SNL: Bob Odenkirk Reveals Why It Took Years to Get Chris Farley In That Van Down By the River

One time, many years ago, Bob Odenkirk was asked by his daughter what was the most fun he ever had in showbiz. For the Emmy-winning actor whose credits include zeitgeist-defining TV dramas and Tony-nominated plays, plus a late career swerve into the role of unlikely action star (as proven again in this weekend’s new kick-ass thriller Normal), that should be a tough quandary. And yet, without missing a beat, Odenkirk knew the answer before she finished the question.

It was standing on a small, sweaty Chicago stage next to Chris Farley as he uttered lamentable words about “living in a van DOWN BY THE RIVER!”

Says Odenkirk, “I told her doing this scene with Chris Farley, nothing will ever beat that. It was a joy from the beginning to the end, and he would not leave the stage until he had made all the other actors laugh.”

It was also a scene that Odenkirk wrote from top to bottom back in his own Second City days—years before it was transferred to Saturday Night Live.

“So I was already at Saturday Night Live as a writer for three years, and then I went back in the summer to do Second City,” Odenkirk explains about the origins of Farley’s now beloved Matt Foley character. “I’m from Chicago and being invited to be on the mainstage of Second City Theater is like being asked to play for the Cubs when it comes to performance and theater. So you’re going to say yes, and I did say yes.”

At the time, Odenkirk was already developing a reputation as a comedic writer and performer, having worked on SNL as a writer beginning in 1987 and returning to Chicago during his first summer hiatus on the show to perform a stage show he wrote with two other SNL young guns: Robert Smigel and Conan O’Brien. But by his third summer hiatus, Odenkirk wasn’t just showing his own wares, but acting and writing in Flag Burning Permitted in Lobby Only, a Second City Mainstage revue that featured SNL on-screen talent.

“I got into that troupe with Chris Farley and Timmy Meadows,” says Odenkirk, “and other great friends, Jill Talley and Dave Pasquesi. We wrote a show, and I wrote ‘The Motivational Speaker,’ and then we all went—me, Tim, Chris—went back to SNL. That was my fourth year.”

It was also his last year on SNL. Yet during that year, and despite Farley and Odenkirk’s lobbying, Matt Foley did not make the jump to television. Nor did he appear the next season, after Odenkirk left New York for LA. It wouldn’t be until near the end of Farley’s fourth season that Foley finally got to tell kids at home about that damn van by that damn river.

“They finally relented and did ‘The Motivational Speaker’ as a sketch on Saturday Night Live, which I very much appreciated, and Chris did too,” says Odenkirk. “Chris loved playing that character and he wanted to get that same reaction that he got at Second City.”

Why did it take so long for Matt to make the jump from Second City to SNL?

“I think a lot of the actors from Saturday Night Live come from Second City or from the Groundlings in LA,” Odenkirk considers, “and they’re kind of not sure how much they want you to bring your characters wholecloth from your theater company onto that national stage into the TV. And I think [there is] even some suspicion that they won’t work. They worked so well where they worked, but that’s a small theater space, and yet it’s happened many times. Many of the characters you see Groundlings [alumni] do on Saturday Night Live do come from the Groundlings, but usually they go through more of a mutation, whereas ‘The Motivational Speaker’ character, that was exactly what I wrote back in Chicago. It’s the exact same scene, same words, same order. So I think SNL is justifiably uncertain about the idea of taking things directly and putting them now on the TV.”

With that said, when the sketch finally made it to the air, it was with the greatest sense of satisfaction and relief for Odenkirk. That apparently went for Farley as well.

“Doing that scene was the greatest joy,” Odenkirk says. “I played the father in the scene when we did it at Second City. Everything about that scene was magic. Writing it pretty much exactly the way it’s done, and it was all just touched with magic, and Chris was born to be that guy, so I was thrilled. I had left the show and I got a phone call, ‘They’re going to do the scene.’ And Lorne [Michaels] was great. They gave me credit. It was the greatest.”

And to this day, it’s routinely cited as the best or among the best sketches in SNL history. All thanks to America’s next action star.

Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars Trailer Imagines a Hopeful Post-Apocalypse

For the past 20 years, we sure have spent a lot of time imagining the end of the world. From The Hunger Games to The Walking Dead to Snowpiercer, pop culture has been obsessed with describing the fall of civilization and the bloody aftermath that follows. Generally, these stories follow a pretty familiar pattern, with fleeting moments of safety and kindness interrupted by violence and humanity at its worst.

But the first trailer for The Dog Stars suggests that Ridley Scott has something else in mind. The trailer introduces Jacob Elordi as Hig, a pilot living after the fall of civilization with his dog, the one remnant of his happy marriage in the before-times. While his partner Bangley (Josh Brolin) has a heart cold enough to survive, Hig desires something more, and may find it with medic Cima (Margaret Qualley). Set to a slower version of Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic,” the trailer is all optimism and hope, despite the cruel surroundings.

Hope is built into the source material, the 2012 novel by Peter Heller. The book became a hit not just because it met the expectations of the post-apocalyptic genre, including depictions of the way humans can mistreat one another, but also because of its humor and its poetic depiction of a soulful hero. If Scott can translate those elements to screen, then The Dog Stars may be able to add another hit to his incredible career.

The Dog Stars‘s timing couldn’t be better, as moviegoers are ready to find hope at the end of the world. Based on the novel by Andy Weir. Project Hail Mary has been a favorite among audiences precisely because it sets a delightful buddy comedy between Ryan Gosling and his puppet pal against the backdrop of impending doom. That movie suggests that the apocalypse can be canceled if you’ve got a good friend by your side.

But, of course, Project Hail Mary is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, two filmmakers known for their carefree projects. The same definitely cannot be said of Ridley Scott. Even before he became the delightfully grouchy old man he is today, Scott had no problem getting bleak, as demonstrated by the company putting profits over people in Alien, the general dourness of Blade Runner, and the military incompetence on display in Black Hawk Down. Even those who find some triumph in the ending of Thelma & Louise have to acknowledge that the duo does drive off a cliff.

That said, Scott did helm The Martian, an optimistic adventure also based on a Weir book. If Scott can stay in that tone for The Dog Stars then he can continue to give us hope in hard times, and maybe score another box office hit for himself.

The Dog Stars arrives in theaters on August 28, 2026.

The Mandalorian & Grogu Trailer Teases Baby Yoda vs. Babu Frik in the Cutest Lil’ Battle Ever

Star Wars fans are nothing if not forgiving. They have gone from screaming about how George Lucas has ruined their childhood to embracing the prequels as really good, actually. They’ve gone from feeling embarrassment whenever The Holiday Special is mentioned to cheering when Life Day gets name-dropped in official releases. And they even admit that The Rise of Skywalker can’t be all bad, because it gave us Babu Frik.

Never one to let goodwill go untapped, Disney has moved Babu Frik, or at least some of his fellow Anzellans out of J. J. Abrams‘s mess of a saga capper and into The Mandalorian & Grogu. And they immediately start causing trouble. In the final trailer for the upcoming film, a quartet of Anzellans shout at Grogu, even evoking his better name when they sneer, “A horrible baby!” and “That’s a bad baby!”

On one hand, the Anzellans are wrong. Grogu is a very good baby, so good that he even made Werner Herzog wonder if, in fact, love and kindness existed in the universe. More importantly, Grogu made the movie The Mandalorian & Grogu possible, as he made the show a pop culture phenomenon when it first hit Disney+ back in 2019.

What initially began as a space Western set in post-Return of the Jedi universe, complete with Ludwig Göransson doing his best Ennio Morricone score, quickly became the story about an adorable green goober and his armored protector. And then it became a sequel to The Clone Wars, as Bo-Katan, Ahsoka Tano, and others from the animated series became the focus.

Judging by the latest trailer, The Mandalorian & Grogu will try to tie together all these disparate elements. Characters from The Clone Wars and its sequel Rebels will be represented, in the form of Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White), Zeb (Steve Blum), and bounty hunter Embo. And the cuteness factor is in full effect, as demonstrated by the spat between the Anzellans and Baby Yoda.

But much of the trailer focuses on Mando himself, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), as he tries to complete his mission to Grogu, getting some help and pep talks from Sigourney Weaver as Colonel Ward, a former fighter pilot in the resistance.

If director Jon Favreau, who wrote the script with Dave Filoni and Noah Kloor, can weave all those elements together, then The Mandalorian & Grogu can be a true crowd-pleaser, finally washing away the stink left by the last Star Wars theatrical release, Rise of Skywalker. And if he can’t, well… give it a decade or so. Eventually, someone on the internet will start yelling about how it’s actually a masterpiece.

The Mandalorian & Grogu arrives in theaters on May 22, 2026.

Jonathan Frakes Weighs In on the State of Modern Star Trek

It’s a time of transition in the world of Star Trek. The sci-fi franchise is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, but its future feels a whole lot more uncertain than such a significant milestone would normally imply. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has wrapped filming on its fifth and final season. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy won’t continue beyond its already filmed second outing. And while we technically still have full seasons of both those shows still to air, for the first time in over a decade, there’s no new Trek in the works. Nothing’s in production, nothing’s been announced, and nothing’s in development. Even talk surrounding potential projects, like the formerly buzzy James Kirk prequel going by the name Star Trek: Year One, seems to have stalled. (The dismantling of the Enterprise sets from Strange New Worlds certainly seems like a bad sign there, as well.)

No one seems to know what’s next for the franchise, and that includes many of the folks who have starred in it. Jonathan Frakes is probably most recognizable for playing William Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but he’s also made guest appearances in a half dozen subsequent series, from Star Trek: Voyager to Star Trek: Picard.

Speaking to TrekMovie.com’s All Access: Star Trek podcast, Frakes admits that the current state of Trek production — or lack thereof — is “unfortunate,” but points out that, after 60 years, the franchise is nothing if not resilient.

“I think, sadly, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of our incredible franchise, it seemed very unfortunate that they’ve chosen this moment to not have any new Trek in production,” he said. “It seems like a very unfortunate irony. I’m sure that Trek will resurface, it always has, and it always will. And the power that Roddenberry invested in it seems to have made it through six decades.”

If anyone would know, it would probably be Frakes. He’s been around this franchise for decades, helmed episodes across seven different Trek series, and directed two feature films. Most recently, he directed an episode of Starfleet Academy, and has a rather frank read on the multiple reasons why modern Trek may be struggling at the moment.

“Some people who either didn’t like or didn’t approve or didn’t support the latest endeavors, for whatever reason,” he says. “Perhaps it’s the changing of the guard at Paramount+ and CBS [Studios]. Perhaps it’s indecision. Perhaps it’s the amount of money it costs to make how beautiful the show is; the level of the production has become this sort of “shoot to thrill” cinematic phenomenon that when we did the show back in the ’80s, we counted on storytelling and acting and the occasional camera move [laughs]. It’s a different beast now, and that beast is very expensive, and as we know, it’s called show business.”

In the end, however, Frakes remains “optimistic” about Star Trek’s future, though he admits to some frustration about the lack of any news about where the franchise might be headed next.

“I’m very optimistic about the future. I just wish that something was percolating now,” he says. “I know that there’s talk of another movie. I don’t think it’s going to be one of the J.J. movies. It seems it’s going to be a brand-new [idea]. I know that there’s also a percolating idea about the Paul Wesley [Star Trek: Year One], which would be the origin of Kirk, but that’s all I’ve got. All I’ve got is rumor and innuendo, and none of it is encouraging… But in truth, there will be a Star Trek on the air through 2027. That gives us a lot of time to get something else in the oven, if you will.”

16 Movies That Feel Like They’re Missing Crucial Scenes

There are times where a movie rushes past a plot point and, as audience members, we often feel confused as to how things ended up where they are. Motivations might suddenly change or characters arrive at destinations without a clear journey. This feeling can come from actual deleted scenes, or from the feeling that some connective tissue was missing.

Whatever the case, these films aren’t bad per se, but do feel like something is missing. They left us trying to fill the gaps on our own, wondering what happened in the supposed scenes that never made it to screen.

The Snowman

Famously incomplete, the production reportedly failed to shoot key parts of the script, leaving major story beats unexplained and transitions abrupt, making the film feel like entire chunks of the narrative are simply missing.

Justice League

Heavy reshoots and editing led to a film that jumps between plot points with little connective tissue, making character arcs and story developments feel rushed and underexplained.

Suicide Squad

Re-edited after early reactions, the film feels like a collection of disconnected scenes, with abrupt character introductions and tonal shifts that suggest significant material was cut or rearranged.

Fantastic Four (2015)

A drastic tonal shift halfway through and noticeable gaps in character development make it feel like key scenes tying the story together were removed during reshoots and editing.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Rapid pacing and constant plot developments leave little room for explanation, with many viewers noting that major events seem to happen off-screen or without proper buildup.

Quantum of Solace

Aggressive editing and fast pacing result in action scenes that feel fragmented, making it difficult to follow the narrative and giving the impression that connective moments were removed.

Kingdom of Heaven (Theatrical Cut)

The theatrical version removes substantial character development and political context, making motivations unclear, while the director’s cut reveals how much essential material was originally missing.

Daredevil (2003)

The theatrical version omits entire subplots, resulting in uneven pacing and missing motivations, which are later restored in the director’s cut to create a more coherent narrative.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Multiple plot threads are introduced and abandoned, creating a fragmented story that feels like important connective scenes or explanations were removed during editing.

Green Lantern

Heavy studio interference led to a film that rushed through major story beats, making the world-building and character development feel incomplete.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

The film’s pacing and structure feel uneven, with abrupt transitions and underdeveloped relationships suggesting that significant story elements were cut or reshaped.

Jupiter Ascending

Dense world-building is introduced with minimal explanation, leaving audiences to piece together rules and motivations that feel like they were never fully shown on screen.

Eragon

The adaptation compresses a lengthy novel into a short film, leaving out crucial development and making the story feel rushed and incomplete.

The Golden Compass

Key elements of the source material’s ending were removed or altered, leaving the film feeling abruptly cut off and missing important narrative resolution.

The Dark Tower

Attempting to condense multiple novels into one film, the story feels stripped down, with major concepts introduced but never properly explored.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Packed with setups for future films, the narrative feels cluttered and fragmented, with multiple ideas competing for attention rather than forming a cohesive story.

15 Video Game Boss Fights More Frustrating Than Fun

Boss fights are meant to be the ultimate test of everything a game has taught you. At their best, they feel challenging, rewarding, and satisfying to overcome, although not every fight reaches that goal. Some rely on cheap mechanics, awkward design choices, or sudden difficulty spikes that turn the experience into pure frustration.

Instead of feeling like a fair challenge, these encounters can feel tedious, confusing, or even broken. Bad design or just questionable decisions brought these fights into being, making them the boss fights that players remember not for the victory, but for how exhausting it was to get there.

Malenia, Elden Ring

Her ability to heal with every hit, combined with extremely fast attacks, makes the fight feel punishing even for skilled players, often turning it into a test of patience rather than mastery.

Bed of Chaos, Dark Souls

Less a fight and more a platforming puzzle filled with instant-death hazards, this encounter frustrates players with unpredictable mechanics and repeated resets rather than rewarding combat skill.

The Genie, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

Constant taunting, slow text interruptions, and repetitive mechanics make this early boss more annoying than difficult, dragging out the fight unnecessarily.

Psycho Mantis, Metal Gear Solid

Breaking the fourth wall by reading player inputs was innovative, but requiring players to switch controller ports made the fight confusing and frustrating without prior knowledge.

Ruby Weapon, Final Fantasy VII

A brutally punishing optional boss with devastating attacks and strict conditions, often requiring specific strategies that feel more like trial-and-error than skill-based gameplay.

Yellow Devil, Mega Man

Its pattern requires near-perfect timing and memorization, punishing mistakes harshly and turning the fight into a rigid sequence rather than an engaging challenge.

Whitney’s Gym Battle, Pokémon

Beyond just Miltank, the entire gym fight becomes frustrating due to limited counters available early in the game, amplifying the sense of imbalance.

Atlas, BioShock

After a strong narrative buildup, the final fight turns into a simplistic and repetitive encounter, widely criticized for ignoring the game’s core mechanics.

Rais, Dying Light

The climactic battle boils down to quick-time events, removing player agency and making the finale feel more like a cutscene than an actual boss fight.

Demise, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Despite heavy buildup, the fight can feel underwhelming or overly simple for some players, creating frustration from unmet expectations rather than difficulty.

Deathstroke, Batman: Arkham Origins

A visually impressive fight that quickly becomes repetitive, relying heavily on counter mechanics that can feel more like memorization than dynamic combat.

Ustanak, Resident Evil 6

Repeated encounters and scripted chase sequences make the character feel more like an interruption than a meaningful boss, breaking the pacing of the game.

The Marauder, DOOM Eternal

Highly restrictive mechanics force players into a narrow strategy, punishing deviation and slowing down the game’s otherwise fast-paced combat flow.

Lingering Will, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix

An optional super boss with extremely aggressive patterns and minimal room for error, often requiring precise strategies that can feel punishing rather than enjoyable.

Absolute Radiance, Hollow Knight

A multi-phase fight with intense precision requirements and long attempts, where failure near the end forces players to restart entirely, making it feel more draining than satisfying.

15 ‘Serious’ Movies That Nobody Treats as Such

Filmmakers often want their movies to be taken with the seriousness and passion that went into making them, but they can’t control how the audience reacts. With a combination of awkward dialogue, over-the-top performances, and moments that feel unintentionally absurd, certain “serious” movies end up being remembered more for laughs than impact.

Over time, many of these films gain a second life through memes, quotes, and ironic appreciation. Instead of being taken at face value, they’re enjoyed in a completely different way. They might not be what the authors intended, but they are certainly outliving many other ‘legitimate’ pieces of media.

The Room

Tommy Wiseau intended an intense romantic drama, but awkward dialogue, bizarre performances, and inconsistent storytelling turned it into one of the most famous “so bad it’s good” movies ever.

Morbius

A dark superhero film that quickly became an internet joke, with memes overshadowing its serious tone and turning it into a cultural punchline rather than the grounded story it aimed to be.

Showgirls

Originally positioned as a serious drama about ambition and exploitation, it became infamous for its exaggerated performances and tone, later gaining a cult following largely for its unintentional comedy.

The Happening

M. Night Shyamalan’s environmental thriller was meant to be tense and thought-provoking, but its stiff dialogue and performances led audiences to laugh at moments that were clearly meant to be serious.

Twilight

A sincere romantic drama at its core, but its melodramatic tone, awkward dialogue, and certain performances turned many scenes into memes and unintentional comedy over time.

Fifty Shades of Grey

Intended as a serious, dramatic romance, but its dialogue, pacing, and performances made many viewers treat it more as an awkward, often unintentionally funny experience.

The Wicker Man (2006)

A remake intended as a disturbing horror film, but Nicolas Cage’s extreme performance and bizarre moments made it widely known for unintentionally hilarious scenes.

Cats

A serious musical adaptation that became a viral sensation for all the wrong reasons, with uncanny visuals and performances that audiences found more bizarre than emotionally engaging.

Troll 2

Made as a straightforward horror film, but its low-budget execution, odd dialogue, and performances turned it into a cult classic celebrated for its absurdity.

House of Gucci

A dramatic true story featuring exaggerated accents and performances, leading many viewers to treat it as campy entertainment rather than the serious biographical drama it set out to be.

Jupiter Ascending

An ambitious sci-fi epic with serious world-building, but its dialogue and performances often came across as unintentionally funny, overshadowing its intended grandeur.

Madame Web

Positioned as a serious superhero entry, but its dialogue, editing, and performances quickly turned it into a meme-heavy release that audiences engaged with ironically.

The Day After Tomorrow

A disaster film meant to be intense and emotional, but some of its exaggerated scenarios and dialogue have made certain scenes unintentionally humorous over time.

Con Air

Intended as a gritty action film, yet its exaggerated characters and line delivery have made it a favorite for ironic enjoyment.

Birdemic: Shock and Terror

A sincere eco-horror film that became infamous for its effects and performances, turning it into a cult favorite enjoyed for its unintentional comedy.

15 Performers Who Aren’t in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame But Probably Should Be

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is meant to celebrate the most influential artists in music history, even though a lot of them aren’t in it. For every well-deserved inductee, there are notable names still missing, artists with massive influence, loyal fanbases, and lasting cultural impact.

We don’t know if it is due to genre bias, changing industry trends, or simply being overlooked, but some performers remain outside looking in despite careers that clearly shaped modern music. These are the performers many fans and critics agree have done more than enough to earn a place in the Hall.

Motörhead

A hugely influential heavy metal band led by Lemmy, Motörhead helped define speed metal and influenced generations of rock acts, yet remain uninducted for decades despite widespread recognition of their impact.

The Smiths

One of the most influential alternative bands of the 1980s, The Smiths shaped indie rock and inspired countless artists, yet their absence from the Hall continues to be one of the most frequently cited omissions.

Alice in Chains

Another cornerstone of the grunge era, Alice in Chains blended heavy metal and alternative rock in a way that influenced countless bands, yet remain outside the Hall.

The Pixies

Widely credited with shaping alternative rock and influencing bands like Nirvana, The Pixies are often cited as one of the most important bands still missing from the Hall.

Sonic Youth

A pioneering force in experimental and alternative rock, Sonic Youth’s influence on indie music is undeniable, making their absence particularly notable among critics.

Jethro Tull

Blending rock with progressive and folk influences, Jethro Tull achieved both critical and commercial success, yet their absence is often cited as a major oversight.

Thin Lizzy

Their twin-guitar sound and influence on hard rock and metal have been widely acknowledged, making their continued exclusion from the Hall a frequent point of contention.

Boston

With one of the best-selling debut albums in history, Boston’s polished rock sound defined an era, yet they remain outside the Hall despite their commercial impact.

Styx

Blending progressive rock and pop sensibilities, Styx achieved major commercial success, yet their absence continues to stand out compared to similar bands already inducted.

Megadeth

One of the “Big Four” of thrash metal, Megadeth played a major role in shaping the genre, making their exclusion notable given the Hall’s recognition of other metal acts.

Slayer

Another member of the “Big Four,” Slayer’s extreme sound helped define thrash metal, and their absence is often cited in discussions about the Hall’s treatment of heavier genres.

The New York Dolls

A proto-punk band that influenced punk and glam rock movements, their impact far outweighs their commercial success, making their absence a long-standing criticism.

Beck

Blending genres and consistently reinventing his sound, Beck has had a long and influential career, yet has not been inducted despite critical acclaim.

Devo

Known for their unique style and satirical approach, Devo influenced new wave and alternative music, making their absence from the Hall a frequent point of debate.

The Guess Who

A major Canadian rock band with several classic hits, they have been cited among notable omissions despite their commercial success and influence.

Dan Stevens in The Terror: Devil In Silver Has Serious Legion Vibes

Period drama Downton Abbey may have made Dan Stevens a household name back in the 2010s, but his career since playing Matthew Crawley has been a delightful mix of weirdo character pieces and entertaining Hollywood blockbuster roles, with some occasional offbeat voicework thrown on top. (He is the best part of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and we will not be taking questions at this time.) Stevens has a half-dozen projects currently in the works, ranging from another Godzilla movie to playing a serial killer on the most recent Dexter revival. But it’s his next role that feels strangely familiar — if only thanks to the disturbing nature of its setting.

Stevens will lead the new installment of AMC’s critically acclaimed horror franchise, The Terror. Subtitled Devil in Silver, the series will adapt Victor LaValle’s book of the same name and is something of a swerve from its predecessors in that it’s a contemporary story versus a period piece. (Season 1 followed a doomed 19th-century Arctic expedition, while season 2 was set in a Japanese internment camp in California during World War II.)

Stevens plays Pepper, a working-class man who is unjustly committed to New Hyde Psychiatric Hospital, an institution filled with the kinds of people society vastly prefers to forget. But something darker is hidden in one of the institution’s locked wards, and in order to escape, Pepper will have to confront both the monstrous entity that seems to feed on the suffering of others — and the demons inside himself.

One part horror thriller and one part furious takedown of the inequities inherent in America’s mental health system, LaValle’s novel wrestles with questions of faith, race, and class through familiar genre tropes. It’s also a fairly familiar position for Stevens to be in as an actor, who has found himself unwillingly snared in a mental institution once before.

Granted, FX’s critically acclaimed X-Men series, Legion, was a very different sort of story and David Haller was a very different sort of leading role. But its cadre of colorful patients, questions of reality and mental capacity, and threats of a constantly creeping evil seem fairly similar if a bit more supernaturally tinged than mutant-focused this time around. (Legion, by the way, is all-around excellent, and if you’ve never seen it before, please fix your life immediately.)

LaValle is serving as co-showrunner alongside Halt and Catch Fire’s Chris Cantwell, and the series’ stacked cast includes such familiar faces as Judith Light, CCH Pounder, Stephen Root, and Aasif Mandvi.

The Terror: Devil in Silver premieres on AMC+ and Shudder on May 7.

Anne Hathaway’s ‘Wrecking Ball’ Lip Sync Win Paved the Way for Mother Mary Reign

David Lowery has a rule. Someone isn’t cast in his films until he meets them for the first time. “That really is always what seals the deal,” the filmmaker confides when we catch up on the eve of the release of his new A24 pop star spookfest, Mother Mary. “Like you have a conversation with someone.”

Yet the filmmaker, whose singular taste for casting led to him tapping Dev Patel as Sir Gawain in the hallucinatory and devilish The Green Knight, and landing Robert Redford in his final starring role, The Old Man & the Gun, has a confession to make when it comes to Anne Hathaway. He already had a pretty good idea she would be the Mother Mary after seeing her completely dominate a Miley Cyrus anthem a decade ago on a now defunct Spike TV reality competition.

“I won’t lie that watching her do ‘Wrecking Ball’ on Lip Sync Battle, I was pretty sure that she would be able to hold her own on a stage in front of hundreds of people,” Lowery says with a sheepish smile.

Indeed, in the iconic viral video and much discussed sequence, Hathaway squared off with longtime friend and Devil Wears Prada co-star Emily Blunt by launching herself onto a literal wrecking ball and swinging it across a crowded studio audience for a sequence clearly designed to wow TikTok before the Chinese video platform was even a thing.

It’s also of a piece with the much darker Mother Mary, a film that enters the pop music arena with a sullen and troubled disposition as the titular pop star played by Hathaway, Mother Mary, is driven to distraction and regret when one night she shows up on the front door of her estranged best friend, and one-time costume designer, Sam (Michaela Coel). The diva has a request to make about a dress… as well as a confession: one night, not so long ago, she saw a ghost. And it’s been by her side every night since.

While developing the iconography and look of Mother Mary, Lowery, who also wrote the film, admits he looked to pop stars past and present to understand the lifestyle.

“None of us knew what being a pop star was like, so we turned to the plethora of documentaries that exist to fill in the blanks for ourselves,” Lowery explains. “We turned to everything from Madonna’s Truth or Dare back in the ‘90s to, for me, a huge one was Taylor Swift’s Reputation tour film that was on Netflix. All of these influences went into the cauldron, but then we were also always trying to think of how we can make the sort of platonic ideal of a pop star—a pop star who can represent all things for all people.”

He adds, “For that purpose, we looked away from music and turned to fashion. We turned to other forms of iconography, including of course religious iconography, to try to figure out what this particular pop star’s language was.”

Curiously, Lowery seems to omit the one most obvious influences on Mother Mary: Lady Gaga, an iconoclastic artist that like Mary in the film is renowned for her extreme fashion choices and dabbling in Catholic imagery. Although Hathaway’s Catholic imagery takes on an added menace in the horror-adjacent context of the film. Even then, however, the filmmaker is quick to point out there is an intentional irony since he and Hathaway strove to make the woman under the dress seem soft-spoken and shaken to the point of humility.

“I find a lot of corollaries between the two sides of that coin that apply both in this movie and in life,” Lowery says of the duality between horror and religion, the frightening and the divine. “One of the important things for me when I was making this was to distinguish between the tone of the movie, as it relates to art and pop and pop culture, and the tone of Mother Mary the character. Because there’s an intersection of the two, certainly, but they are two different things. The tone of Mother Mary was less outra. She’s a pop star who embraces her audience in a very specific way, and the movie has a much thornier quality to it than she herself does, and it was really important to find that balance.”

Finding it with Hathaway, his very own wrecking ball, was also key to making the film sing.

“The journey of creating this character was so intense,” says Lowery. “I think for both of us, I just was left with nothing but gratitude that Annie took it so far. I asked for 100 percent, and she came back with 200. I never knew what 200 looked like until I met her, and that was an incredible gift that she gave not only to this movie, but gave to me.”

Mother Mary is in theaters on Friday, April 17.

It’s Probably a Miracle That the Good Omens Finale Exists

To quote another popular genre series: The universe is vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen, and we call them miracles. That’s a line from Doctor Who, but the sentiment basically applies to the third and final season of Prime Good Omens, a project that many of its most ardent fans feared might never actually see the light of day.

Sexual misconduct and assault allegations against creator Neil Gaiman, one-half of the writing duo who penned the original novel, paused early production on the series’ third season, and all signs indicated that Good Omens could well join the ranks of several other cancelled shelved projects connected to the author (see also: Dead Boy Detectives, The Graveyard Book, and Anansi Boys). Gaiman has repeatedly denied the allegations, but behind-the-scenes scuttlebutt definitely hinted that the show came within a hairsbreadth of being cancelled entirely.

Gaiman eventually did step back from the production to allow its final outing to go forward, though in a somewhat truncated fashion: Its original six-episode runtime was cut down to just a single 90-minute movie. But as recently as June 2025, even star Michael Sheen admitted he wasn’t sure that anyone would ever actually see it.

The good news is that Good Omens will get its proper ending this May, though there’s almost no way to completely separate the project’s conclusion from the dark, uncomfortable cloud that has surrounded the finale’s creation. It’s been almost three years since the season 2 finale dropped its devastating cliffhanger, so on some level, it’s a comfort to know that our last glimpse of Sheen’s angel Aziraphale and David Tennant’s demon Crowley won’t be that heartrending break-up that saw them finally kiss before seemingly being separated forever. Will the feature be everything that fans wanted? Of course not. But given that it seemed pretty likely for a good long while that they wouldn’t get anything, the Ineffable Plan probably deserves some credit for achieving this much.

The trailer indicates that the finale will most likely speedrun through many of the plot points that had been previously hinted at: Aziraphale and Crowley must overcome their estrangement to thwart yet another apocalypse, this time in the form of the Second Coming. Extraordinary stand-out Bilal Hasna has been cast as Jesus, who appears to have gone missing from the heavenly realm. And something called the Book of Life also appears to have vanished.

Many of these plot beats echo the madcap romp feel of the show’s first season, which saw our favorite celestial duo attempting to track down the Antichrist. Maybe everything really does come full circle in the end. And, of course, we’re all assuming that Aziraphale and Crowley will finally have to confront their feelings for one another (and probably kiss again, if the series’ love of rom-com tropes are anything to go by). That’s a lot to cram into 90 minutes. But, heck, maybe the show can actually pull it off. It’s done the seemingly impossible before.

Street Fighter Trailer Is Just Weirdos Battling Each Other, As It Should Be

In 1994, Universal released a movie about United Nations forces investigating a warlord who expanded his grasp by establishing a new country, complete with its own currency. For some reason, this movie was called Street Fighter, and was based on the video game series. The video game series is about choosing one to three characters, having them stand equidistant on opposite sides of the screen, and then mashing buttons to cause all sorts of spectacular nonsense until the opposing character(s) fall down.

If the latest trailer for the 2026 movie is any indication, the new movie will feel a lot more like the game and not so much like the previous film. Sure, the trailer manages to include bits about a warrior who has lost his way, a friend called back into battle, and the joys of singing 4 Non Blondes on karaoke night. But really, it’s just a bunch of colorful weirdos kicking and punching each other until a crunchy, digitized voice declares, “Perfect!”

This new Street Fighter comes from director Kitao Sakurai, who wrote the script with T.J. Fixman (from a story by Dalan Musson and Gary Dauberman). It stars Noah Centineo as Ken Masters and Andrew Koji as Ryu, two students at the same martial arts school who have long since gone their separate ways. The trailer shows that both have fallen on hard times, but seem to have found new inspiration to keep going, possibly by the arrival of Chun-Li (Callina Liang), but more likely by their participation in a fighting tournament held by the villainous M. Bison (David Dastmalchian).

Such thin plot threads would not be enough to make most movies watchable. But Street Fighter is not most movies, because it’s based on a simple game with outlandish visuals. Even though the fighting game genre owes a great debt to Bloodsport, the 1989 Jean-Claude Van Damme film about a guy in a secret fighting tournament, films based on those games have been loath to just film the tournament. Even the recent (and largely very good) Mortal Kombat film spent a lot of time building up to the fighting tournament instead of actually showing the thing.

Street Fighter appears to be breaking that trend, and doing so with style. The trailer is filled with insane-looking characters, all unabashedly styled like their unrealistic video game predecessor. There’s Cody Rhodes as Guile, with a blond flattop glued to the top of his head. There’s 50 Cent as Balrog, with a somehow even worse hair-do. There’s Jason Momoa, all green and orange and feral as Blanka.

If the movie is nothing but these weirdos squaring off against one another, shot in a static wide shot, we’d probably love it. But the fact that Sakurai also seems to be whipping his camera around the contestants to make something visceral and exciting thrills us even more. Heck, we’re so dazzled by what we see, we’ll even be okay if Street Fighter wants to throw in a character arc or an emotional moment.

As long as it doesn’t get in the way of the kicking and punching.

Street Fighter premieres in theaters on October 16, 2026.

Game of Thrones: Aegon’s Conquest Makes the Most Sense as a Movie

Most of the buzz coming out of Warner Bros.’ panel at CinemaCon has surrounded upcoming films like Dune: Part Three and Supergirl, but the studio’s presentation had one key piece of information for Game of Thrones fans: Official confirmation that the long-rumored movie about Aegon’s Conquest is at last in development.

Titled (unsurprisingly) Game of Thrones: Aegon’s Conquest, the film appeared briefly on a slide touting the company’s projects in 2027 and beyond. It will be written by former House of Cards showrunner Beau Willimon, and tell the story of the birth of the Targaryen dynasty and the creation of Westeros (or at least most of it) as we know it today

But it’s something of a relief to know that the folks in charge have finally realized an important truth: This story pretty much has to be a feature film. Not just because of the sheer scale of events involved in the conquest of a full continent, but because there’s not really enough material to necessitate a full-on prestige TV drama in the style of the original Thrones or its prequel, House of the Dragon.

That Warner Bros. wants to tell the story of Aegon I Targaryen is a no-brainer. Known as Aegon the Conqueror, he is the stuff of literal legend, the founder of a dynasty that spawned at least a dozen confusingly named descendants, made incest a thing again, and shaped almost all of Westeros history as we know it. (His invasion literally reset the calendar; Aegon’s Landing is dated from year 1.) Alongside his two sisters/lovers/wives, Rhaenys and Visenya, and on the back of the infamous dragon Balerion the Black Dread, Aegon took control of six of the seven (er…nine?) kingdoms, and forged the Iron Throne out of the swords of his vanquished enemies.

Rumors have been flying pretty much since Game of Thrones ended that an Aegon’s Conquest prequel was one of the (many) proposed spinoffs under consideration. There’s been debate over whether it would be a movie or a TV show, with two separate projects seemingly dueling at various points. But a feature film is the right call; not only does it allow the true scope of the devastation caused by Aegon’s Conquest to be depicted, but it also means that the film will have to, by necessity, streamline its story.

Unlike a TV series, which would most likely have to feature a steady grind of regular folks getting burned to a crisp by dragons as their lives are destroyed — which is, let’s face it, the bulk of what happens in this story, it’s a conquest! — a film can reorient itself toward bigger, more thematic swings. Like, say, the House of the Dragon season 1 revelation that Aegon may not have come to conquer so much as to save, driven by prophetic dragon dreams of the so-called “song of ice and fire,” which says a ruler from the fiery House Targaryen would be needed to defeat the icy undead White Walkers.

Plus, a film budget means our first real glimpse of Balerion will be more than worth the wait.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Brings Venom Into Season 2

Although it didn’t generate the same amount of buzz as X-Men ’97, the Disney+ series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was a delightful bit of wall-crawler fun. Set in the early days of Spider-Man’s career, the series remixed all of Peter Parker’s stories into a unique, and often wonderful blend, turning Norman Osborn into a malevolent Tony Stark and Tombstone into a tragic figure.

Season 2 of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man promises to continue that fun take on classic villains. A new promo image leaked to social media shows Venom, Spider-Man’s monstrous arch-enemy turned lethal protector. Although far less slobbery than most depictions of the baddie, the picture is clearly of Venom, complete with a frightening grin full of sharp teeth and menacing claws. And yet, the caption with the picture reads not “Venom,” but “Symbiote Spider-Man.”

Official #YourFriendlyNeighborhoodSpiderMan Season 2 promo art (1/n) #SpiderMan #SymbioteSuit https://t.co/H1K773VzFr pic.twitter.com/t7SghBcvA8
— Kepler (@kepleravocado) April 16, 2026

That title isn’t completely inaccurate to the original story. As most fans know, Venom was originally a black alien costume that Peter Parker wore for a while, in place of his usual red and blue duds. The change occurred in 1984’s Secret Wars #8 (which actually hit shelves after Peter was swinging through the streets of New York in his sleek new costume), in which the red and blue suit was destroyed while off-planet. Because Pete couldn’t run around naked, not even in deep space, aliens devised a new costume for him, one that was alive.

Spidey wore his black costume for a while, but soon turned back to his regular clothes after realizing that the suit created dark feelings within him. After being abandoned by Spidey, the suit bonded with ‘roided out photojournalist Eddie Brock, who has hated Peter since he exposed Brock’s shoddy work. The two combined to become Venom, first fully revealed in 1988’s Amazing Spider-Man #300.

Venom was an immediate hit and has been a mainstay in the Marvel Universe ever since. And, like other breakout bad guys, he developed enough of a following to carry his own book and undergo several revisions. Several other humans have been Venom’s hosts, including the Scorpion Mac Gargan, Peter’s high school bully Flash Thompson, and, in current Marvel continuity, Mary Jane Watson.

In short, Venom’s very open to interpretation, which is great news for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Where early reports suggested that the series would take place in the mainline MCU and tell the story of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man before Captain America: Civil War, the series takes place in a different reality. That separation has given creators room to go in exciting directions with their stories.

In fact, the freedom allowed the creators to introduce a variation of Venom in the very first episode of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. The first episode begins with what appears to be Kraven the Hunter, bonded with the symbiote and attacking Peter Parker’s school, Midtown High. Because Peter doesn’t have his powers yet, it’s up to Doctor Strange, who arrives via portal, to stop the creature. He whisks the monster away, but leaves the portal open just long enough for a spider to get through and bite Peter, setting him off on his heroic journey.

Does this mean that Venom is somehow tied to Spider-Man’s origin? We don’t know, because that’s very different than anything that’s been done before in Peter Parker’s history. But that sort of experimentation with the canon is exactly why we love Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 2 swings onto Disney+ in 2026.

For All Mankind Season 5 Episode 4 Exclusive Clip: Alex Has a Plan for Helios

For All Mankind season 5 has gotten off to a complex and emotional start. In last week’s episode, tensions grew on Mars, and we said a sad yet grateful goodbye to Joel Kinnaman’s Ed Baldwin, who’d been a main character since the Apple TV sci-fi series first started in 2019.

His grandson Alex (Sean Kaufman) was the only one there when Ed finally passed. After graduating from high school, Alex feels a bit lost. He seems unsure of where his future lies, and who can blame him? Alex has grown up on Mars, but he feels caught between the Baldwin legacy and forging his own path on a planet where a violent revolution may be bubbling under the surface.

In episode 3, Alex spoke of his inner turmoil with Helios founder Dev Ayesa (Edi Gathegi) and the pair seemed to bond while fixing Alex’s bike. The savvy entrepreneur, who has taken disruptive risks that have profoundly influenced humanity’s political landscape, is currently fixated on building Meru, a sustainable, self-sufficient city on Mars that could potentially provide a home for 1 million citizens.

Surprisingly, this ambitious plan hasn’t gone down well at the company he co-founded in the 1980s where the budget is being directed to other game-changing projects. But Dev has rarely taken “no” for an answer, and it doesn’t look like he’s about to start now. In our exclusive episode 4 clip, Dev begins to see Alex as someone who could help bring his Meru dream to life on Mars, even as Helios CEO Aleida Rosales (Coral Peña) looks further ahead to finding life on Titan.

Dev always seems fairly certain that his way is the right way, but he’s taken aback by Alex’s youthful, creative ideas. Arguing that Dev’s vision for Meru is too perfect and restricts its inhabitants’ ability to express themselves, Alex gets through to Dev at a time when he’s more likely to shut out other voices. Still, Dev tells Alex that if he wants to make key changes to the environment on Meru, he’ll have to consider the financial impact. Like very few others before him, Alex may just realize that explaining to Dev why he should care about the outcome of his decisions is far more effective than going to war with him.

For All Mankind season 5 streams weekly on Apple TV.

The Odyssey: Charlize Theron’s Character Confirmed

We’re still months away from Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey coming to theaters, but it feels like the production has been simultaneously drip-dropping information about the film and holding off announcements for years. For example, we’ve long known that Nolan has assembled an incredible cast, including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, and Zendaya. But outside of those few names, Nolan and co. have been reluctant to tell us who is playing whom in this big-budget take on the Heroic Greek tale.

However, Universal has finally released some more information. According to EW, the studio showed new footage from The Odyssey to attendees of CinemaCon last night. Presumably set early in the film, the scene found Matt Damon’s Odysseus talking to the figure who has held him hostage on an island for seven years. That figure, played by Charlize Theron, is Calypso.

For those who haven’t had a course in Classics, Calypso is a nymph (an ethereal creature less powerful than a goddess but more powerful than the average person) who traps Odysseus on the island of Ogygia. Calypso captures Odysseus as he travels home from the Trojan War and, immediately charmed by his good looks and ingenuity, devotes herself to him. Using magical songs and weaving on her golden loom, Calypso tries to convince Odysseus to marry him. However, he refuses and insists that he is faithful to his wife Penelope (Hathaway).

Although Calypso only appears in the first part of the story, she’s integral to The Odyssey. Not only does she effectively set the story in motion, keeping Odysseus away for seven years, but she also illustrates the stakes of the tale.

Odysseus is defined by his cleverness and his determination, as demonstrated by the way he refuses Calypso’s advances and by his attempts to escape. Those qualities will come up again and again throughout the story. However, Odysseus cannot leave Ogygia without the help of higher powers, namely Athena (Zendaya), who appeals to Zeus on his behalf. Zeus sends Hermes to deliver the news to Calypso, and after a bit of grouching about how it’s apparently okay for him to have affairs with humans but not her, she finally relents and gives Odysseus the means to leave.

The events only cover a couple books of The Odyssey, and they’re certain to be even shorter in the final film, which has to condense an entire epic to blockbuster length. For that reason, Theron’s casting makes perfect sense. She has both the presence as a performer and the screen history as a movie star to make an immediate impression, getting us viewers to believe that she had the power to keep Odysseus for so long.

And what of the other questions around the story? Who will be playing Zeus and Hermes? Who will Lupita Nyong’o, Elliot Page, or Samantha Morton be? We don’t have answers yet, and therefore have to beg the muses to tell us more, just like Homer himself.

The Odyssey arrives in theaters on July 17, 2026.

Crash Land Director on Crafting a Jackass-Inspired Coming-of-Age Drama

What happens when a group of amateur stuntmen try to make a “real movie” so they can prove their worth to a town that hates them? Crash Land, directed by Dempsey Bryk, answers that very question.

Inspired by decades of misadventurous buddy comedies, Bryk executed a goofy ode to films including, but not limited to, Bottle Rocket, Napoleon Dynamite, and Superbad.

“It came out of COVID,” Bryk says. “I was stuck with my brother and my entire family in a really small one bedroom … living behind the couches in the living room, as you do, and I was watching this Jackass marathon on loop and the idea blossomed out of there.”

Crash Land manages to evoke nostalgia for an incomparable era of filmmaking while simultaneously highlighting a young directorial voice with new things to say.

“It’s an homage to the movies that we loved growing up (and) it’s sort of a love letter to the friendships I had when I was 12,” Bryk says. “Now it’s just a labor of love that we made with our best friends.”

Against a Canadian backdrop of charming chaos, Bryk whips viewers through belly laughs, sharp gasps, and welling eyes with a fresh energy.

“It’s a really, really emotional and sweet movie about friendship at the end of the day,” Billy Bryk – Dempsey’s brother, producer, and cast member of the film – says. “Under all the stuff about stunts and guys being delinquents and hurting each other and hurting themselves, it’s really a tender movie about love and friendship and grief.”

In addition to serving as a love letter to classic films and television programs of the genre, the plot of Crash Land is a testament to rudimentary filmmaking in itself. It follows an ensemble of young adults who terrorize their small town performing crude stunts and generally wreaking havoc, and upon realizing the passion with which their community despises them, they attempt to make a “real movie” to prove that their lives have meaning. The true star of the film is the chemistry shared among the cast as their mission twists and turns across town.

The feminine counterbalance to a film dominated by many testosterone-driven characters is Abby Quinn as Jemma, the offputting French iteration of the girl next store. Quinn demonstrates the essence of her character through the work she looked to while preparing for the role.

“I think my character probably mostly watches animated movies, and I’d never seen Ratatouille,” Quinn says. “So, I watched Ratatouille.”

The spirit of Crash Land is rooted in the coming-of-age story told behind the scenes. Dempsey and Billy Bryk’s journey as young adult artists is just as touching as the one of Crash Land’s protagonists, albeit less destructive.

According to Dempsey and Billy, the SXSW crowd reacted well to the heart of the film, and to its setting.

“This movie takes place in Canada … but a lot of people who … are not from Canada, don’t know about Canada, still really connected with it,” Dempsey says.

Through the influence of their surroundings, a quirky cast, and infinite stunts to try, the characters crash and land in a world that is fun, endearing, and unexpectedly touching.

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy Review: Evil Dead, Egyptian Style

Can a mummy be scary? That iconic revenant of Ancient Egyptian civilization is certainly fun in a beloved Saturday morning, Indiana Jones sort of way. It can also be romantic. What staple of horror better expresses the enormity of eternity than a pained face, frozen in longing beneath the sands of time? Yet are these wrapped-up wraiths ever truly spooky? Even the first, most classic mummy chiller of the screen sprang more from a fear of a curse supposedly stalking the recent excavation of King Tut’s tomb—consider it the QAnon conspiracy theory of its day—than it did terror of a well-bandaged corpse.

One senses this mystery of how to make a mummy frighten has likewise bedeviled Lee Cronin, the formidable genre filmmaker of commanding style and a nihilistic disposition. He definitely knows the ins-and-outs of revolting and unsettling an audience. His riff on Sam Raimi’s now own relatively ancient horror standard, Evil Dead Rise, is in contention for the cruelest and most misanthropic bloodbath in the Deadite canon. And when tasked with coming up on his own mummy mischief by Blumhouse Productions, Cronin ultimately lit on a novel but effective approach: do Evil Dead again, but Egyptian style.

I’m not sure Lee Cronin’s The Mummy qualifies, then, as a “real” mummy movie, whatever that might be, but it’s definitely the most grotesque, sinister, and ruthless flick I’ve ever seen featuring someone wrapped head-to-toe in linens. And at times—when you sense Cronin is stifling his oblique laughter off-screen—it’s fairly scary.

Beginning nominally in Egypt proper (which is more than we can say about a Tom Cruise movie with the similar title), Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is set in a world that is recognizably modern, chaotic, and rife with dread. One doesn’t need to whisper about ancient curses and spells to get Charlie (Jack Reynor) and Larissa (Laia Costa) ready to unravel. Beforehand, they’re a fairly happy, if displaced, couple who’s lived the better part of a year in Cairo while journalist Charlie chases his dream job of being a major network correspondent in New York City. Larissa is making the best of it, too, working at a nearby hospital while they split duties (and attention) on two young children, including wee Katie (Emily Mitchell).

Poor Katie. Adored but neglected just enough that her parents never notice she’s made friends with neighbors behind a fence in the garden, Katie is thus left vulnerable when one of these strangers claims to be a magician… albeit the older maternal figure seems darkly reluctant to perform a final trick that leaves the garden empty and Charlie and Larissa bereaved as their daughter vanishes into an Egyptian sandstorm.

Cut to eight years later. Charlie never got that New York job, but he and Larissa, now living with Larissa’s aging mother (Verónica Falcón) and their two remaining children, teenage Seb (Shylo Molina) and new wee daughter Maud (Billie Roy), seem to have found some equilibrium of peace in their elapsed grief. That’s why the call from Cairo hits like a thunderbolt. Katie has been discovered alive. So they say. She was also covered in bandages and seemingly left for dead in a 3,000-year-old sarcophagus that was recovered, inexplicably enough, from a plane wreck. And despite being virtually catatonic and covered in scars, she is considered healthy and ready to come home to Albuquerque.

Cronin’s use of Egypt as a backdrop and a table-setter is in some ways more admirable than it is necessary. The filmmaker captures a mood that feels bustling and uneasy in the modern world, while setting the stage for an ancient primordial evil. But it’s worth noting that William Friedkin did more or less the same thing half a century ago in The Exorcist with a lot more brevity. And at heart that is very much what Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is chasing: a film where there is something deeply wrong with a little girl and the effect it’s having on her childhood home and parents.

By alluding to The Exorcist, it’s fair to say that Cronin’s Mummy is more grounded and deliberate than his brisk splatterfest in the Evil Dead sandbox three years ago. It’s also a lot longer with a 134-minute running time. But in spirit, this Mummy is still all about atmosphere, queasy aesthetics, and a brutality tha goes for heaving shock value every time. Also like Evil Dead Rise, it chronicles the destruction of a family laid low by an evil force.

As the heads of that family, Reynor and Costa give the film gravitas where possible. With his millennial beard and abstract sense of doom hanging over his head, Reynor looks like the most bewildered American in the Middle East/North Africa this side of JD Vance in Islamabad. He carries himself with a sense of disbelief that this is his life, and his despondency pairs nicely with Costa’s credible delusional fantasy that everything will be fine now that Katie’s back. Both performances suggest characters retreating from reality, which goes a long way to paper over some of the logic gaps these parents are experiencing—such as never wondering once if they should consult a child psychologist or a nearby doctor when Katie begins peeling off chunks her own skin or is found feasting on scorpions beneath their crawl spaces.

But this really isn’t a “logic” movie, nor is it a horror trying to deal with a metaphor for grief, despite grief being all around. It’s purely a visceral exercise in sadistic set pieces, which it piles up with abandon. The longer the ex-mummified Katie stays in their house, the more corrosive her shadow on the whole family becomes, with the clever suggestion that this particular brand of made-up Ancient Egyptian demonology can spread like a cold from one family member to the next.

It leads to one particularly mean-spirited sequence involving the whole family and their extended friends at a party. It’s so thunderously nasty that it will surely live on in a thousand memes. It also raises questions about why the whole family isn’t having a stronger reckoning with one another about what they’re experiencing.

But the appeals of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy remain with these surface level freak-outs. Like Katie’s countenance, they each make a mark, but also suggest that despite its epic length, this movie could have strived to do more with its premise. Ironically, it isn’t even the central family where the film most intrigues. A subplot involving an Egyptian detective (May Calamawy) as she unearths the real source of Katie’s disappearance and the nature of the dark magic that’s been placed on the child, hints at a more narratively and emotionally complex picture. On one hand, these scenes could have easily been jettisoned since at the end of the day, the viewer just needs to know it’s another demon-in-a-child movie, but on the other, they tease grim mystique and a post-colonial act of revenge that’s begging to be unwrapped. Similarly, the dread Cronin builds as Calamawy finds the source of the evil is one of the highlights of the picture.

Yet as just another layer in a more conventional movie, complete with an ending that suggests studio fingerprints, it leaves us with what is ultimately a longer possession movie. It makes for a spooky, nominal mummy, but one that settles for trinkets when there is still treasure buried up in its hills.

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy opens on Friday, April 17.

15 Times the Trailer Was Way Better Than the Movie

A great trailer can sell almost anything. In just a couple of minutes, it can build excitement, set a tone, and make a movie feel like a must-watch event. That carefully crafted preview can sometimes backfire, ending up being more memorable than the film itself.

With clever editing, better pacing, or simply highlighting the strongest moments, some trailers create expectations the final product can’t meet. In these cases, audiences walk away feeling like they’ve already seen the best version of the movie before it even started. These are the films where the marketing didn’t help, setting a bar the movie couldn’t reach.

Suicide Squad

Its trailers, set to energetic music and sharp editing, created huge hype and a distinct tone. The final film felt disjointed, with many noting the marketing was more cohesive than the movie itself.

Prometheus

The trailers leaned heavily into mystery and existential horror, building expectations of a deeper sci-fi story. The final film divided audiences, with many feeling it didn’t deliver on the intrigue the marketing suggested.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Epic trailers promised a grand, emotional conclusion, but the film itself was criticized for overreliance on CGI and stretched storytelling that didn’t match the intensity teased beforehand.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Trailers teased a dramatic and cohesive finale, but the film’s pacing and narrative choices left many feeling it didn’t live up to the promise built by its marketing.

Sucker Punch

The trailers showcased a visually inventive, action-heavy experience. The final film was criticized for its storytelling, with many noting the trailer highlighted nearly all of its strongest moments.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Marketing emphasized a monumental clash and dramatic stakes, but the film’s structure and tone divided audiences, with some feeling the trailer better captured the excitement.

The Matrix Resurrections

The trailer built intrigue and nostalgia, suggesting a bold continuation. The film’s meta approach and narrative choices left many viewers feeling it didn’t meet those expectations.

Pearl Harbor

The trailer highlighted romance and large-scale action, but the film was criticized for uneven pacing and tone, failing to match the emotional weight suggested in its marketing.

The Village

Trailers sold it as a horror film filled with creatures and suspense. The actual movie leaned more into drama and a twist-driven narrative, leaving many feeling misled.

Kangaroo Jack

Marketed as a wacky talking-animal comedy, the trailer focused heavily on a brief fantasy sequence. The actual film barely featured that concept, leading to widespread disappointment.

The Snowman

The trailer suggested a tense, atmospheric thriller. The finished film felt incomplete and confusing, with critics noting production issues that prevented it from matching its own marketing.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Visually stunning trailers promised a vibrant sci-fi epic. The film struggled with character chemistry and storytelling, leaving many feeling the trailer captured its peak moments.

300: Rise of an Empire

The trailer leaned into the stylistic intensity of the original, but the sequel lacked the same impact, making the marketing feel more compelling than the final product.

Green Lantern

Trailers highlighted large-scale action and visual spectacle, but the film’s execution and tone failed to resonate, making the promotional material feel more polished than the movie itself.

Jupiter Ascending

The marketing promised an ambitious sci-fi saga, but the film’s complex world-building and uneven tone left many feeling it didn’t deliver on its trailer’s promise.

15 Times a Video Game Made Us More Uncomfortable Than it Needed To

Videogames can be the most immersive experience someone can have, and that comes with good and bad things. On the plus side, they can give memorable experiences that you’ll remember for years. The problem is, those experiences might be more than what you bargained for.

In some cases, the discomfort is intentional, meant to provoke a reaction or deliver a message. That, of course, does not make the discomfort any less disturbing. And of course, there are moments when the uncomfortable comes from unexpected places. These are the moments that didn’t just stick with players, they made them wish they could look away.

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode 2

A first-person lobotomy scene forces players to endure a graphic, slow procedure, complete with sound design and visual cues that make it feel disturbingly real and far more intense than expected.

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin

The ending involves an unsettling encounter with Alma that blends horror and sexual imagery, creating a deeply uncomfortable sequence that many players found unnecessarily disturbing rather than purely frightening.

Dead Space 2

The eye surgery sequence requires player input while a needle slowly approaches Isaac’s eye, blending gameplay with body horror and creating a level of tension that many found almost unbearable.

Spec Ops: The Line

The white phosphorus scene forces players to confront the consequences of their actions, revealing civilian casualties in a way that is intentionally shocking and emotionally difficult to process.

The Last of Us Part II

A brutal early death and later forced confrontations between characters push players into uncomfortable emotional territory, making them question their role in the violence rather than simply observe it.

It Takes Two

A seemingly lighthearted game includes a scene where players must tear apart a crying toy elephant, creating a moment that feels unexpectedly cruel and tonally jarring.

Doki Doki Literature Club

A sudden shift into psychological horror includes a shocking character death that is presented in an uncomfortably direct and lingering way, catching many players completely off guard.

Grand Theft Auto V

A torture sequence forces players to actively participate in interrogating a captive, turning what could have been implied violence into an uncomfortable, hands-on experience.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

The “No Russian” mission allows players to participate in a mass shooting, creating one of the most controversial and unsettling sequences in mainstream gaming.

Heavy Rain

The finger-cutting trial forces players to mutilate the protagonist in a slow, deliberate sequence, making the player complicit in a moment that feels more disturbing than necessary.

Detroit: Become Human

Certain routes involving abuse and control of android characters create scenes that feel uncomfortably close to real-world issues, especially when player choices directly enable or resist that behavior.

God of War

A notorious minigame involving implied sexual activity feels out of place compared to the rest of the narrative, creating an awkward tonal shift that many players found unnecessary.

Until Dawn

Certain scenes involving traps and character deaths force players to make split-second decisions that can lead to brutal outcomes, emphasizing helplessness in ways that feel intentionally distressing.

Cyberpunk 2077

Some romance scenes and character interactions can feel awkward or oddly staged, especially when player choices lead to unexpected tonal shifts or uncomfortable intimacy.

Persona 5

Early storylines involving abuse and exploitation are intentionally dark, but their presentation can feel uncomfortably intense, especially given the contrast with the game’s otherwise stylish tone.

15 Movies That Just Couldn’t Overcome Production Nightmares

Some movies struggle before audiences ever get to see them. Behind the scenes, productions can spiral into chaos due to budget issues, creative clashes, technical problems, or unexpected real-world complications. In some cases, films limp across the finish line, with the turmoil clearly visible on screen. In others, things fall apart so badly that the movie never gets released at all.

These troubled productions often become stories of their own, remembered as much for what went wrong as for what was created. From infamous flops to shelved projects, these are the films that simply couldn’t overcome the problems behind the camera.

Alien 3

The film began production without a finished script, with sets built before the story was finalized. Constant rewrites and studio interference led to a troubled shoot and a final product that even its director later disowned.

Heaven’s Gate

Director Michael Cimino’s perfectionism led to massive delays and budget overruns, with excessive takes and constant changes. The production spiraled out of control, resulting in a notorious box office disaster.

Batgirl

Despite being nearly complete, the film was shelved by Warner Bros. as part of cost-cutting measures. Its cancellation became one of the most high-profile examples of a finished blockbuster being abandoned before release.

The Island of Dr. Moreau

Marked by director changes, on-set conflicts, and erratic behavior from cast members, the production became chaotic. The final film reflected this instability and is often cited as a notorious failure.

Waterworld

Filming on open water caused constant delays, damage to sets, and ballooning costs, making it one of the most expensive films ever at the time and widely seen as a troubled production.

The Mothership

Starring Halle Berry, the sci-fi film wrapped filming but was ultimately scrapped due to prolonged and difficult post-production issues, with the studio deciding it wasn’t worth completing.

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote

A decades-long production plagued by financial issues, cast changes, and failed shoots. Multiple attempts collapsed before the film was finally completed years later.

Cats

A rushed post-production schedule led to unfinished visual effects making it into theaters, with last-minute fixes even being sent after release, reflecting the film’s chaotic production pipeline.

Empires of the Deep

Plagued by unpaid crew, multiple directors, and constant rewrites, this ambitious underwater fantasy never recovered from its chaotic production and remains unreleased despite significant investment.

Chaos Walking

Extensive reshoots, delays, and production issues plagued the film for years, ultimately resulting in a poorly received release.

The Lone Ranger

Budget overruns, delays, and production challenges turned the film into a costly disappointment despite its high-profile cast and crew.

Black Water Transit

Legal battles and fraud allegations involving its producer halted the film’s release indefinitely, despite filming being completed and early cuts reportedly screened.

Cleopatra

Massive budget overruns, delays, and health issues plagued the production, making it one of the most expensive and troubled films of its time.

Hippie Hippie Shake

After years of delays and creative conflicts, including the director leaving during post-production, the film never reached theaters and remained stuck in limbo despite being largely completed.

All-Star Weekend

Directed by Jamie Foxx, the comedy was shelved after production due to concerns about its content and changing audience sensitivities, leaving it unreleased despite being finished.

15 Movies That Tried So Hard to Be Smarter Than They Were

Many movies aim to develop complex thoughts throughout their runtime, something to be proud of, certainly. Sadly, aiming to do something is not succeeding, and there are films that focus too much on appearing deep or intellectual, losing sight of what makes a story engaging in the first place.

Overcomplicated plots, heavy-handed symbolism, and confusing narratives can leave audiences feeling more frustrated than impressed. In some cases, these movies gain a following for their boldness, while others are remembered for missing the mark. These are the films that reached for something profound, but ended up feeling like they were trying a little too hard to get there.

Cloud Atlas

A sprawling, multi-timeline narrative aiming for philosophical depth, but it can be argued it collapsed under its own ambition, making the premise overly complex and “pretentious” rather than profound.

Tenet

Built around complex time inversion concepts, the film ends up prioritizing intricate mechanics over character and clarity, leaving many viewers confused despite its ambition.

The Tree of Life

Its abstract storytelling and philosophical imagery divided audiences; some praised its ambition while others saw it as overly self-serious and difficult to connect with emotionally.

The Fountain

Attempting to blend romance, science fiction, and existential themes, the film ended up being overly symbolic and emotionally distant despite its ambitious scope.

Southland Tales

A chaotic mix of sci-fi, satire, and political commentary, the film was widely criticized for being unfocused and overly ambitious, resulting in a confusing and often incoherent narrative.

Lucy

Built around exaggerated scientific ideas about brain capacity, the film presents pseudo-intellectual concepts as profound, undermining its attempts at philosophical storytelling.

Transcendence

A high-concept sci-fi story about artificial intelligence that struggled to balance its ideas with engaging storytelling, often feeling more concerned with sounding smart than being compelling.

Jupiter Ascending

A dense mix of world-building and mythology that ended up overcomplicating its narrative, trying to establish a grand sci-fi universe without grounding it in clear storytelling.

The Happening

Despite its attempt at a thought-provoking environmental message, its execution and dialogue were widely criticized, making its serious themes feel unintentionally simplistic (and comedic) rather than insightful.

In Time

A strong conceptual premise about time as currency was weighed down by heavy-handed messaging, with critics noting it focused on its metaphor over developing a nuanced story.

Prometheus

Attempting to explore existential questions about creation, the film raised complex ideas without providing satisfying answers or coherent character decisions.

Blonde

Its stylized approach and heavy symbolism divided audiences, with some arguing it leaned too far into artistic expression at the expense of clarity and emotional resonance.

White Noise

An adaptation packed with intellectual themes and satire, but often criticized for feeling overly talkative and concept-heavy without fully translating those ideas into engaging cinema.

Synecdoche, New York

An extremely layered exploration of identity and art, often praised but also criticized for being so abstract and self-referential that it becomes difficult to emotionally engage with.

Beau Is Afraid

A surreal, anxiety-driven narrative that often felt indulged too heavily in symbolism and absurdity, making it feel more like an exercise in excess than a coherent story.

15 Movie Scenes That Were Cut for Being Too Weird

A lot of scenes are deleted from the final cut of movies, yet not all of them for pacing reasons. There are times when, once all is said and done, certain scenes just feel off. Even films with bold ideas have limits, and when a scene pushes too far into the bizarre, surreal, or tonally out-of-place, it can end up on the cutting room floor.

In many cases, these scenes are fascinating on their own, offering a glimpse into alternate versions of the story that might have felt completely different. While they might not really fit the tone, it is still interesting to know what could have been for these famous films.

Zootopia

An early version included a disturbing “taming party” where young predators were forced to wear shock collars. The concept was deemed too unsettling and tonally off for a family film, leading to a complete overhaul of the story.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

A deleted bathroom scene shows E.T. trying to take a bath in a strangely staged sequence that leaned too far into surreal comedy, clashing with the film’s grounded emotional tone. It was added in the 20th anniversary of the film, with a completely CGI E.T.

The Amazing Spider-Man

A deleted scene features Peter encountering a mysterious figure implied to be his father, creating a confusing and oddly mystical moment that didn’t fit the grounded reboot tone.

Titanic

A tense fight between Jack and Lovejoy during the sinking added a more action-heavy, almost thriller-like tone that clashed with the film’s emotional pacing, leading to its removal.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

A farewell scene between Dudley and Harry added emotional closure, but its tone and pacing didn’t align with the film’s darker, more urgent narrative focus.

It

A deleted flashback involving Pennywise and a disturbing child sacrifice was removed for being excessively grotesque, even for a horror film, and potentially too jarring for audiences.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

An entire subplot involving a bank robbery and armed confrontation was removed for being wildly disconnected from the film’s newsroom comedy tone.

American Psycho

Certain extended scenes leaned even further into surreal ambiguity and dark humor, which were trimmed to keep the film from becoming too abstract and alienating.

The Shining

An epilogue scene in a hospital attempted to soften the ending but felt tonally strange compared to the film’s ambiguity, leading to its removal shortly after release.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

A scene showing Sarah and John physically modifying the Terminator’s CPU was removed for slowing pacing and adding unnecessary exposition that felt oddly technical.

Alien

A deleted cocoon scene showing victims transformed into alien eggs was considered too grotesque and slowed the film’s climax to a crawl, though it later appeared in extended versions.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Saruman’s death was removed from the theatrical cut because it was not only oddly placed, despite its narrative importance, but also poorly executed, including dialogue exchanges that feel completely unnatural.

Get Out

An alternate ending showing a darker fate for the protagonist was removed because it shifted the tone too heavily and conflicted with the film’s intended message.

I Am Legend

The original ending revealed the creatures’ intelligence, which felt too thematically different from the theatrical version’s tone, leading to its replacement.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

An alternate ending where Ramona leaves Scott for good was removed for feeling tonally off compared to the film’s energetic, romantic style.

Beef Season 2 Review: A Star-Studded Cast Grounds This Passive Aggressive Grudge Match

This Beef season 2 review is Spoiler-Free.

The anthology drama is a popular trend in prestige TV these days. Shows ranging from The White Lotus to True Detective have all racked up awards hardware, A-list casting coups, and buckets of critical acclaim by completely reinventing themselves from year to year and keeping little but the series’ title the same. Whether this shift is a good idea or not is an open question, particularly since many of these shows never quite regain the narrative heights of their superior first seasons in subsequent outings (Cruel Summer, The Terror, the aforementioned True Detective). But the impulse behind them is understandable. The entertainment industry loves an established property, after all.

The first season of Netflix’s Beef premiered to widespread acclaim, registering a 98% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes before going on to nab eight Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology series and acting wins for stars Steven Yuen and Ali Wong. Its concept, a dysfunctional feud between two strangers whose lives grow increasingly adversarial after a road rage incident, doesn’t immediately seem to lend itself to an anthology format. But after that kind of success, it’s not a surprise that Netflix and creator Lee Sung Jin wanted to keep the show alive. What’s more surprising, perhaps, is that Beef season 2 is a compelling, propulsive endeavor, staying true to many of the franchise’s larger themes — unexpressed anger, class disparity, and existential unhappiness — even as it recasts them in a very different setting and tone.

From its opening moments, Beef season 2 is a very different viewing experience than its predecessor, both narratively and tonally speaking. A meditation on love and marriage told through a cross-section of couples at various stages in their lives and relationships, it’s one part generational clash, one part domestic drama, and one part sly send-up of capitalistic excess. Set at a posh Southern California country club that caters to the wealthy, elite, and frequently shallow, the story initially follows two couples: Gen Z-ers Austin (Charles Melton) and Ashley (Cailee Spaeny), a pair of newly engaged low-level club employees, and Josh (Oscar Isaac) and Lindsay (Carey Mulligan) Martin, married elder millennials wrestling with the reality that their lives haven’t exactly turned out the way they once hoped.

Their lives become intertwined after Austin and Ashley witness the Martins having a potentially violent argument, and use their recording of the event to force Josh to use his position as the General Manager at Monte Vista Point Country Club to help them get ahead in their careers. As the beef between the two couples escalates, the show delves into the ways that even the best and most well-intentioned relationships can evolve into something quite different and more complicated than they started out as. Things become even messier when both pairs are pulled into the orbit of the wealthy Korean couple taking over the country club, the billionaire Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh-jung) and her second husband, Dr. Kim (Song Kang-ho), a famous plastic surgeon.

As they all vie for her approval — and for the job security that comes with it — each is forced to make darker personal choices and painful relationship compromises along the way. Much like season 1, things escalate steadily over the course of the season’s eight episodes, in ways that threaten the settled lives and livelihoods of all the couples at the story’s center in increasingly over-the-top (and occasionally borderline unbelievable) ways.

Unlike the franchise’s first season, in which the titular beef between Danny and Amy is aggressive and overt, the various beefs that unfurl in season 2 are much more passive-aggressive and internal. Part of that is because Austin, Ashley, Josh, and Lindsay all have to work in the same community to some degree, so there’s a much higher degree of performative niceness required from all of them, much of which is played for laughs. It’s also because the beef between these two couples isn’t the only conflict at work in these episodes; each pair is also wrestling with its own set of demons within their relationships, as well as the internalized anger that often goes hand in hand with the realization that your life is going to contain a lot more settling and compromise than you initially expected it to.

But while this season has plenty of buzzy moments and more than a few surprises, the real reason to indulge in this second helping of Beef is its cast, which is absolutely stacked from top to bottom with outstanding performers. Isaac and Mulligan are dynamite together, deftly conveying the complicated layers of a marriage that’s been through years of ups, downs, and everything in between — and have the grudges and lingering resentments to show for it. Melton and Spaeny channel the most irritatingly stereotypical traits of Gen Z, even as their youthful chemistry and determined optimism remind us how naive and inexperienced they both are.

Oscar winner Youn doesn’t get nearly enough to do — a sidequest to Korea is one of the season’s weakest elements — but she makes the few introspective moments her character gets count. And some of the series’s funniest moments come courtesy of William Fichtner as megarich club member Troy, whose marriage with trophy wife Ava (might actually be the series’s most honest. (If only because it’s clear his real true love is his private jet.)

While Beef season 2 doesn’t quite reach the narrative heights of the franchise’s first season, its sharp social satire and incisive relationship arcs make it a perfect binge, and the kind of drama that’s very hard to look away from. Though it’s a story of a very different kind of beef, in the end, the franchise’s second helping is ultimately still satisfying.

All eight episodes of Beef season 2 are available to stream on Netflix now.