Director Fred Dekker’s 1987 cult classic monster mash The Monster Squad  (watch it HERE) features variations of the classic Universal Monsters characters Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, and the Gillman, but it wasn’t actually a Universal production. So to avoid getting in trouble with Universal, the movie’s effects crew at the Stan Winston Studio had to create their own specific designs of the creatures… but that didn’t stop them from sneaking homages to the original monsters in there. It has been known for a while now that designers Steve Wang and Matt Rose hid the face of the original Creature from the Black Lagoon somewhere on the neck of their Gillman suit. Now – as pointed out by Monster Squad super-fan Shawn Robare of Plastic Rocket Pop – the exact location of that face has been found!

Thanks to a listing for a Monster Squad Resin Head Casting on eBay, we now have pictures that give a clear look at the Gill-man face that was hidden on the Gillman’s neck, and you can check those out at the bottom of this article. Take a close look at the bottom image in particular. And if you want to own the head casting, all you have to do is go to that eBay link and buy it now for $1,500.

Directed by Dekker (Night of the Creeps) from a screenplay he wrote with with Shane Black (Lethal Weapon), The Monster Squad was inspired by the classic Universal Monsters movies (plus Abbott & Costello and The Little Rascals). The film has the following synopsis: A group of youngsters find themselves up against the combined might of Dracula, the Mummy, the Gill Man, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein’s Monster, who arrive in town in search of a magic amulet. It’s the movie that taught us all that the Wolf Man does indeed have nards.

Andre Gower, Robby Kiger, Ryan Lambert, Ashley Bank, Michael Faustino, Brent Chalem, Stephen Macht, Leonardo Cimino, Duncan Regehr, Tom Noonan, Jonathan Gries, Mary Ellen Trainor, Lisa Fuller, and Stan Shaw star.

Are you a fan of The Monster Squad? What do you think of the Gillman having a hidden Creature from the Black Lagoon face on its neck? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

The post The Monster Squad’s Gillman design has the face of the Creature from the Black Lagoon hidden in its scales appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: Desperate for companionship in the City That Never Sleeps, DOG builds ROBOT, a friend he can grow old with. When ROBOT becomes stranded on Playland Park beach, the couple waits and dreams about their anticipated reunion in unison. As days turn to months, DOG and ROBOT experience separate adventures, changing who they are. When they reunite, will they be the same?

REVIEW: I moved from New York to Canada seven years ago this March. Since the life-altering trip across the border to my new home, I’ve only been back to the Big Apple three times. Of the few things, other than loved ones, that I left behind, New York City shines the brightest, like the Swarovski star atop the Rockafeller Center Christmas Tree. I often dream about returning, and thanks to director/writer Pablo Berger’s Robot Dreams, I felt what it was like to be back home and had my spirits lifted along the way.

Written by Pablo Berger and Sara Varon, Robot Dreams begins with DOG, a lonely canine living in Manhattan’s East Village. Spending his nights playing solo Pong games on an Atari 2600 and watching MTV until infomercials advertising spray-on hair lull him to sleep, DOG can’t help but long for something more. He wants a friend, someone he can eat Sabrett hot dogs with while touring Central Park or dance with until his hind paws hurt. One day, DOG builds a robot, a companion, someone to roller skate with and take to the amusement park. As their friendship blooms, DOG and ROBOT become inseparable. That was until, on a warm summer night in the 1980s, DOG had to abandon ROBOT on the beach at Playland Park. With the park closed until June 1st, DOG has no choice but to pass the time until he and ROBOT can be reunited. Until that day comes, they can each have an adventure and see each other in their dreams.

I’d like to know if NEON researched me before sending the offer to review Robot Dreams. I say this because I know I’m JoBlo’s “animation expert,” but it’s almost as if Robot Dreams was made for me specifically. I’m a mark for New York City iconography. I grew up there and remember just as many days of exploring the Concrete Jungle as I do swimming in the Long Island Sound. Arcadia Motion Pictures brings Robot Dreams to life through breathtaking 2D animation, a rare and underutilized art form since Pixar‘s Toy Story made CGI animation the gold standard. Summoning every color in the visible spectrum, Robot Dreams presents a Zootopia-like metropolis populated by anthropomorphic animals. The variety of citizens traversing the Center of the Universe is astounding, highlighting the city’s ability to be a melting pot of humanity. Animality? You know what I mean.

For this New Yorker, there’s nothing more tiring than seeing Hollywood visit the same sites while filming in New York City. Specific locations are iconic for a reason, and I get that. Still, you can’t capture the feeling of visiting the five boroughs without venturing to places people who live there love to frequent, including The Strand bookstore, Playland Park, Greenwich Village, the Flat Iron Building, and the peppering of history-making concert venues like Webster Hall, Knitting Factory, and Save the Robots. Berger’s film cradles the heart of the City That Never Sleeps and brings it to life with vibrant colors, walking pedestrian urgency, and an unabashed sense of pride.

Fueling DOG and ROBOT’s emotional journey is a spirited soundtrack by Alfonso de Vilallonga. Alongside smatterings of 80s-inspired funk, playful piano, and city sounds, Robot Dreams cuts loose with a collection of licensed music that will have you clearing space for a dance party. As I followed DOG and ROBOT throughout the city, artists such as Earth, Wind, & Fire, Buck Owens, The Feelies, Booker T. & The M.G.’s, and William Bell filled the air with energy and hypnotic rhythm.

One of the crowning elements of Robot Dreams is the mirroring of DOG and ROBOT’s emotional states and simultaneous dreaming of one another. Before ROBOT became stranded on the beach, DOG and the automaton forged a bond held together by emotional intimacy. They’re not dating. They’re not sleeping together. However, they often join hands and are unafraid to show others their dedication toward one another. These details make their union multifaceted, so their relationship could represent a dating partnership, adding layers to their intimacy. Their closeness makes the dreams they experience throughout the film all the more powerful.

Regarding dreams, Berger’s film becomes surreal by presenting multiple scenarios in which a DOG and ROBOT reunite. How Berger and Varon pull the curtain back to reveal you’ve been experiencing a lie is clever and challenging to track. The execution left me with questions about everything I experienced, distorting my sense of time and place, as anticipating an event can often do to someone as impatient as I can become.

While Robot Dreams explores loneliness, togetherness, and relationship ideals, it’s also a story about moving on. Life comprises multiple chapters, and learning to embrace change is part of the journey. Without spoiling the ending, Robot Dreams delicately teaches you a valuable lesson about letting go and that finding happiness in something new is okay. Friendships can sometimes be a revolving door, and it’s better to make peace with the unknown than cling to the past.

As I’ve said, NEON could not have found a better mark to review Robot Dreams. In the 1980s, I witnessed buskers play bucket drums in Penn Station like Tool’s Danny Carrey, if he were an octopus. I flew a white Gayla Bat Kite in Central Park with my father. After riding the Cyclone roller coaster, Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island was a regular pitstop. Robot Dreams is a love letter to New York City and on longing and transformative relationships. The film is as close to perfection as I’ve known in my 43 years as an animation-loving New York native. I’ll talk about this movie for the rest of the year, maybe forever.

Robot Dreams

PERFECTO-MUNDO

10

The post Robot Dreams Review appeared first on JoBlo.

George R.R. Martin is currently “depressed” according to a recent blog post, and he’s partly blaming social media, calling out “anti-fans” who get off on thrashing pieces of entertainment and art rather than sharing a recent work they loved.

In a post titled “Dark Days”, George R.R. Martin reflected on the “nightmare” that was 2023 and how “rational discourse” appears to be over in our country. While some of this related to the political climate, he showed worry over how many treat movies and books. “I take solace where I can.   In chocolate thrones, if nowhere else.   In books.   In films and television shows… though even there, toxicity is growing.  It used to be fun talking about our favorite books and films, and having spirited debates with fans who saw things different… but somehow in this age of social media, it is no longer enough to say “I did not like book X or film Y, and here’s why.”  Now social media is ruled by anti-fans who would rather talk about the stuff they hate than the stuff they love, and delight in dancing on the graves of anyone whose film has flopped.” This is the part where his fans get pissed that he has time to write an 800-word blog post but not a couple pages of The Winds of Winter.

Similar sentiments were shared by fellow author Stephen King, who posted on social media earlier this month that “adolescent fanboy hate” was to blame for The Marvels bombing at the box office.

Really, both George R.R. Martin and Stephen King have some good points. While “anti-fans” can’t solely be blamed for the failure of The Marvels, negativity spreads fast on social media (probably more so than positivity) and has the power to alter the prospects of movies, TV shows and books. Martin calling out these “anti-fans” obviously won’t sway the mindsets and habits of these social media users – even he recognized his power is limited – but we all know how much more fun it can be to read a one-star review than a four-star. At the same time, is it worth it to keep spitting venom when the damage is already in progress?

Do you agree with George R.R. Martin in his take on social media behavior? Give us your thoughts below.

The post George R.R. Martin calls out “anti-fans” on social media appeared first on JoBlo.

Quentin Tarantino is doubling down on his film criticism, as he not only has his 10th and final feature, The Movie Critic, on the horizon but also has a follow-up to his book Cinema Speculation in the works.

As he revealed on the Pure Cinema Podcast – which frequently promotes goings-on at the QT-owned New Beverly Cinema – the Cinema Speculation sequel will be his next book. While Tarantino didn’t provide any details as far as when Cinema Speculation II: Electric Boogaloo will hit shelves, he did mention one title he would be covering: Peter Bogdanovich’s 1972 screwball comedy What’s Up, Doc? On that movie and its cast dynamics, Tarantino said, “I am a big fan of everybody in this movie, but I’m a particularly big fan of Ryan O’Neal’s job as Howard Bannister. I think it’s one of the great straight-man comedy roles. I think he’s really, really terrific. And as a matter of fact, it reminds me of something. I love Bringing Up Baby as much as anybody––especially as much as a Hawks lover would love it. I actually think Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal are better than Grant and Hepburn in there. They’re so terrific together, combined by the fact also that Ryan O’Neal is acting opposite to comic tornados, in the case of both Barbra Streisand and Madeline Kahn.”

Cinema Speculation was a major hit upon release, marking Quentin Tarantino’s first venture into film criticism and analysis published in book form. While it wasn’t an autobiography per-se, it gave fans an insight into his moviegoing habits from his earliest days. There, too, were retrospective pieces on classics like Bullitt, Dirty Harry, Taxi Driver, and many more. Each of the dozen-plus essays is well worth the read, whether you’ve seen the movie or want to discover something you missed on your own journey through cinema.

Another movie Tarantino touched on in the interview – his extensive critique of which would be a worthwhile addition to the Cinema Speculation sequel – was Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), which he says he easily gets caught up in even though it has an “abysmal” sound mix in the first act. He also shared that he bought an IB Technicolor print as a gift for Richard Linklater but ended up keeping it for himself.

Which movies do you hope Quentin Tarantino covers in the second Cinema Speculation book? Give us your picks below!

The post Tarantino planning Cinema Speculation sequel appeared first on JoBlo.

Do you smell what The Rock is cookin’? Well, Roman Reigns does, as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson returned to WWE this Friday, all but guaranteeing a showdown between the “cousins” at WrestleMania XL.

During a promo between Reigns and Cody Rhodes on Friday’s SmackDown, The Rock emerged with his signature theme, causing an eruption from the WWE fans in attendance. After pointing out the goosebumps the reception gave him, The Rock entered the ring and embraced Rhodes. With an unheard whisper, both Rhodes and fans got the message: The Rock may have just punched his ticket to WrestleMania. It was a hell of a twist to the promo, which found The Rock and Reigns standing in the ring together, the champion holding his belt while the WrestleMania banner hung above.

Fans initially expected a showdown between Reigns and Rhodes at WrestleMania XL, as Rhodes won the men’s Royal Rumble match last weekend, giving him a shot at the title of his choosing. The obvious choice was Reign’s Universal Championship, which he has held for more than 1,200 days. Rhodes failed to win last year under the same circumstances, setting up an inevitable win this time around that would let him “finish the story.” But that story may have to wait…and so will we, as the WWE will hold a press event on Thursday to presumably confirm the Rock/Reigns match.

The Rock has propositioned a match against Roman Reigns before, but it didn’t seem as likely until everything aligned through both injuries – CM Punk tore his tricep at Royal Rumble – and behind-the-scenes drama, as Vince McMahon recently resigned over damning allegations. With Punk out, that leaves Rhodes to challenge Seth Rollins for his World Heavyweight Championship. Further, The Rock – who serves on TKO’s board of directors – stepping into the squared circle could help bring some much-needed positive press back to the WWE.

According to The Internet Wrestling Database, The Rock hasn’t had a match in WWE since WrestleMania 32 in 2016 (although that six-second squash hardly counts); prior to that was WrestleMania 29. If he keeps with this pattern of premiere events, The Rock will no doubt be headlining this year’s WrestleMania, ideally on night two.

The Rock returning to the WWE is huge news, but these particular circumstances may rub fans the wrong way. Is he worthy of a title shot against Roman Reigns even though Cody Rhodes had a long-developing story going? Give us your take below.

The post The Rock return to WWE; is WrestleMania match against Roman Reigns a go? appeared first on JoBlo.

What exactly is a legacy sequel? According to the internet, it is “a work that follows the continuity of the original work(s), but takes place further along the timeline, often focusing on new characters with the original ones still present in the plot.” And boy have they gotten popular. From The Exorcist: Believer to Halloween 2018 to even Netflix’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre, they’ve been churning out steadily. Hell, we got a freaking Mutilator 2 out of it (and who would have ever expected that?). And it’s hard not to wonder why we’re getting so many.

Originality can be a hard thing for financiers to gamble on. This is why we find ourselves amid trend after trend that takes over movie theaters until the general public is sick of it. As soon as something hits, they go after it like rabid dogs till there’s nothing more to pick from the corpse. And the cycle repeats. Superhero movies were the latest casualty. In 2015, we saw Star Wars return with A Force Awakens, but I’m a horror guy, so I’ll use an example from the horror world: 2018’s Halloween. This saw the return of Jamie Lee Curtis to the role that made her famous in Laurie Strode. They ignored all of the sequels outside of the original and set to tell a story across three films. Except, that’s not really what happened, and they betrayed the entire concept of a legacy sequel.

While Halloween 2018 was presented as the first of a new trilogy, there wasn’t much of a plan after this entry. David Gordon Green and Company really just did things on the fly. Which is why when Halloween Ends came long, the point of it being a legacy sequel seemed lost upon the filmmakers. The characters we know from prior movies don’t even act like themselves, character arcs are recycled or ignored and we end up spending more time with a completely new person. So what was even the point? It could have just been a regular sequel without any of the characters from 2018 or Kills and DGG could have done his dumb Corey Cunningham story.

Then there was The Exorcist: Believer. I’ve come to this movie’s defense multiple times and still don’t think it’s the bad movie that some claim it to be. But the stuff that IS bad is everything related to the original Exorcist AKA all of the Legacy Sequel aspects. Get rid of those elements, and it would be a unique possession story. After Believer one thing became clear: Legacy Sequels have got to go. Because the more they’ve stuck around the more filmmakers seem to completely lose the point of them. We want to see these characters return and honor what came before it, not completely flip the characters on their heads. There’s nothing more insulting than having a character we’ve known for decades, return in a Legacy Sequel, only to die to service newer characters we care less about.

And that’s not to say there aren’t some great Legacy Sequels. Heck, in many ways, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare could be considered a Legacy sequel, so the style of film has been around for quite some time. But the laziness that has become synonymous with them is getting too apparent. It seems many filmmakers just think that bringing back past characters is enough, while paying no mind of keeping them consistent or putting them into an interesting story. It’s simply “Hey, this person is returning so fans should be happy.”

I was fed up with Legacy Sequels once Halloween Ends came along and was completely irrelevant to the rest of the series. After setting up multiple movies of “Laurie is going to go after Michael” we instead got “Michael sleeps in a sewer and gives his mystical powers to an awkward car mechanic.” Just make sequels and get away from the Legacy aspect. We do not need to see these people return to roles 30+ years later when those new roles essentially tarnish the prior legacy. Which makes the point of these sequels completely moot. Here’s hoping they finally just focus on making good movies instead of who they can bring back. But the cynic in me is hard to convince.

What do YOU think about Legacy Sequels? Do you think we should move on from them? Or do you think we should give them another chance? Comment below and let us know!

The post Horror Legacy Sequels and Why The Novelty Has Worn Off appeared first on JoBlo.

It looks like Matthew Vaughn’s ambitious plan for a superspy multiverse franchise is DOA, with his most ambitious film to date, Argylle, opening under expectations at the box office this weekend. According to Deadline’s stats, the film, which Apple acquired for a hefty $200 million, is set to open with a modest $16.5 million. This is a pretty disastrous opening for a would-be franchise movie. What makes it even worse is that the Cinemascore for the movie was a dire C+, meaning that word-of-mouth is pretty poor. Usually, an underperforming blockbuster would open in the B-range, suggesting a substantial day-to-day plummet for the film. It may come in well under Deadline’s estimates when all is said and done.

This opening aligns with the $15 million I predicted earlier this week. However, as one of the few critics who enjoyed it, I’m dismayed by its bad performance. One thing working against it is the bait-and-switch marketing. The film is sold as a Henry Cavill-led spy movie when he has a minor role. That said, Cavill in the lead isn’t a mark of box office gold either, with his (excellent) spy movie, The Man From UNCLE, opening to a poor $13.4 million in 2015.

The only thing working in its favour is that Argylle is a streaming play for Apple TV+, with Universal distributing it theatrically. Their other big-budget theatrical movies, Killers of the Flower Moon and Napoleon were in the red when they left theatres. However, at $156 million and $219 million, respectively, they earned a lot more money than the supposedly commercial Argylle will likely end up with.

Otherwise, The Beekeeper, Wonka, and Mean Girls will continue to perform well, while the Christian TV series The Chosen, which has episodes in theatres this weekend, will perform modestly. Most people who wanted to see this series on the big screen came out on Thursday night.

Did you see Argylle? Do you think it deserves to be a bigger hit, or did you hate it? Let us know in the comments.

The post Argylle on track for a disasterous opening; won’t crack $20 million dooming potential franchise appeared first on JoBlo.

For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up and coming, or well established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…

Phil Shelly

Phil Shelly is a Freelance Illustrator primarily concentrating on all things pop culture especially Film, music and Television posters.

At achool Phil was always interested in the more creative subjects and that led him on to a foundation year at college before heading to Plymouth Uni to study Illustration. In his final year he got my first paid job, creating a large number of minimalist portraits of famous people who wore glasses for an Opticians. Here he found a style he enjoyed working with and has gradually built on that and developed it over the last 10 years adding more and more detail. He has always leant into the more messy side of illustration and enjoys using textures and messy brushes when he paints on his wacom tablet.

Phil now likes to work on his own ideas for illustrations inbetween taking on client work. Two of his ultimate career goals would be to design an official movie poster and also design an album cover for a band that he loves.

JOBLO: What got you started as an artist?
PHIL: I would say my family were a big part of my creative journey. My uncle, my grandad, and my Mum are all creative people.

My mum denies she is creative, of course, in that way all mums do, but she is and has always encouraged me. My mum helped me with all sorts of projects when I was young, like mosaics, sewing and painting for school.

In terms of my appreciation for art, at an early age I remember liking comics like Calvin and Hobbes and The Beano. The imagery in those comics sparked something in my brain and made me want to be able to create my own comics.

My older brother also used to draw a lot and I enjoyed copying whatever he did. We’ve both drawn since we were very young.

At school I found I was getting a good response from teachers and that encouraged me to follow the more creative subjects and I then found myself painting and drawing even more.

In middle school, I was once chosen to be part of a small group to create a sculpture which could sit outside the school. I believe opportunities like this one also helped me develop my skills and further my interests.

Who were some of your favorite artists growing up?
My grandad introduced me to Bill Watterson, the creator of Calvin and Hobbes, and whilst I loved the comedy of the comic strips, it was the art that I found beautiful. The full-colour pages have an amazing style, which captures the imagination.

As I got into my teens, I then discovered a lot of artists I wasn’t familiar with via CD covers. Artists such as Alex Pardee who worked with The Used, and Tim Marrs who worked with Something Corporate and Rise Against. And then there are the greats such as Edward Hopper, David Hockey and Francis Bacon, who I also started to learn more about.

Who do you really dig these days, follow on Instagram?
I am heavily inspired by Eileen (SG Posters)(https://www.instagram.com/sg_posters/) who has been an incredible friend and help to me. In fact, there’s so many great artists in and outside of the poster community.

I’d hate to leave anyone out, but off the top of my head I would say Royalston, Corey Brickley, Courtney Autumn Martin, Luke Preece, Orlando Arocena, Chelsea Lowe, Mark Levy, Dave O’Flanagan and Freya Betts. There’s so many more I’d love to share, but I’m sure they know who they are. If we’ve ever interacted, I dig your work!

What advice would you have for budding artists today?
Practice practice practice, try new things, speak to other artists, and look after yourself mentally. I struggle with self-confidence, particularly on all the social media platforms where it can feel like everyone is moving faster or further than me, but in reality it’s all snapshots. You never see behind the scenes and the hard work that goes into each person’s work is often hidden.

I’m lucky enough to have a wealth of artists around me who support each other, so I would say, try and find a like-minded community who you can bounce ideas off. Then support one another whilst creating work you enjoy.

What should we be looking out for from you in the future?
I’m currently working on a poster for a documentary, which is really exciting and I’m working on a piece for the PosterSpy (https://posterspy.com/) Music brief that will be out in February. After that, I’m hoping to do some more personal work and I’ll be on the look-out for new projects.

Being a fansite, we have to ask you… what are some of your favorite movies/TV shows of all time?
I love this question. I was obsessed with LOST! I loved the mystery and excitement of it all, and waiting and talking about what was going to happen next in the show was all part of the fun.

I also love Vikings, Community, Arrested Development, Peep Show, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia… too many to name.

Film wise, In Bruges, Jurassic Park, The Lost Boys and Goodfellas are my top movies, but I also have a nostalgic soft spot for The Mighty Ducks, as I watched it over and over again as a kid.

Scroll down to check out some of our favorite art pieces from Phil as we continue to follow his journey across his Website and social media hubs: Instagram / X / TikTok @philshelly / PosterSpy / Commissions

Alien

Arwen

Blink 182

Daredevil

Darth Maul

Edward Scissorhands

Halloween

Harry Potter

Jurassic Park

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Marathon Mindset

Menu

Oppenheimer

Punch Drunk Love

Remember The Titans

Saw

Scream

Slipknot

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Ted Lasso

Vans

The post Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net: Phil Shelly appeared first on JoBlo.

Many of us were dismayed to learn that the great Carl Weathers had passed away, especially with him being amid a terrific career resurgence thanks to his ongoing role on The Mandalorian. Of course, he’ll always be best known as Apollo Creed, with Sylvester Stallone (noticeably emotional) saying in his tribute that he could “have never accomplished what we did with Rocky without him.” Indeed, Apollo was integral to the films, with him being the sympathetic, honourable antagonist in the first two films and then a stalwart best friend and mentor in the third film before dying in the fourth. His legacy helped spawn a whole other franchise, the Creed films, which are still going strong to this day.

Nevertheless, there was more to Carl Weathers beyond the Rocky films, so we thought it might be appropriate to look at some of his other iconic parts on JoBlo, which deserve a lot of praise. So, here are our favorite Carl Weathers roles outside of the Rocky series!

Predator: Dillon

Outside of the Rocky franchise, action fans probably know Weathers the best from his role as Dillon in the first Predator movie. A CIA company man sent along to watch over Schwarzenegger’s (as Dutch) bad-ass crew of operatives, Dillon is initially a bit of an antagonist, using Dutch’s crew to put down a rebel movement in Guatemala, but he redeems himself in the end. Predator arguably had Weathers’ most viral scene ever, when him and Schwarzenegger go bicep-to-bicep in the iconic opening sequence.

Action Jackson: Jericho Jackson

Action Jackson should have been the movie that launched Carl Weathers as a solo action star. It did relatively well at the box office, but the company behind it, Lorimar, went bankrupt, prematurely ending what should have been a great franchise for the actor. Nonetheless, the film is a blast, with Weathers an iconic, Henley-wearing cop going after Craig T. Nelson’s sadistic auto-magnate. This movie has it all – kick-ass action, two super hot love interests (Vanity and Sharon Stone), and a buttload of fantastic one-liners (“How do you like your ribs?”). If you have yet to catch this one, it’s a gem waiting to be discovered.

Happy Gilmore: Chubbs

“Just tap it in”. Adam Sandler cast Carl Weathers to brilliant effect in his raunchy golf classic, Happy Gilmore. No doubt, Weathers was chosen due to being in the Rocky movies, but he displayed an unexpected flair for comedy in the role which would serve him well in the years to come.

Arrested Development: “Carl Weathers”

Carl Weathers has arguably never been better than when he played “himself” on Arrested Development as David Cross’s Tobias M. Funke’s life coach/ acting mentor. In it, the actor satirized the idea of being a “has been” brilliantly, with the fictional Weathers infamously cheap (“Whoa, whoa, whoa. There’s still plenty of meat on that bone. Now you take this home, throw it in a pot, add some broth, a potato. Baby, you’ve got a stew going”) and happy to exploit anyone he needs to for money or a job.

The Mandalorian: Greef Karga

It was pretty thrilling to see Carl Weathers pop up in the first episode of The Mandalorian as the country hunter who gave the titular character his first assignment – which would lead him directly to his beloved Grogu. Weathers was so likable in the series that he returned in seasons two and three as a good guy and even directed some episodes. In her own tribute to Weathers, former co-star Gina Carano said he was a mentor to her and was one of the few people who didn’t totally cut ties with her after her unceremonious firing from the show.

What are your favourite Carl Weathers roles? Let us know in the comments!

The post Carl Weathers: 5 Great Roles (Outside of Rocky) appeared first on JoBlo.

Jake Gyllenhaal is taking a long-awaited stab at action superstardom with his upcoming Prime Video remake of Road House hitting the streamer on March 21st (although it should really be going to theaters). Dev Patel also is making a promising attempt at the genre with his amazing looking Monkey Man hitting theaters in April. Not too long ago, we wrote a piece of JoBlo that asked who the next big action icons might be, and indeed, some fresh blood being worked into the genre is long overdue. Gyllenhaal and Patel both seem like great new additions to the canon, but who else could make it in the genre?

Here are a few stars we think have what it takes to be action heroes:

Zac Efron:

I would have thought you were nuts if you had told me a decade ago that Zac Efron would become an Arnold Schwarzenegger-style muscleman as he got older. Yet, the former High School Musical star has consistently pushed himself to the brink by packing on muscle. In The Iron Claw, he also proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he also has the acting talent to play darker roles brilliantly. Given how physically capable he is, it’s strange that Hollywood has never cast him in a major action flick, with him having the look and presence of a truly iconic addition to the genre. With Edgar Wright tackling The Running Man, wouldn’t Efron be an inspired choice to take the lead?

Jeremy Allen White:

The same goes for Efron’s The Iron Claw co-star, Jeremy Allen White. His performance on The Bear is already iconic, and while people are fond of saying he looks like he could be related to Gene Wilder, to me, he has a Steve McQueen-style presence that hasn’t been exploited yet. Steven Spielberg is doing a sequel to Bullitt with Bradley Cooper in the title role, but I can’t help but think White might be even better.

Michael B. Jordan:

Ok, Michael B. Jordan got a big action movie a couple of years ago – Without Remorse. Despite good Tom Clancy source material, the movie kinda fell flat. The studio that produced it, Paramount, made it too small-scale, and it’s no wonder they offloaded it to Prime Video during the pandemic. Jordan deserved more of a chance to shine, and apparently, the studio agrees as a sequel/ spin-off based on Rainbow Six has been greenlit, although it remains to be seen if it will ever get made.

Katy O’Brian

While known for small roles on shows like The Mandalorian, this actress is about to break out in a big way with Love Lies Bleeding (check out my Sundance review). In it, she plays a female bodybuilder who, along with her lover (played by Kristen Stewart), ends up embroiled in a noir-ish plot. In that movie, she shows some legitimate dramatic chops, and with her physical presence, casting her in a major action role seems like a no-brainer.

Scott Adkins:

A perennial favourite – it makes no sense that Hollywood has never given Scott Adkins a legit A-level action flick. He has it all: presence, looks, a cool accent and even some decent comedy chops. He would make for a terrific Jason Statham-style action hero if given a movie on par with The Beekeeper. If they do a sequel to that movie, Adkins would be an ideal antagonist. And, for those who may dismiss Adkins as an actor, do yourselves a favor and check out Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning. His performance in that one is iconic.

Who do YOU think should be the next action icon?

The post New Action Stars: 5 actors who could pull it off appeared first on JoBlo.