How’s the adaptation of Artemis coming along?

When THR as the duo if Artemis is still in play, Miller said, “There is an Artemis script, it’s delightful. The thing that was holding that back for years was, how do we execute one-sixth gravity? The story takes place on the moon. We think we’ve figured it out. That’s one of the ones that’s possible.”

Even if they’ve solved for Artemis, Lord and Miller admit they have no idea when we’d see it. “There’s a backlog of like seven or eight things that we want to do,” Lord said about the duo’s schedule. Thankfully, they’re tight with Weir, so the opportunity isn’t going anywhere. In fact, they even call on Weir when they’ve got science-related questions. “When my son had science questions I couldn’t answer, I would be like, maybe Andy will know,” Miller told THR.

Project Hail Mary blasts off at the box office

Meanwhile, Lord and Miller’s Project Hail Mary is blasting off at the box office with an impressive launch of $140.9M+ worldwide. The nail-biting science-fiction drama stars Ryan Gosling as Science teacher Ryland Grace, who wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth. As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing the sun. While trying to save Earth, an unexpected friendship may be the key.

Our thoughts on Project Hail Mary

Chris Bumbray reviewed Project Hail Mary for JoBlo, saying in his 9/10 review, “While it runs a hefty 156 minutes, the running time zips along, with Lord and Miller having a good handle on pace. It’s really an impeccably made movie, with everyone involved doing superlative work, including Daniel Pemberton, who contributes a strong score. It’s the kind of movie that deserves to become the next Sinners, so hopefully audiences will give it a shot. It’s upbeat and leaves you walking out of the theater feeling optimistic — which I think all of us could use in these rather somber times.”

Have you read Andy Weir’s Artemis novel? Have you seen Project Hail Mary yet? I might catch it this afternoon, but we’ll see. I saw Ready or Not 2: Here I Come on Friday night, and might be theatered out at the moment. Especially after paying nearly $50 for snacks on top of ticket prices. Outrageous!

The post Phil Lord and Chris Miller think they’ve solved the riddle for adaptating Andy Weir’s Artemis appeared first on JoBlo.

The hype around Project Hail Mary may not be Avengers levels, but it was high enough, with enough good buzz, that it was hardly a Hail Mary for the studio, and, so far, this week, it’s more like a lob pass to the end zone for a sure score. This is a pretty nice moment for a property that hasn’t been pre-established as a franchise. Deadline is reporting that early Thursday previews have rocketed to over $11 million at the box office.

Full of Grace

Although there had been some sure things that surprisingly underperformed in recent years, Project Hail Mary was already a much-loved, best-selling novel. Excitement would only grow when the film boasted Drew Goddard adapting the book to the screen and the directors of the Spider-Verse films would be helming the project. This early preview total is reportedly the best to date for a non-franchise title. It beat out Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which brought in $10.5 million, F1, which pulled in $10 million, Weapons, which opened with a $5.7 million and another awards darling, Sinners, which garnered $4.7 million in early preview gross.

Phil Lord is with thee

The film is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, with Amy Pascal, Gosling, Lord, Miller, Aditya Sood, Rachel O’Connor and Andy Weir all on board as producers of the film. Drew Goddard wrote the adapted screenplay based on the Andy Weir novel. Weir had also written the novel for The Martian, which served as source material for the Matt Damon film of the same name. Goddard is also set to executive produce with his Goddard Textiles partner Sarah Esberg, along with Ken Kao.

Project Hail Mary was filmed for IMAX. Gosling is joined by Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung and Milana Vayntrub. The synopsis reads, “Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.” 

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All the stars are here!

Fillion revealed plans for the Firefly animated series during his “Once We Were Spacemen” podcast panel alongside co-stars Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau. Before you ask, yes, all of the aforementioned stars are expected to reprise their roles. Oh, and don’t worry, even though Adam Baldwin did not attend the con, he’d be reprising his role as Jayne Cobb for the project.

Who are the creative forces behind the Firefly animated series?

The Firefly animated series hails from Fillion’s production studio Collision33 in conjunction with 20th Television Animation. Married writing-producing duo Marc Guggenheim (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow) and Tara Butters (Agent Carter, Reaper) will showrun, with scripts already completed. Meanwhile, Joss Whedon, who created the original series, is not involved in the animated series reboot. According to Deadline, the “proposed series is set in the timeline between the original 2002 television run and its 2005 feature film continuation, Serenity, expanding the universe while preserving continuity with the established lore.”

“The dedication of Firefly fans has kept this 25-year-old show relevant. Clearly, the return of Firefly is something the fans want. More importantly, it’s something they deserve,” Fillion told Deadline.

Worth waiting for

The Firefly animated series announcement brings Fillion’s week-long viral social media campaign to an exciting conclusion with the promise of more space-faring adventures from Captain Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), Zoë Washburne (Gina Torres), Hoban ‘Wash’ Washburne (Alan Tudyk), Inara Serra (Morena Baccarin), Jayne Cobb (Adam Baldwin), Kaylee Frye (Jewel Staite), Dr. Simon Tam (Sean Maher), and River Tam (Summer Glau).

It’s finally happening, Browncoats! How does it feel? There’s nothing quite like waking up with some vindication in your cup. I know so many people who will freak the f**k out over this news. I can’t wait to hear their reactions. Plus, we’ve got some sweet concept art to drool over, which feels like the cherry on top of a sweet, well-deserved sundae.

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What’s The Project About?

The untitled project, previously known as Shiver, has been described as having shades of Tom Cruise’s Edge of Tomorrow and Blake Lively’s The Shallows. It follows a “smuggler (Reeves) trapped in a time loop after a deadly double-cross while on a job in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in him surrounded by bodies, hostile mercenaries and thirsty sharks alike.“

Cooke will play a scientist. The other new additions to the cast include Nicholas Duvernay (The White Lotus), Steven Waddington (Robin Hood), Abraham Popoola (Slow Horses), Bobby Holland Hanton (Now You See Me: Now You Don’t), and Anastasia Safonov (Eternity).

Miller is directing from a script by Ian Shorr (Infinite), with the film now shooting in the Dominican Republic. Massive water tanks are being used for the open sea sequences, with filming later set to move to the U.K.

The film is slated to hit theaters on August 13, 2027.

Keanu Reeves’ Next Projects

Keanu Reeves has a few projects coming up, but the next one will be Outcome, a dark comedy directed by Jonah Hill, which is set to be released on Apple TV on April 10.

The film follows “Reef Hawk (Reeves), a beloved Hollywood star who must dive into the depths of his hidden demons after he is extorted with a mysterious video that’s sure to shatter his image and end his career. With the support of his lifelong friends Kyle (Cameron Diaz) and Xander (Matt Bomer), along with his crisis lawyer Ira (Jonah Hill), Reef embarks on a soul-searching journey to make amends with anyone he could have possibly wronged in hopes of identifying the blackmailer.”

Reeves is also set to return as John Wick in a new video game about the legendary assassin. The single-player third-person game is described as an AAA title for “mature audiences” currently in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The post F1’s Callie Cooke to star alongside Keanu Reeves in time loop action movie from Tim Miller appeared first on JoBlo.

Too Good to Be True?

I know what you’re thinking. We’ve heard this all before. That might be true, but with reboots and reunions being all the rage, doesn’t now feel like the perfect time to get the crew of the Serenity together for a long-awaited reunion? Haven’t we earned this? Have we not been through enough already? Don’t f**k with us, Fillion. My heart can’t take it.

Okay. Just breathe. Anyway. Firefly is a space Western that premiered on Fox in 2002. Scores of fans loved it, but Fox canceled it after only 11 of its 14-episode run. Despite Fox’s best efforts to ruin another great thing, the series endured on home video, leading to a cult-like following for the show created by Joss Whedon. Fans have waited for literal decades for something, anything to happen regarding a Firefly reunion or reboot. Has their ship finally come in?

Fillion Goes Door-to-Door

A few days ago, Fillion began posting a video series on his Instagram of The Rookie and Castle star visiting former Firefly castmates, like Gina Torres, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau. Each clip features Fillion surprising his Firefly co-stars with a pop-in. They instinctively know why he’s there, asking, “Is it time?” Fillion informs them that yes, it’s time. The duo then exchanges a wistful/knowing look before staring into space. It’s actually quite hilarious how the situation escalates with each cast member. Watch the videos. You’ll see.

Now, not to be “that guy,” but it’s important to note that Fillion doesn’t appear in the same shot with any of his Firefly friends, so this may be simply a bit to stir excitement for something simple. Did he really visit them? Does it even matter? Should I shut the hell up and stop pissing on people’s dreams?

The Evidence

Check out the videos below and let us know what you think in the comments:

The post Nathan Fillion Sparks New Hope for a Firefly Reunion With Viral Video Series Visiting Former Castmates appeared first on JoBlo.

It’ll be just about a month to the release of the anticipated adaptation of Project Hail Mary. The film, which is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, has been given the release date of March 20, 2026. Amy Pascal, Gosling, Lord, Miller, Aditya Sood, Rachel O’Connor and Andy Weir are all on board as producers of the film. Drew Goddard wrote the adapted screenplay based on the Andy Weir novel. Weir had also written the novel for The Martian, which served as source material for the Matt Damon film of the same name. Goddard is also set to executive produce with his Goddard Textiles partner Sarah Esberg, along with Ken Kao.

Out of this World Reactions

Early reactions to the sci-fi movie have started to show up all over X and the responses are overwhelmingly positive. The first comes from director Edgar Wright, who raves about the film after seeing it in IMAX, saying, “Was lucky enough to see ‘Project Hail Mary’ on a towering IMAX screen last night. A long overdue big-screen live-action return for @philiplord & @chrizmillr, it’s a dazzling but very human epic. The level of detail in every aspect of the production was awe inspiring, not least the puppetry. I also had warm and fuzzy comparisons to 70’s monastic classics like ‘Silent Running’ and ‘Dark Star’, which is high praise indeed. Drew Goddard delivers an excellent screenplay, Greig Fraser’s work is gorgeous, Gosling is endlessly magnetic and Sandra Huller gets to show her ‘Toni Erdmann’ chops again. It made my head spin thinking about how complicated it would be to make. But saving the universe is no easy task. Go see it huge!”

Another reaction comes from The Holofiles, who posted, “PROJECT HAIL MARY is an extraordinary achievement. The kind of movie that makes you grateful you’re alive at a point in history in which movies are made. Heartfelt doesn’t begin to describe how genuinely moving it is. Ryan Gosling delivers a performance that should be considered for awards come the end of the year. He brings incredible levity and warmth to a film beautiful in its themes and technical achievements. Greig Fraser’s cinematography is gorgeous, Daniel Pemberton’s score is so moving, and Lord and Miller direct their best movie yet. Destined to be one of the best movies of 2026 #ProjectHailMary”

User @imPatrickT was more succinct in his reaction, but praises the film no less, claiming, “PROJECT HAIL MARY is one of the greatest space adventure films of all time. It’s gorgeous, full of heart, and Gosling is spectacular. He gave his all to this one and you’ll be in awe. If you’ve fallen out of love with going to the movies, I promise this one will win you back.”

Film critic Eric Marchen remarked, “PROJECT HAIL MARY: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s must-see space odyssey blasts off as the first great blockbuster of 2026. Out-of-this-world cinematography from Greig Fraser reaches for the stars while anchored by a stellar Ryan Gosling performance. This movie ROCKS!”

The post Reactions to Project Hail Mary hit social media and the talk is that it’s out of this world appeared first on JoBlo.

While we still have a bit of time to go on the anticipated adaptation of Project Hail Mary with Ryan Gosling, we now get confirmation on the movie’s runtime from the British Board of Film Classification. The BBFC has given the upcoming sci-fi film a 12A certificate, which equates to about a PG-13. But the site has also confirmed that Project Hail Mary has a runtime of 156 minutes.

Project Hail Mary details

The film, which is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, has been given the release date of March 20, 2026. Amy Pascal, Gosling, Lord, Miller, Aditya Sood, Rachel O’Connor and Andy Weir are all on board as producers of the film. Drew Goddard wrote the adapted screenplay based on the Andy Weir novel. Weir had also written the novel for The Martian, which served as source material for the Matt Damon film of the same name. Goddard is also set to executive produce with his Goddard Textiles partner Sarah Esberg, along with Ken Kao.

Project Hail Mary was filmed for IMAX. Gosling is joined by Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung and Milana Vayntrub. The synopsis reads, “Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.” In the trailer, we are treated to more interactions between Gosling and the alien lifeform that was teased in the first trailer, including a cute bit about the “fist bump.”

MGM’s Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy said in a statement, “All of us at MGM are incredibly excited by this literal dream team coming together around Andy’s astounding novel. With their masterful ability to balance drama, action, and humor, Phil and Chris are the perfect filmmakers to take on this unique material and we are thrilled to have them partner with Ryan, Ken, Andy, Amy and Aditya to bring this movie to life for big screens everywhere.” Amy Pascal added, “I couldn’t be more excited to be working with this dream team of filmmakers. Mike, Chris, Phil, Ryan, Andy and Aditya are all the best of the best in their fields. I can’t wait to get going on this amazing project with them.”

The post The runtime for Project Hail Mary has been confirmed appeared first on JoBlo.

The long wait is over. The first Star Wars film to be hitting the big screen since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker is on its way. Lucasfilm has just dropped the new trailer to the film The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is the continuing adventures of the mega-popular Disney+ series, The Mandalorian. This time, the trailer showcases a bit more of the story. Din Djarin seeks out the vile gangsters, the Hutts, and he and Grogu will be flying headfirst into harm’s way.

The official synopsis from Disney reads,
“The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu. Directed by Jon Favreau, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu also stars Sigourney Weaver and is produced by Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce, with music composed by Ludwig Göransson.”

As stated by the synopsis, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, who were both instrumental in making the series on Disney+, return to bring the story to the big screen. And Sigourney Weaver joins the fray. There are yet to be further details revealed. “I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created,” Favreau said. “The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting.” Fomer Lucasfilm head, Kathleen Kennedy, added, “Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have ushered into Star Wars two new and beloved characters, and this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen.”

“The Mandalorian has changed his priorities,” Favreau said. “One of the last things we say [in Season 3] is, like, ‘I don’t want to go out there and just be a hired gun. I want to work for the good guys.’” This means that Mando will be working more closely with the New Republic, which includes Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) and Zeb Orrelios. “Now we get to really have fun with him,” Favreau teased. “He’s such a compelling character, even if you’ve never seen Rebels, between the voice, the swagger, and the physical ability.“

The Madalorian and Grogu has also been filmed for IMAX and will be releasing in theaters on May 22, 2026.

What did you think of the trailer? Are you excited?

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It’s interesting to think that Timothée Chalamet and Christopher Nolan have already worked together. Now, it would be a big collaboration, but Chalamet would play the younger incarnation of Tom, the son to Matthew McConaughey’s character in Nolan’s sci-fi film Interstellar. The timeline in Interstellar would jump around as McConaughey travels further from Earth and in one segment, Chalamet would have just a bit of screentime while Casey Affleck would become the older version of the character.

Chalamet’s love for Interstellar

Variety reports that the Marty Supreme star recently interviewed his director at a special screening of Interstellar in IMAX 70mm in Los Angeles. Chalamet would take the time to tell Nolan how much he still loves the film out of all on his resume. Chalamet told the audience,

Though my role is not enormous in Interstellar, I think I was number 12 on the call sheet, this film came to me at a time in life, in my career, where things were certainly not set yet. And it’s remained my favorite project I’ve ever been in. It’s the film I’ve seen the most of, of all the films ever made in human history.”

Chalamet admitted that he “wept for an hour” when first seeing the movie, in addition to discovering that his role was also trimmed down. Chalamet explained to the audience, “This was a script [Nolan’s brother Jonathan] wrote for Steven Spielberg. When I got the part, I googled the project. The original story was about a father and his son, so I thought, ‘Oh man, I made it!’ And then obviously they reworked it and young Tom was a smaller part, but that’s okay.” Nolan would quickly respond with, “Never believe what you read online!”

More on Nolan and Spielberg

Nolan would then explain how Interstellar went from being a Spielberg project to his own. He expounded, “Right after we collaborated on ‘Dark Knight,’ my brother got the job and went to work with Steven. I get to call him Steven. He’s Mr. Spielberg to you. He worked on it for a lot of years. It had incredible ideas and moved through all these different iterations, but until Steven was ready to make it, whatever it is, it never quite got that momentum. Steven went off to do another film, so it became available.”

The post Timothée Chalamet professes his love for Interstellar, telling Christopher Nolan that it’s still his favorite project appeared first on JoBlo.

Update:

Last night during the Super Bowl, Universal debuted a new trailer for Steven Spielberg’s latest sci-fi event film, Disclosure Day. The promo finds the legendary filmmaker exploring our skies, searching among the stars for answers to some of life’s most puzzling questions. While the Super Bowl spot was enough to whet our appetites, commercial time during the biggest game of the year is expensive, so Universal would release a follow-up video the next day, partly to save some bucks. The new promo puts Spielberg front and center, with the iconic filmmaker discussing what inspired the story and its themes in Disclosure Day.

“I’ve always been fascinated with things that cannot be explained,” Spielberg says in the new promo. “When I was just a little kid, I remember developing a real curiosity about the sky at night, and what’s happening up there. And, also, not the possibility, but the guarantee that there is life off this planet,” Spielberg continues.

Original Article:

Steven Spielberg has brought us a couple of the most iconic alien films with Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial. Now the blockbuster maestro has returned to the sci-fi world with a new UFO movie that remained shrouded in secret…until recently. The new movie, Disclosure Day, hints at a day when the secrets of alien life will be revealed to the world. David Koepp wrote the film’s screenplay, based on a story by Spielberg. A few months ago, Universal dropped the first teaser for the film (see it lower in the article), but to mark the Super Bowl, they released a brand new Big Game trailer that’s packed with action and carnage, giving us more of a hint as to what Spielberg might have in store for us.

The official press release reads:

Universal Pictures is proud to release a new original event film created and directed by Steven Spielberg. The film stars SAG winner and Oscar^® nominee Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer, A Quiet Place), Emmy and Golden Globe winner Josh O’Connor (Challengers, The Crown), Oscar^® winner Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, Kingsman franchise), Eve Hewson (Bad Sisters, The Perfect Couple) and two-time Oscar^® nominee Colman Domingo (Sing Sing, Rustin).

Based on a story by Spielberg, the screenplay is by David Koepp, whose previous work with Spielberg includes the scripts for Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Combined, those films earned more than $3 billion worldwide. Koepp also wrote the script for this 2025’s Jurassic World Rebirth.

Disclosure Day is produced by five-time Academy Award^® nominee Kristie Macosko Krieger (The Fabelmans, West Side Story) and by Spielberg for Amblin Entertainment. The executive producers are Adam Somner and Chris Brigham. 

Here’s the first trailer Universal unveiled for Disclosure Day:

At 93 years old, it would be understandable if John Williams elected to step away, but he is set to compose the score for the project. This will mark his 30th collaboration with Spielberg, with the first being The Sugarland Express, all the way back in 1974.

Williams previously hinted that he was considering retiring after he completed his scores for The Fabelmans and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, but he later changed his mind. “I’ll stick around for awhile,” Williams said. “I can’t retire from music. A day without music is a mistake.” He added that his decades-long collaboration with Spielberg was as good a reason as any not to retire. “One thing Steven isn’t is a man you can say no to,” he said.

The post Disclosure Day: Steven Spielberg reveals the inspiration for his top secret UFO film in a new first-look trailer appeared first on JoBlo.

Just before the Super Bowl kicks off, Amazon MGM Studios have launched the premiere of the brand new trailer for the Ryan Gosling astronaut sci-fi movie Project Hail Mary. The film, which is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, has been given the release date of March 20, 2026. Amy Pascal, Gosling, Lord, Miller, Aditya Sood, Rachel O’Connor and Andy Weir are all on board as producers of the film. Drew Goddard wrote the adapted screenplay based on the Andy Weir novel. Weir had also written the novel for The Martian, which served as source material for the Matt Damon film of the same name. Goddard is also set to executive produce with his Goddard Textiles partner Sarah Esberg, along with Ken Kao.

Project Hail Mary was filmed for IMAX. Gosling is joined by Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung and Milana Vayntrub. The synopsis reads, “Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.” In the trailer, we are treated to more interactions between Gosling and the alien lifeform that was teased in the first trailer, including a cute bit about the “fist bump.”

MGM’s Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy said in a statement, “All of us at MGM are incredibly excited by this literal dream team coming together around Andy’s astounding novel. With their masterful ability to balance drama, action, and humor, Phil and Chris are the perfect filmmakers to take on this unique material and we are thrilled to have them partner with Ryan, Ken, Andy, Amy and Aditya to bring this movie to life for big screens everywhere.” Amy Pascal added, “I couldn’t be more excited to be working with this dream team of filmmakers. Mike, Chris, Phil, Ryan, Andy and Aditya are all the best of the best in their fields. I can’t wait to get going on this amazing project with them.”

The post Ryan Gosling and an unlikely ally try to save their planets from extinction in the new trailer for Project Hail Mary appeared first on JoBlo.

The Guyver returns in 4K!

Earlier this week, Wang posted an update to his personal Instagram account, saying a 4K remaster of his fan-favorite sequel, The Guyver: Dark Hero, is coming in 2026. While Wang did not offer any further details, he says the upcoming release comes with bonus material, so allow your brain to chew on that for a while.

In The Guyver: Dark Hero, Sean Barker (David Hayter) is an unwilling host to an alien bio-armor known as the Guyver. In the sequel to 1991’s The Guyver, he must fight the Kronos Corporation again before they discover the secrets of the Guyver’s origin. The film is dark, action-packed, and overflowing with ’90s charm.

Where do you know Steve Wang from?

Steve Wang is a multi-talented gift to the film industry. Most cinephiles know him as a member of the special effects crew for John McTiernan’s Predator, a member of the make-up department for Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes, a special effects technician for Bill & Ted Face the Music, and director on such films as Kung Fu Rascals, Drive, and, of course, Guyver and its sequel, Guyver Dark Hero.

Currently, Wang is an executive producer on the upcoming horror thriller The Crawling, directed by Christian Everhard. In the film, a disgraced cop and his therapist wife escape to a remote cabin to repair their fractured lives. However, their search for peace unravels into paranoia and terror when an unspeakable force begins to tear them apart.

The Guyver is a classic

We’re excited to learn more details about Wang’s 4K remaster of Guyver: Dark Hero. It’s a blast returning to the action films that shaped aspects of your personality and cinematic taste. Perhaps I’ll take a trip to New York to visit my cousin Danny with a copy of the film in hand after it hits shelves. I bet that would blow his mind. I hope he still has his Super Nintendo so I can kick his ass in Street Fighter II again. Ken Masters for the win! Mwuahaha!

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Soon You Will Be Gone and Possibly Eaten

The sci-fi thriller will be directed by Egor Abramenko (Sputnik) from a script by Luke Piotrowski & Ben Collins (Hellraiser). The script is based on a short story by Nick Antosca, creator of Apple TV’s upcoming Cape Fear series. Anton is fully financing the film and handling worldwide rights. Production is set to kick off in spring.

The film follows “Rob and Sabile, a young engaged couple, who head to a secluded mountain resort to take their vows and step into the new chapter of their shared lives. What was planned as a joyous wedding attended by family members takes a different turn when unexpected guests crash the ceremony.“

In a statement, Abramenko said, “I was blown away by Nick Antosca’s short story. From the get-go, it was a very fresh take on the alien genre, which is a really rare thing.“

I really hope they keep the title, and if this were a bigger Hollywood movie, you just know they’d call it Invasion or some shit like that.

Sophie Wilde

Sophie Wilde is best known for starring in Talk to Me, the A24 horror directed by Danny and Michael Philippou that took audiences by storm in 2023. The film follows a group of friends who discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand. They become hooked on the new thrill until one of them goes too far and opens the door to the other world, forcing them to choose who to trust: the dead or the living.

Since then, she’s starred alongside Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson in Babygirl and has joined Tom Cruise in Digger, the highly anticipated film from Alejandro G. Iñárritu, which is set to be released on October 2.

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The first season of Legendary’s MonsterVerse TV series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters ran on Apple TV+ from November 2023 into January 2024 (you can read our own Alex Maidy’s review of the first batch of episodes HERE), and while Godzilla was an important figure in that season, it wrapped up with an episode that indicated Kong might be taking the spotlight if there were to be a follow-up. A few months after the season finale, it was confirmed that Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2 was a sure thing, then filming began in November of 2024. The premiere is set for February 27, 2026 – and with that date swiftly approaching, a very cool trailer has dropped online! You can check it out in the embed above.

Monarch Info

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is the latest chapter in Legendary Entertainment’s MonsterVerse series, which currently consists of Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla vs. Kong, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and the Netflix animated series Skull Island.

The ten episode first season was set after “the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real” (as seen in Godzilla 2014). It tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw, taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga – spanning three generations – reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives. The cast includes Anna Sawai, Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski. Season 2 brings the addition of Prey star Amber Midthunder.

Season 2 will also consist of ten episodes. It will pick up with the fate of Monarch — and the world — hanging in the balance. The dramatic saga reveals buried secrets that reunite our heroes (and villains) on Kong’s Skull Island, and a new, mysterious village where a mythical Titan rises from the sea. The ripple effects of the past make waves in the present day, blurring the bonds between family, friend and foe — all with the threat of a Titan event on the horizon.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters comes our way from Legendary Television. Matt Shakman (WandaVision) directed the first two episodes. Black, Fraction, and Shakman executive produce the series with Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell from Safehouse Pictures, as well as Andy Goddard, Brad Van Arragon, and Andrew Colville. Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character.

Are you looking forward to Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2? Take a look at the trailer, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Stranger Things continues

The main show may have concluded last month, but Netflix’s television phenomenon, Stranger Things, is living on in more incarnations. Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 is an animated chapter, which takes us back in the timeline. The new series is brought to us by showrunner Eric Robles (Glitch Techs, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy) and the Duffer brothers. Netflix has just released a new trailer for the show, which previews new creatures entering Hawkins.

Robles tells Netflix Tudum, “It’s like Hawkins Lab science meets Upside Down matter. When you put them together, those are the kinds of creatures we have in our world.” We also get our first look at Steve Harrington, voiced by Jeremy Jordan (Supergirl, Hazbin Hotel) in the series. The Netflix synopsis reads, “But beneath the ice, something terrifying has awakened. Could it be from the Upside Down? From the depths of Hawkins Lab? Or from somewhere else entirely? Our heroes must race to solve this mystery and save Hawkins in this untold story set in the Stranger Things universe.”

The new adventure begins on April 23 on Netflix.

Details on Tales From ’85

Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 has the following logline: Welcome back to Hawkins in the stark winter of 1985, where the original characters must fight new monsters and unravel a paranormal mystery terrorizing their town in Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, an epic new animated series. The last episode of Stranger Things season 2 took place on December 15, 1984, so this animated series will take place between the second and third seasons, which would allow all of the major characters to participate. The Hollywood Reporter adds that they’re joined by a new character: “Nikki, a tough, mohawk-wearing gal.”

The voice cast includes Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max, Luca Diaz as Mike, Elisha “EJ” Williams as Lucas, Braxton Quinney as Dustin, Benjamin Plessala as Will, and Brett Gipson as Hopper. Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips also voice unspecified characters.

The animation studio is Flying Bark. The Duffer Brothers are executive producing the animated series through their Upside Down Pictures production banner, along with Upside Down’s Hilary Leavitt, and Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen of 21 Laps. Eric Robles executive produces via Flying Bark Productions.

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Writer/director Luke Sparke’s sci-fi horror film Primitive War enjoyed theatrical runs in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland in the second half of 2025 – and now that 2026 has arrived, Variety confirms that Sparke is already developing Primitive War 2, aiming to get the sequel out into the world in 2027!

Primitive War refresher

An adaptation of Ethan Pettus’ sci-fi military book, Primitive War was set during the Vietnam War and features American soldiers facing off with dinosaurs! The story follows an elite recon unit known as the Vulture Squad. In 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War they are sent to an isolated jungle valley to uncover the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon. They soon discover they are not alone. Dinosaurs have been let loose in the jungles. 

Sparke produced Primitive War under his Sparke Films banner, alongside producers Carmel Imrie and Carly Sparke, executive producer Geoff Imrie, and co-producer Alex Becconsall. 

Sequel

Sparke will be writing, directing, and producing Primitive War 2. He provided the following statement: “The first film was about discovery. This is about escalation — what happens when control is lost, when nature adapts faster than military doctrine and when the war itself becomes secondary to what’s been unleashed.” Carmel Imrie, Carly Sparke, executive producer Geoff Imrie, and co-producer Alex Becconsall are also back for the sequel, with Carmel and Geoff Imrie producing through their company, Let It Be Entertainment.

Here’s the official description: Primitive War 2 expands the scope and mythology of the franchise, pushing deeper into the Vietnam conflict zone where 1960’s warfare collides with prehistoric predators. The sequel is positioned as a darker, more intense escalation — and more grounded war epic — continuing the series’ distinctive blend of military realism and survival horror. Set in the aftermath of the original film, Primitive War 2 follows a new U.S. platoon sent into an increasingly unstable valley, where competing kill zones, rival apex predators and secret Cold War agendas converge. As containment collapses, the mission becomes one of survival — and the cost of failure threatens to extend far beyond the battlefield.

Pettus had this to say: “I had a blast watching the first Primitive War film, and I’m excited to see how the sequel goes!“

Are you glad to hear that Primitive War 2 is moving forward? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

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Timur Bekmambetov‘s latest feature Mercy presents an intriguing premise, and justice courtesy of artificial intelligence. Chris Pratt is Detective Chris Raven. After the horrific murder of his wife, Chris finds himself on trial in an A.I. presented courtroom. Rebecca Ferguson portrays Judge Maddox, who rules over a swift, 90 minute trial. It’s up to Chris, his partner “Jaq” (Kali Reis), and his own desperation to clear his name. The film presents a fascinating examination of court proceedings in the age of artificial intelligence, that in some ways, mirrors where we may be heading.

Recently, I had the chance to chat with Chris Pratt and Kali Reis. I’ve spoken to Mr. Pratt quite a few times, and it is always nice to coverse with the man. The duo opened up about working with Mr. Bekmambetov, and finding an on-screen relationship through rehearsal. As well, I asked Chris about working with James Gunn again in future projects together.

Having spoken to Timur in the past before, it was terrrific chatting with the man. Bekmambetov has had experience in tackling online driven projects. As a producer of films like Unfriended: Dark Web, Hardcore Henry, and Searching, he has a bit of history with this kind of production. Here, he’s presenting his take on a sci-fi project, one that really doesn’t seem that out of the realm of possibility.

Mercy opens in theatres this Friday at a theatre near you.

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The writing has been on the wall for a while. There have been rumblings, rumors and hearsay, but yesterday, it was made official that Kathleen Kennedy will step down as the President of Lucasfilm. This has long been expected, and Kennedy has even alluded to it in interviews. She will remain onboard as a producer of several upcoming films, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter, and is expected to pursue other projects outside Lucasfilm as an independent producer. The new President/Chief Creative Officer of Lucasfilm will be Dave Filoni, but he’ll be sharing the role with Lynwen Brennan, who will be Lucasfilm’s new Co-President.

But what happened to the previously announced Star Wars projects?

Although Kennedy is stepping down, there are still some loose ends regarding some Star Wars projects. Deadline interviews Kennedy and asked the burning question about what is happening with the films from such filmmakers as Rian Johnson, James Mangold, Simon Kinberg and Taika Waititi. The former Lucasfilm president addresses,

I’ve got to tread a bit carefully here. Jim Mangold and Beau Willimon wrote an incredible script, but it is definitely breaking the mold and it’s on hold. Taika has turned in a script that I think is hilarious and great. It’s not just my decision, especially when I’ve got a foot out the door. Donald Glover has turned in a script. And as you have read, Steve Soderbergh and Adam Driver turned in a script written by Scott Burns. It was just great. Anything’s a possibility if somebody’s willing to take a risk.”

When the topic of the whereabouts of Rian Johnson’s long-developing trilogy came up, Kennedy explained,

Once he made the Netflix deal and went off to start doing the Knives Out films, that has occupied a huge amount of his time. That’s the other thing that happens here. After Shawn and I started talking about Star Wars, Stranger Things kicks in and he was completely consumed for a while by that. That’s what happened with Rian. And then I do believe he got spooked by the online negativity. I think Rian made one of the best Star Wars movies. He’s a brilliant filmmaker and he got spooked. This is the rough part. When people come into this space, I have every filmmaker and actors say to me, ‘What’s going to happen?’ They’re a little scared.”

When asked about the project that Simon Kinberg is writing and producing, Kennedy updated,

He’s working right now. He wrote something that we read in August, and it was very good, but not there. We’ve pretty much upended the story, and then spent a great deal of time on the treatment, which he finished literally about four weeks ago. And it’s a very detailed treatment, like 70 pages. And so he is expected to give us something in March.”

And when finally asked about any other projects that had been put in motion, Kennedy answered,

We’ve talked about this new trilogy and then the things that you’ve mentioned. Mangold’s is really on the back burner as is Soderbergh’s. I think the ones by Taika and Donald are still somewhat alive. That’s going to really be up to the new team to figure out. Dave, I know that Dave and Lynwen are very much on board with what Simon’s doing, and that would be a new trilogy. In the timeline of things, that takes you well into 2030 plus. So that’s really what’s up next.”

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What Do We Know About Tesseract?

A whole lot of nothing, that’s what. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but it’s said that two other lead roles, both women, are yet to be cast. Esmail will write, direct, and produce through his banner, Esmail Corp.

According to sources, the project is eyeing a summer shoot in London and Hungary.

What Have Sam Esmail and Glen Powell Been Up To?

Esmail most recently directed Leave the World Behind, an apocalyptic psychological thriller starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la, and Kevin Bacon. The story, based on the novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam, follows a family’s getaway to a luxurious rental home that takes an ominous turn when a cyberattack knocks out their devices, and two strangers appear at their door.

He’s currently in post-production on Panic Carefully, which stars Julia Roberts, Elizabeth Olsen, Eddie Redmayne, and Joe Alwyn. Again, plot details are being kept under wraps, but it’s been described as a paranoid thriller involving the hunt for a cyber-terrorist.

As for Powell, he’s been a busy boy. He recently starred in Edgar Wright’s The Running Man (now streaming on Paramount+) and has a handful of other projects coming up. First up is How to Make a Killing, a dark comedy in which he plays a man who was disowned at birth by his obscenely wealthy family. He goes to extreme lengths to reclaim his inheritance, no matter how many relatives stand in his way.

He’s also starring alongside Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), Emma Mackey (Sex Education), and Samuel L. Jackson (The Marvels) in J.J. Abrams’ new movie, which is reportedly titled The Great Beyond. The film reportedly deals with “an author of popular fantasy novels who reveals that the mythical world he’s known for creating is actually real, sending the lead character (Powell) on a quest.” Powell is also in the middle of shooting the second season of Chad Powers. Like I said, busy boy.

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The first season of Legendary’s MonsterVerse TV series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters ran on Apple TV+ from November 2023 into January 2024 (you can read our own Alex Maidy’s review of the first batch of episodes HERE), and while Godzilla was an important figure in that season, it wrapped up with an episode that indicated Kong might be taking the spotlight if there were to be a follow-up. A few months after the season finale, it was confirmed that Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2 was a sure thing, then filming began in November of 2024. The premiere is set for February 27, 2026 – and with that date right around the corner, a new teaser trailer has arrived to show that this season will see the characters having to deal with a new threat that’s “something bigger” than Godzilla and Kong. You can check it out in the embed above.

Monarch Info

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is the latest chapter in Legendary Entertainment’s MonsterVerse series, which currently consists of Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla vs. Kong, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and the Netflix animated series Skull Island.

The ten episode first season was set after “the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real” (as seen in Godzilla 2014). It tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw, taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga – spanning three generations – reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives. The cast includes Anna Sawai, Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski. Season 2 brings the addition of Prey star Amber Midthunder.

Season 2 will also consist of ten episodes. It will pick up with the fate of Monarch — and the world — hanging in the balance. The dramatic saga reveals buried secrets that reunite our heroes (and villains) on Kong’s Skull Island, and a new, mysterious village where a mythical Titan rises from the sea. The ripple effects of the past make waves in the present day, blurring the bonds between family, friend and foe — all with the threat of a Titan event on the horizon.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters comes our way from Legendary Television. Matt Shakman (WandaVision) directed the first two episodes. Black, Fraction, and Shakman executive produce the series with Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell from Safehouse Pictures, as well as Andy Goddard, Brad Van Arragon, and Andrew Colville. Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character.

Are you looking forward to Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2? Take a look at the new teaser trailer, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Although I am perpetually online for my job, I tend to unplug during my off-hours. I often enjoy curling up with a good book, playing Diablo IV with my partner, or building with Legos while trying to catch up on the films and television series I’ve been hoping to watch. In December, something happened that turned my enjoyment of a beloved series upside down. Stranger Things returned to Netflix, and alongside the fabled fifth and final season of the coming-of-age sci-fi series, a cruel fandom I’d yet to encounter emerged from the shadows.

When the algorithm attacks

The final season began with a four-episode launch, reintroducing the main characters, welcoming a few new additions to the cast, and setting the stage for the anticipated showdown with the show’s villain, Vecna. As a byproduct of the show’s return, my social media feeds began to change. Without my typing anything into my phone, Stranger Things poisoned the well. Gone were my updates about the year’s best reads and Top 10 Albums of the Year. Instead, it was Stranger Things with every scroll, a seemingly endless rabbit hole of hot takes, theorycrafting, and armchair analysis.

The display seemed innocent enough at first, if a little aggressive. Seemingly overnight, the algorithm transformed my online respite into a sewer of negativity concerning Stranger Things. As much as I scrolled, there it was, an endless ticker tape of red text, flailing limbs, and wide eyes under furrowed brows. What the hell?

Before I go any further, I’m going to pump the brakes and say that I’m not new to the internet game. I understand how it works. I also support people sharing their opinions online, in all avenues, really. Still, the pattern emerging from a dark corner of the Stranger Things fandom became disturbing. Many posts I’d witnessed offered little in the way of informed critique; instead, they quickly devolved into nightmarish rants about the show’s actors, creative choices, and overall quality.

Again, I understand the desire to exorcise your opinionated demons in the hope of finding like-minded individuals to share your frustration. However, the more I scrolled, fascinated by the content in that way you keep tonguing at a sore tooth, the posts became uglier, crueler, attention-seeking, and dangerous.

“Conformity Gate” stokes the flames

This pattern continued for most of December, with my feed only returning to some semblance of “normal” in the weeks between new episodes. Then the Stranger Things finale dropped, and all hell broke loose. When Stranger Things ended, it was as if all the monsters came out from under the bed, their fangs dripping with gore at the thought of posting their latest takedown of the show.

Rather than celebrating the conclusion of Stranger Things, people who’d been sharing harmful content became conspiracy theorists, thanks to the rumor of a ninth episode in the series, which they dubbed “Conformity Gate.” According to the perpetrators of this lie, this mysterious ninth episode would “fix” the Stranger Things finale by altering the ending, introducing a higher body count, and revising aspects of the show’s effects and overall visual style.

Predictably, the additional episode, allegedly set for release on January 7, never materialized. Rather than tuck tail and accept defeat, “Conformity Gate” enthusiasts doubled down, saying the episode would instead air on January 12. Does anyone remember the Reasonabilists from Parks and Recreation? Is Vecna the new Zorp the Surveyor? Anyway. January 12 is tomorrow. Will “Conformity Gate” arrive on the streaming network? An army of TikTokers and Instagram influencers think so. In fact, many claimed to have “cracked the code,” saying they had already seen the episode that was going to blow people’s minds.

Negative actions breed negative consequences

Beyond “Conformity Gate,” a portion of the Stranger Things fandom is reaching Star Wars levels of toxicity by targeting the actors and creators of the show, both online and in person. Recently, David Harbour, who plays Jim Hopper in Stranger Things, exited Tony Gilroy’s Behemoth! feature mid-production, citing Stranger Things stress as one of the reasons he’s stepping away from the project. Meanwhile, people online continue to target Millie Bobby Brown, spreading rumors about her appearance, and ignoring her pleas for privacy. Did we not learn anything from the trials of Star Wars actor Jake Lloyd?

Stepping away from the soapbox

I’m not here to tell anyone how to conduct themselves online. However, despite a lack of lasting consequences (for most), there remains a high mental price for actions that breed negativity. When you make the sort of content that attacks the creators of shows like Stranger Things, you’re affecting real people. Imagine working on something for nearly a decade, only to have people make it their personal mission to hate it, then recruit others to join in the dog pile. When the pittance you make from generating negativity clears in your bank account, remember that it was generated by making others miserable, pooping on the party, and possibly planting the seeds for worse behavior. The world is ugly enough without us going to great lengths to reopen scars. You get one shot at this, be the reason people celebrate and smile. Nurture your fandoms, and remember the joy you felt throughout the journey.

The post The Dark Side of the Upside Down: Why Did the Final Season of Stranger Things Polarize Fans So Much? appeared first on JoBlo.

Hawke hilariously misleads a Stranger Things fan

“Somebody came up to me and asks me — I just heard this today — who was gonna die,” Hawke explained. “And I didn’t tell them, but I gave them some obscure hints, and they took my obscure hints and they placed a bet with a lot of money on my hints and they lost it all.”

“Oh my gosh,” Fallon replied while covering his face with his hands. “That’s a tough lesson to learn.”

Continuing to talk about the situation, Hawke explained, “I was like, ‘This is not how we should be running our economy! Predicting random events on television shows!”

Why did people assume Stranger Things 5 would have a high death toll?

Before Stranger Things Season 5 debuted on Netflix, fans obsessed over which character would survive the final conflict with Vecna and his Demogorgon army. Many fans convinced themselves that the Duffers would kill off several characters based on the cast’s reactions during an emotional table read of the final episode. With little to no context, a select group of fans assumed that tears equaled death, rather than the cast getting emotional because their time together was coming to an end.

Which characters were most likely to perish?

Among the characters that fans believed would perish in the final season were Joe Keery’s Steve Harrington and Maya Hawke’s character Robin Buckley.

“I think it’s just that people were sick of hearing me talk so much and they were hoping that Vecna would just, you know,” Hawke teased on The Tonight Show, mimicking a cutting gesture across her neck.

I can’t help but take satisfaction in knowing that someone lost “a lot” of money by betting on the wrong horses for a Stranger Things death race. While some members of the Stranger Things fandom are enthusiastic and appreciative of the show’s efforts to entertain, others are toxic beyond reason, poisoning the well with their far-fetched theories, click-chasing TikToks, and outright lies. Do better, friends.

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Director Gore Verbinski was riding high for a while. He got his feature career started with Mouse Hunt and the Brad Pitt / Julia Roberts movie The Mexican, then followed his hit remake of The Ring with a trilogy of Pirates of the Caribbean movies (and dropping an underrated Nicolas Cage movie into the mix along the way). Things got bumpy the animated movie Rango was followed by The Lone Ranger, one of the biggest box-office bombs of all time. He brought us the psychological thriller A Cure for Wellness in 2017… and nothing since. He’s had a number of projects in the works, but they never moved forward. He was attached to a live-action adaptation of Bioshock for many years before the project was shelved and was also in talks to direct the Gambit movie starring Channing Tatum. One of the last projects Verbinski was said to be working on was an adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s The Sandkings for Netflix, but we haven’t heard any updates on the project for a while. Thankfully, he did finally manage to get one project into production: the mind-bending sci-fi adventure Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die. The film is aiming for a February 13, 2026 theatrical release and promises to be completely unhinged. Today, a trailer has dropped online to give us a hint of just how crazy the movie is, and you can watch it in the embed above.

Cast and Synopsis

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die follows a man who claims to be from the future and takes the patrons of an iconic Los Angeles diner hostage in search of unlikely recruits in a quest to save the world. Sam Rockwell (JoJo Rabbit, Iron Man 2) stars alongside Haley Lu Richardson (The Edge of Seventeen, The White Lotus), Michael Peña (Narcos: Mexico, Jack Ryan), Zazie Beetz (Joker, Deadpool 2), and Juno Temple (Ted Lasso, Venom: The Last Dance). The screenplay written by Matthew Robinson, who co-wrote The Invention of Lying with Ricky Gervais and Love and Monsters with Brian Duffield.

Early reactions to the film have been very positive, so I’m looking forward to seeing it. It has been given an R rating for pervasive language, violence, some grisly images and brief sexual content.

Are you glad to have a new Gore Verbinski movie to look forward to? Check out the trailer for Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

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What is the “Conformity Gate” episode supposedly about?

According to online speculation, “Conformity Gate” would retcon “undesirable” plot points from the show’s final episode, including a reveal that Vecna/Henry (Jamie Campbell Bower) did not actually die and was controlling what viewers had seen as the ending in a fourth-wall-breaking experience. “Conformity Gate” rumors continue to spread rapidly on social media, particularly on TikTok, where Stranger Things fans, influencers, and sensationalists insist the episode exists. Some even posted footage of them watching the episode early, claiming the bonus episode “fixes” what was “wrong” with the finale.

How did the “Conformity Gate” rumor get started?

Rumors about the bonus episode began when a video was shared by the Stranger Things official TikTok page, featuring Hawkins science teacher Mr. Clarke (Randy Havens) standing in front of a clock set to 1:07. Groan. I shouldn’t let this bother me, but is this where we’re at with this sort of thing? I understand not wanting the show to be over (I’m more than okay with letting it go), but going so far as to disrespect the ending that the Duffer Brothers and everyone involved worked so hard to create is wild to me. While the finale might not be everything you wanted, what happened to judging something for what it is rather than what you wanted it to be? I know we’re all guilty of skirting that line from time to time, but in the case of Stranger Things, the show went above and beyond to entertain you for almost a decade. Let it rest.

The final episode of Stranger Things is currently streaming on Netflix, with a new documentary, titled One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things, arriving on January 12. Don’t worry, the documentary is real. Huzzah!

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Background

Kosinski will be directing the film from a screenplay written by Zach Baylin, whose credits include The Order and King Richard (for which Baylin earned an Oscar nomination). Bruckheimer will, obviously, be producing.

Deadline previously revealed that David Grusch, “a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer and Pentagon whistleblower who gained attention in 2023 for his claims about the U.S. government’s involvement in unidentified aerial phenomena research,” is on board as an executive producer and consultant. They went on to note, Once a niche, easy-to-dismiss topic, UAPs (formerly known as UFOs) have moved from the fringes of conspiracy theories into mainstream discussion in recent years, largely due to declassified military footage and government acknowledgment. Part of this shift in perception came with 2017 reporting from the New York Times that revealed the existence of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, a group at the Pentagon tasked with investigating UAPs. In subsequent years, the U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed the authenticity of several declassified Navy videos showing fast-moving objects that pilots could not identify. Congressional hearings in 2022 and 2023 further legitimized the topic, with intelligence officials emphasizing national security concerns. Grusch himself spoke out in 2023, asserting that the U.S. government had been secretly recovering and studying non-human craft, which of course sparked even more public interest.

The film is said to be a large-scale conspiracy thriller about two men working in national security who uncover a secret program to recover and reverse-engineer crashed UAPs.

Science Fact

During an interview on Deadline’s podcast Behind the Lens with Pete Hammond, Kosinski said (with thanks to The Playlist for the transcription), “I’ve got something I’m working on with Jerry Bruckheimer about these UAPs, these unidentified aerial phenomena. So we’re working with two people who are at the very center of the topic. So, you know, the conversations with them are just fascinating. Zach Baylin‘s writing the script right now. It’s a very exciting project, and trying to get that ready as soon as possible. … You think it’s science fiction, but I think we’re finding out it’s science facts. So that’s what the film is about, and I think it’s one of those things that everyone will want to go see.“

Since it’s taking a “science fact” approach, it’s not surprising to see that Kosinski and Bruckheimer aren’t flinching from this project, even though Steven Spielberg has an event movie called Disclosure Day coming to theatres. The recently released teaser trailer made it clear that one’s going the “science fiction” route.

In addition to this UFO disclosure film and the potential Top Gun 3, Kosinski might make an F1 sequel and is gearing up to make a Miami Vice movie, which he hopes to get Michael Mann involved with in some capacity. During the Behind the Lens conversation, Kosinski confirmed that he has already been in contact with Mann.

Are you looking forward to Joseph Kosinski’s “science fact” UFO disclosure movie? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

The post Joseph Kosinski says his UFO disclosure film is science fact, not science fiction appeared first on JoBlo.

When Will The X-Files Start Streaming on Pluto TV?

The X-Files will start streaming on Pluto TV on January 1. The series will be available on demand, but there will also be a dedicated 24/7 linear channel, which will kick off by running through the entire series chronologically, followed by curated weekend marathons.

Pluto TV already has a handful of dedicated sci-fi channels, including ones focusing on Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Stargate, and Doctor Who, so The X-Files should fit right in.

What is The X-Files?

Created by Chris Carter, The X-Files is a sci-fi series that follows FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) as they investigate unsolved cases involving paranormal and unexplained phenomena.

At its peak, the show was a full-blown phenomenon, expertly balancing standalone “monster-of-the-week” episodes with an expansive mythology centered on a shadowy government conspiracy to conceal the truth about alien life and its plans for humanity. Memorable characters, genuinely creepy monsters, and the electric chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson helped cement The X-Files as a pop-culture landmark.

The series premiered on Fox in 1993 and ran for nine seasons before concluding in 2002. A feature-length film was released in 1998, with The X-Files: I Want to Believe arriving in theaters in 2008. The franchise was later revived for two additional seasons, which aired in 2016 and 2018.

Ryan Coogler is Developing a New X-Files Series

I’ve always loved The X-Files, so I’ve been very curious to see what Ryan Coogler does with the concept. The Black Panther director has been developing a reboot of the series, and now that Sinners is out of the way, it’s expected to be his next project.

Much like the original series, Coogler recently confirmed that the reboot will feature both standalone and myth-arc episodes. “It wouldn’t be X-Files if we didn’t do both,” he said. “We intend on having both monsters of the week and also the overarching conspiracy.” There have been rumblings that Danielle Deadwyler (Till) may be in talks to play one of the leads, but when asked about it, Coogler laughed and said, “I can neither confirm or deny.“

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Trancers Refresher

The Trancers franchise dates back to the pre-Full Moon days, but all of the sequels were Full Moon releases. It began with the first Trancers in 1984, which happens to be one of my favorite Christmas movies. Tim Thomerson took on the role of Jack Deth, a police trooper from the 23rd century who specialized in hunting down trancers, people who were turned into violent, mindless “zombies” by a psychic villain. Deth had to travel back in time to ’84 to bring that villain to justice… but even though that bad guy was defeated, different variations of trancers kept popping up, giving Deth reason to come back for Trancers II: The Return of Jack Deth (1991), Trancers III: Deth Lives (1992), Trancers 4: Jack of Swords (1994), Trancers 5: Sudden Deth (1995), and Trancers 6 (2002). Thomerson played Jack Deth in all of the sequels except Trancers 6, where Zette Sullivan stepped in as his daughter Jo Deth. There’s also a 20 minute short film called Trancers: City of Lost Angels, which was shot in the ’80s but not released until 2013.

Trancers 4 and 5

Trancers 4: Jack of Swords has the following synopsis: Jack is back to the future. While heading out for another assignment, something goes wrong with the TCL chamber. Jack finds himself in a whole new, more dangerous dimension. He also runs across a different version of trancers. These creeps have total control of this new planet and Jack agrees to assist a rebel group known as the “Tunnel Rats” to crush the rule of the evil Lord Calaban. The dimension-hopping story continues in Trancers 5: Sudden Deth, where the iconic Jack Deth finds himself once more lost in – and running out of – time and desperately trying to find his way home from the evil interdimensional world of Orpheus, where magic works and the trancers are the ruthless ruling class. Thomerson was joined in the cast of these films by Stacie Randall, Ty Miller, Terri Ivens, Mark Arnold, Clabe Hartley, Alan Oppenheimer, Lochlyn Munro, and Stephen Macht.

David Nutter directed the films from screenplays by Peter David – and now, with Trancers: The Whole Dethly Affair, “Get ready for the ULTIMATE Trancers experience with this newly re-edited “master cut” of director David Nutter’s TRANCERS 4 and TRANCERS 5, remixed into one mega movie!“

Discounting opening titles and end credits, the original version of Trancers 4 ran for 69 minutes, while Trancers 5 only managed to fit 62 minutes between its opening titles, a recap of what happened in 4, and end the credits, so I have always felt like these movies would have been better off being combined into one movie. Now, Full Moon has given an official version of that combo. Trancers: The Whole Dethly Affair has a running time of 135 minutes.

Will you be watching Trancers: The Whole Dethly Affair? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Neither Bones nor Sulu appears in Strange New Worlds until their Season 5 debut. Their arrival serves as a timestamp for the OG timeline, rounding out the Enterprise crew before Kirk takes command.

How much more Strange New Worlds can we expect?

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was renewed by Paramount+ in June for a six-episode arc, capping the fan-favorite series at five action-packed seasons. Premiere dates for seasons 4 and 5 remain a mystery. However, if you’re jonesing for some Strange New Worlds goodness, the first three seasons are available to stream on Paramount+ right now.

Expect fewer “outlier” episodes going forward

Speaking with ScreenRant, co-showrunner Akiva Goldsman said we can expect fewer outliers in the show’s final two seasons.

“I think that it’s fair to say – as we come to the end of the show, because we’re making season 5 now – that we’re trending towards that, which is probably the center line of Star Trek,” he said. “We’re trending now, beginning with season 4 and through season 5 to a much more singular sci-fi, action-adventure with emotional storytelling. The outliers are getting fewer and fewer as we focus on saying goodbye to each other and the fans.“

That’s not to say season 4 will be all serious, as we already know a puppet-themed episode is on the way.

These episodes divide the fanbase, partly because they comprise a significant portion of the season. With only ten episodes per year, even two or three experimental installments can feel like a lot — particularly if you’re not sold on the creative gamble the writers are making that week.

Who stars in Strange New Worlds Season 4?

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 stars Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia, Babs Olusanmokun, and Martin Quinn, along with guest star Carol Kane and special guest star Paul Wesley.

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Sigourney Weaver and James Cameron reunite again for another Avatar film with Avatar: Fire and Ash finally hitting the gigantic screens this week. Our Chris Bumbray revealed in his review that “Much of the movie revolves around both Lo’ak and his adopted sister, Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), coming into their own as the war on Pandora intensifies, not only with the humans, but also with a dangerous tribe called the Ash People. […] To be sure, not all of Avatar: Fire and Ash works. A potential romance between Kiri and Spider is hinted at, but it’s a little strange given that they are essentially brother and sister. […] Cameron still seems engaged by the material, and it’s bound to be another hugely successful crowd-pleaser (an Aliens callback involving Weaver’s Kiri will no doubt get a lot of cheers).”

Weaver on the R-rated cut of Galaxy Quest

According to Deadline, Weaver recently sat down with Vanity Fair for a video interview and talked about another beloved sci-fi film she’s known for. No, it’s not Alien. It’s the family film that pays homage to Star Trek — Galaxy Quest. In Galaxy Quest, Weaver plays an actress who is only utilized for her bombshell good looks, as her role on both the show and the ship doesn’t quite explore much more depth to her character. Weaver told Vanity Fair how she related to this role over her role in Alien. Weaver explained, “I wanted to play a young woman in that world of stardom, who wants so much to be a star and who, because she’s beautiful and bosomy and blonde, no one takes very seriously — not even the commander. And I felt great compassion and sisterhood with Gwen and Tawny [the fictional character she plays in the world of Galaxy Quest].”

Weaver is known for being frustrated with the last-minute change of editing Galaxy Quest down from an R-rated comedy to a PG-rated family film. She would state,

I wish they put out a director’s cut of the movie because, at the last minute, DreamWorks decided to release the movie with some of the more sophisticated scenes cut that Alan [Rickman] was in because it needed a kids’ movie to go up against [Columbia Pictures’] Stuart Little. And why they don’t put out the movie again with more of his very, very strange and wonderful scenes?”

Weaver on a Galaxy Quest sequel

Galaxy Quest didn’t hit big at the box office, but it did catch on later on the home video market, and the film would finally find its audience. The burning question for a film like this would be, do they capitalize on it with a sequel? Weaver discusses one that didn’t generate enough momentum. She explained, “[Co-writer] Bob Gordon had written a second one, and he wouldn’t give it to DreamWorks because he just felt they’d missed the boat on ours. And so we always meant to do a sequel, and then with Alan passing away, we just lost heart. But it was a great privilege to do this love letter to actors.”

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What We Thought About Avatar: Fire and Ash

Our Chris Bumbray had a fantastic time with Avatar: Fire and Ash, even if the story beats are starting to wane. He says in his review, “Yet, as always with this series, I had a good time, as the lengthy running time races by, and the immersive tech really does make you feel like you’re part of this world. Cameron still seems engaged by the material, and it’s bound to be another hugely successful crowd-pleaser (an Aliens callback involving Weaver’s Kiri will no doubt get a lot of cheers). Some think the audience’s thirst for Avatar may run out someday, but Cameron has been wise in the way he’s refused to allow the studio to spin off any element of his world, keeping the franchise feeling fresh. If there’s an Avatar 4and 5, I’ll be there.” You can read his full review HERE.

What James Cameron Said About the First Avatar Saga

According to James Cameron, he doesn’t think of Avatar: Fire and Ash as a sequel, but a culmination of the Avatar saga. This term seems fitting, as Cameron has spent decades working on the Avatar franchise. After so much time, projects evolve, becoming part of something larger than just another chapter in a larger story.

“I think you’ve got a little bit of experience with sequels and how you have to deliver beyond the audience’s expectation, take them from the familiar to the new each time,” Cameron explained. “I don’t think of Fire and Ash as a sequel. I think it was a culmination of a saga. I like ‘saga’ better than ‘sequel’ because a lot of where we were going with the story was in the original architecture of the story. So if you think of this as the third act, I think that’s healthier. As opposed to a typical Hollywood sequel, where they make a bunch of money with a movie and then they’re like, ‘Oh, crap. We’ve got to scramble around and get a new script. Maybe it’s not so good, but let’s just shoot it and get it out there.’ That’s not what we’re doing here at all. It’s a long game. And I went into it knowing that we’d be playing a long game and betting that the audience would come along with us and care about these people. Because they may be 10 feet tall and blue, but they’re people.”

Avatar 4 is slated to hit theaters in 2029, followed by Avatar 5 in 2031. However, Cameron is ready to call it quits if needed. “I have no doubt in my mind that this movie will make money,” he said. “The question is, does it make enough money to justify doing it again?” If not, Cameron is “absolutely” ready to set the franchise aside if there’s no more demand for sequels.

Cameron told io9 that films four and five are “It’s own saga. It’s got a beginning and a middle and an end that plays out across these two films. They’re vaporware right now.”

You already know what we think about Avatar: Fire and Ice, but what do you think about the film? Will you see the movie over the holiday break? Will you see it more than once? How many more Avatar films do you think Cameron has left in him? Let us know in the comments section below.

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