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Getting a film made is far easier said than done. That's why most Hollywood movies are based on pre-existing material -- both to try and speed up the process of generating a story itself, and to have some assurance that there's an audience for the story. This mentality has led to truly original movies becoming something of a rarity. Truth is, Hollywood has always looked to existing IP (intellectual property).What's new about today's situation is that the IP they're generally tapping tends to be of a short-form or experiential variety: either remakes, reboots, and legacy sequels to older movies, or TV shows, comic books, and video games.

In the early decades of cinema, however, the main source for adaptations was literature. Where comics, games, TV and other movies are all visual mediums and come pre-loaded with their own imagery, books are a covenant between the author and reader's imagination,...

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The worst thing that ever happened to M. Night Shyamalan's was the August 5, 2002 cover of Newsweek magazine. The filmmaker was red hot coming off the surprise box office success of "The Sixth Sense" and a solid double of a hit in "Unbreakable," and about to pack theaters once again with his blockbuster sci-fi/horror opus "Signs." He was the toast of Hollywood, seemingly on the cusp of becoming a smash-crafting industry unto himself. It was a lot for one guy to deal with before the then prominent publication got completely carried away and declared the then 32-year-old director "The Next Steven Spielberg." Afterwards? It dogged him like a curse.

Shyamalan didn't handle this particularly well. Leaving aside how you feel about M. Night's movies, he followed up the mild disappointment of "The Village" with the strangely hostile "Lady in the Water,...

Will Smith is one of the most recognized actors in Hollywood. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star began his career as a rapper and then went on to star in his own sitcom. Smith graduated to the movies and had his breakout as an action star with films like Bad Boys, Independence Day, and Men in Black.

Smith’s son Jaden Smith has also made his mark as an actor and a musician. The Grammy-nominated rapper is probably best known for his role in 2010’s The Karate Kid, a loose remake of the original that starred Jackie Chan in the lead role. He has worked with his father, Will Smith, on multiple occasions. Here are the duo’s appearances ranked from worst to best.

3. After Earth Will Smith and Jaden Smith in After Earth | Credits: Sony Pictures

Starting with the father-son duo’s last appearance on the big screen...

10 2024 Films that Will Get You Into the Halloween Spooky Season - Main Image

Though horror films are released all year round, the Halloween season in October is really the time to celebrate all things dark and creepy.

Several movies have been come to known as Halloween classics with films like The Thing, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Poltergeist, but 2024 has also brought in some interesting movies that should get you into the spooky season (in no particular order).

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Halloween isn’t always about things being scary. Sometimes things can just be gross and silly, and the Beetlejuice sequel from Tim Burton delivers a great return to his kooky depiction of the afterlife.

Wednesday star Jenna Ortega takes over the role of the dark gothic girl that was played by Winona Ryder in the original, and the movie also gives some interesting backstory to Beetlejuice as a character and why...

She's taken on the Predator and lived to tell the tale, but now it looks like Prey star Amber Midthunder is moving onto bigger things. And by bigger things, we mean Kaiju sized, Godzilla and Kong and Ion Dragon sized things. That's right, folks — Amber's about to bring (Mid)thunder to the MonsterVerse! As reported by Variety, the Legion and Avatar: The Last Airbender actor is set to play a major part in Season 2 of Legendary and Apple TV+'s big-budget, small-screen blockbuster series Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters.

Details on Midthunder's role are being kept under wraps for the time being, but Variety's reporting does confirm that her character's name is Isabela, that she's "an intelligent and powerful businesswoman,” and that her role in the show is being described as "heavily recurring". What line of business Isabela is in remains to be seen, but after Season 1's shocking climax,...

Avatar: The Last Airbender has been around since the mid-2000s, and there have been plenty of video games set in its colorful universe in that time, although none of them have broken the bank or moved the needle. A new game from Paramount Game Studios and Saber Interactive could help it break through.

The Last Airbender is set in a world largely inspired by Asian culture and history where certain people can control, or "bend," elements like earth, water, fire and air. The video game potential seems obvious: hit X to blast fire. Per IGN, the companies are calling this new game, which doesn't have a title yet, "the biggest video game in franchise history." I'm going to assume they mean in the history of The Last Airbender franchise and not franchises in general, but either way, it's good to aim high.

The main character of both the original...

Avatar: The Last Airbender has one of the most well-constructed magic systems of any modern media, with the creators of the show going to great lengths to imbue it with meaning and narrative significance. However, there was one aspect of the system that did not necessarily sit well with fans given that it felt like a cop-out for a show that took an entire season to wrestle with the dilemma which it solved.

Aang in Avatar: The Last Airbender

However, a theory suggests that the creators of the show had cleverly teased the ability that a few fans have called a cop-out, thanks to the way it depicted General Iroh’s strengths and abilities. Iroh has been routinely depicted as one of the most powerful characters in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, so it was fitting to have him as the character who figured out the first step to energy-bending.

Avatar: The Last Airbender premiered on 22 February 2024 on Netflix. Based on the animated TV series created by Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko, the show received mixed reviews from both fans and critics.

In addition to the critique of the writing of the show, the casting choice was also questioned by fans. One actress who bore the brunt of unimpressed fans was Elizabeth Yu who portrayed the sinister character of Azula. Many were not happy with the character’s portrayal but some fans defended the show’s vision. The layout of Azula’s character in season one might prove to be beneficial for her development in later seasons.

The transformative villain: Azula’s character build-up

Netflix came out with an Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series, created by Albert Kim. The adventure-fantasy show brought the animated series’ beloved characters onscreen. However, as it happens with most adaptations fan’s reactions were mixed.

Miya Cech has raised the fans’ curiosity after joining Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s Season 2 as Toph Beifong. The renowned earthbender was one of the key characters from the Nickelodeon animated show. But despite Toph’s worldwide popularity, she has also got her fair share of haters who have some significant complaints regarding the character.

Toph Beifong in Avatar: The Last Airbender | Credits: Nickelodeon Productions

Toph Beifong or The Blind Bandit was initially conceived as a 16-year-old muscular boy. However, the show’s head writer Aaron Ehasz suggested a creative idea and asserted that they make the character a little girl, who has the power to take down some of the greatest earthbenders. While the idea was revolutionary and the character was a fan-favorite initially, she slowly lost her appeal to most fans as the show progressed.

Looks like Miya Cech is taking a risk by playing Toph...

People should never forget, or dare to shut up about, Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, let alone disrespect it! And for those fans of The Legend of Korra who think the villains would be too powerful for Aang and the gang, it’s time to think twice!

Avatar: The Last Airbender Credits: Nickelodeon

Because this one epic scene from Book 2 of the series could totally shut all those doubters up and remind everyone just how awesome our favorite benders truly are!

Can Team Aang Handle the Villains of The Legend of Korra? Yes, Absolutely, No Doubt About It!

While it’s true that the world in The Legend of Korra is vastly different from what we saw in Avatar: The Last Airbender, with more than just four bending styles and a plethora of new techniques, the possibilities are endless. This evolution naturally gave rise to formidable villains, leading...

Miya Cech joins ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (Photo courtesy of Netlix)

Miya Cech (Surfside Girls) is officially on board season two of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cech will be taking on the fan-favorite role of Toph, “a master earthbender who was born blind and trained to feel and sense the world around her.”

Cech’s casting was announced during Netflix’s Geeked Week Live celebration. The streamer also revealed that production is currently underway on the new season.

“I’ve been in boot camp for about a week and a half now and still have a lot of work to do, but it’s super fun. I have some martial arts experience,” said Cech in an interview with Tudum. “I have a great instructor who I take private classes with back home in Northern California, and he keeps me in shape when I’m not working. I also...

In its fourth year, Netflix’s Geeked Week returned bigger than ever, with breaking news and special exclusives on more than a dozen series, including Avatar: The Last Airbender, Black Mirror, Wednesday, and Squid Game.

Speaking of Squid Game, upcoming games like Squid Game: Unleashed and Monument Valley 3 were also showcased. Plus, never-before-seen clips and trailers from upcoming movies like Don’t Move, It’s What’s Inside, and The Platform 2 were revealed.

The Geeked Week live show was hosted by Joe Manganiello, who announced that he will play the iconic villain Mr. 0 in the highly anticipated upcoming second season of One Piece alongside Lera Abova (Bumper in Berlin) as Miss All Sunday. Cobra Kai stars Jacob Bertrand and Xolo Maridueña emceed the Fan Zone Pod Stage.

You can watch the full live event in the video provided and we’ve also got a rundown of the announcements below.

Geeked Week Live...

Netflix’s live-action “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is back in production for Season 2, with the streamer revealing that Miya Cech has been cast as the fan-favorite character Toph.

In a clip released as part of Netflix’s annual Geeked Week fan event, Toph’s feet are seen in closeup before she stomps down and demonstrates her earthbending.

The 17-year-old Cech is likely best known to audiences as the younger version of Ali Wong’s character in the Netflix romantic comedy “Always Be My Maybe,” released in 2019. Funnily enough, she also played a younger version of Ali Wong’s character in an episode of the Netflix series “Beef.” She also starred in Nickelodeon’s short-lived series “The Astronauts” and had a supporting role in last year’s coming-of-age comedy “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.”

Toph was first introduced in Book 2 of the original “Last Airbender” animated series.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season two is officially in production. Netflix announced the news with a teaser video, and revealed the actress cast in the highly anticipated role of earthbender Toph.

First released in February, Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Nickelodeon’s beloved animated series was renewed for two more seasons in March.

The story, like its animated original, follows Aang (Gordon Cormier), the young Avatar, as he learns to master the four elements (Water, Earth, Fire, Air) to restore balance to a world threatened by the Fire Nation. Kiawentiio plays his friend Katara, and Ian Ousley her brother Sokka.

For season two, Netflix announced Miya Cech will play Toph, an earthbender who joins the crew. The video released Thursday does not reveal her face, but implies her earthbending powers.

Cech’s previous credits include one episode of the Emmy-winning Beef and Adam Sandler’s You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.

‘Baby Reindeer,’ ‘Bridgerton,’ and ‘Fool Me Once’ were the most-watched titles on Netflix as revealed by its latest data dump.

Netflix is putting its money where its mouth is. Company co-ceo Ted Sarandos harangued other streaming executives this week for not being more transparent, and Netflix followed up his words by following through with another data dump regarding how much viewership it received in the first half of 2024. British TV was the biggest genre of the year for the streamer, with titles like “Bridgerton,” “Fool Me Once” and the controversy-generating “Baby Reindeer” compiling tens of millions of views.

Key Details: Netflix was watched for 94 billion hours total in the first half of 2024. Four of the top 10 series in Netflix’s first half of 2024 were British productions. **The top-performing American series was “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com

“Fool Me Once” was the top series for Netflix in...

Netflix saw a British invasion in the first six months of the year — with four of its 10 biggest shows globally in the first half of 2024 coming from the U.K.: “Fool Me Once,” the Emmy-winning “Baby Reindeer,” “The Gentlemen” and “One Day.”

In addition, Shonda Rhimes’ U.K.-set “Bridgerton” Season 3 was the No. 2 most-watched show worldwide from January-June 2024. The season notched a whopping 91.9 million views in less than two months following its May 14 premiere. All told, shows in the “Bridgerton” universe garnered 189 million views in the first half of 2024; views in the six-month period for “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” hit 24 million (doubling versus the second half of last year) while views of of “Bridgerton” seasons 1 and 2 jumped fivefold compared with the prior six months.

The company calculates views by dividing total hours viewed divided by runtime. (See the lists of the top 10 shows and films on Netflix below.

Back in early 2023, filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan told Collider, “I have three movie ideas. I even have the structure of all three to some extent. And so it’s a very weird and interesting situation I’m feeling. I wish I could tell them faster. I wish I could get there faster, but there is no shortcut. I have to spend the six to nine months to write it. I have to storyboard for three months, and then we have pre-production, and then shooting it, and edit for as long as I can get every single second.“ Soon after, it was announced that he had secured a multi-year deal with Warner Bros. – and he immediately went to work on his recent thriller Trap. Now that Trap has made its way out into the world, it’s time for Shyamalan to start putting the second of those three movie ideas he said he had,...

Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the best kid’s shows to come out of its era. Deceptively mature and never speaking down to its audience, The Last Airbender is a show a lot of those who entered adulthood in the previous decade remembered fondly.

A scene from Avatar: The Last Airbender || Credit: Nickelodeon

The show was made available on more conventional viewing platforms at right the onset of the pandemic, which caused a rise in its popularity, 15 full years after it finished airing on Nickelodeon. Grey DeLisle, the voice of Azula, might have some theories about why the series picked up steam as the world locked down.

Grey DeLisle believes it’s the comfort of The Last Airbender that made it peak again Avatar: The Last Airbender || Credit: Nicklodeon

Speaking with The Guardian, Grey DeLisle gave her two cents about why the hit animated show got the kind of attention that it did.

Dev Patel has been an interesting actor to watch as he always brings an earnestness to his performances that is hard to convey. Along with his breakout performance in Slumdog Millionaire, the actor received enormous praise and accolades for his dramatic range in films like Lion, Hotel Mumbai, The Green Knight, and in his recent directorial debut film Monkey Man.

A still from M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender | Credits: Paramount Pictures

One of his most infamous films was 2010’s The Last Airbender which was a live-action adaptation of the beloved Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The film was Patel’s first big-budget studio film but the actor struggled to find his footing on set and felt out of place within the studio system.

Studio Heads Were Not Happy With Dev Patel’s Performance On The Last Airbender

Dev Patel did not have the best experience on...

The 12th ending theme of Chainsaw Man has sent a wave of discussion in the anime community. The ending revealed an encrypted message within it. The unearthing involved a mysterious figure that looked like the character of Makima. The creator of the series, Tatsuki Fujimoto, has put an additional panel to his genius storytelling and creative work.

Chainsaw Man Opening | Credit: Mappa Studio

Fujimoto’s detailed work was found only by analyzing the spectrogram, which was embedded in the audio of the ending theme. Fans’ speculation started to raise questions about whether all the other ending themes also have a hidden message in them or not. This finding was an easter egg for them.

The Illusive Portrayal of Makima in the Soundwaves Makima and Denji | Credit: Mappa Studio

The surprising fact came to view with a thorough analysis of the spectrogram in the ending theme that gave a visual representation of sound frequencies.

Avatar: The Legend of Korra might not have had the charm of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but the show was on par with its predecessor when it came to the breakneck action that the franchise crafted with its bending-based elemental/magic system.

The Legend Of Korra || Nickelodeon

While there seems to be no formal plans to follow Netflix’s Live-Action Adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender by giving the same treatment to The Legend of Korra, however, if that were to become a reality, a particular scene that Reddit has appreciated a lot needs to be done to perfection in the show.

A Legend of Korra live-action show needs to do Ming Hua vs. Mako justice Mako in Avatar: The Legend of Korra

One of the many fights that the Avatar fandom still talks about to this day is Ming Hua’s encounter with Mako. The Red Lotus member’s...

The 2024 Variety Power of Young Hollywood Party was filled with so many major stars and emerging talent, including honorees Sabrina Carpenter, Marcello Hernández and Sadie Sink.

The young stars posed with their awards at the event held at Santa Monica Proper Hotel on Thursday (August 8) in Santa Monica, Calif.

The three were featured on separate Variety Power of Young Hollywood covers, as the mag recognizes the annual Young Hollywood Impact list, profiling the top young actors, musicians and creators in the industry.

You can check out highlights from Sabrina‘s cover feature Here, from Marcello‘s feature Here and Sadie‘s highlights Here!

In addition to the three stars above, there were so many other young Hollywood stars in attendance, from actors Joey King and Lukas Gage, to singers Charlotte Lawrence and Lizzy McAlpine, as well as content creators like Jake Shane, Chris Olsen and James Charles.

Keep reading to find out more…...

Avatar: The Legend of Korra gave us a glimpse in the lives of the Gaang after they defeated Fire Lord Ozai. Audiences saw Zuko, Toph, and Katara as members of the old guard who were still fighting the good fight against tyranny and separation. We were also introduced to their children and grandchildren, such as the Fire Lord in Korra’s time, Izumi.

Fire Lord Izumi as she appears in Avatar: The Legend of Korra

While it was assumed that Zuko would start his family with Mai, the Avatar novels that were set after the main series revealed that the duo had actually broken up. This puts Izumi’s parentage into question, something that fans have a lot of speculations about.

From Ty Lee to Azula, everyone is on the list Ty Lee from Avatar: The Last Airbender || Nicklodeon

A post on The Last Airbender subreddit took it upon itself...

Toph Beifong is a fan-favorite character in the Avatar: The Last Airbender fandom. As one of the best-received characters from the show, the character is also an important part of the story as Aang’s Earthbender teacher, who also went on to sire some of the principal characters of Avatar: The Legend of Korra.

Toph from Avatar: The Last Airbender || Nickelodeon

However, a thread on Reddit, wondered which character fans would put away if the choice was between Toph, Aang, Sokka, and Katara. Surprisingly, a lot of fans thing that the team could have done without Toph, narratively speaking. As outlandish as this thought it is, there seems to be quite the support for the notion.

Reddit believes that Toph was just an addition to Team Avatar Avatar: The Last Airbender || Paramount +

Reddit user u/CoolCook26 made a post on The Last Airbender subreddit, asking the fans who...

Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko decided that they wanted to draw from Asian cultures to flesh out the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. This is something that resonated with fans immensely, which prompted Dimartino to employ a similar approach for his novel series, Rebel Genius.

Avatar: The Last Airbender || Nicklodeon

Speaking with The Mary Sue, the producer/author revealed how Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s unique approach to fantasy fiction helped him build the world of his own novels, which inturn allowed him to explore fantasy from the lens of a culture that had no place in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Rebel Genius allowed Miachel Dante Dimartino to take inspiration from the Italian Renaissance Rebel Genius by Michael Dante Dimartino

Rebel Genius almost feels like it’s a cross between Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials and the X-Men. Set in a world where art has power,...

This M. Night Shyamalan article contains spoilers.

You are currently in the middle of the Shyamalanaissance, which is not some kind of B-movie supernatural occurrence, but the return of M. Night Shyamalan to the forefront of filmmaking. After a few big budget flops, this cult-favorite director went back to his low-budget roots for the 2015 found-footage film The Visit, an excellent thriller with a twist that will undoubtedly remind movie viewers of his earlier thriller masterpieces, such as The Sixth Sense and Signs. Since then, Shyamalan has released the surprising slasher film Split and the Unbreakable superhero sequel, Glass, twisty horrors based on books Knock at the Cabin and Old, as well as serial killer thriller Trap.

Not many directors boast as many memorable screen moments as Shyamalan and fewer still continue to put out such consistently enjoyable work after so many years of captivating audiences. Some might say that The Sixth Sense was peak Shyamalan,...

Trap Movie Review Rating:

Star Cast: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka, Hayley Mills and Alison Pill

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Trap Movie Review Out ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

What’s Good: The film creates a great atmosphere of tension that combined with the silly dialogue and plot points makes for a fun watch

What’s Bad: The first act meanders a bit, but the short running time makes up for it

Loo Break: The film doesn’t overstay its welcome, so only the first ten minutes of the film feel like a safe space to go to the loon before you start missing vital information.

Watch or Not?: Yes, because, while it might not be theater worthy at times, it is actually a very fun thriller to watch with other people and guess what will happen.

Language: English (with subtitles).

Available On: Theaters

Runtime: 105 Minutes.

User Rating:

M. Night Shyamalan...

This article contains light spoilers for Trap.

It’s no spoiler to say that M. Night Shyamalan makes a cameo appearance in his latest movie Trap. After all, Shyamalan shows up in all of his movies, a tribute to his hero Alfred Hitchcock. But as much as he wants to follow in the footsteps of the master of suspense, Shyamalan has the heart of an ’80s schlockmeister.

For evidence, look no further than Trap. Yes, the film has a Hitchcock-worthy premise, in which suburban dad Cooper (Josh Hartnett) finds the pop concert he’s attending with his pre-teen daughter interrupted by police hunting a serial killer called the Butcher. The problem? Cooper is the Butcher, which audiences learn when he checks in on one of his victims via remote camera.

Trap has its tense moments, but its real fun comes from trashier bits, elements that feel straight out of...

Josh Hartnett plays a serial killer trapped at a pop show in a suspense-free dud that acts as embarrassing promotion for the director’s daughter

The reintroduction of M Night Shyamalan offered the kind of specifically alluring comeback narrative that a certain generation was compelled to blindly support. Those of us who came of age with the flashy writer-director’s pack-em-in event movies could easily remember the flurry of excitement that came with each one – a rare example of a figure behind the scenes becoming as instantly famous as those in front.

His downfall, with movies so heinous that a snarky fund was once set up to send him back to film school, allowed us to see someone lose all of their instincts in crushing real time and fall prey to considerable ego; the guy who crafted Oscar-nominee The Sixth Sense ended his run as star director with four Razzie...

Film directors acting in the films they make is neither rare nor new. Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton were doing it during the silent era, and as more artists like Orson Wells, Ida Lupino, John Cassavetes, and now Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper got into the act (literally), it's hardly surprising for audiences to see a movie written by, directed by, and starring the same person.

However, there also exists the parallel concept of the director's cameo, which is distinguished from the acting directors because the concept of a cameo itself is an elastic idea — ranging from a brief, non-verbal appearance to an entire supporting role. Unlike a filmmaker playing the lead or a co-lead in their own feature, a director making a cameo appearance in their own film tends to have a meta aspect to it: they know you know who they are, so their appearance in and of...

Few directors inspire more ire than M. Night Shyamalan. Famed for his twists and turns, Shyamalan’s meteoric rise can only be matched by his shocking fall. There was a moment when he was framed as the next Steven Spielberg. Unfortunately, a string of poor movies left many unwilling to engage with his future hits. Whether he’s inconsistent or very particular, Shyamalan has survived in Hollywood, with Trap becoming movie number 16 in his storied career. We’re ranking his movies with Trap‘s release, and helping put your expectations in check.

16. The Last Airbender (2010)

One of the most frustrating blockbusters of the last thirty years, Shyamalan proved the wrong choice from the jump. He tried to put his stamp on the series, and failed in pretty much every way. Poor visuals and poor acting (aside from Asiv Mandvi & Dev Patel) killed any chance of a franchise. Beyond that, the...

As a filmmaker, M. Night Shyamalan has been a household name for 25 years, starting in 1999, when he ruled the end of the summer with “The Sixth Sense.” You can basically divide the Shyamalan oeuvre into four periods. There was the era when he was an A-list visionary who some compared to Spielberg. There was the era when he began to lapse into self-parody, and when the whole notion of the Shyamalan twist ending became less an entertainer’s trademark than a sign of the rut he was in.

There was the period when he left all that behind to reinvent himself as an anonymous sci-fi craftsman. And then there was the comeback era that began with “Split” (2016), his big hit featuring James McAvoy as a chatterbox psycho with multiple-annoying-personality disorder. From that point on, the Shyamalan brand regained a kind of parody of its former luster. People were coming out to see his films again,...

With the first public screenings of his new thriller "Trap" happening this evening, writer/director M. Night Shyamalan is once again at the forefront of our minds. Since he broke out in 1999, he's never really left our thoughts; Shyamalan is one of the most interesting directors working in Hollywood today, a guy with fascinations and quirks and proclivities and passions that permeate his films and make them feel singular, even when they're bad.

The story of his rise ("The Sixth Sense"), fall, and cinematic resurrection (starting with "The Visit"), in both the zeitgeist and at the box office, is arguably as compelling as anything the auteur has ever committed to the screen. On today's episode of the /Film Daily podcast, some of the site's editors created a group list of the Top 5 M. Night Shyamalan movies, and during that discussion (which you can hear below), we nearly included 2015's low-budget...

The wait is over: Geeked Week is back for the third year in a row from Nov. 6 to Nov. 12. This year’s event includes exclusive news, sneak peeks, and surprises from some of Netflix’s most anticipated movies, shows, and games including 3 Body Problem, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Brothers Sun, Damsel, Devil May Cry, Leave the World Behind, Rebel Moon, and more. In three virtual showcases, fans can celebrate the worlds they love most — from sci-fi to fantasy, to anime and more! The festivities kick off right here on tudum.com on Stranger Things Day(Nov. 6). Geeks, rejoice!

Don’t forget to add your favorite Geeked Week 2023 titles to your watch list!

Rebel Moon • Avatar: The Last Airbender • Damsel • Yu Yu Hakusho • 3 Body Problem • One Piece • Scott Pilgrim Takes Off • Leave The World Behind • Gyeongseong Creature • Stranger Things...

As a guy from Philadelphia, I've always felt a kinship with M. Night Shyamalan. The filmmaker who made plot twists hip again is a Philly guy, and a large chunk of his movies are set in the City of Brotherly Love. As a result, when I watch an M. Night movie, I often spot locations that are overly familiar to me. This turns me into the "pointing Leo" meme, and I sit up, point at the screen, and say "Hey, I know where that is!" It's like a little treat. But beyond Shyamalan's penchant for using Philadelphia as a setting, I also just really enjoy his films. I'm proud to say that I stuck with the filmmaker while others turned on him, and I was thrilled when he began what is considered his big comeback starting with "The Visit" and continuing with "Split." After being written off by many critics and moviegoers,...

When it came to reworking the horror genre with a modern twist, M. Night Shyamalan achieved great success with his breakthrough film in Hollywood, The Sixth Sense. He followed up this Oscar-nominated effort with the equally impressive Unbreakable in 2000, and Signs in 2002, which further cemented his place as filmmaker with a niche approach to horror and supernatural narratives.

Hollywood filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan (image credit: Gage Skidmore/Cc By-sa 2.0/Wikimedia Commons)

As the law of averages always dictates, his subsequent efforts in The Village and The Happening did not garner the kind of responses he had would have hoped for. Despite these films crashing at the box office, fans still remember many of his iconic scenes from his early films. One particular scene in Signs still makes viewers’ blood curdle even after 22 years of its release.

This Scene From Signs Is Still As Chilling As Ever

For jumps scares in...

Netflix content chief Bela Bajaria will be making a lot of pleasant phone calls today after the streamer landed 107 Emmy nominations across 35 different shows.

It’s not the streamer’s biggest nomination haul — that was 160 in 2020 — but it put it firmly in the lead with FX coming in a surprise second with 93 nominations, higher than HBO and Max.

There were sizeable hauls for British shows Baby Reindeer and The Crown, and Ripley, which it picked up after it had been produced, but Bajaria is most pleased about the diversity of its nominations.

Shows such as All The Light We Cannot See, Blue Eye Samurai, The Gentlemen, The Greatest Night In Pop, Griselda, Love on the Spectrum U.S., 3 Body Problem and The Upshaws were all recognized, highlighting its “breadth” of programming, according to Bajaria.

Related: 76th Emmy Nominations: Deadline’s Full Coverage

“It’s amazing to see the nominations across 35 different titles,...

Shōgun, The Bear and Only Murders in the Building lead the way at the 2024 Emmy nominations, which were revealed this morning.

Below is a list of the programs with five or more noms, following by a full list of nominees and the number they received.

Related: Emmy Winners For Best Drama Since 1960: A Photo Gallery

Related: Here Are The Actors Who Have Won The Most Emmys: Photo Gallery

Related: Emmy Winners For Best Comedy Since 1952

Here is the full list of 2024 Emmy nominations by program:

25 Nominations

Shogun

23 Nominations

The Bear

21 Nominations

Only Murders In The Building

19 Nominations

True Detective: Night Country

18 Nominations

The Crown

17 Nominations

Saturday Night Live

16 Nominations

Fallout

Hacks

The Morning Show

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

15 Nominations

Fargo

13 Nominations

Ripley

11 Nominations

Baby Reindeer

Palm Royale

10 Nominations

Feud: Capote vs. The Swans

Lessons In Chemistry

9 Nominations

Abbott Elementary

Slow Horses

8 Nominations

Jim Henson Idea Man

RuPaul’s Drag Race...

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a series that requires little introduction. As famous as the show is for its complex and mature storytelling in a children’s cartoon, its first attempt at a live-action franchise is equally notorious for the horrible product that it turned in for audiences.

Avatars of the past in The Legend of Korra || Paramount

The creators of the original show, Bryan Konietzko, and Micahel Dante Dimartino sat down with Nerdist on their Writer’s Panel and regaled the horrors that caused them to ultimately quit the film production. The film, which would drop the ‘Avatar’ from the title to avoid confusion with James Cameron’s then-upcoming science fiction epic, ended up displeasing fans so much, that the sequels that would cover the rest of the show were completely abandoned.

Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante Dimartino had a “big falling out” with the film production Aang’s...

Avatar: The Last Airbender has always been regarded as a masterpiece. For those who have made it, Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko, there is a lot that went into the process. The critical thinking, analytical understanding, and connecting between the fans and their characters set up the foundation of their show to make it the magnum opus that it now stands as.

Avatar: The Last Airbender | Credit: Nickelodeon

Anyone who makes art, when looking upon it again and again, flaws tend to surface even when there may be none. Michaelangelo found himself destroying his own sculpture as Pietà now sits in pieces. There may be many different reasons for the many artists who come to hate their own works. However, for Dimartino and Konietzko, one particular episode is like a thorn in their side.

Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Regretful Episode

During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Michael Dante...

Amazon Prime Video is the place to go for movies this month, with a plethora of original films as well as new library additions for just about every movie fan. The Emma Roberts-led original Space Cadet hits the streaming service aptly on the Fourth of July, for anyone looking for a fish-out-of-water style comedy. My Spy the Eternal City, the newest film in the Dave Bautista-led family action series also drops on July 18.

Action film fans are also in for a treat with recent films The Beekeeper and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning coming to Prime Video in July.

As far as TV shows go, the most notable addition this month is the adult animated series Sausage Party: Foodtopia, a continuation of the 2016 film Sausage Party.

Here’s everything coming to Prime Video and Freevee in July – Amazon originals are designated with an asterisk.

New on Amazon Prime Video...

While Netflix did a decent job with Avatar: The Last Airbender, it is no doubt that the show left a lot to be desired, when it came to the standards set by the IP. Given that Paramount and Nickelodeon are gearing up to expand the franchise with a dedicated studio, there is one way that the original creators of the show can lead up to its big releases, bringing the IP back into the mainstream conversation.

Avatar: The Last Airbender || Nickelodeon

Before the decision to expand the franchise in animated form was made, Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko told more stories set in the times of Avatar Aang and Avatar Korra via the Dark Horse publication, writing comics that were able to expand on the journeys of our beloved characters.

This is something the creators could do again, to hype the fandom up about the upcoming launches, and to...

Earlier this year, Netflix successfully brought Avatar: The Last Airbender to life in a live-action adaptation. While mostly sticking to the original series which had some expertly crafted heroes, intricate characters, and unforgettable villains like Commander Zhao. Netflix now appears to be set to shake things up with its own take.

Commander Zhao in Avatar: The Last Airbender | Netflix

While loyal fans know Commander Zhao’s fate after his epic clash with Zuko, Netflix may be brewing a surprising twist that hasn’t quite thrilled everyone. Actor Ken Leung, who played Commander Zhao in the Netflix series, hinted in a recent interview that his character could potentially make a return in future seasons.

Commander Zhao Might Return in Future Avatar: The Last Airbender Netflix Seasons!

Commander Zhao remains one of the most interesting characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender, the Nickelodeon series cherished by generations. As a power-hungry admiral blinded by ambition,...

In the realm of cinema and television productions, visual effects often reign supreme, which helps blend reality with digital artistry and transport audiences to fantastical worlds. However, while most Hollywood projects turn out to be entirely CGI-driven spectacles, Avatar: The Last Airbender emerged as a rare gem majorly dependent on practical effects.

A still from Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024) | Nickelodeon Productions, Netflix

Crafting the live-action version of the beloved 2005 anime property, Emmy-winning production designer Michael Wylie noted how he not just delivered a remake but also surprised fans with iconic visuals. Using old-school practical effects with finesse in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Wylie simply left keen-eyed viewers marveling in disbelief.

The Stunning Balance of Authenticity and CGI in Avatar: The Last Airbender

Adapted from the 2005 beloved animated series, the live-action rendition of Avatar: The Last Airbender loyally delved into the story of the fantasy world where four factions...

When Reece Feldman posted the TikTok that changed his entire career, he knew he was breaking almost every single rule imaginable.

A Queens native, Feldman had spent the months after graduating from college floating from production assistant gig to production assistant gig in New York. On advice from a few career mentors, he downloaded TikTok — bringing a few hundred thousand followers along with him to daily jobs like picking up coffee, driving crew vehicles, and taking out the trash. Eventually, he moved up from reality sets and Mormon children’s...

For a long time, Hollywood struggled to nail live-action adaptations of beloved animes, with some infamous examples being Dragonball Evolution and The Last Airbender. Fortunately, Netflix finally broke the cycle by pumping out One Piece, which, unlike the majority of its kind, was faithful to the source material and became one of the platform’s most-watched originals.

With season 2 of the Iñaki Godoy-led series expected to hit sometime in 2025, some major names have now been added to the cast, including David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3.

David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3 Has Fans Elated David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil | Umbrella Entertainment

During Monkey D. Luffy’s birthday last month, Iñaki Godoy teased the arrival of the former agent of Baroque Works while wishing Luffy— the most inspiring pirate to ever sail the Grand Line— a happy birthday. Fast forward to today, Netflix has officially welcomed Mr. 3, a loan shark,...

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender’s live-action adaptation has recently started the casting call for one of the most important characters in the series. This casting call is for Toph, the upcoming member of Team Avatar and one of the strongest Earth benders in the entire series. Fans are truly excited to see who will play Toph in the series.

Avatar: The Last Airbender | Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Toph is one of the most popular characters in the series; she is not only a valuable member of Team Avatar, but she also teaches him her unique style of earth bending that she learned from the badger moles to make up for her blindness. Toph plays a big role in the series, but she is not always liked by her teammates.

A few months ago, during a subreddit discussion, Avatar fans talked about how Toph was treated when she first joined...

As TV academy voters fill out their 2024 Emmy nominations ballots, they will have to consider 107 shows for Best Drama Series. This is down by 56 contenders compared to last year. As was the case in 2023, members may not allow their selections to exceed the number of eventual nominations for a given award, which, in this case, will be eight.

2023 Best Drama Series winner “Succession” and six of the seven also-rans are out of the current race because they did not air new episodes during the June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024 qualifying period. This leaves “The Crown” as the only 2023 nominee eligible for an immediate return, which could lead to its second victory here following its first in 2021.

Remember, only eight of the shows below will earn bids for Best Drama Series when the Emmy nominations are announced on July 17. Which do you think will make the cut?

See 2024 Emmy nominations ballot: 1,658 performers vie...

Brooklyn Beckham Recently Took Wife Nicola Pelz Beckham On His Favorite Childhood Family Trips ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, like the rest of his family, loves to take vacations and holds deep sentimental value for the places he visits. The eldest son of the hottest couple David and Victoria Beckham has recently taken his wife, Nicola Pelz Beckham to a vacation at the same spot where he and his family have vacationed for years.

Nicola Pelz Beckham is the daughter of Nelson Peltz, the billionaire investor, and Claudia Heffner Peltz, the former model. She is popularly known by her nickname, Lola. She has starred in various movies/TV shows including The Last Airbender, Holidate, Our House, Welcome to Chippendales, Inhumans, and music videos like 7 Things by Miley Cyrus and It’s You by Zayn Malik. Nicola is also good friends with famous singer Selena Gomez.

During an interview with People,...

Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most impactful anime for any hardcore fan’s childhood. Out of the many anime responsible for pushing people to tears, Hideaki Anno’s masterpiece stands on a pedestal of its own. The many lives it enamored and the fans that found themselves growing up with the anime also hold it close to their heart.

Neon Genesis Evangelion | Credit: Gainax

For those who found it inspiring, there were ways in which they added references or incorporated ideas that brought about even widespread projects. From Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim to the subtle similarities of Kong: Skull Island, tidbits of the anime and manga can be found all over the world. One of the most renowned works of animation, Avatar: The Last Airbender also happens to find inspiration from Anno’s work.

Neon Genesis Evangelion‘s Impact

Episode seven of Avatar: The Last Airbender...