe, Trond Fausa Aurv?g as George Kistiakowsky, and Gary Oldman as Harry S. Truman.

Don't bug out before Blue Beetle credits have finished rolling. Xolo Maridue?a suits up as Jaime Reyes in the new DC film, becoming the superhero Blue Beetle when an ancient relic of alien biotechnology -- the Scarab (voiced by Becky G) -- chooses him to be its symbiotic host. Director Angel Manuel Soto and DC Studios co-chief James Gunn have hinted that Maridue?a's Blue Beetle will be sticking around for the new DC Universe, ushering in the next generation of heroes as part of the DCU Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.

Blue Beetle has two credits scenes hinting that "there's more story to tell" with Jaime Reyes, according to a fan who attended the official Blue Beetle Block Party in Austin, Texas. Soto was on hand for the fan screening in advance of its August 18th premiere in theaters.

"I think that's the beauty of it, right? I think it's pretty vague," Soto told ComicBook when asked if Blue Beetle is set in the existing DC Extended Universe or the soon-to-be-rebooted DC Universe. "We know Batman exists. We know Flash exists. We know Superman exists, but we don't say how, where or what."

The director continued, "I think it opens up the doors to any interpretation or any direction James Gunn wants to go and because it is setting Jaime up, what happens now moving forward is game. I think that's why they decided Jaime can be the first superhero of the new DCU because he is his own hero."

Gunn has confirmed that, while Maridue?a's Jaime Reyes will "continue on in the DCU" alongside "a handful of other characters" from the shared universe started with 2013's Man of Steel, the DC Studios movie canon starts with the upcoming Superman: Legacy in 2025. That means Maridue?a will still be Blue Beetle the character, but Blue Beetle the movie will exist outside of the new canon.

Maridue?a leads a cast that includes Adriana Barraza (Rambo: Last Blood) as Jaime's grandmother, Nana; Dam?an Alc?zar (Narcos) as his father, Alberto; Elpidia Carrillo (Mayans M.C.) as his mother, Bianca; Belissa Escobedo (Hocus Pocus 2) as his sister, Milagro; George Lopez (Lopez vs. Lopez) as Jaime's Uncle Rudy; and Bruna Marquezine (God Save the King) as Jenny Kord. Blue Beetle also stars Raoul Max Trujillo (Sicario) as the villain Carapax, the indestructible man, Harvey Guill?n (What We Do in the Shadows) as Dr. Sanchez, and Susan Sarandon (Monarch) as Victoria Kord, CEO of Kord Industries.

Tickets are now on sale. DC's Blue Beetle opens only in theaters August 18th.

DC's Blue Beetle is the next superhero blockbuster to enter theaters, and it's currently tracking for a relatively modest opening weekend at the box office. According to the latest tracking numbers, the Angel Manuel Soto picture is expected to make around $30 million at domestic exhibitors. The sum would be nearly half of the opening weekend carried by The Flash earlier this summer, which was considered by most to be a sizable box office bomb.

That said, Deadline says word-of-mouth on Blue Beetle is already at surprising levels, suggesting $30M total could balloon much higher. According to the trade, Beetle is polling incredibly well with Hispanic and Latino audiences, and data points towards a bigger opening than both Alita: Battle Angel ($28.5M) and Meg 2: The Trench ($30M).

Is Blue Beetle in the DCU?

By all accounts, the upcoming feature is set in Warner Bros.' new DC Universe. DC Studios boss James Gunn has confirmed as much, and Soto says the film can be set on the timeline wherever Gunn and Peter Safran determine necessary.

"I think that's the beauty of it, right? I think it's pretty vague. We know Batman exists. We know Flash exists. We know Superman exists, but we don't say how, where or what," Soto told us earlier this month. "I think it opens up the doors to any interpretation or any direction James Gunn wants to go and because it is setting Jaime up, what happens now moving forward is game. I think that's why they decided Jaime can be the first superhero of the new DCU because he is his own hero."

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes Blue Beetle, which arrives in theaters on August 18th, marking the DC superhero's first time on the big screen. The film, directed by Angel Manuel Soto, stars Xolo Maridue?a in the title role as well as his alter ego, Jaime Reyes. Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero BLUE BEETLE.

Starring alongside Maridue?a are Adriana Barraza, Dam?an Alc?zar, Elpidia Carrillo, Bruna Marquezine, Raoul Max Trujillo, with Oscar winner Susan Sarandon, and George Lopez (the "Rio and "Smurf" franchises). The film also stars Belissa Escobedo and Harvey Guill?n. Soto directs from a screenplay by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, based on characters from DC. John Rickard and Zev Foreman are producing, with Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Garrett Grant serving as executive producers.

Gal Gadot's latest film, Heart of Stone, debuts on Netflix on Friday, August 11th and the action thriller is already shooting to be more than just a one-off with director Tom Harper having previously said that he's hopeful the movie is the start of a new, female-led action franchise in the vein of Mission: Impossible. But living up to the level of stunts that Mission: Impossible star Tom Cruise pulls off in that franchise might be a daunting task. Gadot says that while she's up to pushing her own limits, Cruise is a "unicorn".

"Tom Cruise is a unicorn in this genre," Gadot told ComicBook.com's Chris Killian prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike. "I don't think there's anybody like Tom. And he's a big inspiration. And I'll always try to push my limits."

Gadot Has Previously Spoken About Heart of Stone's Action and How It's For "Everybody"

Gadot previously told Empire Magazine about how she wanted to create a female-driven action movie for everyone, not just a story focused on male characters.

"I realized that there was an audience for a female action protagonist," Gadot said. "I grew up watching Bond, and Mission, and Bourne. I wanted to create a really strong, female-driven action movie that is for everybody, not a male story that's been done many times already."

She also spoke about one of the scenes from the film that had a particularly wild sequence that they worked on to ensure that it was really something that a real human could do -- and how she always goes into things to really perform them with intention.

"The scene was even crazier, at a higher altitude," Gadot revealed. "and we got into the science of it and dialed it down so that a human could do it. That was something I wanted to really make sure we nailed. That could be done by people."

"What I can do as an actor, I'll always go for it and... fight with intention and really perform that," Gadot continued. "The crazy, crazy stuff, I can't, they won't let me!"

What is Heart of Stone About?

This is how Netflix describes Heart of Stone: Rachel Stone (Gal Gadot) appears to be an inexperienced tech, on an elite MI6 unit headed up by lead agent Parker (Jamie Dornan). What her MI6 team doesn't know is that Stone actually works for the Charter -- a covert peacekeeping organization, secret even from other spies, which uses cutting-edge technology to neutralize global threats. Rachel has been trained to be the consummate professional: a phenomenal field agent who sticks to the mission, follows the numbers, and trusts no one. When a routine mission is derailed by mysterious hacker Keya Dhawan (Alia Bhatt), Rachel's two lives collide. As she races to protect the Charter and strives to beat the odds, her humanity might just be her biggest asset.

Heart of Stone debuts on Netflix August 11th.

One of the only true theatrical comedies of the year is finally making its way to living rooms across the country later this month. No Hard Feelings, starring Hunger Games breakout and Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence, is an R-rated comedy about a woman in a tough spot and a teenager trying to find his own way. The film was popular amongst critics when it was released earlier this year and went on to gross around $85 million at the box office. Soon, it will be available to own.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced the home release dates for No Hard Feelings on Monday. The digital version of No Hard Feelings will be available on various on-demand platforms on August 15th. Two weeks later, on August 29th, the film will be making its way to Blu-ray and DVD. Both the Blu-ray and DVD versions of the film will include a digital code for the movie.

There are a few special features for No Hard Feelings, all of which are available on the Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD editions of the film. The special features include a reel of outtakes and bloopers, "A Motley Crew: Meet the Characters," and "A Little Wrong: Making No Hard Feelings."

What Is No Hard Feelings About?

Here's the official synopsis for No Hard Feelings:

"Maddie thinks she's found the answer to her financial troubles when she discovers an intriguing job listing: wealthy helicopter parents looking for someone to "date" their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy, and bring him out of his shell before he leaves for college. But awkward Percy proves to be a real challenge, and time is running out. She has one summer to make him a man or lose it all."

The film is directed by Gene Stupnitsky, who co-wrote the script with John Phillips. Lawrence stars alongside Andrew Barth Feldman, Laura Benanti, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Natalie Morales, Scott MacArthur, and Matthew Broderick. Alex Saks, Naomi Odenkirk, Marc Provissiero, Justin Ciarrocch, and Jennifer Lawrence produced the film.

No Hard Feelings marks one of Lawrence's first films back after a brief hiatus, which took place after 2019's Dark Phoenix.

"I was not pumping out the quality that I should have," Lawrence told Vanity Fair of her decision to take the acting hiatus. "I just think everybody had gotten sick of me. I'd gotten sick of me. It had just gotten to a point where I couldn't do anything right. If I walked a red carpet, it was, 'Why didn't she run?'... I think that I was people-pleasing for the majority of my life. Working made me feel like nobody could be mad at me: 'Okay, I said yes, we're doing it. Nobody's mad.' And then I felt like I reached a point where people were not pleased just by my existence. So that kind of shook me out of thinking that work or your career can bring any kind of peace to your soul."

Bryan Randall, photographer and the longtime boyfriend/co-parenting partner of actress Sandra Bullock has died at the age of 57 after a private battle with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis).

In a statement from Bryan Randall's family (via PEOPLE), they say the following in his remembrance:

It is with great sadness that we share that on Aug. 5, Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a three-year battle with ALS. Bryan chose early to keep his journey with ALS private and those of us who cared for him did our best to honor his request.

We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses who became our roommates, often sacrificing their own families to be with ours.

At this time we ask for privacy to grieve and to come to terms with the impossibility of saying goodbye to Bryan. --His Loving Family.

Sandra Bullock started a relationship with Bryan Randall in 2015. Bullock had divorced her former husband, motorcycle culture star Jesse James in 2010 while adopting her first child a, son named Louis; she met Randall when he was working as the photographer for Louis's birthday in January of 2015, and went public with the relationship later that year. By the end of 2015, she adopted a three-year-old daughter, Laila; Randall also had a daughter who was regularly in their lives.

While never married, Bullock told Jada Pinkett Smith during a 2021 episode of Red Table Talk that the family she had built with Bryan Randall was everything she ever wanted out of life:

"I found the love of my life. We share two beautiful children- three children, [Randall's] older daughter. It's the best thing ever. I don't wanna say do it like I do it, but I don't need a paper to be a devoted partner and devoted mother."

In the same interview, Bullock spoke highly of Randall as a father and role model, saying; "He's the example that I would want my children to have," and noting how he had come to fit into her life as a complete partner: "He is an example even when I don't agree with him. I'm stubborn but sometimes I need to sit back and listen and go, 'You're saying it differently but we mean exactly the same thing.' It's hard to co-parent because I just want to do it myself."

We send our condolences to Bryan Randall's family, friends, colleagues and fans. His family requested that anyone seeking to honor him do so by making donations to ALS Association and the Massachusetts General Hospital.

News broke on Monday that legendary filmmaker William Friedkin had passed away at the age of 87. Director of films such as The Exorcist, The French Connection, and Sorcerer, Friedkin left an indelible mark on American cinema over the course of his career, and it came as no surprise to see so many in the entertainment industry pay tribute to the filmmaker after the news of his passing made the rounds. Among those who penned messages about Friedkin was Ellen Burstyn, who was nominated for an Academy Award for her leading role as Chris MacNeil in The Exorcist.

"My friend Bill Friedkin was an original; smart, cultured, fearless and wildly talented," Burstyn said in her statement. "On the set, he knew what he wanted, would go to any length to get it and was able to let it go if he saw something better happening. He was undoubtedly a genius."

Burstyn will actually be reprising her role as Chris MacNeil in a new Exorcist film from the Halloween reboot trilogy director David Gordon Green. With MacNeil's appearance, The Exorcist: Believer will have direct connections to Friedkin's original film.

Jason Blum on William Friedkin

The Exorcist: Believer, like the Green's Halloween films, comes from hit-making horror studio Blumhouse. Jason Blum, producer and founder of the company, also took some time on Monday to pay tribute to Friedkin. Blum said that he is "personally indebted" to Friedkin for his contributions to horror, and that he's "intensely grateful" for the work of the filmmaker.

"I am personally indebted to William Friedkin and saddened by his loss," Blum said. "More than any other filmmaker, he changed both the way directors approached horror films and also the perception of horror films in the broader culture. We are deeply saddened to hear of his passing and intensely grateful for the body of work he has left behind."

Scott Derrickson, whose Black Phone was released by Blumhouse last year, took to social media to share his thoughts and memories about Friedkin, a massive inspiration to his work.

"It was an honor to have numerous lengthy chats via Twitter with William Friedkin," Derrickson wrote. "He also sent word through his wife to one of my producers that he watched & loved The Black Phone -- a gesture I will always treasure. The Exorcist and Sorcerer are 2 of the greatest films ever made."

William Friedkin's Final Film

Prior to his passing, Friedkin completed work on one final film. The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial stars Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Clarke and is set to make its debut at the Venice Film Festival in a few weeks.

Over the course of five films, the Final Destination franchise would often focus on all-new groups of characters, though the earliest entries included some attempts at offering connective narrative tissue. Creator of the franchise Jeffrey Reddick recently recalled that this wasn't always the plan for the series and that, had schedules permitted, Final Destination 2 would have starred both Devon Sawa and Ali Larter from the original film and seen the pair having a child together. Larter did return to reprise her role as Clear, but he hoped that Sawa's Alex would have been the focus of the franchise.

"I wanted to bring both Alex and Clear back. There were some issues with scheduling and stuff with getting Devon Sawa back, and I got annoyed how they just killed him off with a brick, which I thought was a big F you. That's really my only complaint with Final Destination 2," Reddick revealed to Collider. "If I had them both back, I had always planned on killing Clear, but I wanted to keep Alex alive. I had a cool twist at the end where it still was, you know, she has a life that saves her life, but then death gets her once she has the kid and Alex is still kind of the torch-bearer."

He added, "That was my original take, but with the scheduling stuff, we ended up with no Alex. And I'm like, 'Ah, if I'd known we weren't gonna bring Alex back, I would have not have killed Clear,' because I love bringing original people back, but I don't like killing them."

While that first sequel didn't directly focus on Larter's Clear, the surviving protagonists instead reached out to her to ask for assistance, knowing that she had similarly escaped death, at least temporarily. After Clear's death in that film, future sequels were almost entirely disconnected from their predecessors.

In Final Destination 5, however, the protagonists survive a tragedy in the opening scene and some of these figures survive the events of the rest of the film. The finale confirms that these survivors don't escape death forever, as they die in the plane crash that Alex had escaped in the original film, revealing itself to have actually been a prequel to the debut movie.

A Final Destination 6 is currently in the works.

Do you wish Sawa returned for Final Destination 2? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!

Natalie Portman (42) has reportedly separated from her husband, French dancer/choreographer Benjamin Millepied (46), after eleven years of marriage. News of Portman's separation is coming just a month after the Thor star and her husband were making scandalous headlines for reports of Millepied having an alleged affair with climate activist Camille ?tienne (25). Portman was recently spotted and photographed on her 11th wedding anniversary without her ring on her finger; she and Millepied have two children together, a son Aleph (12), and daughter Amalia (6).

"After news of his affair came out, they've been trying to work on their marriage but are currently on the outs," a source allegedly told US Magazine.

When rumors of Millepied's affair first broke, a source told the following to US:

"Natalie believes Benjamin's affair was a brief and stupid liaison that means nothing to him," the source said, adding that Natalie was "willing to see if she's capable of rebuilding her trust," so that their children don't "grow up in a broken home."

A second source said that "Right now, they are talking and working on it together for the sake of their children."

Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied first met on the set of Darren Aronofsky's film Black Swan in 2009, in which they both starred. Portman won an Oscar for her performance as Nina Sayers, a mentally-troubled ballet dancer who lands a lead role in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, in the New York City Ballet Company. Millepied played the Prince Siegfried character in the performance, creating an odd mirror to the real-life romance that eventually unfolded between Portman and Millepied. The two were married in 2012. s

"I met my husband on it [Black Swan], so I think I was in, like, dreamland," Portman said of the movie during a SiriusXM interview back in 2018. "He was teaching me to dance. You know, one of those romantic [stories] ... It was definitely exciting and fun. It was beautiful. I don't know about instant. It was like I really got to know him and that was when it seemed like, 'Oh this is the person.'"

Millepied raised eyebrows back in Spring of this year when he responded to a question about collaborating with his wife by saying "We're like two artists with different ambitions and interests." Although Millepied did acknowledge he and Portman were always aware of what the other was working on, and even had a possible collab project coming up, the comment still held an odd undertone that felt validated when rumors of the affair started swirling weeks later. Millepied released a feature-film re-imagining of Carmen starring Melissa Barrera (Scream) and Paul Mescal (The Lost Daughter), and Elsa Patakay (Fast Five) last year; it received mixed reviews, got little exposure, and took in just $565K at the box office.

Hitting theaters in September is The Nun II, a sequel to the spinoff from The Conjuring 2, which adds another chapter to the ever-growing horror franchise. With the series being inspired by the real-life exploits of Ed and Lorraine Warren, there can sometimes be challenges when it comes to finding ways to continue or expand the franchise, though The Nun II director Michael Chaves recently pointed out that there are still plenty of years left to explore for these characters and that the supernatural nature of the premise means not all endings are as final as you might think. The Nun II hits theaters on September 8th.

"There's a line in the movie: 'Demons are infinite,'" Chaves shared with SFX Magazine, per GamesRadar, about getting a The Nun 3. "I like the idea that she's always been here in different forms. I think that there's still more stories of Valak the demon nun to be told."

The further the spinoffs get from the Warrens, the further that films get from real-life encounters, but Chaves noted that The Nun II definitely "plays a part" of the core franchise.

"I wouldn't want to give anything away, but this is continuing the timeline. Anyone who saw the first Conjuring knows that Maurice is possessed and then exorcised by the Warrens, and we know that that happens in the late '60s in the Conjuring timeline. This is set in the '50s so we're still a ways off from that," the filmmaker explained. "The events of what happens in between this starts to fill out that story a little bit more. There's other big ideas and big swings in there, and it's filled with a bunch of cool Easter eggs. Without giving anything away it continues to fill out the picture and the bigger canvas."

The upcoming film is described, "1956 -- France. A priest is murdered. An evil is spreading. The sequel to the worldwide smash hit follows Sister Irene as she once again comes face-to-face with Valak, the demon nun."

Taissa Farmiga (The Nun, The Gilded Age) returns as Sister Irene, joined by Jonas Bloquet (Tirailleurs, The Nun), Storm Reid (The Last of Us, The Suicide Squad), Anna Popplewell (Fairytale, The Chronicles of Narnia trilogy), and Bonnie Aarons (reprising her role from The Nun), surrounded by an ensemble cast of international talent.

Michael Chaves (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) directs, from a screenplay by Ian Goldberg & Richard Naing (Eli, The Autopsy of Jane Doe) and Akela Cooper (M3GAN, Malignant), with a story by Cooper, based on characters created by James Wan & Gary Dauberman.

The Nun II hits theaters on September 8th.

Do you hope we get The Nun 3? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!

Shooting Clerks, a Kevin Smith biopic from Scottish writer-director Christopher Downie, Auld Reekie Media and Pink Plaid Productions, will on Sunday afternoon at Kevin SMith's recently-acquired Smodcastle Cinemas in Atlantic Highlands, NJ. The movie centers on the creation of Clerks, Smith's debut feature, which he funded with $27,000 by maxing out his credit cards, selling his comic book collection, and casing out an insurance settlement for a totalled car. It's often told as a solo endeavor, since Smith wrote, directed, and financed the movie, but Shooting Clerks will go into the story of the people who helped him make the movie a reality.

With an early rough cut shown during its initial festival run of test screenings, Shooting Clerks managed to rack up a number of accolades, including the Audience Awards at the Monmouth Film Festival in New Jersey and the Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival, where it also to k home the Independent Film Inspiration Award, the Indie Spirit Award at Orlando Film Festival, Best Picture at the Super Geek Fil Festival, and the Director's Choice award at the Melbourne Independent Filmmaker's Festival.
Smith also featured the film along with its makers on an episode of his AMC show Comic Book Men.

Downie was a key part of the campaign to get Clerks inducted in the Library of Congress's National Film Registry, a noteworthy collection of films selected for preservation based on historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions. Clerks earned the accolade in December of 2019.

The main cast is comprised of both American, British and Scottish up-and-coming talent including Downie's long-time collaborators Mark Frost, who has previously portrayed indie a teur Kevin Smith in Auld Reekie Media's previous biopic short films Emo Kev, Babble-On Begins, and Get Greedo. Said shorts also introduced the fanbase to actor Chris Bain (Cops and Monsters, Redcon-1) in the electrifying role of Smith's longtime friend nd collaborator, Jason Mewes. The short films fir t caught the attention of Smith who jumped on as executive producer and hosted the digital release on his YouTube channel. Joining them are such names as TROMA's Lloyd Kaufman (The Toxic Avenger), James Rolfe (The Angry Video Game Nerd), Sanjeev Kohli (Still G me, Filth), Matthew Postlethwaite (Peaky Blinders, The Great Artist). Principle photography took place in Fife, Scotland while second unit as carried out in the United States by Producer Ryan James (Chasing Chasing Amy, Cannibal Comedian) of Pink Plaid Productions in New Jersey, New York, Florida and Los Angeles.

Immediately following the screening, the cast and crew, including Kevin Smith himself, the film's director Christopher Downie and
producer Ryan James will take to the stage for an all access Q & A.

This event marks the start of a US theatrical tour with further dates to be announced via the film's official website. Tickets for all events can be purchased online at https://www.shootingclerks.com.

One of the most inventive decisions for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem was to feature a cast of actual teenagers to voice its heroes, a choice that has also earned the film significant praise. A potential challenge with the cast's real-life maturity means that, for a sequel, the characters could sound a bit different, but director Jeff Rowe teased that a sequel could intentionally embrace those changes, as they are changes that the beloved Teenage Turtles would go through themselves. In addition to a confirmed sequel being on the way, the TV series Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is also in the works. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is in theaters now.

"[D]oing the film was contingent on casting real teenagers in the roles, and I think it was just understood very early on that this will be four unknown actors," Rowe recalled to /Film of the casting process. "We're going to do a big casting search. We worked with Rich Delia who was so good at this and brought us hundreds of people and we found Nick [Cantu], Brady [Noon], Micah [Abbey], and Shamon [Brown, Jr.], who are all amazing. But I think beyond that, the studio wanted some names in there and some marketability, so we went bigger on all of the other roles."

In regards to the teen-aged stars going through their own physical changes, Rowe admitted, "I think we'll lean into it. It would be the funniest thing in the world if for movie two, Micah Abbey just has the world's deepest voice and we're just like, 'Okay, great. Let's make him huge now. Let's give him muscles,' whatever. Our whole filmmaking philosophy is built around accommodating reality, if that makes sense. So if the kids are changing in their lives, then the Turtles should change in the film and we'll just write to that."

With the stars themselves being between the ages of 15 and 18, we can't entirely expect their voices to undergo massive changes in the coming years, but given the unpredictability of hormonal changes, it's entirely possible all four actors could sound drastically different by the time a new installment in the franchise comes around. Additionally, the current actors' and writers' strikes mean it could be quite some time before we get a new chapter in the saga.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem marks the latest movie in the long-running media franchise, and a new reboot for four turtle brothers. Seth Rogen produced the movie, and lends his voice to its huge ensemble cast. In the film, the titular heroes venture out into the real world after years of living isolated in the sewers. Though they try to be recognized as normal teenagers by their heroics, a crime syndicate with an army of mutants makes everything more difficult for them and threatens their plans for joining society. The voice cast for the film includes Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, and Brady Noon as Raphael. TMNT: Mutant Mayhem includes a slew of celebrities as well like Ayo Edebiri as April O'Neil, Jackie Chan as Splinter, Seth Rogen as Bebop, John Cena as Rocksteady, Ice Cube as Superfly, Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman, Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko, and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opened in theaters on August 2nd.

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

When The Exorcist, based on the best-selling book by William Peter Blatty, was released, it became a cultural phenomenon, changing horror forever, breaking box office records, and scooping up a shocking 10 Academy Award nominations, becoming the first horror film ever nominated for Best Picture.

Friedkin didn't just redefine horror, though; in 1973, the filmmaker made The French Connection, which remains one of the most acclaimed crime films ever made, and is still discussed for its iconic car chases. Over the years, he would make a wide variety of films, from mainstream popcorn fare to TV to arthouse movies, and later in life lamented the way that the superhero takeover of the box office had limited the types of movies that were able to get theatrical distribution.

In the 1970s, he also made the acclaimed thriller To Live and Die in L.A., and while he didn't direct as regularly for about a decade after that, his name is now associated with everything from Blue Chips and Killer Joe to TV shows like Tales From the Crypt and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Early in his career, before becoming a household name for cinemaphiles, Friedkin actually did a good deal of TV, himself estimating he made hundreds or even thousands of hours of content for the small screen. His documentary The People vs. Paul Crump helped elevate the profile of a famous murder case. Crump was convicted for killing a security guard during the armed robbery of a Chicago meatpacking plant in 1953, but later converted to Christianity in prison and became a model prisoner. He wrote a fictionalized version of his life as the novel Burn, Killer, Burn, after which his cause was taken up by anti-death penalty activists in the 1960s. They argued that if the real intent of incarceration was to reform, rather than punish, Crump had proven himself reformed. Ironically, the Friedkin documentary was never aired, although a few years later, there would be another -- The Chair -- that was part of the process that eventually got Crump a commutation of his death sentence.

Friedkin is survived by his children, Jackson and Cedric Friedkin, as well as his wife, film executive Sherry Lansing. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, collaborators, and fans.

Bruce Lee's 1973 film Enter the Dragon is a masterpiece of martial arts cinema that has stood the test of time. It's been 50 years, but fans still want more. Warner Bros. is happy to oblige by celebrating this milestone with a new 4K Blu-ray that launches tomorrow, August 8th. However, superfans also have the option of going with a 3000 piece limited edition Collectors version that includes some fantastic extras like a SteelBook case, posters and art cards. What's more, both option are currently on sale in pre-order.

At the time of writing you can get the standard 4K Ultra HD + Digital version of Enter the Dragon here on Amazon for $25.99 (13% off). Again, that edition will launch on August 8th. The limited Collector's Edition is also available here on Amazon for $84.50, which is 10% off the list price. It's set to drop on August 18th, and this will likely be the lowest price offered in pre-order, so lock it down while you can. Note that Best Buy is also selling an exclusive SteelBook edition that you can find right here.

As noted, the Enter the Dragon Collector's Edition is limited to 3000 pieces and includes a SteelBook case with gloss finish, a numbered sticker of authenticity, A3 Theatrical Poster Reproductions, Double-Sided Lenticular 3x Archival Art Cards, Double-Sided 3x Production Notes, and Double-Sided 3x BTS Cards. Special features include the following.

• 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
• HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
• NEW Dolby Atmos audio track
• TWO VERSIONS: Original theatrical version and special edition version
• Introduction by Linda Lee Cadwell
• Audio commentary by Paul Heller and Michael Allin
• Optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles for the main feature

From the official description: "Five decades following his untimely death, Bruce Lee remains the movies' supreme martial arts star. His masterful final film, Enter The Dragon, stands the test of time as the most beloved martial arts epic in film history. This box office hit takes Lee to the island fortress of criminal warlord Han, whose martial arts academy covers up opium smuggling and prostitution activities. To avenge the death of his sister, Lee infiltrates the stronghold and enters Han's brutal tournament-a breathtaking visual feast of competitions fusing skills in karate, judo, tae kwon do, tai chi chuan and hapkido, staged by Lee himself. What a kick!"

Let's do this one more time. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse isn't streaming digitally until tomorrow -- but you can watch the first 10 minutes right now. In the clip, which surfaced online over at IGN, Gwen Stacy (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) recaps her tragic beginnings and the origin story of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore). It's been 16 months since the Spider-Woman of Earth-65 saw the Spider-Man of Earth-1610, one of her few close friends from across the multiverse. It's been even longer since the death of her universe's Peter Parker (Jack Quaid), who died after an experimental serum transformed him into the Lizard.

"I never really made another friend after that," Gwen says in the 10-minute clip, which you can watch below. "Except one. But he's not here. And there's no way to get there."

Get ready to go across the Spider-Verse!! ?

Watch the first 10 minutes of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse here and get ready to watch the full movie now that it's available digitally! pic.twitter.com/ovcv79jlUi

-- IGN (@IGN) August 7, 2023

Wanted for Peter Parker's murder, it's police captain George Stacy (Shea Whigham) -- Gwen's father -- pursuing the masked menace Spider-Woman. After thwarting a multiversal Vulture (Jorma Taccone) at New York City's Guggenheim Museum, she meets Miguel O'Hara (Oscar Isaac): the Blue Panther Spider-Man 2099. The high-tech Spider-Man of the future is from another dimension and serves as part of the Spider-Society, an elite squad of Spider-People from across the Spider-Verse that includes Jessica Drew, a.k.a. Spider-Woman (Issa Rae); Ben Reilly, a.k.a. Scarlet Spider (Andy Samberg); LEGO Spider-Man (Nic Noviki); Pavitr Prabhakar (Karan Soni), a.k.a. Spider-Man India; and the Spider-Punk Hobie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya).

"I think the cool thing is Gwen serves as a mirror to Miles' possibility; she's a guard against keeping things so open with your family," co-director Joaquim Dos Santos previously told ComicBook. "Even in the first film, she was fully capable. She's even more so in this one. She has a moment with Miles where she thinks, 'Can you hang?' And Miles can hang now. And she's like, 'Dude, you're growing up. You're changing.' So it's fun to have a character that can provide a little bit of, 'Hey, what does the next year of my life look like?'"

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is available to own digitally starting August 8th and on Blu-ray September 5th. A sequel, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, is in development but is currently undated after Sony Pictures removed the threequel from its 2024 release schedule.

The Venture Bros. has finally come to an end. Earlier this summer, the hit Adult Swim series put out its long-awaited movie, and it wrapped up the Venture family's story. Following its direct-to-video debut, many began to wonder when The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart would hit up television, and it seems we've been given the Adult Swim release info at last.

The information comes straight from Adult Swim as the program posted a YouTube reel for fans this week. It is there The Venture Bros. movie comes into focus, and the clip confirms Adult Swim will bring the movie to television next month.

According to Adult Swim, The Venture Bros. will bring its new movie to cable on September 1st. It will go live that Friday at midnight, so fans can make that on their calendars. At this point, we have no word on whether a Venture Bros. marathon will precede the big debut, but fans can hope.

Of course, The Venture Bros. feature film has another home on the horizon. The animated project will start streaming on Max at some point. Traditionally, the streaming service brings projects to its catalog 90 days after their release, so that means The Venture Bros. should hit up Max by mid-October. As of right now, Max hasn't given us a confirmed release date for the movie, but fans are keeping a close eye on the project.

If you are not familiar with The Venture Bros. and its new movie, you should know Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart has earned rave reviews from fans. The movie takes place after the events of The Saphrax Protocol, and it follows a massive manhunt for Hank Venture. Currently, the only way to watch The Venture Bros. movie is through Blu-ray and DVD drops. So if you want info on this big animated finale, you can read its official synopsis below:

"Doc's latest invention will either bankrupt Team Venture or launch them to new heights, as Hank searches for himself, Dean searches for Hank, the Monarch searches for answers, and a mysterious woman from their pasts threatens to bring the entire world crashing down on them."

What do you think about this latest Venture Bros. update? Have you checked out the show's movie yet? 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!

The Little Mermaid is about to be part of your world -- with a Disney+ subscription. First released for digital purchase and rental on July 25th, Disney's live-action re-imagining of the beloved 1989 animated movie is swimming onto Disney+ on September 6th in the U.S. Subscribers will also have access to special bonus content featuring Oscar winner Javier Bardem as King Triton performing the song "Impossible Child" with music by multiple Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin) and lyrics by three-time Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In the Heights). The Little Mermaid will be available to own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 19th.

Disney announced The Little Mermaid streaming date with a new poster, which you can see below.

Directed by Rob Marshall, The Little Mermaid opened in theaters in May and went on to gross more than $542 million at the global box office. Halle Bailey of R&B duo Chloe x Halle stars as undersea princess Ariel, leading a cast that includes Bardem (No Country for Old Men) as Atlantica monarch King Triton, Jonah Hauer-King (Little Women) as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy (Ghostbusters) as the voice-stealing sea witch Ursula, Jessica Alexander (Into the Deep) as Ursula's human alter-ego "Vanessa," Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as the crabby Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay (Harley Quinn) as Ariel's fish friend Flounder, Awkwafina (Marvel's Shang-Chi) as diving bird Scuttle, and Noma Dumezweni (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) as Eric's mother, Queen Selina.

The Little Mermaid is the story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton's daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden from interacting with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life - and her father's crown - in jeopardy.

The movie has been available to buy or rent digitally since July, and will become part of your physical collection when The Little Mermaid releases on home media September 19th. Previously announced special features include a sing-along version of the movie, song breakdowns with Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda, featurettes, bloopers, and "Hotter Under the Water," a five-part making-of documentary going behind the scenes of the movie.

The Little Mermaid is streaming September 6th on Disney+. Sign up for Disney+ here.

Back in 2013, Sharknado was unleashed on unsuspecting SYFY viewers who weren't prepared to witness an adventure in which a bizarre weather pattern picked up sharks from the ocean and carried them across the country, but the outlandish premise and absurd execution quickly caught the world by storm. While Sharknado and its many sequels have been broadcast on SYFY countless times over the years, this month will see Sharknado land on the big screen for a special two-night event. Additionally, this remastered release will feature upgraded special effects and extended sequences featuring even more kills. The tenth-anniversary screenings of Sharknado will be happening nation-wide on August 15th and 16th.

Per press release, "It's the 10-year anniversary and Sharknado and the creators are bringing on the celebration. The Asylum and Rubey Entertainment present a special theatrical release of Sharknado: The 10th-Anniversary Edition, featuring an all-new remastered version with never-before-seen kills and thrills! Fans can catch the newly restored iconic moments from one of cinema's greatest cult classics for two nights only on in select movie theatres nationwide. Fully remastered in 4k with hundreds of new visual effects, the story of a freak tornado that attacks Los Angeles with gale0force winds, metric tons of water, and thousands of nature's most ruthless killers is finally ready for the big screen."

Throughout the '90s and '00s, the SYFY network was known to deliver audiences unbelievable experiences featuring outlandish premises. Whether they be monsters, aliens, or robots, the title of a film often garnered more excitement and delivered more creativity than the film itself. Understandably, the title "Sharknado" immediately conjured ludicrous imagery in the minds of audiences.

What really thrust Sharknado into the spotlight was the attention of the then-burgeoning social media platform Twitter, as various prominent users were quick to share posts about their reactions to the ridiculous movie. This live-tweeting of an early broadcast drew thousands of viewers to the movie, making it an unexpected hit.

Over the next decade, the Sharknado franchise would spawn five sequels, the last of which is 2018's The Last Sharknado: It's About Time. As the title implies, that final film incorporated elements of time travel, with the events of that final film seeing a timeline correction that reset the events of the outlandish franchise back to the beginning.

Sharknado plays in select theaters on August 15th and 16th. You can head to sharknado10th.com to see participating theaters and purchase tickets.

Will you be checking out the film on the big screen? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is swinging out of the multiverse and into home theaters. Picking up 16 months after 2018's Into the Spider-Verse, the sequel reunites Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore), Brooklyn's Spider-Man of Earth-1610, with the dimension-hopping Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) of Earth-65. When an unstable new nemesis named the Spot (Jason Schwartzman) threatens the collapse of the multiverse, Miles finds himself caught in the web of the Spider-Society: an elite crew of Spider-People that includes Spider-Man 2099 Miguel O'Hara (Oscar Isaac), Jessica Drew Spider-Woman (Issa Rae), the Ben Reilly Scarlet Spider (Andy Samberg), LEGO Spider-Man (Nic Noviki), Spider-Man India Pavitr Prabhakar (Karan Soni), Spider-Punk Hobie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya), and Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson).

The physical release is still a month away, but keep reading to find out everything you need to know about how to watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse online at home and how to save on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

When Does Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Come Out on Digital?

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is available for digital purchase starting August 8th. The movie is priced at $19.99 on digital retailers like Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, the Google Play store, Redbox, YouTube, and Vudu.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Digital Release Time

The movie is expected to be released digitally at 11 p.m. CST / 12 a.m. ET.

Is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse on Netflix? Where to Watch Both Spider-Verse Movies

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) is currently not streaming on Netflix, but you can stream it on fuboTV or FX Now. It's also available for digital rental ($3.99) on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Microsoft, Redbox, YouTube, and Vudu.

If you're looking to own Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on digital, both movies are included in the Spider-Verse 2-Movie Collection bundle on Vudu for $27.99.

When Does Spider-Verse 2 Come Out on Blu-ray and DVD?

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is scheduled to release physically on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 5th.

When Is Spider-Verse 3 Coming Out?

Previously known as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part Two, the retitled Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse was scheduled to open in theaters on March 29th, 2024. However, the film has been delayed indefinitely and is currently undated after it was pulled from Sony's release calendar in July.

What Is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse About?

The official synopsis: "Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn's full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters the Spider Society, a team of Spider-People charged with protecting the Multiverse's very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must set out on his own to save those he loves most. Anyone can wear the mask - it's how you wear it that makes you a hero."

My Hero Academia is gearing up for another big outing! While its new season is in the works behind the scenes, the team behind My Hero Academia just confirmed another anime project is gunning for Class 1-A. It turns out the anime is working on its fourth movie these days, and now, the creator of My Hero Academia is addressing the reveal in a new letter.

The update comes straight from Kohei Horikoshi as the artist posted a letter to fans through Shonen Jump. In the note, the creator of My Hero Academia is quick to give thanks to Toho and Studio Bones for working tirelessly on his series. After all, it is no easy feat to make an anime, and that goes doubly so when you're working on a TV season and movie at the same time.

"A 4th movie for My Hero Academia has just been confirmed! And that's thanks to your support, thank you so much! Bones and Toho are already working on new seasons of the anime nonstop, so I was really surprised when they told me there would be a new movie. I couldn't help but think back to my childhood, when a new Dragon Ball movie was released every year. Those made me so excited that I remember sitting in the movie theater with my heart racing like crazy. So I hope the new generation of kids around the world can enjoy this movie just as much as me back then," Horikoshi shared (via RukasuMHA).

The creator went on to preview what the new My Hero Academia movie would be about. As fans had hoped, it seems the project will take place after season six and give us a better look at Japan's crippled society. With villains ruling the city, we're sure Class 1-A will have their hands full in this flick, and Horikoshi is eager for fans to take in the original story.

"It'll take place after the War from season 6, meaning that the collapsed society will be the stage this time. After having been through so much and learning so many things, who will Deku and his friends fight against this time? What will they protect?! Look forward to it," the creator shared.

Obviously, My Hero Academia has a huge playground of content to explore in its fourth film, so anime fans are eager to see what it will do. For now, all they can do it wait and see how Deku's future shapes up on screen. If you aren't caught up with the My Hero Academia anime, we suggest you start watching ASAP! The series can be found on Hulu as well as Crunchyroll. So if you need more info on My Hero Academia, you can read its official synopsis below for all the details:

"Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn't got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny..."

What do you think about this latest My Hero Academia update? Are you excited for the anime's new movie? 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!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is now in theaters and the animated movie lovingly references the almost 40-year history of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in several ways. There are Easter eggs calling back to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys from the 1990s and Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman even gets a Stan Lee-like cameo in the film. However, that voice cameo isn't the only way that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem honors Eastman and his fellow TMNT co-creator Peter Laird. The film pays homage in multiple ways, including with name drops and allusions to their original work on the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics. SPOILERS follow for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

As mentioned, Eastman has a voice cameo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. He's credited as "Good Human," the human who helps Splinter up during the film's climactic battle with Superfly. Eastman also lends his name to the school April O'Neil attends, Eastman High School.

Mutant Mayhem references Laird with a large sign for "The Laird" that stands above April and the Turtles while they share a pizza after their first meeting. It's unclear what "The Laird" is, but the name on the sign is a clear reference to the Turtles' creator.

The film also nods to the Turtles' creators with some visual shifts in the movie. In the beginning, we see the Turtles through Leonardo's imagination, and their eyes are whited out under their masks. That appears to be a reference to how Eastman and Laird drew the characters in their original, self-published comics, which had a more gritty and serious tone. Similarly, when the Turtles imagine what life would be like if they got to go to high school, the art style is clearly reminiscent of those old comics

Eastman and Laird co-created the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1984. Together, they created the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series and oversaw the franchise during the height of Turtlemania after the 1987 cartoon debuted. In 2000, after their relationship became strained, Eastman sold his share of the Turtles to Laird. Laird involved himself in the creation of the second Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, which debuted in 2003, and continued creating and publishing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics. In 2009, Laird sold the Turtles to Viacom (now Paramount) but continued publishing his Turtles comics through 2014. Following the sale to Viacom, Eastman began getting involved with the Turtles again, especially the IDW Publishing comics line. In recent years, Eastman and Laird have seemingly made amends and rekindled their friendship.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem marks the latest movie in the long-running media franchise, and a new reboot for four turtle brothers. Seth Rogen produced the movie, and lends his voice to its huge ensemble cast. In the film, the titular heroes venture out into the real world after years of living isolated in the sewers. Though they try to be recognized as normal teenagers by their heroics, a crime syndicate with an army of mutants makes everything more difficult for them and threatens their plans for joining society. The voice cast for the film includes Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, and Brady Noon as Raphael. TMNT: Mutant Mayhem includes a slew of celebrities as well like Ayo Edebiri as April O'Neil, Jackie Chan as Splinter, Seth Rogen as Bebop, John Cena as Rocksteady, Ice Cube as Superfly, Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman, Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko, and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opened in theaters on August 2nd.

Less than a day after filmmaker David Ayer shared a number of behind-the-scenes photos from his 2016 superhero film Suicide Squad, he was back on Twitter this morning disputing a report that DC Studios head James Gunn will release Ayer's director's cut of the film soon. Ayer's movie introduced a number of characters to the then-thriving "DC Extended Universe," most notably Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. The movie, like seemingly all of DC's films between 2015 and 2020 or so, experienced significant turmoil behind the scenes, and the version of the movie that came out ultimately was not the one Ayer wanted to make.

In the same vein as the ultimately successful "Release the Snyder Cut" campaign, fans have been rallying since 2017 to get Ayer's version of Suicide Squad out into the world. That movie would have centered much more on The Joker, Ayer has confirmed, including a tweet last night in which he told a fan that Harley's in-person rejection of The Joker in his cut was "the point of the film."

This morning, a "Release the Ayer Cut" Twitter account asked Ayer to comment directly on some recent claims that Gunn would release the Ayer cut before the DC Universe's big-screen reboot in 2025, which Ayer said was a "Silly rumor. Not true."

Ironically, the comment may be a misinterpretation of something Ayer himself said, as he posted last night that he had spoken with Gunn, who suggested the "Ayer Cut" will have its time.

Ayer released a number of photos, most of which had been seen before but none of which had been officially released by Warner Bros., last night, along with making a number of comments on the movie, including an emotional statement about the strange relationship he now has with the highest-profile project of his career.

"There's a genuine curiosity and interest from a lot of people," Ayer said of the movie, responding to a negative tweet. "And I'm aware of there is another group of people that have fun mocking the film. Your comment is a perfect example of how many are magnetically drawn discussion to the 2016 film in a negative way. Have you ever had an experience in life that didn't until the way you wanted, that dragged you, that made you rethink everything? I have. All I know is my unseen film plays much better than the studio release. The interest in my cut being [shown] seems real and organic. And Gunn told me it would have it's time to be shared. He absolutely deserves to launch to launch his DC universe without more drama about old projects. In a way I'm chained to this thing. I'm riding a tiger here and navigating this situation the best I can. Life is a very strange journey."

Sometimes, an idea can be emotionally true, even if it's factually not. Most commonly, these things are the kinds of ideas that permeate religion and politics -- things that inform people's personal identities. But sometimes, they're just about The Fast and the Furious. Over on Reddit, fans are debating exactly how "overpowered" Dominic Toretto is, and yes, comparing him to the Man of Steel along the way. The question came from a Fast fan who knew they had to clarify up top that it wasn't a shitpost, but has since been taken over by a really entertaining conversation that runs the gamut from people being really serious, to people having more than than should be allowed on the social platform.

"Is Dominic Toretto the most overpowered character aside from maybe Superman in any movie franchise?" asked user BeardOfSerpico on the r/movies subreddit. They added, "He has superhuman strength, able to throw grown men 20 feet in to the air, he collapses a parking garage by stomping his foot, he can rip off car doors with his bare hards, lift up cars which must weigh 2000 pounds and is able to beat 10 men on his own in a fist fight (Fast 9). He can survive car crashes (one time off of a mountain) with only a little bit of blood on his face. Secret government agencies hire him because he's the only man for the job. He's also a master mechanic and he able to drive any vehicle with the skill and reflexes of a fighter pilot...."

...Hard to say they're wrong, honestly.

The responses have been predictably funny.

"Dom and the gang are ALL looney tunes characters at this point," Apathicary said, which prompted the a great response from Ratinha91:

"Remember, kids: landing on the tarmac after being thrown off a bike could kill you, so *checks notes* try to land on a car instead! You'll be fine!"

Komeau had a remarkably commonsense response to the situation, noting, "I find it amusing that he should've died several times by now, but he also has an endless supply of vintage Dodge Chargers that he goes through like toilet paper."

We...never really processed that, but now we'll never forget it.

Some of the comments also centered on other "invincible" characters in movies, like John Wick and Ethan Hunt, but the joy of the Fast and Furious movies is that some of the jokes just write themselves when you only SAY THE PLOT OUT LOUD, with 69lubemobile asking, "Didnt Tyrese and Ludacris go into space in one of these movies?"

It all goes back to the original post, which had to be edited to clarify something important for casual audiences:

"For anyone who for some reason hasn't seen the Fast and Furious movies, he's supposed to be a normal man, the movies aren't set in a fantasy universe such as the MCU."

Here's the official synopsis for Fast X, the latest installment in the franchise:

Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they've ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who's fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything-and everyone-that Dom loves, forever.

In 2011's Fast Five, Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn't know was that Reyes' son, Dante (Aquaman's Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price.

Dante's plot will scatter Dom's family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante's vengeance.

Directed by Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk), Fast X stars returning cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena and Scott Eastwood, with Oscar(R) winner Helen Mirren and Oscar(R) winner Charlize Theron.

"Science transformed him into a monster. Love changed him even more!" Those words are the tagline of Wes Craven's Swamp Thing, the 1982 live-action adaptation of the DC superhero horror comic book. 41 years later, the monster of the marshlands is transformed once again -- in 4K. MVD Visual will release the remastered Swamp Thing as a 4K Ultra HD collector's edition on August 8th, marking the first time Craven's cult classic is available in the enhanced format. First pressings feature a limited edition slipcover, with each set packaged with a collectible "4K LaserVision" mini-poster of the cover art (below).

The two-disc set includes a 16-bit scan of the original camera negative, restoring both the US theatrical PG cut and the unrated international version in 4K, and a new HD restoration of both versions presented in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio on Blu-ray. Pre-orders are available on Amazon now.

The official synopsis: "Deep in Florida's darkest everglades, a brilliant scientist, Dr. Alec Holland (Ray Wise, Robocop) and a sexy government agent, Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau, John Carpenter's The Fog) have developed a secret formula that could end world hunger and change civilization forever. Little do they know, however, that their arch nemesis, Arcane (Louis Jourdan, Octopussy) is plotting to steal the serum for his own selfish schemes. Looting the lab and kidnapping Cable, Arcane douses Holland with the chemicals and leaves him for dead in the swamp. Mutated by his own formula, Holland becomes 'Swamp Thing' -- a half human/half plant superhero who will stop at nothing to rescue the beautiful Cable and defeat the evil Arcane... even if it costs him his life."

FEATURES:
DISC 1: 4K ULTRA HD
2023 4K Restoration (16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of both the US Theatrical PG Version and Unrated International Version of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio in Dolby Vision / HDR
Audio: DTS-HD Master 2.0 Mono, Spanish Mono
Optional English SubtitlesAudio Commentary with Writer/Director Wes Craven moderated by Sean Clark (Theatrical / PG Version)
Audio Commentary with Makeup Effects Artist William Munn moderated by Michael Felsher (Theatrical / PG Version)
Collectible "4K LaserVision" Mini-Poster of cover art
Limited Edition Slipcover (First Pressing Only)

DISC 2: BLU-RAY
2023 HD Restoration of both the US Theatrical PG Version and Unrated International Version of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Wes Craven moderated by Sean Clark (Theatrical / PG Version)
Audio Commentary with Makeup Effects Artist William Munn moderated by Michael Felsher (Theatrical / PG Version)Audio: DTS-HD Master 2.0 Mono, Spanish Mono
Optional English Subtitles
"Tales From the Swamp" (Remastered) with Actress Adrienne Barbeau (HD, 16:56)
"Hey Jude" with Actor Reggie Batts (HD, 14:30)
"That Swamp Thing" with Len Wein, Creator of Swamp Thing (HD, 13:19)
"Swamp Screen: Designing DC's Main Monster" featurette (HD, 20:32)
"From Krug to Comics: How the Mainstream Shaped a Radical Genre Voice" featurette (HD, 17:34)
Posters & Lobby Cards - Photo Gallery
Photos from the Film - Photo GalleryWilliam Munns' Behind the Scenes Pictures - Photo Gallery
Behind the Scenes Photos by Geoffrey Rayle - Photo Gallery
Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:31)

Created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson in the pages of 1971's House of Secrets #92, Swamp Thing went on to become a central figure of the supernatural side of the DC universe alongside such characters as John Constantine, Deadman, Zatanna, and the Phantom Stranger. Alan Moore's '80s revamp of the character, collected in Saga of the Swamp Thing, inspired director James Mangold's announced reboot as part of James Gunn and Peter Safran's new DC film and television universe for DC Studios.

Encanto won Best Animated Feature at last year's Academy Awards after a sizable $256 million haul at the global box office. The film also became a viral sensation thanks to its Grammy-winning soundtrack and beloved characters. Now, Encanto lead Stephanie Beatriz is hoping to appear in the inevitable sequel.

"I would love to work with them again. That team on that film was so incredible to work with that. I think a lot of [Jared Bush and Byron Howard's] time right now is being taken up by other stuff," Beatriz told TheWrap in a pre-SAG-AFTRA strike interview. "I know Jared and I think Bryon too are working on the second Zootopia right now. But I would love to work with them again."

Beatriz added that she's a big fan of the entire Disney brand, and she's hoping as much as the next person for a follow-up to the movie.

"I go to the parks a lot and whenever people recognize me they ask about that too. So I know fans of the film are really, really eager to know if it's gonna get a sequel, I would love to do that," she continued. "I think there's a ton of story to be told and there's so many people that would love to see that, but I haven't heard jack s-t."

The Brooklyn Nine-Nine alumnus isn't the only person who's addressed a continuation of the film. Last year, Bush himself seemingly teeased a potential sequel on Twitter.

"I'm asked a LOT if there'll be more #Encanto - movies, TV, Theater, etc," Bush wrote on Twitter. "I'll say this, it was always our dream, but the real deciders are the fans who found themselves in this story, who saw their family in ours, who chose to spend time with the Madrigals... and want to again.?"

Encanto tells the story of a young Colombian woman named Mirabel, who is part of the magical Madrigal family. Everyone in her family is given a special "gift" when they're young, but Mirabel never received one, leading her to question her place in the Madrigal legacy. The film is directed by Bush and Byron Howard, with Charise Castro Smith serving as co-director. Bush and Castro Smith wrote the screenplay. Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda helped come up with the story for Encanto and wrote new music for the film.

Encanto is now streaming on Disney+.

The reviews for Ben Wheatley's sequel to The Meg may have been pretty dire, but they don't seem to be hurting the film at the international box office. Meg 2: The Trench brought Jason Statham back into action for another round of enormous shark hunting, and the early returns from around the globe have been very encouraging for the picture. Meg 2: The Trench delivered a massive opening weekend, thanks in large part to international markets.

According to Variety, Meg 2: The Trench hauled in a whopping $142 million over the course of the weekend, which is especially impressive given its reported budget is around $130 million. $112 million of that total came from markets outside North America, showing that international audiences are the ones carrying Meg 2 safely to shore.

China was the biggest market for Meg 2 this weekend, taking in a total of $53.3 million in the country. The film had a much more difficult time in North America, where it opened to just around $30 million. That mark is significantly lower than the first Meg's $45 million domestic opening.

Potential Sequel to Meg 2

The big opening weekend for Meg 2 could eventually pave the way for a third film in the shark-hunting franchise. Wheatley, who took over directing duties for the second movie, thinks there are a lot of opportunities for more stories to be told in the franchise.

"The international-ness of it is very interesting," the director told GamesRadar. "What's so smart about the first film is that it's not Rush Hour. It's not East-meets-West, 'Oh, we're all confused about each other' ... It's just people working together, and being in an everyday adventure, and the people just happen to come from places all over the world. I think that's good for audiences, and it's a good message as well."

What Is Meg 2: The Trench About?

Here's the official synopsis for Meg 2: The Trench:

The film is described, "Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal Megs and relentless environmental plunderers, our heroes must outrun, outsmart, and outswim their merciless predators in a pulse-pounding race against time. Immerse yourself in the most electrifying cinematic experience of the year with Meg 2: The Trench -- where the depths of the ocean are matched only by the heights of sheer, unstoppable excitement!"

Statham and Wu Jing lead a cast that includes Sophia Cal, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Skyler Samuels, and Cliff Curtis.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opened in theaters this weekend, and it is off to a strong start at the global box office. The animated movie is full of Easter eggs referencing the nearly 40-year history of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, including a couple pulling from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys from the early 1990s. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem also features a significant cameo that fans may have missed, one that's meant to be like Stan Lee's famous Marvel movie cameos. That's because it's a voice cameo by Kevin Eastman, one of the two creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. [Some SPOILERS follow for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem].

Eastman co-created the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with Peter Laird in 1984. Eastman sold his stake in the Ninja Turtles to Laird in 2000 and stepped away from the franchise. However, since Laird sold Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Viacom (now Paramount) in 2009, Eastman has returned to the series to co-write IDW Publishing's comics and consult on various projects.

Kevin Eastman's cameo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Eastman is credited as "Good Human." He voices the human who helps Splinter up during the final battle against Superfly at the movie's climax. Speaking to /Film, director Jeff Rowe explained that they felt it was important to get someone essential to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise to voice that role, comparing it to Stan Lee's presence in the Marvel Studios moves.

"He's the human who helps Splinter up at the end," Rowe explained. "He helps him out. And we wanted that to be someone meaningful to the franchise, and we were so happy Kevin was willing to do that. I'm appreciative of the Stan Lee cameos in Marvel films, and it felt like a great way to honor him and the beautiful gift he has given the world."

Some might wonder why Laird doesn't have a similar cameo, and that's unknown. For a time, Laird and Eastman were not speaking to one another, but they reunited not long ago and seemingly buried whatever hatchet existed between them. However, while Eastman has remained involved with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles over the past decade, Laird backed away from the official franchise, having carved out a clause in the Viacom deal allowing him to produce a certain number of self-published Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics each year. Laird published through Mirage Studios, the original home of the Turtles, until 2014, and Mirage officially shut down in 2021. For whatever reason, Laird does not have any direct involvement with the Turtles these days, though Mutant Mayhem does pay homage with a sign for "The Laird" in the scene where April O'Neil and the Turtles share a pizza after their first meeting.

Speaking of Stan Lee, did you know that Marvel wanted to publish Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics at one point? It's true.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem marks the latest movie in the long-running media franchise, and a new reboot for four turtle brothers. Seth Rogen produced the movie, and lends his voice to its huge ensemble cast. In the film, the titular heroes venture out into the real world after years of living isolated in the sewers. Though they try to be recognized as normal teenagers by their heroics, a crime syndicate with an army of mutants makes everything more difficult for them and threatens their plans for joining society. The voice cast for the film includes Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, and Brady Noon as Raphael. TMNT: Mutant Mayhem includes a slew of celebrities as well like Ayo Edebiri as April O'Neil, Jackie Chan as Splinter, Seth Rogen as Bebop, John Cena as Rocksteady, Ice Cube as Superfly, Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman, Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko, and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opened in theaters on August 2nd.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opened in theaters this weekend and is off to a stellar start worldwide. The Seth Rogen-produced and co-written film put a fresh spin on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which began life as Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's indie comics sensation. It then became a multimedia franchise that is now nearing its 40th anniversary. Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon have already announced plans for a second Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem movie, most likely featuring a certain iconic villain mostly missing from the first film, as well as two seasons of a Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series on Paramount+ bridging the gap between the two movies.

But for those looking for more Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles goodness as soon as they leave the movie theaters, parsing four decades of TMNT games, movies, TV shows, and comics can be a little intimidating. Where to help out and point you in the direction of your next favorite piece of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles media in each of those categories. Grab your ninja weapon of choice and let's begin:

What show to watch: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Part of the charm of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is seeing the Turtles depicted as "actual teenagers" trying to figure out who they are, what they want, and what their place is in the world. Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the TMNT television series that comes closest to matching that tone. It presents the Turtles as still raw and figuring out their team dynamic (Raphael leads the team instead of Leonardo). The show ran for two seasons (which are streaming on Paramount+) and culminated in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (streaming on Netflix).

Keep watching?: The 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, which launched the "Turtlemania" era, will soon be airing on Nickelodeon. The show's plots don't hold up very well, but the characterizations are character-defining (Donatello does machines, Michelangelo is a party due, etc.) and the zany humor is charming. If you want a series with more mature storytelling, try either the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, which is still the closest adaptation of Eastman and Laird's original comics, or the 2012 Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, which used CG animation. Both shows were recently re-released on Blu-ray and are streaming on Paramount+.

What movie to watch: Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated movie, which adapts a comic book with the same premise, is better than it has any right to be. The plot is pretty simple: Shredder and the Foot Clan are working with a mysterious partner and making moves in Gotham. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles head to Gotham to investigate and run afoul of Batman. A top-notch voice cast makes the interactions between the various characters genuinely funny, and the script wisely jettisons the comic's convoluted explanation for how the Ninja Turtles and the Batman Family are existing in the same universe and instead focuses on the essentials. The movie earns its PG-13 rating with surprisingly brutal violence accompanied by blood, meaning parents and older viewers might do well to make sure younger viewers are prepared for that. Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles isn't streaming anywhere but is available to rent on demand. It's also available on physical media, including a 4k UlHD Blu-ray release.

Movie marathon: You could always watch all of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies in order. Otherwise, the original live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie put a surprisingly dark and gritty spin on a franchise that was mostly known for being a toy-selling cartoon behemoth and it holds up well today. Its first sequel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze, is a movie goofy enough to be a fun time, with vibes closer to the 1987 cartoon, down to the unforgettable "Ninja Rap" needle drop. Both films are streaming on Paramount+ and Max. If you'd like to stick to animated movies, 2007's TMNT was the franchise's first attempt at 3D animation. It acts as a sequel to the original live-action trilogy but stands alone well enough, beginning with Shredder already defeated and the Ninja Turtles divided and directionless until a new threat emerges. The movie remains divisive to this day, and while I'm personally not a fan, its proponents swear by it, meaning it may be worth checking out on Paramount+ or Max.

What game to Play: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is, as our review suggests, a loving homage to classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time and, for my money, one of the best games of 2022. Shredder's Revenge perfectly modernizes the core gameplay of those TMNT arcade classics while updating the elements that haven't aged well or only ever worked when someone was plunking quarters into a machine. It has gorgeous retro graphics, a story mode, countless ways to customize your play experience, and an incredible soundtrack with talents like Mike Patton and Ghostface Killah contributing. The game is available to play on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and even PC, Linux, and, for Netflix users, mobile devices. On top of all of that, the upcoming Dimension Shellshock DLC will add a new game mode, new looks for all of the existing characters, and new playable characters, including longtime TMNT crossover ally Miyamoto Usagi from Usagi Yojimbo.

Continue?: If you'd rather play the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade games, then check out Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The collection includes 13 games that Konami produced during the height of Turtlemania in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, complete with online multiplayer. With its extensive archives of promotional material and design documents, it's an impressively comprehensive collection that should please any old-school Turtles fan and gamer.

What comic to read: IDW Publishing's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles began in comics, and there are plenty of quality ones to choose from. If there's one we'd recommend for longtime fans and newcomers alike it's IDW Publishing's ongoing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series and its spinoffs, which has been going since 2011. IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is set in a distinct universe separate from any other iteration, which allows it to take the best of every version of the Turtles and bring them together in a way that feels cohesive, with stories that have stakes and meaning. It's been one of my favorite comics to follow for years and I can't recommend it enough to anyone who likes long-form comics storytelling. The best way to read the series is via the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection series of volumes, which collect the entire main Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ongoing series and all of its spinoffs and satellite series into their proper reading order. IDW has been reprinting the collection from the beginning in a more affordable paperback format, which makes it the perfect time to start reading. However, if even that sounds like too much of an investment, you can pick up the main series trade paperbacks to get the core story, beginning with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Volume 1: Change is Constant. Alternatively, if you want to get caught up with the series more quickly, start with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Reborn, Vol. 1 - From The Ashes, which begins collecting the series where Sophie Campbell took over as its main writer following a massive shift in the Ninja Turtles' status quo.

Further reading: If you'd prefer something self-contained, check out the hugely popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, which is set in a dark future and serves as an ending to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' story (sequel notwithstanding). It couldn't be further from Mutant Mayhem in terms of tone, but it is based on an original, unproduced idea that Eastman and Laird came up with during their original run, which makes it even more essential for diehard fans. If you want lighter fare, IDW's recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures tells new stories based on the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. If you want more of the non-turtle mutants from Mutant Mayhem, look for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, collecting the surprisingly good Archie Comics Ninja Turtles series from the 1990s, which features those characters prominently. It's hard to find in print these days but is easily available in digital form. Finally, Eastman and Laird's original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics are excellent and it's almost a shame that they are sometimes overshadowed by the franchise that they spawned. Readers can find those comics in IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection series.

Did we miss anything? Let us know what Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics, movies, games, or shows you'd recommend! after seeing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem marks the latest movie in the long-running media franchise, and a new reboot for four turtle brothers. Seth Rogen produced the movie and lends his voice to its huge ensemble cast. In the film, the titular heroes venture out into the real world after years of living isolated in the sewers. Though they try to be recognized as normal teenagers by their heroics, a crime syndicate with an army of mutants makes everything more difficult for them and threatens their plans for joining the society. The voice cast for the film includes Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, and Brady Noon as Raphael. TMNT: Mutant Mayhem includes a slew of celebrities as well like Ayo Edebiri as April O'Neil, Jackie Chan as Splinter, Seth Rogen as Bebop, John Cena as Rocksteady, Ice Cube as Superfly, Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman, Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko, and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opened in theaters on August 2nd.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles made their return to the big screen this weekend, and the beloved characters got off to a strong start at the box office. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is an animated reboot of the popular franchise, putting an emphasis on the "teenage" part of the title and depicting the titular characters at a pivotal point in their youth. The change in direction, and unique animation style, has led to a solid opening weekend at the global box office.

Mutant Mayhem opened with a total of $51 million across the globe. The majority of that -- a big $43 million -- came from theaters here in North America. That number may not seem like a huge total, but the new TMNT has only opened in roughly 30% of the international markets where it's expected to be released. So that total will continue to climb in the coming weeks.

The new Ninja Turtles movie was also made for a reported budget of around $70 million, making it one of the more affordable franchise films of the summer. Box office success will be key for Mutant Mayhem, as Nickelodeon and Paramount already have plans in place for a sequel, as well as an animated series that will bridge the gap between the two movies.

TMNT: Mutant Mayhem Sequel and Spinoff Series

News broke ahead of Mutant Mayhem's theatrical debut that there were already plans in place for a wider universe utilizing this iteration of the Turtles. Mutant Mayhem co-writer and director Jeff Rowe is returning to helm the sequel film, while Chris Yost and Alan Wan will serve as showrunners and executive producers for the TV series, which will air exclusively on Paramount+.

"In the nearly 40 years since Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles launched into the zeitgeist, it has entertained generations of fans and only continues to grow," said Brian Robbins, CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon. "We are excited to grow TMNT's legacy in partnership with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg at Point Grey, and Jeff Rowe, who are innovating the franchise with their singular brand of humor and elevated storytelling for audiences everywhere, across virtually every platform."

Ramsey Naito, president of Paramount Animation & Nickelodeon Animation, added, "Reinvigorating this franchise has been years in the making, and we are thrilled to continue expanding the beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe and bringing new adventures to families and fans."

Have you seen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem yet? Are you excited for the future of these Ninja Turtles? Let us know in the comments!

One of 2023's most controversial horror movies is now streaming on Hulu. Kyle Edward Ball's experimental supernatural horror film Skinamarink is now streaming on the platform, nearly seven months after its North American box office release in January 2023. The film had previously streamed on Shudder earlier this year. In Skinamarink, two kids find themselves alone in their home with no parents in sight in the middle of the night trapped by an unseen force that has somehow removed the windows and doors from the home. The unusual film did very well with critics, but the controversy comes in because many audiences just don't agree.

Many audiences found Skinamarink to be more "boring" than scary, with some audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes decrying the film for having "no plot" and being tedious with no payoff. Critics were kinder. The film presently has a 72 percent Fresh approval rating on the review aggregate site with the critical consensus reading: "Skinamarink can be more confounding than frightening, but for viewers able or willing to dial into its unique wavelength, this unsettling film will be difficult to shake."

What Is The Meaning of Skinamarink?

Earlier this year, Ball spoke with Inverse about some of the film's meanings.

I've had people DM me like, "What? So, what is this?"' Also, it doesn't matter what I think anymore. Now it's your movie. When I was shooting and editing it, I was like, "This is how I want the viewer to feel." It's been so amazing seeing people actually feel the way I planned it.

Skinamarink Was Almost Derailed by Piracy

After a successful debut at Fantasia Film Festival in 2022, Shudder picked up the film for a brief theatrical release before sending it to stream on the horror streaming service. However, soon after, hackers downloaded the film and others from a European genre festival and uploaded them to YouTube. Skinamarink went viral, but for a moment, Ball though it was all going to fall apart.

I was terrified," Ball told Vulture. "I felt like I won the lottery, then it was like, 'Maybe you didn't win the lottery. You'll find out in a couple of months.'"

Ultimately, Shudder didn't back out of anything, they simply moved up the film's release date from October 2023 to January.

What Else Is Now Streaming on Hulu?

Skinamarink isn't the only movie that is finally streaming on Hulu this month. The fan-favorite comedy film Game Night is also on Hulu. Starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, Game Night follows a married couple as they battle criminals across the city as part of a game night gone awry. The film was popular with both fans and critics alike when it was originally released in 2018.

Will you be checking out Skinamarink on Hulu? Let us know in the comment section.

It's a huge day for Greta Gerwig, Warner Bros., Mattel, and everyone else involved with bringing the Barbie movie to life. Not only is the movie getting rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, but it also just won its third weekend in a row at the box office and officially reached $1 billion worldwide. Today also marks the first time a film directed solely by a woman has hit this worldwide milestone. In honor of Barbie reaching the billion dollar club, the official Instagram account for the movie shared a new celebration video.

"Here's to our incredible Barbies and Kens from all around the world for making our Barbie dreams come true. We're excited to share that #BarbieTheMovie has hit $1 Billion at the Global Box Office. ?," the Barbie movie shared. You can watch the video below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BARBIE (@barbiethemovie)

Margot Robbie Predicts Barbie's Box Office Success:

"I think my pitch in the green-light meeting was the studios have prospered so much when they're brave enough to pair a big idea with a visionary director," Barbie star Margot Robbie previously told Collider. "And then I gave a series of examples like, "dinosaurs and [Steven] Spielberg," that and that, that and that - pretty much naming anything that's been incredible and made a ton of money for the studios over the years. And I was like, "And now you've got Barbie and Greta Gerwig." And I think I told them that it'd make a billion dollars, which maybe I was overselling, but we had a movie to make, okay?!"

What Is Barbie About?

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, which hit theaters on July 21st. 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.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is now playing in theaters, and the new animated feature is a hit with critics and audiences alike. While the film didn't win its first weekend at the box office, it is up on Rotten Tomatoes with an impressive 96% critics score and 93% audience score. Fans of the franchise are loving the new take, which features an actual teen voice cast for the titular turtles, and a whole new version of April O'Neil. The character is voiced by The Bear's Ayo Edebiri, and fans are loving everything about her, especially her new look. Recently, character designer James A. Castillo took to Twitter to share some alternate designs of April.

"THE NEW TMNT FILM IS OUT! #TMNTMovie When I joined #MutantMayhem my first assigment was to work on April O'Neil. NO PRESSURE," Castillo wrote. "We tried making her relatable and grounded in the real world while keeping some of the details that make her so iconic. I personally love her in the film." You can check out the designs below:

THE NEW TMNT FILM IS OUT! #TMNTMovie When I joined #MutantMayhem my first assigment was to work on April O'neil. NO PRESSURE.
We tried making her relatable and grounded in the real world while keeping some of the details that make her so iconic. I personally love her in the film pic.twitter.com/QEcvaBbyf1

-- James A. Castillo (@jmurfish) August 4, 2023

Ayo Edebiri Talks Playing April O'Neil:

Edebiri spoke with Collider ahead of the SAG strike, and she had nothing but praise for the new version of April O'Neil.

"I think the fact that she's a journalist, that she's got this friendship and this bond with them, and is such an iconic character to people, I feel like there's just a lot of people who have so much fondness for her," Edebiri shared. "[Laughs] A lot of early first crushes. But I loved that in this iteration I felt like she had so much agency and was her own person and had her own goals and uses that or feels that in tandem with the Turtles, if that makes sense. She has her own goals, she has her own drive, she wants to crack a story, but she realizes throughout the journey of the movie also how important friendship is with these little Turtle freaks."

What Is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem About?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem marks the latest movie in the long-running media franchise, and a new reboot for four turtle brothers. Seth Rogen produced the movie, and lends his voice to its huge ensemble cast. In the film, the titular heroes venture out into the real world after years of living isolated in the sewers. Though they try to be recognized as normal teenagers by their heroics, a crime syndicate with an army of mutants makes everything more difficult for them and threatens their plans for joining society. The voice cast for the film includes Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, and Brady Noon as Raphael. TMNT: Mutant Mayhem includes a slew of celebrities as well like Ayo Edebiri as April O'Neil, Jackie Chan as Splinter, Seth Rogen as Bebop, John Cena as Rocksteady, Ice Cube as Superfly, Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman, Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko, and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opened in theaters on August 2nd.

Come on, Barbie, let's go party, because it really is a "Barbie World." Not only is Greta Gerwig's Barbie getting rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, but the movie has been on track to earn $1 billion worldwide at the box office. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new film has hit that huge milestone during its third weekend in theaters. Barbie won the weekend yet again, earning another $53 million domestically, bringing its North American total to $459.4 million. This marks the first time a film directed solely by a woman has reached $1 billion at the box office.

"I think my pitch in the green-light meeting was the studios have prospered so much when they're brave enough to pair a big idea with a visionary director," Barbie star Margot Robbie previously told Collider. "And then I gave a series of examples like, "dinosaurs and [Steven] Spielberg," that and that, that and that - pretty much naming anything that's been incredible and made a ton of money for the studios over the years. And I was like, "And now you've got Barbie and Greta Gerwig." And I think I told them that it'd make a billion dollars, which maybe I was overselling, but we had a movie to make, okay?!"

Which Movie Took Second Place This Weekend?

Oppenheimer, Meg 2: The Trench, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem all fought for second place at the box office this weekend, but it looks like The Meg 2 gets the silver prize at the domestic box office, which is another win for Warner Bros. The movie earned $30 million stateside this weekend, but unlike the other films in the current box office race, the sequel has not been well received by critics. The film currently has a 29% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, but its audience score is a much better 74%.

What Is Barbie About?

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, which hit theaters on July 21st. 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.

Ayo Edebiri is currently blowing up in Hollywood. Not only is the actor one of the stars of the hit series, The Bear, but fans can also currently catch her on the big screen in two movies, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Theater Camp. Her next film, Bottoms, is also being released in theaters this month, and she will soon be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Thunderbolts. Before she was a star, Edebiri was a writer who was big on Twitter and Letterboxd. In fact, she currently has over 60,000 followers on the movie review site, which is quite a lot by their standards. Edebiri is known for writing funny reviews, and her post about Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back from earlier this year is going viral on Twitter.

"This movie is great but I was really shocked by how ugly Yoda was sorry if that pisses anybody off but I had only seen baby Yoda and adult Yoda is f*cking busted," Edebiri wrote back in February. Despite disliking Yoda, she gave the movie 4.5 stars, so it's safe to say she enjoyed the Star Wars classic. You can check out a screenshot of the review that has since gone viral below:

i'm crying pic.twitter.com/7saWamamSH

-- bethany (@fiImgal) August 5, 2023

Recently, Edebiri said that she might plan to scale back on her funny Letterboxd reviews now that she's focusing more on acting than writing. "I saw this interview where [Willem Dafoe] was like, 'The reason I keep working is that nobody knows my taste,'" Edebiri shared with Backstage. "Because comedy is my bedrock, expressing my opinions is something I'm so used to in my career," she explains. "Even as a writer, saying your opinions can be beneficial. As an actor...maybe mystery behooves me a little bit."

Ayo Edebiri On Joining Marvel:

Reports have indicated that Edebiri was cast in a mystery role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Thunderbolts movie, although that casting has yet to be confirmed by Marvel Studios.

"I don't know," Edebiri said in an interview with ComicBook.com, which you can check out above. "As a big X Men kid, I feel like if there's... I don't know. I don't think I'm cool enough to play Storm."

"If there's anybody in that arena I get, you know, some powers," Edebiri continued. "I could do things that make sense with my hands. I'd throw down. Yeah, I'm down."

Stay tuned for more updates about Ayo Edebiri's upcoming projects.

Many actors have played the Joker over the years, and Joaquin Phoenix will soon be back as Batman's biggest foe in Joker: Folie ? Deux, which went into production at the end of last year. The Todd Phillips sequel is disconnected from the DCEU, the film series that started with Man of Steel back in 2013 that is expected to end with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom later this year. The DCEU's Joker was previously played by Jared Leto in Suicide Squad. Late last night, the 2016 movie's director, David Ayer, took to Twitter to share a new image of Leto as the iconic villain.

Ayer did not caption the photo, which sees Leto's Joker in a suit. You can check out the image below:

pic.twitter.com/rcuQWyD056

-- David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) August 6, 2023

Will DC Studios Release the Ayer Cut?

Last year, it was announced that James Gunn and Peter Safran are now the co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios, a new entity formed to replace DC Films. Ayer has previously shown his support for Gunn's new position, but he has also been very open about wanting Warner Bros. to release his version of Suicide Squad. Considering he's friendly with Gunn on Twitter, many fans have wondered if Gunn will release the "Ayer Cut." Soon after Gunn's new role was announced, he addressed some of the fan requests, including saving Legends of Tomorrow after it was canceled and releasing the "Ayer Cut."

"Opened up Twitter at the end of a long, creative weekend to see the many tweets to #SaveLegendsofTomorrow & #ReleaseTheAyerCut & fan support for other DC projects over the years. The majority of these requests were enthusiastic & respectful," Gunn wrote. "As the new (& first ever) CEOs of DC Studios, Peter & I think it's important we acknowledge you, the fans, & let you know we hear your different desires for the pathways forward for DC. Although our ability to interact on Twitter has been lessened due to the workload of our new positions, we are listening & open to everything as we embark on this journey, & will continue to do so for the next few years."

Gunn continued, "But all our initial focus is on the story going forward, hammering out the new DCU, & telling the Biggest Story Ever Told across multiple films, television shows, & animated projects. We invite all of the DC fandoms from across the multiverse - and everyone else as well - into this new universe. We can't wait to reveal more." You can check out his thread here.

What do you think of the new image of Jared Leto's Joker? Tell us in the comments.

Simu Liu is one of Marvel's newest stars, and he's been surprisingly candid about his career before landing the role of a lifetime. Now that SAG-AFTRA is on strike, Liu is reminiscing about his time prior to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. According to Liu, it wasn't too long ago he was part of SAG-AFTRA's sizable working-class corps, wondering when and where his next paycheck would come from.

"I've been there. I've spent time as a background actor and I've spent time in that type of gig economy where it's just gig to gig not knowing when your next paycheck is going to come and not qualifying for health care," Liu told Deadline from the picket line this week. "It's already a rough spot to be in as is, but what the AMPTP is suggesting is that the livelihood of these working-class actor is lowered even more with new guidelines about AI and new guidelines about replication. In my mind, I remember not just myself but all of the background actors and performers that I knew whose livelihood depended on their ability to go into work. It really hasn't been that long for me so to be in a position of privilege now, I think it's a responsibility to stand in solidarity with each and every one of the members of SAG."

WHY I'M STRIKING: "I've been there...I've spent time as a background actor...not knowing where your next paycheck is coming from, not qualifying for healthcare, and it's a really rough spot to be in..." -- Simu Liu (@SimuLiu), SAG-AFTRA, outside Amazon today pic.twitter.com/Ote1PlqG10

-- Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) August 2, 2023

Liu's AI comments are referencing the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers' desire to pay background actors a single day's wage in return for the ability to use their likeness without further payment or approval in perpetuity.

"This 'groundbreaking' AI proposal that they gave us yesterday: they propose that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day's pay, and their company should own that scan their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation," SAG-AFTRA executive Duncan Crabtree-Ireland revealed earlier this year. "So if you think that's a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again."

Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is now available on Disney+, all major digital platforms, and wherever physical movies are sold. Shang-Chi 2 doesn't have a release window yet.

What'd you think of Shang-Chi's film debut? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @AdamBarnhardt up on Twitter to chat all things MCU!

Saw X is gearing up to hit theaters at the end of next month, and the tenth film in the franchise looks to revitalize the audience's need for more Saw movies. Lionsgate has already released the first official trailer for Saw X, and it revealed that John Kramer has cancer and that a clinic made him believe that they cured it, and he placed them into a new game for the small slight they committed against him. Now that marketing has begun for the film, it seems that the studio is releasing some unexpected merchandise in the form of socks. The official Saw Twitter page revealed that they will release some bloody-themed socks called "SAWX", which is a fun play on the title for the latest film, and they're actually pretty good.

You can check out the Saw X "SAWX" below.

prepare your little piggies before it's too late. get your #SAWX today: https://t.co/ZH7nPG4wMf

-- Saw (@Saw) August 4, 2023

What is Saw X About?

Here's Lionsgate official synopsis for Saw X: "John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back. The most disturbing installment of the Saw franchise yet explores the untold chapter of Jigsaw's most personal game. Set between the events of Saw I and II, a sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer - only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. Armed with a newfound purpose, the infamous serial killer returns to his work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way through devious, deranged, and ingenious traps."

When the Saw franchise began they ended up releasing seven installments, with James Wan's (Aquaman) first film in 2004 starting off the franchise, and ending it with 2010's Saw 3D: The Final Chapter. After the film franchise finished, Saw was left in a frozen state for a few years, until they attempted to reboot the franchise two times. Jigsaw (2017) told the story of Kramer's secret first apprentice, who was recruited from the early stages of his evilness before the events of the first Saw film. After that, Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021) unveiled a film that featured a copycat killer that has the same M.O. as Jigsaw to begin an era of even more killings. Both attempts at rebooting the franchise were met with middling results, which is probably why Lionsgate is going back to the drawing board by bringing back a fan-favorite director and the franchise star in Saw X.

Saw X is scheduled to hit theaters on September 29th. Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for more updates on the Saw franchise as we learn it.

What do you think about these Saw X "SAWX"? Are you excited to see the film when it finally arrives in theaters? Let us know in the comments below or by hitting up our writer @NateBrail on Twitter!

Although Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) has left the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Captain America franchise lives on thanks to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson. Wilson now dons the mantle of Captain America and is rumored to be facing off against the legendary Cap villains in the Serpent Society when Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters next year. Even though the plot of the film is still being kept under lock and key, Mackie says his work on the film has brought his time in the MCU full circle.

"It kind of brought my Marvel experience full circle because we shot in D.C. at the same hotel that we shot 'Winter Soldier' at," Mackie told TheWrap in a pre-WGA strike interview. "One of my first Marvel scenes was me sitting at a table talking to the senator and me and Chris [Evans] and Scarlett [ Johansson] kidnapping him and we go back and we stay at the same hotel and we shot at that same area. So in that regard, it was really emotional to think how far my character has come and where he is now after the 10 years that I've been in the MCU."

Given Marvel Studios frequently uses the same cast and crew from one project to the next, Mackie added that working on Marvel projects is similar to going to summer camp and catching up with everyone.

"These Marvel movies have kind of turned into summer camp. You go to set and there's people that you've known for 10, 12 years now that you've worked with and got to know and people have kids and people get divorced and people buy homes," the actor added. "So it's like going back to see your old friends. So it was really easy. At no point in time did I feel like it was a different experience from any of the other Marvel movies I've done. It was just a great experience, you can only go down from here."

Who's all in Captain America 4?

In addition to Anthony Mackie returning as the eponymous Avenger in Captain America: Brave New World, other returning actors include Liv Tyler (Betty Ross), Tim Blake Nelson (The Leader), Carl Lumbly (Isaiah Bradley), and Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres). Shira Haas is making her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as the iconic Marvel comics character Sabra in the film while Harrison Ford is playing Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross in the place of the late William Hurt. Captain America: Brave New World is being directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox).

"The first day was so intimidating," Mackie recently revealed to Inverse about working with Ford. "I was so f*cking nervous I couldn't remember my lines. He's Harrison f*cking Ford. There is this aura about him. But he dispels that really quickly because he's such a cool guy. He's everything a movie star should be. He would say, 'Let's shoot this piece of sh*t.' And everybody was like, 'Yeah, let's shoot this sh*t.'" Mackie can't go into specifics about his scenes with Ford, but he notes that there are plenty of them. "We spent a good bit of time together. Ross and Cap have always had that relationship, where they were friends and they respected each other, but they always bumped heads. That's their relationship in the storyline."

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to hit theaters on August 26, 2024.

Lionsgate is getting ready to release the tenth installment of the Saw franchise, and it has fans of the movies pretty excited about what comes next. From everything we've seen in the first trailer for Saw X, they're going in a direction that no one could have foreseen and are bringing back John Kramer (Tobin Bell). Billy the Puppet is also back for Saw X, and we got to see our first look at him in action in the trailer as well as a previous first look that confirmed his return. With the franchise going back to its roots with the return of John Kramer and Billy, it only makes sense for them to pay some sort of homage to the first few Saw films, and the team behind the movie has confirmed that it indeed does.

How Does Saw X Pay Homage to Original films?

While at the Midsummer Scream 2023 convention (Via The Direct), Saw X's production team was featured in a panel for the upcoming movie, and they revealed some interesting things about the upcoming tenth film in the franchise. Director Kevin Greutert, production designer Anthony Stabley, cinematographer Nick Matthews, and producer Oren Koules all attended the panel, but the latter two revealed exactly how the film pays tribute to the horror franchise.

"I think for Kevin and I, it was really important that we were able to pay homage to all the early films, we love that the early films are 1:85 (ratio), we love that they're textural, that they're gritty, that there's these really bold, yellow color palettes, and we want to do our work to hearken to that, with pervasive darkness, and really throwing the audience subjectively right into this graphic, gritty world," Matthews said. "So it was just a lot of fun for me to be able to enter this world and then also bring a certain elegance and beauty to it at the same time. I love beauty and brutality. And I want that in everything that I do."

"John is absolutely... the protagonist in this movie. He is a man who's ill. He's a guy who was looking to extend his life. And in this process of him thinking, he's getting his life extended, shit goes down. There it is, but he's absolutely the hero of this movie. He's in this movie... [I haven't] done the math, but probably [more than] the last six or seven movies combined. This is his movie... This is John Kramer's story as a human, not as Jigsaw--we'll get there, trust me, but as a human, and like, you know, his fears and what's going on in his life at the time." Koules added.

What is Saw X About?

Here's Lionsgate official synopsis for Saw X: "John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back. The most disturbing installment of the Saw franchise yet explores the untold chapter of Jigsaw's most personal game. Set between the events of Saw I and II, a sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer - only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. Armed with a newfound purpose, the infamous serial killer returns to his work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way through devious, deranged, and ingenious traps."

Saw began by releasing seven installments, with James Wan's (Aquaman) breakout film in 2004 starting off the franchise, and concluding with 2010's Saw 3D: The Final Chapter. After the film franchise concluded, the franchise was left in stasis for a few years, before attempting to reboot the franchise two times. Jigsaw (2017) told the story of Kramer's secret first apprentice, who was recruited from the early stages of his evil deeds before the first Saw film. Meanwhile, Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021) unveiled a film that featured a copycat that uses Jigsaw's legacy to begin an era of even more wrongdoings. Both attempts were met with negative reactions, which is why Lionsgate is going back to a fan-favorite director and the franchise star in the latest installment.

Saw X is scheduled to be released on September 29th. Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for more updates on the Saw franchise as we learn them.

What do you think about these comments? Are you excited to see Saw X when it arrives in theaters next month? Let us know in the comments below or by hitting up our writer @NateBrail on Twitter!

Haunted Mansion is now playing in theaters, and it's the latest Disney film to be based on a popular ride. Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise are some of the other Disneyland attractions that have been turned into films, but there are still plenty of other fan-favorite rides out there that haven't been touched by Walt Disney Studios. Recently, Haunted Mansion director Justin Simien spoke with Screen Rant and revealed another attraction he'd like to adapt, and it's not one you'd expect. He told the outlet he'd love to make a movie based on Captain EO, the Michael Jackson attraction that was at Disneyland from 1986 to 1997 and Epcot from 1986 to 1994. The attraction saw Jackson leading a 3D sci-fi musical short film that was written by Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Rusty Lemorande, and directed by Coppola.

"Captain EO, let's go. Listen, I know it is out of commission, okay? I know that's not technically a ride, but I am ready. I need some singing and I need some dancing and I need some jerry curl juice in outer space immediately," Simien shared.

Will Haunted Mansion Get a Sequel?

Currently, Haunted Mansion is not doing well at the box office, but there's always a chance the movie might find its audience when it hits Disney+. Recently, ComicBook.com had the opportunity to talk with Haunted Mansion director Justin Simien in New Orleans, and we asked if he has any sequel ideas brewing.

"Absolutely," Simien replied when asked if there are more Haunted Mansion stories to be told. "My favorite thing about being a director is building the world around the story so that you feel like, 'Okay, after the story ends and before the story begins, there's still a world there.' That's my favorite part. And so there's a lot of things that we set up in the movie and a lot of places that we just point to as being over there, but we don't necessarily go all the way in that particular room or go all the way into that particular mansion. So I think that there is plenty, plenty more story left, plenty more mysteries to discover in the mansion itself. And shockingly, even more Easter eggs, if you can believe it."

What Is Haunted Mansion About?

In Haunted Mansion, a doctor (Rosario Dawson) and her 9-year-old son (Chase Dillon), looking to start a new life, move into a strangely affordable mansion in New Orleans, only to discover that the place is much more than they bargained for. Desperate for help, they contact a priest (Owen Wilson), who, in turn, enlists the aid of a widowed scientist-turned-failed-paranormal expert (LaKeith Stanfield), a French Quarter psychic (Tiffany Haddish), and a crotchety historian (Danny DeVito).
Haunted Mansion is now playing in theaters.

Even though Will Ferrell had been a mainstay on Saturday Night Live prior to starring in Elf, it was the Christmas comedy that turned him into a bonafide superstar. In fact, Ferrell now says he wasn't even photographed by paparazzi until he appeared in the Jon Favreau-directed film. The Step Brothers alumnus spilled all the details on a recent episode of Kevin Hart's Hart to Heart on Peacock.

"I remember walking around New York after the opening weekend of Elf. That was the first time my wife and I were walking around and people were following us around," Ferrell explained. "That was a little exciting in a way and a little alarming. Like why is this guy walking on the other sidewalk walking the same speed I am? Why's he doing what I'm doing? Why's he dressed in all black? Why's he taking photographs?"

Will there ever be an Elf 2?

Given that Elf has found itself a spot in the pantheon of Christmas Classics, right alongside It's a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, and Violent Night, many fans are apprehensive of a follow-up. Favreau himself has said he's not sure what a sequel could look like given the first film featured a complete story.

"I think there's always room for new Christmas movies; that particular film, I don't know what story would be told after that. It's very complete," the director told Variety earlier this year.

That said, Ferrell revealed he was previously offered $29 million to start in a now-canceled sequel. According to him, he was worried the picture wouldn't be as good as the first one.

"I would have had to promote the movie from an honest place, which would've been, like, 'Oh no, it's not good. I just couldn't turn down that much money,'" Ferrell told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021. "And I thought, 'Can I actually say those words? I don't think I can, so I guess I can't do the movie.'"

Elf is available on physical media release and digitally wherever movies are sold.

Barbie is currently playing in theaters and the Greta Gerwig-directed film is not only getting rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, but the movie is on track to earn $1 billion worldwide at the box office. It's safe to say people all over the world have Barbie fever, and the movie's soundtrack is an instant hit. The songs from the movie are already available to purchase on vinyl, and soon the movie's score will also be available for purchase from Waxwork Records. The music was composed by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, and a new behind-the-scenes video shows the musical duo at work.

"Music gives extra meaning to #BarbieTheMovie. ?? The official score by @iammarkronson & @wyattish is available now: Link in Bio. (Previously recorded)," the official account for Barbie shared. You can check out the video in the post below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BARBIE (@barbiethemovie)

Barbie Score Tracklist:

Per Waxwork Records, "Waxwork Records is proud to present Barbie: Score From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack composed by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt! The score is featured in the juggernaut film Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken."

SIDE A

1. Creation of Barbie
2. Pink ("Barbie" Opening Theme) *Lizzo Cover
3. Beach Off
4. Ken Thinks
5. Stairway to Weird Barbie
6. Thoughts of Death
7. Send Me Through the Portal
8. Ken Makes a Discovery
9. Bus Stop Billie *Billie Eilish Cover
10. Mattel
11. Meeting Ruth *Billie Eilish Cover

SIDE B

1. You Failed Me!
2. Alan vs Kens
3. Deprogramming
4. Warmth of Your Gaze
5. An Ending
6. I Don't Have an Ending
7. What Was I Made For? (Epilogue) *Billie Eilish Cover
   

You can head to Waxwork Records now to order your copy of the Barbie Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

What Is Barbie About?

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, which hit theaters on July 21st. 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.

As movie theaters gravitate towards showing nothing but blockbusters, the appearance of a comedy has become an increasingly rare sight. Once upon a time not too long ago, however, theaters often did screen mid-budget comedies, with some even performing exceptionally. One of those films is Game Night, the Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams vehicle that follows a married couple as they battle criminals across the city as part of a game night gone awry.

Given the film has been out of theaters for five years, it's only available on digital media and whenever a streamer picks up the rights to it. The latest such streamer to pick up Game Night is Hulu, which is now carrying the film allowing those that subscriber to service to stream it for no extra charge for the foreseeable future.

Will Game Night ever get a sequel?

Because Game Night has become a bit of a cult classic in and of itself, many have been wondering if the movie would ever get a sequel. We asked Game Night star Lamore Morris if we'd ever see a sequel in 2021, to which the actor said he didn't think something will materialize.

"I heard it being talked about but I don't think it was ever too serious of a conversation," Morris said on Talking Shop, ComicBook.com's live Instagram series. "I think if you talk to John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, directors, and Jason Bateman, you know, maybe. Because it makes sense, the movie did well. People loved the movie. I've never heard someone say, 'That's a bad movie.'"

Game Night was popular with critics and fans alike, getting overwhelmingly positive reviews and taking in $117.7 million at the box office -- solid numbers for a comedy based on an original concept. "It's a fun movie, the cast does great everyone's great in it," Morris said. "I would love to do, a remake, or a sequel to that."

Game Night is now streaming on Hulu.

Paramount Pictures has finally released their latest reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, and fans have been flocking to theaters to see what happens in the animated movie. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is being directed by Jeff Rowe and produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Rowe recently revealed that they made sure that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem had emotion and even disclosed that there were versions of the film that included the turtles arch nemesis, Shredder. One thing that the film does include is a new version of April O'Neil, who is being voiced by Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), and the actress is praising her version of the character.

Ayo Edebiri Talks Playing New Version of April O'Neil

Edebiri recently sat down with Collider, where she had high praise for the new version of April O'Neil that she voiced in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

"I think the fact that she's a journalist, that she's got this friendship and this bond with them, and is such an iconic character to people, I feel like there's just a lot of people who have so much fondness for her," Edebiri said. "[Laughs] A lot of early first crushes. But I loved that in this iteration I felt like she had so much agency and was her own person and had her own goals and uses that or feels that in tandem with the Turtles, if that makes sense. She has her own goals, she has her own drive, she wants to crack a story, but she realizes throughout the journey of the movie also how important friendship is with these little Turtle freaks."

What goes down in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem marks the latest movie in the long-running media franchise, and a new reboot for four turtle brothers. Seth Rogen produced the movie, and lends his voice to its huge ensemble cast. In the film, the titular heroes venture out into the real world after years of living isolated in the sewers. Though they try to be recognized as normal teenagers by their heroics, a crime syndicate with an army of mutants makes everything more difficult for them and threatens their plans for joining society. The voice cast for the film includes Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, and Brady Noon as Raphael. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem includes a slew of celebrities as well like Ayo Edebiri as April O'Neil, Jackie Chan as Splinter, Seth Rogen as Bebop, John Cena as Rocksteady, Ice Cube as Superfly, Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman, Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko, and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opens in theaters on August 2nd.

Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for any updates on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and the future of the franchise as we learn it!

What do you think about Ayo Edebiri's comments? Have you seen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Nayhem since it hit theaters? Let us know in the comments below or by hitting up our writer @NateBrail on Twitter!

The first trailer for Wonka was released last month, and it sees Dune star Timoth?e Chalamet playing a younger version of the character created by Roald Dahl. The prequel film also stars many big actors, including Hugh Grant as an Oompa-Loompa. Grant previously worked with Wonka director Paul King in Paddington 2, so it's no surprise to see him in the director's latest project. However, some people aren't happy with the casting choice. Jason "Wee Man" Acu?a, who is best known for Jackass, spoke to TMZ recently and called out Grant's casting as one of the iconic chocolate factory workers.

"So I guess Hugh Grant, you're now identifying as a little person," Acu?a said in the video. "Huh, interesting."

George Coppen also recently spoke out against Grant's casting in Wonka. "A lot of actors [with dwarfism] feel like we are being pushed out of the industry we love," the comedian told BBC. "A lot of people, myself included, argue that dwarfs should be offered everyday roles in dramas and soaps, but we aren't getting offered those roles. One door is being closed but they have forgotten to open the next one."

He added of Grant's Oompa-Loompa look, "They've enlarged his head so his head looks bigger. [I thought] what the hell have you done to him?"

What Is Wonka About?

Wonka follows a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world's most famous chocolate factory.

In addition to Chalamet in the titular role and Grant as an Oompa-Loompa, Wonka will also feature Olivia Colman (The Favourite, The Crown), Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean, Love, Actually), Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), and Keegan Michael Key (The Prom, Schmigadoon!). The story is set to occur before the events of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Paul King (Paddington) is set to direct. King is also reuniting with several of his Paddington stars for the new film including Tom Davis, Simon Farnaby, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, and Matt Lucas. Other confirmed cast members include Mathew Baynton (Ghosts), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), Rich Fulcher (Marriage Story), Paterson Joseph (Noughts + Crosses), Calah Lane (The Day Shall Come), Colin O'Brien (The Mothership), Natasha Rothwell (White Lotus), Rakhee Thakrar (Sex Education), and Ellie White (The Other One). David Heyman (Harry Potter, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) is producing with Luke Kelly (The Witches) and Alexandra Derbyshire (Jurassic World: Dominion).

Do you agree with Jason Acu?a and George Coppen's thoughts about Hugh Grant's casting as an Oompa-Loompa? Tell us in the comments.

Wonka is set to be released exclusively in theaters on December 15th.