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Chicago – Encountering Romina D’Ugo at the recent Slamdance Film Festival was the closest thing to destiny I’ll ever come across. After I reviewed “I Like Movies,” in which Romina had a significant supporting role, and then doing a podcast on the film, she serendipitously appeared at Slamdance, representing for her latest role in “Portal to Hell.”

The story in the new film regards Dunn (Trey Holland), who is a debt collector. His life of routine is interrupted when a “Portal to Hell” appears in his local laundromat, guarded by the manager named Ed (Romina D’Ugo). Chip the Demon (Richard Kind) emerges to explain that his devilish tasks include dragging to hell Dunn’s neighbor, Mr. Bobshank (Keith David). A deal is offered - three souls to save Bobshank. At first Dunn says no. but when one of his debtors follows him to the laundromat and well… once you do one,...

You know how we often hear about actors getting paid millions for their movie roles? Well, hold onto your popcorn because what we’re about to dive into will blow your mind.

While a typical A-list salary might make us mere mortals gasp, some clever actors have managed to negotiate deals that have earned them over $100 million from a single film. Yes, you read that right – one hundred million dollars from just one movie!

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) | Credits: Paramount Pictures

And we’re not talking about decades of accumulated earnings or multiple films in a franchise – these are paydays from individual projects that would make even Wall Street executives do a double-take.

Ready to discover how your favorite actors turned their performances into nine-figure paydays? Let’s take a look at these Hollywood heavyweights who’ve mastered the art of the deal and hit the entertainment industry jackpot.

Kanan and his mother are ready to take their operation to the next level, but they will face their most dangerous adversaries yet.

What will become of Kanan and the drug empire his mother built this season? Find out when “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” Season 4 premieres on Starz on Friday, March 7. The Thomas family is seemingly in the clear after the explosive events of Season 3, but dangers still lurk around every corner. You can stream the new season of “Power Book III” with a subscription to Starz.

How to watch ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Season 4 When: Premieres Friday, March 6 at 8 p.m. Et TV: Starz, Starz streaming service Stream: Watch with a subscription to Starz. From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a Vpn. Everything you need to know about “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” Season 4

How to watch ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Season 4

About ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan...

Korean-American actor Steve Park guest-starred on Seasons 2 and 3 of Friends and is looking back on what he has described as “an extremely painful experience” for him.

During a recent appearance on the “Pod Meets World” podcast, Park recalled an uncomfortable environment on set for Asian actors.

“It was at the time, I felt it was kind of a toxic environment,” Park said. “James Hong was the actor who was also on the episode with me, and [the assistant director] was calling him to the set and you know, essentially saying, ‘Where the fuck is the Oriental guy? Get the Oriental guy.’”

He continued, “This is bigger than this show. This isn’t the first time that this happened, you know, but this is the environment where this is business as usual in Hollywood in 1997, I guess it was. And nobody felt the need to correct this or say anything about it. So this is normal behavior.

In the "Star Trek: Picard" episode "Watcher", Picard (Patrick Stewart) travels back to the year 2024 to investigate a strange case of futuristic causality. His investigation took him to a bar in Los Angeles located at 10 Forward Ave., a bar that was overseen by a younger version of Picard's old friend Guinan (Ito Aghayere). The timeline is a little screwy in "Picard," as Trekkies already knew that Guinan (based on a real person) already looked like Whoopi Goldberg in the year 1893. But whatever. Mere details. This is an alternate version of Guinan. 

Guinan and Picard connect frequently at 10 Forward to discuss his time-travel mission, and how it connects to the trickster deity Q (John de Lancie), an old foe of Guinan's. While they are having their discussion, a man swings by the bar to pick up Guinan's pet pitbull, Luna. The man has a beard, wears a snapbrim, and sports a...

Filmmaker Terry Gilliam has been working on a new movie that was previously titled The Carnival at the End of Days. However, new reports suggest that the film has been renamed as Carnival, with major updates surrounding its plot and cast. But among all, what caught our attention is Jason Momoa’s name in the list of actors associated with the project.

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow | image: Disney

While it’s already known that Terry Gilliam has tapped Johnny Depp to appear in his upcoming movie; now Jason Momoa’s appearance alongside Depp has sparked some gossip. It seems that people no longer need to rely on Momoa’s fake court video from the Depp vs. Heard trial, wherein he appeared trashing Amber Heard while supporting her ex-husband. It now seems that Momoa has already become Team Depp, for Carnival.

Jason Momoa will team up with Johnny Depp...

Arguably, three of the most popular franchises in recent (or past or future) memory are Back to the Future, The Lord of the Rings, and Star Trek, and the stars of all three recently appeared at a Vancouver convention. Christopher Lloyd, John Rhys-Davies, and William Shatner all appeared at the recent Fan Expo Vancouver and posed for an iconic photo together.

Lloyd, who played Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, posted an epic photo to the social media site X that featured himself, Star Trek’s Captain James T. Kirk (Shatner), and The Lord of the Rings trilogy’s Gimli (Davies). Lloyd captioned the picture: “The final frontier, the future, or middle-earth…your choice.”

The final frontier, the future, or middle-earth…your choice pic.twitter.com/hRpwhSOEj3— Christopher Lloyd (@DocBrownLloyd) February 23, 2025

RelatedJohn Rhys-Davies Was the Perfect Gimli, But He Nearly Played a Very Different Character...

It’s time for your Friday film quiz, and this week’s batch of 30 movie-related questions have monkeys in mind…

Fancy another preview of upcoming Friday film quiz themes? We’re planning rounds about the Oscars, Disney movies, and Robert De Niro over the next couple of months, but now, at last, it’s come to this – a quiz about monkeys on film. With Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey (read Maria’s review here) unleashed in cinemas and previous quizzes on Stephen King movies and Planet Of The Apes already behind us, we’ve run out of excuses not to monkey around.

Once you’ve completed this week’s quiz, you’ll find a link to a separate post with the correct answers at the bottom of this post. As always, this is just for fun, but please let us know how you did in the comments (scores out of 30 this week!

Actor/comedian Richard Kind has a vibe that lives up to his last name, so when you’re looking to cast someone to play a demon in a movie, he’s probably one of the last people who would ever come to mind… which is exactly why casting Kind as a demon in the horror comedy Portal to Hell was a brilliant move on the part of writer/director Woody Bess. The film will have its premiere at the Slamdance film festival, which is being held from February 20th through the 26th, and in advance of its debut screening, Deadline reports that Raven Banner is representing the worldwide sales and distribution, presenting the film to potential buyers at the European Film Market.

Richard Kind (Only Murders in the Building) is joined in the film’s cast by Trey Holland (The Diabolical), Romina D’Ugo (12 Monkeys), Keith David (John Carpenter’s The Thing...

Legendary Entertainment and Hasbro Entertainment are partnering to create a live-action feature film and television universe based on Hasbro’s massively successful Magic: The Gathering, Hasbro’s first $1 billion brand.

Initial plans call for a feature film to lead the charge, with television series and other content to be developed as well as the universe expands.

Magic: The Gathering logo from Netflix

Legendary is well-known for its ability to translate IP with robust fandoms into epic, creator-driven projects across film, television, comics, and more, in a way that serves the property’s core fans while broadening its appeal to wider audiences.

Created in 1993, Magic: The Gathering is the world’s first trading card game. Its compelling characters, fantastic worlds, and deeply strategic yet highly customizable gameplay have captivated more than 50 million fans of all ages worldwide.

Mary Parent, Legendary’s Chairman of Worldwide Production, said, “We pride ourselves on being thoughtful caretakers of singular,...

A new partnership between YouTube and Starz will also allow Primetime Channels customers to take advantage.

Free is always preferable to paid, and YouTube TV knows it. Not only does YouTube TV offer a free trial of up to two weeks on its own, but it also allows viewers to sign up for extra streaming subscriptions, some of which feature trials of their own. Starz doesn’t normally come with a free trial for new subscribers, but a new partnership with YouTube TV is changing that for a limited time.

Key Details: Viewers who sign up for Starz via YouTube TV or YouTube Primetime Channels can get a 30-day free trial of Starz. The promotion runs from now until April. Once the trial ends, Starz will revert to its standard $11 per month price for YouTube TV subscribers. Sign Up $10.99+ / month starz.com

The new agreement between Starz and YouTube TV...

The explosive action movie hits cinemas on Friday, but it could be a while before it streams.

Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson might not be the powerhouse names they once were, but the two can still create some cinematic juice. Gibson is directing Wahlberg in the new action flick “Flight Risk,” which arrives in theaters on Friday, Jan. 24. When will it hit a streaming service near you? We’ll take a look at that question and give our expert opinion below!

Key Details: Reviews suggest that “Flight Risk” is the type of movie worth waiting for streaming. Lionsgate is distributing the film, which means it will arrive on Starz first. A new distribution deal between Lionsgate and Starz could shorten the wait. Sign Up $10.99+ / month starz.com Watch a trailer for ‘Flight Risk’

“Flight Risk” stars Wahlberg as a seemingly innocent pilot of a small plane. When the U.S.

By returning to the MCU in 2026's upcoming Vision series, one unexpected Iron Man actor will break a huge Marvel Studios record which is about to be set by two returning characters in 2025. As the second spinoff from 2021's WandaVision series, there is a lot of anticipation for the Vision series, which will catch up with Paul Bettany's White Vision following his reawakening by Sword and battle in Westview. Excitement has grown after the hiring of Star Trek: Picard's Terry Matalas as showrunner and confirmation that several MCU actors will be reprising their roles.

While the Vision series will put the titular synthezoid front-and-center, James Spader was also confirmed to be returning as Ultron in August 2024. Ultron had a key role in Vision's development in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron, so the tyrannical robot could play a huge role as the villain of the Vision series, but...

Cinematographer Roger Pratt, whose work included the original Batman movie starring Michael Keaton, has passed away. He was 77 years od.

Per Variety, Pratt's passing was announced by the British Society of Cinematographers with a message the stated, "It is with deepest sadness that we learn of the passing of Roger Pratt Bsc (1947-2024)." The included death year suggests Pratt died before the start of the month, but it wasn't stated exactly when, nor was there any information provided about the cause.

Born in 1947, Pratt enrolled in the London Film School in the 1960s. He picked up a job as a clapper loader for Chippenham Films in the United Kingdom to get his foot further into the door. It was then when he met filmmaker Terry Gilliam, with whom he'd later collaborate on the feature films Brazil, The Fisher King, and 12 Monkeys. Gilliam shared with the British Society of...

Here's a story you might've heard before: a man is haunted by childhood memories of someone being shot at an airport. Trapped in an experimental facility in a not-so-distant future, he is sent back in time over and over again and, on his travels, meets a woman from the past with whom he falls in love. Eventually, as he meets up with her in an airport, he gets shot, an event that is witnessed by his younger self. You've heard that one before, right? That is the plot to Terry Gilliam's classic 1995 sci-fi thriller 12 Monkeys, a movie so beloved that it would eventually spawn a television show that lasted for four seasons, between 2015 and 2018. But what if we told you that this story is a lot older than the mid-90s? What if we told you it actually dates back to a 1960s experimental French movie called La Jetée?...

Roger Pratt, the cinematographer behind “The Fisher King,” “Brazil” and Tim Burton’s “Batman,” has died. He was 77.

The news was posted via the British Society of Cinematographers: “It is with deepest sadness that we learn of the passing of Roger Pratt Bsc (1947-2024).” The news did not state when he died, nor did it share the cause of death.

Pratt was nominated for an Academy Award in 1999 for his work on “The End of the Affair.” He was also a frequent collaborator of Terry Gilliam. Pratt and Gilliam worked on “Brazil,” “The Fisher King” and “12 Monkeys.”

Richard Attenborough was another collaborator. Pratt worked on “Shadowlands” which won the BAFTA for Best British Film.

He also worked on the “Harry Potter” films, including “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.”

Pratt was born in 1947 in the British county of Leicester. In the 1960s,...

The new Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. thriller is ready to make a splash in theaters, and we’ll tell you when we think you can stream it at home.

Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. are back to their old antics in “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera.” This time, the pair will maraud across Europe as they play their game of cat and mouse, and we’ll break down when we think you’ll be able to watch their latest flick from your living room!

Key Details: Thus far, “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” has amassed a good score from reviewers. The film is distributed by Lionsgate, which means it will stream on Starz first. Fans may be in for a bit of a wait before “Den of Thieves 2” is ready to stream. Sign Up $10.99+ / month starz.com Watch a trailer for ‘Den of Thieves 2: Pantera...

Roger Pratt, the cinematographer who lensed Batman for Tim Burton, was a favorite of Terry Gilliam’s and shot two Harry Potter movies, has passed away. The British-born Dp was 77.

The British Society of Cinematographers posted a tribute to Roger Pratt on their Instagram page, writing in part, “It is with deepest sadness that we learn of the passing of our friend and colleague, Roger Pratt Bsc (1947-2024). Roger Pratt Bsc was an extraordinary #Cinematographer, who was awarded this society’s highest honour, our Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023. Roger was born in Leicester, the son of a parish vicar, and although the church didn’t capture his career aspirations, seeing 16mm “fact and faith” films did.”

Roger Pratt first garnered attention shooting for Terry Gilliam on 1985’s Brazil – work that was recognized by the American Society of Cinematographers as some of the best ever – and he would go on to...

Oscar-nominated British cinematographer Roger Pratt has died, aged 77.

The British Society of Cinematographers, of which Pratt had been a member since 1986, confirmed the death and said Pratt had been suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Born in Leicester in 1947, Pratt attended the London Film School in the late sixties and got his first credit as camera assistant on director Mike Leigh’s 1971 film Bleak Moments. He would later serve as cinematographer on Leigh’s 1983 TV film Meantime and 1988 feature High Hopes.

Working as clapper loader on Monty Python And The Holy Grail in 1975 began Pratt’s relationship with Terry Gilliam,...

Oscar-nominated British cinematographer Roger Pratt has died, aged 77.

The British Society of Cinematographers, of which Pratt had been a member since 1986, confirmed the death and said Pratt had been suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Born in Leicester in 1947, Pratt attended the London Film School in the late sixties and got his first credit as camera assistant on director Mike Leigh’s 1971 film Bleak Moments. He would later serve as cinematographer on Leigh’s 1983 TV film Meantime and 1988 feature High Hopes.

Working as clapper loader on Monty Python And The Holy Grail in 1975 began Pratt’s relationship with Terry Gilliam,...

Roger Pratt, an Oscar-nominated British cinematographer who worked on two Harry Potter films and with such top directors as Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam, Kenneth Branagh, Mike Leigh, Lasse Hallström, Neil Jordan, Wolfgang Petersen and Richard Attenborough, has died. He was 77.

The British Society of Cinematographers said he died in late 2024 but did not provide an exact date or a cause.

Pratt earned an Academy Award nom for Jordan’s The End of the Affair (1999) and also lensed the filmmaker’s Mona Lisa (1986) and 2000 short Not I. His dozens of credits include Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005); Burton’s Batman (1989); Leigh’s High Hopes (1988); Gilliam’s Brazil (1985), The Fisher King (1991) and 12 Monkeys (1995); Branagh’s Frankenstein (1994); and Hallström’s Chocolat (2000); and Petersen’s Troy (2004).

Pratt also was the go-to lenser for the late two-time Oscar winner Attenborough on several films including...

Oscar-nominated cinematographer Roger Pratt, whose work included Tim Burton’s Batman and two Harry Potter movies has died at 77. The British Society of Cinematographers (Bsc) confirmed Pratt’s death in a January 3 statement.

The Bsc did not disclose a specific date for Pratt’s death. The Hollywood Reporter noted he passed away in December 2024. Roger Pratt was born on February 27, 1947, in Leicester, United Kingdom.

"It is with deepest sadness that we learn of the passing of our friend and colleague, Roger Pratt Bsc (1947-2024),” the Bsc wrote in a social media post.

"Roger Pratt Bsc was an extraordinary #Cinematographer, who was awarded this society’s highest honour, our Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023. Roger was born in Leicester, the son of a parish vicar, and although the church didn’t capture his career aspirations, seeing 16mm “fact and faith” films did."

Pratt matriculated at the prestigious London Film School in the 1960s.

Prime Video's The Rig features a star-studded cast, and it also serves as a reunion for a surprising number of stars from Game of Thrones and Line of Duty. The Rig follows the crew of the Kinloch Bravo, an off-shore oil rig on the coast of Scotland. Unfortunately, the problems of deepwater oil drilling isn't even close to the biggest issue the crew has to face, as The Rig also heavily features supernatural elements. By the end of The Rig season 2, the entire fate of the world ends up hanging in the balance.

As with any show that heavily features supernatural elements, the crew of The Rig was extremely important to making those strange occurrences seem real. Once the Ancestor was revealed in The Rig, the show could have easily devolved into a pulpy sci-fi mess. Luckily, however, the show's star-studded cast held everything together and delivered a thrilling and dramatic story.

Clint Eastwood's Best Picture-winning Western is getting a new streaming home. Since the 1960s, the American icon has been widely associated with the Western genre. He rose to fame for his roles as the ramrod Rowdy Yates in the Western television series Rawhide and the bounty hunter, the Man with No Name, in director Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy of spaghetti Westerns, which includes A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Eastwood capped off the 1960s with the Westerns Hang 'Em High, which was his first starring role in an American movie, and the musical Paint Your Wagon. During the 1970s, Eastwood starred in Two Mules for Sister Sara and Joe Kidd before he began directing his own Westerns in addition to starring, starting with High Plains Drifter and followed by The Outlaw Josey Wales and Pale Rider. In 1992, Eastwood made Unforgiven,...

A viral plague. Decaying urban landscapes. Underground domestic terrorist organizations. Nefarious corporations. An environment of misinformation. Nobody in 1995, when director Terry Gilliam’s film 12 Monkeys hit movie screens, would have anticipated just how prescient the film would seem almost 30 years later. Yet, in 2024, the dystopian, time travel mystery seems to have foreshadowed so much of what the world has endured in recent days.

A critical and commercial hit on release, 12 Monkeys has maintained cult status ever since, even spawning a TV series reboot in 2015. As with much of Gilliam’s work, the film has kept a mainstream audience at arm’s length, often considered too dark and weird to become a pop culture staple a la other films of the era, such as Jurassic Park or the Back to the Future trilogy. Gilliam concocted a bitter pill in 12 Monkeys, but like a fine wine, the movie aged well into a compelling,...

Watch new episodes of ‘Outlander,’ the movie ‘Borderlands,’ and more with a great price on Starz.

Image credit: The Streamable

It’s almost time for the end of Season 7 of “Outlander.” The show is continuing to release new episodes every Friday, and if you don’t have Starz yet, now is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. For a limited time, you can watch the entire Starz catalog for only $3 per month for each of your first three months, a total of $9, and $2 less than what you’d normally pay to watch the streamer for just one month!

How to get 3 months of Starz for $3 each Click here to get the Starz deal. Click “Claim Special Offer,” and enter your email address to create an account. Enter payment information and finish signing up. Get 3 months of Starz for $3 each $3/mo. for 3 mos. starz.com Take 72% off Starz for three months if you subscribe now!

The TV adaptation of 12 Monkeys ended up being very different from the Bruce Willis/Brad Pitt time-travel movie it was based on — but it was still just as great. Released in 1995, Terry Gilliam’s initial film version of 12 Monkeys takes place in a post-apocalyptic future ravaged by a deadly disease. Willis plays a convict who’s sent back in time to gather information about the creation of the virus that ended up decimating the human population. When the time travel experiment goes awry, he ends up in the wrong year.

In 2015, 12 Monkeys was reimagined as an underrated TV show for Syfy. The series was created by Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett, and in its first season, it was run by Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles’ Natalie Chaidez. The movie is a loose remake of the classic 1962 French short La Jetée, about a time traveler who gets caught in a stable time loop.

Good mysteries are crammed with sneaky clues and red herrings, which makes rewatching them a delight. On a second viewing, passing comments can take new meaning, and seemingly innocuous decisions are imbued with surprising importance. While this can't be said for every television mystery show, many get better and better each time you see them.

In the most obvious sense, knowing the answer to a mystery helps the audience spot hints that have been peppered throughout a program, but that's far from the only benefit. If a mystery is engaging, then the audience spends much of their initial watch effectively playing along with the protagonist, uncertain of the veracity of what they're seeing and constantly suspicious of whom to trust. But since fans know each character's motive during a repeat viewing, they often find themselves seeing these individuals in an entirely new light.

The Flight Attendant Is About Far More...

Brad Pitt celebrated his second Oscar win thanks to his stuntman role in the Quentin Tarantino film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Although he’d previously won a Best Picture victory for producing “12 Years a Slave” (2013), the Best Supporting Actor trophy was his first for acting, despite three previous nominations (plus an additional two in Picture).

He could easily have become just another pretty Hollywood face – a flash in the pan romantic lead or action star. However Pitt studied acting and worked his way up the ladder to become one of the industry’s most versatile and most well-recognized actors, as well as one of the most influential as the owner of a successful award-winning production company.

Born in Oklahoma, he was raised in Springfield, Mo, where he participated in a variety of sports and activities in high school, and went on to college with a major in journalism.

Borrowing from a variety of science fictional traditions, 2073 is ostensibly a warning from the future. It doesn't help its case that the future is already here, though, as is often attributed to William Gibson, 'it is differently distributed'. Samantha Morton provides narration and a performance of flattened affect well within her range as a survivor of some unspecified Event. There is reference to sci-fi comics I used to read but between the alleged year and the distance associated it is not clear what or when or how old those are.

To be honest it doesn't matter. There's been mention in the bumpf around the film of La Jetée, an experimental piece probably best known as an inspiration for Twelve Monkeys. The original postulated a closed loop of time, your archetypal bootstrap paradox, and while Terry Gilliam drew inspiration from it, he replaced that circle with a spiral. One whose course.

The movie in which Nicolas Cage fully embraced his cult status will be streaming for free on Jan. 1, 2025, as The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent drops on the free streaming service Tubi for the new year.

The 2022 film stars the Oscar-winning Cage as a version of himself who is attempting to reignite his acting career. He then gets approached by the CIA to help infiltrate the alleged criminal operations of a super fan who pays him $1 million to attend his birthday party. Cage plays himself, but a version that plays into some perceptions that audiences may have of the actor. The super fan, Javi Gutierrez, is played by Pedro Pascal.

Related Nicolas Cage Set to Star in John Madden Biopic

David O. Russell's John Madden biopic is reportedly moving forward with Nicolas Cage.

The Ultimate Experience for Fans

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent landed at No. 1 on Cbr...

Bruce Willis, one of Hollywood's finest, made wearing a vest during a hostage situation seem perfectly acceptable. Many of his most beloved roles saw him wielding a squint like Clint Eastwood and a level of sass that other actors just couldn't deliver. But much like Willis himself, his top three rated films on Rotten Tomatoes are a surprising package that would certainly make for an interesting unofficial trilogy to watch over a weekend. That includes what Rt has deemed the best of the bunch: a movie about a decidedly vexed New York City cop with no shoes and a partiality to Roy Rogers films.

Indeed, it should come as absolutely no shock that "Die Hard," Willis' breakout vehicle and a bullet-riddled pillar of the action movie genre, is the actor's highest rated film on Rt among critics. Earning a well-deserved 94% from the website, "Die Hard" broke the mold that so...

Exclusive: On Friday night, producer Charles Roven receives the 2024 Power of Cinema Award from the American Cinematheque for 40 years worth of films that have moved the cultural needle. That includes Oppenheimer, for which Roven accepted the Best Picture Oscar along with Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas. His list is long with films that have grossed billions of dollars and encompass Hollywood’s biggest stars and filmmakers spread across titles like 12 Monkeys, American Hustle, Three Kings, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Man of Steel and other DC blockbusters.

My very first exchanges with Roven years ago were bitter; I’d learned that his wife, Dawn Steel, was dying from brain cancer. I had a fine relationship with her, but she was the first woman to run a major studio and I felt I was doing my job by divulging the sad news to Daily Variety readers. Roven was steadfast that their struggle remain private.

As befitting its name, the American Cinematheque keeps the art form of film running in theaters. The non-profit, founded in 1984, showcases 1,500 films a year, programming year-round at three Los Angeles theaters, and its annual awards show helps raise money to keep those films in front of an audience. This year’s honorees (who will be feted at the Beverly Hilton on Dec. 6) have had extraordinary careers and share a passion for cinema.

Jessica Chastain, the 38th recipient of the American Cinematheque Award, follows in the footsteps of Eddie Murphy, who was its first honoree, and other Hollywood royalty like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scor-sese, Denzel Washington and Al Pacino.

The star of films like “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Interstellar” and “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Chastain is no stranger to accolades, having earned an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a Drama Desk and three SAG Awards. She is also an Emmy and two-time Tony Award nominee.

Nearly two years after Season 1 of Prime Video’s series The Rig premiered, one of the show’s stars is hyping up the start of the second season. Emily Hampshire, who plays Rose on The Rig, took to Instagram to promote Season 2, which is set to premiere on January 2, 2025.

On Dec. 4, Amazon release an official trailer for The Rig Season 2. Via her Instagram page, Hampshire shared the video clip teasing Season 2 of The Rig with the caption: “I can’t wait for everyone to see #TheRig season 2! Think John Carpenter’s #thething + James Cameron’s #theabyss to the power of climate change. I’m so proud to be part of this super special show.”

The trailer and Hampshire’s post with the clip can both be seen below.

Related Batwoman Showrunner Joins Amazon's Prequel Series for Hit 23-Year-Old Comedy

The CW's Batwoman creator joins the prequel series as co-showrunner.

View...

A seriously underrated action thriller series has just landed on Prime Video. Beginning back in 2010 before coming to an end in 2013, Nikita finds Mission: Impossible III and Die Hard 4 star Maggie Q taking the lead as a woman with a particular set of skills who escapes from the mysterious, nefarious organization in which she was trained and disappears...before returning three years later to take them down.

Airing on The CW, the series adapts Léon: The Professional, The Fifth Element, and Taken filmmaker Luc Besson's French 1990 action movie La Femme Nikita for U.S. audiences. While the series has largely been forgotten, it’s well worth taking another look, as Nikita boasts not only the action movie talents of Maggie Q, but also an 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes. All four seasons of Nikita are now available to stream on Prime Video, and you can check out the official synopsis below.

We should all be so lucky to be as loved as Bruce Willis is by his adoring daughters. The iconic action star — who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia back in 2022 — has rarely been seen since his retirement from acting, but that doesn't mean fans don't care about what he's doing. Quite the opposite, in fact: which is why it's so lovely to see him basking in the glow of familial love with his daughters, Tallulah and Scout Willis, in a new Thanksgiving Day snap shared on Instagram.

Willis' offspring with ex-wife Demi Moore co-shared the sweet and simple snap on Thursday (Thanksgiving Day in the United States) with the caption "grateful" underneath two photos of Tallulah and Scout doting over their adoring father. In the photos, Willis (69) can be seen holding a nameplate that says "Best Dad Ever" surrounded by his daughters on a couch. It's a heartfelt, candid moment to share with the world,...

Few shows are like “Arcane.” But there are some that come close and worth checking out.

The second and final season of Netflix’s acclaimed animated series has wrapped, and fans are clamoring for something new but familiar. Netflix actually boasts a number of well-regarded animated series (some also based on video games) that are worth the watch. For fans of some of the sci-fi and time travel elements from the last “Arcane” episodes, a pair of top-tier options exist.

Below, check out seven shows to dive into to help take up the “Arcane”-sized hole left in your life now that the show is over.

Dark

The final episodes of “Arcane” Season 2 dips its toe into the multiverse, alternate timelines, and time travel. If you want a fully immersive time travel experience, then Netflix’s German series “Dark” is unassailable. The series follows a town unknowingly stuck in a...

We’ve heard a lot of positive news around this holiday season so far. Just recently we learned about the encouraging lessons that Jeff Bridges learned during his cancer battle and that Dolph Lundgren was officially cancer-free. Now, we have a pretty incredible picture of one of JoBlo.com’s favorite stars, Bruce Willis, that was shared by one of his daughters on Thanksgiving.

In an Instagram post, Talluah Willis – the youngest of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore’s three daughters – posted a photo of herself with both Bruce and middle sister Scout along with the caption, “Grateful.” In one of the pics, Bruce is holding a placard that reads “Best Dad Ever.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by tallulah willis (@buuski)

The Willis daughters are all part of the continued family support being given to Bruce. Fortunately, the family has been keeping fans updated as to his...

The deal represents a savings of 55% off the normal price of Starz, so grab it and stream ‘Outlander’ today!

Are you watching the new episodes of “Outlander” yet? The show is back with new episodes from the second half of its seventh season, and fans won’t want to miss a single one. The streaming service Starz is the best place to watch “Outlander” on-demand, and for a limited time, new subscribers can sign up for just $5 per month for each of their first three months, a total of $15 over that 90-day span! That’s a savings of 55% off the standard $11 monthly price, so don’t wait to take advantage!

How to get Starz for $5 per month for 3 months (55% off) Click here to get the deal from Starz. Click “Claim Special Offer” button. Set up an account with a username and password. Enter payment information and finish signing up. Get the deal $5/mo.

There are eight episodes left in the series’ penultimate season.

The American colonies are about to be consumed in the fires of war. That’s the backdrop against which “Outlander” Season 7, Part 2 is set, and viewers can finally see the next steps in the adventures of the Fraser family when new episodes resume on Friday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. Et on the Starz cable channel, and streaming on the Starz on-demand service. Will Claire and Jamie maintain their timeless love amidst the horrors of war? Find out with a subscription up to Starz to watch every episode.

How to watch ‘Outlander’ Season 7, Part 2 When: Friday, Nov. 22 | 12 midnight on Starz streaming serivce, 8 p.m. Et on Starz cable channel) TV: Starz Stream: Watch with a subscription to Starz. Sign Up $10.99+ / month starz.com What you need to know about ‘Outlander’ Season 7, Part 2

How to watch ‘Outlander’ Season 7, Part 2

Watch the trailer...

The time travel romance is back with new episodes after more than a year off the air, and Starz is offering new customers a big first-month discount.

Claire and Jamie Fraser have promised to return to each other on more than one occasion in the Starz drama series “Outlander.” The pair is fulfilling that promise to audiences as well this week, as “Outlander” is rolling out new episodes from Season 7, Part 2 starting Friday, Nov. 22. Fans of the show who don’t get the Starz cable network with a pay-tv plan can stream the show any time they want on Friday with a subscription to the Starz streaming service, which is offering new customers their first month of service for just $7, a 36% discount off the normal monthly price!

How to get the first month of Starz for $7 Click here to get the deal from Starz. Click “Claim Special Offer.” Create an...

The time-travel romantic drama is back with the second half of its seventh season on Friday, Nov. 22.

Return to the woods of the American colonies in their most precarious state on Friday, Nov. 22 when Season 7, Part 2 of “Outlander” begins. The sweeping time-travel romance epic has been off the air for over a year, but it’s finally ready to resume the dramatic tale of Claire and Jamie Fraser, two lovers whose relationship transcends the boundaries of time itself. Find out everything you need to know about the new episodes before the show returns!

Everything you need to know about Season 7, Part 2 of “Outlander”

Is there a trailer?

When do episodes of ‘Outlander’ come out on TV, streaming?

What will Season 7, Part 2 of ‘Outlander’ be about?

Who stars in Season 7, Part 2 of ‘Outlander’?

How many episodes will be in Season 7, Part 2 of ‘Outlander’?

Is Season 7 of ‘Outlander’ the last?

How can you stream ‘Outlander’ without cable?...

The '90s saw the release of a number of sci-fi films, some of which are now considered true classics of the genre. The Matrix (1999), which caps off the decade, remains one of the most seminal science-fiction movies ever made, but it was preceded by a number of other important titles. James Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgment Day starts the decade off strong in 1991, and its groundbreaking effects helped to cement it as one of the most acclaimed sequels of all time.

In addition to these seminal works, the '90s saw the release of Independence Day (1996), which was pure popcorn entertainment, as well as The Fifth Element (1997), which was far more idiosyncratic. Other notable sci-fi movies from the decade include Total Recall (1990), Stargate (1994), 12 Monkeys (1995), Contact (1997), Men in Black (1997), and Galaxy Quest (1999). Another sci-fi film from the latter half of the decade, however, puts the military front-and-center in what...

Now that they’ve set the year’s best film for a December 10 debut, the Criterion Channel have unveiled the rest of next month’s selection. John Waters’ films are inseparable from John Waters’ presence, making fitting Criterion’s decision to pair an eight-film retrospective (Multiple Maniacs to Cecil B. Demented) with his own “Adventures in Moviegoing” wherein the director extols virtues of Bergman, Chabrol, Barbara Loden, and Samuel Fuller. His own Polyester will have a Criterion Edition alongside the Bob Dylan doc Don’t Look Back, an iconic film in its own right and, I think, fitting companion to The Unknown with Lon Chaney, also streaming on Criterion. No Country for Old Men and Election receive likewise treatment; the latter appears in “MTV Productions,” a series featuring Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, The Original Kings of Comedy, and (coming close to Freddy Got Fingered for least-expected 2024 addition) Jackass: the Movie.

Sony and Amazon/MGM's Spider-Noir series appears to be taking some major liberties with the source material, but given how obscure this Variant of the web-slinger is, does it really matter if "Ben Reilly" is beneath the mask instead of Peter Parker?

That's debatable; regardless, Sony appears to be ignoring the fact Ben is Peter's clone and we don't anticipate that being addressed in any way when Spider-Noir swings on to streaming next year.

Today, we have some new photos from the TV show's set (via Just Jared) showcasing Nicolas Cage's private eye. We've already seen that the series will feature a comic-accurate superhero costume and Cage unquestionably looks the part of "Ben" in these snaps.

Earlier this year, Cage opened up on what led to him reprising a role he first played in the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

"I know that the phone's going to be...

The intriguing 2073, a hybrid documentary and science fiction thriller produced by Neon and directed by Asif Kapadia, will land in theaters on December 27, 2024, it has been revealed. The film blends speculative storytelling with nonfiction reporting and serves as a warning against climate change, the dwindling of global democracy, and authoritarian states, among other societal ills. Starring Samantha Morton and Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice), 2073 is inspired by Chris Marker's landmark 1962 short film La Jete, in which a time traveler attempts to change past events in order to save his own dismal future.

The short also inspired Terry Gilliam's 1995 film 12 Monkeys, which starred Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, and Madeleine Stowe. The release date has now been revealed courtesy of Variety, and you can check out the film's official logline is as follows:

"It's the year 2073, and the worst fears of modern life have been realized. Surveillance drones...

It’s been three decades since some of Hollywood’s hottest young actors, as well as an up-and-coming young actress, came together to surprise us with a sensual and thrilling gothic horror flick. “Interview with the Vampire” hit theaters on November 11, 1994, almost 20 years after Anne Rice’s debut novel was published. Read on for more about the “Interview with the Vampire” 30th anniversary.

Rice wrote “Interview with the Vampire” after the death of her five-year-old daughter from leukemia, reworking a short story she had written a few years prior. The homoerotic novel about vampires Louis de Pointe du Lac and his sire Lester de Lioncourt was first published in 1976, with the film rights obtained at that time. After years in development hell, Warner Bros. secured the rights, and brought in “The Crying Game” director Neil Jordan, who rewrote Rice’s script, although she retained credit. Jordan brought together a diverse group of actors,...

Few thrillers captivated audiences like Terry Gilliams 12 Monkeys. The 1995 masterpiece was a resounding success that pleased audiences and critics alike. It won multiple awards, many of which were centered around its unique sci-fi plot. After all, not many science fiction works dig into the psychological twists of the thriller genre. However, that acclaimed narrative was inspired by a film few know, although Gillam cites the title in 12 Monkeys opening credits.

That source is, specifically, a 1962 French film, La Jete. At just twenty-eight minutes long, Chris Markers experimental piece is nowhere near the scale of 12 Monkeys. It lacks much recognizable dialogue beyond plain narration, and its cinematography is comparable to a slideshow. So, how did this black-and-white art film morph into an American classic? Moreover, how did such a film become a pivotal force in modern science fiction?

La Jete Pushed the Boundaries of 1960s Cinema

Visually, La Jete is nothing particularly special.

Planet of the Apes fans make connections to the franchise in reaction to the news about more than 40 monkeys escaping a facility. On Wednesday, November 6, 43 monkeys that were used to develop vaccines escaped from a lab in Yemassee, South Carolina, and are still on the loose. Rise of the Planet of the Apes sees apes used for drug development break out of their facility. The film ends with a deadly global pandemic.

Since the news broke, movie fans are making connections on X between the incident and Planet of the Apes franchise. Some point out the news articles about police advising residents to secure their windows and doors is "literally the plot for Rise of the Planet of the Apes," questioning what kind of science was being done. Many are sharing a Gif from the movie, showing the shocking "real life" resemblance to the movie's plot.

This is literally the...