Jonathon Rees, better known by his stage name, Greg Ellis, was the voice behind Dragon Age’s fan-favorite templar knight and romanceable NPC companion, Cullen Rutherford. He was arrested last week on multiple charges of coercion, unlawful surveillance, and harassment stemming from a 2022 breakup after which he…
NFL tight end Travis Kelce is going into the playoffs with the Kansas City Chiefs, hoping to make another appearance at the biggest sports event of the year with a three-peat run. Kelce’s fame exceeds football [thanks in part to a very public relationship with pop star Taylor Swift] as he crosses over into acting projects. He has already hosted Saturday Night Live, made an appearance in Ryan Murphy’s latest horror show, Grotesquerie, and he even hosts the game show Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? However, later this year, Kelce is set to make an appearance in Adam Sandler’s upcoming sequel Happy Gilmore 2.
According to Deadline, Kelce recently appeared on The Pat McAfee Show, where he was asked about working on the legacy sequel with Sandler. Kelce said,
That was a dream come true. I thought SNL was going to be the peak of my acting and showman or entertainment career … working with Happy Gilmore himself, the Sandman and Happy Productions, it was off the chain.”
He continued on to say, “They’re so professional and yet so fun to work with. I felt like I was working with like the [Chiefs coach] Andy Reid of the acting world. [Sandler] is every bit as cool off the screen as he is on the screen. That was a dream come true. That was awesome.” The tight end revealed that he was able to squeeze that project in during a Chiefs bye week and said that he’s in “a few scenes” and has “got a pretty hefty load.”
Adam Sandler is no stranger to working with athletes in his movies. Last year, he talked about working with the Chiefs star when he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, “We have a nice something for Travis. He’s gonna come by.” Sandler continues to profess, “He’s a very nice guy. You guys would love him in real life. What a big, handsome guy. Funny and cool as hell. He’s a stud and he’s so funny.”
Kelce is also reportedly about to try his hand at action movies in the film Loose Cannons, from the creative team behind the John Wick franchise. The concept of the film “centers on how every police precinct, at least in this movie’s world, has a crazy, out of control, rule-breaking officer on staff. But rather than pair them with a straight arrow and by-the-book partner, the premise here is that an unhinged person is paired with someone just as out of line as they are. In Cannons, two loose cannons are forced to partner up after their precincts merge due to budget cuts and no one wants to work with them. The duo end up taking on the cases no one else can. The script is described as having tones of Lethal Weapon, Bad Boys and Rush Hour, all landmarks in the buddy action comedy genres.”
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PLOT: Wendy Darling strikes out in an attempt to rescue her brother Michael from ‘the clutches of the evil Peter Pan.’ Along the way she meets Tinkerbell, who will be seen taking heroin, believing that it’s pixie dust.
REVIEW: It’s always very ambitious for a franchise to announce its plans way ahead of time. It certainly has bit Marvel on the butt, but if you’re going to parody their release schedule, you have to do things full bore. And I think most of us at least chuckled when the Poohniverse was announced. So smack dab in the middle of their release lies Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare, a horror take on the J.M. Barrie classic. And it’s a hell of a lot darker than expected.
Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare is a very dark and twisted take on Peter Pan as he sucks the souls out of children to remain youthful. We’ve got all the Pan regulars like Peter, Tinker Bell, Michael and Wendy Darling, as well as plenty of others to be used for fodder. Peter abducts Michael and Wendy must try and save him before he winds up like so many other kids in town. Peter DeSouza-Feighoney‘s delivered a great performance in 2023’s The Pope’s Exorcist, so it’s great to see him return to the genre. Despite his age, he brings a strength to Michael that feels like he can take on Peter. Megan Placito‘s Wendy is also clearly set up to be someone important in this universe and she’s great. If anything, I wish the film was more of a two-hander with these two.
Martin Portlock‘s Peter Pan performance is quite interesting but mostly because of the amalgamation of other characters that it feels like. He’s doing a bit of Bill Skarsgard’s Pennywise and Heath Ledger’s Joker and it feels inconsistent from moment to moment. Hell, there’s a direct visual parody of the “Pennywise Meets Georgie” moment in the sewer. Only the sewer is replaced by an Evil Dead-style cellar door. He’s easily the most interesting character in the film but he just feels like he’s painting in strokes we’ve already seen long worn. And it doesn’t help that his accent comes and goes from moment to moment. Even still, I really enjoyed his chaotic energy and look forward to seeing more of him.
The Poohniverse take on Tinker Bell is certainly something. She’s an old lady who is essentially a junkie for Pixie Dust. She’s also in a very abusive partnership with Peter, who physically assaults her when she doesn’t fall in line. It’s all so depressing that anytime she’s on screen, it just brings down the mood. I couldn’t believe that they were so adamant about making a serious Peter Pan horror film. Even the acting in Neverland Nightmare is surprisingly competent, with no jarring performances like some of the past films. Oddly though, this almost feels like a mark against it, as hammy acting is essentially a staple of this style of movie.
Anything involving children can make for tough subject matter, so the decision to put child murder at the forefront is a bit iffy. I suppose I thought this series was going to be all about teen death and moral lessons, like many slasher films. But instead, the filmmakers decided to excise the fun and go for darkly disturbing and the story at play just doesn’t allow for that. This is evil Peter Pan. Even just saying that is enough to elicit a chuckle so why not just continue down that path versus trying to subvert expectations?
As far as the look of the film, I’ve always been impressed with the cinematography of these films. Despite their miniscule budgets, the filmmakers clearly know what they’re doing. But this one is less colorful and decidedly more bleak in its presentation. We also don’t get some of the fun set design of Blood and Honey, as most of the sets here are simply worn down houses. At least the opening animation is a big improvement. Most horror fans will be showing up the for the gore, and they’re still sure to kill off plenty of characters in brutal ways. There’s less in terms of quantity, but the quality of the kills feels ramped up. Even still, I found myself let down by the “wallow in this character’s misery” approach to them. But the practical effects still go hard.
Unfortunately, Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare didn’t really give me what I want from this series: fun. The biggest difference between the two Blood and Honey’s was this sense of schlocky entertainment. They’ve gotten rid of that in favor of trying to tell a darker story. But this is still a horror movie based on the Peter Pan IP and that alone brings an inherent silliness. I’m worried about the direction of the rest of the Poohniverse and hope they can course correct yet again. Or maybe this series is just becoming something that I don’t jive with. Either way, here’s hoping it can find its audience as Chambers and company at least appear to be making an effort on these public domain titles. Which is more than can be said for others. And even if it’s not for me, I’ll take effort over greed any day of the week.
From Jagged Edge Productions and ITN Studios, Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare arrives in theaters for three days only starting January 13, 2025 until January 15, 2025 only from Iconic Events Releasing. Buy your tickets now at Iconic Events.
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Stanley Tucci was there for the beginnings of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing Abraham Erskine in Captain America: The First Avenger. The character was the scientist who created the Super Soldier Serum, and Tucci told Variety that he still considers Dr. Erskine to be one of the greatest roles he’s ever had.
“I loved ‘Captain America: The First Avenger,’ it was one of the greatest roles and jobs I’ve ever had,” Tucci said. “I was there for three weeks and had a wonderful time, and I also loved playing that character. I was cast as a 70-year-old man at the age of 50, so that was disturbing, but that’s all right; I was flattered and insulted at the same time.“
Although Dr. Erskine was killed shortly after giving Steve Rogers the Super Soldier Serum, Tucci did return to voice the character in several episodes of Marvel’s What If…?.
Tucci was most recently seen starring alongside Ralph Fiennes and John Lithgow in Conclave. Directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front), the film follows “one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting the new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake, secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church.“
The film has proven to be quite popular, landing on numerous top 10 lists, but Tucci confessed that he was “shocked at the diversity of the audience. Also, this is a very adult film. But it’s not pretentious. It simply shows you what’s happening. And these people are making it happen or failing and fumbling to make it happen, and I think that’s why people like it.” Our own Chris Bumbray was a big fan of Conclave, calling it “phenomenally entertaining and has a knockout ending that should generate a lot of talk. It’s one to watch for and seems like an Oscar contender.” You can check out the rest of his review right here.
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Sony’s Marvel Universe is over, at least for now, with Kraven the Hunter putting the final nail in the coffin. The film has earned scathing reviews (only slightly better than Morbius and Madame Web) and stands as the lowest-grossing film in Sony’s Marvel franchise, with a current worldwide gross of just $59.4 million. Still, there must be someone out there who is anxious to add Kraven the Hunter to their 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray collections, and Sony Pictures has announced that the film will be available to purchase on physical media on March 4th.
As previously reported, Kraven the Hunter will be available on Digital on January 14th. The special features included on the 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and Digital versions of the film include:
Per the official synopsis, Kraven the Hunter is “the action-packed, R-rated, standalone story of how one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Kraven, a man whose complex relationship with his ruthless gangster father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe), starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.” In addition to Taylor-Johnson and Crowe, Kraven the Hunter stars Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, and Christopher Abbott. You can check out a review from our own Chris Bumbray right here.
Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra has blamed the poor box-office performance of Kraven the Hunter (and Madame Web) on the press and critics. “Madame Web underperformed in the theaters because the press just crucified it. It was not a bad film, and it did great on Netflix,” Vinciquerra said. “For some reason, the press decided that they didn’t want us making these films out of Kraven and Madame Web, and the critics just destroyed them. They also did it with Venom, but the audience loved Venom and made Venom a massive hit. These are not terrible films. They were just destroyed by the critics in the press, for some reason.“
Will you be adding Kraven the Hunter to your 4K Blu-ray collection?
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I know that title makes Renner sound a bit like a comedy (My Mother the AI), but the trailer for the new Frankie Muniz movie is actually a dark sci-fi thriller. The Malcolm in the Middle actor stars as a computer genius who invents an A.I. life coach to help him find love, but he realizes too late that he’s accidentally programmed his manipulative mother into the code.
“Bringing this story to life required a lead who could not only embody the brilliance of Renner, but also capture the emotional complexity of a man wrestling with forces far beyond his control. Frankie Muniz did just that – delivering a performance unlike anything audiences have ever seen from him,” said director/producer Robert Rippberger in a statement. “A.I. isn’t some distant possibility — it’s here, shaping our lives right now. Renner explores that reality and asks: What happens when the creation outpaces the creator? I hope this film will spark conversation, provoke thought, and remind us all that every technological leap comes with a cost.“
The official synopsis for Renner: “Renner, a reclusive computer genius driven by a need for control, designs an A.I. named Salenus to help him overcome his crippling social anxieties and find love. Encouraged by Salenus, Renner forms a connection with his alluring neighbor Jamie, but their relationship starts to unravel when she begins to interact with the A.I. As dark secrets and betrayals begin to surface, Salenus’s influence on Renner takes a malicious turn, leaving him entangled in the devastating consequences of his invention.” Luke Medina and Martin Medina wrote the script for Renner from a story by Luke Medina. In addition to Muniz, the film stars Violett Beane, Taylor Gray, and Marcia Gay Harden.
Speaking of Muniz, the actor is set to return for a revival of Malcolm in the Middle alongside Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek. The project is being developed for Disney+ and will be limited to just four episodes. The series will follow Malcolm and his daughter as they are pulled into family-related chaos when Hal (Cranston) and Lois (Kaczmarek) insist on their genius son attending their 40th wedding anniversary.
Renner will be released in U.S. theaters on February 7th.
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The Australian Open, the first big professional tennis tournament of 2025, is happening right now in Melbourne. But depending on where you live or whether you have access to cable or not, it’s very possible that you can’t easily or freely watch matches. Don’t worry, the Australian Open has a solution and it looks a…
The Australian Open, the first big professional tennis tournament of 2025, is happening right now in Melbourne. But depending on where you live or whether you have access to cable or not, it’s very possible that you can’t easily or freely watch matches. Don’t worry, the Australian Open has a solution and it looks a…
Joe and Anthony Russo brought Marvel’s Infinity Saga to an epic conclusion with Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. It seemed like the directing duo were ready to move on from Marvel and tackle their own projects, but it was announced last year that they would be returning for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. So, what brought them back?
“Endgame was the end, and it took a little time for us to begin to think about it as something other than an end,” Anthony Russo told Empire. “We’re very close with Kevin and Lou [D’Esposito, Marvel Studios’ Co-President] and the entire Marvel team and we’ve had conversations through the years. We’ve talked about a lot of ideas.“
Anthony continued, “Really what happened was, we ended up stumbling upon an idea that activated all of us. You couldn’t see it coming until it came, and once it came it was like, ‘Well, that’s a story we need to tell.’“
Joe added that everything started to come together when screenwriter Stephen McFeely cracked the idea for how Secret Wars could work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “I remember calling Steve and said, ‘Hey, crazy idea. What do you think if we all go back and do Secret Wars?’” he said. “You were like, ‘F*** no. Absolutely not.’ And then you hung up. And the next morning at 7.30 you called and were like, ‘Alright, I have an idea.’“
Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) was originally slated to direct the first of the new Avengers movies (initially titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty), but after Jonathan Majors was fired, Marvel pivoted to the new story, and Cretton departed the project. He later signed on to direct the new Spider-Man movie.
As we know, Avengers: Doomsday will also feature the return of Robert Downey Jr., who will be playing Doctor Doom, the new big bad of the MCU. Last year, Joe teased that we can expect something “really explosive” with the movie. “Why would we come back if we didn’t feel like we had a story that had that possibility of being on an equal footing with Infinity War and Endgame unless there’s a kernel there for an idea that’s really explosive?” Avengers: Doomsday is slated for a May 1, 2026 release, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.
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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 raced into theaters late December and has already earned more than $380 million worldwide. That’s impressive enough! But over the weekend, Sonic 3 did something only one other video game movie has ever done: It has now earned over $200 million domestically.