It’s February 27, and that means it’s time for another Pokémon Presents to celebrate the series’ anniversary. It’s Pokémon’s 28th year in 2024, and the announcements this year were underwhelming compared to previous years where The Pokémon Company made announcements like Legends: Arceus and Scarlet and Violet. But if…
It’s February 27, and that means it’s time for another Pokémon Presents to celebrate the series’ anniversary. It’s Pokémon’s 28th year in 2024, and the announcements this year were underwhelming compared to previous years where The Pokémon Company made announcements like Legends: Arceus and Scarlet and Violet. But if…
The number of actors the Netflix TV series Cobra Kai has brought back to reprise their characters from the Karate Kid films has been very impressive. Not only do you have Ralph Macchio and William Zabka back as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, but there’s also Martin Kove and Thomas Ian Griffith as villains John Kreese and Terry Silver, Yuji Okumoto and Sean Kanan as villains-turned-allies Chozen Toguchi and Mike Barnes; Ron Thomas, Rob Garrison, and Tony O’Dell as Johnny’s former Cobra Kai buddies; and appearances by Elisabeth Shue as Ali Mills, Tamlyn Tomita as Kumiko, and Robyn Lively as Jessica Andrews. They even brought Traci Toguchi back as Yuna, the “Girl Bell Ringer” she played in The Karate Kid Part II. But one actor who might not be returning from the films is Hilary Swank, who played Julie Pierce in the 1994 film The Next Karate Kid.
Daniel, Johnny, and the Cobra Kai dojo had nothing to do with what went on in The Next Karate Kid, but since Julie was a student of Daniel’s mentor Mr. Miyagi (played by the late Pat Morita), many fans have been hoping to see her show up on Cobra Kai before it wraps up. Well, the sixth and final season of the show is in production now, and according to Swank, she’s not going to be in it.
While speaking with Collider, Swank was asked if she’s going to be making an appearance on Cobra Kai. She said, “I don’t think I am, unfortunately. I know. It’s, like, the number one question I get right now. Most people usually say, ‘What’s it like working with Clint Eastwood?’ But I think, ‘Are you going to be on Cobra Kai?’ has almost surpassed that.“
Created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, Cobra Kai started out thirty four years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, when a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence sought redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso. A lot has happened, and a lot has changed, since then.
The actors mentioned above are joined in the cast by Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, Jacob Bertrand, Gianni DeCenzo, Peyton List, Oona O’Brien, Dallas Dupree Young, Vanessa Rubio, Courtney Henggeler, and Griffin Santopietro. As of seasons 5 and 6, Alicia Hannah-Kim plays the villainous sensei Kim Da-Eun, and we’ve heard that C.S. Lee (Dexter) will be playing her grandfather Master Kim Sun-Young, who taught the type of karate used by the students at the Cobra Kai dojo, in season 6.
This show has become one of my all-time favorites. I grew up on the Karate Kid movies and always enjoyed them, but Cobra Kai has even managed to increase my appreciation for the movies it follows. I really hope Hilary Swank’s quote about not being on the show is a fake-out, because I would love to see her make some kind of appearance in season 6.
Are you a Cobra Kai fan, and are you hoping to see Hilary Swank show up before the series comes to an end? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Ralph Macchio already has more Karate Kid action lined up beyond Cobra Kai: he’s set to share the screen with Ben Wang and The Karate Kid 2010 star Jackie Chan in a new entry in the franchise that’s scheduled to reach theatres on December 13, 2024.
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Look, I don’t want to waste anyone’s time. We all know that Starship Troopers (watch it HERE) isn’t a horror movie. It’s a science fiction intergalactic comedy with a light tone and Neil Patrick Harris- but it’s also a well-made and tightly performed 90s creature feature that is sure to tickle the nostalgia bone for many JoBlo Horror fans. And with Paul Verhoeven being fresh on the mind from our Robocop episode, we thought it would only make sense to follow it up with another Verhoeven classic that showcases how far the director had come in the 10 years between these two films. If you’re still not convinced, this film also delivers on terrifying creatures, plenty of blood and guts, and even some boobies for you slasher trope seekers out there. While being more comedy/action than anything- Starship Troopers is a film that brings the goods with every action sequence and doesn’t spare audiences the gory details while also giving you a sort of college underdog comedy. And for me, sometimes that is simply all I’m looking for. So, my goal today isn’t to convince you that Starship Troopers is a horror movie- but what’s more is that I want to convince you that it’s worth watching anyway. And the best way I know how to do that is to put this movie over the microscope and figure out just what it is that makes it so special after all these years. I’m Kier with JoBlo Horror, and you’re watching Deconstructing.
Released in 1997, Starship Troopers follows the story of Johnny Rico, played by Casper Van Dien. A recent high school graduate living in the 23rd century who decides to skip his admission to Harvard and enlist in the United Citizen Federation- a special branch of military that is engaging in a vast and seemingly endless war with the creatures who inhabit our neighboring galaxies. While his parents don’t approve, Johnny’s clairvoyant friend Carl, played by Neil Patrick Harris, is also enlisting in the Federation’s intelligence branch. As well, his friend with benefits Dizzy, played by Dina Meyer is joining up, and so is Johnny’s new girlfriend Carman, played by Denise Richards. If you were a kid in the 90s, did you know anyone who didn’t have a crush on Denise Richards? Comment below.
So, when Rico and his friends enter the Federation as newbies, they all quickly climb the ranks of their respective departments as they each develop their own new relationships and gear up for their mission to take out an army of giant aliens. And to best look into what works so well with this movie- we’re going to be breaking down Starship Troopers by way of our four key categories. First, we’re going to discuss a brief origin of the film and how it got made- This is a MUCH more interesting topic than you might think so, stick around. Then we’ll get into the film’s legacy, which includes a similar franchise fate to Robocop. After that we’ll play a quick game of JoBlo Horror Trivia before we take on the most difficult topic- the movie’s X-Factor, where we look for that special something that really makes it shine. If you’re interested in revisiting this 90s cult classic and having one hell of a time along the way then make sure you leave a like on the video and of course, subscribe for the best in horror movie content. And let’s hit play on Starship Troopers.
ORIGIN
Okay, so once again this movie is a collaboration of Paul Verhoeven and Edward Neumeier- the duo that brought us Robocop. HOWEVER, instead of being an original story, this film is based and reworked from a 1959 novel of the same name. The original novel was written by Robert Heinlein and when I say that the book was reworked, I don’t mean the story was completely changed. However, in classic Verhoeven/Neumeier fashion, the commentary and subtext of the novel were dramatically altered. Here’s what I mean- Starship Troopers, the novel, is widely believed to be less of a satirical adventure, and more of a propaganda piece for fascism, racism, and the glorification of violent behavior. Now, I haven’t read the book, and some say that there is a sort of irony and sarcasm in the writing that makes it more critical of those ideas. It’s not for me to say, but what I can say with absolute certainty is that Paul Verhoeven did basically the opposite of that.
Much like Robocop’s commentary on police brutality, Starship Troopers offers a not-so-subtle criticism on military, politics, and patriotism. You might think the comedy comes from these ironic digs, but it doesn’t. The comedy in this movie comes from the incredible interactions between these young soldiers who are all learning to survive in their new roles. Verhoeven directed these characters to be likable, brave, tough, and funny- but also, dumb. Well, mostly dumb anyway. But, we’ll get to that.
Despite the controversy of the source material, Verhoeven’s reputation as a filmmaker granted him enough street credit in Hollywood to secure a lofty $100 Million budget from Tristar and Touchstone. And folks, I do not say this lightly- They put that shit to GOOD use with the movies visual effects being way too good to be from the 1990’s. I mean, am I out of my mind or does this look better than the CGI in like half of what we see today? It’s actually nuts. Shout out to Tippett Studio for that one. According to reports from the production, about half a million dollars went into just visual effects. That’s about half of the movie’s total budget- but it is so worth it. Unfortunately, the film barely made its budget back and struggled to even break even at the box office- which is a tale too often told with these beloved cult classics. And that brings me- to this movie’s legacy.
LEGACY
Despite the movie’s lack of profits, Starship Troopers ended up receiving the franchise treatment and getting 2 direct-to-video sequels (Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation and Starship Troopers 3: Marauder). While Verhoeven was interested in directing a sequel, he stated that he needed time to develop something fresh and new. Unfortunately, due to the low box office numbers, the films were not intended to be released in theaters. This caused Verhoeven to walk away from the project- but Ed Neumeier stayed on as the writer of both sequels, and even directed the third film himself which brought back the character of Johnny Rico played again by Casper Van Dien. More recently, there have been two CGI animated films titled Starship Troopers: Invasion and Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars. I haven’t seen any of these subsequent films. Not that I’m not interested in the universe, but more that I’m not interested in a watered-down version of the first film’s original message. And from what I’ve heard, none of the sequels really find that balance.
However, there have been talks of a reboot and a legacy TV series that kicked up pre-pandemic and have since sort of died down into rumor territory. But I have high hopes that eventually we will get something that does proper the original. Maybe I’m being optimistic, but I really believe that the magic of this cast could take a sequel a long way. While certain actors from the film have reprised their roles here and there for a cameo, I think a Starship Troopers film that brings back all the main players who survived the film and if we made them the focus of the story that takes them on one final mission- maybe then we can get something worth watching and discussing. Verhoeven’s use of the Robocop style propaganda commercials are also very much missing from my life these days so I need more of that asap.
When it comes to why this movie is so beloved- I really think that it’s a combination of things. For fans of old science fiction movies, this movie harkens back to classic alien films with its retro-futuristic aesthetic. If you love movies like Stripes or even Road Trip, this movie will give you those vibes. If you’re looking for an empathetic approach to being a young and stupid kid who follows his heart into the most dangerous pants to impress a girl because you’re too young to know any better- this movie is for you. It explores its share of political themes, yes. But it also explores far more grounded themes like friendship, loyalty, heroism, and finding your place in either this world, or an arachnid riddled warzone somewhere off-galaxy.
TRIVIA
Okay, now admittedly, if you’re a fan of this movie- you probably know this story. But I want to share it because I think it really speaks to this movie’s legacy. During an interview in 2016, Casper Van Dien told a story of a time he was picking up his 10 and 8 year old daughters from school. When he pulled up to the pickup zone, he notices his daughters talking to some boys from their class and when the boys saw Casper, they called out “Johnny Rico!” as the two had recognized him. According to Van Dien, when he asked the boys how they recognized him, they said their dads had made them watch the film with them. That just goes to show you that we are getting older and this is officially a dad movie. But I don’t have any kids and even if I did, it’s a fucking sweet dad movie. Van Dien continued with the story stating that his daughter asked him if he actually went naked for the movie’s shower scene. When Casper told his daughter he did indeed go nude, she replied saying “How could you do that to me?!” and “My life is ruined!”. Hey, if being naked in a Paul Verhoeven means you can’t have kids than… I guess I made the right decision. Call me Paul, I’m available.
And before we move on, let’s see if you can answer this question:
During the production, which actor from Starship Troopers suffered from heatstroke while filming in the 120 degree desert weather?
Comment your answer down below!
X-FACTOR
Okay, look- I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I’m having some trouble with this one. As usual, this is a movie that I adore. A movie that works for me on many levels and a movie that really just plays as one giant X-Factor. This is even Paul Verhoeven’s favorite film of his. How do I distill that into one small thing that makes it tick?
Well, first I wanted to praise the casting of this movie. And I’m not just talking about NPH and Denise Richards. This movie’s supporting cast and main cast are incredible. We get Jake Busey, Clancy Brown, Michael Ironside, Amy Smart, and Seth Gilliam. These actors are all great on their own, but together, it’s truly special. I also wanted to give the X-factor to Denise Richards just on principle, and then I even toyed with the idea of using this section to discuss the incredible CGI and visual effects that hold up so well. But, the truth is, you’ve heard all of that before. You already know that the creature design is flawless, the comedy is raunchy and light, the performances are perfectly dialed in and Rico’s hair is literally ideal. But what I think is the glue that holds that together is the brave and controversial decision of Paul Verhoeven and Edward Neumeier to adapt a book written in hate and turn it into something that brings people together. Imagine reading a book or even seeing a movie that you don’t agree with. In fact, it’s the opposing side of the things you personally believe. Then imagine taking that thing you don’t like and flipping it into the same story, but somehow saying the opposite in subtext. It’s brilliant. It would be like making Titanic into a commercial for a cruise- and making people like it. If you ask me, that more than deserves to be praised by fans of this cult classic film.
Thanks for watching our show! If you enjoyed this video please leave us a like for encouragement and a subscription for the very best in horror movies (and apparently Paul Verhoeven movies).
A couple of the previous episodes of Deconstructing… can be seen below,. To see more episodes, and to check out our other shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!
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In a new interview, Sony explained that the PlayStation Portal—a portable gaming device that lets players remotely play PS5 games without needing to be in front of their TV or console—was never intended to be a Vita or PSP successor. It also revealed some other details on the oddly popular handheld machine.
In a new interview, Sony explained that the PlayStation Portal—a portable gaming device that lets players remotely play PS5 games without needing to be in front of their TV or console—was never intended to be a Vita or PSP successor. It also revealed some other details on the oddly popular handheld machine.
This morning, Sony revealed that it is adding to the ever-growing pile of industry layoffs. In official posts, the company announced it had “initiated a reduction” in workforce. These cuts will impact a variety of PlayStation’s first-party studios including Insomniac Games, Guerrilla, Naughty Dog, Firesprite, and…
This morning, Sony revealed that it is adding to the ever-growing pile of industry layoffs. In official posts, the company announced it had “initiated a reduction” in workforce. These cuts will impact a variety of PlayStation’s first-party studios including Insomniac Games, Guerrilla, Naughty Dog, Firesprite, and…
Sean Combs aka Diddy is facing a $30 million dollar lawsuit over allegedly sexually assaulting a former employee, further claiming that the hip hop superstar sought out to groom him into a relationship. Combs is actively denying such claims.
According to several sources, Rodney Jones, Jr. – who notably collaborated with Sean Combs on last year’s The Love Album: Off the Grid – alleges that he was taken advantage of by the Grammy winner both physically and financially. While we won’t go into the details – although documents do point out specifics about misconduct, rape and more – they are disturbing at least in part for how Combs allegedly used his power and position to do as he pleased. Other individuals are cited as well, the most famous of which is Cuba Gooding Jr., who also apparently took advantage of Jones in a sexual manner.
It is also claimed that Sean Combs shortchanged Jones out of more than $50,000 for his contributions to The Love Album. Money, expectedly, is at the center of counterarguments from the side of Combs’ attorneys. As per TMZ, one stated, “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines.”
One of the other names cited in the suit is Sean Combs’ 30-year-old son Justin, who it’s said would be part of bringing in underage girls to attend parties. As a representative told TMZ, “Justin Combs categorically denies these absurd allegations. They are all lies! This is a clear example of a desperate person taking desperate measures in hopes of a pay day. There will be legal consequences for ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family.”
This lawsuit is just the latest in Sean Combs’ history with legal issues, with a number of sexual assault claims stemming from just last year, including the alleged rape of an ex-girlfriend.
Where do you see Sean Combs’ career going amid the accusations? Give us your take on the matter in the comments section below.
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The March 22nd theatrical release date of the Ghostbusters: Afterlife (watch it HERE) sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (which, of course, also serves as a sequel to the original Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II) is swiftly approaching. With just a few weeks left before that date is upon us, Total Film has unveiled a few more images from the movie, and you can check those out at the bottom of this article. The images feature characters we were just introduced to in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the original Ghostbusters team, and the new villain.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace are back for the sequel, reprising the roles of Trevor and Phoebe. They’re joined in the cast by Carrie Coon, playing Trevor and Phoebe’s mom Callie; Paul Rudd, back as his Afterlife character Gary Grooberson; William Atherton as Walter Peck, the antagonistic EPA inspector from the first Ghostbusters film; Celeste O’Connor as Trevor’s friend Lucky Domingo; Logan Kim as Phoebe’s friend Podcast; Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz; and new additions Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick), Patton Oswalt (The King of Queens), James Acaster (Hypothetical), and Emily Alyn Lind (Doctor Sleep). And yes, original Ghostbusters Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson are in the film as well, and it looks like they have more prominent roles than they had in the previous movie – in fact, the director has said they’re “actual characters” in this one.
To find out what Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon had to say about being in the iconic Ecto-1, click over to Total Film.
At first, Afterlife director Jason Reitman was expected to take the helm of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, once again directing from a screenplay he was writing with Gil Kenan – but then it was revealed that Kenan would actually be directing the new film. He previously directed the animated movie Monster House, the live-action films City of Ember, A Boy Called Christmas, and the remake of Poltergeist, and an episode of the Scream TV series. Kenan has said that he drew inspiration from the Real Ghostbusters animated series and its willingness to be weird and wild when they were coming up with the ghostly threats in this film.
Are you looking forward to Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire? Let us know by leaving a comment below… and check out the new images while you’re scrolling down.
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