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The initial unpredictability of the order and the overall knowledge of how death picked up its targets made the first few entries of the “Final Destination” series as worthy as that of a well-crafted suspense thriller, which had a ticking time bomb set to go off at any moment. It creates a dual tension – of the possibilities of an immediate death and the lack of an explanation as to who, how, or why. It is a metaphysical puzzle. And to top that, the audiences are also given a God-like perspective as they get to see the death trap being laid, which the characters themselves are not aware of.

But after the logic and the design of death is put forth, the game pretty much shifts to the unimaginably horrifying circumstances that can lead to gruesome and crushing fatality in airplanes, theme parks, expressways, shopping malls, barbeque parties, and cinema halls.

Chile heads to Cannes with an ambitious lineup. The country’s a proving ground for cross-industry talent, set to converge at this year’s fest with illustrator Alberto Montt designing the delegation’s stand, and musician Javiera Parra on-site performing songs from Sebastián Lelio’s Cannes Premiere title “The Wave.”

The range of Chilean filmmakers at Cannes ranges from Lelio and Diego Cespedes to new titles from established talent — Nicolás Acuña, Julio Rojas, René Ballesteros — to emerging cineastes such as María Paz González and Constanza Majluf.

“The Wave” (Sebastian Lelio)

A world sales pickup by FilmNation playing Cannes Première, the return to Chile of Oscar laureate Lelio (“A Fantastic Woman”), a musical capturing the good-humored outrage of Chile’s biggest wave of feminist protests in history. From Chilean powerhouse Fabula, headed by Pablo, Juan de Dios Larraín.

“The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo” (Diego Céspedes)

Quijote Films (“The Settlers”) produces...

Sunday's episode of American Idol turned out to be the end of the road for Gabby Samone and Mattie Pruitt. Their simultaneous eliminations leave just one woman still in the running to win Season 23: Breanna Nix.

After 20 million votes were cast during the combined Disney Night/Mother's Day episode, the five contestants who moved on to the next round, in no particular order, were: Breanna, Slater Nalley, John Foster, Jamal Roberts, and Thunderstorm Artis.

Breanna performed "Reflection" from Mulan as her Disney Night song, and "Like My Mother Does" by Lauren Alaina as her Mother's Day tribute. The judges were, as always, enthusiastic about her deliveries, as was special guest mentor Lin-Manuel Miranda, who "challenged" her to keep her eyes open and let the audience in during the powerful moments of "Reflection."

Luke Bryan noted, "You are always in total control. You never look like you don't have total reigns on your voice.

Tonight on American Idol, the Top 7 travel to Disneyland Resort and light up the stage with Disney classics as America votes live for their five favorite performers. With the help of special guest Lin-Manuel Miranda, each hopeful will also sing a special Mother's Day tribute as judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan provide feedback.

After the Top 7 perform, host Ryan Seacrest "dims the lights" as two hopefuls are eliminated.

On Monday, the Disney magic continues as the Top 5 honor their favorite heroes and villains with two performances each. At the end of the night, three finalists will advance to the Season 23 finale and sing for the title on Sunday, May 18.

The "Disney Night No. 1" episode of American Idol airs live coast-to-coast on Sunday, May 11 (8 p.m. Et/5 p.m. Pt). Follow along with our live blog below to see each performance and find out who went home. Plus,...

Earlier tonight, May 5, 2025, ABC aired another new, Live episode of American Idol's current season 23, and we found out who made it into the top 7 before it all wrapped up. The celebrity judges: Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan were all on hand once again. The theme for tonight's episode was "Judge's Song Contest." The top 8 contestants sang songs that were secretly selected by the celebrity judges. America got to cast their Live votes throughout the night to reveal who made it into the top 6. Then, the judges got to save one of them to reveal the top 7. Breanna Nix kicked off the contestant's performance for tonight by singing, "Independence Day" by Martina McBride (chosen by Luke Bryan).

Just eight singers remained on American Idol, during the Monday, May 5, episode, and at the end of the night, one more was sent home. The episode featured the return of the judge’s song contest, where each judge selected a possible song for the Top 8 artists to sing. After learning of their song choices in rehearsals — but without knowing which judge selected each song — the remaining singers picked whichever one they wanted to perform on stage. Of course, this led to some friendly competition between Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood. Throughout the show, America voted for their favorites, with the Top 6 automatically moving on. Then, the judge who won the song contest got to save one of the bottom two from being eliminated, leaving just seven singers left going forward. Scroll down for a full recap of the performances and to find out who went home! Breanna Nix...

Tonight on American Idol, the Top 8 perform songs secretly selected by judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, or Luke Bryan in the “Judge’s Song Contest.” With Jelly Roll as artist in residence, America votes for the Top 6, and the judges save one to complete the Top 7.

After the Top 8 perform, host Ryan Seacrest "dims the lights" as one hopeful is eliminated.

The "Judge's Song Contest" episode of American Idol airs live coast-to-coast on Monday, May 5 (8 p.m. Et/5 p.m. Pt). Follow along with our live blog below to see each performance and find out who went home. Plus, vote for your favorite in our poll once the entire Top 8 has performed!

In the "Judge's Song Contest," Carrie, Lionel, and Luke each submit one song for each hopeful to perform. The contestants, given just three options, choose their favorite to sing. The judge whose songs are selected the most is...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe may not quite be the cultural force it was throughout the 2010s, with something like "Captain America: Brave New World" being seen as a box office gamble rather than a surefire hit. Gone are the days where fans could be certain the newest MCU flick would be met with positive praise on Rotten Tomatoes and netting a sizable profit. Even so, the franchise isn't without its merits, and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

The MCU was king of the hill for many years, and you don't reach that level of popularity without making a few enemies. Plenty of fans watch whatever comes out in theaters or on Disney+ for some escapism, but plenty of filmmakers adamantly believe the MCU has ruined the nature of cinema or at the very least aren't challenging audiences to engage with art in any meaningful way. The...

Will Smith is one of the most recognizable names in Hollywood. From blockbuster franchises like Men in Black and Independence Day to critically acclaimed performances in Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness, Smith has proven his versatility time and time again. While his movies have collectively raked in billions, not all of his work gets the recognition it really deserves.

Among his vast filmography lies a film that didn’t receive much love when it first hit theaters. Sometimes it takes time for people to realise what a real gem is. It has since found its place in the hearts of viewers. The name of the movie is Focus.

Though it was released to mixed reviews and a modest box office performance, Focus brought something unique to the table. A crime drama with a splash of romance and humor, this 2015 film starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie is an underrated gem that deserves more appreciation.

Season 23’s Top 10 artists are taking the stage on the upcoming episode of American Idol, so judge Carrie Underwood is reflecting on her own Top 10 performance back in 2005. As part of her Idol to Icon YouTube webseries, Underwood looked back on her performance of Martina McBride‘s “Independence Day,” and shared what she wrote in her diary after the show. “I don’t know, sometimes I think it would just be easier if I go home,” Underwood admitted in her journal. “But I know I would regret it forever. I just have to remember that I know I’ve got this. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t good. I can so do this. And who cares if the judges don’t like it? I know I do… lol.” The country singer was blushing as she mocked herself for her confidence and mimicked herself saying, “I know I do!

Like the 1970s, the '90s were a great decade for disaster films. In addition to films like "Deep Impact," "Armageddon," "Independence Day," "Dante's Peak," and "Volcano," there was, of course, "Twister." The Jan de Bont film followed a storm-chasing couple on the verge of divorce, chasing one of the worst outbreaks of tornados in the history of Oklahoma. Though the film is now almost three decades old, it holds up!

There are lots of reasons why the movie works so well. One major factor was de Bont's insistence on practical effects. "We dropped those combines hanging from helicopters onto the road as the car was driving, which, of course, makes for the best reaction you can get from the actors, because it's goddamned real," he told Vulture. "They really fall from the sky, and it is not like a little fall."

Another major aspect of the film's success was its cast.

While it became clear in the weeks leading up to the release of A Minecraft Movie that the industry was underestimating its box office potential, few could have predicted that it would become a blockbuster of this magnitude. The movie broke records in its debut, and has managed to hold its own even in the wake of the Sinners wave. And now, less than a month into its theatrical run, A Minecraft Movie has entered an elite list of blockbuster films. Directed by Jared Hess, who was previously best known for the cult comedy Napoleon Dynamite, A Minecraft Movie is now one of the 100 highest-grossing hits in global box office history.

It recently overtook Roland Emmerich’s classic ‘90s film Independence Day to claim the 100th spot on the all-time list, with a lifetime global haul of $817 million. Today, it’s overtaking Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman, and by this weekend,...

Harvey Fierstein will receive the 2025 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

Fierstein has won four Tony Awards, including two for Torch Song Trilogy, the 1982 play he wrote and made his Broadway debut in, which broke ground for its portrayal of gay culture, including the protaganist’s longing to have a family, and its inclusion of topics including gay marriage, adoption and bisexuality.

He also won Tony Awards for writing the best book of a musical for La Cage Aux Folles and best actor in a musical for Hairspray, where he originated the role of Tracy’s mother, Edna Turnblad.

Fierstein also wrote the book for the Tony Award winning musical Kinky Boots as well as Newsies and wrote Casa Valentina, A Catered Affair, Safe Sex, Bella Bella!, Legs Diamond, Spookhouse, Flatbush Tosca, Common Ground and more. He also revised the book for the recent Broadway revival of Funny Girl.

Gary Jensen, a stunt coordinator who collaborated with Bryan Singer on The Usual Suspects and the first two X-Men films and with Kevin Smith on Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and four other movies, has died. He was 74.

Jensen recently spent two months in the hospital for back surgery and died April 11 at his home in Acton, California, his daughter-in-law Laura Jensen told The Hollywood Reporter.

He did stunts on films including Tron (1982), The Beastmaster (1982), Independence Day (1983), Hoosiers (1986), Peacemaker (1990), The Rookie (1990), In the Line of Fire (1993) and Due Date (2010).

Jensen also worked with Singer on Apt Pupil (1998) and with Smith on Dogma (1999), Clerks II (2006), Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008) and Red State (2011), and he was a coordinator on 14 Perry Mason telefilms at NBC from 1989-94.

Born in San Francisco on Dec. 11, 1950, Gary Peter Jensen graduated from Chico High School in 1969, where his 100-yard dash record still stands,...

Jeff Goldblum "had a vigorous conversation" with David Cronenberg in an attempt to change the ending of 'The Fly'.The 72-year-old actor starred in the 1986 body horror as eccentric scientist Seth Brundle – who begins turning into a fly when the insect enters his teleportation machine – but was unhappy with the director's ending to the film that saw Brundle act violently towards his love interest Ronnie Quaife (Geena Davis) and their unborn child.Speaking on the 'Smartless' podcast, Jeff said: "I had a vigorous conversation with (Cronenberg) about the ending. There was an ending which painted me, retroactively, in a villainous (way) – even though, I try to kill her at the end and meld all three of us."Jeff admits that he became a "passionate protector" of his alter ego and didn't want Ronnie to end up with his love rival Stathis Borans (John Getz).The 'Jurassic Park...

Historical films have always captivated audiences with their ability to transport us back in time. Let’s face it, who doesn’t love a good period drama with gorgeous costumes and epic battle scenes? However, not all of these cinematic journeys stay true to the facts, not even close!

While artistic license is expected in filmmaking, some movies take such extreme liberties with historical events that they essentially create alternate timelines. Historians often watch these films through gritted teeth, seeing their carefully researched subjects transformed into barely recognizable Hollywood fantasies.

Here are ten of the most notoriously inaccurate historical films that have left academics shaking their heads and history buffs rolling their eyes.

10. Pearl Harbor (2001)

Michael Bay‘s big-budget war romance Pearl Harbor promised to deliver a historically accurate portrayal of the infamous 1941 Japanese attack that brought America into World War II. Instead, what we got was a historically muddled...

Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, and Will Smith blockbuster race(Photo Credit –Instagram/Facebook)

There was a time when three of Hollywood’s biggest titans were locked in a quiet, high-stakes race – not for awards, not for roles, but for pure box office bragging rights. Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, and Will Smith once battled it out for a record that said one thing loud and clear: unstoppable hitmaker.

Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, all three stars were at the top of their game. Tom Hanks had gone from Splash to Big to back-to-back Oscar wins for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. Cruise was riding high with Top Gun, Rain Man, and the launch of Mission: Impossible. Meanwhile, Smith jumped from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to alien-punching box office gold in Independence Day and Men in Black. Each of them was printing hits like clockwork.

That’s when the box...

Will Smith Global Strategy(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Will Smith didn’t just star in blockbusters. He engineered them. Behind every chart-topping flick like Independence Day or Men in Black, there wasn’t just a great script or killer performance, there was a full-blown master plan. And Smith laid it all out in his autobiography, Will.

He cracked the box office code. And he used it every. single. time.

Smith understood early on that movie studios were dropping hundreds of millions to promote films across the globe. So, he flipped the script. In his words (via Cheat Sheet), “The movie companies were putting up north of $150,000,000 to plaster the movie posters in every country in the world. I would get to piggyback on their massive financial investment. In my mind, I was never promoting a movie – I was using their $150,000,000 to promote me. As far as I was concerned, the movie...

Has there ever been an actor more underappreciated than Kurt Russell? Sure, he's produced his fair share of stinkers throughout a career spanning more than six decades -- see 2006's "Poseidon" -- but more often than not, the man delivers. Yet, Russell had never earned an Academy Award nomination and too frequently gets treated like a glorified character actor than a genuine A-lister, despite appearing in some of the most beloved motion pictures of our time. 

Perhaps Russell cemented his seclusion from Hollywood's top tier after teaming up with director John Carpenter to produce films like "Escape From New York" and "Big Trouble in Little China," films that, for all intense purposes, are essentially big-budget riffs on the classic B-movies of the 1950s and 1960s. Or maybe his rugged good looks and roguish charm weren't enough to contend with the likes of Harrison Ford, Denzel Washington, Tom Cruise, or Tom Hanks.

Some actors are, for whatever reason, best suited to television stardom. There's no clear reason why folks like Tom Selleck, Kate Jackson, or Ted Danson couldn't be movie stars, but once you've had a long-running success on the small screen, viewers closely associate you with quality TV. So when they join the cast of a new series, networks and streamers can be fairly certain that a built-in fan base will be joining them.

In terms of television drawing power, few actors have been more reliable over the last 30 years than Noah Wyle. Though George Clooney was the breakout star of "ER" when it premiered on NBC in 1994, it didn't take long for viewers to fall in love with Dr. John Carter, the wet-behind-the-ears medical student who rose through the institutional ranks of Cook County General Hospital over 11 unforgettable seasons. Wyle could've dipped out of "ER" and made a go out of it in film,...

Ever since the P Diddy controversy blew up, a lot of names connected to him have been making rounds on the internet. These very names have been getting embroiled in the same fire as the scandalous and now-disgraced music mogul, thanks to their connection to him, and somehow, Mark Wahlberg seems to be one of the names thrown around in the mix.

For those unversed, Wahlberg used to not only be friends with Diddy for years but he was also his reported business partner. But business and friendships set aside, there was also a time when the 53-year-old actor lost $250,000 to his 55-year-old friend after betting on the wrong guy. And the most amusing part? This didn’t happen once, but twice!

Mark Wahlberg.| Credits: Flight Risk / Lionsgate. Mark Wahlberg lost $250,000 to P Diddy after betting on the wrong guy

While Wahlberg may be trying now to keep himself away...

What Did The Director Of Wild Wild West Say About This Bizzare Scene Featuring Will Smith?(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Before Wild Wild West flopped its way into pop culture infamy, Will Smith was riding a red-hot streak. But one scene in that 1999 disaster left even the director shaking his head. Barry Sonnenfeld, who had just directed Smith in the blockbuster Men in Black, later admitted the moment “made no sense” and might’ve dragged the whole film down with it.

It wasn’t supposed to go that way. In the mid-’90s, Smith had been leveling up fast. He scored back-to-back hits from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to Bad Boys and Independence Day. Then came Men in Black in 1997. It dropped on July 4th weekend and cemented Smith as the summer box office king. So when Sonnenfeld pitched Wild Wild West, another summer spectacle with gadgets, comedy, and action,...

An underrated legal thriller starring Mark Ruffalo is making waves on Peacock. Dark Waters is now available to stream on Peacock after being added to the streaming service at the start of the month.

Directed by Todd Haynes, Dark Waters stars Ruffalo as real-life corporate defense lawyer Rob Bilott, dramatizing his case against the chemical manufacturing corporation DuPont after they contaminated a town with unregulated chemicals. Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan wrote the screenplay for the 2019 legal thriller, based on the 2016 New York Times Magazine article "The Lawyer Who Became DuPont's Worst Nightmare" by Nathaniel Rich. Besides Ruffalo, Dark Waters features several recognizable actors, such as Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises), Tim Robbins (The Shawshank Redemption), Victor Garber (Legends of Tomorrow), William Jackson Harper (The Good Place), and Bill Pullman (Independence Day).

Focus Features received a limited theatrical release from Focus Features on Nov. 22, 2019, before expanding on Dec.

Image Source: Sony Pictures It was 30 years ago that Bad Boys was first released, changing the trajectory of Will Smith’s career overnight. Shot while Smith was still working on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Bad Boys was his first film to top the U.S. box office chart, and it started a streak of blockbusters that included Independence Day and Men In Black. It was also Smith’s first action film; at the time it was released, he told us that getting the chance to make Bad Boys was a dream come true for him. (Click on the media bar below to hear Will Smith.) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Will_Smith_Bad_Boys_.mp3

Bad Boys is currently streaming on Peacock and available on DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K, and most digital platforms.

The post ‘Bad Boys’ Was Everything Will Smith Ever Wanted appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

In an unpredictable twist, Gerard Butler’s Geostorm, the disaster movie that crashed and burned in 2017, had unexpectedly returned to the spotlight. The 2017 bomb had skyrocketed to the top of Netflix’s streaming charts in 2025. But what is the reason behind its failure? Why are viewers now flocking to it?

We don’t know the answer, but some behind-the-scenes details are leaving some hints. Dean Devlin, who directed Geostorm, has previously revealed surprising details about the troubled production. Despite the movie’s lackluster performance, Devlin is open about what went wrong and his original vision.

Gerard Butler in Dean Devlin’s Geostorm | Credit: Warner Bros. Director Dean Devlin reflected on the troubled production of the Gerard Butler movie Geostorm

Directed by Dean Devlin, known for his work on Independence Day and Godzilla (1988), Geostorm starred Gerard Butler as a satellite designer tasked with preventing a global disaster caused by a malfunctioning climate-control satellite.

Gerard Butler might not be what you'd call an A-list star these days, but he's actually appeared in some solid stuff in recent years. The Scottish actor's '90s throwback "Plane" was a breath of fresh air in 2023, and /Film's Chris Evangelista dubbed 2025's "Den of Thieves 2: Pantera" a "triumph of dudes rock cinema." But none of this can erase the fact that Butler has starred in his fair share of duds, though if it's any consolation for him, the Netflix subscribers aren't letting something as bothersome as quality get in the way of streaming his films.

Back in 2017, Butler starred in "Geostorm," which on its surface was a generic disaster movie offering very little to entice audiences. But in reality it was even worse. The film was directed, co-written, and co-produced by "Independence Day" and "Godzilla" (1998) producer Dean Devlin, which you might think would work in its favor.

Mark Wahlberg likely didn’t expect his 2016 action thriller Patriots Day to find a new audience after its underwhelming box office performance. However, he must have been pleasantly surprised when the film soared to the top of the streaming charts years later.

The phenomenon isn’t uncommon in the streaming era, where movies and shows often find renewed success long after their initial release. Wahlberg’s Patriots Day also experienced this resurgence during the Fourth of July weekend in 2020 when its themes of heroism and resilience struck a chord with viewers.

Mark Wahlberg in Patriots Day | Credit: CBS Films Mark Wahlberg’s Patriots Day initially received underwhelming box office reception

Directed by Peter Berg, the 2016 action thriller, Patriots Day marked another compelling collaboration between Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg, who had previously worked together on Deepwater Horizon, Lone Survivor, and Spenser Confidential.

The film is based on the tragic 2013 Boston Marathon bombings,...

Will Smith just released his first album in 20 years — and he has a story to tell, one that includes the infamous Chris Rock Oscars slap, addressing rumors, and more. Based on a True Story is the perfect name for Smith's newly released album, because not only does it serve as a 'this is my truth' moment, but it also gives him a chance to get back to his late '80s and early '90s roots, one that made him a four-time Grammy Award winner.

Released on Friday, March 28, Smith wasted no time getting straight to the point with the opening track, "Int. Barbershop — Day." It opens with the words, "Will Smith is canceled." It's a phrase that was heard everywhere by social media users, people in Hollywood, newscasters, etc. The song features DJ Jazzy Jeff, one of Smith's longtime collaborators and best friends, and social media influencer B. Simone.

Nevada's population is slightly more than 3.2 million, with about 2.3 million living in the Las Vegas metro area. Which means that in a 110,000-square mile state (the seventh largest by land area in the U.S), more than 70% of the population lives in approximately 1,600 square miles. Urban concentration isn't exactly unique to Las Vegas, Nevada, so you're probably wondering why we're bringing it up. It's because Vegas' cultural footprint is larger than the state where it resides: Nevada. Except for New York City, maybe no other American city completely overwhelms the cinematic representation of its state. When it comes to Nevada, that's a mistake.

After all, The Silver State on the silver screen is much more than Sin City. It's westerns, sci-fi, romantic comedies, and even a few Best Picture winners. While there is no shortage of all-time classics set in Sin City, we're only going to rank the best movies set in Nevada,...

The highly anticipated “Wicked” movie is here, and is finally streaming on Peacock. After a tear-filled press tour and glitzy awards season, Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba and Ariana Grande’s Glinda took audiences by storm last fall and is destined to do the same on streaming.

The two leading ladies have become true sisters in the rollout of the film, even revealing several matching tattoos together. While the duo seem picture perfect for the musical adaptation, a list of stars admitted to being in the running for the powerhouses, including Dove Cameron, Renee Rapp and Amanda Seyfried for Glinda.

Jon M. Chu’s adaptation is chalked full of musical theatre trained actors, here’s your guide to the “Wicked” cast.

Cynthia Erivo in “Wicked” (Credit: Universal Pictures) Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba

Erivo leads the larger-than-life film adaptation as Elphaba. The witch (who was born green) attends Shiz University and is...

We’re many months away from the Christmas season, but we’re already getting some insight into Hallmark Channel‘s programming for the upcoming holidays!

The network just announced that Mae Whitman will be starring in the upcoming limited series The 12 Dates of Christmas, based on Jenni Bayliss‘ novel of the same name.

Mae will be reunited in the series with Mary McDonnell, who plays her mom in the movie Independence Day back in the 90s.

Also starring in the series are Pretty Little Liars‘ Julian Morris, Running Point‘s Toby Sandeman, Midsomer Murders‘ Nathaniel Parker, Staged‘s Lucy Eaton, and Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman‘s Jane Seymour, according to TVLine.

Production on the six-hour limited series is currently underway in Ireland and it will air during the Countdown to Christmas programming block in the fall. Episodes will air on Hallmark Channel before streaming on Hallmark+ the next day.

Want...

How’s this for a (very) early Christmas present?

Hallmark Channel announced Thursday that Mae Whitman (Parenthood, Good Girls) will headline The Twelve Dates of Christmas (working title), a limited series adapted from the Jenni Bayliss novel of the same name.

More from TVLine<I>Parenthood</I>‘s Most Emotional Episodes<em>Jonas Brothers Christmas Movie</em> Coming to Disney+ — Watch <em>Love, Actually</em>-Inspired AnnouncementThe Conners Adds Jane Lynch in Pivotal Final Season Role - Watch Exclusive Guest Stars Promo

The project reunites Whitman with Mary McDonnell, who played her mom in the ’90s sci-fi classic Independence Day. The ensemble also includes Julian Morris...

Star Trek and Star Wars are two of the most popular sci-fi franchises. While the former was the first to appear on small screens with The Original Series, the latter made the genre popular with its groundbreaking special effects and blockbuster storytelling. The popularity of Star Wars even led Star Trek to be revived and several other spinoffs were developed.

Although there have been several films, Star Trek is usually considered to be best made for TV or in the long-form format. Star Wars too has branched out to streaming with its Disney+ offerings, with shows like The Mandalorian and Andor gaining success. With both franchises spanning wide, naturally there will be some actors crossing over.

1. George Takei Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek | Credits: Paramount Network

George Takei is best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek: The Original Series. Sulu was the helmsman of the USS...

The all-time great Gene Hackman is no longer with us, but some of the actor's movies are finding a new lease of life in the age of streaming. Following Hackman's death, the acclaimed sports drama "Hoosiers" climbed the charts on Amazon Prime Video. Meanwhile, "Runaway Jury" became a hit on Netflix, reminding everyone that there are many gems in Hackman's filmography just waiting to be rediscovered. Well, the momentum isn't slowing down yet either, as the politically-charged thriller "Enemy of the State" is the latest Hackman flick to kick butt in the streaming charts.

According to FlixPatrol, director Tony Scott's conspiracy yarn has cracked the top 10 on Amazon Prime Video, with the movie beating stiff competition from "Jurassic World" and "Smile 2." If you aren't familiar with "Enemy of the State," it sees Will Smith play a lawyer-on-the-run as he sets out to clear his name after being framed...

Will Smith was well on his way to becoming the world’s biggest star, but it came tumbling down at the Oscars in 2022. Smith’s slap to Oscar host Chris Rock was heard around the world and instantly took away attention from his eventual win on the same night. The actor spoke about the need to be a protector and indirectly defended his action during his Oscars speech.

This was not the first time Smith has been connected to violence, though. The actor’s slap led to many speculations about his past and his history with violence. Smith has spoken about his troubled childhood with an abusive parent. He was also arrested in connection with the assault of William Hendricks, a record promoter.

Will Smith was arrested back in 1989 for allegedly assaulting a record promoter Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness | Credits: Sony Pictures

Since the ‘90s, Will Smith...

American Idol season 23 judge and music superstar Carrie Underwood shared her surprising dream, as she recreated her season 4 audition performance of "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt on the show. Carrie's American Idol season 4 audition was the start of her phenomenal journey in the singing competition series, which ended with her winning. Now Carrie has taken Katy Perry's place at the American Idol season 23 judging table, alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.

Carrie revealed that she dreams that she's auditioning for American Idol again.

In an Instagram post, Carrie revealed that she dreams that she's auditioning for American Idol again. She shared a video of her American Idol season 4 audition with "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt, which then turned into her singing the song at the judges' table during season 23. Lionel then jokingly told Carrie that she was going to Hollywood and gave her a golden ticket.

Joe Russo, one-half of the sibling powerhouse producing/directing team known as the Russo Brothers, posited that today’s blockbuster versus indie discourse is in large part to Harvey Weinstein’s Oscars campaign playbook.

In a new interview with the U.K.’s The Sunday Times, Russo lamented that popular films’ success at the box office and disproportional losses at the Academy Awards is due to a trend started by the disgraced mogul.

“This trend was started by Harvey Weinstein,” he said. “He vilified mainstream movies to champion the art films he pushed for Oscar campaigns. Popular films were winning Oscars before the mid-Nineties, then Weinstein started mudslinging campaigns … It affected how audiences view the Oscars, because they’ve not seen most of the movies. We’re in a complicated place. Things we should all enjoying collectively we instead punch each other in the face over.”

The Avengers: Endgame co-director added,...

The last time Will Smith released a new album, he starred in Hitch, a romantic comedy with Eva Mendes and Kevin James. That was in 2005. In the past 20 years, Smith has gone on to win an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his performance in 2021’s King Richard. Now, for the first time in 20 years, Smith, who is also a four-time Grammy Award winner, is releasing a new album.

Per Deadline, Smith, who has released four solo albums and five with DJ Jazzy Jeff, will be releasing a new solo effort on March 28 titled Based on a True Story.The new album will feature five previously-released singles as well as nine other tracks. Based on a True Story is Smith’s first new album since 2005’s Lost and Found, which reached the Top 10 when it was released.

Smith: “It’s Official”

Smith took to Instagram to announce the new project.

Image Source: Amazon All of Hollywood has been grieving the loss of one of its true legends, Gene Hackman. Over the course of a career that spanned five decades, Hackman made more than 75 films. By 1998, Hackman was in his late 60s and starting to wind down his career — he would announce his retirement from acting in 2004 — but the legend found himself paired with one of the era’s hottest young actors, Will Smith, in the political thriller Enemy of the State. Even though Smith was riding high at the time following hits like Bad Boys, Men in Black, and Independence Day, he still felt like a rookie compared to Hackman. When he spoke to us at the time of the film’s release, Smith told us that sharing scenes with Hackman was an even scarier prospect than fighting off aliens. (Click on the media bar to hear Will Smith.) https://www.

Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House" draws us into its gothic, macabre world even before we set our sights on the titular mansion. When we finally see the scary residence, Jackson's haunting prose etches the picture of a house that observes and reacts to human presence, being every bit sentient as its inhabitants. The true horror, however, lies in the unspoken fears evoked by such a horrible, surreal place. When the mansion brings out the worst anxieties in our protagonist, Eleanor Vance, it's hard not to slip into her shoes and absorb some of her fears.

As the key to capturing the heart of Jackson's chilling tale is to explore these subtleties, few adaptations have managed to reinvent the book's premise on its own terms. The most effective and notable effort (so far) is Mike Flanagan's "The Haunting of Hill House," which uses Jackson's haunted house...

Any action-oriented anime needs an outstanding final battle to end the story on a strong note, and plenty of finished manga have delivered on that front. In some cases, a manga's final fight is equally strong in anime form, while some action manga have an incomplete anime adaptation or never got one at all. Manga readers tend to get a more satisfying experience with any action story, being able to read the entire adventure to the end.

A good action manga series needs more than powerful techniques to create a great final battle, however. It's also important for the manga to create intense and compelling stakes, making it perfectly clear what horrible things will happen if one side or the other loses. Those final fights also benefit from strong character drama, deep themes, and perhaps some lingering questions or moral ambiguity to encourage manga readers to keep pondering the ending...

Science fiction has long been the domain of some of the best movies in cinema, from classics like The War of the Worlds to modern epics like Avatar. Exploring everything from space travel to artificial intelligence, these movies have seen varying success at the box office, with some being more niche than others. Some of the genre's best movies are actually the perfect entry point to newbies looking to enjoy the possibilities and unique ideas of sci-fi.

Finding a gateway into a new genre can be tough, but classics earn that status for good reason, often appealing to the mainstream in a way other movies don't. While some films can be too long, overly pretentious or ask too much of their audience, others are just accessible enough to have almost universal appeal. From action movies to family adventures, these stories are a great way to leave the audience wanting more from science fiction.

Two action titans throwing down both on screen and seemingly off in front of thousands of reporters; a director now known for tentpole disaster flicks working with a big budget for the first time; Replacing another director who couldn’t make it work; a script that dips its toes into at least four different genres; multiple required shots of Jean Claude Van Damme’s naked body; bullets, bombs, and a whole lotta killin’. This is what happened to Universal Soldier.

If you were a fan of action movies with a darker, sci-fi edge to their storylines in the 80s and 90s, Carolco Pictures was likely behind some of your favorites. By the time Universal Soldier darkened their desks around February of 1990, the company had already been involved with films like First Blood and They Live. This even before Terminator 2 and Total Recall. If you had a dark action flick,...

Will Smith is on the path to bringing back some of his most iconic movies, including ‘I Am Legend’ – idea is reportedly being developed with ‘Creed’s’ Michael Jordan – ‘Hitch’ and ‘Hancock.’

Right now, let’s talk the post-apocalyptic movie that is ‘Hancock’ and this really “cool” idea that Will Smith has to bring it back on our screens.

Will Smith Spills ‘Hancock’ Details

Will Smith has had a fantastic run when it comes to playing lead characters in sci-fi movies. Just to prove it I’m going to name a few off the top of my head: ‘I, Robot,’ ‘Gemini Project,’ ‘Men in Black,’ ‘After Earth’ with son Jaden Smith, ‘Suicide Squad,’ and who could forget ‘Independence Day?’

During his appearance on xQc’s live stream on Twitch, a fan asked the star whether it’s possible that ‘Hancock’ would finally be getting a sequel.

In the 2008 superhero movie,...

“The X-Files” executive producer and writer Frank Spotnitz and his London-based Big Light Productions have boarded event Swedish sci-fi “We Come in Peace” as a co-producer, Variety has learned in exclusivity on the eve of London TV Screenings. Spotnitz serves as writing supervisor as well as executive producer, alongside Big Light’s Adrian Banyard.

The six-part TV show which just wrapped production in Sweden is repped internationally by Newen Connect, which will unveil clips and creative materials to global buyers at a presentation in London Feb. 25, to be attended by Spotnitz and the main Swedish producer Piodor Gustafsson of Black Spark Film & TV. The Swedish and US executives go way back. As former drama buyer and commissioner for Swedish pubcaster Svt, Gustafsson acquired in 2012 the BBC series “Hunted” created and penned by Spotnitz, and the latter has taught for the last 12 years at the Berlin-based screenwriting training course Serial...

As a black comedy about an R-rated, depressed superhero, Hancock arrived 10 years too early for an audience that was neither ready to see Will Smith falling drunk from the sky nor the deconstruction of the superhero genre. With Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool turning the game on its head, the stalled Hancock sequel could have a much greater chance of survival if made today.

Hancock (2008) [Credit: Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures]

However, before the sequel can be greenlit, several factors from the original film need to be rehashed first, including its final PG-13 cut. Sony’s desperate need to censor Hancock‘s originally raunchy script into a family-friendly fun fest ruined what could have been the shining predecessor to Deadpool. Instead, Will Smith was left with a critically flop movie on his roster.

The many shortcomings of Will Smith’s Hancock Will Smith stars in Hancock (2008) [Credit: Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures]

With summer blockbusters like Bad Boys, Independence Day,...

Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Vivica A. Fox starred in a 1996 heist thriller called Set It Off, and it's currently number one on Tubi. Directed by F. Gary Gray, the film was released in November 1996 and was a box office hit, earning nearly $41.2 million at the global box office on a production budget of $9 million. It currently has a 70% critical rating and 89% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Set It Off's official plot reads:

Desperation drives four inner-city women to bank robbery in Los Angeles, then they start mistrusting each other.

The film follows a group of friends working together at a janitorial service after Frankie (Fox) loses her job as a bank teller. Joining her are Cleo (Queen Latifah), Stony (Pinkett Smith), and Tisean "T.T." (Kimberly Elise). The friends decide to rob banks and are successful at first, but soon they begin to mistrust each other while...

Exclusive: Shout! Studios has acquired North America and Latin America rights for Ned Crowley’s new Western Killing Faith, starring Guy Pearce (The Brutalist) and DeWanda Wise ((Jurassic World Dominion), and released first images as shooting wraps in New Mexico.

Together with the producers Film Bridge International, Choice Films, and Triple Seven Pictures, Shout! Studios also officially announced the addition of Bill Pullman (Independence Day) in a key role, and confirmed Raoul Trujillo (Blue Beetle), Jamie Neumann (21 Bridges), Jack Alcott (Dexter: New Blood), Joanna Cassidy (Blade Runner), and Emily Ford (Hold You Breath) in the cast.

Film Bridge International has already sold the film to the UK/Eire (Signature), Middle East (Falcon Films), Anz (Umbrella Entertainment), Cis (Russian Report) and Poland & Ex. Yugoslavia (Fifth Element).

Shout! Studios and filmmakers are plan a strategic launch of the movie, beginning with major film festivals this year.

Killing Faith

Written and directed...

From time to time, sometimes the President gets in on the action themselves as they take matters into their own hands with movies like Independence Day, White House Down and, of course, Air Force One. Additionally, the movie Widows showed that Viola Davis was capable of crossing over into the action genre. Now, the Academy Award-winning actress goes full-on Harrison Ford as a President who takes on a group of terrorists in the new trailer for G20. Prime Video has released the new trailer where Davis goes up against The Boys‘ Antony Starr.

The official plot synopsis reads,

“When the G20 summit comes under siege, U.S. President Danielle Sutton (Academy Award winner Viola Davis) becomes the number one target. After evading capture by the attackers, she must outsmart the enemy to protect her family, defend her country and safeguard world leaders in this action-packed thrill ride.”

Patricia Riggen directs...

Will Smith is developing a sequel to 'Hitch'.The 56-year-old actor played the lead role in the 2005 romantic comedy film and director Andy Tennant revealed that he learnt that the Oscar-winning star is moving forward with a flick that does not involve him behind the camera.Tennant told Business Insider: "I submitted a proposal for a sequel, which was quite fun, but I guess Will is developing a 'Hitch' sequel without me."I just found out about it three months ago. I had a really good idea for a sequel, and I was talking to an executive at Sony, and he said Will's production company is developing a sequel. Hey, that's Hollywood."The 'Sweet Home Alabama' filmmaker admits that he has not had contact with Will since they finished work on the film but does not "have anything against" the 'Independence Day' star.Tennant explained:...