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The Odyssey stunt performer James Newman talks about his experience training Matt Damon and Tom Holland for the upcoming film, breaking down the two stars' action styles. Nolan's next project features an all-star cast, with Damon and Holland joined by actors like Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal, Elliot Page, and Charlize Theron, among others. Nolan's adaption of Homer's The Odyssey started filming back in February, with the story set to follow Odysseus' (Damon) epic journey home after fighting in the Trojan War.

In a since-deleted April 20 episode of the Action for Everyone podcast, Newman reveals that he worked with both Damon and Holland to help craft their characters' fighting styles in The Odyssey. The stunt performer explains that Damon had a clear vision for how he wanted his character to fight, with the character's experience and age resulting in a fighting style that was "more efficient." Check...

Humankind has waged war since before the beginning of recorded time. The first massacre took place around 10,000 years ago in Kenya, while the first definitive war took place several millennia later between the Sumerians and the Elamites in Mesopotamia circa 2,700 BC. From these bloody beginnings was born one of our most enduring and consistent institutions: War. The word itself sounds harsh, owing to its origins from the old High German word "werran," meaning "to confuse." Could there be a more accurate description?

It should be no surprise that war "movies" began before the advent of motion pictures as an art form or industry. The earliest war footage (some of it staged) was probably from the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, while the first proper war film was "Tearing Down The Spanish Flag" released in 1898 as a 90-second short film for nickelodeon theaters. While those may seem ancient to us, they're barely a...

Pedro Pascal has delivered some truly unsettling TV moments, but The Last of Us season 2 won’t top his most disturbing scene. Long before he took on the role of Joel, Pascal had already left audiences horrified in Game of Thrones with a moment so shocking, it’s still talked about today.

Pedro Pascal in Game of Thrones | Credits: HBO

While The Last of Us isn’t shying away from brutality, some TV scenes are just impossible to outdo. No matter how intense season 2 gets, Pascal’s past work set a disturbingly high bar – one that even post-apocalyptic horrors might not be able to surpass.

Joel vs. Oberyn: Which Pedro Pascal death scene will haunt us more? Pedro Pascal in Last of Us | Credits: Sony Pictures Television Studios

Joel’s death in The Last of Us Part II is one of the most controversial moments, and the show is under...

Christopher Nolan set sail on The Odyssey, but the waters got choppy pretty fast. The moment news broke about his upcoming epic, debates kicked off. Hollywood has a habit of reimagining ancient tales, and Nolan’s track record only fueled the fire.

Christopher Nolan on the set of Oppenheimer | Credit: Universal Pictures

Fans haven’t forgotten how he once whitewashed a major Batman villain. Now, they’re watching closely, wondering how he’ll handle Homer’s legendary hero.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey faces backlash over past casting controversies and Hollywood’s generic trend Christopher Nolan | Image by: HellaCinema, licenced under Cc-by-sa-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Christopher Nolan’s upcoming The Odyssey was bound to spark interest, but it’s already sailing into rough waters. The director’s history with controversial casting decisions is coming back to haunt him.

Nolan’s Batman Begins turned heads when Liam Neeson played the iconic villain Ra’s al Ghul,...

Not many collaborations ignite as much buzz as the one between director Christopher Nolan and actor Matt Damon. Their previous projects have impressed audiences and their latest film together, i.e. The Odyssey could possibly do the same.

Matt Damon as Gardner in Suburbicon | Paramount Pictures, and Black Bear Pictures

The movie draws inspiration from one of literature’s most inspiring and enduring epics, promising to draw the viewers into a world of mythology and adventure. However, the decision to cast Damon in the lead is a bit skeptical, and here’s why!

Is Matt Damon the right choice to play the lead in The Odyssey? Matt Damon in The Wall | Universal Pictures

In December 2024, it was announced that Christopher Nolan’s next directorial would be an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey, and Matt Damon would play the titular Greek hero, Odysseus. But the actor’s previous performances in...

“The Gorge” is a unique blend of romance, horror, and action that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Directed by Scott Derrickson and featuring a stellar cast including Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Sigourney Weaver, the film follows two elite snipers guarding opposite sides of a mysterious gorge. As they develop a deep connection, they must also confront the monstrous beings that emerge from the depths. If you enjoyed the suspense, character development, and intense action in “The Gorge,” here are 6 movies like ‘The Gorge’ that will satisfy your cravings.

Related Read: The Gorge (2025) Review: A Hurried and Hollowed Would-be Blockbuster The Maze Runner (2014)

“The Maze Runner” is a dystopian sci-fi action film that shares a similar sense of mystery and survival with “The Gorge.” Directed by Wes Ball, the film follows Thomas, played by Dylan O’Brien, who wakes up in a massive maze with no memories of his past.

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The Gorge is a sci-fi horror action film directed by Scott Derrickson from a screenplay by Zach Dean. The Apple TV+ film follows Levi Kane and Drasa, two elite snipers who are assigned to protect the guard towers on opposite sides of a massive gorge. They soon develop feelings for each other, but their love story is threatened by what’s inside the gorge. The Gorge stars Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sigourney Weaver, and Sope Dirisu. So, if you loved the fun action sequences, wild creature designs, and entertaining characters, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

The Maze Runner (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – 20th Century Studios

The Maze Runner is a dystopian sci-fi action film directed by Wes Ball from a screenplay co-written by Noah Oppenheim, Grant Pierce Myers, and T.S. Nowlin. Based...

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey was described as a mythic action film by Universal Pictures in their announcement and it seems like the studio is not holding him back from achieving this feat. According to an insider report, the upcoming epic is set to be mounted on a whopping $250 million budget, making it Nolan’s most expensive film yet.

The filmmaker has proven to be extremely profitable in the past. His previous film Oppenheimer, which was his first collaboration with Universal, was a blockbuster and earned $976 million at the global box office. His earlier films have also been highly profitable, with films like The Dark Knight and its sequel earning more than $1 billion.

Christopher Nolan’s rumored budget for Matt Damon starrer The Odyssey is more than Oppenheimer Matt Damon in The Great Wall | Credits: Universal Pictures

While his films are unpredictable in their treatment, one can be assured that...

Pedro Pascal remains one of the most versatile actors in the industry today, considering the density of his work since the Game of Thrones era. However, while Hollywood opens up a treasury of opportunities and choices, Pascal carefully navigates among scripts and projects that call to him and also manages to resonate with the fans and critics.

Pedro Pascal in Game of Thrones [Credit: HBO]

While box office success was the furthest thing from the actor’s mind when he signed up for the HBO fantasy epic, the future seems to hold nothing but acclaim for Pedro Pascal. But the actor’s journey in the cinematic world began with humble roots and one of the first stars to inspire and set him on his current path was Willem Dafoe.

Willem Dafoe left a mark on Pedro Pascal’s career Willem Dafoe in Spider-Man: No Way Home [Credit: Marvel Studios]

Willem Dafoe has been...

Matt Damon knows exactly when his films will break the box office or bomb heavily, and perhaps this is one of the true marks of being an actor. He had his fair share of successful franchises such as the Bourne movies, although he could not forget one pricey project that almost cost his career.

Credits: Matt Damon in The Great Wall / Universal Pictures

Over the years, Damon has lived a quiet life away from the hustle and bustle of media, and he only emerges to the surface when he’s got something on his plate. But, in the past, he made some rash decisions taking lacklustre roles that ended up becoming the target of criticism.

Matt Damon Believed The Great Wall is in the Same Vein as Dances With Wolves

In 2016, actor Matt Damon notably starred as the Irish mercenary William Garin who was imprisoned within the Great Wall of China by imperial Chinese forces.

While not a lot is known about Christopher Nolan’s next movie, its cast is already stacked with A-list talent. Christopher Nolan is no stranger to starry lineups. His most recent movie, 2023’s biopic Oppenheimer, included a historically impressive cast list dotted with Oscar winners, blockbuster stars, and acclaimed character actors alike. Oppenheimer’s cast of characters would be tough for any director to outdo but, never one to shy away from a challenge, Nolan has evidently taken it upon himself to offer viewers an even starrier affair next time. His 2026 mystery movie’s cast is shaping up to be a doozy.

Related Oppenheimer's Ending Explained - Can We Forgive J. Robert Oppenheimer?

Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer follows its titular subject — before & after he created the atomic bomb. We break down the biopic's ending in detail.

Oppenheimer’s lineup included Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Casey Affleck,...

Although Pedro Pascal had been acting for years before getting the role of Prince Oberyn Martell on Game of Thrones, that was the part that catapulted his incredibly successful acting career. We're not going to be talking about how traumatizing Oberyn's death was, back when "The Mountain and the Viper" aired on HBO in 2014. Instead, we are going to take a quick look at every role Pedro Pascal has had since his Game of Thrones breakout and talk a little bit about each character.

Pascal has worked at a feverish pace since Game of Thrones. His resume is lengthy, which means you may want to take a seat with a snack and drink before reading our list. Just what kind of range does Pascal have in movies and on television? Let's find out!

Be warned there will be several spoilers ahead. Also, this list will only include movie and TV appearances,...

In 1997, when Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote and starred in Gus Van Sant's "Good Will Hunting," it immediately propelled the pair onto the ineffable Hollywood A-list. Both of them had been acting for several years and had participated in a few notable studio pictures, but it was "Good Will Hunting" that pushed the two handsome young blokes onto the top of the heap. Their film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and it won Oscars for Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (for Robin Williams). Ever since, both Affleck and Damon have remained above-the-title power players, appearing in a long list of both big-budget hits and ambitious indies.

Although, that's not to say that they both haven't had their share of stinkers. Affleck has starred in several notorious films in his career, including widely loathed films like "Gigli" and "Phantoms." Although Affleck was the bomb in "Phantoms,...

Thanks to the success of The Wild Robot, Pedro Pascals global box office draw has reached an impressive milestone. The actor first found his footing in television, appearing in HBOs Game of Thrones as the scene-stealing Oberyn Martell, Disneys The Mandalorian, and The Last of Us. Since his role in Game of Thrones, he went on to find even more success in movies like Kingsman: The Golden Circle, The Equalizer 2, and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent making him a highly demanded actor in the industry.

Collider reports that Pascal has reached a major milestone in his career. As of now, with the success of the heartfelt animated film The Wild Robot, Pascal has grossed $907 million internationally. This number is double his domestic box office draw of $438 million. In The Wild Robot, Pascal plays Fink the fox, and the film has opened to massive success critically, earning an impressive...

Matt Damon has done many things. Be it contributing to the entertainment industry as one of the most talented actors, producers, and screenwriters, or using his fame to stand up and raise his voice for pressing issues – the actor has proven perfectly well that he doesn’t step back from something he sets his mind to, even if it means he could get deeply criticized for it.

Matt Damon. | Credits: Nomoretitanic/Cca-by-sa-4.0/Wikimedia Commons.

The actor proved the same thing a few years ago while working on his 2016 mixed-reviewed action fantasy The Great Wall as well. Apparently, some critics accused him of whitewashing after the 53-year-old actor got cast in one of the lead roles in the Chinese epic movie. However, Damon didn’t hesitate to slam all those allegations down with the perfect explanation to defend him.

Matt Damon’s Argument for His Role in The Great Wall

In Hollywood,...

Belgian filmmaker Johan Grimonprez, best known for Soundtrack To A Coup d’Etat, will be the guest of honour at the 2024 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.

Several of Grimonprez’s films are to screen at the festival including Double Take, Shadow World and Blue Orchids. The filmmaker will also participate in a in conversation and unveil his top 10 contemporary films.

Grimonprez first gained international acclaim with his 1997 feature dial H-I-s-t-o-r-y. His latest film, Soundtrack To A Coup d’Etat, has screened at several festivals including Sundance, where it won the jury prize in cinematic innovation; and Thessaloniki, picking up the audience award.

Belgian artist and filmmaker Johan Grimonprez, whose “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” won an award at this year’s Sundance, will be the guest of honor at the 37th edition of IDFA.

The documentary festival, which will take place from Nov. 14 to 24, has also unveiled curated program Dead Angle and Spotlight on Cuba, which focuses on the island’s cinema, alongside live cinema section IDFA on Stage and new media program IDFA DocLab.

IDFA will highlight Grimonprez’s “uncompromising approach to challenging narratives and reinterpreting historical events through a critical, contemporary lens,” the festival said.

Grimonprez first gained international acclaim with his 1997 film “Dial H-i-s-t-o-r-y,” which examined the history of airplane hijackings and the media’s role in shaping public perception. His most recent film, “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” unravels the decolonization of Congo, using jazz as a “means of protest” in the examination of the international context behind...

Belgian artist and filmmaker Johan Grimonprez, whose latest documentary Soundtrack To a Coup D’Etat is expected to be an Oscar contender, has been named Guest of Honor at the upcoming International Documentary Festival Amsterdam.

The honor recognizes a distinguished career that includes Blue Orchids, and his debut feature film, the 1997 documentary dial H-i-s-t-o-r-y. IDFA, which runs from Nov. 14-24, will be highlighting the filmmaker’s “uncompromising approach to challenging narratives and reinterpreting historical events through a critical, contemporary lens,” the festival said in a statement.

‘dial H-i-s-t-o-r-y‘

“Grimonprez first gained international acclaim with his 1997 film dial H-i-s-t-o-r-y, which examined the history of airplane hijackings and the media’s role in shaping public perception,” IDFA noted in a release. “His most recent award-winning film, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat, unravels the decolonization of Congo, using jazz as a smokescreen and means of protest in the examination of the international context behind...

The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam — or IDFA — has unveiled its first wave of programming and named its guest of honor for 2024. The edition, the festival’s 37th, runs November 14 through 24.

Belgian artist and filmmaker Johan Grimonprez will be IDFA’s guest of honor. Grimonprez first gained international acclaim for his 1997 film “Dial H-i-s-t-o-r-y,” about the media’s part in shaping the public perception of airplane hijackings. His latest film, “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” looks at Congo’s decolonization through the smokescreen of jazz as protest. Other films screening as part of the Grimonprez retrospective will include “Double Take” (2009), “Shadow World” (2016), and “Blue Orchids” (2017). The program will include an extended talk with Grimonprez.

This edition of IDFA will also introduce the multi-year curated program titled Dead Angle, which uses documentary storytelling to illuminate cultural blind spots past and present. This year, the program looks at borders of both the metaphoric and physical varieties.

Success has never been a stranger to Matt Damon. Critical acclaim and recognition have always been right around the corner. Even so, there have been times when even the greatest avant-garde new-age artists end up taking a few wrong turns before learning the right one to take. In this case, the path is based on choosing good scripts and filmmakers to collaborate with.

Matt Damon stars as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity (2002) [Credit: Universal Pictures]

With films like Good Will Hunting and the Jason Bourne franchise to his name, Matt Damon has accrued enough credit under his belt to shelve his blockbuster A-list career to make space for some passion projects. However, like Tom Cruise, there seems to be no space in his filmography for films that lack a punch, except for a couple of numbers.

Matt Damon Sidesteps His Successful Career Arc

Ever since his early years in Hollywood...

Matt Damon's return as Jason Bourne in 2016's reboot marked the last time he portrayed the iconic character in the celebrated franchise. Damon's interest in reprising his role for Bourne 6 has yet to be confirmed, leaving fans eagerly awaiting any updates on his potential return. While Green Zone failed to reach the success of the Bourne films, Damon and director Greengrass have shown resilience with the Jason Bourne reboot.

Matt Damon's first Jason Bourne replacement was an overlooked box office failure. Damon has been the face of the Bourne franchise ever since the first film The Bourne Identity was made back in 2002. Interestingly, he made that film with director Doug Liman, who he recently reconnected with after 22 years on Apple's upcoming heist comedy The Instigators, which Damon stars in alongside Good Will Hunting alum and Oscar winner Casey Affleck. Paul Greengrass took the reins of the Bourne franchise for 2004's Bourne Supremacy,...

Cmc Pictures, the Chinese studio behind “The Meg” shark action franchise, has set plans for the global release of its John Cusack-starring cryptography thriller “Decoded.”

The film will release in Chinese theaters on Saturday and is headed for an international rollout at the end of August. Cmc Pictures will operate as the direct distributor in a limited number of territories and as the sales agent handling the rights in others.

The film has a strong pedigree and is on course to make a splash.

Directed by Chen Sicheng, one of China’s most consistently successful writer-director-producers, the film has a screenplay by Chen and Christopher MacBride that is adapted from a novel by the Mao Dun Literature Prize-winning novelist Mai Jia.

Set in the volatile era of the 1940s, “Decoded” chronicles the journey of Rong Jinzhen (played by Liu Haoran), an autistic young man with an exceptional talent for mathematics.

Following her Oscar-winning role in Room that catapulted her to the big leagues, Brie Larson signed on for her marquee gig as Captain Marvel in the MCU. While she was a pivotal figure in the narratives of the franchise, her second standalone film The Marvels which was released in 2023, failed to impress at the box office.

Brie Larson as Captain Marvel (image credit: Marvel)

But a look back at Larson’s filmography will show that the actor has faced even more criticism for one film that earned the dubious distinction of being the quintessential white savior movie. A discerning fan brutally pointed out the grave stereotypes propagated in this film that would make even the Oscar winner cringe today.

This Brie Larson Film Is a Forgettable Example Of The White Savior Trope

While Brie Larson is synonymous with her Marvel gig as Captain Marvel along with other projects, fans may...

Netflix has a couple of major series airing all or part of their final seasons in July 2024. The hit Spanish drama Elite is set to premiere its eighth and final season in full this month with one final mystery (July 26), Vikings: Valhalla is setting off on one final adventure with its third season (July 11), and Cobra Kai is also entering its swan song era with the first part of its final sixth season arriving on Netflix July 18.

The most notable movie offering this month is Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (July 3). Thirty years after his last case, Eddie Murphy returns as the titular detective Axel Foley, teaming up with old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggart (John Ashton) to uncover a conspiracy and keep his daughter Jane (Taylour Paige) safe.

Here’s everything else coming to Netflix this month. Note that Netflix marks its international offerings with that respective country’s two-letter country code.

This year, Netflix premiered 3 Body Problem, an adaptation of the first book in Liu Cixin's bestselling series Remembrance of Earth's Past. The adaptation was so successful it received several additional seasons, but it wasn't the first one, and one more is coming.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, the best-selling sci-fi book The Three-Body Problem will get a movie adaptation. The first book in the popular sci-fi series was first published in 2006 and has seen increased popularity in recent years. Aside from the Netflix 3 Body Problem adaptation, the IP has previously received a Chinese TV adaptation in 2023.

Related 3 Body Problem Creators Clarify Renewal Confusion, Confirm When Series Will End

The creators of Netflix's 3 Body Problem have clarified renewal confusion about the series conclusion with a definitive answer.

The upcoming movie adaptation has already found a director in Zhang Yumou, one of China's most revered directors, and the...

We've had one space race, yes, but what about a second space race? Granted, this latest one is probably a tad less dramatic than the U.S. and Russia vying for bragging rights to the moon during the Cold War. But since when have sci-fi fans ever let facts get in the way of a good story, anyway?

Only months after Chinese author Liu Cixin's seminal book trilogy "Remembrance of Earth's Past" finally received its biggest and most expensive adaptation with Netflix's "3 Body Problem" series (which yours truly reviewed for /Film here), yet another attempt to bring the immensely popular, Hugo Award-winning material to life is now in the works ... this time, for the big screen. And Chinese audiences couldn't possibly have asked for a more exciting or reliable name to help bring this across the finish line. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the alien-invasion epic is...

Liu Cixin's sci-fi novel Three-Body Problem is being adapted into a new movie. The movie will be helmed by Hero and The Great Wall director Zhang Yimou. The movie will likely have to compete with the upcoming seasons of Netflix's splashy adaptation 3 Body Problem.

Three-Body Problem is being adapted into a new movie. The 2008 Liu Cixin sci-fi novel, which follows multiple timelines of Earth's interactions with extraterrestrials, is the first installment in the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy. Most recently, the novel has been adapted into a Netflix show created by Alexander Woo with Game of Thrones' David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. 3 Body Problem season 2 and season 3 have already been renewed, allowing the show to adapt the complete trilogy.

Per Deadline, a new adaptation of the Three-Body Problem novel was announced at the Shanghai International Film Festival by Enlight Media chairman Wang Changtian. The movie,...

The new Netflix series 3 Body Problem is continuing to tell the story of its first season through some “additional episodes” that the streamer has ordered, which will seemingly segue into new seasons as the show has been renewed for two more. The 3 Body Problem was the title of the first novel in Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy. The second novel was titled The Dark Forest and the third was Death’s End. The first season of 3 Body Problem did pull in a sizeable audience, but the show wasn’t exactly the massive hit Netflix was hoping it would be, especially when you factor in the price tag of over $20 million per episode.

The property will now also be getting a feature film treatment as Deadline has revealed that renowned Chinese director Zhang Yimou, known for the Jet Li film Hero and the Matt Damon...

The Netflix special roasting NFL great Tom Brady made it onto the streaming charts for the week it premiered — despite it only being up for a few hours of that week.

The Roast of Tom Brady racked up 279 million minutes for the week of April 29-May 5, good for 10th place among original series in Nielsen’s rankings. The special streamed live on May 5, meaning it tallied those viewing minutes in under 12 hours. (With a running time of almost three hours, the 279 million minutes equate to about 1.6 million complete runs of the special.)

Bluey moved back into the top overall spot with 1.18 billion minutes of viewing on Disney+, adding to its total as the most streamed title in the United States so far this year (21.73 billion minutes and counting). Fallout, which had led the previous three weeks, slipped to third overall with 1.08 billion minutes of viewing on Prime Video, while Grey’s Anatomy...

If the recent critical and commercial success of films like Godzilla Minus One, The Boy and the Heron, and Parasite have taught the film industry anything, it's that American audiences are more than enthusiastic about supporting great works of international cinema on the big screen. This will hopefully put an end to the insulting trend of whitewashing that has dominated the industry for years, and denied many actors of color the opportunity to appear in films reflective of their cultural experience. Theres perhaps no more egregious case of whitewashing in recent years than the release of the fantasy action epic The Great Wall. Despite being named after one of the most significant pieces of Chinese architecture, The Great Walls cast was led by white actors, with Chinese performers only given supporting roles.

The Peanut Butter Falcon becomes an unexpected Netflix hit five years after its release, climbing to the Top 10 list in the United States. The film's success is attributed to its heartwarming story, exceptional acting, and modern take on classic American fiction. With critical acclaim, impressive box office earnings, and now streaming success, The Peanut Butter Falcon is a modern indie classic.

The Peanut Butter Falcon enters Netflix's Top 10 chart in the United States five years after its initial release. Written and directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz in their debut, The Peanut Butter Falcon follows the semi-true story of Zak, a young man with Down syndrome who runs away from a residential nursing home and bonds with a wayward fisherman while a social worker tries to track them down. Other than Shia Labeouf and Dakota Johnson, the cast includes Zack Gottsagen, John Hawkes, Bruce Dern, Jon Bernthal, and Thomas Haden Church.

The controversial movie Miller's Girl made it to the Netflix Top 10 despite a 29% Rotten Tomatoes rating. The movie bombed at the box office, but surged in popularity on Netflix. Ortega's bold career choices, like in Miller's Girl, may secure a strong legacy, despite its poor performance.

Jenna Ortega's controversial erotic thriller Miller's Girl has hit the US Netflix Top 10 charts despite its poor 29% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Ortega has risen to prominence in the last few years, with guest roles in TV shows like You, before achieving global stardom for her leading roles in the movies Scream & Scream 6, and the supernatural black-comedy Wednesday, which has been renewed for season 2 by Netflix. Starring Ortega and Emmy-winning actor Martin Freeman, Miller's Girl focuses on the complicated and inappropriate relationship between a teacher and student, following a creative writing assignment.

The movie has been mired in controversy and bombed at the box office,...

The Great Wall, starring Matt Damon, has made it to the Netflix top 10 in the US, ranking No. 4 for the week. The movie faced criticism for promoting a white savior narrative and whitewashing the cast, among other issues. Despite making $334.9 million worldwide on a $150 million budget, The Great Wall is considered a flop in Matt Damon's career.

Matt Damons The Great Wall has made it onto the Netflix top 10 in the US. Released in 2016, The Great Wall is a Zhang Yimou movie about a group of European mercenaries who are imprisoned in China and are conscripted to help out a secret army that maintains and defends the Great Wall from fantastical enemies. In addition to Damon, The Great Wall features an ensemble cast that includes Willem Dafoe, Pedro Pascal, Tian Jing, Andy Lau, Zhang Hanyu, Lu Han, and Kenny Lin.

Now, Netflix has calculated their Top 10 most-watched movies in the...

Shrek's popularity on Netflix soared, taking the top spot on the streaming chart. Shrek's success on Netflix boosted the viewership of its sequels, including Shrek Forever After. DreamsWorks had little faith in Shrek at first, using it as a punishment project for animators.

Even at 23 years old, Shrek still holds a special place in audiences' hearts. The Mike Myers-led animated comedy first released in 2001 and introduced audiences to the iconic green ogre. The fire of Shrek's fandom isn't just flickering softly though, it's blazing strong as the film has catapulted to the top of the Netflix streaming chart after being added to the streamer's catalog.

Earlier in the week, Shrek sat at No. 3 on Netflix's Top 10, but the film has quickly risen to the top spot, overtaking the Netflix Original Unfrosted, a Pop-Tart origin story. However, it doesn't sit alone in that Top 10, as Shrek's popularity has also...

Theaters are in a slump longer than they should be. The last five weekends averaged about $70 million total, while in 2019, the same five weekends with lower ticket prices averaged $190 million. That means success in VOD revenue is all that more important for studios. Even so, on the two top 10 lists from iTunes (ranking by transactions) and Fandango (by revenue), half the slots are taken by companies other than the usual top five.

Results overall reflect the cutback in releases due to last year’s strikes, some longer windows for bigger-grossing studio releases, and, in most cases, a weaker response to other films that made little theatrical impact. All that made it easy for “Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.), by far the year’s biggest hit, to repeat as #1 on both charts for the third week. And that’s with a higher price than usual.

Jerry Seinfeld’s feature directorial debut “Unfrosted,...

The Great Wall aimed to cater to both American and Chinese audiences, boasting a star-studded international cast. Despite its success in China, the film underperformed in the US, leading to a significant loss for its producers. With a whopping budget of $150 million, The Great Wall's box office returns fell short, resulting in a $75 million net loss.

In 2017 Legendary Pictures released The Great Wall, which, despite its box office performance, still managed to lose a significant amount of money. The film is a fantasy story following a group of European mercenaries who travel to China and get caught up in the fight to defend the Great Wall from monsters. The film was directed by fantastic Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, who's had some crossover hits in America like Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Raise the Red Lantern. He was a natural choice for a project designed to appeal to both American and Chinese audiences.

The Great Wall, starring Matt Damon, faced controversy for its casting choices and white savior narrative. Despite a star-studded cast and crew, the film struggled with poor reception and disappointing box office numbers. Matt Damon has acknowledged the film's flaws, referring to it as a "disaster" and admitting it didn't work creatively.

The Matt Damon historical drama The Great Wall was one of the most controversial films during the time of its release. The Great Wall was a United States and Chinese co-production directed by visionary Chinese director Zhang Yimou. Damon starred in the lead role of William in The Great Wall alongside a supporting cast that included Willem Dafoe, Tian Jing, Andy Lau, Pedro Pascal, Hanyu Zhang, Han Lu, Kenny Lin, and Eddie Peng.

Despite its star cast and crew, The Great Wall struggled at the time of its release. Its reception was largely poor, with the film garnering...

Filmed in Qingdao, a port city in China, "The Great Wall" couldn't use the actual Great Wall due to production constraints. Despite being a Hollywood production, the movie aimed to showcase Chinese culture and invention. With a budget of $150 million, the high-budget blockbuster immersed viewers in a fantastical ancient China setting, unique to the film.

The 2016 movie The Great Wall features a sprawling, fantastical version of China as its setting, and the movie has some interesting on-site filming locations. Despite talented stars like Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal, and Willem Dafoe leading The Great Wall cast, the action movie was an enormous critical and commercial flop. On a budget of $150 million, the film tanked at the box office with a worldwide total of $334.9 million. Critics also responded poorly to the movie, giving it an abysmal 35% score on Rotten Tomatoes and 5.9 on IMDb.

The Great Wall is streaming on Netflix as of May 2024.

Despite the movie's reception,...

Clockwise from left: Atlas (Netflix), My Oni Girl (Netflix), Unfrosted (Netflix)Image: The A.V. Club

Netflix offers a few high-profile originals this May as the summer movie season gets ready to kick off in theaters. Jerry Seinfeld makes his feature directorial debut and acts in Unfrosted, a comedy about the...

The Great Wall is now streaming on Netflix, offering viewers a chance to see the Hollywood-China action thriller. Despite star power and top-notch creative team, Matt Damon admitted the film was a disaster. Accusations of whitewashing and white superiority plagued The Great Wall, overshadowing its intended cultural showcase.

The controversial Chinese-set war movie, The Great Wall, featuring Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal, and Willem Dafoe, is now streaming on Netflix. Releasing in February 2017, The Great Wall opened to negative reviews from critics across the board. The joint Hollywood-China action thriller was also rejected by audiences, grossing only $334.9 million at the box office on a $150 million production budget. The Great Wall was a box office bomb, losing around $75 million, making it both a critical and commercial failure. However, it could get a new lease of life on Netflix, where more audiences can discover the film.

The Great Wall cast includes veteran Hollywood...

Despite receiving poor reviews, 'The Great Wall' has found a second life on Netflix after its commercial flop in theaters. The film features a star-studded cast including Matt Damon, Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, and Willem Dafoe in lead roles. Director Zhang Yimou and writer Tony Gilroy bring their expertise to the movie.

The 2016 fantasy action movie The Great Wall boasts an impressive cast of veteran Hollywood actors and stars from China and Hong Kong. The film was produced on a budget of $150 million and was considered a significant commercial flop with its $334.9 million box office run upon its American release in February 2017. To make matters worse, The Great Wall received scathing reviews from critics and audiences, with a 35% Tomatometer and 42% Audience Score. However, like many movies that struggled upon release, The Great Wall has found a second life streaming on Netflix.

While The Great Wall isn't one of Matt Damon's best movies,...

Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou this week made his first-ever trip to the Far East Film Festival in Italy’s Udine, and appeared to fall in love with the theatrical and festival experience all over again.

At a masterclass on Thursday morning, Zhang spoke of his filmmaking techniques and priorities, his enduring quest for the human touch and why not all films need to be masterpieces.

“Nobody has pure talent. Success also comes from hard work and the kind of luck that pull together an optimal crew and a cast that gels. I don’t believe that all films can be masterpieces and I doubt that I’ve made my best possible film yet. I’m still on the way,” he told a packed audience at Udine’s Teatro Nuovo, most of which had moments earlier watched a screening of his sensational “Raise the Red Lantern,” which had been restored to 4K.

It’s season finale time for networks, but Netflix, naturally, still has plenty of brand new TV and shows coming in May.

Jeff Daniels makes his TV return in the David E. Kelley series “A Man in Full.” That six-episode series is based on the bestselling book of the same name by Tom Wolfe. Per a press release: “When Atlanta real estate mogul Charlie Croker faces sudden bankruptcy, political and business interests collide as Charlie defends his empire from those attempting to capitalize on his fall from grace.” The series will also star Tom Pelphrey, Diane Lane, Lucy Liu, William Jackson Harper, Aml Ameen, Sarah Jones, Jon Michael Hill and Chanté Adams.

Additionally, comedy fans can get excited for a new special series from John Mulaney. The comedian is hosting a multi-night event, “John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in LA,” that looks to be part interview show and part man-on-the-street hijinks.

Stefano Ruffo's impressive Lego recreations of Tomb Raider moments captivate fans on Instagram. Crystal Dynamics praised Ruffo's work as part of the Community Spotlight section on the official Tomb Raider website. Despite the lack of official Lego Tomb Raider sets, Ruffo offers instructions for fans to build their own.

A talented Lego fan has received praise from Crystal Dynamics for their recreations of iconic Tomb Raider moments and locations. Most of these moments have come from the classic series of games, the first three of which were recently remastered by Aspyr Media, with further remasters being hinted at via Easter eggs.

Crystal Dynamics showcased the creations of Stefano Ruffo - who goes by tombraiderbrick on Instagram, where he's shared all of his creations so far - as part of the Community Spotlight section on the official Tomb Raider website. Ruffo recreated many moments from the Tomb Raider series using...

Veteran Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou will receive both the Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2023 Highest-Grossing Asian Film Award for his last feature Full River Red at this week’s Asian Film Awards.

The Asian Film Awards body has said the two awards are a “testament to Zhang’s extraordinary achievements but also to his continued success.” He was last feted by the awards body in 2021 when he picked up best director for One Second. In 2010 he was also handed the Asian Film Contribution Award.

Widely credited as one of the central figures of China’s Fifth Generation Cinema, Zhang made his directorial debut with Red Sorghum (1987). Since then, he has tackled a wide range of film genres in work like The Story of Qiu Ju (1992), To Live (1994), The Road Home (1999), House of Flying Daggers (2004), The Great Wall (2016) and Cliff Walkers (2021). Full River Red was released during the 2023 Chinese New Year...

Acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou is to be feted with two honours at the Asian Film Awards on Sunday (March 10) in recognition of his career and recent box office success.

Zhang will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2023 Highest-Grossing Asian Film Award for Full River Red, which made $667m worldwide according to ticketing agency Maoyan following its release in January last year.

It marks a return to AFAs for the director, who won the Asian Film Contribution Award at in 2010 and best director in 2021 for One Second.

“Having been in the industry for over four decades, I am grateful...

Veteran mainland Chinese director Zhang Yimou is to be honored twice over at the Asian Film Awards ceremony on Sunday. He will be presented with a lifetime achievement award and a separate prize for directing the highest-grossing Asian film of 2023.

“These two awards are not only a testament to Zhang’s extraordinary achievements, but also to his continued success, having won the Asian film contribution award at the 4th AFAs in 2010 and the best director award at the 15th Asian Film Awards in 2021 for ‘One Second’,” Afa organizers said.

“I consider myself very fortunate to have chosen filmmaking as my lifelong profession. Having been in the industry for over four decades, I am grateful to everyone who appreciates my films [..] I will keep learning and strive to surpass myself. Always having anticipations for the future, I hope that my best film will be my next one,” said Zhang in a prepared statement.

For too long, Hollywood films set against an Asian backdrop have succumbed to the stereotypical portrayal of the ‘White savior’ eclipsing the significance and value of an Asian character. Matt Damon’s 2016 film The Great Wall was a major culprit in propagating this viewpoint, with the Oscar winner himself regretting being part of such a narrative.

Hiroyuki Sanada in Shōgun

This is the kind of prejudiced portrayal that FX’s Shōgun wanted to avoid. The samurai show stars accomplished Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada as the central protagonist who has also doubled up as the producer for the project. Showrunners Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo were keenly aware of the clichéd roles that actors like Sanada were subjected to, and wanted to right this wrong with this series.

Suggested“This isn’t even remotely true”: Disney Gets Surprise Fan Support After Being Accused of ‘Under-Promoting’ Hiroyuki Sanada’s Shōgun After...

Matt Damon’s filmography boasts credits that illustrate the actor’s bankable stature. But one endeavor that often gets overlooked, presumably because of the reception it received pre- and post-release, was Zhang Yimou’s The Great Wall. Looking back on the project, the Oppenheimer alum acknowledged discerning early on that the movie may be a disaster. And disaster it was—if you consider its box office performance and critics’ evaluations, at least.

Matt Damon in The Great Wall (2016)

It wasn’t just that, though. Leading up to the film’s release, the implications of Damon’s inclusion in a premise set in medieval China, where he starred as a European mercenary warrior who joins forces with the Chinese to help combat an alien threat, was not treated lightly. Accusations faulted the initiative for utilizing the ‘white savior trope’ and ‘whitewashing.’

Of course, those are arguments that characterize many Hollywood endeavors.

Matt Damon is Hollywood’s nice guy yet the actor is absolutely incredible when it comes to action movies. Starring in one of the most popular action franchises of all time, the Bourne movie series, the actor’s portrayal of an action hero is as good as it can get.

Matt Damon (on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert)

A tale of resilience and fragility, Damon’s portrayal of the enigmatic spy, especially in the last movie Jason Bourne, has made him a cinematic legend. Yet the movie turned out to be his personal hell, even more so since the last Bourne entry starring Marvel star Jeremy Renner nearly killed the entire $1.6 billion franchise, making it all the more difficult for the then 45-year ord actor.

How Jason Bourne Became Matt Damon’s Personal Hell

Matt Damon in and as Jason Bourne

Matt Damon is now in his 50s yet...