Three years ago, back when director Adam Wingard’s Godzilla vs. Kong was released, it was announced that the filmmaker would be making a movie based on the classic animated series ThunderCats (which originally ran from 1985 to 1989), with his approach being to make it a live action / CGI animation hybrid, as he couldn’t imagine hiring actors to just play the ThunderCats in makeup. Then Wingard got caught up in the production of Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire, which is set to reach theatres on March 29th – but during an interview with io9, he confirmed that he hasn’t left the ThunderCats behind. That project is still in active development.

Wingard said, “Simon [Barrett] and I are still actively working on the script. We finished our last draft basically right when I was going into production on [Godzilla x Kong] and we just had to put everything on hold. [But] right now we’re actively working on it again. So whether that means that’s the next thing I do or [not], I’m not sure. But it’s definitely one of the top priorities I have right now in terms of working on a script.“

Wingard and Barrett – who also contributed to the Godzilla x Kong screenplay – have previously worked together on A Horrible Way to Die, You’re Next, The Guest, and Blair Witch, among other projects. They’re also developing a sequel to the John Woo / Nicolas Cage / John Travolta action classic Face/Off.

When Wingard’s ThunderCats was first announced, the director explained that ThunderCats is a dream project for him, as he is longtime fan of the property. He even said he spent his entire tenth grade year writing a ThunderCats screenplay that wound up being 272 pages long.

If you’re not familiar with ThunderCats, here’s some information on the original show from Wikipedia: ThunderCats follows the adventures of the eponymous team of heroes, cat-like humanoid aliens on a planet called Third Earth. The series plot begins with the dying planet Thundera meeting its end, forcing the ThunderCats (a sort of Thunderean nobility) to flee their homeworld. The fleet is attacked by the Thundereans’ enemies, the Mutants of Plun-Darr, who destroy most of the starships in the “ThunderFleet”, but spare the flagship hoping to capture the legendary mystic Sword of Omens they believe is on board. The sword holds the Eye of Thundera, the source of the ThunderCats’ power, which is embedded in the hilt. Though the Mutants damage the flagship, the power of the Eye drives them back. The damage to the ship means the journey to their original destination is not possible, instead having to journey to “Third Earth”, which will take much longer than they had anticipated. The eldest of the ThunderCats, Jaga, volunteers to pilot the ship while the others sleep in capsules. However, he dies of old age in the process, but not before ensuring they will reach their destination safely. The flagship contains the young Lord of the ThunderCats, Lion-O, as well as the ThunderCats Cheetara, Panthro, Tygra, WilyKit and WilyKat, and Snarf. When the ThunderCats awaken from their suspended animation on Third Earth after ten “galacto-years”, Lion-O discovers that his suspension capsule has slowed, rather than stopped, his aging. He has now become essentially a child in the body of an adult. Together, the ThunderCats and the friendly natives of Third Earth construct the “Cat’s Lair”, their new home and headquarters, but before long, the Mutants have tracked them down to Third Earth. The intrusion of these two alien races upon the world does not go unnoticed, however, as a demonic, mummified sorcerer calling himself Mumm-Ra recruits the Mutants to aid him in his campaign to acquire the Eye of Thundera and destroy the ThunderCats so that his evil may continue to hold sway over Third Earth.

Are you a fan of ThunderCats, and are you interested in seeing what Adam Wingard will do with the film adaptation? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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The legendary Jean-Claude Van Damme is back in action in the upcoming thriller Darkness of Man, which is set to receive a digital release on May 21st. With that date just a couple months away, a trailer for the film has arrived online, and you can check it out in the embed above!

Directed by James Cullen Bressack, who crafted the story with Van Damme and wrote the screenplay with Alethea Hnatko-Cho, Darkness of Man has the following synopsis: Russell Hatch (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a washed-up, former Interpol operative who vowed to protect the son of an informant killed years earlier in a raid gone wrong. When merciless street gangs start an all-out turf war and the kid is caught in the middle, Hatch will stop at nothing to keep him safe and fight anyone who gets in his way.

Van Damme is joined in the cast by Emerson Min (Black-ish), Kristanna Loken (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines), Peter Jae (Blackhat), Sticky Fingaz (Blade: The Series), Spencer Breslin (The Cat in the Hat), Ji Yong Lee (The Valet), Andrey Ivchenko (Stranger Things), Zack Ward (Freddy vs. Jason), Shannen Doherty (Beverly Hills 90210), Chika Kanamoto (The Man in the High Castle), Cynthia Rothrock (China O’Brien), Weston Cage (The Night They Came Home), Kristos Andrews (Survive the Game), Shane Yoon (Henry Danger), Jackie Dallas (13 Reasons Why), Danielle Vasinova (To Hell with a Bullet), Kris Van Damme (Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning), Eric Roberts (The Expendables), and Randall J. Bacon (Skeletons in the Closet).

Bressack produced the film with Jessica Bennett, Jarrett Furst, and Andre Relis.

I have been a fan of Van Damme ever since I rented Bloodsport and Kickboxer on VHS when I was a kid, so I’m always glad to see that he has another movie coming down the line. I will definitely be taking a look at Darkness of Man. I recently had a marathon of some of Van Damme’s earlier movies and they were still a blast all these years later.

What did you think of the Darkness of Man trailer? Will you be watching this movie when it’s released in May? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Wak! Wak! Fans who wanted Matt Reeves’ The Batman to lean into the violence of Gotham City could be in for a treat when The Penguin arrives on Max. The spinoff series, starring Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot, could find the classic villain breaking more than bones as he continues to waddle toward the top of Gotham’s criminal food chain. Speaking with MovieZine, Farrell said The Penguin is gnarlier than Reeves’ PG-13 Batman film and should be considered “incredibly violent.”

“It was a long and really wonderful experience,” Farrell said about filming The Penguin series. “It’s dark; that’s what I can tell you about it. It’s really dark. It’s really heavy, I think— it certainly was doing it. Which is not to say I didn’t have fun, I had an amazing time doing it. It’s incredibly violent. It’s one man’s rise to what he’s always dreamed of inhabiting, which is a certain power or social status.”

“The death of Carmine Falcone at the end of [‘The Batman’] leaves this vacuum in Gotham to be filled, and so there are various people that are grabbing for that power,” Farrell added. “This is Oswald’s journey trying to rise to the top through extraordinary obstacles.”

Colin Farrell has also indicated that the film will serve as an origin story for the Penguin, something we have seen twice on screen before in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns, played by Danny DeVito. and in Fox’s prequel series Gotham portrayed by Robin Lord Taylor. While the term “origin” does not necessarily mean we will get flashbacks to Cobblepot’s childhood, the series may go back that far. Farrel’s comments have stated that The Penguin will explore the character’s “awkwardness, and his strength, and his villainy” and the “heartbroken man inside there.”

Much of the cast of The Penguin has been announced, but not who they will be playing. Alongside Farrell, we do know that Cristin Milioti will portray Sofia Falcone, daughter of the late Carmine Falcone. Michael Zegen will play Alberto Falcone, Sofia’s brother. Clancy Brown, the fan favorite star of everything from The Shawshank Redemption to a recent appearance on The Boys spin-off Gen V, will play Salvatore Maroni, a rival gangster Carmine Falcone informed on. Maroni was previously played by Dennis Paladino in Batman Returns, David Zayas in Gotham, and Eric Roberts in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. It is worth noting that Maroni and Falcone have a close connection to Harvey Dent (aka Two Face), so it is possible we may see an expansion of characters in this version of the DC universe. Other cast members include Michael Kelly as Johnny Vitti, underboss of the Falcone crime family, as well as undisclosed characters for Rhenzy Feliz, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Dierdre O’Connell, James Madio, Scott Cohen, Theo Rossi, Carmen Ejogo, Francois Chau, David H. Holmes, Craig Walker, and Jared Abrahamson.

What do you think about The Penguin being an ultra-violent installment of Reeves’ The Batman story? What other villains would you like Reeves to introduce in his version of the DC Universe? I would lose my sh*t if Reeves announced a Clayface creature feature, a mind-bending portrayal of Jervis Tetch (Mad Hatter), or a terrifying interpretation of the Ventriloquist and Scarface. Let’s see your suggestions in the comments section below.

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If the stars align, Jake Gyllenhaal could serve more knuckle sandwiches as Dalton for a potential Road House 2. The hard-hitting re-imagining of the Rowdy Herrington-directed action film grabbed viewers by the seat of their pants this past weekend, with 121.5 minutes of the new movie streamed on Prime Video, according to Luminate. While Road House director Doug Liman is perhaps not in Prime Video’s best standing after boycotting the film’s SXSW premiere (Liman eventually did attend the screening), the feature still had a successful launch. With more to the story teased in a post-credits scene, Raod House fans wonder if Gyllenhaal could return for a Road House 2. Thankfully, ScreenRant went straight to the horse’s mouth to find out if Gyllenhaal would throw more punches in a sequel.

Speaking with ScreenRant about his chances of playing Dalton in Road House 2, Gyllenhaal said, “I would love to [revisit the role]. I love the role, I love the character. I love his humor. I love where he could go. The first thing I ever read in the script was the scene where he asked about insurance, if they have insurance, asked if their bikes are outside, and the essence of that character is there, and there’s so much more to explore in that space. So, yeah… I do like the training, but that’s just me.”

While Gyllenhaal appears interested in reprising the iconic role played by Patrick Swayze in the 1989 original for Road House 2, a few factors stand in the way. Much to Doug Liman’s disapproval, Road House is streaming exclusively on Prime Video and forgoing a wide theatrical release. In other words, Road House needs many views to overshadow the film’s mediocre reviews and Rotten Tomatoes score of 63% Fresh. With only so many people having a Prime Video subscription, getting executives to sign off on a sequel will take a lot of work. If you want Road House 2, the best way to show your support is to sing the film’s praises online and recommend it to anyone you think could be interested.

Per the official logline: “In this adrenaline-fueled reimagining of the ’80s cult classic, ex-UFC fighter Dalton (Gyllenhaal) takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems.” In addition to Gyllenhaal, Road House stars Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Joaquim De Almeida, and Conor McGregor. The film aims to pay homage to the original while providing its own unique and exhilarating spin to introduce Dalton, the roadhouse, and all its chaos to a new generation.

Would you like to see Road House 2? Would Liman return to direct, or has that bridge been burned? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

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As last year’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (which has dropped the “Part One” subtitle since it hit home video) wrapped up, we saw that Tom Cruise’s IMF agent lead character Ethan Hunt would live to run another day – and pictures from the set of Mission: Impossible 8 (which won’t be called Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two after all) show him doing just that! Cruise running is a big part of these movies and his overall career, so it’s nice to see that Mission: Impossible 8 will indeed have him moving across the screen as fast as his legs can carry him. There’s even some video from the set as well, if you want to see this run in action.

Despite the title change(s), Mission: Impossible 8 will indeed be telling the second half of the story that began in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, with Ethan Hunt out to destroy an AI system called The Entity, which is housed in a sunken Russian stealth submarine.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, and Dead Reckoning writer/director Christopher McQuarrie remains at the helm, working from a screenplay he crafted with Erik Jendresen.

Cruise is being joined in the cast by Hayley Atwell, reprising her Dead Reckoning role of thief-turned-IMF-recruit Grace; Vanessa Kirby as arms dealer Alanna Mitsopolis, a.k.a. the White Widow, a character who was previously seen in both Fallout and Dead Reckoning; Ving Rhames as IMF agent Luther Stickell, who has been part of this franchise since the first Mission: Impossible movie in 1996; Simon Pegg as IMF agent Benji Dunn, who joined the party back in Mission: Impossible III; Henry Czerny as CIA director Eugene Kittridge, who was introduced in Mission: Impossible (1996) and finally made his long-awaited return in Dead Reckoning; Rolf Saxon as William Donloe, a CIA analyst who got in trouble after Ethan Hunt accessed his computer way back in the first Mission: Impossible; and more Dead Reckoning reprisals: Esai Morales as the Entity-serving terrorist Gabriel; Pom Klementieff as Gabriel’s former ally Paris; Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis as US Intelligence agents Briggs and Degas; Mariela Garriga as Marie, a mysterious woman from Ethan and Gabriel’s past; Mark Gatiss and Charles Parnell as the heads of the NSA and NRO;. There are also a handful of new additions to the franchise: Holt McCallany as Secretary of Defense Bernstein; Nick Offerman as Sydney, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Janet McTeer, Hannah Waddingham, and Lucy Tulugarjuk in unspecified roles.

Are you looking forward to Mission: Impossible 8? What do you think of these set pics and video? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Jean-Claude Forest created the heroine Barbarella in the pages of V Magazine back in 1962, and it only took six years for director Roger Vardim (and a small army of screenwriters) to bring the character to the screen in the film Barbarella (watch it HERE), where she was played by Jane Fonda. A sequel called Barbarella Goes Down never made it into production, but talks of a Barbarella reboot have been bouncing around for decades, with Rose McGowan, Halle Berry, and Kate Beckinsale being among those who have been considered for the title role. Robert Rodriguez was going to direct the new film at one point, Robert Luketic at another. Neal Purvis and Robert Wade wrote a screenplay, and were later attached to a TV adaptation that had Nicolas Winding Refn at the helm. None of these ever got the greenlight. About a year and a half ago, it was announced that Sony Pictures had chosen Sydney Sweeney to star in and executive produce a new Barbarella movie – and Sweeney has since admitted that one reason why she agreed to be in Madame Web was so she could establish a working relationship with Sony that benefitted Barbarella. While making an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast recently, Sweeney confirmed that her Barbarella is still in the works… but had no comment on the rumors that Edgar Wright might direct the film.

When asked if the project is moving forward and why she was drawn to the title character, Sweeney said (with thanks to Superhero Hype for the transcription), “It is. I mean, Barbarella is just such a fun character to explore. She really just embraces her femininity and her sexuality, and I love that. She uses sex as a weapon and I think it’s such an interesting way into a sci-fi world. I’ve always wanted to do sci-fi. So we’ll see what happens.“

Host Josh Horowitz asked if Edgar Wright is really in talks to direct the film, but Sweeney dodged the question and only acknowledged that Wright has become an acquaintance.

If you’re not familiar with the Barbarella character, Wikipedia has some information: “Barbarella: a young woman who travels from planet to planet and has numerous adventures, often involving sex. The aliens she meets often seduce her, and she also experiments with a ‘machine excessive’ or ‘orgasmatron.’”

Are you looking forward to Sydney Sweeney’s Barbarella, and would you like to see Edgar Wright direct the film? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

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Ron Harper, who starred in iconic science-fiction series like Planet of the Apes and Land of the Lost, has died at 91. His daughter, Nicole Longeuay, says her father died of natural causes at his home in West Hills on Thursday.

Ron Harper, with his golden hair, piercing eyes, and suave demeanor, was an understudy for Paul Newman on Broadway before playing notable roles like Alan Virdon in the Planet of the Apes series, Uncle Jack in Land of the Lost, and Peter Whitmore in the TV series Generations. Before striking it rich with roles that would increase his star power, Harper appeared in four series that never got a second season, including 87th Precinct, Wendy and Me, The Jean Arthur Show, and Garrison’s Gorillas.

Thankfully, Planet of the Apes helped put Harper on executive’s watch lists. While Planet of the Apes didn’t last long on the air, Harper made enough of an impact that he began landing other gigs, such as the 1976 science-fiction series Land of the Lost. Harper played Uncle Jack for 13 episodes. However, Land of the Lost became a television staple, with Harper’s episodes airing multiple times, adding to his visibility.

“The stories were very good,” Harper said during an interview in 2005. “Each generation of children as they come up and are exposed to it like those stories and remember them, pass them right on. I have about three tapes, and I’ve been showing them to my daughter since she was 5. And she still, of all my series, loves Land of the Lost best.”

As a man of many talents, Ron Harper dabbled in stage and screen throughout his career. On television, he appeared on shows like Tales of Wells Fargo, The Blue Knight, Love of Life, Loving, Capitol, and the teen-centric dramas Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place.

While contributing to the silver screen, Harper appeared in films like Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor, John Erick Dowdle’s The Poughkeepsie Tapes, Fred Olsen Ray’s Venomous, David S. Cass Sr.’s romantic drama Uncorked, Emily Moss Wilson’s sci-fi short Drink, and his final role, a TV movie titled Kidnapped: The Hannah Anderson Story.

We here at JoBlo would like to extend our sincere condolences to Mr. Harper’s family, friends, and fans. May he have safe passage to the Great Hereafter and rest knowing he entertained millions and more.

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The 2016 Ghostbusters might be one of the most flames major productions of this century, with the trailer quickly becoming the most disliked on YouTube. There were a couple of camps here. One was targeted as being misogynistic, taking personal affront that their beloved characters had been replaced by women. While another is that there just didn’t seem like a point to it all. Why bother if you don’t have the original Ghosbusters? Well, one late recruit — Ernie Hudson, who played Winston Zeddemore — has some thoughts on the matter.

As Ernie Hudson told The Independent, it seemed like a waste to make the Ghostbusters back in 2016, saying, “Look, I’m a fan of [director] Paul Feig so I have nothing negative about him to say. Other than: I don’t quite understand why you do a reboot, you know what I mean? Just make another movie.”

Hudson did want to make it clear that he has nothing against the cast of 2016’s Ghostbusters, which, like the 1984 original, partly consisted of Saturday Night Live alum: Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy, and Leslie Jones. To this, he added, “Fans were really invested in the story and the characters and I think it was disappointing. I enjoyed the movie but I think it wasn’t what fans were hoping for.”

Ernie Hudson has been one of the more vocal of the OG Ghostbusters overall, with comments hitting on everything from the 1984 classic to the 2016 reboot to 2021’s Afterlife, which re-launched the attempt to keep interest going in the shaky franchise. For starters, he seriously questioned why he wasn’t part of the marketing campaign of the 1984 original, while he would also go on to show a lack of confidence in the new movies’ direction.

Despite his issues with the majority of movies in the Ghostbusters franchise, Ernie Hudson continues to be part of it, playing Winston in four of the movies and Jones’ uncle in the 2016 entry.

Why do you think the 2016 Ghostbusters didn’t work for audiences? Did Hudson nail it or is there something more? Share your take below!

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Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic, Micheal, is one of the most anticipated film projects in recent memory. Bringing the King of Pop’s story to life on the silver screen is a Herculean task, and you need shining stars to help it burn bright on screens. Today, Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International announced new vital roles for the forthcoming film, including actors to play La Toya Jackson, Dick Clark, Diana Ross, and more!

Per today’s official press release courtesy of Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International:

Larenz Tate (Love Jones, Dead Presidents) plays Berry Gordy, the Motown Records founder and impresario. Gordy is the man who redefined American music by developing and giving a national platform to such acts as Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Diana Ross & the Supremes, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops, Gladys Knight and the Pips – and the Jackson 5 – to name a few.

Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries, The Parent Trap) plays the legendary Diana Ross, lead singer of the chart-topping Motown group The Supremes, who was one of the label’s most successful groups in the 60s before Diana embarked on a celebrated and decades-long solo career in the 70s, along with acclaimed acting roles. Given her star power and influence, Motown would have Diana officially introduce the Jackson 5 to the world. She remained a life-long influence on Michael.

Jessica Sula (Split, Malum) plays Michael’s older sister, La Toya, the fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, who first gained recognition in the mid-1970s on the family’s variety TV series “The Jacksons.” She launched a solo career, releasing multiple albums in the 1980s.

Liv Symone (Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Doing It Wrong) will play Gladys Knight, whose soulful voice and electric performances alongside her family (as the Pips) produced several #1 hits for Motown, including “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”; later, her signature song, “Midnight Train to Georgia,” would bring worldwide popularity to the Empress of Soul.

Kendrick Sampson (Fashionably Yours, Insecure) plays legendary, 28-time Grammy Awards-winning songwriter, composer, and producer Quincy Jones, who first met Michael when he was just 12 years old. The pair would go on to collaborate on three of Michael’s most successful albums: “Off the Wall” (1979), “Thriller” (1982), and “Bad” (1987).

KeiLyn Durrel Jones (How to Die Alone, Fear the Night) plays Bill Bray, whom Joe Jackson originally hired in the 1970’s as security for the Jackson 5. Bray went on to work exclusively with Michael for nearly three decades, becoming one of his most trusted friends.

Finally, Kevin Shinick (Robot Chicken, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?) plays Dick Clark, host of “American Bandstand,” where the Jackson 5 made a legendary early appearance in their rise to fame.

“I’m thrilled that we were able to bring together such a gifted group of actors for this film,” said producer Graham King. “What they bring to these key roles provides a rich backdrop for the movie, adding to the extraordinary ensemble.”

The rest of the cast includes Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Miles Teller as long-time lawyer John Branca, Juliano Krue Valdi as young Michael Jackson, and Jackson’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson as the adult version of Michael. Antoine Fuqua is directing from a script by John Logan. We got our first look at Jaafar Jackson in costume as his famous uncle earlier this month, and the likeness is pretty damn uncanny. The production has the cooperation of the Jackson estate, which means that they’ll be able to use his music, but it remains to be seen how much of the famous singer’s troubles will be addressed.

“Michael will bring audiences a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated man who became the King of Pop,” reads the official description. “The film presents his triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale — from his human side and personal struggles to his undeniable creative genius, exemplified by his most iconic performances. As never before, audiences will experience an inside look into one of the most influential, trailblazing artists the world has ever known.” Michael will hit theaters on April 18, 2025.

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Plot: Based on Georgia Hunter’s New York Times bestselling novel, the television adaptation of “We Were the Lucky Ones” is a limited series inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of WWII. The series follows them across continents as they do everything in their power to survive and to reunite. “We Were the Lucky Ones” demonstrates how, in the face of the twentieth century’s darkest moment, the human spirit can endure and even thrive. The series is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds.

Review: One of the most important lessons of history is never to forget it. In recent years, as political strife has shifted around the globe from one region to the next, entertainment has always been an outlet to tell stories of inspiration as well as the stark horrors of what happens when the world looks the other way. With 2025 serving as the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, we continue to see films and series telling the tales of the various perspectives of those who lived through the tumultuous era. 2023 saw the Oscar-winning The Zone of Interest on the big screen and the overly melodramatic Netflix series All The Light We Cannot See. 2024 opened with the epic war series Masters of the Air, and now Hulu follows with a very different type of epic in We Were The Lucky Ones. Chronicling the path of one Jewish family across the globe during the span of World War II, the limited series is a well-constructed dramatic adaptation of the fictionalized true story of the Kurc clan through some of the most horrific events of the twentieth century.

Spanning the weeks in 1939 before the start of World War II through 1947, We Were The Lucky Ones opens with the return of Addy Kurc (Logan Lerman) from Paris, where he worked as a composer and musician. Excited to be reunited with his sister Haline (Joey King) and his family for Passover, Addy and his siblings celebrate the annual Jewish holiday despite concerns about the growing threat of German invasion. Parents Sol (Lior Ashkenazi) and Nechuma (Robin Weigert) share joy with their children, including sons Genec (Henry Lloyd-Hughes), Jakub (Amit Rahav), and daughter Mila (Hadas Yaron). After Addy returns to Paris, the Kurc family witnesses the invasion of their home city, Radom, and are forced to begin the shocking life of Jews during the Nazi regime. While this series does share some brutal moments, it shies away from turning into a tale of concentration camp survival. Instead, it looks at the various paths that the Kurc family take during their eight-year journey to be reunited.

Each of the eight series episodes is titled after a significant location the Kurcs find themselves seeking refuge, including Radom, Lvov, Siberia, Casablanca, Ilha Das Flores, Warsaw, Monte Cassino, and Rio. Much of the series is led by Joey King and Logan Lerman, each with a distinct story divided by geography. Joey King’s Halina spends the majority of the series close to her parents and siblings, who endure a lot in the eye of the storm of the Nazi occupation. Hiding their identities at times and relegated to ghettos at others, King triumphantly plays Halina as an optimist who endures to save her family by any means. This includes an unforgettable sequence towards the end of the series that is truly hard to watch and also some of the best acting that King has delivered in her young career. Halina grows quite a bit over the course of the series alongside her partner, Adam Eichenwald (Sam Woolf). Much of this series is focused on the couples in the Kurc family and how their relationships endure even in the face of the most horrific actions taken against humanity. Some of these scenes are tragic but still maintain a hopeful theme.

Logan Lerman, who faced a very different Nazi threat in Prime Video’s Hunters, spends the majority of the series on his own. At the start of the series, Addy tries to return to his family in vain before heading in the opposite direction, eventually making his way to Brazil. At times, the split focus between the European atrocities the bulk of the Kurc clan face and the vastly different experiences Addy endures makes We Were the Lucky Ones feel uneven in pacing and tone. The recurring theme of Passover celebrations under the specter of the Holocaust adds a recurring motif that strengthens the family bond, something accentuated by the steadfast performances of Robin Weigert and Lior Ashkenazi as the patriarch and matriarch of the family. At times, the series borders on melodramatic and stokes cliches of the genre, but always in service of telling this amazing story. Part of what makes it amazing is how so many of the Kurc family are reunited during an era where countless Jewish families were annihilated, but that helps the spirit of We Were The Lucky Ones live up to its title.

Showrunner Erica Lipez wrote three of the series’ eight episodes, with Adam Milch, Anya Meksin, Jonathan Caren, Eboni Booth, and Tea Ho scripting the rest. Adapted from Georgia Hunter’s bestselling novel, We Were The Lucky Ones has taken a lot of dramatic liberties in developing a story that could have felt like a reenactment of someone’s Ancestry.com family tree. Many moments through the series feel familiar and pulled from other similar series about survivors of World War II, but they never feel repetitive. Directing duties fell to Thomas Kail on two episodes, Amit Gupta on three, and Neasa Hardiman on the remaining three chapters. Kail, an acclaimed theatre director, is best known for directing the filmed version of Hamilton, while Gupta and Hardiman are veteran television directors. As filmmakers, all of the helmers keep the quality of each chapter cinematic and stirring without pandering to the more emotional elements of the story.

Not as stark as Schindler’s List but every bit as effective, We Were The Lucky Ones is a love letter to survivors of an atrocity that the world should never forget. Those familiar with the celebration of Passover will find the customs and recurring family seders beautifully realized. This story is hard for many to watch, but between the horrors, there is life, beauty, love, and celebration. Certainly, it’s not a series for a light watch, but it’s much better than it could have been. Like any true story that is dramatically retold, We Were The Lucky Ones hinges on the quality of the cast and the story’s honesty about the real events. This effective human drama will have you crying and smiling in equal measure at the strength of family and love.

We Were The Lucky Ones premieres on March 28th on Hulu.

We Were The Lucky Ones

GOOD

7

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