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Bob Odenkirk has opened up about his remake of Tommy Wiseau'sThe Room in an exclusive interview. The Room was originally released in 2003, and follows a melodramatic love triangle between Wiseau's Johnny, his deceptive fiancée Lisa (Juliette Danielle), and his best friend Mark (Greg Sestero). Despite its issues, the so-bad-it's-good movie ultimately became a cult classic.

Surprisingly, in 2023, Better Call Saul'sBob Odenkirk starred in a remake of The Room in the lead role of Johnny. The Room Returns! was reportedly in post-production, with Brando Crawford directing and producing the movie for his company, Acting for a Cause, planning to donate all profits to the HIV/AIDS research charity, amfAR.

However, since this announcement and The Room remake released its first look, there havebeen no further developments surrounding the project, which was slated for release in 2023.A few clips from the unreleased film surfaced on the internet, including one of Odenkirk as Johnny,...

In just under two weeks, the San Diego Convention Center will open its doors to thousands of fans for 2025’s San Diego Comic Con, taking place from July 24–27. As we get closer to the big day, more exciting exhibits, panels, and guests are being announced as people begin to map out their jam-packed weekend. So, whether you’re prepping for your itinerary, or if you can’t make it out but want to know all the details, Collider will have feet on the ground, scoping out the booths, brand-new merchandise, and sharing the scoop on all the most anticipated panels, including our “Inside Hollywood with Bob Odenkirk.”

Over the years, Sdcc has grown from its original comic book roots to encompass media across all platforms and has become the hub for fandoms to experience exclusive merch releases, fan-made art, the latest comics, huge studio announcements, and much more. Every year,...

There's a line in "The Dark Knight" from Heath Ledger's Joker: "In their last moments, people show you who they really are." That's likely why a great death scene can be an actor's dream come true. They have a chance to portray their character in a wholly different light than what we've seen previously. They can deliver one last heart-wrenching line of dialogue that'll stick with the protagonist. If nothing else, the audience can get blindsided and react accordingly to some shocking deaths they couldn't have seen coming.

That's assuming, of course, the death is written and performed well. There's nothing worse than having a scene that's supposed to carry dramatic weight, and the audience can't help but laugh at how stupidly someone died. Viewers instantly become aware they're watching a movie and can't reconcile the tonal dissonance of what they've witnessed. There are plenty of death scenes out there,...

A 21st Century Battle Cry Battle cries are a palpable component of combat, particularly in guerilla warfare. From the Rebel Yell to “Banzai!” and the ancient Roman barritus, these shouts threw one’s opponent off-guard and/or struck fear into their hearts as these cries signified the battle had begun and fatality may be imminent. Today, a new battle cry has emerged- “chicken jockey.” Only this cry is more in line with the battle tactics of Heath Ledger’s iteration of the Joker, an agent of chaos who “just wants to watch the world burn,” as Michael Caine’s famous line goes. ‘A Minecraft Movie,’ starring the inimitable Jack Black, marks another high point in his already storied career. Black has been a staple of the comedic film world since his breakout role in ‘High Fidelity’ at the start of the millennium, later cementing his joyous persona in Richard Linklater...

Fandom can be a really intense and personal thing, and sometimes that means fans can take things way too far. That's the central premise behind "The Fanatic," the 2019 thriller co-written and directed by Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst, which follows a neurodivergent man named Moose (John Travolta) who becomes violently obsessed with his favorite actor, Hunter Dunbar (Devon Sawa). Durst co-wrote the movie with screenwriter Dave Bekerman and loosely based it on his own experiences with fans who began to stalk him, though Moose takes things to truly terrifying places. Moose isn't just the kind of obsessive fan who knows everything there is to know about someone, like hardcore Trekkies or the hilarious fictional "Galaxy Quest" fandom; he also starts stalking Hunter and even breaks into his home.

"The Fanatic" is a bizarre film that never quite nails its tone, and though Travolta commits fully to the part, it's both...

Kiborg is a fast-paced action roguelite set in a grimy dystopia. With its crunchy melee combat, gritty visual style, and addictive gameplay loop, it manages to punch well above its weight as a budget title. It isn’t completely flawless, but for what it is, it is an impressive showing from Russian developers Sobaka Studio.

Hitting the Ground Running

The game opens with no airs and graces, launching you straight into a basic tutorial that gives you all of the tools you need to succeed. Kiborg makes a solid first impression. Instead of forcing players through rigid skill tests before letting them properly get into the action, it offers a forgiving introduction that still sufficiently teaches players the essentials of survival.

The short, simple tutorial is complimented well by the game’s learning curve, which feels fair and satisfyingly challenging. Harder difficulties can also be unlocked to encourage replay-ability. The...

One of this week’s new releases stars Steve Coogan and a penguin, so here’s a film quiz about other actors and their animal co-stars.

They say you should never work with children or animals, but that’s not stopped movie stars teaming up with animal co-stars. There are usually mixed results – even the can’t-lose buddy pairing of “Tom Hanks and a French mastiff” definitely didn’t end happily for both of them (spoilery details here). Now in UK cinemas, Peter Cattaneo’s new movie The Penguin Lessons teams up Partridge and penguin, so we’ve got some quiz questions about other live-action animal star vehicles as part of your usual movie-related trivia safari.

Once you’ve completed this week’s film quiz, you’ll find a link to a separate post with the correct answers at the bottom of this post. As always, this is just for fun,...

The cast has been revealed for Lake Vernon, a new psychological thriller movie that's in the works. Among the cast members is Tommy Wiseau, the eccentric filmmaker and actor best known for his unforgettable performance in the 2003 movie The Room.

Per Variety, Lake Vernon will feature Wiseau as part of the ensemble cast, joined by former NFL star Vernon Davis (The Ritual Killer), Malcolm Goodwin (Reacher), David Anders (The Vampire Diaries), Olivia Grace Applegate (Love and Death), and Andrea Sixtos (Arrow). The cast members are currently filming the movie in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Lake Vernon comes form a story by Davis and Tiffany Toney, while director Aaron Jay Rome (End Trip) co-wrote the screenplay with Isaiah Laborde. Davis is also serving as a producer on the project for Real 85 Productions, joined by Rome and Laborde. Additionally, Davis is also executive producing. Oscar-winning editor Scott Conrad (Rocky) will edit the movie.

Filming is underway in Louisiana on the new psychological horror movie Lake Vernon, and Variety has announced the cast this morning.

Former NFL star turned filmmaker Vernon Davis (The Ritual Killer) produces and stars in the film alongside Malcolm Goodwin (“Reacher”), David Anders (“The Vampire Diaries”), Olivia Grace Applegate (“Love and Death”), Andrea Sixtos (“Arrow”) and Tommy Wiseau (Big Shark).

Not only does Davis star and produce, but Lake Vernon is adapted from a story by Davis and Tiffany Toney. The story was adapted for the screen by director Aaron Jay Rome and writer/producer Isaiah Laborde.

In the film, “Old wounds resurface when a fractured group of friends reunites for a weekend retreat at an exclusive lakeside sanctuary,” the film’s official logline reads. “As buried tensions and unspoken betrayals bubble to the surface, the lake itself seems to be listening — watching — offering impossible miracles at a cost none of them understand.

Every now and then, rather than outright failing, a film fails so spectacularly and so dramatically that it wraps all the way around the rating scale and becomes good. Since the days of Ed Wood and the likes of the immortal Plan 9 From Outer Space all the way to audiences throwing spoons at screenings of Tommy Wiseau's The Room, viewers have turned these kitschy failures into cult classics complete with their own fan base, celebrations, and oral histories. And while the bulk of true so bad it's good classics came out much earlier, the new millennium presented a unique opportunity for the corner of society that appreciated cringe and ambition.

It’s been a big wait for Big Shark.

Tommy Wiseau first announced the project as his long-awaited follow-up to the cult hit The Room back in 2019. It finally premiered in 2023, but it’s been unavailable outside of a handful of screenings.

A wider theatrical release seems to be in the works, however, as the film has received a PG-13 rating from the MPA for “bloody creature violence and some strong language.”

Interestingly, the Class and Rating Administration bulletin notes that the film is animated. It’s likely an error, as the previously released trailer below is very much live-action (sans the CG shark), but we’re looking into it.

In addition to writing, directing, and producing, Wiseau stars alongside Isaiah Laborde and Mark Valeriano. They play firefighters tasked with saving New Orleans from a gigantic shark.

The eccentric filmmaker will appear in-person for Big Shark screenings at The Landmark Westwood in Los Angeles,...

From The Shining to It's a Wonderful Life, many of the most influential films in history were savaged by critics upon their release. These films prove that bad reviews alone don't mean a movie is destined for doom. In fact, sometimes critics can entirely miss the point of a film or overlook its most charming aspects.

In the early 2000s, franchise films had yet to establish their stranglehold on Hollywood, and theaters were filled with countless original and unusual movies. Whether it was rom-coms or action blockbusters, the aughts had a fun and light style that was often overlooked by the critics. And many films that were not exactly Oscar-worthy, nonetheless helped define the era, being fondly remembered by their fans decades later.

Critics Were Never The Target Audience For Jennifer's Body Tomatometer: 46%

The comedy-horror film Jennifer's Body sees popular high school girl Jennifer (Megan Fox) become possessed by a...

The ever-growing cultural footprint of The Roomhas transcended cult classic status and vaulted into the mainstream. From "Oh hi, Mark" to "You're tearing me apart, Lisa!", everyone knows you're quoting Tommy Wiseau's 2003 disasterpiece when you repeat these lines. The widespread embracing of The Room and the mysterious Wiseau peaked in 2017 when a feature-length film, The Disaster Artist, was made to honor the bizarre legacy of The Room and the sincere admiration towards its DIY free spirit. What if we told you that, only a year after the release of James Franco's biopic, Wiseau and Room star Greg Sestero reunited after all these years? Most people are oblivious to this reunion, a two-part film called Best F(r)iends, and while it is more assured and dignified in its craft, it nonetheless taps into the peculiar energy that inspired the 21st century's totemic midnight classic.

When it comes to "so bad it's good" movies, there's a small but elite group that transcends their bad writing, stiff performances, and technical ineptitude to become something greater than the sum of their incompetent parts. Some, like Tommy Wiseau's infamous The Room, miss their intended mark so widely that they hit another, completely unintended mark. Others, like 2019's Cats, have all the resources and star power in the world, but are so spectacularly ill-conceived that they succeed in spite of themselves.

But there are other movies that fail on pretty much every level imaginable, from acting to cinematography to sound design, creating a symphony of pain and discomfort that's like catnip to any lover of bad cinema. Movies like these are rarer than one might think, but one of the most infamous examples is celebrating its 15th birthday this month. That film is 2010's Birdemic: Shock and Terror,...

After crafting incredible musical dramas like A Star is Born and Maestro, Bradley Cooper is set to mount his next directorial as a comedy. The actor-filmmaker has been chasing the ever-elusive Academy Award with incredible performances and Oscar-bait movies, but this time, he seems to have changed the game.

Apart from co-starring, co-writing, and directing the upcoming Will Arnett starrer Is This Thing On?, Cooper will reportedly also operate the B camera. The comedy also stars Laura Dern, Sean Hayes, and Emily Blunt. Cooper previously made the musical biopic Meastro, which was nominated for Best Picture and Best Actor.

Bradley Cooper’s quest for the Oscars has led him to be a camera operator in his own film Bradley Cooper in Abbott Elementary | Credits: ABC

Bradley Cooper is known for his drop-dead gorgeous looks and his incredible acting performances in films like Silver Linings Playbook, American Sniper, and more. The...

Exclusive: Fusion Entertainment has signed actor, writer, and director Mary Neely for management, Deadline has learned.

Neely rose to prominence during the Covid lockdowns with her viral reenactments of love duets from classic musicals. Singing both the male and female parts, her lip-syncs caught the attention of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Andrew Lloyd Webber and were named by The New York Times and The Washington Post as among The Best Theater of 2020.

Neely most recently completed production on 20th Century Studios’ untitled Bumble Movie opposite Lily James, Myha’la, Jackson White, and Dan Stevens, which is slated to premiere on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in all other territories in 2025. She will also appear alongside Bob Odenkirk in Acting for a Cause’s rendition of Tommy Wiseau’s cult classic The Room.

Next month, Neely will see the SXSW premiere of Stars Diner, an indie TV pilot that she co-wrote...

Ever since it took unsuspecting moviegoers by surprise in 2003, The Room— directed by, produced by, written by, and starring the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau — has become the flagship of "so bad they're good" movies. To this day, people fondly quote the movie's most infamous lines, reference its most iconic scenes, scrutinize its weird filmmaking choices and celebrate Wiseau as something of a cinematic iconoclast.

All these reactions are perfectly understandable, especially for a cult film as legendary as The Room and for a filmmaker as idiosyncratic as Wiseau. However, the harsh reality is that most of the movie's fans haven't even watched it. It endures thanks to nearly 20-year-old reviews, reactions and memes more than anything else. Which is a shame since, when watched in its entirety and engaged with as intended, The Room is even more unintentionally funny and bizarre than even its biggest fans may recall.

The Room Is...

London’s iconic Prince Charles Cinema (Pcc) has launched a petition protesting against the break clause in its landlord’s latest contract, which would allow the cinema to be closed with only six months’ notice.

According to the Pcc, Zedwell Lsq Ltd, owned by Criterion Capital, has demanded the inclusion of the break clause in the latest lease.

“This could leave us homeless with only six months’ notice should they receive planning permission to redevelop the cinema,” said a statement published by the cinema on its Instagram page today.

“We feel that this demand amounts to a clear attempt by...

The 2010s were an underrated decade when it comes to movies that are so bad that they're amazing, with multiple strong contenders for the specific subgenre of awful movies that are impossible to look away from. When it comes to the best "so bad they're good" movies, the 90s and early 2000s tend to dominate, with classics like Troll 2 and The Room being classic examples. But more recent years have proven that such delicious garbage never stopped being produced.

Laughably bad movies from the 2010s tend to come in two primary flavors; big-budget studio investments that were huge misses and poorly-conceived indie movies made for pennies. Both offer their own unique brand of potent failure, from major decisions that were bafflingly agreed upon by huge studio executives to single-minded visions of bizarre cinematic auteurs that give Tommy Wiseau a run for his money. For those that can appreciate a uniquely terrible film,...

James Franco Method Acting Fallout ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )

James Franco’s method acting obsession got him into hot water during the making of Annapolis in 2006. Known for taking his roles to extreme levels, Franco stayed in character 24/7, even during boxing practice with co-star Tyrese Gibson. This intense dedication backfired, leaving Gibson furious. He was repeatedly hit for real during practice, and after a while, it wasn’t just the punches that were landing.

“I was always like, ‘James, lighten up, man. We’re just practicing,’” Gibson admitted in a 2007 Elle interview. But Franco didn’t have it. The actor was so deep into his role that he couldn’t escape his character’s mindset—even when the cameras weren’t rolling. It was a method-acting misstep that turned the set into a tension-filled experience.

Gibson’s frustration boiled over, and he openly declared, “I never want to work with him again,...

For obvious reasons, most people prefer to watch movies that are actually good. Those familiar with the cult appeal of "so-bad-they're-good" movies, though, are well aware that there's a unique kind of charm in a film so silly, nonsensical, and ineptly made that it's impossible not to have fun with it. Tommy Wiseau's passion project, The Room, is perhaps the king of such films.

Politics and the apocalypse collide in Rumours – a horror satire that threatens to steal Megalopolis’ crown as 2024’s most eccentric movie.

When Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis came out earlier this year, opinions were somewhat divided as to whether it was a grand folly, a visionary masterpiece, a piece of demented high camp, or a mixture of all of these.

What most could agree on was that there was nothing else quite like it in 2024’s line-up of movies, whether it was in its unnatural dialogue and bizarre character names (Aubrey Plaza as financial TV reporter Wow Platinum) or its incredibly uneven visuals, which veered from the captivatingly imaginative to the embarrassingly kitsch.

For better or worse, Coppola had managed to finally achieve his goal of creating a vision of the USA as a late Roman empire in danger of tipping over into facism. Which, as 2024 nears its end, now...

Comedy is one of the most popular movie genres, and it's still churning out great films, such as action comedy The Fall Guy, and throwbacks like Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Ben Stiller has also made a welcome acting return with the warmly received Nutcrackers. However, during the development process of a movie, the best intentions to make a serious film can turn it into an unintentionally hilarious comedy.

There are always deciding factors for this. Perhaps the script needed another draft, or the director should have had more control over the actor's performances. The problem is, that such movies were never meant to be comedies. There would have been humorous sequences to add levity to the script, but the intention wouldn't be to make an out-and-out comedy. Unfortunately, many movies with the best intentions are hilariously bad.

The Room (2003) Directed By Tommy Wiseau

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To describe Tommy Wiseau as an enigma would be an understatement. Despite receiving attention for writing, directing, and starring in the cult classic The Room, little is known about Wiseau's background, including his net worth. Since its release in 2003, The Room has become the epitome of a movie that's so bad it's good, spawning midnight screenings, goofy parodies, a book, and a narrative film chronicling its troubled production. To this day, The Room continues to dominate internet memes with its outlandish performances and nonsensical script.

The most interesting, albeit mysterious, aspect of The Room’s allure is Wiseau, the man behind it all. Wiseau is adamant about keeping his personal life and finances extremely private, which has led to a curious few poking into the background of the Room icon. Wiseau has no known romantic partners nor children, though one relationship is public knowledge: Wiseau is famously close friends with...

From a perspective of simple dollars and cents, cinema can be a seriously unforgiving endeavor. Many factors have to fall in place for a film to be successful in theaters, let alone garner a positive reception from audiences. Even with a hefty budget, great concept, and thorough marketing, their performance is still a gamble. Over the years, there have been many movies that witnessed terrible initial reactions from economic and critical fronts alike. However, once they had ample time to marinate, the public attitude toward them changed entirely.

For example, Ridley Scott's 1982 neo-noir Blade Runner was a box-office disaster, yet remains so iconic today that it warranted a second sequel 40 years later with the upcoming series Blade Runner 2099. Most are familiar with Dennis Villeneuve's 2021 rendition of Dune, which is receiving its third installment in 2026 with Dune: Part Three. The lesser-known 1984 version is a cult classic, even though it...

What makes a film "bad?" Well, for starters, these kinds of movies fail to have any redeemable qualities or their flaws prominently outweigh everything they have to offer. In fact, some legendarily bad movies are widely known because they're so terrible. I'm talking about the likes of Tommy Wiseau's "The Room" or 2010's "Birdemic: Shock and Terror." However, movies in this vein still offer something meaningful despite their nonsensical nature, as there's fun to be had with an egregiously bad premise. For example, a franchise like "Sharknado" induces plenty of unintended laughs, where the escalating events are so baffling and cringe-worthy that the films become an outlet for mindless entertainment.

But what about a movie that is insufferably, irredeemably bad? As in, so bad it's currently the lowest-rated film on IMDb with a rating of 1.9 out of 10? If you've never heard of 2008's "Disaster Movie," you're probably better off not knowing,...

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Art is subjective, and whether a film is "great" or "terrible" depends on the tastes of each individual viewer. Similarly, the intent of the writers and directors who tell these stories can be wholly irrelevant to how their work affects the audience. A bold artistic statement on the social condition can go over the heads of the viewers as they imbue the story with their own, more individualized meaning. Still, this doesn't mean every opinion about cinema is correct. In fact, some of the most popular and enduring movies of all time are completely misunderstood by the audience.

One does have to be careful when talking about the meaning of certain stories, especially when the films themselves are ambiguous. However, people who argue that Star Wars shouldn't be political are gravely misunderstanding foundational elements of the reason these stories exist. Some films...

Star and co-director Crystal J Huang plays a ballroom-dancing geisha assassin in this preposterous LA melodrama

If the erotic thriller’s task is to seduce its audience, this preposterous film instead subjects you to a sexy ordeal that your mind will attempt to blot out later. It’s almost a match for Tommy Wiseau’s infamous The Room in the car-crash Californian melodrama stakes. But a kind of visual floridness, resulting from its penchant for the unspeakably kitsch, nudges it vaguely in the direction of competence and away, sadly, from unmitigated disaster.

Kate (played by co-director Crystal J Huang) is a modern-day geisha in Los Angeles assigned assassination jobs by a Japanese secret society. Prolonged meditation would be needed to divine what the poor souls have done to deserve it. Or how anyone could be driven to kill themselves, as is apparently the case with the first victim we see,...

James Franco has revealed that he and long-time collaborator Seth Rogen are no longer on speaking terms. Franco and Rogen worked together frequently throughout their careers, starring in projects such as the critically acclaimed but short-lived Judd Apatow series Freaks and Geeks, as well as films such as Pineapple Express (2008), This Is the End (2013), The Interview (2014), Sausage Party (2016), and The Disaster Artist (2017). The pair were also good friends off-screen, but their relationship went south after sexual misconduct allegations against Franco.

In an interview with Variety to promote his new Italian-language film, Hey Joe, Franco was asked if he was still in touch with Rogen, to which he replied that he was not. He also indicated that he has been attempting to reconcile their friendship, but that Rogen has been the holdout. He also stated how much Rogen has meant to him over the past 20 years. Here's what the actor had to say:

No.

Those who were driving through the intersection of Highland and Fountain in Los Angeles in the early 2000s got to know Tommy Wiseau very, very well. It was at that intersection that Wiseau chose to buy a billboard for his then-new film "The Room," and it featured a rather unflattering closeup of the man, staring directly into the camera, one of his eyes half-closed. The billboard stayed up for five straight years, costing Wiseau $5,000 a month.

It worked, though. Enough Angelenos drove past the billboard to become curious about "The Room" and seek out a screening at the Sunset 5 theater nearby. Those who saw it in those early days were utterly baffled. "The Room" is an intense infidelity drama about an all-around good guy named Johnny (Wiseau) whose fiancée Lisa (Juliette Danielle) instigates an affair with Johnny's best friend Mark (Greg Sestero). The film, however, is so weirdly scripted and...

While it may be one of both the filmmaker and star's worst-reviewed movies in their careers, The Happening is starting to get a second chance at success on streaming. M. Night Shyamalan's 2008 movie starred Mark Wahlberg as high school science teacher Elliot Moore as he and his wife, Alma, race around the Northeastern United States region in the hopes of escaping the mysterious mass suicides affecting the area. Also starring Zooey Deschanel and John Leguizamo, The Happening was widely panned upon its release, holding just an 18% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but was a modest box office success.

Just a couple of weeks after finding a new streaming home on the platform, Shyamalan's The Happening is climbing Hulu's charts. At the time of writing, the 2008 horror movie sits in the No. 3 spot on the streamer's Top 15 Movies Today. The movie is currently sitting behind two new Hulu Originals,...

2014’s Boyhood took 12 years to make. Some of these films make Boyhood look like an episode of South Park.

14 ‘Kill It and Leave This Town’: 14 Years

Polish animator Mariusz Wilczyński set out to make a short animated film about a person whose entire family dies, so they run off to a land of memories where time doesn’t exist and everyone is alive. At some point, Wilczyński decided it should actually become a feature length psychological horror, which took just a smidge longer to animate.

13 ‘The Evil Within’: 15 Years

Writer/director Andrew Getty self-financed this horror film, which was based on his childhood nightmares, for about $6 million. He filmed his deepest fears inside his own mansion, toiled away for years on special effects, and died before he could finish. The producer had to do the final editing to get it across the finish line.

12 ‘Pakeezah’: 16 Years

The...

There’s a wealth of things to listen to on the Film Stories Podcast Network, from critiques of Agatha All Along to dissections of The X-Files. Here’s what’s new this week:

This week on the Film Stories Podcast Network, our shows have been busy bringing you an array of film and TV conversation. Here’s what we’ve been up to…

Podcast-616

Marvel have kicked off a brand new series in Agatha All Along, and our all-purpose MCU podcast is bringing the party to you, as hosts Hugh McStay and Ashley Thomas discuss the first two episodes. Don’t miss Hugh with guest Rob Turnbull chatting episode three too…

ChuckyVision

Sadly, Chucky the TV show was cancelled this week but our dedicated coverage of all things killer dolls will endure, as hosts Mark Adams and Dev Elson here discuss The Garbage Pail Kids Movie from 1987…

The Magic Box...

Spoiler Space offers thoughts on, and a place to discuss, the plot points we can’t disclose in our official review. Fair warning: This article features plot details of Megalopolis.

It’s a great time for Old Man Cinema. Legendary filmmakers are leaning into their late eras in order to...

Oh, hi, Bruce! It’s pretty rare when a bad movie influences a filmmaker in a positive way. Maybe someone like Tim Burton is intrigued by the do-it-yourself style of Ed Wood and makes a brilliant biopic but most bad movies are examples of what not to do. Then again, not all are…Take cult flick The Room, for example. Sure, there’s James Franco’s The Disaster Artist to recount the making of Tommy Wiseau’s pet project, but The Room actually partly inspired an installment in one of the biggest franchises ever. That’s right, without The Room, the visual style of The Batman may not have been what it was.

As Miguel Santana da Silva – digital artist for Industrial Light & Magic who worked on The Batman – recently revealed, the matte paintings in some of The Room’s most infamous scenes were a direct inspiration for how Gotham would look in certain scenes.

While some would argue The Dark Knight is the pinnacle of films featuring DC's infamous caped crusader, few can dispute that Matt Reeves' 2022 take on the character in The Batman resulted in one of the strongest modern superhero films, particularly for DC Studios. As such, it's rather surprising that The Batman has a recently unveiled secret connection to what many believe is the single worst movie of all time.

Miguel Santana da Silva worked as a digital artist on The Batman under Industrial Light & Magic. In response to a fan sharing one of the most aesthetically pleasing stills from the Warner Bros. superhero blockbuster, da Silva peeled back the curtain to reveal the bizarre inspiration behind the breathtaking shot.

The Room's Influence on Gotham City in The Batman

Read Cbr's Review The Batman is a Gorgeous Comic-Inspired Exploration of the Dark Knight

The Batman may be overstuffed, but the...

“Deadpool and Wolverine” is now playing in theaters, and although Hugh Jackman probably won’t receive any major awards nominations for his anticipated return as his comic book character, he has been nominated for an Oscar as well as other major trophies throughout his career. Let’s look back at his many awards races.

After his breakthrough performance as Wolverine in the first “X-Men” film, Jackman spent most of the 2000s appearing in summer action blockbusters like “Swordfish” and “Van Helsing” as well as “X-Men” sequels and a prequel. He was never a serious awards contender for the 2001 romantic comedy “Kate & Leopold,” but he did receive his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. The other nominees were Ewan McGregor for “Moulin Rouge!,” John Cameron Mitchell for “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” Billy Bob Thornton for “Bandits” and Gene Hackman for “The Royal Tenenbaums,...

Dwayne Johnson's best performance was in the dark comedy Pain & Gain, showcasing his comedic abilities in absurd situations under Michael Bay's direction. Johnson's comedic talents have been wasted in recent films like Jungle Cruise and Red Notice, lacking the humor found in Pain & Gain. While Johnson may not be a great actor like Marlon Brando, his dedication to comedic bits shines in Pain & Gain, proving his ability in the right role.

More than a decade later, Dwayne Johnsons darkly comedic turn in the action-packed Michael Bay satire Pain & Gain is still my favorite performance by the iconic wrestler-turned-actor. While Johnson is renowned for his charismatic screen presence and undeniable star power, hes not known for being a particularly great actor. Its unlikely that his name will ever appear on the Best Actor ballot at the Oscars. But just because hes not a great actor like Marlon Brando,...

The work of author Patricia Highsmith, and in particular her character of Tom Ripley, have been a subject of fascination for readers and filmmakers since the characters inception back in 1955. Adaptations of The Talented Mr. Ripley took the form of Rene Clements arthouse masterpiece Purple Noon in 1960 and Wim Wenders dark comedy The American Friend in 1977. While both films were acclaimed, it was Anthony Minghellas 1999 film starring Matt Damon in the title role that became a major box office hit and award-season darling. The Talented Mr. Ripley even inspired one very idiosyncratic young filmmaker, Tommy Wiseau.

It’s a “Hot Glen Summer” at the movies.

Just like the immortal words of Megan Thee Stallion, who’s billed every summer since 2019 the perfect time to do “hot girl shit,” Glen Powell is heating up movie screens. Summer 2024 firmly establishes him as a power player with Netflix’s “Hit Man,” the Prime Video documentary “The Blue Angels” and Universal “Twisters” dropping in rapid succession.

In the words of Retta — who first met Powell on the 2014 indie rom-com “Sex Ed” before they reunited for “Hit Man” — “Homie is a straight up movie star.”

“This is the summer of Glen,” director Richard Linklater concurs. “They’re all ‘Johnny come lately’ to the Glen Powell thing. Anybody who’s known Glen for the last 10-plus years knows that he’s a star. He’s smart. He’s funny. He’s hard working.”

Like Retta, Linklater has had a front row seat to the actor’s glow-up,...

Image: IFC Films, Warner Bros., Cinetic Media, Screenshot: YouTube, YouTube, Apple/YouTube, Disney/YouTube, Photo: Frank Masi (Sony Pictures Entertainment), Atsushi Nishijima (Searchlight Pictures), Warner Bros. Pictures, Magnolia Pictures, Vertical, CraSH/imageSPACE/Shutterstock (Shutterstock), Jasin BolandIn A Violent Nature review: A slasher in touch with its surroundingsIn A Violent NatureImage:...

Big Shark Screenshot: YouTube Cult filmmaker Tommy Wiseau, somehow independently wealthy despite not seeming to actually do much of anything besides selling underwear with his name on it alongside The Room DVDs and shirts, has finally, after two decades, put aside enough scratch to self-fund a follow-up feature. With Big Shark,...

Big SharkScreenshot: YouTube

Cult filmmaker Tommy Wiseau, somehow independently wealthy despite not seeming to actually do much of anything besides selling underwear with his name on it alongside The Room DVDs and shirts, has finally, after two decades, put aside enough scratch to self-fund a follow-up feature. With Big Shark,...

Just as Max had a major addition in May with Dune: Part Two, it has a major attention-grabber in June with House of the Dragon's second season. And that's not to mention the docuseries Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun: Bad Blood hitting the streamer on the 21st, which is sure to attract a ton of viewers. But what about movies?

As usual, most new movies hitting Max do so on the first of the month. But, there are a few extra additions peppered throughout the remainder. From a classic vampire movie and a Chronicles of Narnia sequel to the Open Water and Paul Blart movies, there's a wide assortment hitting Max in June 2024. Let's start with a few big ones.

The Disaster Artist (2017) June 1 Your browser does not support the video tag.

James Franco hasn't worked in the industry for about five years now, and for good reason.

Shelby Oaks adds horror heavyweight Mike Flanagan to executive produce, raising anticipation for the supernatural horror film. The project was born from an online campaign and financed through Kickstarter, becoming the most funded horror film on the platform. Flanagan's addition to Shelby Oaks will enhance the film, while his upcoming projects, including The Exorcist follow-up, generate excitement.

Chris Stuckmann's Shelby Oaks has added horror heavyweight Mike Flanagan. According to Deadline, Flanagan will executive produce under his Intrepid Pictures banner alongside partners Trevor Macy and Melinda Nishioka. The supernatural horror follows Mia (Camille Sullivan) as she frantically searches for her sister Riley (Sarah Durn), after she ominously disappeared in the last tape of a group of paranormal investigators called the Paranormal Paranoids. As Mia's obsession grows, she begins to suspect that the imaginary demon from Riley's childhood may have been real.

In a statement, Stuckmann shared his enthusiasm about working...

Mr. Show with Bob and David stars Bob Odenkirk and David Cross were all set to co-star in their own new series, Guru Nation. However, as Cross has now revealed, the show was scrapped for reasons the actor doesn't quite understand.

It was in 2022 when Guru Nation was first announced. The series would have been a mockumentary-style comedy featuring Odenkirk and Cross as rivaling cult gurus. Per Variety, Cross recently appeared as a guest on Andrew Santino's Whiskey Ginger podcast where he shared a grim update on the project. He confirmed that it was axed at Paramount+ after the higher-ups at the streaming platform suddenly changed their minds on moving forward with the series.

Related Bob Odenkirk Returns to Action, Will Lead New Western From Nobody Writer Bob Odenkirk is teaming back up with Nobody and John Wick writer Derek Kolstad for a new Western film with plot details revealed.

Paul Walter Hauser will play comedian Chris Farley in a so-far untitled biopic. Here’s what we know at present:

A biopic based on the biography The Chris Farley Show: A Biography In Three Acts by the late comedian’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colb is in the works.

With full endorsement from Farley’s family, Richard Jewell star Paul Walter Hauser will play him in the film. It will be the directorial debut of Frozen star Josh Gad, with Scott Neustadter and Michael H Weber writing the screenplay according to Deadline. They previously adapted the surreal true story of Tommy Wiseau’s experience making cult film The Room into 2017 film The Disaster Artist.

A feature film examining the origins of Saturday Night Live is also in production. Jason Reitman is directIng SNL 1975 from a script he wrote with Gil Keenan. It will star Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels,...

Smiling Friends returns May 12 at midnight on Adult Swim, airing new episodes to bring joy to the world. Co-created by Cusack and Hadel, the show features quirky characters and laughs for a good time. Catch the season two premiere, then stream new episodes on Max or purchase digitally starting May 13.

After more than two year since it was announced, Smiling Friends will return for a second season on Sunday, May 12 at midnight on Adult Swim. As part of Adult Swim's annual April Fools' Day programming, which always includes some fun surprises, three episodes of the show aired re-creating Smiling Friends in various styles of puppetry, followed by a surprise airing of the season two premiere episode, “Gwimbly: Definitive Remastered Enhanced Extended Edition Dx 4k (Anniversary Director’s Cut).”

The synopsis for the second season reads as follows:

In season two of Smiling Friends, Pim, Charlie, Zongo, Allan and Glep continue...

Nobody does April Fools’ Day better than Adult Swim. For the past 20 years, the network has made it an annual mission to keep the prankish spirit of the jester-based day alive by throwing its viewers a curveball. Be it absurd gags, silly gimmicks, and sometimes grade-a shocking game-changers, April Fools’ Day is a colossal event for Adult Swim that every adult animation fan can’t miss.

Here are a few of the channel’s best April Fools’ Day moments from the past two decades.

2004 – Mustaches

Let’s go back to the prank that started it all—mustaches! It was just a night of regular adult animated programming, but with mustaches drawn onto all the characters in every scene in every show. It is such a simplistic gag, yet it birthed the tradition.

2007 – The Aqua Teen Hunger Force Movie Premieres … Sort Of

A few days before Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters hit,...

The Disaster Artist stands out as Franco's most acclaimed film, with awards and praise for his comedic performance as Tommy Wiseau. Zeroville, in stark contrast, is seen as a critical failure due to its pretentious and unfocused nature, rendering it one of the worst films. Franco's ambitious nature has led to a lack of focus in his directorial career, highlighted by the disappointing adaptations he has attempted.

The last major film that James Franco starred in was the 2017 biographical comedy-drama film The Disaster Artist, which he also directed to modest commercial success and widespread acclaim. The Disaster Artist received a Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award nomination and brought Franco a Best Actor Golden Globe Award for his inspired comedic performance as enigmatic filmmaker Tommy Wiseau, who has the dubious distinction of having directed and written the 2003 romantic drama film The Room, which is widely considered to be one of the worst films ever made.