News

We had plenty to say about all things sci-fi, fantasy, movies, books and TV this past week here at WiC. Here are some of those things:

Let's start with an editorial. HBO is making a new Harry Potter TV show. Good idea? Bad idea? The takes are flying:

HBO's Harry Potter reboot shows the limited potential of the franchise: https://t.co/nsgcnEPhc8 https://t.co/nsgcnEPhc8

— Winter is Coming (@WiCnet) June 15, 2025

Speaking of that new Harry Potter show, the cast announcements keep rolling in:

New Harry Potter show casts Draco Malfoy, Molly Weasley and other key characters: https://t.co/67QnMEkiO5 https://t.co/67QnMEkiO5

— Winter is Coming (@WiCnet) June 15, 2025

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is coming back for a third season. It's still a ways off, but at least things are moving:

The Rings of Power season 3 is officially shooting right now: https://t.

The First Law author Joe Abercrombie has been in the news a lot lately, and for good reason. Last month, Abercrombie released his new book The Devils, kicking off the start of a new series set in an alternate history Europe where a group of monsters embarks on a dangerous mission at the behest of a teenage pope. The book is a raucous good time and has resonated with readers, debuting at #1 on the Sunday Times bestseller list and #5 on the New York Times bestseller list. On top of that, James Cameron has signed a deal with Abercrombie to develop The Devils as a movie; they will co-author the script together.

Suffice to say, Abercrombie is having something of a moment right now. But for all this excitement about The Devils, there's another film project he had in the hopper which sounds like it may not pan out: Best Served Cold,...

Fantasy author Joe Abercrombie is everywhere right now thanks to the release of his buzzy new book The Devils. Released in mid-May, The Devils debuted at #5 on the New York Times bestseller list and #1 on the Sunday Times bestseller list, both career highs for Abercrombie. It's gained major media attention thanks to the news that none other than James Cameron has optioned it for a film adaptation, which he will co-write with Abercrombie himself. And of course, Abercrombie was also out touring the UK and United States, promoting the book by chatting with other authors like George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb, Patrick Rothfuss, and more.

Abercrombie also spoke with The Stormlight Archive author Brandon Sanderson at a church in Salt Lake City. And fortunately for all of us, Sanderson has his own personal video team as part of his company Dragonsteel, which means that the conversation was recorded in high...

It's that very special time of the week where we update you as to all the biggest pieces of news from the worlds of sci-fi, fantasy, movies, TV and books from the past seven days. Let's start with A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin, who never seems to lack for interesting things to say:

George R.R. Martin: The hardest thing about TV is "dealing with the other writers": https://t.co/ebUg7PZIDx https://t.co/ebUg7PZIDx

— Winter is Coming (@WiCnet) June 8, 2025

From one famous fantasy author to another, Brandon Sanderson weighed in on the cancelation of Amazon's The Wheel of Time show. Again, he had nothing but interesting things to say:

Brandon Sanderson: The Wheel of Time fans "deserved better than a cancelation after the best season": https://t.co/coKyS569Wo https://t.co/coKyS569Wo

— Winter is Coming (@WiCnet...

It's that time of the week again, where two guys named Dan stream a live podcast to talk about all the latest news from the realms of fantasy, sci-fi, movies books and TV. Yes, it's time for Take the Black!

We've got a lot to discuss this week and have a fun time doing it. James Cameron is adapting fantasy author Joe Abercombie's new book The Devils. The times have been a'changing, with The Wheel of Time cancelled and streamers ever more hesitant to take the leap on big-budget fantasy shows. What does this new partnership between Abercrombie and Cameron mean for the future of fantasy onscreen?

We talk through all that and more! Watch right here:

After our Cameron/Abercrombie discourse, we stop over in Westeros, where an enerprising Welshman snuck his way onto the House of the Dragon season 3 set to take pictures of a burned village the...

Last month, fantasy author Joe Abercrombie released his new book The Devils, about a misfit group of monsters who have to escort a street thief with a secret destiny across a war-torn alternate history Europe, replete with elves, pirates, covetous nobles, fanatics and demented magicians, all the behest of a child pope who wants to secure the throne of Troy. It's a ripper of a book, and it's landing really well with readers. The Devils debuted a number 1 on the Sunday Times Bestseller list in the UK and number 5 on the New York Times bestseller list, both career highs for Abercrombie. This week it was announced that none other than director James Cameron of Avatar, Terminator, Titanic, and Aliens fame has purchased the book for adaptation, and will be co-writing a script with Abercrombie. Suffice to say, The Devils has been making some serious waves.

Abercrombie hasn't been resting on...

Avatarwriter and director James Cameron has a new project in the works. The filmmaker recently offered up some details about his upcoming horror movie, The Devils.

Cameron took to his official Facebook Page to talk about The Devils, which he will be writing alongside author Joe Abercrombie, who penned the recently released novel of the same name that the film will be based on. Cameron described the piece as a "sharply witty horror adventure" and an "epic battle between good and evil, except most of the time you can't tell which is which."

Lightstorm Announces The Acquisition Of Joe Abercrombie'S The Devils Los Angeles, CA - James Cameron...Posted by James Cameron on Monday, June 2, 2025

The novel has been compared to works such as Suicide Squad and The Leage of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The novel follows Brother Diaz, who is chosen to lead a congregation of various monsters and magic...

George R.R. Martin, the author of A Song of Ice and Fire, recently talked about one of the hardest parts of working in television, and for him, it’s working with other writers. He made these comments during an interview with fellow fantasy writer Joe Abercrombie, held at the Kimo Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The interview was recorded and shared on YouTube by Becca Monet.

While they discussed many things, Martin once again brought up his thoughts on book adaptations. He’s been open in the past about his disappointment with TV shows that don’t stick closely to the source material, including HBO’s House of the Dragon, which is based on his book Fire & Blood.

Martin explained that making TV or film is always a group effort, with directors, actors, and studio execs involved. But he said the toughest part, at least for him, is “dealing with the other writers.

This week, we learned that James Cameron, the blockbuster filmmaker behind such hits as Titanic, The Terminator, Aliens, and the Avatar movies, has purchased the rights to make a movie based on Joe Abercrombie's latest grimdark fantasy novel, The Devils. Abercrombie and Cameron will co-write the script for the film together, under Cameron's Lighstorm banner.

"I've loved Joe's writing for years, cherishing each new read, throughout the epic cycle of the First Law books, especially Best Served Cold (Love It!) and the Age of Madness trilogy," Cameron said in a statement. "But the freshness of the world and the characters in The Devils finally got me off my butt to buy one of his books and partner with him to bring it to the screen. I'm looking forward to the writing process with him, though I'm certain this adaptation will practically write itself because Joe writes very visually, almost in scenes,...

2025 has been a big year so far for British fantasy author Joe Abercrombie. The writer has worked on a range of projects, from penning screenplays for the new season of Netflix anthology series Love, Death and Robots, to releasing his latest fantasy novel, The Devils.

Abercrombie is currently best known for his Game of Thrones-esque fantasy series The First Law, which made him one of the most popular voices in the genre. One of his First Law novels, Best Served Cold, is already being made into a movie starring Rebecca Ferguson (Dune). And now, just a few weeks after it was published, his latest novel The Devils has caught the eye legendary director James Cameron, who plans to co-write a movie script alongside Abercrombie.

The project was announced on Cameron's official Facebook page. "How do I describeThe Devils? A sharply witty horror adventure? An epic battle between good and...

We may still be six months out from the release of James Cameron’s epic sci-fi threequel Avatar: Fire And Ash, but that isn’t stopping the iconic filmmaker from lining up more sure-to-be-box-office-smashing ducks on the horizon. Yesterday, the Terminator creator confirmed via his official social media accounts that after his latest check-in with the Na’vi, his production company Lightstorm will be shifting focus to work on an adaptation of Joe Abercrombie’s dark fantasy tome The Devils. And, what’s more, Cameron himself will co-write the movie with the book's author.

Released just last month, The Devils — a sort-of fantastical riff on The Dirty Dozen that sees literal demons band together to avert an impending apocalypse — is the latest book from Abercrombie, whose past bestselling works include the First Law cycle. Cameron is, as his announcement of The Devils’ acquisition attests, a massive fan. "How do I describe The Devils?...

James Cameron is stepping away from the vibrant world of Pandora for his next big project. The acclaimed director, known for blockbusters like ‘Titanic’ and ‘The Terminator’, is set to tackle a chilling new venture. He’s adapting ‘The Devils’, a novel by Joe Abercrombie, into a film that promises a grim and thrilling ride. This move comes right after he wraps up ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’, the third chapter in his sci-fi saga.

‘The Devils’ is a dark fantasy tale set in an alternate medieval Europe. It follows a ragtag group of monsters, criminals, and outcasts tasked with saving the continent from flesh-eating elves. Think of it as a gritty, gothic version of ‘Suicide Squad’, blending horror with sharp wit. The story centers on Brother Diaz, a priest expecting a holy mission, only to find himself leading a crew of murderers and magical misfits. Their quest demands brutal choices,...

James Cameron has officially announced his next film project: an adaptation of Joe Abercrombie’s dark fantasy novel The Devils. This marks a departure from his Avatar universe, as he plans to co-write the screenplay with Abercrombie himself.

Cameron is currently working on Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is scheduled for release on December 19, 2025. Cameron, a master at bringing forward-thinking ideas to the big screen, used cutting-edge technology and special effects to create an alien universe while also including a message that resonated with a worldwide audience.

However, after the Avatar movies, he is ready to move on from the world of the blue aliens and focus on The Devils. While it’s confirmed that he will co-write the screenplay, it’s not yet clear whether he will also direct the film.

James Cameron will start working on The Devils soon James Cameron with Sam Worthington in a BTS still...

James Cameron announced that his next film will be a feature adaptation of British author Joe Abercrombie’s dark-fantasy bestseller The Devils, sharing the news on his Lightstorm Facebook page on 2 June.

The filmmaker said he has acquired full screen rights and will co-write the screenplay with Abercrombie after wrapping post-production on Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Published on 6 May, the 560-page novel opened at No. 1 on The Sunday Times list and debuted at No. 5 on The New York Times hardcover chart in its first U.S. week.

Retail data show sustained momentum on Amazon’s preorder charts, where Tor’s first print run quickly sold out.

Gamespot notes that early demand has already triggered a second U.S. printing ahead of the 13 May retail date.

Set in an alternate medieval Europe stalked by carnivorous elves, the story follows a ragtag band of monsters hired to protect humanity, blending gallows humour...

James Cameron will take a break from 'Avatar' to work on an adaptation of 'The Devils'.The 70-year-old filmmaker has confirmed his own production company Lightstorm Entertainment has acquired the rights to author Joe Abercrombie's new novel, and they'll be writing the script together.He said in a statement on Facebook: "I’ve loved Joe’s writing for years, cherishing each new read, throughout the epic cycle of the 'First Law' books, especially 'Best Served Cold' (Love It!), and the 'Age of Madness' trilogy.“But the freshness of the world and the characters in 'The Devils' finally got me off my butt to buy one of his books and partner with him to bring it to the screen."I can’t wait to dig into this as I wind down on 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'. It will be a joyful new challenge for...

James Cameron and his company Lightstorm have just picked up the rights to The Devils, a new book by author Joe Abercrombie. The announcement came on June 2 from Los Angeles. According to the press release, Abercrombie will be working with Cameron to co-write the script.

The Devils hit bookstores on May 6 and quickly became a huge success. It went straight to number one on the Sunday Times bestseller list in the UK and also landed at number five on the New York Times list in the US.

Cameron seems very excited about the project. He said, “How do I describe The Devils? A sharply witty horror adventure? An epic battle between good and evil except most of the time you can’t tell which is which? A twisted, stylish, alt-universe middle-ages romp, where your best hope of survival is the monsters themselves? This is Joe Abercrombie in absolute peak form,...

Following a rather long stint on his Avatar films, James Cameron will be picking up the reins on Joe Abercrombie’s fantasy novel, The Devils.

Although it may seem like James Cameron has been working on his Avatar films and only his Avatar films for many years now, we have seen inklings here or there that the veteran filmmaker may yet be coaxed from the world of Pandora and back into other realms, imaginary or otherwise.

In autumn of last year he announced that he’d secured the rights to Charles Pellegrino’s 2015 book Last Train From Hiroshima, adding that he’d also snapped up the rights to the author’s forthcoming follow-up, Ghosts Of Hiroshima and planned to adapt the novels into an ‘“uncompromising theatrical film.”

Pellegrino’s book covers the devastating effects of the atomic bomb, from its detonation on the 6th August 1945 to the suffering left behind in its wake.

After Avatar: Fire and Ash, James Cameron will venture out of Pandora. The acclaimed filmmaker took to Facebook today to announce that his company, Lightstorm Entertainment, had acquired the rights to Joe Abercrombie's recently released dark fantasy, The Devils. Cameron will co-write a screen adaptation alongside Abercrombie. This marks a significant pivot for Cameron, as the Avatar saga will continue with two more planned sequels following Fire and Ash, which are scheduled for releases in 2029 and 2031.

The Devils will follow Cameron's third anticipated Avatar feature, which will land in theaters in December. According to the dark fantasy novel's description, The Devils follows Brother Diaz, who "has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, and outright monsters. The mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them...

If there's one lesson we've learned over the course of the last 40-odd years of cinema, it's to never bet against James Cameron. There were bets against him when the maverick filmmaker took on the "Titanic," and again when he insisted on building the imaginative and lush alien world of "Avatar" a decade later. In both instances, Cameron's ventures not only succeeded, but made him a king of Hollywood cinema.

"Avatar" is currently two movies deep into a planned five-movie saga, but now it looks like Cameron will be taking a detour after "Avatar: Fire and Ash." As the filmmaker himself announced in a press release via his Facebook page today, Cameron's company, Lightstorm Entertainment, has acquired the rights to author Joe Abercrombie's latest novel, "The Devils." That novel was literally just published on May 13, but it's already built up quite a bit of buzz, even leaving Cameron's interest aside.

James Cameron has announced his next fantasy movie, The Devils, coming after Avatar: Fire and Ash. Initially planned to arrive in 2015, Fire and Ash marks the third installment in the Avatar franchise and has been in the works for some time. The film is currently in post-production and is scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 19. It is one of the most anticipated movies of 2025 and features Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang reprising their roles from the previous sequel.

Cameron has now taken to Facebook to announce his new fantasy film, which is based on Joe Abercrombie's novel The Devils. Cameron and his company, Lightstorm, have purchased the rights to the book. The upcoming project will be co-written by the author and the filmmaker. Check out Cameron's comments below:

How do I describe The Devils? A sharply witty horror adventure? An epic battle between good...

James Cameron announced that his company Lightstorm Entertainment has acquired the rights to “The Devils,” a new book by author and screenwriter Joe Abercrombie, for which Cameron will co-write an adaptation for the screen.

The book is a dark fantasy novel that draws from classic horror tropes. It follows a priest on a holy assignment who discovers the mission he serves is filled with murderers, dark magicians, and monsters, meaning that if any of them are to reach God, it will require bloody means. The book just released last month and hit #1 in the UK and #5 on the New York Times Best Sellers List.

“How do I describe ‘The Devils?’ A sharply witty horror adventure? An epic battle between good and evil except most of the time you can’t tell which is which? A twisted, stylish, alt-universe middle-ages romp, where your best hope of survival is the monsters themselves?...

Filmmaker James Cameron took to Fb today to announce that his production company, Lightstorm Entertainment, has acquired rights to author Joe Abercrombie‘s latest novel, The Devils.

Cameron will co-write the feature adaptation with Abercrombie.

As for the plot, the novel follows a special task force of monsters enlisted to save Europe from flesh-eating elves.

The official synopsis reads: “Holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds. Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters, and the mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them all in order to achieve its righteous ends.

“Elves lurk at our borders and hunger for our flesh, while greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions and comfort. With a hellish journey before him,...

James Cameron is taking a brief hiatus from Pandora, announcing on Facebook that he’s set to co-write a script based on Joe Abercrombie’s The Devils.

“How do I describe The Devils?” Cameron said. “A sharply witty horror adventure? An epic battle between good and evil except most of the time you can’t tell which is which? A twisted, stylish, alt-universe middle-ages romp, where your best hope of survival is the monsters themselves? This is Joe Abercrombie in absolute peak form, opening up a whole new world and an ensemble of delicious new characters. The twists and turns come at a rollercoaster pace, and with Joe’s signature acerbic wit and style. The Devils showcases Joe’s jaundiced view of human nature, in all its dark, selfish glory, as told through some decidedly un-human characters. But of course, Joe always teases with the flickers of redemption that make...

James Cameron is set to adapt Joe Abercrombie’s bestselling dark epic fantasy “The Devils,” the filmmaker announced on Facebook on Monday.

The adaptation of “The Devils” will be Cameron’s next project after “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” He is set to write the script with Abercrombie.

The novel takes place in an alternate medieval Europe threatened by an imminent elvish invasion … and the elves are hungry for human flesh. The novel was published on May 6 and was an instant No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller in the U.K. It also just entered the New York Times bestseller list at No. 5.

“How do I describe ‘The Devils?’ A sharply witty horror adventure? An epic battle between good and evil except most of the time you can’t tell which is which? A twisted, stylish, alt-universe middle-ages romp, where your best hope of survival is the monsters themselves? This is Joe Abercrombie in absolute peak form,...

The third Avatar movie will light the world on fire and leave it in ash later this year, and writer/director James Cameron has officially found something else to sink his creative claws into. Cameron took to his personal social media, including Threads, Instagram, and Twitter, to announce that his production company, Lightstorm, has purchased Joe Abercrombie’s latest book, The Devils, and that a feature adaptation of the novel is in the works. Cameron is co-writing the script with Abercrombie, but further details about the project are being kept under wraps. The Devils was published on May 6 and quickly rose to #1 on The Sunday Times Bestseller list in the UK, and it also recently entered the top five on the Nyt Bestseller list. Cameron shared his description of Abercrombie’s novel in the statement which can be found below.

It’s shaping up to be a big year for Cameron,...

James Cameron is ready to take a break from Pandora with an adaptation of best-selling novel The Devils.

The filmmaker announced via Facebook on Monday that his production company Lightstorm Entertainment has acquired rights to author Joe Abercrombie’s novel that debuted last month. Cameron is set to write the script with Abercrombie.

The Devils is a dark fantasy epic centering on a special force of monsters enlisted to save Europe from a scourge of flesh-eating elves.

“I’ve loved Joe’s writing for years, cherishing each new read, throughout the epic cycle of the First Law books, especially Best Served Cold (Love It!), and the Age of Madness trilogy,” Cameron said in a statement. “But the freshness of the world and the characters in The Devils finally got me off my butt to buy one of his books and partner with him to bring it to the screen.”

He continued,...

James Cameron is finally getting out of Pandora. After living, breathing, and blue-skinning his way through Avatar since 2009 (and with Avatar 5 still due in 2031), the legendary director is taking a brief break from the franchise. His next big-budget passion project could be The Devils, a dark horror fantasy epic based on the new novel by bestselling author Joe Abercrombie. “How do I describe The Devils?” Cameron says in an official statement posted on Facebook. “A sharply witty horror adventure? An epic battle between good and evil except most of the time you can’t tell which is which? A twisted, stylish, alt-universe middle-ages romp, where your best hope of survival is the monsters themselves?” Cameron’s company, Lightstorm, has acquired the rights to The Devils, which hit shelves on May 6 and shot to number 1 on the Sunday Times bestseller list in the UK. It also broke into the New...

Gold Derby's top news stories for June 2, 2025.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale debuts teaser trailer

After six seasons of TV and two movies, the Crawley family are back for what appears to be their last adventure. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale rounds out a trilogy of features and brings the family into the brave new world of England circa 1930. If the just-released teaser is any indication, this may truly be our ultimate visit to the titular abbey. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is set for release in theaters on Sept. 12.

Nobody Wants This dates Season 2

The hit Netflix rom-com series starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody will be back for a second season on Oct. 23. Announced as a part of a For Your Consideration event for the show, the next batch of episodes will also feature returning cast members Justine Lupe and Timothy Simons among others, and guest stars Leighton Meester,...

Recently, A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin interviewed fellow fantasy author Joe Abercrombie at the Kimo Theater in Martin's hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Abercrombie is the author of The First Law books; he has a new book, The Devils, that just hit store shelves.

Becca Monet posted a recording of the interview on YouTube, for which she has our thanks! The pair talk about a wide range of topics, but I want to zero in on what Martin has to say about collaboration and adaptation, because it's something he's been talking about for a while, at least ever since he publicly criticized the HBO show House of the Dragon, which is adapted from his book Fire & Blood, for straying from the source material.

"Television and film are ultimately collaborative," Martin said. "You always have you director and the actors and of course the studio will...

There's something about historical fiction and fantasy which go hand-in-hand. Take The Last Kingdom, a series of excellent novels by Bernard Cornwell. These books feature epic medieval battles, political scheming, a cast of memorable characters, and yes, even a healthy dose of magic. Fantasy series like George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire have drawn on the same well of history as The Last Kingdom, but spun things even farther into the fantastical and imaginative.

The BBC and Netflix adapted The Last Kingdom into an excellent television series which ran for five seasons and a movie. They told the tale of a warlord named Uhtred of Bebbanburg, who fought to reclaim his ancestral home during the height of the Viking invasions into England in the 9th and 10th century. It was a rock solid series, and I still miss watching Uhtred and his allies on the screen year after year.

Sometimes holy work requires unholy deeds, a fact which the cast of misfits at the heart of Joe Abercrombie's new book The Devils knows all too well. Abercrombie is the author of The First Law fantasy series, which hit a new high in 2021 with the climax of The Age of Madness sequel trilogy. The First Law has been running for quite a while at this point, with nine full-length novels and a short fiction collection rounding out the gritty grimdark fantasy world of Abercrombie's imagination. But for his next book, the lord of grimdark fantasy is doing something a bit different.

The Devils marks the beginning of a whole new series set outside The First Law universe, and if you enjoyed any of his previous works, you'll most certainly want to check this one out. (It also makes for a great entry-point into Abercrombie's works.) It's set in an...

Netflix’s animated anthology series “Love, Death + Robots” will return for a fourth volume on May 15, and the streamer has unleashed the official trailer this afternoon.

The animated, genre-bending series is created by Deadpool and Terminator: Dark Fate director Tim Miller, who executive produces alongside David Fincher.

Of particular note for the upcoming Volume 4, David Fincher returns as a director with his episode “Can’t Stop” featuring the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Here’s the full “Love, Death + Robots Volume 4” Episode List…

Can’T Stop: A unique take on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ legendary 2003 performance at Slane Castle, Ireland, with band members Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, and John Frusciante recreated as string-puppets. Directed by David Fincher, who originally made his name with music videos in the 1980s and early ’90s, before segueing into unforgettable feature films.

Director: David Fincher

Music, Lyrics, & Performance: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Animation Studio: Blur Studio.

“Love, Death + Robots” is coming back with 10 wacky new short films and a sprawling voice cast.

In the trailer Season 4 of the Emmy-winning program, streaming May 15 on Netflix, MrBeast leads a galactic gladiator ring with dinosaur-riding mutants and John Oliver plays an adorable robot butler.

David Fincher directs the premiere episode “Can’t Stop,” a spin on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 2003 performance at Slane Castle, with Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith and John Frusciante recreated as marionettes.

Plus, cat plotting world domination, Dolphin Jesus, enormous babies and Satan fill the next batch of episodes of the dystopian anthology series, presented by Tim Miller and Fincher, who executive produce alongside Jennifer Miller and Joshua Donen. Jennifer Yuh Nelson returns as supervising director.

Read Netflix’s episode descriptions and watch the Season 4 trailer for “Love, Death + Robots” below.

Can’T Stop: A unique take on the Red Hot Chili...

Development continues on a big-screen, live-action adaptation of author Joe Abercrombie's best-selling fantasy novel "Best Served Cold", starring Rebecca Ferguson ("Dune"), for director Tim Miller ("Deadpool"):

"...Springtime in 'Styria'. And that means war. There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless 'Grand Duke Orso' is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling 'League of Eight', and between them they have bled the land white. 

"While armies march and cities burn, behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king. War may be hell but for 'Monza Murcatto', the 'Snake of Talins', the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. 

"Her victories have made her popular -- a shade too popular for her employer's taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto's reward...

Joe Abercrombie’s gritty First Law fantasy series features a rogue’s gallery of main characters. There are no clear heroes and plenty of villains, many of them unique and intriguing.

This series offers up a pair of the most interesting, layered characters ever to grace a page. Neither is a fine, upstanding citizen, a d both have to deal with circumstances over which they have little control.

The two lead characters have little in common and wildly different backgrounds, but both have a surprising amount of empathy for others and a lot of self-loathing borne of how their lives have played out and what they’ve become.

The two most intriguing characters from The First Law series

Sand dan Glokta is a monster, and there is no doubt about that. That wasn’t always the case. He began as a dashing young hero, a nobleman, the winner of a...

Eli Roth may be primarily known as a horror filmmaker, but at heart he's a video store bred cinephile who's down to take a crack at movies that don't, for example, feature a cat lapping up blood from the neck of a headless body. In 2018, he made the family-friendly fantasy film "The House with a Clock in Its Walls" starring Cate Blanchett and Jack Black, and that production evidently went smoothly enough for those two stars to team up with Roth again in 2021 for the big-budget movie adaptation of the popular video game "Borderlands." This was Roth's big chance to prove he could deliver a four-quadrant blockbuster, and, well, just about nothing went as planned.

It's never a good sign when a film arrives in theaters four years after it commenced principal photography, and it's never helpful when that release is preceded by months of reports detailing everything that went wrong with the production.

The 2024 Borderlands movie, directed by Eli Roth, hit theaters with high hopes but left audiences and critics largely disappointed. Based on the popular video game series by Gearbox Software, the film aimed to bring the chaotic, colorful world of Pandora to life.

Instead, it stumbled through production challenges and failed to connect with fans, earning a mere 10% on Rotten Tomatoes and grossing just $33 million against a $110–120 million budget.

Filming began in Budapest, Hungary, in April 2021, during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The global health crisis disrupted the process significantly. Outbreaks forced sets to shut down, and restrictions prevented the crew from gathering in person. Essential tasks like stunt coordination and pre-visualization became nearly impossible.

Roth later shared that coordinating reshoots was a nightmare, with team members scattered across different locations and unable to meet face-to-face. Attempts to prepare the movie via Zoom fell flat, as the scale of...

Director Eli Roth has talked about the disappointment of his videogame adaptation, Borderlands, and says its problems were partly due to Covid.

Where such videogame adaptations as The Super Mario Bros Movie and now A Minecraft Movie have made millions for their studios, Lionsgate’s Borderlands landed with a bit of a thud in 2024. Reviews were harsh, and the box office numbers were even more gloomy: it made $33m from a budget of around $110m (plus more for marketing and so forth).

Although director Eli Roth put a brave face on as he did the promotional rounds at the time, there had been rumours for over a year that things were going awry behind the scenes. First came reports that Craig Mazin had his name taken out of its credits; Mazin denied this, but to this day the film’s listed screenwriter is one Joe Crombie, which appears to be an Alan Smithee-like pseudonym.

Esteemed fantasy author Joe Abercrombie is one of the most popular writers of epic fantasy out there today. His beloved First Law novels especially are often considered the next best option for readers suffering from A Song of Ice and Fire withdrawal. What's more, Abercrombie will soon see his bestselling novel Best Served Cold hit the big screen with Dune's Rebecca Ferguson in the main role.

But before his own seminal works get adapted for our screens, Abercrombie has been working on a hit Netflix series: the Emmy-winning sci-fi, fantasy and horror anthology show Love, Death + Robots. The Netflix show is one of the finest out there today; it would be the undisputed best and most popular anthology series on Netflix if Black Mirror didn't exist. It's the ultimate box of chocolates, weaving together stories in all sorts of animated and live-action styles.

This isn't the first time Joe...

Every year, Jesse Shade of the Awfully Good Movies series provides us with his list of the ten worst movies of the year – and 2024 is no different! Now that the Oscars are out of the way and it has been revealed that the members of the Academy felt Anora was the best picture of 2024, Jesse Shade is here with his list of The 10 Worst Movies of 2024. You can find out what his picks are by checking out the video embedded above. Fittingly, this is also the video that has been chosen to launch the new JoBlo Awfully Good Movies YouTube channel!

If you want to know what Jesse Shade’s picks for the 10 Worst Movies of 2024 were before you start watching the video, here’s the list:

10. Joker: Folie à Deux

Directed by Todd Phillips, who also wrote the script with Scott Silver. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga,...

Development continues on a big-screen, live-action adaptation of author Joe Abercrombie's best-selling fantasy novel "Best Served Cold", starring Rebecca Ferguson ("Dune"), for director Tim Miller ("Deadpool"):

"...Springtime in 'Styria'. And that means war. There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless 'Grand Duke Orso' is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling 'League of Eight', and between them they have bled the land white. 

"While armies march and cities burn, behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king. War may be hell but for 'Monza Murcatto', the 'Snake of Talins', the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. 

"Her victories have made her popular -- a shade too popular for her employer's taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto's reward...

In addition to being a ridiculously prolific fantasy author, one of Brandon Sanderson's great charms is that he loves to chat at length about the profession of being a writer. Last week, an interview dropped between The Stormlight Archive author and Tim Ferriss, the entrepreneur and writer behind The 4-Hour Workweek. This three-hour interview is chock full of great anecdotes and bits of wisdom; for example, Sanderson revealed that A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin was almost chosen to finish writing The Wheel of Time book series instead of him after its creator, Robert Jordan, passed away in 2007.

And here's another: Sanderson shared a story about a time when Joe Abercrombie, the author behind the grimdark fantasy series The First Law, made Sanderson deface one of Abercrombie's own books at an airport, and nearly caused him to miss his flight to a convention. It's a...

Picking a fantasy book series to start is an investment, so it's worth planning around one that can promise a strong ending. Due to the vast influence of Game of Thrones, the lateness of The Winds of Winter has become a common discussion among fantasy readers, leading many fans of the A Song of Ice & Fire books to turn elsewhere, looking for fantasy that has an ending. Fans of The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss will likely have a similar dilemma, as both reader bases have been waiting for the next volume since 2011.

Good fantasy endings can come in many different forms, be they happy and fulfilling, bittersweet, or downright depressing. Without spoiling what exactly happens in various books, it's worth mentioning the tone of these stories and how that reflects in the way they stick their landing. From Brandon Sanderson to Fonda Lee to R. F. Kuang, there are...

This article contains mentions of violence and assault.

There are plenty of fantasy books that blend horror, adventure, and romance into their plots, but when revenge is added to the mix, it makes for an unforgettable story. When the protagonist of the book is on a single-minded quest for vengeance, it gives the narrative a sense of forward momentum throughout the story's major beats. This can result in an amazing payoff if the author provides enough subtle foreshadowing. Additionally, most of these novels touch upon important social and cultural themes, as the injustices done to the main characters are what spurs them into action.

Like many of the best revenge movies of all time, these books are action-packed and full of unbelievable plot twists that leave audiences guessing until the very end. Playing the game of revenge is undeniably dangerous, and the characters often lose themselves as they sacrifice the...

Development continues on a big-screen, live-action adaptation of author Joe Abercrombie's best-selling fantasy novel "Best Served Cold", starring Rebecca Ferguson ("Dune"), for director Tim Miller ("Deadpool"):

"...Springtime in 'Styria'. And that means war. There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless 'Grand Duke Orso' is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling 'League of Eight', and between them they have bled the land white. 

"While armies march and cities burn, behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king. War may be hell but for 'Monza Murcatto', the 'Snake of Talins', the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. 

"Her victories have made her popular -- a shade too popular for her employer's taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto's reward...

2024 is one to forget for Lionsgate, but Borderlands stands out as the studio's biggest box office flop. Following a disastrous $9 million opening weekend, the movie concluded its month-long run at the box office with a dismal $31 million before limping on to Digital platforms.

With a production budget of $115 million and a $30 million marketing campaign - which saw fans of the hit series of games largely reject everything they were seeing - the studio has likely lost upwards of $114 million.

Over on Rotten Tomatoes, Borderlands is one of the worst-reviewed movies of the year with a dire 10% score. According to the Critics Consensus, "Glitching out in every department, Borderlands is balderdash." Fans, on the other hand, awarded it a slightly better but still-Rotten 51%.

Roth is believed to have run into creative differences with the studio and was reportedly replaced by Deadpool and Terminator: Dark Fate director Tim Miller for reshoots.

It's been a difficult year for Lionsgate, but Borderlands stands out as the studio's biggest box office flop. Following a disastrous $9 million opening weekend, the movie concluded its month-long run at the box office with a dismal $31 million before limping on to Digital platforms.

With a production budget of $115 million and a $30 million marketing campaign - which saw fans of the hit series of games largely reject everything they were seeing - the studio has likely lost upwards of $114 million.

Lionsgate has now shared its second-quarter financial results (via GameFragger.com), singling out Borderlands as one of its biggest money-losers.

Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer said, "Within our television Group, our unscripted business is feeling the effects of a continuing market correction. In our film group, the poor box office performance of Borderlands, coupled with softer-than-anticipated results for other releases in the quarter, reflected an environment with less margin for error than ever before.

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Edgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Gina Gershon, Jamie Lee Curtis | Written by Eli Roth, Joe Crombie | Directed by Eli Roth

Directed by Eli Roth, Borderlands is an adaptation of the popular video game series developed by Gearbox Software. Essentially an action thriller about a rag-tag gang of space mercenaries, it tries hard to generate Guardians of the Galaxy vibes, but is let down by a lack of chemistry between the cast, largely flat direction and a series of uninspired fight scenes.

The story centres on kick-ass bounty hunter Lilith (Cate Blanchett), who’s hired to find Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), the missing daughter of business tycoon Atlas, the richest and most powerful man in the universe. To do so, Lilith has to return to her home planet of Pandora, where she quickly finds Tina and discovers that she may be a long-prophesied...

There are some exciting things afoot in the science fiction and fantasy book world, specifically in the anthology space, where a few exciting projects are getting a ton of support from the reader community. On October 1st, long-running genre zine Grimdark Magazine released its 40th issue, which is also its 10th anniversary edition issue. Grimdark Magazine is always a solid read, but this issue is something extra special because the list of authors who contributed stories, essays, or other work to it is mind-blowingly insane.

Don't take my word for it. Grimdark Magazine Issue #40 features works of short fiction from Mark Lawrence, Wendy Nikel, Angela Slatter, Ben Galley, Aaron Dries, Christopher Buehlman, Andrea Stewart, Cat Rambo, Anna Smith Spark, and the first part of a brand newGentleman Bastards short story from Scott Lynch (the second part will follow in the January 2025 issue). On the essay and interview side of things,...

Joe Abercrombie's best book is part of his Age of Madness trilogy, the follow-up saga to The First Law, and it proves a truth about fantasy sequel series. I've considered Joe Abercrombie's The First Law as the perfect replacement for A Song of Ice & Fire. It was the first fantasy series I found amidst my wait for The Winds of Winter that took the morally ambiguous character elements I loved so much about George R.R. Martin's world and honed in on them, arguably even improving upon that aspect. There's a reason Joe Abercrombie is Lord Grimdark, after all.

While I consider the original First Law trilogy, particularly Last Argument of Kings, to be near the top of Joe Abercrombie's best books, I gave the number one position to The Wisdom of Crowds in my ranking. Though Goodreads ratings deserve to be treated with a grain of salt,...