12
Nov
Another new showreel of Disney Plus’s upcoming shows has appeared, and alongside new glimpses of Daredevil, Ironheart and Alien: Earth, the first ever footage of Andor season 2 can be seen.
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12
Nov
There have been some exciting reveals coming out of D23 Brazil this past weekend. Most notably, Marvel Studios would release new trailers for the upcoming movies in the MCU slate — Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*. Captain America: Brave New World would give fans an even more extended look at Harrison Ford’s President Ross as he turns into the Red Hulk. And the Thunderbolts* trailer would show off more of the dynamic between the team as the new look featured a good chunk of a chase scene, where our anti-heroes are being pursued by mysterious military vehicles, and Bucky Barnes comes to their rescue.
Deadline is now reporting that MCU head Kevin Feige has teased some additional information from this past weekend. He tells the Brazilian website Omelete that despite the news of the Blade reboot being taken off their calendar, the studio is still “committed” to the project. Feige explained,
We love the character, we love Mahershala’s version of him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still trying to figure out how it fits into our schedule, we let the public know. You’re up to date on what’s going on. But I can tell you that the character will be coming to the MCU.”
Additionally, with the premiere of the Disney+ series Agatha All Along, many were wondering about the whereabouts of Scarlet Witch. Feige would also cryptically address this matter as he say, “Since then (Agatha), there have been a lot of questions about Wanda on fans’ minds… So all I can say is that we’re excited to find out when and how the Scarlet Witch might return.” He would also confirm that there are no current plans to bring Miles Morales’ Spider-Man into the MCU, but he does say, “I hope that, shortly after that (Beyond the Spider-Verse), he can enter the MCU in live-action.”
There may be extra multiverse branch projects brewing at the studio as well, since Ryan Reynolds claimed that Marvel has been obsessed with Channing Tatum’s Gambit since his appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine. Reynolds would explain, “I honestly don’t know what goes on behind closed doors in the bookkeeping sessions at Marvel, but I do know that they’re obsessed with him in that role. It’s kind of like the same situation I went through. Once you show that it works well, that’s really what they need. Sometimes they just need to see it in action.”
The post Kevin Feige says the Blade reboot is still alive appeared first on JoBlo.
12
Nov
SPOILERS: This article will contain spoilers for the newest episodes of Yellowstone, particularly the fate of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton.
With the release of the second half of season five of Yellowstone, fans finally learned what became of John Dutton following the seemingly endless disputes between portrayer Kevin Costner and the suits. Even if you haven’t had a chance to see the premiere episode, it seems like everybody now knows. But one who hasn’t exactly learned — not firsthand, anyway — was Costner himself. As he revealed on The Michael Smerconish Program (via Deadline), “I didn’t see it. I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t make me want to rush to go see it.”
Kevin Costner went on to elaborate as to what went down behind the scenes of Yellowstone and why he was ultimately written out. “I didn’t really have to leave anything behind. There were the gaps that were there. There was contractual things that would allow for both things to be done, but because both things were contractual, you had to make room for the other thing. There was room, but it was difficult for them to keep their schedule. It seemed to be, it was just too difficult for them to do it. There was the time there, what happened, you can deal with it. But no one, I didn’t leave. I didn’t quit the show. Okay? I had made a contract to do all three. There was a contract in place to do all three. And within about an eight-month period, two more different kind of contracts were being negotiated. Not at my request, but at their request to try to do things.” Costner said that once things went too far, he knew he had to ride off into the sunset.
At a certain point – and much longer than learning about the fate of John Dutton – Kevin Costner said he would return to Yellowstone if the circumstances worked out. With Dutton being killed off, it’s a guarantee now that this won’t happen. On the bright side, it did let him explore the western genre in a more epic form, further developing his Horizon saga.
How do you feel about the way John Dutton was killed off on Yellowstone? Was it a cheap end for Costner’s character or did it work?
The post Kevin Costner is in no rush to see the new Yellowstone season but knows about John Dutton’s fate appeared first on JoBlo.
12
Nov
Denzel Washington is a mighty actor, in possession of a gravitas most can only dream of, more than able to lend his talent to the works of Shakespeare or portraying major historical figures like Malcolm X. Yet for decades now he’s also seemed to relish working on material that should be well beneath someone of his stature, enjoying the task of pulling ropey scripts and concepts up to his level. Early reviews have widely deemed him the best part of Ridley Scott’s uneven Gladiator II; his history of elevating the source material is long-standing.
Though he came to fame in the eighties, going from a lead on TV medical drama St. Elsewhere to an Oscar winner for Glory in just seven short years, the nineties were when Washington truly became a megastar. The decade gave us his towering turns in Malcolm X, Crimson Tide, Philadelphia, and The Hurricane – big, muscular movies, often centered around his commanding presence. Scattered among those, however, were a handful that were just…silly. But those movies, as much as the ones that won him all his deserved acclaim, show why his star has remained ascendant for so many years.
In the first, 1991’s Ricochet, Washington is a cop – Nick Styles – who puts psychopathic killer Earl Talbot Blake (John Lithgow) in jail. Eight years later, Blake manages to bust out. He heads straight for Styles – now an Assistant District Attorney – with revenge on his mind Ricochet’s premise is conventional, but the violence is intense – at one point, a man gets a circular saw straight through the belly. In true 1990s style, almost every bloody act is accompanied by a gleeful, profane witticism; it’s the kind of movie where an impalement is met with “You got the point now, don’t you?”
In his entire filmography, it’s hard to pick out a scene that more encapsulates Washington’s charismatic resplendence than when he first arrests Lithgow’s villain at a nighttime carnival. Styles gets a gun on Blake, but when an unaware woman steps out of a nearby port-a-potty, Blake takes her hostage. To persuade him to release her, Styles makes a show of disarming himself, even stripping down to his boxers to prove he has no hidden weapon or armour, all the while trying to calm the terrified woman. Blake then pushes her aside and launches himself at Styles – who somehow has managed to hide a gun, and manages to subdue the criminal.
Ricochet is a ludicrous movie, yet it makes Washington’s charm textual in a way that would set the scene for many a future film of his. And four years later, things got sillier still for him in Virtuosity.
Here Washington plays Parker Barnes: a former cop convicted for killing the man who murdered his wife and daughter. Barnes and other convicts have been part of testing for a virtual reality training programme meant to pit police against SID 6.7 (Russell Crowe), an AI programmed on the personalities of 200 serial killers – including the one who killed Barnes’ family. When a renegade technician brings SID 6.7 into the real world, Barnes is the only one who can stop him.
Russell Crowe has by far the flashiest role in Virtuosity, and he sure does enjoy it, oozing merry malevolence, and making a three-course meal out of each of his cruel taunts (12 years later the two actors would face off again in American Gangster, where Washington got the showier villain part). Between Crowe’s hammy psychopathy and the movie’s fascination with VR – the effects now look endearingly dated but were at the time considered cutting edge – it’s just Washington’s steady performances as the grieving, furious hero that gives Virtuosity any kind of emotional weight. His willingness to put the charisma on a low boil, to cede the humour and spectacle to Crowe while he deals with the heavy stuff, is almost solely responsible for keeping the whole thing from bursting apart at the seams.
Washington played a police officer once again in the final film of his nineties trilogy of nonsense – 1998’s Fallen. Though his character, John Hobbes, watches serial killer Edgar Reese (Elias Koteas) put to death, somehow that doesn’t stop the string of murders carried out to Reese’s macabre modus operandi. At first Hobbes and his fellow cops assume there’s a copycat on the loose. Before long, he learns the real culprit lies in a different realm entirely.
The full absurdity of Fallen takes a while to make itself known. Directed by Gregory Hoblit, straight after his hugely successful Primal Fear, and co-starring Donald Sutherland, John Goodman, and James Gandolfini, it looks comparatively classy next to the twin lunacies of Ricochet and Virtuosity…until it’s revealed that it’s Reese’s demonic spirit continuing his murder spree, using unwitting bodies (mainly human, sometimes feline!) as his vessels, and passing between them via touch. For the remainder of the movie, Washington effectively finds himself playing tag with a demon.
Even after Fallen has unveiled the heights of its silliness, Washington remains commanding. In the scene where he’s told what’s really going on, he moves from “Oh, come on!” scepticism to whole-hearted belief in a matter of seconds, making his personal change of mind convincing, and (at least temporarily) bringing us along with him. It may be a preposterous movie, but it’s a masterful performance.
Washington’s habit of mixing high and low art expanded well out beyond the nineties, most notably in his frequent collaborations with director Tony Scott. Across five films, from 1995 to 2010, the actor time travelled, stopped runaway trains, and saved the day in countless other ways, elevating schlocky material into the stuff of poetry. After that came The Equalizer movies, where Washington took his ex-CIA agent on a surprisingly moving emotional arc, through a myriad of violent, often outrageous set pieces. Time and again, from the nineties to the present day, he’s made even the most throwaway of movies feel utterly gripping.
In a very real sense, making nonsense films like Ricochet, Virtuosity, and Fallen emotionally credible is every inch as challenging as the trickiest Shakespearian soliloquy. That Washington excels at both is a major part of what makes him such a peerless screen presence and us in the audience so lucky to have him.
The post The engrossing ’90s nonsense of Denzel Washington appeared first on Little White Lies.
12
Nov
Plot: From the expansive universe of Dune, created by acclaimed author Frank Herbert, and 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, Dune: Prophecy follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit.
Review: Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune has proven that once considered unadaptable, Frank Herbert’s novels could make for critical and commercial successes in the right creative hands. With the first film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and Dune: Part Two destined for the same honor, the franchise’s future has never been more in the zeitgeist. Seizing the opportunity to explore other formats and media, Warner Bros and HBO have developed Dune: Prophecy. This prequel series explains the origins of the mystical sect seen in the films known as the Bene Gesserit. Chronicling the familiar Houses of Harkonnen, Atreides, and Corrino, Dune: Prophecy takes a cue from series like Game of Thrones to explore the palace intrigue of royal families, commoners rising through the ranks, backstabbing, and destiny to deepen the mythology of Dune beyond the planet of Arrakis.
Having seen four of the six episodes that comprise the first season of Dune: Prophecy, I am torn about how this series fits alongside the feature films. As far as plot elements, Dune: Prophecy shares a lot in common with the Games of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon, as both series namecheck ancestors of characters from the main series while dramatizing events that are key to the events of the films set in the distant past. As fans of the Dune novels know, one hundred centuries before the first book, a war was waged between the humans and the thinking machines that were destroying them. Dune: Prophecy picks up one hundred and sixteen years after that war, The Butlerian Jihad, as House Corrino has taken control of the Imperium. Familiar Houses like Harkonnen and Atreides exist but are lesser compared to the major families. Much of this series is set at the seat of the Imperium, where Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong) rules alongside his consort, Empress Natalya (Jodhi May). Javicco is preparing his daughter, Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina), for indoctrination into the Sisterhood of the Bene Gesserit and marriage to forge a bond with House Richese. This comes when soldier Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel) returns from Arakkis with a message for the Emperor.
The first episode of Dune: Prophecy sets the foundation for how Reverend Mother Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson) and her sister Tula (Olivia Williams) shape the next generation of Truthsayers to control the various Houses behind the scenes. We meet young Sisters, including Theodosia (Jade Anouka), Emeline (Aoife Hinds), Lila (Chloe Lea), and more, as they learn the ways of the Sisterhood while questioning the potentially dangerous leadership of Valya and Tula, which unfolds via flashbacks to how they gained control of the Bene Gesserit. We also see how a shocking event at the end of the premiere episode puts Emperor Javicco’s control at risk and how Desmond Hart plays a key role in what is to come. The atmosphere of the series feels more opulent than the setting of Arrakis, as the Emperor lives on Salusa Secundus, a planet briefly seen as training grounds for soldiers in the Dune films. On Salusa Secundus, we see the nightlife of the aristocracy, which involves nightclubs teeming with spice usage and lots of sex. We also visit each House’s home planet, ranging from forested (Atreides) to frozen (Harkonnen).
The lack of technology is seen briefly in a sequence showing the downfall of machines with robotics factoring into the plot. There are also connections to the Dune films as we see swordmasters using training shields, some shots of massive sandworms, and the mind-controlling skill known as The Voice by the Bene Gesserit. There are also references to elements from the sequel novel, Dune Messiah, that I will not spoil here as it is a major plot twist. Needless to say, there is a lot to unpack in this short season, and by the fourth episode, I am still unsure how they will pull it all together with just two chapters remaining. I can say that fans of the prequel novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Andersen, both of whom are credited as executive producers on Dune: Prophecy, will find a lot of changes from the published books. Like HBO’s adaptations of George R.R. Martin’s novels, this series draws the books’ main timeline and plot points and includes many characters from them. It also has new creations that are original to this series and expand on elements from the thirteen prequel books.
Some of the elements of Dune: Prophecy are intriguing, such as the skill shown by Desmond Hart, which has no equivalent in the book series. The power hierarchy within the Imperium is interesting, but what we see inside The Sisterhood is far more interesting than the palace intrigue and political conversations between the established Houses we know by name and the multiple new families you have to try and keep straight. The Harkonnens are much different than the bald, powerful empire seen in the films, but knowing they are monsters makes it hard to root for them here. Equally, the similarities between this series and Game of Thrones purely from a structural standpoint make this series feel a bit derivative rather than an interesting foray deeper into the mythology of Dune. Travis Fimmel does some interesting work as the standalone character in the story, while Mark Strong feels like he is sleepwalking through his character. Emily Watson and Olivia Williams have an intriguing dynamic in their story arcs, but they do not have enough time to work together on screen.
Director Anna Foerster (Westworld, Outlander) helmed the first episode and the final two, with John Cameron (Severance) helming the second episode and Richard J. Lewis (Westworld) helming episodes three and four. None of these three directors are anywhere close to the visual grandeur of what Denis Villeneuve brought to the Dune films, making Dune: Prophecy feel smaller than the films that bring viewers to this story. Alison Schapker (Fringe, Lost, Westworld) serves as showrunner after co-creating the series with Diane Ademu-John (The Haunting of Bly Manor), and the pair manages to give the female characters their due in a show that previously carried the subtitle The Sisterhood. Scott Z. Burns and Dune co-screenwriter Jon Spaihts are credited as executive producers, while Villeneuve is not. Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on the Western Front) does not come close to Hans Zimmer’s memorable score but does lend some gravitas to the series.
Dune: Prophecy is a well-made series with high production values and a solid cast of veterans and newcomers, but it cannot help but feel like a replica of Game of Thrones set in outer space. With a limited run of episodes for the first season, I expected more from this series, which spends each episode too heavily reliant on characters talking to each other rather than providing a compelling argument for telling this story rather than other periods from the ten thousand years before Paul Atreides arrived on Arrakis. Frank Herbert’s novels were not shy from sexual content and focused heavily on conversations about political action rather than actual action, so Dune: Prophecy does not stray far from the source material. However, audiences flocked to HBO’s Game of Thrones because it was compelling, interesting, and a unique world to visit with characters to root for. While Dune: Prophecy certainly has the potential to achieve the first two, none of these characters are worth caring about. If you loved the Dune movies, this is worth watching to learn more background instead of reading thousands of pages, but it is not nearly as interesting or entertaining as the feature films.
Dune: Prophecy premieres on November 17th on HBO.
The post Dune: Prophecy TV Review: The prequel series dives into the mythology of the sci-fi franchise appeared first on JoBlo.
11
Nov
December 2025 may feel like an eternity away, but with just over a year out, you know we’re going to be getting all sorts of news and teases for one of the most anticipated films of next year: James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash. Fresh out of the D23 Expo in Brazil comes some concept art that gives us an idea of what we can expect.
Some of the highlights of this year’s D23 Expo included trailers for MCU films like Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts. But we all know that Avatar: Fire and Ash will be the one that dazzles us all the most next year. So at this point, really anything related to the film will be much welcome. You can check out some of the revealed artwork below:
Not surprisingly, the work is stunning looking, and considering just how much commitment James Cameron gives to these films (and pretty much everything else he wants to involve himself in), we know we’re in for a visual feast and probably yet another Best Visual Effects win at the Oscars to go with the series’ other two. That we won’t have the excruciatingly long wait between films that we did with the first Avatar and 2022’s The Way of Water only helps in our anticipation.
As for the very George R.R. Martin-sounding title of Fire and Ash, James Cameron noted just why it’s key to the film and development of his world. “It took a long time to come up with a title that I felt resonated with what’s in the film. I don’t think I could say too much about it until you actually see the film and you see what it means, but if you think of fire as hatred, anger, violence, that sort of thing, and ash is the aftermath. So what’s the aftermath? Grief, loss, right? And then what does that cause in the future? More violence, more anger, more hatred. It’s a vicious cycle. So that’s the thinking.”
You can check out more of the concept art for Avatar: Fire and Ash on the official D23 X page. The film comes out on December 19th, 2025.
What do you think of the art for Avatar: Fire and Ash? Where does it rank on your list of most anticipated films of 2025?
The post Avatar: Fire and Ash concept art teases future of Pandora appeared first on JoBlo.
11
Nov
December 2025 may feel like an eternity away, but with just over a year out, you know we’re going to be getting all sorts of news and teases for one of the most anticipated films of next year: James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash. Fresh out of the D23 Expo in Brazil comes some concept art that gives us an idea of what we can expect.
Some of the highlights of this year’s D23 Expo included trailers for MCU films like Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts. But we all know that Avatar: Fire and Ash will be the one that dazzles us all the most next year. So at this point, really anything related to the film will be much welcome. You can check out some of the revealed artwork below:
Not surprisingly, the work is stunning looking, and considering just how much commitment James Cameron gives to these films (and pretty much everything else he wants to involve himself in), we know we’re in for a visual feast and probably yet another Best Visual Effects win at the Oscars to go with the series’ other two. That we won’t have the excruciatingly long wait between films that we did with the first Avatar and 2022’s The Way of Water only helps in our anticipation.
As for the very George R.R. Martin-sounding title of Fire and Ash, James Cameron noted just why it’s key to the film and development of his world. “It took a long time to come up with a title that I felt resonated with what’s in the film. I don’t think I could say too much about it until you actually see the film and you see what it means, but if you think of fire as hatred, anger, violence, that sort of thing, and ash is the aftermath. So what’s the aftermath? Grief, loss, right? And then what does that cause in the future? More violence, more anger, more hatred. It’s a vicious cycle. So that’s the thinking.”
You can check out more of the concept art for Avatar: Fire and Ash on the official D23 X page. The film comes out on December 19th, 2025.
What do you think of the art for Avatar: Fire and Ash? Where does it rank on your list of most anticipated films of 2025?
The post Avatar: Fire and Ash concept art teases future of Pandora appeared first on JoBlo.
11
Nov
Valve has announced a new white and gray variant of its uber-popular portable PC device, the Steam Deck. This upcoming version of the handheld PC will cost $680 and will go on sale on November 18.
11
Nov
Valve has announced a new white and gray variant of its uber-popular portable PC device, the Steam Deck. This upcoming version of the handheld PC will cost $680 and will go on sale on November 18.
11
Nov
The casting process for the upcoming Harry Potter TV series has been moving ahead, and Variety reports that Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) is being considered for the role of Albus Dumbledore.
The report states that Rylance is “at the top of the casting wishlist” for Dumbledore but adds that “Warner Bros. Television hasn’t yet entered into negotiations with the actor, but the studio has reached out to gauge interest and availability.” So, don’t get too excited, but I think Rylance would be fantastic in the role if the studio is able to sign him. In response, an HBO representative said, “We appreciate that such a high profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.“
As I mentioned above, the casting process for the Harry Potter TV series has begun. An open call was put out for children who are residents of the U.K. and Ireland and will be between the ages of 9 and 11 in April 2025 to play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. “We are committed to inclusive, diverse casting,” the notice reads. “For every role, please submit qualified performers, without regard to ethnicity, sex, disability, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by law unless otherwise specifically indicated.“
It was revealed earlier this summer that Succession‘s Francesca Gardiner had been tapped to serve as writer and showrunner, while Mark Mylod signed on to executive produce and direct multiple episodes. The project was originally developed for Max but made the leap to HBO (along with a variety of other Max shows) in June.
Each season of the Harry Potter TV series is said to cover one of J.K. Rowling’s novels, for a total of seven seasons. While the movies were able to fit quite a lot in, there were plenty of moments cut from the novels that the TV series will finally be able to bring to life. Last year, the studio released a statement saying, “Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.“
Could you see Mark Rylance as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter TV series?
The post Mark Rylance being considered to play Dumbledore in Harry Potter TV series appeared first on JoBlo.