The episode of WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? covering The Prophecy II was Written by Mike Holtz, Narrated by Adam Walton, Edited by Jaime Vasquez, Produced by Andrew Hatfield and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

In 1995, Gregory Widen, writer of Backdraft and Highlander set out to tell a story about the darker side of angels with The Prophecy, formerly known as Daemons and God’s Army. The story involved an archangel named Gabriel, played by the absolute legend that is Christopher Walken, who had become jealous of God’s love for human beings. Or as he referred to us… monkeys. Does that make Ross from Friends our daddy? I knew some ladies (and men) in the 90s that would have totally been into that LOOK, WE’RE GETTING SIDETRACKED. The hurt was so deep for Gabriel and these fallen angels that it caused a Civil War in heaven between the obedient angels and the rebellious ones. Meanwhile on earth, a very bad man dies and his soul is so evil that whichever side retrieved it would completely alter the ESPN win probability rate in their favor. So, Gabriel comes to earth to retrieve it and turn Heaven into Hell by doing so BUT has his plot foiled by some good folks and Lucifer who’s probably a less good person but did happen to be wearing Viggo Mortenson. So, that’s cool. The film was an extremely cool idea with a killer cast that included everyone from Pulp Fiction’s Eric Stoltz to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’s Elias Koteas but also suffered from pacing and heady exposition. The one thing everyone could agree on was that Christopher Walken playing a blood thirsty evil angel was a stroke of pure genius. In the end, the film doubled its $8 million dollar budget and as you would typically expect was resurrected and brought back for a sequel that re-casted Christopher Walken in the titular role again and was released straight to… home video? Wait, what? That’s right folks. This was a DIMENSION FILMS property….and this is WTF happened to… The Prophecy II.

Look, I’m going to be honest with you, this movie is somehow a ghost in the machine. For a movie produced and distributed by a film studio where the stories are never ending, there’s simply not a lot out there about The Prophecy II (watch it HERE), which is a shame because it’s an insanely weird and entertaining movie. What we do know is that for whatever reason, original creator Gregory Widen would come back as writer in “characters written by” status only and would be replaced in the director’s chair by a man who’d just impressed Dimension Films executives with his work on their other direct to video property Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering. Yes, someone was impressed by Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering. Don’t make me say it a third time, I’m hanging on by a thread as it is, man! That man was Greg Spence and The Prophecy II would be the last movie he directed to this day. Don’t feel bad for him however as he went on to be a Producer of projects like Game of Thrones and The Last of Us TV series. He’s doing just dandy. Spence would go on to tell Cinefantastique that he was “quite happy with the experience” of directing The Prophecy II for the executives at Dimension Films in the mid-nineties which will definitely make you question whether or not he was being held at gunpoint. Blink twice if you’re in danger, Greg.

Spence was teamed up with Matt Greenberg (who would go on to write Halloween H20, 1408 and the Pet Sematary remake among other things) and they were told that the Weinstein’s wanted Walken back as Gabriel and also wanted the archangel Michael added into the fray. The crew then dug into Genesis in the Bible and came up with a story that not only tied into the original film but also amped up the entertainment factor. As Spence put it himself “we were interested in seeing the interesting elements of mythology kept, but making the film a little more genre, a little racier and maybe a little more scary than the first one”. They undoubtably succeeded in making The Prophecy II fit the trappings of the horror genre at the time. The deeply serious tones of the original (which were sometimes welcome and other times boring) are replaced here more action, Walken one liners and a faster paced storyline with a brisk hour and twenty-three-minute running time (GOD I miss those). Walken was as entertaining as ever and it wasn’t by accident. Spence says, “We had a lot of fun with Walken’s lines” and they purposefully infused a fish out of water storyline for the character of Gabriel. Here is this guy who’s ultra powerful, blood thirsty and scary as Hell, an evil archangel who has been around so long he’s literally the one who told Mary she was pregnant with Jesus…..and he’s completely bested by…..an MS DOS computer in a Dry Cleaners office. It’s genuinely hilarious and entertaining. Walken knows exactly what we want and he’s not afraid to give it to us; Vulcan-angel pinching humans left and right with a tap on the head and a “SHUSH” as they drop immediately to the floor as he floats by them with the seriousness of a man shopping for potato chips but he’s also capable of carrying the same vengeful tenacity he had during his scariest moments in the first film. Walken puts quite a show in what is dare I say his most underappreciated performance. The entire film has many similarities to its predecessor but is a whole heck of a lot quicker and infused with a lot more fun. It’s almost reminiscent of an Evil Dead to Evil Dead 2 type of scenario where the film feels the same only…..slightly drunk and much more care free.

Even the plot is alike in many ways. Where the original story was about Gabriel coming to earth to steal an evil soul, The Prophecy II focuses on Gabriel being kicked out of Hell with Lucifer claiming that Hell wasn’t “big enough for the both of them”. It’s like that movie Houseguest with Sinbad! Only its Satan and it’s actually nothing like that at all.

If you’re like me, you’re imagining Satan kicking Gabriel out like Uncle Phil would Jazzy Jeff in Fresh Prince of Belair. The front gate to Hell opens and Christopher Walken comes flying out with the devil slamming the door behind him. It’s not, unfortunately, but it is the next best thing when it decides to shamelessly borrow from James Cameron’s The Terminator. Here, Lucifer kisses his fingertips in a very uncomfortably close shot of his lips so that you can’t tell that Viggo Mortenson was re-cast, then wipes them across the pavement of the street like a cop about to taste the bad guys cocaine to make sure it’s real. We all know why you do it, guys. Come on. Next thing you know there’s lightning everywhere, the street opens up volcano style, a CGI car melts into it and out of it crawls a butt naked Christopher Walken, covered in goo and all I can think in this moment is ….if he’s not got any clothes or pockets? We all know where he’s keeping that pocket watch.

However you want to slice it, Gabriel is back on earth and once again, he’s on a mission. This time, it’s to stop a Nephilim from being born. Which, in this case, is someone who doesn’t rewind their video tapes before returning them to the video store. Actually, it’s a half baby/half angel that would eventually be the bridge to peace between the angels holding a Jerry Springer marathon upstairs. This was all prophesized by Thomas Daggett who is now played by Re-Animator’s Bruce Abbott instead of Elias Koteas because it’s the 90’s baby! There are no rules!

Gabriel goes on the hunt for Sarah Connor, I mean, nurse Valerie (played by the wide eyed and game for anything Jennifer Beals) who moments before had just experienced the reverse version of that scene from Don’t Be a Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, where Dashiki sleeps with Loc Dog and realizes she’s pregnant two minutes later. After sleeping with an angel after accidentally hitting him with her car. This what dudes had to do to get dates before the internet, people! So, the angel she slept with, Reece, I mean Danyael go on the run to protect the angel monkey in her stomach as the T-1000, I mean, Gabriel hunts them down. I think you get the point I’m trying to make here.

This movie is more influenced by the Terminator than that kid from Halloween 2018 was influenced by girls feeding him guacamole in all those sexy kinds of ways. I’m not complaining. It’s a blast! Gabriel is once again on the warpath as he finds Thomas from the previous film (once again, now a totally different human being) and drops a haunting one liner on him before lighting him on fire. Which, is something he’ll do multiple times throughout the film. Still yet, the Terminator franchise comparisons don’t stop as The Prophecy II goes as far as borrowing from the “fish out of water” storyline from Terminator 2… and to great success. Gabriel realizes quickly that he doesn’t know how to use computers, guns, cars or even walkie talkies and brings back to life a young girl who’s just committed co-suicide with her boyfriend by smashing their car into a concrete wall so they could be together forever in the afterlife. This absolute shot of 90’s life is Izzy, played by the forever unforgettable Brittany Murphy in a role that was perfect for her. Gabriel tells Izzy that he’s not going to let her be with her boyfriend in the afterlife until she helps him complete his mission.

Think the plot explanation ends here? THINK AGAIN! Our hunter/prey storyline ends up in Eden from the Bible where the archangel Michael first makes his appearance played by none other than karate angel Eric Effin’ Roberts. The Best of the Best indeed! Danyael and Valerie came here looking for solace but found it to be less Eden-ey and more THE LITERAL STEEL WAREHOUSE FROM THE TERMINATOR.

The explanation for Eden becoming a Freddy Krueger boiler room is that it became an “industrial wasteland” due to everything going on with wars of Heaven (cough, convenient for the budget, cough). Whatever, Eric Roberts is here and he’s badass! Gabriel shows up and he and Michael have one hell of an archangel to archangel Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro dining room Heat moment before Gabriel continues his chase that leads to both Danyael and Izzy dying. This all leads to Arnold Schwarzenegger being slowly leveled into a pit of volcano juice with his thumbs up- Oh wait sorry, got my lines crossed again. It ends with Gabriel and Valerie on a moving steel apparatus that seems like something out of one of the dungeon levels from Super Mario Bros. Here, she reveals to Gabriel that God may not speak to him….but he does speak to her. Oh, snap. “He’s busy, bro”. Overcome with pain and jealousy in yet another great acting moment for Walken, he asks her what God says to her. She says “jump” before she grabs him and they both plummet to the ground where Gabriel is impaled on a spike but she is left unharmed. That’s some Scream VI character level luck right there! Good for you Valerie!

The film comes to a halt with Michael turning Gabriel into a human being as punishment for being such a world class prick. We last see him begging for change on a street corner across from a payphone and ranting. This sets us all up perfectly for another sequel of Walken/Gabriel badassery. Valerie decides to raise the child alone and the film leaves us with a powerful statement about how you can’t let the fear of the future stop you from raising your kids with love. The exact place we all knew the horror movie about rage filled angels was going to lead us!

It’s really an amazing accomplishment that this direct to video sequel manages to be so quickly paced and full of fun and action. So much is going on in this hour and twenty-three minutes that we haven’t even yet mentioned that in the most random of all movie cameos, Glenn Danzig of The Misfits and well, you know….Danzig (MOTHAAAA!) plays an angel named Samayel who dies in a street fight that’s a direct call back to the first Prophecy film. It’s the one where they smell each other like Schwarzenegger smelling bad guys coming downhill in Commando and leap out of windows multiple stories high to meet midair just to hug violently and fall back to the ground. I’m not sure why we felt the need to do this exact scene again but why not? Let’s run it back only this time we’re going to use Danzig and he’s going to get his heart ripped out of his chest. Just for funsies. Who wants a margarita?

Somehow, someway, Dimension Films, Greg Spence and Matt Greenberg teamed up and managed to get not only an even better performance out of Walken than the first time around but gave the film an entirely new spirit by casting the charismatic and loveable Brittany Murphy, even if Izzy is a total… to borrow a phrase from Brad Pitt’s Detective Mills in Seven… “Nut-bag, movie of the week” who keeps trying to shoot herself in diners so she can be with her boyfriend in the afterlife. It’s provocative! It gets the people going!

Dimension couldn’t bring back everyone but they did some nice cast finagling to get around the departure of Viggo the Luciferian and Elias Koteas. Actually, the only returning star besides Walken was the scene stealing Steve Hytner as the morgue doctor who does his own entertaining version of the “You’re all doomed” guy from Friday the 13th here.

In the end, The Prophecy II is a direct to video sequel that may be an afterthought due to the circumstances but really shouldn’t have been. The film clearly features a director, writer and cast who were very invested even as they worked the dusk until dawn schedule six nights a week while filming. Still, the director said, “it was a great bunch of people to stay up all night with” and I think you can tell by everyone’s engaging performances just how game everyone was for this wild little movie. Who wouldn’t have fun with this bat-shit crazy story that involves Christopher Walken walking around melting people’s faces literally and physically? And that my friends, is WTF happened to The Prophecy II. Thanks for watching! What’s your favorite Christopher Walken performance of all time? It’s impossible to choose for me but I’ll certainly tell you the weirdest you’ll ever see… 1989’s Communion. Walken being probed by aliens. Or is he probing them? Thank me later! Have a great day!

A couple of the previous episodes of WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? can be seen below. To see more, head over to our JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!

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John Krasinski’s family film, IF, will be showcasing a special big game commercial during Super Bowl LVIII. And to tease audiences, we’re treated to a little behind-the-scenes video hosted by Ryan Reynolds and John Krasinski. Except, Krasinski may seem slightly different than you remember. This is because Randall Park once again steps in for Krasinski in a nod to the famous bit from The Office where Park played “Asian Jim” in an attempt to freak out Rainn Wilson’s Dwight. This time, the film’s star, Ryan Reynolds, is the one not buying this little prank. But as best as he tries to call him out, Krasinski remains two steps ahead with a behind-the-scenes video complete with Park as Krasinski.

The official synopsis from Paramount reads,
“From writer and director John Krasinski, IF is about a girl who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. IF stars Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr. and Steve Carell alongside many more as the wonderfully unique characters that reflect the incredible power of a child’s imagination.”

The cast that joins Krasinski includes Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., Alan Kim, Liza Colón-Zayas and reunites Krasinski with his Dunder-Mifflin boss, Steve Carell. The movie is produced by John Krasinski, Allyson Seeger, Ryan Reynolds and Andrew Form. Krasinski writes and directs with the executive producers including John J. Kelly and George Dewey. Allyson Seeger, p.g.a., John Krasinski, p.g.a., Andrew Form, p.g.a. and Ryan Reynolds are all on board as producers of the film.

Krasinski would explain that this “extremely personal” project was something made for his kids to finally see, Krasinski explains, “IF is a movie that I made for my kids because I don’t think they’re allowed to see A Quiet Place; Emily [Blunt] calls it PG-40, ‘You’ll get to see it when you’re 40!’ So I had to make a movie that they could see, and I’m really, really excited about it. I mean, Ryan Reynolds is as good as it gets in every single way, shape and form, and this incredible phenom of an actress, Cailey Fleming, is in the movie. For me, it was just about what if we could tell a story about these time capsules? Imaginary friends are adorable and all those things, but they’re also time capsules of your hopes, dreams, and ambitions when you were the most fertile of a brain, and it never goes away. I think we’re told that we’re adults instead of what if you realize that you never stopped being a kid.”

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Ladies and gents, it’s time again for the Golden Schmoes! That’s right! It’s time for the 22nd edition of the longest running online fan movie awards. If you’re new to the site and don’t know what The Golden Schmoes are all about, you can read all about them right HERE. However, with these awards, what we like to do is put the power of choosing both the nominees and winners for what we consider the Best Movies of The Year in YOUR hands. So if you’re annoyed that movies like The Iron Claw were shut out of the Oscars, or just can’t get over the supposed Greta Gerwig snub for Barbie, you’ve come to the right place! Do you think Ben Affleck deserved some love for Air? Have your say here! And how about Godzilla Minus Zero? Did the best-ever Kaiju movie deserve more awards attention? Let’s give the big guy a Golden Schmoe!

All you need is a valid email address and, once the nomination period opens up on Monday (Feb 12) at 10am EST on the official site, you pick the nominees and the winners.

Here’s our timeline:

Voting for nominees starts Feb 12th at 10am EST and closes Feb 17th (at 11:59 pm EST) and will take place on the official site. We’ll announce the official nominees on Feb 19th and you can begin VOTING for the winners from February 19th through March 2nd. Winners will be announced on Friday, March 8th!

Nominations start a week from today, and we’ll post an article getting into the nitty-gritty and running down the specific categories, but you can check out past winners here. If you need a refresher on which movies came out in 2023, you can find all of the major releases right here.

Suffice to say, we’re super proud of our awards and are dying to find out what you all think are the year’s best movies. Sometimes the Academy, critics, and guilds seem out of touch with what people are actually watching. So if you have a movie you’re rooting for, make sure to let us know in the comments below. For me, I’m hoping the folks behind my second favorite movie of the year, The Iron Claw, get recognized, while also finding room to honour those who DIDN’T get snubbed, like Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers, and Christopher Nolan for his Herculean-effort, Oppenheimer. Hopefully this 22nd edition of the Golden Schmoes is one of our best ever!

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Spyglass Media and Paramount Pictures wanted to move quickly on Scream 7… then the version of the film they wanted to move quickly on crumbled piece by piece. Scream (2022) and Scream VI directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are finishing work on their Universal Monsters movie Abigail (formerly known as Dracula’s Daughter), so with returning writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick working on the script, the companies hired Freaky and Happy Death Day director Christopher Landon to direct the film and started reaching out to actors. Jenna Ortega allegedly wanted a substantial pay raise to reprise the role of Tara Carpenter… and as we saw when Neve Campbell dropped out of Scream VI due to a pay dispute, these pay issues don’t tend to work out. So Ortega was out, but Melissa Barrera was on board to come back as Tara’s sister Samantha. Until she was fired from the project after comments she made about the Israel-Hamas war didn’t go over well with executives at Spyglass. Soon after, Landon left the project, saying what had been a dream job had turned into a nightmare. (He has since set up a werewolf thriller called Big Bad.) Now the script has been reworked, Spyglass and Paramount have apparently reached out to Neve Campbell, and rumors are spreading about another director being in the running to take the helm.

An “insider” has informed In Touch Weekly that “Neve is definitely considering returning. She loves the franchise and wants to go back, but on her terms.” So at this point, it seems the powers-that-be may be willing to pay Campbell her asking price in an effort to salvage Scream 7. Campbell recently had to cancel a March convention appearance because she’ll be filming something that month, stirring up speculation that Scream 7 might be getting rushed into production that soon.

Meanwhile, YouTuber Craven Something Scary has heard that John Hyams may be the frontrunner to land the directing job. Hyams’ previous credits include Universal Soldier: Regeneration, Dragon Eyes, Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, Alone, and episodes of Z Nation, Black Summer, and Chucky. He was also attached to direct a Maniac Cop remake that never made it into production. What really makes Hyams stand out as a potential Scream director is the fact that he worked with original Scream writer Kevin Williamson on the slasher movie Sick. Hyams would be a great choice, but apparently he has competition from “a female director” that has so far gone unnamed.

Would you like to see a Scream 7 that’s directed by John Hyams and stars Neve Campbell? Share your thoughts on this possibility by leaving a comment below.

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PLOT: In season two, Master Chief John-117 leads his team of elite Spartans against the alien threat known as the Covenant. In the wake of a shocking event on a desolate planet, John cannot shake the feeling that his war is about to change and risks everything to prove what no one else will believe – that the Covenant are preparing to attack humanity’s greatest stronghold. With the galaxy on the brink, John embarks on a journey to find the key to humankind’s salvation, or its extinction — the Halo.

REVIEW: Halo debuted in 2022 with fifteen years of development baggage heaped on top of it. With sky-high expectations for the series, anything less than a seismic shift in video game adaptations was bound to fail. Halo debuted with a muted response that found the Game of Thrones-esque intrigue and conspiracies distracting from what made the game one of the biggest franchises in history. Now, two years and one showrunner later, Halo‘s second season aims to partially reset those expectations and they succeed. With more action and a tone closer to that of the games, Halo is finally the series we have been waiting for. Led by Pablo Schrieber who wears Master Chief’s helmet as often this time around as he doesn’t, this second season of Halo is a substantial improvement over the first and will likely silence any critics of what came before by delivering a more balanced blend of action sequences along with character development that reminded me as much of the Halo video games as it did top-tier genre television series.

The first season of Halo ended with a series of reveals and showdowns that led to the disappearance of Dr. Halsey (Natascha McElhonne), the escape of Makee (Charlie Murphy) after saving John (Schreiber) and unveiling of a star map that leads to Halo, and John left in a coma-like state that allowed Cortana to take control of him. This season opens with minimal explanation of those events and thrusts Silver Team onto a mission where they are rescuing refugees before it can be destroyed by Covenant. It is there that John encounters the alien enemy in a foggy battle that sets up a mystery this season that will challenge his personal ideals as well as the bonds between ONI, UNSC, and the Spartans themselves. The first episodes begin with a ton of action but also lead to a significant amount of character development for John and the other members of his squad. It is a strong opening to the season that connects to events from the prior episodes but forges a strong and distinct tone for the run that follows.

The biggest problem that I had with the first season of Halo was that it felt more focused on creating factions and warring parties, like Game of Thrones, that it failed to capture what fans loved about the Halo games. This season has more action, but it still distinguishes itself from the video game format by making this a character-based series. This run of Halo reminded me more of the acclaimed and fan-favorite series The Expanse with a balanced perspective from the full ensemble of characters. This season, much more time is given to Silver team members Kai (Kate Kennedy), Riz (Natasha Culzac), and Vannak (Bentley Kalu), all of whom get helmet-less arcs that balance that of Master Chief himself. The series also gives us more time with Soren (Bokeem Woodbine) and his wife Laera (Fionna O’Shaughnessy). We also keep Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha) as part of the story to strengthen the ongoing storylines begun last season. My first instinct last season was that this series would be a live-action take on the web series Red Vs. Blue, but to make a dramatic show worth investing in, the characters need to be worth caring about.

While elements of the first season are eschewed in favor of a more focused narrative this time around, there are new additions to the cast. Cristina Rodlo joins the ensemble as Talia Perez, a Marine corporal who appears early in the season premiere and plays a vital role in the ongoing arc which parallels that of Master Chief. Joseph Morgan plays James Ackerson, the successor to Dr. Halsey in running the Spartan program. Morgan could easily be mistaken for a villain the moment he comes on screen, but the true nature of how he fits into the overarching story has a bit more nuance than that. In the four episodes made available for this review, there is a noticeable focal point for the story, something that was very lacking in the kitchen sink approach of season one. This has pros and cons as the series definitely feels more like Halo but not because of the action. The world-building necessitated in the first season is greatly reduced, so the sophomore run gets to build on the heavy lifting that already took place.

New showrunner David Weiner, who previously developed the Peacock series Brave New World, brought on an entirely new writing staff this season including Ahmadu Garba, Marisha Mukerjee, Tom Hemmings, Basil Lee Kreimendahl, and Sarah McCarron. Otto Bathurst, who helmed episodes in season one, is the only returning helmer. Bathurst directed two episodes along with Debs Paterson, Craig Zisk, and Dennie Gordon who each helm a pair of chapters. The dynamic between all of these folks behind the scenes, coupled with video game advisor and producer Kiki Wolfkill overseeing the mythology of Halo, this season is streamlined and stronger for it. There are still weak spots, namely the CGI used on the Spartans themselves when engaged in action sequences, but the Covenant creatures and space landscapes look much better than before. The weakness of the computer effects in the Spartan-centric scenes takes a back seat to the bigger concern in the flatness of the overall feel of the show. The first season was somewhat boring and at times this season gets close to backsliding into that chasm, but it just barely stays out of it. Hopefully, this is a takeaway for the writers to avoid in the likely season three.

Everything about the second season of Halo is a substantial improvement over season one. Led by Pablo Schreiber’s deeper performance, improved special effects, stronger antagonists, and a more involved plot, you will not worry once about how often Master Chief is not wearing his signature helmet. With the shackles of development hell finally behind them, the creative talent behind Halo can once and for all deliver the series we have been waiting for. Halo is not quite at the level of The Last of Us but this season is a massive step in the right direction. I found the first season of this series to be average, at best, and it never redeemed itself for me. I came into this season with apprehension but found myself enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. There are still places where the series can be improved, especially in the CGI employed, but this season is a step in the right direction for delivering the series Halo fans have been waiting for.

The second season of Halo premieres on February 8th on Paramount+.

Halo

GOOD

7

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The behind-the-scenes drama continues for Yellowstone. So much so that it could make for its own interesting show. The hit-maker of Paramount+, Taylor Sheridan, has been dealing with a lot of controversy for this last season when his star, Kevin Costner, disputed the production schedules and made it difficult for filming when he opted not to return. As the old saying goes, “The show must go on.” So, the series would push forward with its final episodes without Costner. While Sheridan was disappointed by the series of events, he would look forward to working with his new name actor, Matthew McConaughey on a spin-off continuation of the modern stories featuring the Dutton family.

Sheridan is seemingly having to put out more fires as ComicBook.com reports that the spin-off is now in danger of losing the popular cast members from Yellowstone who would be crossing over. The yet-to-be-named spin-off has not been able to officially sign on Kelly Reilly, who portrays Beth, Cole Hauser, who is set to continue as Rip, and Luke Grimes, who would be returning as Kayce. According to Puck News, the returning cast is holding out for a larger payday. Particularly Reilly and Hauser, who, besides Costner, are the faces of the series. As Yellowstone developed into a major success for the streamer, the two are reportedly asking for $1.25 million an episode, which would make them some of the highest earners on television.

The negotiations are apparently not going smoothly. The streaming network has set a deadline for them to close a deal on the new show, and if there hasn’t been an agreement made, the Yellowstone spin-off may lose more Dutton family members. However, it is also being reported that the actors are individually negotiating their contracts, which could mean one or two actors could still close a deal and the sequel show may see just a sliver of its popular stars return. While Matthew McConaughey is a big draw on his own, the show would seemingly rely on the immediate Dutton family members for its continuation. However, the studio is also banking on new notable names that would join the returning cast to round out the ensemble. Sheridan and McConaughey have been planning on the collaboration, but McConaughey himself has yet to sign on. Puck News would also report on Michelle Pfeiffer being courted to star in the show and apparently, she’s closer to signing a deal than McConaughey currently is.

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The winners for the 51st Saturn Award were unveiled last night, with Avatar: The Way of Water leading the winners with four awards. Barbie, Dial of Destiny and Oppenheimer took three. On the TV front, Star Trek: Picard led with four wins, while Outlander and Wednesday trailed with two apiece. In addition to these, Keanu Reeves received the inaugural Lance Reddick Legacy Award.

Check out the complete list of all Saturn Award winners across film, television and home media — which you know we love — below:

Best Science Fiction Film

Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
The Creator (20th Century Studios)
M3GAN (Universal Pictures/Blumhouse)
Prey (20th Century Studios/Hulu)
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (Paramount/Hasbro)

Best Fantasy Film

Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Paramount Pictures/Hasbro)
Haunted Mansion (Walt Disney Studios)
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney)
The Little Mermaid (Walt Disney Studios)

Best Horror Film

Barbarian (20th Century Studios)
Evil Dead Rise (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Insidious: The Red Door (Screen Gems/Blumhouse)
Renfield (Universal Pictures)
Scream VI (Paramount Pictures)
Smile (Paramount Pictures)
Talk to Me (A24)

Best Superhero Film

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
Blue Beetle (DC/Warner Bros. Pictures)
The Flash (DC/Warner Bros. Pictures)
Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)

Best Action / Adventure Film

Bullet Train (Sony Pictures)
The Equalizer 3 (Sony Pictures)
Fast X (Universal Pictures)
John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate Films)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Paramount Pictures)
The Woman King (TriStar Pictures)

Best Thriller Film

Don’t Worry Darling (Warner Bros./New Line Cinema)
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix)
The Lesson (Bleecker Street)
The Menu (Searchlight Pictures)
Knock at the Cabin (Universal Pictures)
Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)

Best Animated Film

Elemental (Pixar/Walt Disney Studios)
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (Dreamworks/Universal)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures/Marvel)
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Universal Pictures)
Suzume (Crunchyroll)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Paramount Pictures)

Best Actor in a Film

Ralph Fiennes, The Menu (Searchlight Pictures)
Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney)
Ben Kingsley, Jules (Bleecker Street)
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)
Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy – Vol. 3 (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
Keanu Reeves, John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate Films)
Sam Worthington, Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)

Best Actress in a Film

Viola Davis, The Woman King (TriStar Pictures)
Mia Goth, Pearl (A24)
Anya Taylor-Joy, The Menu (Searchlight Pictures)
Amber Midthunder, Prey (20th Century Studios/Hulu)
Margot Robbie, Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Zoe Saldana, Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)

Best Supporting Actor in a Film

Nicolas Cage, Renfield (Universal Pictures)
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)
Ryan Gosling, Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Michael Keaton, The Flash (DC/Warner Bros. Pictures)
Stephen Lang, Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
Mads Mikkelsen, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney)

Best Supporting Actress in a Film

Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)
Jane Curtain, Jules (Bleecker Street)
Melissa McCarthy, The Little Mermaid (Walt Disney Studios)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney)
Sophie Wilde, Talk to Me (A24)

Best Younger Performer in a Film

Halle Bailey, The Little Mermaid (Walt Disney Studios)
Vivien Lyra Blair, The Boogeyman (20th Century Studios)
Jack Champion, Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
Xolo Maridueña, Blue Beetle (DC/Warner Bros. Pictures)
Violet McGraw, M3GAN (Universal Pictures/Blumhouse)
Noah Schnapp, The Tutor (Vertical Entertainment)

Best Film Direction

James Cameron, Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
Greta Gerwig, Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy – Vol. 3 (Marvel/Walt Disney Pictures)
James Mangold, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney)
Mark Mylod, The Menu (Searchlight Films)
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)
Danny Philippou & Michael Philippou, Talk to Me (A24)

Best Film Screenwriting

Avatar: The Way of Water, James Cameron and Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
Barbie, Noah Baumbach & Greta Gerwig (Warner Bros. Pictures)
The Menu, Seth Reiss & Will Tracy (Searchlight Films)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Erik Jendresen & Christopher McQuarrie (Paramount Pictures)
Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan (Universal Pictures)
Pearl, Ti West & Mia Goth (A24)

Best Film Music (Composer)

Avatar: The Way of Water, Simon Franglen (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
Barbie, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, John Williams (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney)
The Little Mermaid, Alan Menken (Walt Disney Pictures)
Renfield, Marco Beltrami (Universal Pictures)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Daniel Pemberton (Sony Pictures/Marvel)

Best Film Make-Up

The Covenant, Donald Mowat (United Artists Releasing)
Evil Dead Rise, Luke Polti (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Guardians of the Galaxy-Vol. 3, Alexei Dmitriew (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
Oppenheimer, Luisa Abel, Jason Hamer (Universal Pictures)
Prey, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr. (20th Century Studios/Hulu)
Renfield, Christien Tinsley (Universal Pictures)

Best Film Editing

Avatar: The Way of Water, Stephen Rivkin, David Brenner, John Refoua, James Cameron (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
Fast X, Dylan Highsmith, Kelly Matsumoto, Corbin Mehl, Laura Yanovich (Universal Pictures)
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker, Dirk Westervelt (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney)
John Wick: Chapter 4, Nathan Orloff (Lionsgate Films)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Eddie Hamilton (Paramount Pictures)
Oppenheimer, Jennifer Lane (Universal Pictures)

Best Film Production Design

Avatar: The Way of Water, Dylan Cole, Ben Proctor (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
Barbie, Sarah Greenwood (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Guardians of the Galaxy-Vol. 3, Beth Mickle (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
John Wick: Chapter 4, Kevin Kavanaugh (Lionsgate Films)
Oppenheimer, Ruth De Jong (Universal Pictures)
Renfield, Alec Hammond (Universal Pictures)

Best Film Costume

Avatar: The Way of Water, Bob Buck, Deborah Scott (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
Barbie, Jacqueline Durran (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ruth E. Carter (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
Guardians of the Galaxy-Vol. 3, Judianna Makovsky (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Joanna Johnston (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney)
Oppenheimer, Ellen Mirojnick (Universal Pictures)

Best Film Visual / Special Effects

Avatar: The Way of Water, Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, Daniel Barrett (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
The Creator, Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts, Neil Corbould (20th Century Studios)
Guardians of the Galaxy-Vol. 3, Stephane Ceretti, Alexis Wajsbrot, Guy Williams, Dan Sudick (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Andrew Whitehurst, Kathy Siegel, Robert Weaver, Alistair Williams (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland, Neil Corbould (Paramount Pictures)
Oppenheimer, Andrew Jackson, Giacomo Mineo, Scott Fisher, Dave Drzewiecki (Universal Pictures)

Best Independent Film

Aporia (Well Go USA)
Brooklyn 45 (Shudder)
Fall (Lionsgate Films)
Jules (Bleecker Street)
Pearl (A24)
The Tutor (Vertical Entertainment)

Best International Film

Madeleine Collins (Greenwich Entertainment)
Missing (Dark Star Pictures)
The Origin of Evil (IFC Films)
Ransomed (Well Go USA)
Speak No Evil (Shudder)
Sisu (Lionsgate Films)

Best Science Fiction Television Series

Andor (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Foundation (Apple TV+)
The Mandalorian (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
The Peripheral (Amazon)
Silo (Apple TV+)
Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS)

Best Fantasy Television Series

Ghosts (CBS)
Good Omens (Amazon)
House of the Dragon (HBO/Max)
The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power (Amazon)
Mayfair Witches (AMC)
Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)
Wednesday (Netflix)

Best Horror Television Series

American Horror Story (FX/Hulu)
Chucky (NBC/Universal/Syfy)
Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)
From (MGM+)
Interview with the Vampire (AMC)
The Last of Us (HBO/Max)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX/Hulu)

Best Superhero Television Series

Doom Patrol (HBO/Max)
The Flash (Warner Bros. Television)
The Sandman (Netflix)
Secret Invasion (Marvel/Disney+)
She-Hulk: Attorney-At-Law (Marvel/Disney+)
Stargirl (Warner Bros. Television)
Superman & Lois (Warner Bros. Television)

Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Television Series

La Brea (NBC/Universal)
Manifest (Netflix)
Outlander (Starz)
Quantum Leap (NBC/Universal)
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (Amazon)
The Witcher (Netflix)
Yellowjackets (Showtime)

Best Television Presentation

Black Mirror (Netflix)
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (Netflix)
Hocus Pocus 2 (Disney+)
Marvel’s Werewolf by Night (Marvel/Disney+)
The Midnight Club (Netflix)
Mrs. Davis (Peacock)
The Munsters (Universal 1440 Entertainment)
Werewolf by Night (Disney+)

Best Animated Television Series or Special

Chainsaw Man (Crunchyroll)
Gremlins: Secrets of Mogwai (HBO/Max)
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix)
Harley Quinn (HBO/Max)
My Adventures with Superman (Cartoon Network/Adult Swim)
Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Lucasfilm/Disney+)

Best New Genre Television Series

Andor (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
The Ark (Electric Entertainment/Syfy)
The Last of Us (HBO/Max)
Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power (Amazon)
Silo (Apple TV+)
The Walking Dead: Dead City (AMC)
Wednesday (Netflix)

Best Actor in a Television Series

Tyler Hoechlin, Superman & Lois (Warner Bros. Television)
Sam Heughan, Outlander (Starz)
Diego Luna, Andor (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Anson Mount, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS)
Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us (HBO/Max)
Harold Perrineau, From (MGM+)
Patrick Stewart, Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS)

Best Actress in a Television Series

Caitriona Balfe, Outlander (Starz)
Lauren Cohan, The Walking Dead: Dead City (AMC)
Emma D’Arcy, House of the Dragon (HBO/Max)
Rebecca Ferguson, Silo (Apple TV+)
Tatiana Maslany, She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law (Marvel/Disney+)
Rose McIver, Ghosts (CBS)
Elizabeth Tulloch, Superman & Lois (Warner Bros. Television)

Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series

Jonathan Frakes, Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS)
Harvey Guillen, What We Do in the Shadows (FX/Hulu)
Ernie Hudson, Quantum Leap (NBC/Universal)
Ethan Peck, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS)
Ed Speleers, Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS)
Matt Smith, House of the Dragon (HBO/Max)
Todd Stashwick, Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS)

Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series

Jess Bush, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS)
Celia Rose Gooding Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS)
Genevieve O’Reilly, Andor (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Jeri Ryan, Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS)
Katee Sackhoff, The Mandalorian (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Sophie Skelton, Outlander (Starz)
Rebecca Wisocky, Ghosts (CBS)

Best Younger Performer in a Television Series

Milly Alcock, House of the Dragon (HBO/Max)
Freya Allan, The Witcher (Netflix)
Zachary Arthur, Chucky (NBC/Universal/Syfy)
Brec Bassinger, Stargirl (Warner Bros. Television)
Jenna Ortega, Wednesday (Netfix)
Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us (HBO/Max)
Igby Rigney, The Midnight Club (Netflix)

Best Guest Star in a Television Series

Gael Garcia Bernal, Marvel’s Werewolf by Night (Marvel/Disney+)
Giancarlo Esposito, The Mandalorian (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Nick Offerman, The Last of Us (HBO/Max)
Amanda Plummer, Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS)
Andy Serkis, Andor (Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Paul Wesley, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS)
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Wednesday (Netflix)

Best Classic Film Home Media Release

Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (Warner Archives)
Invaders from Mars 4K (Ignite)
It Came from Outer Space 4K (Universal Home Entertainment)
It, The Terror from Beyond Space 4k (Kino Lorber)
The Manchurian Candidate 4K (Kino Lorber)
The Night of the Hunter 4K (Kino Lorber)
Secret of the Incas (Kino Lorber)

Best Television Home Media Release

Better Call Saul (The Complete Collection) (AMC)
Creepshow (Season 3) (Shudder)
Doctor Who: The Abominable Snowman (BBC)
Interview with the Vampire (Season 1) (AMC)
Loki (Season 1) – 4K Steelbook (Disney Home Media)
Night Gallery, Season 3 (Kino Lorber)
Quantum Leap, Season 1 (Universal Home Entertainment)

Best 4K Home Media Release

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen 4K (Criterion)
The Exorcist 50th Anniversary Edition 4K (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
Cujo 4K (Kino Lorber)
John Wick, Chapter 4 – 4K (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
Needful Things 4K (Kino Lorber)
To Live and Die in L.A. 4K (Kino Lorber)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture – The Director’s Edition 4K (Paramount Home Entertainment)

Best Film Home Media Collection

Arsene Lupin Collection (Kino Lorber)
Irwin Allen: Master of Disaster Collection (Shout Factory)
Mr. Wong Collection (Kino Lorber)
Shawscope: Volume Two (Arrow Video)
Superman 1978-1987 4K Collection (Warner Home Video)
Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror, Volume 2 (Universal Home Entertainment)
Warner Bros. 100th Anniversary 25 Film Collection: Vol. 4 (Thrillers, Sci-fi, Horror) (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)

The leaders in the film category as far as nominees went were Avatar: The Way of Water with 12, Oppenheimer with 11 and Dial of Destiny with 9. TV was led by Picard with 7, Strange New World with 6 and Andor and The Last of Us with 5 apiece.

What do you think of this year’s Saturn Award winners? Give us your thoughts below!

The post Saturn Award winners: Avatar and Picard lead with 4 apiece appeared first on JoBlo.

Last night’s Grammys was a night of predictable winners, surprise appearances and even an arrest.

While Phoebe Bridgers was the big winner with four awards, it was Taylor Swift who took home Album of the Year (Midnights), making her the only artist to win the award four times. This honor was given by Celine Dion, in a shocking appearance considering her 2022 diagnosis of stiff person syndrome, leaving her unable to perform. After a standing ovation, she told the crowd, “Thank you, all! I love you right back…You look beautiful. When I say I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart. Those who have been blessed enough to be here at the Grammy Awards must never take for granted the tremendous love and joy that music brings to our lives and to people all around the world.”

In another shocking moment, rapper Killer Mike — who had won three Grammys earlier in the night — was arrested on battery charges. He has since been released, but maybe the Academy could take some notes here…Another notable winner was Miley Cyrus, who won her first Grammys for “Flowers”.

While we couldn’t possibly name every winner from last night’s Grammys — there are around 100 categories (you can see the full list here) — the main categories were filled with some notable names: Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance went to Cyrus, Song of the Year to Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell for “What Was I Made For?” (from Barbie) , and Pop Duo/Group Performance went to SZA’s “Ghost in the Machine”. Partly due to her band boygenius, Bridgers won the most awards, namely Best Rock Performance and Song for their “Not Strong Enough”. Swift also took home Pop Vocal Album. Best New Artist was Victoria Monét. On a more historic note, Monét’s daughter, who was featured on her “Hollywood”, is now the youngest nominee in Grammy history — she turns three later this month.

Also on the film front outside of Barbie, Oppenheimer won the Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack Album for Visual Media. Ludwig Göransson and “What Was I Made For?” are also up for Oscars in their respective categories.

What did you think of last night’s Grammy winners? Let us know below!

The post Grammys: Taylor Swift sets record, Celine Dion surprises appeared first on JoBlo.

It’s Taylor Swift’s world now, and we’re all just living in it. Just when you thought 2023 was safely in the books as the official year of Taylor Swift, news comes from the star herself that she’s got a new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” coming out on April 19. She announced the release while accepting her 13th Grammy to date, saying, “I know the way the Recording Academy voted is a direct reflection of the fans’ passion. So, I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years, which is that my brand new album comes out April 19. It’s called The Tortured Poets Department. I’m going to go post the cover right now. Thank you. I love you!”

Indeed, 2024 is going to be another big one for Swifties. But what else was 2023 all about? Barbenheimer, of course, and the box office phenomenon did not leave the Grammy’s empty-handed. Barbie won an award for its soundtrack and “best song written for visual media” for Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell’s “What Was I Made For.” Meanwhile, Ludwig Göransson won a score Grammy for Oppenheimer, while John Williams took home his 26th (!) Grammy for his track off the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny soundtrack, “Helena’s Theme.”

All this bodes well for Oppenheimer winning for its score at the Academy Awards, which would mark Göransson’s second Oscar following his win for Black Panther – if he wins (essentially a lock).

Check back in the am for a list of all the Grammy winners.

The post Barbenheimer dominates the Grammys with soundtrack wins; Taylor Swift announces new album appeared first on JoBlo.

Those who don’t follow professional wrestling may not appreciate just how tough and grueling it is. It isn’t enough to be on the road 200+ days a year, getting dropped on your head or your back every night, dealing with injuries, losing your spot on the roster, and worse. If you’ve seen films like The Iron Claw, The Wrestler, or the old Beyond the Mat documentary, you know that professional wrestling is grind like no other.

But the other aspect that goes underappreciated is how much wrestling relies on acting. If you have any hope of making it big, it isn’t enough to be able to do a tope suicida or Texas Cloverleaf on the way to a 5-star mat classic. You have to be able to act your role, day in and day out. Often, you have to act live, in front of an audience of thousands, with absolutely no safety not.  Not everyone can do it, but those who can have often parlayed that skill into a career in Hollywood. In fact, professional wrestling might be one of the top stepping stones to an acting career right now.

There are so many professional wrestlers in Hollywood, starring in major studio flicks, that you might not even know when you see them. Everybody knows John Cena, Dave Bautista, and The Rock, who are most definitely on this list of the 10 best wrestlers-turned-actors ever. But which one can call themself the undisputed champion? And is there a dark horse contending for the title? Let the Royal Rumble begin!

10. Nathan Jones

Okay, so Nathan Jones might not have had the best wrestling career ever. The Aussie powerlifter had a stint in the WWE, but overall he wrestled for somewhere less than a decade. His big highlight might’ve been teaming up with Brock Lesnar and another wrestler-actor “Big Show” Paul Wight, in the 2003 Survivor Series. But Jones is someone you have definitely seen on the big screen. He’s unmissable in his first major role, cutting defeated in a single stroke by Brad Pitt’s Achilles at the start of 2004’s Troy. He would go on to have roles battling Tony Jaa in 2005 action classic The Protector; he’d battle Stone Cold Steve Austin in 2007’s awesome The Condemened, as well, and Jason Momoa in 2011’s Conan the Barbarian. But you probably recognize Jones best from his role as Rictus Erectus, brother to Immortan Joe, in Mad Max: Fury Road. It’s a role he was so good at, Jones is coming back for the prequel, Furiosa!

9. Hulk Hogan

I tried so so hard to keep Hulk Hogan off this list, but there’s no denying the impact ol’controversial Terry Bollea had as an actor. In the ’80s, when he was stealing the show as “Thunderlips” in Rocky III, delivering a bone-crunching backbreaker that would make Bane jealous, he transcended the sport of professional wrestling. He brought wrestling into the mainstream and out of its self-imposed isolation. The Hulkster would go on to body slam his way through a bunch of awful films, including No Holds Barred (which I recounted lovingly as part of Joblo’s Reel Action), Santa With Muscles, Suburban Commando, and worse…like his atrocious Thunder in Paradise series that makes some of his worst matches look like works of art.

8. Adam Copeland

The Rated R Superstar, Adam “Edge” Copeland, is currently burning up the ring in All Elite Wrestling after a Hall of Fame-worthy WWE career. But during a lot of his time in the ring, Copeland has been very busy as an actor in multiple roles on the big and small screen. A legit talented actor, his big break came when he played Lachlan in 2000’s Highlander: Endgame. The less said the better about his 2002 buddy comedy with Jamie Kennedy, Bending the Rules, or 2021’s air hijacking flick Money Plane. There’s good stuff, I promise, but mostly on the small screen where Copeland was a solid regular on the long-running series Haven, and he killed it as Atom Smasher on The Flash. But Copeland’s best performance by far was as Flatnose on the series Vikings for multiple seasons. He’s due to play Ares in Disney’s Percy Jackson series, too, keeping the good fight alive.

7. Andre the Giant

How great must you be to be considered among the best for your one and only movie role? It speaks to the perfect casting when Andre the Giant played the lovable mercenary Fezzik in The Princess Bride. The Eighth Wonder of the World was truly that, a giant of a man who was soft spoken and warmhearted, traits he brought to that role beautifully. You literally couldn’t imagine anyone else playing it other than Andre, and it’s a shame we never got to see more him as an actor.

6. Kevin Nash

Big Daddy Cool Kevin Nash kinda sneaks up on you…not like he ever could really do that with his 6 foot 10 frame. But his filmography takes you by surprise. The New World Order leader (alongside fellow listmate Hulk Hogan) has an impressive list of credits, including one you might not even know. That was Nash behind the Super-Shredder mask in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, hiding that pretty bearded face! Nash’s big break was in 2004 when he played a Russian giant battering Thomas Jane in The Punisher. Always a gifted funnyman on the mic, it gave Nash the chance to show his physical and comedic chops, skills he would display later in all three Magic Mike films, as well as the first John Wick (he was the rare baddie who lived through it!), and as wrestler Bass Reeves in the DOA video game adaptation.

5. Roddy Piper

This list is probably going to cause some folks to want to hurl me through a glass window, but I don’t care. The next two on this list could probably be swapped, but I’m going with Rowdy Roddy Piper at number five! Piper is one of the all-time great wrestling talkers. You can see that gift put to its best use in his iconic role as John Nada in John Carpenter’s They Live. Who else could make a line like ““I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I’m all out of bubblegum” work other than the Hot Rod?

4. Jesse Ventura

“I ain’t got time to bleed.” “Sonuva bitch is dug in deeper than an Alabama tick.”

Yeah, that’s right, #4 is Jesse “The Body” Ventura. The ex-Minnesota governor, author, and former WWE Hall of Famer hasn’t acted in ages, but his filmography speaks for itself. He channeled a friendship with fellow bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger into memorable roles in Predator as the gatling gun-wielding Blaine Cooper and as Captain Freedom in The Running Man. And while some would rather I not mention his lead role in 1991’s Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe, I won’t do that because that movie’s a super duper guilty pleasure. With roles in Ricochet, Repossessed, and the classic Demolition Man, Ventura is more than worthy of being so high on the list.

3. John Cena

John Cena has come such a long way from where he started. From his first major role in WWE’s The Marine, to his first dramatic role in Legendary, to leading global blockbusters and the hit Peacemaker series, Cena has put his “hustle, loyalty, respect” credo to the test. His charisma and likeability were undeniable, but he had to work at being a better actor. So that’s what he did. So what if he still only has his “Five Moves of Doom” after two decades of wrestling? Cena had a whopping six movies in 2023 alone, including Barbie, Fast X, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Hidden Strike alongside Jackie Chan!

2. Dave Bautista

Undeniably the best dramatic actor who ever performed a spinebuster and played a muscle-bound deacon (if you can find Deacon Bautista footage, here it would go), Dave Bautista had the fastest rise to Hollywood prominence that I’ve ever seen. With roles in The Scorpion King 3 (somehow he never battled The Rock!), The Man with the Iron Fists, and Riddick, it was his role as Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy films that made Bautista a star. But it’s his dramatic work in Blade Runner 2049, Hotel Artemis, and more that cemented him as a legit actor, while hit films such as Dune and Glass Onion prove that Bautista can pretty much do anything he sets his mind to.

1. Dwayne Johnson

The Rock’s acting career mirrors that of his WWE run. In both cases, what started out as pretty cringy and unwatchable blossomed into greatness. Dwayne Johnson is one of the biggest stars in the world, with multiple hit films to his credit such as Fast Five, San Andreas, Rampage, Jungle Cruise, and Black Ad...well, maybe not that last one. His voice alone is enough to put butts in seats, as it did with Disney’s Moana. Johnson’s carefully crafted persona has rubbed some people the wrong way, but he’s so charming, funny, and commanding that we’ll pay to see him in pretty much anything. And if he goes through with a teased run for President, whose to say he won’t put the smackdown on the White House, too?

The post The Greatest Wrestlers Turned Actors of All Time appeared first on JoBlo.