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Gerard Butler has had a varied career so far, with him playing everything from action leads to rom-com love interests to a singing Phantom of the Opera for Joel Schumacher. But, it has to be said that his most consistently entertaining output falls squarely into the action genre, and as far as Gerard Butler movies go, the action films will always be our favorites… so don’t expect to see The Ugly Truth on this list, but the Jennifer Aniston adventure The Bounty Hunter might scrape by. Or maybe not. Let’s see how it goes:

300 (2006)

Perhaps The film that put Gerard Butler on the map for most people, particularly the action and comic book crowds. Butler is in peak physical form here, showing off his bod as the ultimate Spartan warrior and proving that he is indeed quite the leading man. His performance here is commanding, a bit in...

Live-action remakes of animated movies are all the rage in Hollywood at the moment. These are the streaming era's answer to the Disney vault of decades past. Now that movies are widely available on streaming, simply hiding a movie for 10 years only to do a grand re-release in theaters isn't feasible. Instead, Disney, and now DreamWorks, are all about spending hundreds of millions of dollars re-imagining beloved animated movies with live-action and/or, in certain cases, purely CGI instead.

The latest one, "How to Train Your Dragon," is a remake of an animated feature that turns 15 in 2025 and is pretty much undeniably one of the best movies DreamWorks Animation has ever made. There's reason to be excited, too, as Dean DeBlois who directed the original animated "How to Train Your Dragon" with Chris Sanders, is back to helm the live-action retelling — meaning, the guiding creative vision remains the same.

Unfortunately,...

Quick LinksBefore 'Game of Thrones' There Was 'Dragonslayer'Fans Noticed Similarities Between 'Dragonslayer' and 'Game of Thrones'Should You Watch 'Dragonslayer'?

George R.R. Martin's Game of Throneshas become a cultural phenomenon and the most beloved fantasy series of the modern era. The first book, having sold over 45 million copies in the US alone, led to the HBO series, which would draw an average of 9.3 million viewers per episode for its inaugural season. Yet, the foundational success of Game of Thrones can be owed to its forbearers, from the iconic work of J.R.R. Tolkien to the grimdark world of Conan as created by Robert E. Howard. On the screen, early works like 1963's Jason and the Argonauts set the precedent for decades of films celebrating the fantasy genre.

Yet, the underrated gem Dragonslayer has flown mostly under the radar, an initial failure at the box office that saw some later resurgence in appreciation.

Why do we like Gerard Butler? As of the publishing of this piece, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is performing as expected, looking to become yet another reliable, mid-budgeted programmer hit for the movie star. It’ll round out nicely in theaters, then do well with VOD and home sales. This kind of success is exceedingly rare these days; even Liam Neeson actioners underperform after years of semi-reliability. So: what is it about Butler?

There is a scene somewhere in the middle of Pantera in which “Big Nick” O’Brien (Butler) and Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson) are sitting outside a bar in the south of France, sipping beers on the come down from a night of hard-partying. Los Angeles cop Big Nick has both “gone gangster” and gone international, turning to a life of crime and following Donnie into a heist-laden world of intrigue. The two frenemies proceed to...

Gerard Butler has long been a staple of the action genre, and it seems as if he's only leaned harder into this area of his career over the last decade or so. After becoming a big name due to movies like Reign of Fire (2002) and 300 (2006), Butler appeared in a handful of exciting action flicks, including RocknRolla (2008), Gamer (2009), and Machine Gun Preacher (2011). It was in 2013, however, that Butler's action hero persona really evolved.

In 2013, Butler starred in Olympus Has Fallen, which could be seen as the start of a new phase of his career. In addition to starring in two sequels to this White House action movie, including London Has Fallen (2016) and Angel Has Fallen (2019), Butler appeared in a mix of action-forward movies that varied quite significantly in quality, including Geostorm (2017), Hunter Killer (2018), Greenland (2020), Copshop (2021), and Plane (2023). There was one 2018 title, however, that really struck a chord with audiences.

A...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

Marvel wasn't always the powerhouse that it is now. Even years after "Blade" and "X-Men" hit it big, it took a while for the industry to catch up and start regularly turning Marvel Comics characters into successful theatrical franchises. When "Iron Man" hit theaters in 2008 and kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it, everything changed. But in the early 2000s, there was kind of a wild west vibe going on. In that time, some real clunkers made their way out into the world. "Elektra" is at or very near the top (or perhaps bottom) of that list.

Released in early 2005 by 20th Century Fox, the film served as a spin-off of 2003's "Daredevil" starring Ben Affleck, which was at...

A fantasy movie about dragons might evoke preconceptions of epic battles, medieval landscapes, and scaled giant creatures wreaking havoc. In a fresh approach, 2002's Reign of Fire incorporates these stereotypes with a Southern twist and thrusts them into "the future," 2020 to be exact, for a dragon-filled escapade. Instead of a man in tights, we see Matthew McConaughey as Denton Van Zan, leader of the dragon-slaying troop, the Kentucky Irregulars.

It was inevitable that with X-Files movie director Rob Bowman involved, the film wouldn't be your typical dragon lore fare. With a co-lead in the shape of Christian Bale, support from Gerard Butler and CGI dragons, all topped with the moody setting of Ireland's Wicklow mountains, Reign of Fire can be a little daft in places, but it's better than you think.

'Reign of Fire' Is a Futuristic Take on Old Folklore

Buena Vista Pictures

It's Man vs Dragon,...

Reign of Fire used dragons to spark an apocalypse in the UK, making it one of the wildest movies of the 21st century. Reign of Fire merges the fantasy and post-apocalyptic genres by featuring several tropes of each, with a small group of survivors living a bleak existence that gets threatened every so often by enormous dragons. Its unusual approach to the fantasy genre makes Reign of Fire one of the best dragon movies of all time. However, despite its interesting premise and star-packed cast, the movie did not impress critics.

Reign of Fire has a 41% positive critical score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics generally saw the movie as a clashing mess of ideas, but it was more popular with audiences as it had excellent visual effects and performances from its lead characters. Reign of Fire is one of Matthew McConaughey's best movies, with the actor appearing as a muscle-bound American dragon hunter,...

With an impressive cast that includes some of Hollywood’s most coveted personalities, Reign of Fire seemed like a surefire success. Instead, the movie went down in flames to become one of the Batman actor‘s most underrated projects. But is Christian Bale keen on a sequel to Reign of Fire? Christian Bale Is A Star Who […]

Christian Bale Shocks Fans with “Yes” to a Sequel to His Most Underrated Film—Get Ready, Game of Thrones Fans! Written by Tito Pernalete for Fortress of Solitude...

Franchises are both the lifeblood and bane of Hollywood’s existence. When everything clicks, a series can keep consumers intrigued for years if not decades — James Bond, Batman, Star Wars, Mission: Impossible, Superman. But sooner or later, fatigue sets in and the complaints begin (i.e., what happened to originality?)

The 2024 summer box office was a rare exception. For the first time in recent memory, “franchise” no longer was a dirty word, says one top studio executive. Those big brands helped push year-to-date domestic grosses to more than $5.4 billion as of the weekend of Sept. 6-8, which is still down about 13 percent compared with a year earlier but better than expectations for this point in 2024.

The reversal in fortune began after a rough May that saw The Fall Guy, a potential franchise newbie, spin out at the box office, followed by the blowout of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga ($172 million...

Matthew McConaughey's movies have cemented him as one of the most versatile actors working in Hollywood, maintaining a good balance between comedies and profound dramas. McConaughey has been a major presence in movies since the early '90s, following his breakout performance in the cult classic Dazed and Confused. He became a leading man and then fell into an era of forgettable rom-coms before staging one of the best Hollywood comebacks, leading to his Oscar win in 2014.

The actor has even dabbled in television with McConaughey's True Detective role further signaling his comeback while he may return to the small screen in a new Yellowstone series. He has been open to new film franchises, such as the animated Sing series. Never one to attach himself to a single genre, he has explored many unique projects with several renowned directors, from Martin Scorsese to Christopher Nolan. Even with such a consistent filmography,...

George R.R. Martin found himself disappointed with changes made in “House of the Dragon” Season 2 and worries about the butterfly effect of them going forward.

Chiefly, the “Game of Thrones” and “Fire & Blood” author lamented the changes to the infamous Blood and Cheese scene that played out in the Season 2 premiere on his blog. In the episode, a former Kingsguard and a ratcatcher sneak into the Red Keep to take a son for a son in payment for the death of Prince Luke. They find Helaena (Phia Saban) with her and Aegon’s (Tom Glynn-Carney) twins and force her to reveal which is the prince and the king’s heir. After pleading, she eventually caves and the pair remove the child’s head – off camera.

In the books, the assassins find the queen not just with her twins but also with her younger son Maelor. Cheese makes Helaena pick which...

George R.R. Martin clearly didn’t love everything about “House of the Dragon” Season 2 – and he plans to let everyone know what didn’t work very soon.

Martin posted to his blog Friday morning largely about the Burning of Zozobra during Santa Fe’s Fiesta, but amid that he mentioned his thoughts on the second season of the “Game of Thrones” prequel were on the horizon.

“I do not look forward to other posts I need to write, about everything that’s gone wrong with House Of The Dragon … but I need to do that too, and I will,” Martin wrote in his blog Friday. “Not today, though. Today is Zozobra’s day, when we turn away from gloom.”

“House of the Dragon” is the adaptation of Martin’s “Fire & Blood” book which both serve as prequels to HBO’s mega-hit “Game of Thones” which adapted the author’s – yet...

“Game of Thrones” creator and author George R. R. Martin has revealed in a new blog post that he’ll soon write about “everything that’s gone wrong with” the HBO’s spinoff series “House of the Dragon,” which finished airing its second season earlier this month.

Martin has used his personal blog over the years to give updates on “House of the Dragon” production, his long-delayed “Winds of Winter” book and other thoughts. But this is the first time his tone has shifted toward HBO’s “House of the Dragon” prequel, which is based on his “Fire & Blood” novel.

“I do not look forward to other posts I need to write, about everything that’s gone wrong with House Of The Dragon… but I need to do that too, and I will. Not today, though. Today is Zozobra’s day, when we turn away from gloom,” Martin wrote Friday...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4!

George R.R. Martin loved the battle at Rook's Rest in House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4, calling it the best dragon battle he's seen. The episode featured a showdown between dragons, with Rhaenys and Meleys falling to Aemond and Vhagar. Martin compared the battle to the movie Reign of Fire, praising the epic dragon scenes on screen in House of the Dragon.

George R.R. Martin has offered his thoughts on House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4's major battle, explaining what he thinks of its depiction onscreen. House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4 ended with a battle at Rook's Rest between the Blacks and Greens, including multiple dragons that were part of the fight. During the battle, Rhaenys and her dragon, Meleys, fall to Aemond and Vhagar, whose previous fire-breathing resulted in Aegon and Sunfyre falling out of the sky.

Irish actor Ray Stevenson who played Baylan Skoll in The Mandalorian spin-off series Ahsoka, sadly passed away in May 2023. The celebrity who played a former Jedi to perfection, was a pivotal part of season 1 of the show which has now been renewed for another season. But with Stevenson’s absence, the hunt for the next actor will be the priority for creator Dave Filoni.

Ray Stevenson as Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka (image credit: LucasFilm)

Fans though, are already having their say about who they would like to see replace the late actor for this role. Many netizens were of the view that Scottish star Gerard Butler will be the best suited to assume this role based on his physical similarity as well as his other performance skills that would work perfectly for the character.

Fans Root For Gerard Butler To Step Into This Late Actor’s Shoes in Ahsoka

The...

Few living actors have had as many distinct eras to their career as Matthew McConaughey. After becoming a breakout star and the ultimate stoner in Dazed and Confused, his handsome looks and charm soon saw him typecast as the go-to male lead in seemingly every romantic comedy between 2001 and 2009.

After Matthew McConaughey finally grew tired of going through the motions of starring in routine comedies, he set his sights on something more significant: winning an Academy Award. In 2011, he starred in a trio of films meant to course-correct his career: The Lincoln Lawyer, Bernie, and Killer Joe. Two years later, he'd win the Oscar for Best Actor after starring in Dallas Buyers Club. Since then, McConaughey has appeared in even more critically acclaimed films, some of which have offered the best performances of his career.

Related 10 Best Movies With Surprisingly Small Casts

Although ensemble films are arguably more popular, there...

Post-apocalyptic action films like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and The Book of Eli are perfect pairings for Furiosa. Turbo Kid offers a fun, bloody, post-apocalyptic experience that complements Furiosa with its action and gore. Reign of Fire, Snowpiercer, Children of Men, and A Quiet Place provide unique, intense post-apocalyptic settings that contrast with Furiosa.

There are plenty of great post-apocalyptic action films to pair with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The new spinoff in George Miller's high-octane Mad Max franchise, Furiosa is getting rave early reviews, following in the footsteps of his dynamic 2015 blockbuster hit, Mad Max: Fury Road. Starting in 1979, the Mad Max movies have gotten more thrilling and suspenseful with every entry, and there are several action-packed films in a similar post-apocalyptic vein as Furiosa.

Most movies in this subgenre show a barren wasteland of what was once a functioning society, typically either...

While HBO’s True Detective has till date amassed 4 successful seasons, it was its first iteration, released way back in January 2014, that initially thrust it into the mainstream. Starring Matthew McConaughey as Detective Rustin Cohle and Woody Harrelson as Detective Martin Hart, the dynamics between the two were one of the most obvious things that impressed fans.

Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in True Detective | HBO

Still, McConaughey’s role, in particular, was the obvious highlight of Season 1, that of a troubled yet astounding detective who cannot help but concern his partner with his philosophical ramblings. The Wolf of Wall Street star in itself was the creator Nic Pizzolatto’s first choice for the role, although he had to jump through a considerable number of hoops in order to make this happen.

This included rejecting a number of actors that the studio suggested, and coming up with a creative strategy to get his man.

Christian Bale has left viewers in complete awe with his extraordinary acting talent and versatility. He has an impressive portfolio consisting of numerous projects that are a testament to his dedication to his craft. However, his 2002 movie, Reign of Fire with another Hollywood gem, Matthew McConaughey initially left him concerned.

Christian Bale in American Psycho (2000)

As the actor had never worked on a project that used special effects before this one, he was afraid that the movie might end up becoming an embarrassment if the tone was not appropriate.

Why Was Christian Bale Hesitant on Working in Reign of Fire?

Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale, and Izabella Scorupco in Reign of Fire (2002)

In an interview with MoviePub, the American Psycho actor revealed that he was hesitant about taking this project, Reign of Fire due to its special effects. When asked why he was reluctant to get involved in the project at first,...

It’s Millie Bobby Brown versus dragon in Netflix’s dark fantasy adventure. Here’s our review of Damsel:

By pure coincidence, Damsel arrives on Netflix almost exactly a century after German director Fritz Lang introduced what was likely cinema’s first dragon in 1924’s Die Nibelungen. Lang and his collaborators brought their fearsome creature to life with a mixture of rubber, mechanical joints and puppetry (plus a bit of cocaine if one account is to be believed), and the result has a physical presence that is still captivating 100 years later.

In Damsel, director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and production designer Patrick Tatopoulos used CGI to create their dragon, but it still has plenty of weight, personality, and most importantly, menace. Unlike the gigantic winged beasts of, say, 1981’s Dragonslayer (which had terrific animation from Phil Tippett) or 2002’s Reign Of Fire, Damsel’s dragon is also relatively compact – it’s...

Stars: Katherine McNamara, Anthony Michael Hall, Ian Bohen, Dascha Polanco, Rade Sherbedgia, Pavel Vladimirov | Written by Steven Paul | Directed by James Bamford

When Air Force One Down begins, Allison Miles has already made a name for herself as one of the first female Marines to qualify for special operations. That has impressed Uncle Sam, both the US government and her actual Uncle Sam, to offer her a job with the Secret Service, something she’s happy to accept.

And she’s going to get thrown in the deep end at her new job as on her first day, one of the agents on the President’s detail calls in sick. He’s one of several federal employees to suddenly come down with a bad case of lead poisoning. Sam drafts her to replace him, working with him to protect President Edwards, whom she is not a fan of, on his...

Let’s be honest, what’s your all-time favorite dragon movie? Is it Dragonslayer? Dragonheart? Q: The Winged Serpent? Maybe it’s an animated feature like How to Train Your Dragon or Raya and the Last Dragon? No matter what your answer is, the unpopular opinion remains, Rob Bowman’s 2002 popcorn flick Reign of Fire is one of the most underrated movies featuring the mythic fire-breathing beasts. Never mind the fact that the flick boasts a lowly 39 Metascore and 42% Rotten Tomatoes score, the grim dystopian world-building, excellent visual effects, and big-d*ck swinging performances from Matthew McConaughey and Christian Bale remain a ton of fun to behold. Of course, Reign of Fire had the misfortune of running into the far more potent cinematic behemoth, Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, which largely overshadowed the movie’s mild commercial success and eventually relegated the film into obscurity at worst,...

The 2000s was a strange time for genre filmmaking and especially science fiction. While sci-fi cinema was in theory thriving, that was mainly thanks to the presence of franchises that were, in fact, their own mini-genres (like Star Wars and Star Trek). Then there were superhero films, always sort of a cousin to sci-fi, with the X-Men and Spider-Man series both exploding and the Marvel Cinematic Universe making its debut with Iron Man (2008) just as the decade came to a close.

But there were some top-shelf literary adaptations as well. Steven Spielberg’s A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001) was a flawed yet powerful expansion of a Brian Aldiss story while his War of the Worlds (2005) and Minority Report (2002) were outstanding takes on classic tales from H.G. Wells and Philip K. Dick (there might have been no sci-fi filmmaker more consistent at the time than The Beard). Other remakes or adaptations,...

As Woody Harrelson's character, Marty Hart, frequently observes in "True Detective" season 1, Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) is a weird dude. Try to make polite small talk about what he thinks of his new detective posting and he's more likely to say something like "It's all one ghetto, man. A giant gutter in outer space" than "It's very nice, thank you for asking."

Finding an actor who can play a hard-bitten detective, a grieving father, an alcoholic who wanders on and off the wagon, and a free-wheeling nihilistic philosopher — all in one character — isn't easy. Not everyone can deliver lines like "Death created time to grow the things that it would kill" with a straight face. And "True Detective" creator Nic Pizzolatto had a very specific type of actor in mind for the character of Rust, not just in terms of style but in terms of physicality as well.

"[HBO] pushed...

Sci-fi war movies offer a unique perspective on warfare, exploring the fringes of science and examining profound insights into the nature of war and humanity. The best sci-fi war movies can be just as compelling, if not more so, than realistic war films, combining eye-popping action with themes of perseverance, adaptation, and the consequences of war. From anti-war satire to post-apocalyptic battles, sci-fi war movies like Starship Troopers, Edge of Tomorrow, and Reign of Fire offer a blend of fantastical elements and realistic themes, highlighting survival, heroism, and the dangers of blind patriotism.

The greatest sci-fi war movies of all time combine two of the most popular genres in cinema. This unique combination gives filmmakers ample room to tackle warfare from angles not typically accessible to films that dramatize real wars. While reality-based war movies are limited to the technology and sociopolitics of their respective settings, sci-fi war movies examine...

From fire-breathing beasts to benevolent nature spirits, dragons are present in the myths of nearly every single culture. And while popular media has mostly defaulted to traditional western fantasy drakes instead of exploring the extensive mythology behind East Asian and even Central American dragons, it makes sense that there’s an overabundance of stories featuring these legendary reptiles.

Fortunately, there are still some innovative storytellers willing to come up with fresh takes on familiar monsters, and one of my favorite draconic reinventions happens to be Rob Bowman’s post-apocalyptic creature feature Reign of Fire, an underrated early 2000s gem that was only a couple of drafts away from greatness.

While the end result was undoubtedly a product of its time, the story behind Reign of Fire begins in the mid 90s with an unrecognizable spec script written by Kevin Peterka and Gregg Chabot. This early version of the story followed...

Back in the early 2000s, audiences could treat themselves to a near-endless array of middlebrow, high-concept films every week. Pitch Black (2000), Reign of Fire (2002), Ghost Ship (2002), and every Final Destination film are just a handful of the offerings released during this era – some of which hold a special place in fans’ hearts. Whether it was a man with an ocular transplant fighting nocturnal aliens on a faraway world, or a bearded Matthew McConaughey jumping into the maw of a marauding dragon, it was easy to take for granted the embarrassment of riches at our collective moviegoing fingertips. Above all, these films presented an opportunity to set your mind to a low-thought mode and just enjoy the images unfurling in front of you in an endless stream of violent bliss.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter is a throwback to yesteryear, a film that seems like it would’ve done gangbusters...

Editor’s note: One in a series of stories marking the 100th day of the WGA strike.

As the WGA strike clocks 100 days, simply put — the motion picture studios had always been bracing for this.

Unlike the current SAG-AFTRA strike that forced the global shutdown of Hollywood movies including Gladiator 2 and Deadpool 3, the WGA strike, though largely considered to be a TV and streaming fight, has left its mark on the motion picture side — most predominantly on initially shaking up the theatrical-release schedule.

Franchise leader Disney was the first studio to overhaul its calendar with the move of 21 movies from 2025 through 2031. Chief among them was the delay of James Cameron’s long-in-the-works Avatar 3 pushing from Christmas 2024 to 2025, and several Marvel projects redated including Phase 6 finales Avengers: Kang Dynasty going from the start of May 2025 to 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars shifting from May 2026 to May 2027. Avatar 5 alone jumped three years,...

In 2002, Reign of Fire didn't light the box office aflame. The Christian Bale-led action-drama was met with a mixed critical reception and lackluster box office results, and subsequently was quickly forgotten about by most audiences. But the film deserves people's attention -- not because it's a lost gem, but because of how fundamentally bizarre and entertaining it is.

Reign of Fire is a great bad movie. Its bursts of over-the-top action are anchored by wholly committed performances by two future Academy Award winners. It has plenty of plot holes and strange choices, but also skydivers fighting dragons near the ruins of London. It's a film worth watching solely for the sheer insanity of the premise and the impressive moments littered throughout -- while being completely deserving of all the criticism levied at it.

Related: Baldur's Gate 3's Necromancer Subclass Promises Some Hilarious D&d Hijinks

What Happens in Reign of Fire...

In the world of large scary animals, dinosaurs are very much at the top of the list. This was proven in the 1993 smash hit Jurassic Park. The film left an indelible mark on the industry with fascinating special effects and realistic beasts.

But another movie showed up years later, attempting to cash in on the giant scary lizard film. That film was 2002’s epic dragon film, Reign of Fire.

The Legacy of Jurassic Park

When Jurassic Park hit theaters, it wasn’t a hit. It was a mega-crazy, ultra-industry-melting hit. Its use of Ilm’s creative teams and new types of technical know-how made for one of the most visually realistic monster movies of all time. Gone were the days of Ray Harryhausen and his stop-motion creations. In one instant, nearly the entire special effects industry was thrown into disarray.

Not just that, but the storytelling was something people wanted to see.

The I Am Legend episode of Wtf Happened to This Adaptation? was Written and Narrated by Andrew Hatfield, Edited by Mike Conway, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian. Here is the text of Hatfield’s script:

I was able to cover my favorite movie of all time in the first episode with The Thing and now we are going to look at an adaptation, or 3, of my favorite story of all time. While you may not know the work of Richard Matheson by name, I guarantee you know the work and the artist from somewhere. He is one of the most successful writers both on screen and off of the 20th century and many of his works have been adapted multiple times over. Today’s movie, while having 2 adaptations already in the books, was in development hell for what felt like forever, but...

If you’re wondering what’s new on Amazon Prime Video in June, the answer is a lot. The streamer has a solid slate of movies heading into summer 2023. From the first two “Creed” films to “Love, Rosie,” “Yours, Mine & Ours” and other clever romantic comedies, the streamer has a range of options for viewers with different tastes. Newer theatrical releases arriving on the streamer in June include “TÁR,” “Armageddon Time,” and “M3GAN.”

TV premieres to look forward to include Boots Riley’s “I’m A Virgo” and the fourth and final season of John Krasinski’s “Jack Ryan.” “Crazy Rich Asians” arrives early in June, followed by “Interstellar” for all Christopher Nolan and Matthew McConaughey lovers. Even though “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” doesn’t release in theaters until November, all four “Hunger Games” films land on Prime Video this June. Perfect timing — maybe even with a reread...

With its list of new releases for June 2023, Prime is bringing a handful of Amazon Originals and many recent movie hits to the fold.

It’s actually quite a busy month for non-American programming in Amazon Originals department. Shows and movies like Deadloch, My Fault, and Medellín all originate from outside the U.S. and U.K. For the American and British crowd, however, the streamer is debuting two big tentpoles.

The first is I’m a Virgo on June 23. Acclaimed director Boots Riley’s TV followup to Sorry to Bother You will tale the surreal and satirical tale of a giant in Oakland. That will be followed by the more conventional (assumedly) fourth season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan on June 30.

The real fireworks this month come from a ludicrously deep bench of library TV and movie titles. Give them a look for yourself below but if we were to highlight just a few,...

The fourth and final season of “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” arrives on Prime Video on June 30. It finds Ryan — now the new acting CIA director — unearthing internal corruption and suspicious black ops that leaves the United States vulnerable to attack. John Krasinski stars as the tough-as-nails Ryan.

Watch the “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” trailer:

“Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” is a new docuseries that reveals the truth behind the myth of the wholesome religious family and their involvement with the predatory Bill Gothard and The Institute in Basic Life Principles. The organization’s abusive practices — and the insidious long political game it plays — is revealed on June 2. The Duggars and their 19 “happy” kids are exposed as frauds, while also being manipulated by Gothard and enduring the scandal of Josh, their sexually abusive son.

Check out the “Shiny Happy People” trailer:

When a body is found on the beach in the Tasmanian town of Deadloch,...

Clockwise from top left: Spider-Man 2 (Sony), Blade (New Line Cinema), Howard The Duck (Universal), Fantastic Four (20th Century Fox), Elektra (20th Century Fox)Graphic: AVClub

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has dominated the superhero film landscape for 15 years and changed the blockbuster business for better and for worse. With Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3...

Bloody Disgusting has learned this week that special effects artist Bill Basso, whose work can be seen in a handful of genre favorites, passed on May 4, 2023 at the age of 60 years old.

“William Anthony Basso Jr. was a sculptor, painter, and special effects makeup artist. He was born on December 8, 1962, in Manalapan, and attended Christian Brothers Academy for high school and Parsons School of Design for college,” his obituary reads.

Primarily working for the legendary Stan Winston Studio throughout the 1990s, Bill Basso’s special effects credits include “Monsters,” Tremors, Bride of Re-Animator, Edward Scissorhands, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Batman Returns, Jurassic Park, Interview with the Vampire, Congo, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Relic, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Creature, Lake Placid, Inspector Gadget, Lost Souls, and Reign of Fire.

Basso was also on the special effects makeup crew for Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, and he did puppeteer work on Predator 2,...

With Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (check out our review here) coming out and over-performing, and because we here at Joblo are big fans of alliteration, we wanted to know what is your Favorite Fantasy Film? If you don’t see your favorite listed, please click “Other” and let its know in the comments

What is your Favorite Fantasy Film?The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings (2001)The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (2013)The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)Beowulf (2007)Hercules (2014)Clash of the Titans (2010)Wrath of the Titans (2012)Conan The Barbarian (1982)Warcraft (2016)Your Highness (2011)The 13th Warrior (1999)Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)The NeverEnding Story (1984)The NeverEnding Story 2: The Next Chapter (1990)Labyrinth (1986)The Wizard of Oz (1939)The Dark Crystal (1982)The Shape of Water...

This post contains spoilers for HBO's "The Last of Us."

There is no happy zombie story. No matter if it's a comedy, a romance or a musical, a zombie apocalypse destroys all chance and hope for a normal, let alone happy, existence. This is part of what makes the "The Last of Us" compelling, because you are seeing people desperately trying to cling onto their humanity, and their sense of community, even while fighting off mushroom zombies and hordes of violent humans.

Indeed, "The Last of Us," particularly the original video game, is a constant gut punch. At every chance, if there is a possibility of something good happening, the game immediately kicks it in the nuts and laughs at the very idea. It's why some of the best moments of the game are simply very small moments of relative tranquility, normalcy, and happiness.

The HBO show, however, takes that a step further.

One of the most interesting (small) changes "The Last of Us" has made to the source material is having Joel be hard of hearing in one ear, compared to the game where he has super hearing like Daredevil. It hasn't been a huge deal in the show, mostly because Joel himself is downplaying and hiding it. But this episode makes it crucial to show that, well, Joel is not a young man. He is 56 years old, he is no superhero, and he doesn't have beskar armor or a darksaber.

The episode picks up three months after the Kansas City incident. After failing to really threaten a cute old couple out in the middle of nowhere for directions, Joel and Ellie start getting close to where Tommy is supposed to be, but they are warned that there is nothing but infected in that direction.

Along the way, Ellie opens up about...

January movies suck. Right? At least that’s always been the conventional wisdom. Just as movies released in the second half of August and early September are considered to be weak stragglers and cast-offs after the summer rush, the post-holiday haze of the very beginning of a New Year is supposed to be the same kind of repository for the trash that isn’t awards-worthy or good enough to spend a lot of marketing dollars on. After all, the kids are back in school, no one has money, so who cares?

The truth of the matter, however, is that over the years January has gradually shed its stigma of being a cinematic burial site. Now that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of garbage shoved onto multiplex screens during the first month of the year—far from it. But as two recent examples show, January can be just as...

When director Wolfgang Petersen was gearing up to make Batman Vs Superman in the early 2000s, Christian Bale was his top choice for Superman. The titular comic heroes finally clashed on the big screen in 2016's Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. Zack Snyder's superhero brawl was almost beaten to the screen by the late, great Peterman, who was set to helm the canceled Batman Vs Superman: Asylum. This saw Batman come out of retirement to seek revenge on the Joker and Lex Luthor for his wife's murder. His best friend just happens to be Clark Kent/Superman, but when he tries to oppose Batman's mission, they come to blows.

This Batman Vs Superman script came very close to production but was canceled when then Warner Bros head Alan Horn felt a solo Superman script by J.J. Abrams was the better option. In 2010, Peterman revealed to MTV that he...

Matthew McConaughey has had one of the strangest career arcs of any actor working today. McConaughey rose to prominence in the 1990s thanks to his collaborations with great directors. Having worked with Richard Linklater, Joel Schumacher, Robert Zemeckis, John Sayles, and Steven Spielberg, McConaughey had no shortage of experienced filmmakers to draw inspiration from. He became the rare actor who could do comedic, dramatic, and action-heavy roles eually well.

However, the quality of McConaughey's work began to decline in the early 21st century. He starred in a series of disastrous romantic comedies that didn't showcase his range. There's only so much that an actor can bring to a role if it is not well written. However, McConaughey's career rebounded in the 2010s. He went back to starring in interesting projects, and even won an Academy Award for best actor for his moving performance in "Dallas Buyers Club." Shortly thereafter, he...

Prime Video has no shortage of shows or movies arriving in September. The biggest new show on the block for Amazon Studios is “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” which is a prequel based on the work of J.R.R. Tolkien that’s set thousands of years before the events of “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings.” Several new 2022 films will be available on the streamer as well: including Channing Tatum’s “Dog,” Michael Bay’s “Ambulance,” Zac Efron’s “Firestarter,” Dylan O’Brien’s “The Outfit,” and more.

Noteworthy library titles arriving this month include “Fight Club” (1999), “Legally Blonde” (2001) and “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991).

Here’s everything new on Amazon Prime Video and Freevee in September.

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With its list of new releases for September 2022, Prime Video is finally unveiling the most anticipated (and expensive) series in the streamer’s history.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will arrive to Prime Video’s servers on Sept. 2, 2022. This Lord of the Rings prequel, set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age, is in many ways the kind of TV property that Prime Video must have always wanted. It’s certainly the TV property most fitting with the company’s largesse and riches. The Rings of Power will cover the creation of the titular rings and many important events from Tolkien’s lore (condensed into a more TV-appropriate timeframe).

Middle-earth is going to be the happening spot on Amazon and the streaming world at large this month, but Prime Video does have a handful of other originals for the fantasy-phobic. Flight/Risk, a documentary about the Boeing 737 Max design disasters,...

The long-awaited fourth season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” isn’t the only new thing coming to Amazon Prime Video in February. Below we’ve assembled a full list of every new movie and TV show being added to the streaming service this month, including both Prime Video originals and library titles.

The new season of the Emmy-winning “Maisel” arrives on Feb. 18, the same day the first season of the new animated series “The Legend of Vox Machina” drops. But on Feb. 4, Prime Video will debut the brand new original series “Reacher,” based on author Lee Child’s beloved Jack Reacher book series. The new show stars Alan Ritchson in the titular role, putting a new spin on the character who was previously played by Tom Cruise in two feature films.

In terms of library titles, Feb. 25 sees the addition of the action thriller “The Protégé,” which was released in...

February 2022 is a big month for Prime Video. We’re talking “hands the size of dinner plates” big.

Highlighting Amazon Prime Video’s list of new releases for February 2022 is Reacher, the saga of one very large boy. Reacher premieres on Feb. 4 and is based on the Jack Reacher book series by Lee Child. The titular hero (played by Alan Ritchson) is a former major in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps who now travels the country looking for trouble to get into. His hands are very large.

How Big Are Jack Reacher’s Hands?: An Investigation pic.twitter.com/dYasLj7Bey

— Erik Tanouye (@toyns) July 28, 2018

Also coming to Prime Video this month is the return of one of Amazon’s biggest originals. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel premieres on Feb. 18. Season 4 will find Midge seeking creative freedom in the 1960s. The one big Prime Original Movie of note...

Exclusive: Wanted filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov and his production banner Bazelevs are in development on a new cinematic universe based on the unexploited horror works by Stan Lee.

Bazelevs will team with Zq Entertainment, a production company belonging to CAA vet and producer Ara Keshishian, on Sawbones and Carnival of Killers, both of which show a darker side of Lee’s world. Stan Lee’s Pow! Entertainment, the company the comic book architect co-founded post-Marvel, will serve as EPs on the projects.

Sawbones follows a frail 12-year old, Alex Covin, who reads a mysterious comic book and is transported into the comic’s terrifying world: a haunted Juvenile Detention Center overrun by demonic forces led by Sawbones, a homicidal entity who preys upon the troubled inmates. Has Alex gone insane? Or is this nightmarish world his new reality? If he is to escape, Alex must find a way to defeat Sawbones,...

“The Salamander Child” by Belgian director Theo Degen, hailing from the Insas film school, was named as the top prize winner at the Cannes Film Festival’s Cinefondation student film section. The announcement was greeted by vigorous applause and widespread approval.

The jury comprising Tunisian writer, Kaouther Ben Hania, Swedish writer-actor-director, Tuva Novotny, French writer-director Alice Winocour, Egyptian writer-director-producer Sameh Alaa, Spanish filmmaker and teacher Carlos Muguiro and French director and screenwriter Nicolas Pariser, described the film as “personal, original and magical.”

The Cinefondation, in its 24th edition this year, invited student films from 17 film schools, having receive applications from 1,835. The shortlisted films included 13 live-action and 4 animated shorts.

Second place prize went to South Korea’s Yoon Daewoon, from the Korea National University of Arts, for “Salamander,” a film that the jury described as “delivering a surprising transformation and a subtility that moved us, by a promising director.”

Two third...

Wait a minute. Are we somehow half way through the year already? That feels impossible but here comes month number five all the same. With its list of new releases for May 2021, Amazon Prime is highlighting some of its more intriguing original series in awhile.

The first original of note is The Underground Railroad. This series from Barry Jenkins tells the story of one woman’s desperate bid for freedom in the Antebellum South and arrives on May 14. After that comes Solos. This intriguing anthology has one hell of a cast including Anthony Mackie, Dan Stevens, Anne Hathaway, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Constance Wu, and more. The project will premiere on May 21 and each of its seven episodes promises to be quite different.

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