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Arrowhead Game Studios’ Helldivers 2 is undoubtedly one of the most popular games in the world right now. In the game, players play as Super Earth’s strongest soldiers, known as Helldivers, and fight against three deadly factions: Terminid, Automaton, and Illuminate. The game’s concept is one of the main reasons behind its success, but what inspired Arrowhead to develop a game like this?

Helldivers 2 is also inspired by classics like Starship Troopers and Robocop (Image via Arrowhead Game Studios)

The lead writer of the game once revealed that he is a fan of classic dystopian films that inspired the game, but no one expected him to name a critical and commercial failure like Equilibrium. The movie featured some heavy hitters but turned out to be a complete disappointment.

The lead writer of Helldivers 2 revealed that 2002’s Equilibrium was the inspiration behind the game

Arrowhead Game Studios’ Helldivers 2, one of...

About a year and a half ago, word leaked out that Maggie Gyllenhaal was set to write and direct a film called The Bride!, a new take on the concept of the 1935 classic The Bride of Frankenstein (watch it Here). Once thought to be set up at the Netflix streaming service, this one is actually happening at Warner Bros., and the studio has set the film for a theatrical release, IMAX screens included, on October 3, 2025. Gyllenhaal has assembled a strong cast for the film that includes Penelope Cruz, Annette Bening, Peter Sarsgaard, Julianne Hough, John Magaro, Jeannie Berlin, and her brother Jake Gyllenhaal, with Jessie Buckley as The Bride and Christian Bale as Frankenstein’s Monster. Magaro is currently doing press for the film September 5, where he shares the screen with Sarsgaard, and he told The Hollywood Reporter that The Bride! is wild, fun, and bonkers – and also compared it to some classic films.

Putting a dystopian future on the big screen was nothing new in the early 2000s, especially when set in the realm of science-fiction. But making it work also within the action genre is a monumental ask. Really, how often did an all-out action flick want to make its viewers think…especially when the plot revolves around thinking be illegal.

But Kurt Wimmer gave it a go with Equilibrium, which wondered what the world might look like under a totalitarian rule…if there was a lot of gunplay involved. Brushed aside by the studio, critics and moviegoers, Equilibrium has gone on to become a minor cult favorite (including here on JoBlo), something Wimmer could have never seen coming…Just don’t go comparing it to The Matrix in front of him…

So, take off your thinking cap and load up your pistols as we find out: Wtf Happened to This Movie?...

The Batman franchise welcomed Anne Hathaway into its universe when she played Catwoman in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. Nolan’s last Batman movie was the only time she sported the outfit. But the director was so impressed by her performance that he felt audiences should’ve seen more of her.

What Christopher Nolan had to say about Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman performance Anne Hathaway | Frederic J. Brown/Getty Images

Hathaway managed to impress Nolan with her interpretation of Catwoman since their first audition. Initially, however, Hathaway had prepared to test for a completely different character than Selina Kyle. She was under the impression she was auditioning for Harley Quinn.

“I came in and I had this lovely Vivian Westwood kind of beautiful but mad-tailoring top with stripes going everywhere,” Hathaway once said in an interview with BBC Radio 1. “And I wore these flat Joker-y looking shoes.

Director Maggie Gyllenhaal revives the iconic Bride of Frankenstein this fall in upcoming feature film The Bride! In an interview with THR, actor John Magaro (Overlord) reveals new details on the film, teasing that audiences are in for a “wild, fun ride.”

Originally set for release on October 3, The Bride! will now release on September 26, 2025.

The upcoming film “sees a lonely Frankenstein travel to 1930s Chicago to seek the aide of a Dr. Euphronius in creating a companion for himself. The two reinvigorate a murdered young woman and the Bride is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the attention of the police and a wild and radical social movement.”

Christian Bale is Frankenstein’s Monster, with Jessie Buckley as the titular Bride. The Bride! will also star Penelope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, and Magaro, who might have September 5 costar Peter Sarsgaard to...

September 5 star John Magaro knows he’s had a charmed run the last five years, but his Cleveland-area upbringing won’t let him get too comfortable.

Ever since his Carol director, Todd Haynes, endorsed his casting to First Cow filmmaker Kelly Reichardt in 2018, Magaro has been working like there’s no tomorrow. You can currently find him on the big screen in Tim Fehlbaum’s September 5, as well as on the small screen in the George Clooney-produced series, The Agency. He also has two films on the festival circuit this year before he’s set to appear in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! this fall. If that wasn’t enough, he just wrapped The Mastermind, his third movie with Reichardt in the last handful of years.

Magaro’s work ethic is a byproduct of growing up in Northeast Ohio, a region that’s “used to disappointment,” as he once put it.

Before Neil Gaiman became the boss-level storyteller behind The Sandman, he was sneaking his creative genius into some of the coolest fandoms around. Marvel? Yep, he had a hand in that. Doctor Who? Absolutely. Back when he wasn’t a fantasy heavyweight, Gaiman was low-key making waves in universes fans couldn’t get enough of.

Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself | Instagram)

From crafting niche comic arcs to writing episodes that stuck with you, he was already proving he had the magic touch.

From Marvel to The Sandman: Neil Gaiman’s legacy and troubling allegations A still from Netflix’s The Sandman (2022) | Credits: DC Entertainment

Neil Gaiman may’ve achieved mainstream fame with Netflix’s The Sandman, but his storytelling journey spans decades, touching Marvel, Doctor Who, and beyond.

Before Dream and Death graced our screens, Gaiman left his mark on Marvel with Marvel Knights: Eternals, an animated series that preceded the big-screen adaptation.

It began with the spark of a candle in 1941 related to the Max Fleischer Superman cartoons. Wait, a comic book genre?! No one was certain what to think about pages coming to life. The comic book genre has been under siege during "Awards Season" since 1978 when Christopher Reeve made the world believe a man could fly.

Recently, a different Bat signal had been emblazoned across Hollywood's sky, and it is solid gold. Can we stop hating on this genre now?

It probably won't happen as long as people like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Roland Emmerich, and David Cronenberg are helming Hollywood. They're so influential and vociferous against the comic book genre that it tends to make the award bureaus reconsider a person acting in spandex really isn't "acting." As if cosplay doesn't involve imagination.

And so, hate continues against any visual entertainment from comic books and graphic novels.

In the layered and complicated history of DC’s live-action film industry, one of the most iconic films to ever come into existence was Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. Spanning the eras of birth, evolution, and death, the three films rewrote DC history through the enigmatic lens of Nolan’s visionary saga.

Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight in Batman Begins [Credit: Warner Bros.]

But for every great creation, there also exists an antithesis that argues against everything that a work stands for. Nolan’s Dark Knight saga too came under fire for representing a worldview that was deemed problematic by some fans. Although art is always up for interpretation and exploration, fans can often lend the wrong meaning to a project, thus ruining its central message and making it divisive among fans, as a result.

Christopher Nolan’s Batman saga becomes divisive The Dark Knight Rises [Credit: Warner Bros.]

After the resounding bomb of the 1997 George Clooney film,...

Christopher Nolan, a revolutionary filmmaker, who has created cinematic masterpieces like Inception, Oppenheimer and The Dark Knight Trilogy, is now set on his most ambitious project yet. His upcoming film, The Odyssey, is an adaptation of ancient Greek poet Homer’s epic poem with a staggeringly high budget.

Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer | Credits: Universal Pictures

Nolan is known to use practical effects over computer-generated imagery. Hence, justifying the high cost of production and the ultra-realistic feel of his films. Moreover, with Universal Pictures backing the project, fans have high expectations from this bold cinematic endeavor, set to release on July 17, 2026.

Is The Odyssey too high of a risk for Universal Pictures? Christian Bale as Batman | Credits: Warner Bros.

Universal Pictures and Christopher Nolan’s previous collaboration, Oppenheimer, was both a critical and commercial success, grossing over $900 million worldwide with a production cost of $100 million according to IMDb. With The Odyssey,...

Samuel L. Jackson spoilers Nick Fury return (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Samuel L. Jackson might’ve just let the Marvel cat out of the bag—and he didn’t even blink. Chatting on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he casually mentioned juggling Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Marvels, and Secret Invasion at the same time. No biggie, just another day as Nick Fury!

“When I was in London just now, it was like Ant-Man and Captain Marvel 2 was happening, and we were getting ready to do Secret Invasion,” Jackson said. “So it’s like three Marvel movies on one lot. I was running around from place to place.”

Three Marvel projects? On the same lot? This guy’s Marvel’s personal superhero speedrunner. But here’s the real twist: We knew Fury would make a splash in The Marvels (Jackson already leaked that on Instagram).

Trending Angelina Jolie’s Kids...

Matt Damon Almost Played Daredevil (Photo Credit – Koimoi)

Before Ben Affleck rocked the red suit in Daredevil (2003), Matt Damon had the chance to play the blind vigilante himself—and he passed. Damon almost took the role of ultimately making Affleck the king of Hell’s Kitchen. Daredevil was their comic of choice as kids, but when the casting call came, Damon had second thoughts.

“For us, it was always ‘Daredevil’ — that’s the comic we read when we were kids,” he said. But, when push came to shove, Damon bailed. “I hadn’t seen the director [Mark Steven Johnson’s] work, and I didn’t know. So I just said, ‘No.’ Ben was like, ‘I gotta do it.’”

Let’s pause for a moment. Daredevil with Damon? A whole other multiverse of people. But instead, Damon dodged the spandex bullet while Affleck took on the role, starring in a flick...

Cillian Murphy On Losing Batman (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Imagine a world where Cillian Murphy, not Christian Bale, was Gotham’s brooding protector. Well, that almost happened. Murphy was in the running for the role of Batman in Christopher Nolan’s iconic trilogy, but fate (and probably some serious physical requirements) had other ideas. In a GQ interview, Murphy opened up about almost taking the role and the surprising reason he thinks it was for the best.

Despite his serious acting chops, Murphy never thought he was the right guy for Batman. “Yes, I think it was for the best because we got Christian Bale’s performance, which is a stunning interpretation of that role,” he alluded. And here’s where it gets real—Murphy wasn’t just being humble. He straight-up didn’t see himself as the physical specimen needed for the job.

“I never considered myself as the right physical specimen for Batman,...

2025 marks the 25th anniversary of director Mary Harron’s Bret Easton Ellis adaptation American Psycho (watch it Here), which has come to be known as a cult classic – and for a while, news reports made it seem that, as an anniversary gift, we’d be getting an American Psycho remake from director Luca Guadagnino, whose credits include Challengers, Call Me By Your Name, Bones and All, Queer, and the Suspiria remake. Guadagnino reportedly signed on to direct the film from a screenplay by Scott Z. Burns (Contagion) back in October, and in December we heard that Austin Butler (Elvis) and Jacob Elordi (Saltburn) were being considered for the lead role of Patrick Bateman, the character who was played by Christian Bale in Harron’s film. But then, Ellis said on his podcast that he thought the remake talk was “fake news” and that deals hadn’t even been secured with Guadagnino or Burns yet.

Armie Hammer To Return To Spotlight With New The Dark Knight Film? ( Photo Credit – Flickr )

The Dark Knight is set to return, but not the one fans of Batman might expect. According to People Magazine, German filmmaker Uwe Boll has announced his upcoming crime-thriller, sharing the same iconic title, with Armie Hammer cast in the lead role as a crime-fighting vigilante. The casting decision has sparked intense discussions, with debates on whether this first major role since Hammer’s fall from grace will rehabilitate his career or tarnish his reputation.

The Social Network star, who once enjoyed a promising career, has been facing severe vitriol all over social networking spaces following multiple allegations of misconduct — including accusations of r*pe, physical abuse, and cannibalistic fantasies — that surfaced against him in 2021. Though prosecutors in Los Angeles dropped the charges in 2023, his media image among film lovers and online audiences remains heavily scrutinized.

Christopher Nolan. The name alone sends shivers down the spine of movie buffs. From perplexing plots to flabbergasting visuals, Nolan’s flicks set the bar for storytelling.

His blend of gripping plots and deep themes? Unmatched. And those box office numbers? A staggering $6 billion. Yeah, the success speaks for itself.

We have seen that 2023 was a golden year for him. Oppenheimer, the historical thriller about the creation of the atomic bomb, shattered records and became a cultural moment. But did you know it’s only his third highest-grossing Nolan film? That’s the magic of the British filmmaker.

Christopher Nolan

He weaves mind-bending tales that dive deep into life’s big questions—yet somehow, everyone still shows up. Hard to believe, but Nolan pulls it off every time.

Chris got a way of doing things that no one else can match. Come along for a tempest ride through his films,...

In the realm of anime, it is safe to say that no one can beat Hayao Miyazaki’s works. The Japanese filmmaker and chairman of Studio Ghibli has been dropping hit after hit for as long as the anime community can remember, and his projects are not only popular in Japan. He has a global fan following, and one of the main reasons behind it is that the dubs of his movies are as spectacular as the subs.

Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away | Credit: Studio Ghibli

The comparison between dub and sub has been an age-old debate, and the only one who is safe from it is Miyazaki and his anime movies. His dubs and subs are almost equal in comparison, and they are true to the core message that he tries to portray through his work. Aside from that, they also work because they feature some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

Challengers director Luca Guadagnino has publicly cast doubt on rumours he’s connected to an American Psycho remake.

Normally, when a movie star like Austin Butler gets added to your project, you’d imagine that such a prized acting talent would be the launchpad for all systems to start firing. Unless the project is Heat 2 of course, which Butler is rumoured to be starring in and which is said to be having a few difficulties getting off the ground.

Or American Psycho, it seems, given that since the announcement regarding Butler’s involvement became public, two prominent figures have poured varying degrees of cold water on the story. First up, Brett Easton Ellis, the author of the 1991 novel claimed that the project wasn’t happening and decried it as ‘fake news’.

One person who would definitely know if the project is real or not is the film’s supposed director,...

Last Updated on January 9, 2025

Just last month, it was reported that Austin Butler was being considered to star as Patrick Bateman in Luca Guadagnino’s new adaptation of American Psycho. However, American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis said on his podcast (via World of Reel) that he thinks it’s all just “fake news.“

“I have a feeling it’s fake news,” Ellis said. “I heard somewhere, from someone, that there are no contracts. Austin Butler hasn’t signed anything to play Patrick Bateman. Luca doesn’t have a deal. Scott Burns, who is supposed to write the screenplay, doesn’t have a deal either. From various sources that I have, this is just fake news that was put out there to see how an audience is going to react.“

Even if the American Psycho project is legit, Ellis isn’t involved in any capacity. “If it does exist, I am not involved,...

So here’s a weird one. It was reported back in December that Austin Butler would be playing the role of Patrick Bateman in a new movie adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis novel American Psycho for director Luca Guadagnino, but those reports are now being disputed by none other than Bret Easton Ellis himself.

On a recent episode of The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, the writer of the original American Psycho suggested that Austin Butler hasn’t actually signed on to play Patrick Bateman in the new American Psycho movie. In his own words, he suggests the report is “fake news.”

“I have a feeling it’s fake news,” Easton Ellis mused. “I heard somewhere, from someone, that there are no contracts. Austin Butler hasn’t signed anything to play Patrick Bateman. Luca doesn’t have a deal. Scott Burns, who is supposed to write the screenplay, doesn’t have a deal either.

Author Bret Easton Ellis says the announced “American Psycho” reimagining isn’t real.

Ellis said during his eponymous podcast that announced remake’s director Luca Guadagnino and rumored lead actor Austin Butler are not contracted for the feature. Regardless, Ellis confirmed that he is in no way involved in the potential reboot, despite writing the novel it will be adapted from.

“American Psycho” was first brought to the screen in 2000 with Mary Harron co-writing and directing; Christian Bale starred. Guadagnino’s version, which is being billed as an entirely new adaptation of Ellis’ book, was announced in 2024 as a Lionsgate film with Scott Z. Burns adapting. Ellis says Burns does not have a deal in place either.

Jacob Elordi was first rumored to be leading “American Psycho” prior to fellow Elvis-portrayer Butler being announced. Elordi has been a favorite of author Ellis’ ever since his “Oh, Canada” casting. Butler was...

With a slew of excellent, critically acclaimed horror films in 2024, could awards bodies finally give them more consideration? A few thoughts.

Update: These are the kinds of updates we love to write. On 5th January, something remarkable happened. Demi Moore won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical Or Comedy for her performance in Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance. There’s a whole conversation to be had whether The Substance is a comedy (or a musical), but more importantly, the occasion marked Moore’s first awards win, ever.

Moore gave a heartfelt, emotional speech on stage after picking up the award, and you can watch it below.

Moore’s win at the Golden Globes, arguably the second biggest awards ceremony in Hollywood, has solidified her as the frontrunner for the Oscar in March. She’ll still likely face fierce competition from the likes of Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman,...

Did Orlando Bloom lose 10 pounds for The Cut? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Yes, it was a transformation so intense that he describes it as his body “shutting down.” Playing a down-and-out boxer who has to lose 30 pounds in a week to qualify for a title fight, Orlando Bloom’s journey to embody the character of Boxer required serious physical and mental commitment. “My brain was dead,” he told Entertainment Weekly, recalling the toll of the transformation at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.

Shooting in reverse chronological order, Bloom started the film at his lightest weight, but by the end of production, his body was exhausted. The weight loss process was brutal, and as Bloom recalled, it wasn’t just physical. “It was actually more mentally than physically” challenging. The lack of sleep and constant calorie depletion made everything harder, especially when he had to prepare for extreme weight cuts.

The moment that shocked even him?...

With David Corenswet’s Superman all set to debut in the Dcu, it is high time James Gunn selects Batman for his shared universe. Despite Ben Affleck not having a solo film in the Dceu, it was confirmed that he would be stepping down from the role and a new actor would be cast for the upcoming The Brave and the Bold film Gunn announced.

While Robert Pattinson’s Batman is still a great portrayal, Matt Reeves’ insistence on keeping his Batverse grounded in reality will not be the right fit for the more cosmic adventures in the Dcu. Several candidates have popped up over the past few months, but for me, no one else comes close to Alan Ritchson to play Bruce Wayne. Here are three reasons why he is the perfect man for the job.

3. Alan Ritchson’s time on Reacher has prepared him for Batman Alan Ritchson...

Wicked Box Office (North America): Beats The Dark Knight Rises(Photo Credit – Instagram)

Wicked is rolling at the box office in the United States as it hits the $450 million mark. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s film faced one of the biggest drops since its theatrical release, despite that the musical fantasy has surpassed Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises as the 29th highest-grossing film ever in the US. Scroll below for the deets.

Nolan’s film was released in 2012. It starred Christian Bale as Batman and Tom Hardy as Bane. The ensemble cast included Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Michael Caine in crucial roles. It is reportedly the highest-grossing Batman film to date. The movie earned $448.1 million in the United States and $666.8 million overseas, bringing its global total to $1.11 billion.

According to the latest report by Luiz Fernando, Ariana Grande and...

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PixL is a subscription-based streaming channel perfect for anyone looking for clean, family-friendly entertainment. It’s...

There have been many potential projects that haven’t come to fruition for David Fincher, from his take on Aaron Sorkin’s “Steve Jobs” starring Christian Bale to his “Black Dahlia” mini-series led by Tom Cruise. But one failed vision people were clamoring for, perhaps above all others, was his adaptation of Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.”

Previously brought to life by Disney in 1954 in a beloved film starring James Mason and Kirk Douglas and in 1997 for an ABC mini-series starring Michael Caine and Patrick Dempsey, the story follows a group of scientists and whalers sent out into the open seas to take down a massive sea creature that’s been attacking ships. They soon come to discover that the creature is not a monster at all, but a submarine designed by the emotionally damaged Captain Nemo.

Fincher intended on working with Disney, who still own the IP,...

It's time for a quick history lesson! In 1899, a newsboys' strike was held across New York City for two weeks. The strikers demanded increased wages for newsboys, who drove a chunk of the sales in the afternoons and evenings but ended up earning little to nothing. Circulation for Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst's newspapers was halted during this time, and the strike eventually succeeded/worked in favor of the newsboys, although other demands had to be met with compromise.

The impact of this event was so rousing that Disney made a film musical — "Newsies" — inspired by the strike in 1992, with Kenny Ortega helming the project. A young Christian Bale played strike leader Jack "Cowboy" Kelly, and composer Alan Menken — who has scored almost every Disney animated film you know and love — crafted 12 original songs for this now-beloved movie. Despite these promising elements, however, the film did not perform well in theaters,...

Christopher Nolan is not going to touch another film in the superhero genre after the Dark Knight trilogy. He was quick to reply with a “no” when asked the same during an interview. Nolan’s films, in which Christian Bale played Batman, are often hailed as some of the best superhero films of all time. However, it doesn’t mean Nolan is done with big franchises.

Christopher Nolan with Matt Damon and Matthew McConaughey on the sets of Interstellar | Credits: Paramount Pictures

He couldn’t give a definitive answer when asked about directing a Star Wars film. It appears that George Lucas’ space opera films have always challenged the Inception director, who once shared that he was afraid to touch the subject. According to the director, he first saw the 1977 film when he was just seven years old.

Christopher Nolan would never return to the superhero genre after The Dark Knight...

“All I can do is be me, whoever that is.”

This quote from Bob Dylan, attributed to an interview he gave to the now defunct Beat Magazine in May 1965, might as well be an encapsulation of not just Dylan’s career as one of the greatest singer/songwriters of all time, but also his life as a whole. For as much as Dylan’s songs, especially his early work, seem to be tied up in spirit of the times in which they were released, at they’re core, they represent the singer’s own journey, sense of observation, and influences, from Woody Guthrie to Jesus Christ, as well as his personal desires as a constant wanderer. At the moment this quote was given, Dylan himself was breaking from the folk traditions that birthed his entry into the popular culture and redefining himself as an electric musician. From here, Dylan would...

English actress Florence Pugh has been at the peak of her career for quite some time now. From portraying Amy March in Little Women to playing Jean Tatlock in Oppenheimer, Pugh has gained a lot of love and support from fans and has become one of the greatest actors in Hollywood. However, what many fans don’t know is that Pugh has also dipped her toes into the anime world.

English Actress Florence Pugh | Credit: Instagram@florencepugh

Pugh has played the role of Kiriko, one of the elderly maids who work at Natsuko’s estate in The Boy and The Heron. In fact, The Boy and The Heron is Pugh’s highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes, crossing Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. In a way, The Boy and The Heron became her biggest movie for the year 2023.

The high rating of The Boy and The Heron hints that in many ways,...

Ever since he made his feature directorial debut with “Heavy” in 1995, James Mangold has been known for his range, deftly jumping back and forth between crowd-pleasing genre fare like “Identity” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” powerhouse character studies like “Copland” and “Girl Interrupted,” light romantic comedies (“Kate & Leopold”) and, perhaps most famously, musical biopics like “Walk the Line” and his latest film, the Bob Dylan movie “A Complete Unknown.”

What all of these films have in common is a sensitivity to performance that often yields the best work from actors as varied in styles and approaches as Joaquin Phoenix, Meg Ryan, Sylvester Stallone, Christian Bale, and Timothée Chalamet. “A Complete Unknown” is possibly Mangold’s best film yet in this regard, as it boasts superb work by not only Chalamet as Dylan but Ed Norton as Pete Seeger, Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Elle Fanning as...

For the better part of his career, Zack Snyder has led a rebellion against the established studio system in Hollywood that determines what goes into and comes out of the commercial production factory. The director stands against everything that is monotonous, formulaic, and predictable – even when it comes to intellectual properties like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League [Credit: HBO Max]

The holy trio of the DC comic book universe have reigned supreme since their origin in the late 1930s and early ’40s. Their origin stories have undergone countless iterations across different eras in the hands of various filmmakers. Yet, DC finds a way to bring back the immortal heroes in a new setting every decade.

Zack Snyder was one among many artists who have tried to imprint their vision on DC’s landscape. But to date, he remains the only director whose films were divisive enough...

Anthony Hopkins Odin’s Role ( Photo Credit – Facebook )

Anthony Hopkins didn’t exactly have a godly time playing Odin in the Thor films. In fact, he flat-out called it “pointless.” The man who brought Hannibal Lecter to life and won Oscars for The Silence of the Lambs and The Father wasn’t exactly impressed by his Asgardian gig.

Hopkins graced the screen in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok. “They put me in armor; they shoved a beard on me. Sit on the throne, shout a bit,” he alluded, as if recounting a bad dream. And the cherry on top? “If you’re sitting in front of a green screen, it’s pointless acting it.” Whoa, burn. This is an actor known for sinking into his roles, and the green screen world of Marvel wasn’t exactly a fit.

But here’s the thing: while Hopkins was playing king,...

Black Adam Box Office Failure(Photo Credit – YouTube)

Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam aimed to shake up superhero cinema but instead shook Warner Bros.’ balance sheet, racking up losses between $50M and $100M. Big swing, big miss.

For context, Black Adam cost a jaw-dropping $195M, plus an $80-$100M global marketing blitz. And while $387 million in worldwide earnings might sound decent, it fell light-years short of the $600M target needed to break even. According to insiders, anything less spelled red ink, despite Warner Bros. claiming they’d scrape by at $400M thanks to “home entertainment magic.” Spoiler: that magic didn’t quite materialize.

Dwayne Johnson spent over a decade manifesting this antihero passion project, pitching it as the next big Dceu tentpole. But instead of delivering the next Aquaman or Shazam!, it landed somewhere between “meh” and “maybe later.” Critics gave it a lukewarm 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences weren...

Elrond and Galadriel’s Goodbye Kiss! ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

So, here’s the twist you didn’t see coming: in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 7, “Doomed to Die,” Elrond (Robert Aramayo) kisses Galadriel (Morfydd Clark). Forget all those steamy Sauron-Galadriel moments fans were hoping for. Instead, we got an emotional kiss that was part strategy, part goodbye, and 100% unexpected. Whoa.

Aramayo summed it up best when he confessed, “I think that’s how it begins, but then also it’s a goodbye as well.” The kiss, while it may seem like a quick rescue tactic, packs a punch way beyond the practical. For Elrond, this kiss was more than a strategic move. It was loaded with emotions—he genuinely thought this could be his last moment with Galadriel, and he was saying goodbye to someone who was like family to him. The drama! The feels!

Christian Bale As Gorr ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )

Christian Bale’s role as Gorr, the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder, had everyone buzzing—until it didn’t. As soon as Bale was cast as the iconic MCU villain, fans expected a show-stealer. After all, this guy gave us one of the most unforgettable performances as Batman. But when the movie dropped, it quickly became clear: while Bale did elevate the character, his experience playing Gorr was much less thrilling than we might have imagined.

Bale’s first hurdle? The costume. “I did have a look briefly and said, ‘He’s got a G-string on. Nobody wants to see me like that,’” Bale recalled, sounding as mortified as anyone would if faced with a Gorr-like wardrobe choice. Add to that the fact that Gorr in the comics was a muscle-bound powerhouse, and Bale—who was shooting a film where he...

As 2025 kicks off, several book to movie adaptations can be expected to move forward to completion, some with release dates already slated for the quarter century marker.

Audiences looking forward to the fourth Bridget Jones film can anticipate streaming it on Peacock on Valentine’s Day in 2025. Other big name films based on books coming to theaters this year include Mickey17, directed by Bong Joon Ho, Edgar Wright’s The Running Man and Josh Boone’s Regretting You, which will likely follow in the footsteps of the Blake Lively-starring It Ends With Us and further pave a path for future Collen Hoover film adaptations like Verity and Reminders of Him.

Several other big screen adaptations of books are arriving on streamers and in theaters this year. Check out the full list of book to movie adaptations below:

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding – February 14, 2025

Renée Zellweger...

Paul Mescal Gladiator 2 Insights (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Paul Mescal’s role in Gladiator 2 had everyone talking, and for good reason. The 27-year-old Normal People and Aftersun star stepped into the sandals of Lucius, the adult nephew of Emperor Commodus, a role originally played by Joaquin Phoenix. Naturally, all eyes were on his transformation for the part—because, let’s face it, when you’re in a Gladiator sequel, expectations are sky-high for the actor to look every bit the beast. But Mescal wasn’t interested in letting the spotlight on his physique overshadow the depth of his performance.

In a candid interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Mescal clarified that while physicality was necessary for the role, he wasn’t focused on the transformation for transformation’s sake. “Of course, there’s a physical robustness required for the character, but past that, I’m not interested,” he said. It was a refreshing take.

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Divorce Finalization, Legal Battle ( Photo Credit – Instagram; Wikimedia )

After eight years of legal wrangling and tumult, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have finally reached a settlement in their long-running divorce. The divorce began when Jolie filed for dissolution in 2016, citing irreconcilable differences.

The actress, 49, and actor, 61, officially signed off on the divorce on December 30, marking the end of a drawn-out process that has seen them battling over everything from custody to their $164 million French estate, Château Miraval.

Angelina Jolie’s Lawyer Says She is Relieved

“More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt. She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time, she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family,” Jolie’s lawyer, James Simon, said. “This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago.

Christian Bale’s American Psycho Pay Struggles (Photo Credit – Facebook)

Christian Bale—yes, the Christian Bale, the one who’s since conquered Gotham and butchered gods—was once paid less than his makeup artists. That’s right, the actor who’s now a Hollywood powerhouse revealed in a recent interview that, back in 2000 during American Psycho, his paycheck was so low that his makeup crew couldn’t stop laughing at him.

Bale was prepping for his chilling role as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, a role that’d define his career and make him a household name. But back then? He was struggling. “Well, in honesty, the first thing was that I’d taken so long trying to do it, and they had paid me the absolute minimum they were legally allowed to pay me,” Bale admitted.

And it wasn’t just the paycheck that was rough. The actor was...

"The Batman" director Matt Reeves has chosen to keep his version of Gotham City, in which Robert Pattinson is Bruce Wayne, separate from the larger DC Universe -- which means that the Dcu's Wayne Manor is still in need of an occupant. Director Andy Muschietti's upcoming live-action movie "The Brave and the Bold" will see the Dark Knight in a way we've never seen him on the big screen before: as a father. Confirmed during Gunn's first announcement of the DC slate, the Batman in that world will be taking his estranged son, Damien Wayne, under his cape and fighting the criminals of Gotham as a heroic father-and-son team.

It's still early days for "The Brave and the Bold," which doesn't yet have a release date and has yet to cast its Batman. Plenty of actors have been considered for the role, or proposed by fans, over the years...

Why did Matt Damon reject 2 iconic roles? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Wondering why Matt Damon passed on these roles? “Well, Dark Knight was a small role that I was offered,” Damon casually explained. “I was headlining something else and couldn’t squeeze it in.” That “something else” ended up being a big deal, but The Dark Knight was about to change superhero cinema forever. And Matt? Well, he wasn’t part of that ride.

But wait, it gets juicier. Damon didn’t just miss out on Batman—he almost joined another iconic franchise. In a shocking twist, Damon admitted he passed on Avatar, which would’ve given him a sweet 10% cut of the box office.

That’s $250 million left on the table, and Matt? He’s not shy about it. “I’ve left more money on the table than any actor,” he said with a shrug. Ouch. So why would he...

In the realm of music biopics, one simply doesn't get bigger than "Bohemian Rhapsody." Frankly, it's not even close. The film about the story of the band Queen, focused largely on the late lead singer Freddie Mercury, is one of the biggest movies ever made that isn't part of a major franchise. Taking in $910 million at the global box office, it became a straight-up sensation, going on to win several Oscars. Chief amongst them was Rami Malek, who took home Best Actor for his work as Mercury.

To say that Mr. Mercury is a legend would be an understatement. Embodying that sort of distinct personality is no easy task. While the film itself, which is credited to director Bryan Singer even though he was fired from the production late in the game, is largely a mixed bag for many critics and viewers, the general consensus is that Malek was indeed outstanding as Mercury.

Did Robert Pattinson nail the Batman voice in his first try? (Photo Credit – Prime Video)

Talking about his early attempts at nailing Bruce Wayne’s iconic voice, Robert Pattinson gave us some major details about his efforts. Spoiler: his initial take was far from heroic.

“Everyone does this kind of gruff, gravelly thing,” Pattinson said. “And I’m like, ‘I’m going to do the opposite—I’m gonna go really whispery.” Bold move, right? Well, not so much. After two weeks of trying to channel a softer, whispery Batman, the feedback was clear: “It just looked absolutely atrocious, and they told me to stop doing it.”

But hey, he wasn’t alone in his experimentation. “I found out from Nick, who put me in the suit every day, that Christian Bale did the same thing on Batman Begins,” Pattinson revealed. And if you dig up the teaser trailer for Bale’s Batman debut,...

Winona Ryder rose to prominence immediately after making her film debut in 1986.Stranger Things/YouTube; Sony Pictures Home Entertainment/YouTubeAbigail Williams in 'The Crucible'mega

Winona Ryder plays the role of Abigail Williams in the 1996 film The Crucible. Directed by Nicholas Hytner and written by Arthur Miller, the film explores the Salem Witch Trials involving girls in a small community. Ryder's character, who had an affair with Daniel Day-Lewis' John Proctor, tries to get revenge on his wife by framing her.

The Crucible also stars Paul Scofield, Joan Allen, Bruce Davison, Rob Campbell and Jeffrey Jones, to name a few.

Beth Macintyre in 'Black Swan'SearchlightPictures/YouTube

Starring as Beth Macintyre, also known as The Dying Swan, Ryder takes on the role and paves the way for Natalie Portman's Nina, a talented ballet dancer, in the film Black Swan. The 2010 flick also sees the rivalry between Nina and newcomer Lilly (Mila Kunis).

Following filming,...

A splash of auteurish openings on Christmas Day, with Focus Features’ Nosferatu, Searchlight’s A Complete Unknown, A24’s naughty Babygirl and Rachel Morrison’s The Fire Inside, is poised to send the holiday week’s box office to a potential $280 million tally. That puts it on par with last year’s holiday week that was boosted by Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Wonka, Migration and The Color Purple.

Christmas week 2021 holds the post-Covid record for the most made by movies with $292.4M during that time, a majority of that from Sony/Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Still, it’s interesting. Even though there isn’t a massive, oxygen-sucking tentpole in the marketplace, the heavy supply of family titles in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Mufasa, Wicked and Moana 2. plus the new offerings, are making for a lucrative season. Comscore projects we’ll end 2024 at $8.75 billion, just 3% shy of 2023’s $9 billion tally.

Few Westerns are more deserving of the "classic" moniker than 1969's "True Grit," one of John Wayne's best films and a model for the genre that continues to be influential today. That's in part because the film was thrown back into the public consciousness in 2010 when Joel and Ethan Coen remade "True Grit" with Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Josh Brolin, and Matt Damon. However, the original still stands on its own and remains notable for giving Wayne his only Oscar win.

Both the original and the 2010 film are adaptations of a 1968 novel by Charles Portis, but given how old the 1969 version is, you might not be surprised to hear that most of its stars have passed away in the decades since. Wayne died in 1979, and Glen Campbell passed away in 2017. Dennis Hopper and Jeremy Slate, who play two of the main villains in the film, have also passed away.

Did Nick Jonas Want To Replace Ben Affleck As Batman? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Nick Jonas threw his name in the ring to replace Ben Affleck as Batman. When Hypebeast asked fans who should replace Affleck in The Batman, Jonas jumped in with the boldest moves: “First name Nick. Last name Jonas.” And, honestly, we kinda loved the confidence.

Affleck has been Batman since 2016 Batman v Superman. After Justice League flopped, personal struggles, and a messy Dceu, Affleck wasn’t keen on sticking around. By Jan. 2019, Affleck was out. That left the door open for a fresh Batman, and director Matt Reeves was looking for someone younger. Enter Nick Jonas.

Of course, Nick Jonas wasn’t the only one eyeing the cape. Fans threw out names like Armie Hammer, Michael B. Jordan, and Christian Bale. But Nick wasn’t just a name in the crowd. He took to Instagram and made...

Michael Keaton Delivers “I am Batman”(Photo Credit – YouTube)

Only a few characters are as iconic in fiction as Batman. The Watcher of the Night is one of the oldest superheroes and a fan favorite. Despite having no superpowers, Batman continues to rule the hearts of fans worldwide, and a vast credit for it goes to three simple words that define his mystical aura: “I am Batman.” While this quote has been in the canon since comics, the 1989 Batman movie made it popular.

Despite being a staple line in countless Batman adaptations since then, many fans might not know that this iconic quote was never originally part of the script. Instead, it was born out of a moment of improvisation by The Batman Michael Keaton himself. Keaton was eventually disappointed when he was cast as The Dark Knight. However, decades later, his legacy on the character is still felt.

Michael...