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Video game movies have a bad reputation. While there are some diamonds hidden among the rubble—both Silent Hill and Mortal Kombat have their cult fans—the broad truth of the matter is that video games are really hard to adapt in filmic form. It’s a challenge from the outset, because unlike adapting, say, a novel, video games are narratively and mechanically different than movies. Gameplay informs story, and when that active mechanic is removed, it can be challenging for the narrative to sustain the movie alone.

Recently, director David Sandberg tried his hand at adapting one of the most famous horror video games of the century. I’m personally a huge fan of Supermassive Games’ work, and their style of gameplay incidentally prioritizes narrative. It seemed like a perfect match, though the critical and financial reception proved otherwise. Hey, it’s got the makings of a cult gem,...

Exclusive: Gary Dauberman’s Coin Operated is developing He Never Dies, a new horror film to be written by David Yarovesky, who will also direct.

In He Never Dies, the man they killed keeps coming back. Bigger. Stronger. Less human. No matter what they do…He. Never. Dies.

Gary Dauberman and Mia Maniscalco will produce for Coin Operated. The development project is their second announced in recent weeks, on the heels of Human Remains, a horror film from writer Zachary Donohue.

Known for his work in the genre space, Yarovesky most recently released Locked, an action thriller produced by Sam Raimi, which starred Anthony Hopkins and Bill Skarsgård. Prior to that directing directed Netflix’s Nightbooks, based on the YA book series from J.A. White, his other credits include Sony’s horror thriller Brightburn starring Elizabeth Banks, and his feature directorial debut, the 2014 cult horror hit The Hive.

Exclusive: Gary Dauberman’s Coin Operated has launched development on Human Remains, a new horror film from writer Zachary Donohue.

The film watches as a flight carrying the body of a priest who died during an exorcism experiences some unexpected turbulence. Dauberman will produce for Coin Operated alongside Mia Maniscalco, who serves as President of his company.

The project marks a reunion for Donohue and Coin Operated, who have only recently teamed on an untitled horror film directed by André Øvredal for Paramount. Produced by Walter Hamada (18hz) and Dauberman (Coin Operated), and starring Academy Award winner Melissa Leo, that title is currently in post-production.

The co-writer and director of 2013’s The Den, one of the first screenlife horror movies, which has since garnered a small cult following, Donohue is currently writing another untitled horror film for Hamada and his 18hz. He’s also behind the indie cosmic horror/mockumentary series The Unknowable,...

Mention Darkness Falls to your fellow horror fans, and you might get two very different reactions. One may scoff, dismissing it as yet another teen jump-scare fest with zero artistic merit. Another might enthusiastically high-five you and say, “I don’t care what anybody says, that movie rules!” The vast difference likely caused by a studio aiming to replicate The Blair Witch Project’s viral marketing success, while making a film more comparable to the modern popcorn horror of Blumhouse or the Conjuring Universe. This is the story of a film with enough lore to fill a novelization, a fake documentary, and a comic book prequel. Reduced to a film so short they had to make the ending credits last eleven minutes long just to be able to release theatrically; a studio that decided to entirely replace the design and appearance of its main villain in Post-production; and finally, this...

Are you looking for a crazy action-adventure that combines all of your favorite franchises? Well, look no further because filmmaker David Sandberg has got your back! The famed director, who worked on the 2015 martial arts comedy Kung Fury, returns with a new project that will scratch every itch.

As the sequel to his beloved featurette film remains delayed, he is not wallowing in tears but working on a new project billed as a fantasy punk that incorporates action, comedy, and sci-fi. Titled Dragonlord, the movie is now in development.

David Sandberg teases new project Dragonlord David Sandberg in Kung Fury / Credits: Laser Unicorns

David Sandberg is game and ready to step into his director/writer/actor shoes again for his upcoming new movie, Dragonlord, which he described as an interesting hodgepodge of every popular franchise you can think of.

Related: How Arnold Schwarzenegger Became a Billionaire

Speaking with Variety, the...

David Sandberg, the writer, director and star of the viral Kung Fury film, just unveiled a "crazy" new movie. It draws inspiration from the likes of Star Wars, Mad Max and Lord of the Rings.

Per Variety, Sandberg's new project is called Dragonlord, a "fantasy punk" film that will blend action, comedy and sci-fi. The filmmaker says the project is "like Star Wars, Mad Max, Lord of the Rings and He-Man mashed into one, where dinosaurs from the past co-exist with robots from the future - and everything in between." Sandberg will once again take the lead in the movie, starring as the titular character.

Dragonlord will tell the story of a treasure-obsessed hunter whose best friend is a T-Rex called Blaze Falcon. "Rather than hunt for yet more treasure, Blaze just wants to hang out and play video games, but when he’s kidnapped by the evil Dreadmancer (think...

Variety reports that Kung Fury filmmaker David Sandberg is working on a new film called Dragonlord, and it sounds just as bonkers as you would expect. Sandberg teased that the new film is “like Star Wars, Mad Max, Lord of the Rings and He-Man mashed into one, where dinosaurs from the past co-exist with robots from the future — and everything in between.” Sign me up.

In addition to writing and directing, Sandberg will also star as the title character, a treasure-obsessed hunter whose best friend is a T-Rex named Blaze Falcon. Instead of chasing after more treasure, Blaze would rather chill out and play video games. But when the nefarious Dreadmancer kidnaps him—imagine Skeletor from He-Man—it’s up to Dragonlord to assemble an Avengers-style crew of wildly eccentric heroes to rescue his dino pal.

“It’s a really fun, really rich world with a lot of funny characters,...

From kung fu cops with half-human, half-dinosaur crime-fighting partners to treasure-hunting adventurers with T-Rexes as BFFs.

Swedish filmmaker David Sandberg, best known as the writer, director and star of viral action-comedy short “Kung Fury” about a renegade time-travelling martial arts law enforcer, is working on a new feature film. And for fans of his wildly colourful cult debut — a preposterously Ott homage to 80s action movies that featured machine gun-toting Viking valkyries, a character called Triceracop and a high-kicking Adolf Hitler (aka “Kung Fuhrer”) — it doesn’t seem a million miles away.

“Dragonlord,” currently in development, is billed as a “fantasy punk” film blending action, comedy and sci-fi.

The feature is set in a world Sandberg describes as “like ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Mad Max, ‘Lord of the Rings’ and He-Man mashed into one, where dinosaurs from the past co-exist with robots from the future — and everything in between.” There are big guns,...

Schwarzenegger. Hitler. Dinosaurs. They’re really the only three words you’d need on a poster to put butts in seats. You probably already figured out this isn’t a documentary but rather Kung Fury 2, the planned feature-length sequel to David Sandberg’s insane 2015 short. But it seems highly unlikely that we’ll ever get to see the movie, as some shady dealing and lawsuits have kept Kung Fury 2 from being completed.

As far as who Sandberg says should be taking blame, all eyes are on Creasun Entertainment, who agreed to foot the majority of Kung Fury 2’s budget, a sizable chunk of which ($10 million) would have been dedicated to the visual effects. As Sandberg put it, “Once we started getting to VFX, things started to really slow down — and things became a bit weird. And then it turned out that our Chinese financier had basically stopped all payments.

Last week, action fans were given an unexpected glimpse of a movie that sees Michael Fassbender playing a Nazi alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger as a gun-totting U.S. president. However, the 10-minute sizzle reel could be the only footage ever seen from Kung Fury 2 thanks to an incredibly messy legal battle that has prevented the movie’s decade-long journey to screens from reaching a conclusion. Now director and creator David Sandberg has opened up about the “heartbreaking” controversy that has kept the movie under lock and key.

Rights issues are usually the big problem that plagues Hollywood movie releases, with some IPs languishing in limbo as two or three people argue over who should make the most money from a famous character or plot. Kung Fury 2’s problems lie in one of the movie’s investors, Creasun Entertainment USA, who pledged two-thirds of the movie’s budget, including $10 million...

Just a few days before the 2025 Cannes Film Festival kicked off, a leaked sizzle reel of a film called “Kung Fury 2” caused something of a stir online.

The 10-minute promo — uploaded to an anonymous YouTube account (and removed less than a day later) — showcased an insane medley of action comedy and martial arts in a wildly over-the-top and mostly bonkers homage to the 80s, with Michael Fassbender as a renegade cop with an impressive mullet hairdo and Arnold Schwarzenegger as a Nazi-fighting U.S. president.

While for many the response was largely of the “Wtf was that” variety, for others it was a very welcome reminder of a long-delayed movie that had all-but vanished from sight.

“Kung Fury 2” was actually first announced in Cannes in 2015, where the original “Kung Fury” — a 30-minute, green screen-shot short film about “kung fu cop” who goes back in time from 1980s Miami to defeat the Kung Fuhrer,...

A leaked promo for Kung Fury 2 just dropped online, and it’s as wild as it sounds. One of the most shocking moments? Arnold Schwarzenegger riding a dinosaur! Yes, you read that right.

Kung Fury 2, also known as Kung Fury: The Movie, is the long-awaited follow-up to the 2015 short film Kung Fury. The original film was a crazy, over-the-top tribute to 1980s sci-fi action movies and became a viral hit. Now, the feature-length sequel promises to be even more outrageous.

The film is written, directed by, and stars David Sandberg. It also features big names like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Fassbender, Alexandra Shipp, David Hasselhoff, and Jorma Taccone. While the movie has been delayed for years due to legal issues over visual effects, this leaked clip has fans buzzing.

The promo video leaked last week and was confirmed as real by Sandberg himself. In the clip, you can see:...

Sometimes the world hands you lemons, and sometimes it hands you Arnold Schwarzenegger riding a dinosaur while fighting Nazis. Now, you might be wondering where this ridiculous yet oddly entertaining notion sprouted from. Well, some films make you think. Some make you cry. And then there’s Kung Fury 2: a cinematic roundhouse kick to the brain that cares little for permission, logic, or linear storytelling.

It’s been a long decade of radio silence since this neon-soaked fever dream, helmed by David Sandberg, vanished into a labyrinth of lawsuits. But now, thanks to a leaked 10-minute footage, the chaos has been unleashed… and it’s even more unhinged than anyone expected.

Note that the footage was mysteriously uploaded by an anonymous YouTube user. Variety confirmed its legitimacy, and director-star David Sandberg admitted it contains unfinished VFX and spoilers. But who cares? Here are five things we have learned from this mind-melting preview.

Fans were able to get a look at Michael Fassbender in costume for Kung Fury 2, several years after he first signed on for the movie.

Per Variety, a sizzle reel from the unreleased Kung Fury 2 has been leaked online. The video has since been taken down due to a copyright claim. The 10-minute promo opened to a cluttered attic space before a VHS tape flies into frame, replete with lightning effects and an epic synth riff before cutting away to a fantastical, day-glow cityscape replete with anthropomorphic dinosaurs and all manner of over-the-top warriors, including David Sandberg in a reprisal of his role as Kung Fury. The promo also includes a sneak peek at Michael Fassbender as Kung Fury's new partner, Colt Magnum, as well as the return of Jorma Taccone as Adolf Hitler, aka the Kung Führer.

“This was an internal promo video that was never supposed...

“Kung Fury” was the fevered dream of Swedish filmmaker David Sandberg, who crowd-sourced a wild genre-bending short film take on the cop action film by throwing all sorts of insane elements, including Vikings, dinosaurs, time-travel, and a kung fu-trained satirical version of Adolph Hitler played by Lonely Island member Jorma Taccone. And over the weekend, high-resolution footage from the long-wrapped “Kung Fury 2” that features Michael Fassbender (“Black Bag”), Alexandra Shipp (“X-Men: Apocalypse”), David Hasselhoff, and Arnold Schwarzenegger as the President of the United States made its way online in the form of a 10-minute sizzle reel.

Continue reading ‘Kung Fury 2’ Sizzle Reel: Michael Fassbender & Arnold Schwarzenegger Star In Leaked Footage From Absurdist Comedy at The Playlist.

"I eat lions every goddamn day. If you're not prepared to do the same, then you hang up that hat, walk out that door, and you never come back..." Hell yes - I want to watch this! Some of you will remember a badass short (at 30 mins!) film from 2015 called Kung Fury, made by Swedish filmmaker David Sandberg (no relation to Shazam! director David F. Sandberg). This was his own big project and it was a huge hit when it launched online - watch here. In 2018 he started development on a full-length feature version called Kung Fury: The Movie or Kung Fury 2. He was somehow able to wrangle up Michael Fassbender, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and David Hasselhoff for the cast, and shot the film in 2019. But after legal troubles and other setbacks, the pandemic kicked in and the film has been stuck in release limbo. Word is that it's finished...

There are some movies that have to be seen to be believed and top of that pile would be Kung Fury: The Movie. Or, it would be if we ever got to see it. Unfortunately, thanks to lawsuits, unpaid Chinese debts, and plenty of other chaos behind the scenes, David Sandberg's indescribable action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and MIchael Fassbender is currently stuck in limbo, and has been for the last five years. Or at least it was until a 10-minute-long sizzle reel of footage was leaked online, giving everyone a look at the movie that seems to completely ignore the coherent rules of moviemaking in favor of a film that has "cult classic" written all over it.

However, in response to the footage, director Sandberg explained to Variety that the footage was never meant to be seen by the public as it contains plenty of spoilers and unfinished effects.

The first footage from director David Sandberg's Kung Fury: The Movie, aka Kung Fury 2, has found its way online via a 10-minute leaked sizzle reel, and this might just be one of the most gloriously insane things you're ever likely to watch.

The retro action/sci-fi comedy has been stuck in limbo since production was forced to shut down five years ago after a lawsuit between the producers and the film’s Chinese investors, Creasun. In late 2020, Creasun Entertainment USA was accused of refusing to come up with the $10 million it promised, effectively bringing the movie to a screeching halt.

“This was an internal promo video that was never supposed to be seen by the public. I feel bad because it contains a bunch of plot points and temp VFX,” Sandberg told Variety in a statement. “I hope at least people can see the passion that we poured into the movie,...

Update: Well, that joy was short-lived, with the (awesome) Kung Fury 2 sizzle reel already being pulled off YouTube due to copyright claims. Hopefully, the added notoriety will mean that the film will get some kind of release (sooner or later), but for now, the 10-minute rip was as close as we are gonna get. Hopefully, all of you reading this saw it during its brief moment of availability, as it was glorious.

Original Post: When David Sandberg released his homage to ‘80s martial arts flicks, Kung Fury, a decade ago, it was just what fans needed: a glorious nod to a genre so many of us grew up with that just doesn’t fly in the modern age. But now he is more furious than ever, with Kung Fury 2 headed our way soon. And to promote Kung Fury 2, a sizzle reel of some of the greatest hits,...

Update: The leaked footage has been taken down via a copyright claim from Hammerstone Studios.Where were you the first time you learned about the short film Kung Fury? A man using martial arts to take on Adolf Hitler (Jorma Taccone)? We're invested. The very odd and exciting short film, directed by David Sandberg, was littered with 80s references, looked like a bad video game, and has become one of those things we all pass around like the VHS from The Ring. Now, the long-hidden footage of Kung Fury 2 has been leaked and it is as glorious as you'd think.

The sequel was shut down during post-production and the new 10-minute sizzle reel for the film was posted anonymously on YouTube. Variety confirmed with the filmmakers that it is legitimate footage from the film. The other time something like this has happened (and worked) was when footage of Deadpool...

A high-octane, wildly colourful and mostly insane sizzle reel for “Kung Fury 2,” an action-comedy starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Fassbender and David Hasselhoff that shut down during post-production in 2020 due to legal issues, has been leaked online.

The outrageously over-the-top and action-packed 10-minute promo shows Schwarzenegger as a cigar-chomping, shotgun-toting U.S. president “out to kick some Nazi ass,” Fassbender as a renegade FBI agent boasting an impressive mullet and explaining how to make a “justice omelette,” and David Hasselhoff in a red leather jumpsuit cradling some puppies and transforming into an 80s sports car called the Hoff 9000. A preposterous plot appears to involve a wildly eclectic team of human, dinosaur and half-human-half-dinosaur crime-fighters called the Thunder Cops, led by the high-kicking Kung Fury (played by writer/director David Sandberg), on a mission to clean up the streets of 1985 Miami, a mission that is somehow derailed by “the worst criminal of all time,...

Some people still don’t understand why half the internet is hating on Rachel Zegler or why revamping a classic children’s tale has caused such a massive uproar. But whether it’s her comments, the creative direction of Snow White, or just internet outrage culture doing its thing, the controversy hasn’t slowed down. Of course, the movie itself had its own flaws, but that’s a story for another time.

What many people don’t realize is that, before all this Snow White drama, Zegler was actually in the running to play Supergirl in The Flash! Yep, before Sasha Calle ultimately landed the role, Zegler was considered for the part. Here is what actually happened!

Rachel Zegler. | Credits: Snow White / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Rachel Zegler was almost Supergirl!

Rachel Zegler‘s audition for Shazam! Fury of the Gods actually happened before West Side Story even hit theaters.

You have to be like a rubber band, bendable and resilient. This could be the sentiment that seems to echo the struggles Rachel Zegler has faced in her career. But let’s talk about the real rubber band stretch—auditioning.

Picture yourself in a room; the casting director says, “Come back,” and you’re back again. And again. That’s what Zegler, the brilliant talent behind West Side Story, endured—nine times, to be exact, for a role that was never hers. As a fresh face in the industry, she got a taste of how grueling Hollywood can be.

She described it as “borderline abuse,” having her hopes repeatedly dashed in the name of ‘trying out’.

Rachel Zegler in West Side Story | Credits: 20th Century Studios

Here’s how it all unfolded, from auditioning for the role of Supergirl in The Flash to eventually becoming part of the Shazam family.

If you were an Internet 1.0 denizen, and/or you count yourself among the fans of geek culture, then 2015's "Kung Fury" is probably a favorite of yours. The short film written, directed by, and starring Swedish filmmaker David Sandberg, is a clever and vibrant homage to '80s action movies. A sort of collision between a meme, an Adult Swim special, a parody film, and a fan film (complete with its own underdog Kickstarter crowdfunding origin story) that beat the odds, "Kung Fury" features the involvement of celebrities like Jorma Taccone (of The Lonely Island) and David Hasselhoff, lending a bit of legitimate star power to what otherwise may have been seen as a curious goof. All this is to say that "Kung Fury" is thoroughly delightful, and its short length only helps make the prospect of a sequel more interesting.

As it turns out, "Kung Fury 2" became way...

Exclusive: Black Bear’s management arm has signed writer, director, actor, and producer Jordan Firstman, whose credits include Sundance 2023 black comedy Rotting in the Sun.

Firstman first rose to prominence by sharing short skits, impressions, and impersonations on Instagram Live during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He is also known for writing for Alia Shawkat’s Search Party and he was a consulting producer on Netflix’s animated series Big Mouth. As a filmmaker, Firstman directed the narrative short Men Don’t Whisper, which was shortlisted for the Grand Jury Prize at both Sundance and SXSW in 2018. He has also written for Comedy Central’s The Other Two and directed multiple episodes of the Peabody-nominated Sundance TV series This Close.

On the acting side, Firstman joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2022 via Ms. Marvel on Disney+. He also recently appeared in FX’s Dave and the Netflix comedy You People with Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy.

While the title of the movie has nothing to do with the narrative itself and certainly isn’t related to director David Sandberg’s directorial debut either, Don’t Turn Out the Lights comes off as an outdoor group survival horror, the likes of which you have seen numerous times but can’t help checking out just for curiosity’s sake. Predictable and filled with annoying stereotypes, there isn’t much that the movie can offer to seasoned horror aficionados, but a somewhat decent chemistry among the characters and decently crafted ambience contributing to the atmospheric horror help viewers stick through the runtime.

Spoilers Ahead

Birthday Celebration Gone Wrong

A group of annoying, overly enthusiastic college grads who were formerly high school buddies reunite to celebrate their narcissistic, social media-obsessed friend Olivia’s birthday, who proposes they spend a wild weekend at the Bluelight music festival—a ten-hour drive from their meeting point.

Exclusive: Oscar nominated scribe Eric Heisserer has inked a first look deal with Sony Pictures under his Chronology banner.

Founded in the wake of the hit series Shadow And Bone, with Carmen Lewis who will oversee the deal, Chronology will focus on delivering elevated genre as theatrical experiences for Sony. Already in the works at the studio is Dissolution, a new grounded sci-fi novel by acclaimed author Nicholas Binge, which the company will co-produce with Temple Hill. Temple Hill’s Isaac Klausner and George Berman, who brought the book into the company and brought it to Heisserer to write, will oversee the project for the company.

“I’m totally obsessed with Eric Heisserer. He knows how to find the big idea, he understands the magical ratio of character and mystery as only the highest quality writers can, but also, he has an extraordinary producer mindset. We are thrilled to expand...

As the Hollywood news cycle continues to churn with anticipation for the launch of Deadpool & Wolverine, presidential candidate endorsements, and enthusiasm for the increasing numbers of the summer box office, Focus Features is ready to make headlines by assigning a date for Steven Soderbergh‘s upcoming spy drama Black Bag. The studio says Black Bag opens in theaters on March 14, 2024. Focus will release the film in the US, and Universal Pictures International will handle international distribution.

Black Bag is a high-stakes mystery starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender, as well as Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, Tom Burke, and Pierce Brosnan. Steven Soderbergh directs Black Bag from a script by David Koepp. Soderbergh and Blanchett previously worked together on his 2006 noir thriller The Good German. Additionally, Blanchett played a part in the film Ocean’s 8, part of Soderbergh’s Ocean’s 11 franchise. Soderbergh produced Ocean’s 8 but didn’t direct that one.

Kung Fury— a 2015 English-language Swedish martial arts comedy film— is weirdly entertaining, the average critics’ consensus certified the movie fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an impressive 86% score. Also, fans have showered their love for the David Sandberg (not to be confused with Shazam! director) written and directed movie.

Jorma Taccone as Adolf Hitler in Kung Fury

As the movie claimed the astounding accolades, there was inherently another installment in the making. The sequel of the Sandberg-led movie who played the title character, also starred Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, Kung Fury 2 has never seen the light of day. Jorma Taccone played the notorious historical figure, Adolf Hitler and the actor was heartbroken as the movie was hidden from the public forever.

Jorma Taccone Was Heartbroken After Kung Fury 2’s Release Was Scrapped Jorma Taccone as Adolf Hitler in Kung Fury

Jorma Taccone played a comic version of Adolf Hitler, Kung Fuhrer,...

Kung Fury's tale is filled with legal hurdles that have stalled the release, disappointing fans eager for a wacky, star-studded sequel. Lawsuits over promised funding have shut down post-production, leaving the ambitious Kung Fury 2 in limbo for the past four years. The co-writer of the film has a new theatrical release, Boy Kills World, which provides a taste of the humor and action you might see in Kung Fury 2.

The tale of Kung Fury is a fascinating and winding one, with few victories for any party involved. It all stems from the short film, or featurette, Kung Fury, which was created by director, writer, and star David Sandberg and received 39 million views on YouTube. The short film featured David Hasselhoff, and a music video from the film with him garnered more than 52 million views. The original short was obviously a huge success, and it led to a 'sequel' of sorts,...

Alex Lebovici's Hammerstone Studios certainly has a lot on its plate. One of the companies behind Barbarian, Hammerstone is releasing the dystopian action comedy Boy Kills World into theaters on April 26, and from there it's a very busy couple of years. They're producing Mel Gibson's first directorial feature in eight years, Flight Risk, starring Mark Wahlberg; they're working with Sam Raimi again (after Boy Kills World) on a horror thriller called Don't Move; they produced the still-unreleased Kung Fury sequel with David Sandberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Michael Fassbender. And they're teaming with A24 to produce Death Stranding.

The adaptation of what's been called one of the best video games of the 21st century is coming with creator Hideo Kojima's approval, and Kojima Productions is working on it with Hammerstone and A24. Jordan Peele has been one of the directors whose name has been floated for the adaptation,...

Shazam! star Jack Dylan Grazer isn't counting on a third film happening, but he still thinks there's a way to get the character into the Dcu.

After playing Freddy Freeman in 2019's Shazam!, Jack Dylan Grazer returned for the 2023 sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods. The sequel came up short at the box office, seemingly making it far less likely that a third installment would be made. Recently speaking with Cbr's Kevin Polowy at WonderCon, Grazer commented on the potential future of the Shazam! movie series, figuring that it "probably" won't happen due to Fury of the Gods underperforming. However, the actor also believes that Black Adam would be the key to continuing the Shazam! story, if it ever happens.

Shazam! star Jack Dylan Grazer tells @djkevlar that if there's a future for Shazam in the Dcu, he believes Black Adam will be the key. pic.twitter.com/vWhVlKzQ5y...

The Killer and Prometheus star Michael Fassbender could go behind enemy lines for The Department, a forthcoming espionage thriller series with George Clooney (The Boys in the Boat) at the helm. With Clooney in the director’s chair, filming for The Department kicks off in London this spring. The project, which has a straight-to-series order by Showtime, is based on “The Bureau,” the hit French spy show created by Eric Rochant. In addition to his role as the project’s director, Clooney is producing alongside Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures, MTV Entertainment Studios, and 101 Studios.

The original French show starred the “bureau des légendes,” Matthieu Kassovitz as Guillaume Debailly — alias Paul Lefebvre, alias Malotru – a member of the “bureau des légendes,” the mythical powerhouse within the French Secret Service and its daredevil ghost agents. Malotru returns home after completing a six-year mission in Damascus. While struggling to retire his...

If you've heard about "Night Swim" and its haunted swimming pool concept, your first reaction might have been to wonder whether something had gone horribly awry over at Blumhouse and Atomic Monster. Producers James Wan and Jason Blum are horror juggernauts, after all, and a film about an evil swimming pool initially seems to have a lot more in common with retro low-budget horror schlock like "Amityville Death Toilet" or "Death Bed."

But even minimal research into this upcoming horror effort from first-time director Bryce McGuire reveals something altogether more serious. Based on the filmmaker's 2014 short film of the same name, "Night Swim" follows an increasingly successful formula of transforming horror shorts into fully-fledged features. 2022's surprise hit "Smile," for instance, was based on the short "Laura Hasn't Slept," while the best horror movie of the last decade, "Skinamarink," started life as a 28-minute, criminally underseen YouTube video entitled "Heck.

Exclusive: Black Bear’s management arm has signed the Swedish actor and model Simon Lööf for representation.

Lööf is currently on set in the lead role of Netflix’s Swedish thriller An Honest Life, directed by Mikael Marcimain, which is due to be released globally 2024.

Based on a thriller by Joakim Zander of the same name, the buzzed about production revolves around a disillusioned law school student who finds himself on the wrong side of the law, when he falls under the thrall of an anarchic, young woman he meets a political demonstration.

Simon Lööf made his acting debut in 2020 in teen ice hockey drama Eagles, which he followed with a co-starring role in the critically acclaimed Swedish series Threesome opposite Matilda Källström.

Aside from An Honest Life, Lööf’s will soon be seen in the series So Long, Marianne about the relationship between...

Producer Lawrence Grey has had his hand in some big projects with genres spanning across the board, from David Sandberg’s (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) hit 2016 horror Lights Out to the Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee-led rom-com Hope Springs. For one of his next upcoming features, Grey teamed up with director David Yates (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) and Netflix for crime drama Pain Hustlers, with yet another ensemble cast, and he recently spoke with Collider’s Steve Weintraub about what it was that drew him to this project.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, despite playing indestructible characters on screen, reveals he almost died during heart surgery. Schwarzenegger's recovery from the surgery proved his resilience and ability to overcome setbacks. Fans of Schwarzenegger eagerly anticipate the return of his TV series Fubar, which has been renewed for a second season.

As the Terminator, and indeed in many of his on-screen roles, Arnold Schwarzenegger is pretty much indestructible. However, in a recent video on his YouTube channel, the iconic star revealed that he is still only human and actually came close to death following complications during an operation to replace a valve in his heart.

Schwarzenegger has become known mostly for playing characters who just refuse to die, whether it is the T-800 in the Terminator franchise, or even his most recent appearance in Netflix series Fubar. Of course, the real world is very different, as the actor discovered when he underwent his...

Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals how close he came to dying following botched heart surgery he went through shortly before filming 2019's Terminator: Dark Fate.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, The Pump, Schwarzenegger delved into the issues with the surgery and his rollercoaster of emotions when he realized it didn't go according to plan. The 76-year action film legend was undergoing his third and most recent open-heart surgery at the time, getting a valve replacement ahead of shooting the most recent Terminator sequel. When the ex-governor of California was told there were unexpected issues with the procedure, the actor was "freaking out" as he wondered what would happen next.

Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger Praises Bruce Willis, Says Action Heroes 'Never Really Retire'

“I woke up and all of a sudden the doctors were in front of me saying, ‘I’m so sorry but it was unlike what we planned,'” Schwarzenegger said.

Within the course of a week some six years ago, aspiring genre filmmaker Michael Chaves’ life changed forever.

‘The Nun II’

Bloody Disgusting had posted his haunted house horror short The Maiden, which stylistically in its sneaky shots, steely hues and earth tones is oh-so-close to the gist of The Conjuring franchise. Off of that, Chaves, a Pasadena Art School & Design alum (which includes Michael Bay and Zack Snyder) gets a meeting and is signed by James Wan and David Sandberg’s CAA rep, Scott Henderson, a guru in the genre space. Chaves then winds up in front of New Line execs Walter Hamada and Dave Neustadter pitching himself for the directing gig of The Curse of La Llorona. Wan was wowed over by The Maiden, too.

Chaves’ oversee of The Curse of La Llorona goes so well, the movie turns a net profit near $46M off its $9M production...

Exclusive: Black Bear, the production, management and financing company founded by Teddy Schwarzman, on Thursday announced its signing of Simona Tabasco, one of the breakout Italian stars of The White Lotus‘ second season.

The news follows the firm’s introduction to Tabasco as the producer of Immaculate, a forthcoming psychological horror film in which she stars opposite fellow White Lotus alum Sydney Sweeney.

In the Sicily-set second installment of Mike White’s HBO satire The White Lotus, examining the dynamics between employees and guests at luxury hotels around the world, Tabasco starred alongside Adam Dimarco, Michael Imperioli, Beatrice Grannò, Theo James and more. The 10x Emmy-winning series had her playing the role of Lucia Greco, a prostitute enjoying the high life alongside aspiring chanteuse Mia (Grannò), as she builds her business on the grounds of The White Lotus Sicily. For her performance, the actress was recognized with an Emmy nom...

“Blue Beetle” director Ángel Manuel Soto is an eternal optimist.

It was January 2020 when Soto’s coming-of-age story “Charm City Kings” debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, winning the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Prize for ensemble acting. Sony Pictures Classics planned to release the film on April 10, which would have come after its intended bow at South by Southwest on March 15. Yet, as for so many movies, a global pandemic changed those plans. It eventually ended up in the hands of HBO Max ahead of its rebrand, but if anyone visits Max, it’s not available, as it was one of the movies that was quietly removed from the platform.

And here Soto is again, sitting in a hotel room on Zoom amid his travels without his actors and writers to promote the film, which opens Aug. 18. He’s going at it alone due to the ongoing Hollywood strikes,...

Shazam! Fury of the Gods star Zachary Levi explained how "unkind" he believes critics were towards the DC Extended Universe film amid its poor box-office showing.

Speaking on The FilmUp Podcast, Levi expressed how much he enjoyed playing the all-powerful yet goofy titular superhero. However, he was disheartened by the critical reception and was put off by how negative the reviews were. He said, "As an experience, I really enjoyed making that movie and I really enjoyed playing that part. I don’t know what the future holds for it all because, unfortunately, the second movie was not as well-received. I mean, the audience score is still quite good, but the critic score was, I don’t know, very oddly and perplexingly low and people were insanely unkind."

Related: Shazam! Fury of the Gods' Biggest Plot Holes and Unanswered Questions

Fury of the Gods boasts an underwhelming 49% average critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes,...

Exclusive: Black Bear’s management arm has signed Danish-American actor Elliott Crosset Hove for representation.

Hove is best known for the well-received Danish/Icelandic feature Godland, which premiered in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival last year.

His lauded performance in the picture earned him Best Male Actor at Denmark’s 2023 Bodil Awards, as well as a Best Actor nomination at the European Film Awards.

Hove’s previous feature roles include Rasmus Heisterberg’s 2016 feature film In the Blood, for which Hove was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Bodil Awards, and Hlynur Pálmason’s Winter Brothers, which won him a Danish Robert Award and Best Actor at the Locarno Film Festival. He has also appeared in Journal 64, Before the Frost, Parents and Wildland.

Most recently, Hove starred in Katrine Brocks’ The Great Silence and Simon Jaquemet’s Electric Child, which is currently in post-production, alongside Rila Fukushima.

Arnold Schwarzenegger transforms into Maria from The Sound of Music and sings in an eerie deepfake. After winning the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding title six times, the Austrian native attempted to use his fame in a career transition to acting. After struggling to gain major roles, Schwarzenegger was cast as the titular hero in the 1982 fantasy epic Conan the Barbarian. The critically-acclaimed performance led to major roles in several blockbusters, including The Terminator, Commando, Predator, and The Running Man, securing Schwarzenegger's status as Hollywood's premier action star of the decade.

Comedian and deepfake artist Brian Monarch used Schwarzenegger's Austrian heritage as inspiration for his Sound of Music video in which he replaced Julie Andrew's head and voice with the Last Action Hero star's.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Brian Monarch (@brianmonarch)

Impressionist Joe Gaudet provides Schwarzenegger's melodic voice as the deepfaked actor sings the musical's opening number,...

L.A.-based Dynamic Television has acquired worldwide rights to the Swedish series “The Pirate Bay,” about the notorious pirate BitTorrent site and its co-founders Peter Sunde, Fredrik Neij, and Gottfrid Swartholm.

The six-part series, set to go unto production this fall, is being produced by Stockholm and L.A.-based powerhouse B-Reel Films for Swedish pubcaster Svt. “I Am Zlatan” helmer Jens Sjögren is directing, from a screenplay by head-writer Piotr Marciniak (“Everything I Can’t Remember”), with Patrik Gyllström (“Agatha Christie’s Hjerson”) serving as episodic writer.

The character-driven show turns on Peter, Fredrik and Gottfrid, who ended up creating in 2003 one of the world’s largest BitTorrent indexes as a reaction to big business trying to take control file sharing over the Internet.

What was intended to ignite a revolution to let information flow freely, quickly became responsible for the illegal distribution of copyrighted films, music, books and software online.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” hit theatres on March 17, resulting in a disappointing opening weekend with just $65 million at the worldwide box office — a 43 per cent drop from the first “Shazam” movie.

While there are certainly many reasons behind why the film flopped, a report from TheWrap offers another factor: Dwayne Johnson and his attempt to place his Black Adam and Henry Cavill’s Superman at the centre of the DC Extended Universe.

Read More: ‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’ Crashes At The Box Office With Estimated $30.5 Million Haul

According to TheWrap, “Black Adam” was intended to feature a post-credits sequence featuring Zachary Levi’s “Shazam” character, which would have linked the two movies and, in theory, bolstered the success of “Fury of the Gods”. That sequence, the outlet reports, would have seen Levi’s character recruited for the Justice Society — until Johnson personally “vetoed” the plan.

Instead, the post-credits...

Zachary Levi took to Instagram to clarify that he doesn’t blame Dwyane Johnson — or anyone — for nixing the originally planned post-credits scene in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which would’ve seen Justice Society of America members inviting the sequel’s title character to join their group.

On Tuesday, Levi seemed to call out Johnson after a story from The Wrap reported that the Black Adam star blocked Justice Society characters from appearing in the Shazam! sequel and shot down the possibility of a Levi cameo in his movie. In his Instagram Story, the Chuck alum shared a post mentioning the reporting and added “The truth shall set you free.”

“I may or may not have, you know, reposted something in my Stories about a story that I had nothing to do with that [The Wrap] had reported on, and then I got flack about it because people were saying ‘Oh,...

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Shazam! Fury of the Gods.Shazam! Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg clears up claims of possible Gal Gadot deep fake being used in the movie for Wonder Woman's cameo. Shazam 2 continued the original Shazam!'s gag of including a DC hero cameo. While the first movie featured a headless Superman cameo, since Henry Cavill's situation as the Man of Steel was messy at the time, Shazam! Fury of the Gods full-on included Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. However, some are skeptical of the actress shooting new scenes for the movie.

On Twitter, Sandberg cleared up any doubts, confirming Gadot herself was there on set to avoid any comparison between Wonder Woman's cameo and Superman's headless scene from the original.

We shot the scene with Taylor to figure out what coverage we then needed to get with Gal since...

S​hazam! Fury Of The Gods has flown its way into theaters. The new DC film catches up with the adopted family as they now live life as teenagers who act as superheroes in their spare time. Last we saw them, they all had superpowers when they said the magic word Shazam! A new threat has shown up to try and disrupt their happy home. The film is absolutely jam-packed with Shazam easter eggs and references to other superhero properties and even some horror films. What did you miss?

W​Arning!!!! There will be spoilers for Shazam! and Shazam! Fury Of The Gods!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A​nnabelle

T​he creepy doll from The Conjuring universe has once again made an appearance in a DC movie. This marks her third appearance as she appeared in the first Shazam! and Aquaman. When we find out that Shazam is using his pediatrician as a therapist,...

When I first saw Shazam! I was truly impressed with the mix of humor, horror, and action. And with the latest, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, I found a sequel worth entertaining in. It is funny, smart, and is just as clever and engaging as the first. And much of that credit can be given to the screenwriters behind it. Henry Gayden, who wrote the original film, is back. He is joined this time around by Chris Morgan. The two have done a terrific job of creating a continuation that doesn’t repeat itself, but still maintains the heart of the first.

We recently had the pleasure of chatting with both Chris and Henry about the new film. They opened up about taking on a superhero story and splashing in mythology. The two discussed what David F. Sandberg brought to the experience, and how cool it was to have Helen Mirren on set.