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““Kokuho” is based on Shuichi Yoshida’s bestselling 2018 novel. Director Lee Sang-il, who previously adapted Yoshida’s “Villain” and “Rage,” returns to familiar ground, this time telling the story of a yakuza-born orphan adopted into a kabuki dynasty who eventually becomes a ningen kokuho, a “living national treasure” recognized by the Japanese government. Reserved for artists in culturally significant fields like kabuki, pottery, and tea ceremony, the designation is both a personal honor and a societal symbol. Premiering at Cannes, the movie resonated strongly with Japanese audiences. Upon its June 6 release, it opened at ¥346 million in its first weekend, debuting at #3, then climbed to #1 by its third week. Within a month, it had earned over ¥5 billion (roughly $34 million Usd) from 3.57 million admissions, becoming the top-grossing Japanese live-action release of 2025.

Where to watch

The story centers on Kikuo, who loses his father in a gang-related killing at the age of fifteen.

Exclusive: The BBC has acquired Michael Morpurgo adaptation Kensuke’s Kingdom.

The 2023 movie stars Cillian Murphy, Sally Hawkins and Raffey Cassidy (The Brutalist) and features the epic adventure of Michael, a young boy, shipwrecked on a remote island, who discovers he’s not alone when he encounters a mysterious Japanese man who retreated there after World War Two. As dangerous invaders appear on the horizon, it becomes clear they must join forces to save their fragile island paradise. Murphy and Hawkins play the mum and dad to Aaron McGregor’s Michael.

Kensuke’s Kingdom will launch on BBC iPlayer on August 3. Adapted by UK Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the much-loved Morpurgo book was nominated for a BAFTA earlier this year. Directed by Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry, it also stars Aaron MacGregor (Puffin Rock) and Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai).

Kensuke’s Kingdom won numerous international film and film music awards including...

(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.)

"I've been fascinated by dreams my whole life, since I was a kid, and I think the relationship between movies and dreams is something that's always interested me, and I liked the idea of trying to portray dreams on film." Those are the words of Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan explaining in 2010 where the idea for "Inception" came from.

Conceptually, it sounds just as likely to be a $15 million A24 movie than what we got, which was a mind-bending, massively expensive, inventive blockbuster that was, in addition to being a massive hit, a wholly original idea. 15 years later, it's hard to imagine almost any original movie getting a $160 million green light from a studio like Warner Bros. Yet, Nolan was at the beginning...

It's hard to convey just how much hype there was around Christopher Nolan's "Inception" leading up to its release in 2010. The mysterious marketing campaign, the vague teaser trailers ... it all pointed to a cinematic event that would take the culture by storm -- and it did. Nolan certainly benefitted from the critical acclaim of his previous film, "The Dark Knight." Add in Leonardo DiCaprio, a stacked ensemble, and a "Matrix"-esque concept, and you had a massive hit on your hands.

While the film's trailers are well-remembered (thanks in large part to that musical "Bwahhhh" sting that quickly infiltrated all future trailers forever), one piece of the marketing lead-up to "Inception" has been lost to time, and unfortunately, it's the piece with the most actual narrative content. Before the movie came out, fans were treated to a prequel motion comic entitled "Inception: The Cobol Job," featuring the voice talents of the real cast.

Kokuho, the three-hour Japanese epic about a family of kabuki performers that premiered at Cannes, has surpassed the¥5bn ($34m) mark at the Japanese box office.

The drama, directed by Lee Sang-il, hit the landmark on June 10, according to distributor Toho, and has recorded 3.57 million admissions. Itis Japan’s highest-grossing live-action domestic film of 2025 to date.

Released on June 6, the film has achieved the rare feat of increasing its own takings every weekend since it opened.

The last feature to outperform itself for four consecutive weekends in Japan was 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody and Kokuho is the first film distributed by...

Already Watched M3GAN 2.0? These 3 Must-Stream AI Films Should Be Your Next Pick (Photo Credit – Prime Video)

If you enjoy watching sci-fi films like M3GAN and its sequel, M3GAN 2.0 and want to watch more movies about AI and robots, you’re in for a treat. Here are three gripping sci-fi films that delve into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and robots. And the best part: they are all streaming on Ott.

1. Companion Release Year – 2025 Director – Drew Hancock Rotten Tomatoes Score – 93% Streaming On – Jio Hotstar & Amazon Prime Video (Rent)

Plot: This romantic sci-fi thriller follows Iris and Josh (played by Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid), a seemingly ordinary couple on a weekend getaway with friends at a remote cabin. But the leisurely trip takes a terrifying and unexpectedly violent turn when the true nature of one of the guests is revealed. It also stars Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén,...

Warner Bros. has lost the live-action movie rights to Akira after more than two decades of stalled development.

The rights have officially reverted to Kodansha, the Japanese publisher behind the original manga created by Katsuhiro Otomo in 1982, according to an exclusive report by The Hollywood Reporter.

Kodansha is now reportedly preparing to relaunch the project, with producers and talent already lining up to pitch new versions to studios and streaming platforms.

Related:

Akira Creator Reveals He Is Working On A New Manga

Warner Bros. first acquired the live-action rights to Akira in 2002, envisioning a Hollywood adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s postapocalyptic cyberpunk manga.

The studio initially tapped Blade director Stephen Norrington, followed by a long string of creatives that included Gary Whitta, Mark Fergus, Steve Kloves, the Hughes brothers, and Jaume Collet-Sera.

Over the years, the project was derailed by creative differences, budget concerns, and backlash over casting choices.

One...

Among the string of live-action anime adaptations created over the past few years, one that has consistently avoided significant advancements in the pre-production stage is an adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's seminal work, Akira. Originally published from 1982 to 1990, Akira is a cyberpunk post-apocalyptic story that revolves around several different figures in Japan's crumbling society, whether it be through the teenage biker gang led by Shotaro Kaneda, the revolutionary Kei, or the Military leader Colonel Shikishima. While there has been some news about Akira moving forward at Warner Bros., it seems that the project is finally dead in the water.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the rights to Akira have finally reverted to its original publisher, Kodansha Comics. Warner Bros. had first acquired the rights to Akira all the way back in 2002, and in the 23 years since then, a revolving door of writers and directors have been attached to the project.

The possibility of a live-action take of the 1988 anime movie Akira from Warner Bros is no longer, as Deadline has confirmed that the right have lapsed, now reverted back to manga publisher Kodansha.

The movie directed by Katsuhiro Ôtomo follows teenage biker gang member who turns into a rampaging psychic psychopath after a secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo. The protag learns he has telekinetic abilities which are dangerous to the word. His best friend is the only guy who can stop him.

The Burbank, CA lot has had the movie rights since 2002 with directors like Stephen Norrington, Albert Hughes, Jaume Collet-Serra and Taika Waititi circling. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian way was circling and at one point, Akira, had an $18.5M California Tax credit. Boardwalk Empire star Michael Pitt was even attached to the project at one point, and then Garret Hedlund. Kristen Stewart, Helena Bonham-Carter and Ken Watanabe even kicked the tires on Akira.

Riding into Neo-Tokyo is going to take a little bit longer.

After more than two decades of developing a live-action take on Japanese sci-fi classic Akira, Warner Bros. has let go of the movie rights.

The rights have reverted back to Kodansha, the manga publisher that first put out the postapocalyptic cyberpunk story by Katsuhiro Otomo in 1982. Producers and talent are said to be lining up to attach themselves to the property in preparation to be presented to select studio and streamers.

First appearing as a genre-defining manga that ran throughout the 1980s, Akira is best known as the seminal 1988 anime that was a defining moment for adult animation and Japanese culture in terms of reaching a worldwide audience.

Warners picked up the movie rights in 2002 and set Blade filmmaker Stephen Norrington to direct an adaptation, with Jon Peters producing.

What followed is one of the longest development hell escapades in Hollywood history,...

Christopher Nolan Almost Made Inception A Horror ( Photo Credit – Prime Video )

Celebrated Hollywood filmmaker Christopher Nolan is known for several blockbuster hits, including The Dark Knight trilogy, Interstellar, Dunkirk, and Oppenheimer. While most of his movies involve complex storytelling, one of them particularly stands out as a truly mind-bending cinematic experience. Interestingly, the same film was first imagined by the Oscar-winning filmmaker as a horror movie. Can you guess which film it is? Read on to find out.

The Christopher Nolan Film That Was Imagined As a Horror Movie

We are talking about the 2010 sci-fi heist action flick Inception, which redefined the idea and execution of a modern sci-fi film. Before it became one of the most talked-about blockbusters of the 21st century, Christopher Nolan’s Inception began as something very different. A horror film that centred around dreams. Can you believe it?

According to an earlier interview as per Telegraph about Inception,...

Christopher Nolan’s Inception wasn’t just a movie, it was a masterpiece featuring a mind-melting cinematic Rubik’s Cube that made us question reality, dreams, and the very concept of time. With Leonardo DiCaprio leading a starry squad including Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon- Levitt, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe, and Marion Cotillard, the film instantly became a sci-fi classic.

Inception had everything- brains, brawn, and enough layered plotlines to make your head do somersaults. But before DiCaprio was wrangling dreams, did you know Will Smith was approached to play the lead? Yep, you heard it right. Surprisingly, he passed on it and skipped the kick. But before you start shouting “Why, Will, why?”, hold the thought, because we must hear his side of the story before we come to any conclusion.

Will Smith on rejecting Inception lead role Will Smith in Gemini Man (Credits- Paramount)

No doubt Will...

Will Smith Turned Down Major Nolan Movie (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Hollywood actor Will Smith has delivered countless stellar performances over his prolific acting career. The 56-year-old star has impressed cinephiles worldwide in films like Independence Day, Men in Black, The Pursuit of Happyness, I Am Legend, Aladdin, and with his Oscar-winning role in the biographical sports drama King Richard. But there are also some iconic films he could have starred in. One such movie was a mind-bending Christopher Nolan sci-fi flick. Read on to find out which film he turned down and why.

The Christopher Nolan Film That Will Smith Turned Down

Will Smith has revealed in a recent interview with the radio station Kiss Xtra as reported by HuffPost that he turned down a role in Christopher Nolan’s hit sci-fi heist action film Inception (2010). Although it’s not confirmed, the role he rejected was most likely the lead part,...

Exclusive: Lee Sang-il’s Japanese drama Kokuho has been picked up by distributors across Asia and Europe following its premiere in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes last month.

Tokyo-based Aniplex Inc. has sold the film, set in the world of kabuki, to South Korea (Media Castle), Hong Kong (Edko) and Taiwan (Filmware). Paris-based Pyramide International, which handles sales outside Asia, has closed deals for Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg (September Films), and Switzerland (Trigon). Pyramide is also set to release in France on November 5.

The story centres on the son of a yakuza boss, played by Ryo Yoshizawa, who is taken under...

Will Smith famously turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix, a casting that helped make Keanu Reeves a bigger star than ever while spawning a major movie franchise. It's one of two major roles that Smith regrets rejecting, as he similarly turned down a chance to star in one of Christopher Nolan's biggest films.

Smith shared the story of his near-casting in an interview with Kiss Xtra. He was asked about turning down The Matrix, admitting that it still "hurts" when thinking about how successful the movie went on to become without him. Smith then shared how the only other role he rejected that still really bothers him in retrospect is Inception, Nolan's sci-fi action movie that was released to immense success in 2010.

@playkissxtraukYou heard it here first!

One of Clint Eastwood's great World War II films has found a new streaming home -- but there's a catch. Letters from Iwo Jima is now available for streaming on Prime Video.

Letters From Iwo Jima was one part of Eastwood's fantastic WWII epic, released in December 2006 and critically acclaimed, including multiple Academy Award nominations. The move to Prime Video allows it to find a new audience, but the film's companion piece, Flags of Our Fathers, is not available on the streamer.

Letters from Iwo Jima arrived in theaters just months after Flags of Our Fathers. Both films were directed by Eastwood, with the former written by Iris Yamashita and the latter written by William Broyels Jr. and Paul Haggis. Whereas Flags of Our Fathers was based on James Bradley and Ron Powers' book of the same name about the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima -- following the action...

Get ready to jump back to 19th century Japan with one of Tom Cruise'smost memorable standalone films. The Last Samurai, the 2003 Warner Bros. film starring Cruise as a Civil War captain-turned-samurai, is now available to stream on Paramount+. This is one of several major streaming platforms where the film can be viewed, but it now opens the door to people who have Paramount+ to check it out too.

This will be welcome news to anybody who likes historical epics. The film is loosely based on true events during Japan's Meiji Restoration. It follows a Civil War captain, Nathan Algren (Cruise), who is discharged from the war and asked to train soldiers in Japan as the island nation undergoes a political restructuring. He is soon captured by a group samurai led by Moritsugu Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe). While he is initially hostile to them, Algren eventually becomes sympathetic and must choose sides...

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire has been MonsterVerse's highest-grossing film since it entered theatres in 2024. And with the sequel, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, currently in production, one would think that the 2024 feature would still be available on streaming platforms before its next feature came out. Unfortunately, this isn't the case, as Netflix has announced it will remove the film from its library next month.

MonsterVerse fans have until June 14, 2025 to watch Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire before it leaves the streaming giant. Fortunately, the feature available to stream on HBO Max, along with other titles in the franchise like Kong: Skull Islandand Godzilla vs. Kong. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire became the highest-grossing MosterVerse film, generating over $571 million at the global box office, and was highly praised by fans, earning a Verfied a Hot Rotten Tomatoes Score of 89%.

The MonsterVerse is a film franchise featuring characters...

Director Lee Sang-il’s Kabuki drama “Kokuho,” screening at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, represents the culmination of a 15-year creative journey, bringing to life a sweeping tale of artistry, rivalry and tradition spanning five decades of Japanese theater. The film subsequently played at the Shanghai International Film Festival.

Set initially in 1964 Nagasaki, the film follows 14-year-old Kikuo who, after his yakuza father’s death, finds himself taken under the wing of a famous Kabuki actor. Alongside the actor’s son Shunsuke, Kikuo dedicates himself to the centuries-old theatrical tradition, with their relationship evolving through decades of performances — from acting school to prestigious stages — against a backdrop of “scandals and glory, brotherhood and betrayals.”

“After the release of my film ‘Villain,’ I started the idea of a film about Kabuki. However, it took 15 years to come out as a film,” Lee tells Variety. The director, known for his 2013 remake of Clint Eastwood...

Upon the death of his father, the head of a yakuza gang, Kikuo (Ryo Yoshizawa) is taken under the wing of the renowned Kabuki actor Hanjiro Hanai (Ken Watanabe). He becomes his disciple alongside Shunsuke (Ryusei Yokohama), Hanjiro’s only son. The two young men decide to dedicate their lives to the art of Kabuki. Over the course of fifty years, they experience glory and downfall, scandal and triumph, friendship and betrayal. [Source: Directors’ Fortnight]

Kokuho by Japanese-Korean director Lee Sang-il (The Wandering Moon) will have a world premiere at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes. Toho has scheduled a theatrical release in Japan for June 6. The movie is an adaptation of Shuichi Yoshida’s 2017 novel of the same name and the screenplay is by Satoko Okudera (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time).

With today's announcement of the Tony Awards nominations, Daniel Dae Kim has made history as the first Aapi nominee in the Lead Actor in a Play category. Kim was recognized for his performance in the revival of Yellow Face, where he plays a satirical version of playwright David Henry Hwang. Kim's nomination is also part of a record-setting year for Asian representation at the Tonys.

Bd Wong was the first actor of Asian descent to score a Tony. Coincidentally, his 1988 win for Featured Actor in a Play came courtesy of another Hwang play, M. Butterfly. Since then, Iranian performer Arian Moayed has competed in the same category, with nominations for Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo (2011) and A Doll’s House (2023). Paul Chahidi was nominated in the same race in 2014 for Twelfth Night, then Michael Aronov won the featured prize in 2017 for Oslo.

Other past Asian nominees include Lea Salonga (Miss...

Exclusive: Paris-based Pyramide International has secured sales rights outside of Asia to Lee Sang-il’s Kokuho, a Japanese drama set to world premiere next month in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes.

Pyramide will also handle distribution in France while Tokyo-based Aniplex Inc. oversees sales for Asia. A release in Japan is set for June 6 through Toho.

The film centres on Kikuo, the son of a yakuza boss, who is taken under the wing of a renowned kabuki actor following the death of his father. The young man dedicates his life to the art of kabuki – a classical form of Japanese theatre...

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This May, Max is bringing you a lot of entertainment, from the highly anticipated premiere of the new J.J. Abrams series Duster to the streaming release of The Brutalist. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Max next month and have an 80% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 5 best films coming to Max in May 2025 with an 80% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

A Private War (May 1) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87% Credit – Aviron Pictures

A Private War is a biographical war drama film directed by Matthew Heineman from a screenplay by Arash Amel. Based on the 2012 Vanity Fair article titled Marie Colvin’s Private War by Marie Brenner, the 2018 film follows Marie Colvin, a war correspondent suffering from Ptsd after losing an eye. On her next assignment,...

Netflix has just turned the Bat-signal on to attract all subscribers and it's not a hoax. In order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Batman Begins, the streamer decided to bring the whole trilogy helmed by Cristopher Nolan (Oppenheimer) into the catalog. With entries still ranked among the best superhero movies ever made, the trilogy still serves as reference for tone and how to create the perfect villain. You can stream all movies as early as today.

It's baffling to realize, but it's been almost 20 years since Nolan decided to bring a different approach to the superhero genre. The British director decided to set Batman Begins in a more grounded version of Gotham City, and made the bold move of only showing the title character one hour into the movie. Before that, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has a whole arc in which he loses his parents, flees Gotham, spends a...

"The Electric State" has generated nothing but trouble for Netflix.

The streamer spent a whopping $320 million on the film –- which boasts the expensive but wasted talents of Chris Pratt, Millie Bobby Brown, Stanley Tucci, and the blockbuster titans Joe and Anthony Russo –- only for it to debut as an almost immediate viewership flop on Netflix. This was no doubt due to the poor reviews it received upon release (sharing little in common with its lauded source material), as even the platform's own subscribers had already seemingly passed on it in favor of a little-known natural disaster documentary.

But if tornadoes aren't your thing -– and you're not looking to get involved with an overlooked sci-fi series like "Tales from the Loop" –- we've found loads of films currently available to stream or rent online that offer more compelling stories, more impressive visuals, and more human performances than "The Electric State" has to offer.

Actor Matthew Modine, known to a generation of fans as Private J.T. “Joker” Davis from Full Metal Jacket (1987) and another generation as Dr. Martin Brenner from Netflix’s hit Stranger Things, has joined Legendary’s MonsterVerse franchise.

Per Deadline, Modine has been cast in MonsterVerse director Grant Sputore’s next feature film, which currently remains untitled. The movie serves as the follow-up to Adam Wingard's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Modine's casting follows Stranger Things co-star appearing in previous MonsterVerse films, though she's not expected to be in the next one. The two Stranger Things stars are close, as Modine even officiated Brown's wedding to Jake Bongiovi in 2024.

Modine, who is currently starring alongside Robert De Niro in Netflix’s Zero Day, will join a cast that includes Dan Stevens, who is reprising his role as Trapper from Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), Kaitlyn Dever,...

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Netflix is one of the best places to find the best movies and TV shows you can watch on any streaming service. Every month, it adds hundreds of new titles to its content library, but some titles have to go. So, today, we are here to tell you about the best films and TV shows you should watch before they leave Netflix in March 2025.

Due Date (March 1) Credit – Warner Bros.

Due Date is a dark comedy film directed by Todd Phillips, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland, and Adam Sztykiel. The 2010 film follows Peter Highman, who must get to Los Angeles before the birth of his child, but when he gets put on the no-fly list because of an eccentric man named Ethan Tremblay. To get to Los Angeles in time, Peter is...

A new action thriller take on artificial intelligence is due to land on free streaming next month. Released in 2023, The Creator, an original idea from Godzilla and Rogue One director Gareth Edwards, flew somewhat under the radar at the time, but is well worth checking out if you’re a fan of science fiction, action, or when both are smushed together.

Featuring an all-star cast that includes John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, and Allison Janney, and introducing Madeleine Yuna Voyles, The Creator is due to land on the free streaming platform Tubi on March 1, 2025. While we wait, you can check out the movie’s official synopsis below.

“From writer/director Gareth Edwards comes an epic sci-fi action thriller set amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence. Joshua, a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife, is...

Godzilla has been a fan-favorite character in fantasy films since its creation, over seven decades ago in 1954. With several successful films starring the character alone, Legendary Pictures turned the series into a franchise.

The MonsterVerse franchise kicked off in 2014 with Godzilla, and it also added Kong to the mix with 2017's Kong: Skull Island. Since then, the characters faced each other in different films with resounding success. With several names already added to the cast of the new film, Delroy Lindo has also joined the upcoming Godzilla film, The Hollywood Reporter revealed.

RelatedMarch 1 Will Be a Great Day for Godzilla Fans

A good day is coming for Godzilla fans.

The last two films in the MonsterVerse came from Adam Wingard, but the director is stepping down, with Grant Supore set to take the helm for the upcoming yet-untitled Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire sequel. Delroy Lindo has starred in many projects,...

One of the most important Godzillamovies of the modern era is getting a brand-new streaming home, and it's completely free.

Per Tubi, 2014's Godzilla is officially joining the free streaming platform's ever-expanding library of feature films on March 1. This marks the latest in a long line of Kaiju features already available on Tubi, including the Gamera franchise, Gorogo, and the universally loathed 1998 Godzilla reboot, the latter of which is arriving on the platform the very same day.

RelatedCaptain America 4 Director Explains Thanking Oscar Winner in the Credits Who's Not in the Film

Julius Onah explains why Brave New World features a special thanks to an acclaimed actor who does not appear in the film.

2014's Godzilla from Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. was the second attempt at bringing the beloved franchise to life via North American studios since TriStar Pictures' 1998 reboot, which was instantly recognized as a low point for Godzilla as a whole.

By Pawel Mizgalewicz

Looking back at the past, and the thought to fix it – either by covering it up, or by making it better – looks like a fitting choice of subject for Setsuro Wakamatsu, one of Japan’s most experienced directors. Born in 1949, Wakamatsu did not helm any gigantic hits that were shown widely abroad, but is a well known quality in the country and got to work with many of Japan’s popular actors, most famously with Ken Watanabe in „The Unbroken” (“Shizumanu Taiyo”). This time, the director took up a screenplay written by the 90-year-old So Kuramoto, another dependable veteran of the TV and film scene. With “Silence of the Sea”, they tell a story about genius painters at the end of their artistic journey, with dark secrets to untangle. Yet, they dive into the past not only to reminisce, but to use it as a canvas to paint a new masterpiece.

The Authority was first published by DC Comics under the Wildstorm imprint in 1999. Created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, they're a team that gets the job done by any means necessary (their extreme methods care little for politics and law).

Boasting an eclectic cast of characters, the team is one that's bound to appear to filmmaker James Gunn's sensibilities given his work on franchises like Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad, and Creature Commandos. The prevailing theory is that he may even be the one to write and direct the project.

It's been a while since we've heard anything about The Authority, though there was some chatter last November about it becoming an animated movie instead of a live-action one.

Today, scooper @MyTimeToShineH has backed up reports that The Authority movie is being "reworked." There's no mention of whether that includes a switch to animation but the...

Kensuke’s Kingdom, directed by Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry, based on the novel by Micheal Morpurgo, is a hand-drawn animated feature that managed to snag both BAFTA and Annie Award nominations this year. The action-adventure centers around a young boy named Michael (Aaron MacGregor), who is taken by his family on a sailing trip. When a storm rolls in, he and his dog, Stella, are pushed overboard and end up on a remote island where they must learn to survive on their own. On the verge of losing all hope, Michael encounters a stern, elderly Japanese soldier (Ken Watanabe) who was stranded there after his military boat capsized during World War II.

Here, Deadline talks to the filmmaking duo about bringing this tale to life.

Deadline: How did you both come to this project?

Kirk Hendry: Sarah Radclyffe, a filmmaker and producer,...

Hey there, fellow movie enthusiasts! If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably spent countless hours getting lost in Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending masterpieces. While we’d love to have his entire filmography at our fingertips on Netflix, the streaming service currently hosts just two of his incredible works.

Netflix Logo | Credits: netflix – netflix.com, Cc By-sa 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

But don’t let that discourage you – these two films are absolute gems that perfectly showcase what makes Nolan such a groundbreaking director. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just diving into his work, you’re in for a treat with these visual spectacles that’ll have your brain doing somersaults long after the credits roll.

Disclaimer: This is updated as per the data available in January 2025 for Netflix US, streaming rights are subject to change.

Batman Begins (2005) Gary Oldman and Christian Bale in Batman Begins (2005) | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures...

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire's Dan Stevens is on track to return to Legendary Pictures' MonsterVerse.

Per Deadline, Stevens is currently in talks to return to the iconic role of Trapper in the next MonsterVerse film. The currently untitled project is slated to introduce No One Will Save You star Kaitlyn Dever in a leading role, and will be directed by Grant Sputore from a script written by Dave Callaham.

Related'i'm Happily Retired': Chris Evans Shuts Down Rumors of MCU Return in Avengers: Doomsday

Chris Evans continues to dispel rumors that he will be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the next Avengers movie.

Legendary Pictures' MonsterVerse began with 2014's Godzilla directed by Gareth Edwards. It was expanded with 2017's Kong: Skull Island from director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, which was followed up by director Michael Dougherty's Godzilla: King of the Monsters two years later. In 2021, director Adam Wingard...

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Netflix is one of the best places to find the best movies and TV shows you can watch on any streaming service. Every month, it adds hundreds of new titles to its content library, but with that, there are also some titles that have got to go. So, today, we are here to tell you about the best film you should watch before it leaves Netflix in February 2025.

Plus One (February 1) Credit – Rlje Films

Plus One is a romantic comedy film co-written and co-directed by Jeff Chan and Andrew Rhymer. The 2019 film follows Ben King and Alice Mori, two young friends who attend multiple weddings together but they soon fall for each other. Plus One stars Jack Quaid, Maya Erskine, Beck Bennett, Rosalind Chao, Perrey Reeves, and Ed Begley Jr.

Fast Five (February 11) Credit – Universal Pictures

Fast Five...

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Worldwide Box Office: Set To Beat Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (Photo Credit – Facebook)

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 maintains its stronghold at the box office despite its digital release. The film is set to cross a significant global milestone, and it will also beat the worldwide haul of Detective Pikachu very soon. It is already a winner at the box office, as it is the highest-grossing installment in the franchise and has collected 266.06% more than its estimated budget. Keep scrolling for the deets.

The film is based on the Pokemon franchise and the loose adaptation of the 2016 videogame Detective Pikachu. It was the first live-action Pokemon film and the first live-action film based on a Nintendo game property since Super Mario Bros of 1993. The fantasy movie features Tyan Reynolds as the voice of Pikachu, and live-action roles were portrayed by Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Suki Waterhouse, Omar Chaparro,...

Big casting news has just been revealed for the next chapter of the MonsterVerse. The film will serve as a direct follow-up to Adam Wingard's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Per Deadline, Kaitlyn Dever (The Last of Us) is now in talks to star in the upcoming Godzilla x Kong sequel. The film, which will see Grant Sputore take the helm with Wingard focusing on different projects, will similarly feature a mix of human characters and familiar Titans. David Callaham is writing the script. Character details have not yet been disclosed, and no other cast members are known to be involved with the film at this time.

Related Surprising Avenger Is Taking on Godzilla

Toho International and Marvel Comics reveal the release date and creative team of the epic Godzilla Vs. Hulk crossover one-shot.

Dever was recently cast in one of her biggest roles yet, though it has yet to premiere.

Amid the announcement of Christopher Nolan's next magnum opus, an adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey starring Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, and Charlize Theron, two of his most talked-about movies made their way to Netflix. On January 1, the streaming platform added Inception and Interstellar to its streaming library, a nice little New Year's gift for its subscribers as 2025 rolled in.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as professional dream thief Dom Cobb, Inception was what the internet liked to call a complete mind-fuck when it first came out in 2010. For many viewers, it did not make a lot of sense up until a second or third watch, yours truly along them. But several five-star reviews, millions at the box office, and eight Oscar nominations later, it became evident that Nolan had broken new ground in Hollywood.

However, Inception was definitely not the first sci-fi movie to...

It's always interesting to see popular TV actors getting movie roles, but these roles don't always work out. There are countless cases of actors whose best work is on TV being mishandled when they get a chance on the big-screen. Some of the best TV actors of all time have been unable to replicate their success in movies. Often, this is because movies don't provide them with the kinds of roles that let them shine.

In the streaming era, TV shows and movies are starting to become more similar in some ways. This means that many great TV actors can easily transition to movies, and vice versa, but this isn't always so simple. Popular TV actors can come under increased scrutiny when they get major movie roles, simply because it's a change of pace for them that promises something different. This is why fans can feel so let down when...

Seven years after directing Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Gareth Edwards helmed the underrated sci-fi film The Creator. Although not a major box office hit during its initial release, The Creator recently found success on the streaming platform Prime Video.

Per Screen Rant, The Creator has been trending on Prime Video's Top 10 this week, oscillating between the 9th and 10th place spots. This newfound success comes roughly 15 months after the movie was released in theaters in September 2023, where it went on to gross just over $100 million worldwide against an $80 million budget. Despite its modest critical reception — The Creator sits at 68% on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes — the movie still received nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound at the 96th Academy Awards.

Related Denzel Washington's 7-Year-Old Action Sequel Becomes Streaming Hit

Denzel Washington kicks off the New Year with a successful streaming debut thanks to a seven-year-old action film.

Gareth Edwards' underrated sci-fi film finds streaming success two years after its release. The British filmmaker made his feature directorial debut and first rose to prominence with his 2010 sci-fi horror film, Monsters, an independent production made on a small budget of $500,000, with Edwards also serving as the cinematographer, production designer, and a visual effects artist. From there, he graduated on to directing the big-budget monster movie, 2014's Godzilla, which served as the first film in Legendary's Monsterverse franchise.

Next, Edwards took on one of the most highly coveted jobs in Hollywood, directing a Star Wars movie. He helmed Rogue One, which experienced a troubled production, and it was co-writer Tony Gilroy who oversaw the film's extensive reshoots. After that, Edwards didn't direct a film for seven years until his own original sci-fi epic, The Creator, in 2023. Next up, Edwards has joined another major film franchise, having directed the upcoming Jurassic World Rebirth,...

Tom Cruise has built a career for himself running away from things in movies. But, imagine Tom Cruise running... with samurai swords. Before he flew away from Henry Cavill in a helicopter, climbed the Burj Khalifa, and skydived off a cliff, Tom Cruise traveled back to Feudal Japan in one of his best and most divisive action movies, The Last Samurai. Directed by Edward Zwick, the film has garnered a strong fan base since its release in 2003, and new audiences are about to discover it as The Last Samurai has landed a new streaming home.

The Last Samurai was recently added to Prime Video's ranks for the new year. Cruise stars as Nathan Algren, an American Civil War captain who is hired by the Japanese government to modernize the army's tactics during the Meji Restoration in the 1870s. Alongside Tom Cruise, the film also stars Ken Watanabe, who plays...

Gareth Edwards is one of the most underrated sci-fi directors currently working. The director behind Rogue One and Godzilla decided to ditch the mainstream IP when he released an original sci-fi movie last year. The Creator starred John David Washington, and was set in a techno-futuristic world where humanoid robots are an everyday part of life. But, when a company develops a fully functional AI, the US government sees it as a potential weapon, and orders its termination, no matter the collateral damage.

The Creator is currently streaming on Prime Video and has found massive success on the streamer. The film entered Prime Video's top 10 the day it arrived on the platform. While The Creator has been a massive streaming success, its fate was less than stellar at the box office last year. As much as audiences bemoan IP-based movies and beg for original stories, they don't always show their support in theaters.

A polarizing MonsterVerse installment has been one of the most-watched movies on Netflix since Christmas Day. Earlier this year, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire debuted to mixed critical reviews but was financially successful, becoming the highest-grossing MonsterVerse film to date.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is currently third on Netflix's Top 10 chart, only behind Carry-On and Kerry Washington's The Six Triple Eight. Directed by Adam Wingard, the film is a direct sequel to 2021's Godzilla x Kong and is the fifth film in the shared Monsterverse franchise. In Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Kong encounters more of his species in the Hollow Earth and must again ally with Godzilla to stop the tyrannical Skar King and the powerful, frost-breathing Shimo from invading the Earth's surface. Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle all reprise their roles from the previous film and are joined by Dan Stevens,...

Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi masterpiece Inception is moving to a new streaming home in the new year. This January, fans of the director of films like Dunkirk, Interstellar, and Oppenheimer will be able to revisit his 2010 masterpiece starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, and many more.

Without question one of Nolan’s best features, Inception lands on Netflix on New Year's Day. You’ll be able to enjoy the leftovers from New Year’s Eve while watching Nolan’s mind-bending sci-fi thriller. Sure, it’s a bit complicated to watch during a day when you just want to take a break from all responsibilities, but it’s all worth it. Inception officially hits Netflix on Jan. 1, 2025.

In Inception, Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) leads a group of criminals who practice a different kind of espionage. Using a device that can take their minds into someone else’s dreams,...

Godzilla: King of the Monsters was released in 2019 as the direct sequel to Gareth Edwards' Godzilla, which had mostly positive reviews, despite being deemed a "slow burn" and lacking monster fights. King of the Monsters looked to up the ante in every way possible, focusing on an entirely new group of human characters and pitting classic kaiju against Godzilla. Armed with fanservice and jaw-dropping visual effects, King of the Monsters had everything going for it, but sometimes more doesn't mean better. It proved to be a divisive entry into the then-young movie franchise, a crowd-pleasing affair that lacked depth despite its best efforts. However, even the most cynical Godzilla fans can find plenty to enjnoy in the film, which will be arriving on the ad-supported free streaming service Tubi on New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2025.

Preceded by arguably one of the better trailers in the past decade, Godzilla: King of the Monsters...

Ansel Elgort and Catherine Hardwicke are letting their imaginations run wild as they partner for an adaptation of Cecelia Ahern’s novel If You Could See Me Now. Ahern’s book tells the touching story of an unlikely romance between a woman with the world’s weight on her shoulders and her imaginary friend, Ivan.

Here’s a synopsis for Cecelia Adhern’s If You Could See Me Now novel courtesy of Amazon:

What if love was right there in front of you – you just couldn’t see it? Elizabeth Egan is too busy for friends. As a reluctant mother to her sister Saoirse’s young son Luke and with her own business to run, every precious moment is made to count.

But with Saoirse crashing in and out of their lives, leaving both her sister and her son reeling, Luke and Elizabeth are desperately in need of some magic.

Tom Cruise departed from his usual kinds of movies to do The Last Samurai. At a time when Cruise was stepping into futuristic roles, little did fans expect of him to go back in time for an epic period action drama. The film involved a lot of martial arts sequences and Cruise loved a challenge when it came to such roles. Cruise also delivered acting-wise, bringing an emotional and psychological depth to his character, Captain Nathan Algren.

Tom Cruise in a still from The Last Samurai | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

However, one stunt artist might’ve given Cruise a run for his money when it came to commitment to their role. The said artist was injured during a scene but decided to stay in character even though he was just a background actor. While Cruise was nominated for a Golden Globe, the stunt artist’s effort went largely unnoticed.

Tom...

Gareth Edwards’ latest movie, The Creator (2023), has been a big hit with audiences. Starring John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Allison Janney, and Madeleine Yuna Voyles (in her first-ever acting role), the film has a cool story and stunning visuals. While it’s inspired by classics like Apocalypse Now (1979), Blade Runner (1982), and Akira (1988), Edwards still brings something fresh to the table—especially compared to Hollywood’s recent sci-fi flicks. With its top-notch sci-fi vibes and detailed world-building, the movie feels like a breath of fresh air for fans of the genre. However, the narrative falters due to unfortunate editing choices and a lack of depth in character development. Despite these shortcomings, the film remains a worthwhile watch, especially for those tired of the repetitive themes of alien invasions or AI replacing humans. Mind you, Edwards’ creation at least tried to break free from these tired tropes. I...