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Sometimes it's difficult to get into movies that tap into real-life circumstances, because real life can be so much stranger than fiction. This year we went through one of the most contentious elections in history with Donald Trump proving victorious over Vice President Kamala Harris to become President of the United States once again. It was all very divisive and sparked a lot of controversy, so what better way to escape that with 2016's The Purge: Election Year? The 2016 horror film, much like the entire franchise, does touch on current events in a pretty unique way, with the third installment probably doing it the most. This makes it the perfect time to dive in again, and thankfully, streaming will make it that much easier to do so!

The Purge: Election Year will kick off 2025 by being added to Max on Jan. 1, per ComicBook.com. The reason why The Purge: Election Year...

Danger and death are surrounding Frank Grillo. On screen that is. Either way, The Purge franchise actor has a lot to say about it. He enters James Gunn’s new Dcu, lending his voice as Rick Flag Sr. in Creature Commandos (debuting on Max in December), then in Peacemaker Season 2 and again in the highly anticipated Superman reboot, which drops next summer. The ever-busy actor also headlines Steven C. Miller’s Werewolves, a trippy horror romp he calls “quite a journey,” about a supermoon event that sparks a mutation that turns people into werewolves. Ironically, he once pitched it as "The Purge meets werewolves." And he still gets asked about being in The Purge 6, to which he has a candid reply:

They talk about The Purge 6. I don't know if I'll be part of it, but I mean, it'd be crazy not to have me, I think.

True. The Tulsa King actor played Sgt.

James Gunn and Peter Safran's brand-new DC Universe (Dcu) is set to kick off soon with "Creature Commandos," which will premiere December 5, 2024, on Max. And how does this project aim to set the tone for DC's freshly rebooted super-powered adventures to come? Well, by returning to what's proven to be a winning formula for Gunn in the past: a story about a band of misfits who, despite their differences, learn to peel back the layers of their identities while evolving as a united front. Yes, this seven-episode animated series revolves around the titular group of oddball super-powered individuals from the world of DC Comics and takes place right after the events of the first season of "Peacemaker." I know what you're thinking: "Creature Commandos" sounds an awful lot like a sequel to Gunn's "The Suicide Squad," and in some ways it is, especially when we scrutinize the narrative and thematic links between the two.

The Purge 6 may no longer star Frank Grillo. The actor, who has appeared in two Purge movies as Leo Barnes, has expressed doubt over his return to the popular horror franchise.

Speaking with Screen Rant to promote his latest movie Werewolves, Grillo provided an uncertain update on his involvement in The Purge 6. "I heard they are working on it. I don't know if I'll be in it. I don't know. I know they've had some conversations. We'll see what happens," he said. "I might not be available, I might be doing Werewolves 2 and 3," he added, suggesting that he hopes the action thriller movie will spawn a new franchise for him to star in.

Related Classic Jeff Goldblum Movie With 93% Rotten Tomatoes Score Inspired Blumhouse's Wolf Man Reboot

Wolf Man director Leigh Whannell reveals which popular Jeff Goldblum movie served as inspiration for the upcoming Universal Monsters reboot.

Grillo's comments...

Frank Grillo, who played a tough villain in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, is asking Marvel’s co-president, Louis D’Esposito, for a favor. He wants his character, Crossbones, back in the Marvel movies before he gets too old. The 58-year-old knows time is ticking, so he’s keen to jump back into the role while he still can.

Frank Grillo as Roy Pulver in Boss Level

But hold up, he’s also gearing up to voice Rick Flag Sr. in the new Creature Commandos cartoon series. Grillo’s caught between old and new gigs, showing how actors connect with their characters. It’s a tricky balance, juggling different worlds in Hollywood.

Frank Grillo Is All In For Bringing Back His Creature Commandos Character

Frank Grillo, the action-packed movie guy, is pretty stoked about his Creature Commandos character making a comeback.

You might remember him as Crossbones from the Marvel Cinematic Universe,...

This post contains spoilers for "The Purge" franchise.

2013's "The Purge" introduced an intriguing premise: in a near-future dystopia, all crime is legal for 12 hours once a year, allowing people to indulge in their most violent instincts. Written and directed by James DeMonaco, "The Purge" takes the home-invasion route, where a wealthy family unit finds themselves cornered by a bloodthirsty group of murderers itching to commit crimes without any consequences. The overwhelming success enjoyed by the film contributed to the making of an expanding franchise, with later entries retaining this core concept while introducing new socio-political facets to enliven their narratives.

While it is perfectly acceptable to watch the "Purge" franchise by the order of release date, following this format introduces some chronological issues, as later entries serve as prequels or expand the universe with some ties to the film franchise. Although we will be focusing exclusively on the movies,...

Action movie star Frank Grillo is taking the lead in the new film Lights Out, alongside Scott Adkins. Lights Out has been described as "a modern-day Road House meets Kickboxer," promising thrilling action. The film follows an ex-soldier turned underground fighter and an ex-con as they face corrupt cops and hired killers.

Action movie star Frank Grillo takes the lead in the new trailer for Lights Out, and he’s bringing John Wick: Chapter 4 star Scott Adkins along for the ride. Coming courtesy of Quiver Distribution, if the names “Frank Grillo” and “Scott Adkins” are not enough to tempt you, perhaps the fact that Lights Out has been described as “a modern-day Road House meets Kickboxer” will. You can check out the hard-hitting trailer for Lights Out below:

Alongside the newly released trailer for Lights Out, you can also read the official synopsis below. And it certainly sounds like the...

Jason Blum plans to move forward with The Purge 6 after being inspired by the successful Purge Experience at Horror Nights. The Forever Purge hinted at a world where violence continues beyond the 12-hour period, setting the stage for an intriguing sixth installment. Audiences can look forward to the return of Frank Grillo's character, Leo Barnes, and may finally learn what happened to him since the events of The Purge: Election Year.

Jason Blum reveals why his production company is moving ahead with The Purge 6, despite two years of limbo. The horror franchise began in 2013 and depicts a seemingly idealistic version of America, where one night a year, murder and all other crime is legal. Created by James DeMonaco, The Purge movies explore various timelines and characters, including Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo), Dante Bishop (Edwin Hodge), and more. After the release of The Forever Purge, Blum was unable to...

After James DeMonaco, the creator of The Purge franchise, teased a sixth Purge film to Daily Dead last year, actor Frank Grillo is further fueling the fire. Grillo, who starred as Leo Barnes in The Purge: Anarchy and The Purge: Election Year, spoke with Empire Magazine about the upcoming sixth film, according to Screen Rant. The interview will be published in Empire Magazine's February 2023 issue.

Last year’s The Forever Purge had been marketed as the franchise’s *final* movie, but creator James DeMonaco eventually walked back those statements with the suggestion that he may actually have one more Purge story in the tank. The plan? To bring Frank Grillo back as Leo Barnes, his character from The Purge: Anarchy and The Purge: Election Year.

“I think I’m going to write the next one, and if the audience wants it, we’ll do it,” DeMonaco told Daily Dead last summer. “Again, I think I came up with a new way to flip the whole thing upside down, and it’ll be five years after [The Forever Purge], but it takes America in a whole new direction and I think it would be a very interesting place to explore.”

So what’s the latest on all that? Frank Grillo provides a fresh update to Empire Magazine in their February 2023 issue,...

The Forever Purge (pick up a copy Here), the fifth film in the Purge franchise, was said to be the final chapter in the series when it was first announced… but while doing press for the film last year, Purge creator James DeMonaco revealed that he had come up with an idea for one more sequel. One that would see Frank Grillo reprising the role of Leo Barnes from The Purge: Anarchy and The Purge: Election Year. Then Grillo confirmed that he and DeMonaco were “committed” to making The Purge 6 together. A year and a half later, it doesn’t look like Universal has officially given the project a greenlight yet, but during an interview with Empire magazine (with thanks to Screen Rant for sharing the excerpt), Grillo said that he and DeMonaco are still working on pushing The Purge 6 forward toward production.

Grillo said, “I had an idea in...

Once planned to be a series of standalone stories, the hit horror-thriller franchise The Purge is set to take focus on Frank Grillo's character, Leo Barnes, in its sixth installment. Grillo made his first appearance in the series in 2013's The Purge: Anarchy. Anarchy was the first follow-up to the original 2012 film, which starred Ethan Hawke and grossed 89.3 million on a budget of just 3 million. The franchise has continued to be a success for Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions, sparking anticipation for a new entry.

In an interview with Empire Magazine ahead of the publication's February 2023 issue, Grillo talked about the status of The Purge 6 and detailed what director James DeMonaco and his team have planned for his character Leo Barnes. DeMonaco was at the helm for each of the first three entries in the series and wrote all five films. Grillo confirmed that the next movie would be...

Click here to read the full article.

Frank Grillo — he of the six-pack abs at age 55 and action roles in the MCU and movies like Boss Level — has recently been turning his attention to investing and company building.

In recent years, Grillo has become a partner in Village Pizzeria, a beloved pie spot in Los Angeles’ Larchmont Village. “The goal is to kind of expand out, just in the L.A. region,” he says. He’s an investor in Caliwater (co-founded by Vanessa Hudgens) along with the likes of Gerard Butler, Glen Powell, Ross Butler and Brooke Burke. And he tells THR, he’s “getting involved in a couple of different exercise equipment companies. It’s part of the whole being in your fifties, being fit and staying healthy — it all works into that.”

“Look, I’m not Brad Pitt,” he shares, “but I have a certain brand and I...

The Purge will go on. Despite chatter ahead of the release of "The Forever Purge," which hit theaters this summer, that the fifth installment would end the long-running franchise, plans have changed. Now, we have word that Frank Grillo is set to make his return as Leo Barnes in "The Purge 6," with franchise creator James DeMonaco back in the saddle.

In a recent interview with The Playlist, Grillo, who previously starred in "The Purge: Anarchy" and "The Purge: Election Year," was asked about reports that he was set to return to...

The post The Purge 6 Already Has a Script, Will Bring Frank Grillo Back to the Franchise appeared first on /Film.

The man behind The Purge franchise, James DeMonaco, has offered some insight into the direction of a potential sixth movie, revealing that it would focus heavily on Frank Grillo's character. While discussing the newest installment in the horror series, The Forever Purge, DeMonaco revealed that The Purge 6 would forcibly bring Grillo back into the fray to once again save the day amid the chaos.

"Dude, my Purge 6 idea is all about Frank. It's all about the Leo character. Without giving anything away, I think he's off on his own, but he's going to be called back into action, hopefully on Purge 6, if we're lucky enough to do it. I hope that Leo comes back. That's the goal. When I came up with Purge 6, he was the center of the idea. I'm hoping that we get to do that with him."

The successful horror series began back in 2013 with The Purge,...

Despite reports that upcoming sequel The Forever Purge will be the final movie in the hugely successful Purge franchise, star Frank Grillo has teased that this may not be the case. The actor recently stated in an interview that discussions are currently taking place regarding a sixth installment in series, and that he is considering a return to the chaotic world of The Purge.

"We are talking, [DeMonaco] and I, another Purge movie. He reached out to me not too long ago and Sébastian [K. Lemercier], the producer, and they're like, 'What do you think?' and I'm like, 'What do you think?' and they're like, 'We talked to Universal and we'll see Leo Barnes in the [next] Purge if we can come up with something great.' I said, 'I'm in. I'll do it in a heartbeat.'"

It's worth noting that Frank Grillo revealed this information unprompted, which likely means he...

Even by modern standards where virtually every moderately successful low budget horror gets multiple sequels, The Purge has done very well for itself, and is now regarded as one of hit factory Blumhouse’s most bankable brands. The first installment was a low budget home invasion thriller that cost just $3 million to make, but went on to earn close to $90 million at the box office.

That kind of profit margin made more outings almost inevitable, and the scope has gradually widened with each new outing. We’ve seen two direct follow-ups, a prequel and a TV series that ran for two seasons before being canceled last year, with the four theatrical movies so far raking in over $446 million globally on combined production costs of $35 million.

First Image Revealed From The Forever Purge 1 of 2

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The Forever Purge was initially scheduled for release last summer,...

Gerard Butler and Frank Grillo have boarded Joe Carnahan’s police drama “Copshop,” with filming set to start in Georgia and New Mexico in October.

“Copshop” will be set at a small-town police station that becomes the unlikely battleground between Butler’s professional hitman, a smart rookie female cop and a double-crossing con man played by Grillo, who seeks refuge behind bars with no place left to run.

Kurt McLeod wrote the original screenplay based on a story he created with Mark Williams. Carnahan penned the most recent draft. Williams and Tai Duncan of Zero Gravity Management are producing the film alongside Warren Goz and Eric Gold of Sculptor Media, Butler and Alan Siegel’s G-Base Productions, and Carnahan and Grillo through their WarParty Films production banner. Executive producers are James Masciello, Matthew Sidari and Tom Ortenberg for Open Road Films.

Open Road Films will release the movie theatrically in the U.

Chicago – Actor Frank Grillo is on the rise, as evidenced from his high profile supporting role in Marvel Studios “Captain America: Civil War” and portraying Sgt. Barnes in “The Purge” series of horror films. He recently has partnered in a production company (WarParty Films) and is the title character in their debut movie “Wheelman,” which is distributed and available now on Netflix, as part of their film group.

The “Wheelman” is also the debut film for writer/director Jeremy Rush, and currently has an 88% favorability rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In this tense thriller, Grillo portrays a getaway driver who is double crossed, and suddenly has to protect his family from retribution. The film’s scenes takes place mostly in the vehicles that the Wheelman drives – similar to the movie “Locke” from 2013 – and features Grillo at his action star best.

Frank Grillo is the ‘Wheelman’

Photo credit: Netflix

Frank Grillo was born in New York City,...

Earlier today it was reported that The Conjuring 2 spinoff The Nun will be released on July 13th, 2018, and it already has some company on the calendar: a fourth Purge movie.

Deadline reports that Universal Pictures, Blumhouse, and Platinum Dunes are once again coming together for a fourth Purge film that is set to hit theaters on Wednesday, July 4th, 2018.

James DeMonaco, who directed and wrote the first three Purge movies, will return to pen the fourth film, currently referred to as "untitled Next Purge Chapter." Although he will be writing the third sequel, DeMonaco is not expected to direct, and instead will aid the creative team in getting someone else to helm the fourth film in his franchise that features an annual Purge night when all crime is legal for a 12-hour period. On board to produce the project is Sébastien K. Lemercier, Blumhouse's Jason Blum, and Platinum Dunes' Michael Bay,...

After pumping out three wildly over-the-top thrillers in the space of four years, Blumhouse’s ferocious Purge series is currently lingering in a state of limbo. Series creator James DeMonaco believes the future of the franchise lies on the small-screen, but that hasn’t stopped rumors of The Purge 4 from swirling online.

Frank Grillo, an instrumental cog in the Purge machine since his cracking debut in 2014’s Anarchy, recently touched base on the dormant franchise during an interview with Collider, where the action veteran admitted that although he’s open to reprising the role of Leo Barnes under the right circumstances, he does harbor some apprehensions. First off, the actor reflects on the experience of working within Universal’s cult horror series.

“It is what it is, but it’s great. It’s fun. After Anarchy, Universal called me and said, ‘You’ve got a franchise. We’re gonna continue with this,...

Frank Grillo played Crossbones in two “Captain America” movies and Sergeant Leo Barnes in two “Purge” movies, but he doesn’t seem interested to reprise either role for a third time. “If DeMonaco was still involved and they came up with a great idea, then I think I would do . Otherwise, I think I’m done,” the actor told Collider. “Same thing with ‘Captain America,” he added. “There’s nowhere for it to go, unless you’re Captain America or Iron Man. They were talking about it, but I was like, ‘You know what? I’d just rather not do it.

Stars: Frank Grillo, Edwin Hodge, Betty Gabriel, Kyle Secor, Jj Soria, Mykelti Williamson, Elizabeth Mitchell | Written and Directed by James DeMonaco

The Purge franchise was always an intersting concept – the idea that on one night all laws were abolished and anything was legal, including murder, made for a decent horror thriller. The sequel took things one step further, up the action quotient and the excitement, and making the second movie was more of an apocalyptic take on the first films story; and it was all the better for it… However it’s this third movie, Election Year, where this particular franchise truly hits its stride.

The third chapter in franchise, The Purge: Election Year sees the government preparing for its annual Purge, the one night a year when all crime is legal. It has been two years since Leo Barnes (Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on...

It’s been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night. Now serving as head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), his mission is to protect her in a run for president and survive the annual ritual that targets the poor and innocent. But when a betrayal forces them onto the streets of D.C. on the one night when no help is available, they must stay alive until dawn…or both be sacrificed for their sins against the state. The new horror movie stars Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell, Edwin Hodge, Betty Gabriel, Jj Soria, and Mykelti Williamson. “The Purge: Election [ Read More ]

The post The Purge: Election Year Gets A New Behind-The-Scenes Video Featurette appeared first on Shockya.com.

Happy October, everyone! As expected, our favorite month is kicking off with a ton of horror and sci-fi home releases – 25 to be precise – and there’s a great selection of new and old titles coming our way on October 4th. As far as recent movies, The Purge: Election Year, The Mind’s Eye, Swiss Army Man and Fender Bender all arrive on both Blu and DVD this week, as well as the stunning South Korean horror film The Wailing. Several great cult classics are getting the HD treatment on Tuesday, including Terence Fisher’s The Earth Dies Screaming and Richard Wenk’s Vamp (both hugely underrated films, in my opinion).

Other notable Blu-ray and DVD releases for October 4th include X-Men: Apocalypse, House of Manson, Daughter of Dracula, Sharknado: The 4th Awakens, They’re Watching and Chosen Survivors.

The Earth Dies Screaming (1964) (Kino Lorber, Blu-ray)

Their target: Humanity.

“I want my candy bar!”

Director and writer James DeMonaco (Assault on Precinct 13, The Negotiator) delivers the best and most action-packed Purge yet when The Purge: Election Year, the third chapter in the thrilling franchise, arrives on Digital HD on September 20, 2016 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand on October 4, 2016, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. As the government prepares for its annual Purge, the one night a year when all crime is legal, America’s New Founding Fathers are faced with strong opposition from a presidential hopeful and her supporters who wish to abolish the country’s violent tradition. With deleted scenes, a character spotlight, and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, The Purge: Election Year offers viewers a closer look at the disturbing, thought-provoking and timely thriller.

Now, you can win the The Purge: Election Year Blu-ray! We Are Movie Geeks...

It’s an election year and it’s time to purge…..everyone.

Lrm is giving away a “Purge Pack” to one lucky reader on our site. The pack includes all three films, which are The Purge, The Purge: Anarchy, and The Purge: Election Night.

The third chapter of the horror film franchise The Purge: Election Year is available on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment tomorrow. It is currently available on Digital HD.

Here’s the synopsis of the third film:

It has been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night—the 12 hours of lawlessness. This year, the annual ritual comes at the eve of a heated presidential election with the nation deeply divided between those who are pro- and anti-Purge. As head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), Leo’s mission...

Years after sparing the man who killed his son, former police sergeant Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) has become head of security for Senator Charlie Roan, a Presidential candidate targeted for death on Purge night due to her vow to eliminate the Purge. With The Purge: Election Year hitting Digital HD tomorrow, and Blu-ray/DVD on October 4th, we have an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip to get you re-acclimated with... Read More...

The dystopian crime-frenzy horror franchise seems to have run a little short of new ideas

The latest in the horror series that uses an anti-violence message as a Trojan horse to deliver exactly the kind of grimly visceral thrills it purports to condemn, The Purge: Election Year feels like a franchise that is running out of ideas. This year’s Purge – the 12 hours during which all crime is legal – coincides with an electoral campaign. Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) is campaigning on an anti-Purge ticket, which makes her a target for the spittle-flecked reactionaries who now run the country. Her best hope for survival is to dodge the mercenaries with Nazi insignia tattooed on their faces, avoid the murder tourists in Halloween fright masks, and stick next to Sergeant Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo, reprising his role from the previous film). We are left wondering whether the next Purge should target...

Ryan Lambie Published Date Friday, August 26, 2016 - 15:41

A rough and tough blend of action, horror and sledgehammer dystopian satire, 2014’s The Purge: Anarchy provided just about everything you could want from a sequel: it managed to expand on the intriguing premise of its predecessor, with a genre shift from home invasion thriller to Escape From New York-style violence on Us streets.

As dreamed up by writer-director James DeMonaco, the Purge series’ backdrop is both ridiculous and oddly believable: in the near future, America has saved itself from financial oblivion by introducing the Purge, an annual event which sees all laws suspended for a period of 12 hours. This "Halloween for grown-ups" fulfils multiple functions, since it allows American citizens to vent their violent tendencies while at the same time wiping out society’s weakest and poorest - thus saving the state a fortune in housing and health care.

By...

A few hints of stagnation aside, this franchise remains a terrifyingly trenchant dystopia. A brutal vision of an America not far removed from our own. I’m “biast” (pro): love the previous films

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

I can’t figure out why the Purge movies haven’t been more successful. Oh, they’ve done fine financially, particularly thanks to their very low budgets. Election Year reportedly cost only $10 million to produce (and that’s many multiples of the budgets of the first two films), which is pocket change in Hollywood, and has grossed more than $100 million worldwide, and it’s only just opening today in the UK, so it will add to that tally. But they don’t seem to have had much cultural impact, which is odd seeing how this franchise continues to be one of...

To mark the release of The Purge: Election Year on 26th August, we’ve been given 5 merchandise packs including a t-shirt, a rucksack, a power bank and a lock to give away. It has been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night – the […]

The post Win movie merchandise with The Purge: Election Year appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Turn to any television network over the next few months and the height for political dissension in America will be at its most aggressive level. It’s during these specific times that my frustration with the political machine turns the most negative and disheartened, making a film like The Purge: Election Year seem more true-to-life than a work of fantasy. It’s this aspect, along with a clever marketing campaign utilized during the election year, which makes this third installment in the franchise far more interesting than it otherwise might have been.

Social commentary in genre films is nothing new, George A. Romero, director of Night of the Living Dead, has done it exceptionally well in his zombie trilogy. While The Purge: Election Year squanders many opportunities to provide insight through exploitation, its moments of connective social commentary are effectively startling and stimulating. Director James DeMonaco, who has directed all...

The 4th of July holiday weekend is typically a big one at the box office, with fans flocking to their local theaters to beat the heat. This year, three new movies opened, The Bfg, The Legend of Tarzan and The Purge: Election Year, going up against the winner for the past two weekends, Finding Dory. Unfortunately, none of these newcomers could defeat the champ, with Finding Dory winning for a third week in a row with $41.9 million.

Box Office Mojo reports that Finding Dory dropped just 42.6% this weekend. The Legend of Tarzan opened in 3,561 theaters, followed by The Bfg in 3,357 theaters and The Purge: Election Year in 2,796 theaters. The Bfg is the only new release to have a positive Rotten Tomatoes rating, with a solid 71% Fresh, with The Legend of Tarzan scoring just 35% and The Purge: Election Year getting 54%. The Legend of Tarzan debuted in second place with $38.1 million, followed...

“The Purge: Election Year” is the third installment in the James DeMonaco-directed horror series. This time around, former police sergeant Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) has become head of security for Senator Charlene Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), the front runner in the next Presidential election who vowed to eliminate the Purge. Her hate for the annual kill-fest, due to her past history, makes her the target of a new scheme that puts her life at risk.

IndieWire’s Eric Kohn gave the horror film a C+. “James DeMonaco’s allegorical franchise takes a sharp turn into racial politics, but falls short of doing them justice,” he wrote in his review. He adds that, “in theory, ‘Election Year’ offers a form of catharsis from contemporary anxieties by turning them into entertainment. Instead, this latest entry in a ridiculous franchise has become a victim of its own sick joke.”

Read More: ‘The Purge: Election Year...

To help sift through the increasing number of new releases (independent or otherwise), the Weekly Film Guide is here! Below you’ll find basic plot, personnel and cinema information for all of this week’s fresh offerings.

Starting this month, we’ve also put together a list for the entire month. We’ve included this week’s list below, complete with information on screening locations for films in limited release.

See More: Here Are All the Upcoming Movies in Theaters for July 2016

Here are the films opening theatrically in the U.S. the week of Friday, July 1. All synopses provided by distributor unless listed otherwise.

Wide

The Bfg

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Bill Hader, Jemaine Clement, Mark Rylance, Penelope Wilton, Rebecca Hall, Ruby Barnhill

Synopsis: The Bfg is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It’s lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been...

The Purge franchise has had an interesting three-year history. I remember when the first trailer came out, almost everyone was excited by the concept. The idea of having any crime, including murder, being legal for 12 hours sounded like the perfect idea for a horror movie, but then everyone actually saw the movie. People complained that they took the interesting concept of the Purge and turned it into a standard home invasion flick. By the time I actually saw the movie, my expectations were so low I actually enjoyed the hell out of The Purge. I still believe it is an underrated horror movie, maybe not the movie everyone was expecting, but I still found it to be relatively scary and entertaining for a low budget horror film. The Purge: Anarchy came out the following year, and that seemed to be what everyone asked for. Seeing the actual Purge on the...

A ludicrous premise revisited – once a year, for a 12-hour spell, all crime is legal and cops and hospitals can’t help you! The first The Purge was a tight if unremarkable home invasion thriller while Purge: Anarchy opened things up, taking the bloody action to the streets. Both scored big box office (and home viewing), so now the third chapter arrives in the form of The Purge: Election Year, another ridiculous, but worthwhile exercise in violence and ham-fisted political commentary.

Like the first sequel, The Purge: Election Year focuses on a handful of innocents who, for various reasons, find themselves out on the streets during the Purge. Frank Grillo returns from part two as Leo Barnes, now promoted to the Secret Service, assigned to protect Charlie Roam (Elizabeth Mitchell), a female senator whose family is murdered during the purge in an 18-years-earlier prologue. She’s running for President on...

It’s never too early to start planning a trip to the movies. Now that July is upon us, we wanted to have a place for movie fans to see every film opening in theaters for the entire month. We’ve separated the wide releases from the arthouse/specialty offerings for each week, giving you the best of both worlds. (Synopses are provided by festivals and distributors.)

For more of what’s on the horizon, you can also bookmark our calendar page, where we’ll update releases for the rest of the year. In the meantime, enjoy your time at the theaters!

Week of July 1 Wide

The Bfg

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Bill Hader, Jemaine Clement, Mark Rylance, Penelope Wilton, Rebecca Hall, Ruby Barnhill

Synopsis: The Bfg is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It’s lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been...

Filled with vim and vigor, The Purge: Election Year works hard to steady its focus as an anti-something thriller. The first film in the series, The Purge, played on white suburban fears by taking seriously the ridiculous concept that the U.S. has passed a law making all crime legal for 12 hours. It was the sort of "what if?" concept that is easy to grasp, impossible to accept, and yet fascinating to contemplate, especially in a country where gun violence is rampant. The sequel, The Purge: Anarchy, brought the action to an urban setting, expanding its potential action setups and introducing a more diverse group of potential victims, as well as Frank Grillo as Leo Barnes, a sympathetically angry leading man. The third installment adds...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Strap yourself in! The Purge: Election Year ramps up the carnage, humor, and bloody satire. It's a B-movie with a budget that smartly embraces the pulp. The idea of fascist right wingers using murder and anarchy to fuel economic repression isn't so out of touch in the modern world. The series has evolved from house based horror to an all encompassing political statement on violence. The decision to bring back Frank Grillo as the lead from the second film was spot on. One of my favorite character actors, he embodies weariness and resolve. The plot structure is identical to the others. Survive the night with a presidential twist.

The New Founding Fathers of America have a major problem. Their candidate for president is losing in the polls to pacifist Senator Charlene Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell). Her platform is to eliminate purge night. The Nffa removes the rule against killing elected officials...

Right now, the United States is at a major crossroads, and as a citizen, I don’t think I’ve ever been more worried about what the future holds for us than I have been over the last nine months. Regardless of whatever your political or social beliefs are, there’s no denying that collectively our nation is on the crux of something huge, which is why The Purge: Election Year might truly be the most important horror movie to be released this year.

While its message can be clunky at times, The Purge: Election Year is still purposeful in its storytelling, and considering everything that is happening around us—from the presidential campaign to gun debates to race relations to police violence to terrorism—I can’t help but feel we need a movie like this now more than ever. As someone who grew up watching films like Dawn of the Dead,...

The setting is a presidential race in America, pitting corporate greed (buoyed by no less than the NRA) against a populist uprising by the people. I may have just described the wacky election cycle of the United States of 2016, or the disturbingly violent, fictionalized setting of The Purge’s America in 2025. Though it would be nice to say that the third in the trilogy is a clever, sociological allegory for the America of today, the reality is that The Purge: Election Year is something much cruder. Violence, weapons, and being a bad @ss are fetishized in 2025. Much like in the America of 2016, I suppose.

Writer/director James DeMonaco is back behind the camera for the latest installment of his immensely popular The Purge series. This time around, the surviving hero from part two, Sergeant Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo), leads the security detail of Senator Charlene Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), an upstart fighter for the common man.

Pixar's Finding Dory helped resuscitate a sagging summer box office earlier this month, with a record-breaking $135 million, the highest debut ever for an animated movie. The sequel easily took down Independence Day: Resurgence, The Shallows and Free State of Jones in its second weekend, but it faces some much stiffer competition heading into the extended holiday. Disney's The Bfg, Warner Bros.' The Legend of Tarzan and Universal's The Purge: Election Year all debut this Friday. While it will likely be fairly close, Finding Dory is expected to hold onto its crown for a third weekend in a row, with $38.7 million.

If this prediction holds true, it will represent a 53.5% drop for Finding Dory in its third weekend, and push it past $300 million domestic. While $38.7 million isn't a terribly high figure for a winning summer weekend, none of the three new releases have been tracking very high with box office pundits.

Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 40 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the new horror film “The Purge: Election Year” starring Frank Grillo and Elizabeth Mitchell!

“The Purge: Election Year,” which opens on July 1, 2016 and is rated “R,” also stars Mykelti Williamson, Edwin Hodge, Betty Gabriel and Jj Soria from writer and director James DeMonaco and producers Jason Blum and Michael Bay. Note: You must be 17+ to win and attend this “R”-rated screening.

To win your free passes to “The Purge: Election Year” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!

In true Blumhouse fashion, over the past three years moviegoers have witnessed The Purge evolve from a low-budget horror flick into a dark, brooding and bat-shit insane franchise – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Next in line to emerge from the studio’s bustling slate is The Purge: Election Year, an appropriately apocalyptic threequel that has neatly aligned itself to release alongside America’s Independence Day weekend.

That said, the scenario in The Purge: Election Year couldn’t be further from annual celebrations of liberation. Retaining the core premise from its relatively successful predecessors, James DeMonaco’s ultra-violent sequel imagines a world where all crime is made legal for a 12-hour period, heralding the annual Purge.

Thrust into the center of a brutal fight for survival is Elizabeth Mitchell’s endangered Senator, who originally campaigned to bring about the end of the Purge before that dreaded siren...

Ready to see a new installment of The Purge on July 1st?

Expanding the universe introduced in the hit franchise that electrified the culture and earned $200 million at the worldwide box office, Universal Pictures’ The Purge: Election Year reveals the next terrifying chapter that occurs over 12 hours of annual lawlessness sanctioned by the New Founders of America to keep this country great.

It’s been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night. Now serving as head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), his mission is to protect her in a run for president and survive the annual ritual that targets the poor and innocent. But when a betrayal forces them onto the streets of D.C. on the one night when no help is available, they must stay alive until dawn…or both be sacrificed for their sins against the state.

The Purge: Election Year will hit theaters July 1st. While it's still a few weeks away, Universal has released a new long-form video to help wet the appetites of Purge fans. The new two and a half minute trailer serves up some new footage and a lot of the history and backstory for the film. Check it out below! Expanding the universe introduced in the hit franchise that electrified the culture and earned $200 million at the worldwide box office, Universal Pictures’ The Purge: Election Year reveals the next terrifying chapter that occurs over 12 hours of annual lawlessness sanctioned by the New Founders of America to keep this country great. It’s been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night. Now serving as head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), his mission is to protect her in a...

Expanding the universe introduced in the hit franchise that electrified the culture and earned $200 million at the worldwide box office, Universal Pictures’ The Purge: Election Year reveals the next terrifying chapter that occurs over 12 hours of annual lawlessness sanctioned by the New Founders of America to keep this country great.

Check out the latest preview below.

It’s been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night. Now serving as head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), his mission is to protect her in a run for president and survive the annual ritual that targets the poor and innocent.

But when a betrayal forces them onto the streets of D.C. on the one night when no help is available, they must stay alive until dawn…or both be sacrificed for their sins against the state.

Once again...

"What's you doing outside on Purge night, Senator?" Universal has released the second official trailer for The Purge: Election Year, the latest sequel in the crazy horror franchise the started in 2013. Frank Grillo returns for this one as the head of security protecting Senator Charlie Roan, played by Elizabeth Mitchell. The full cast includes Raymond J. Barry, Mykelti Williamson, Betty Gabriel, Jj Soria, Ethan Phillips, Sparrowhawk, Edwin Hodge and many others. I'm not really a fan of this series, so this trailer just looks totally wacky, totally crazy, and not necessarily in a good way. All those funky masks just look like weird masks, and I'm not even sure what that guillotine has to do with anything. Have at it. Here's the second trailer for James DeMonaco's The Purge: Election Year, from Universal's YouTube: It’s been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable...