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While Netflix's slick but empty "The Electric State" has added to an already bleak streaming landscape, Jake Gyllenhaal is having nothing short of a streaming renaissance. Gyllenhaal's creepy sci-fi horror "Life" is a hit on Prime Video at the same time his and Michael Peña's action thriller is crushing it over on Max. Now, yet another Gyllenhaal-led thriller is ascending the Netflix charts, meaning the actor has claimed a spot in the rankings of the biggest streamer in the game at the same time he's dominating rival platforms — though he's had a bit of help with his latest streaming triumph.

2015's "Everest" is a survival thriller based on the real 1996 Mount Everest disaster that saw eight climbers lose their lives while trying to reach the highest point on Earth. The movie follows two expedition groups who are hit by a freak storm on their way to the top of the titular mountain.

Following this weekend’s Super Bowl spot, Universal Pictures has released the new trailer and poster for How to Train Your Dragon. The film has been rated PG by the MPA for sequences of intense action, and peril.

On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast, Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon.

Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. With the fierce and ambitious Astrid and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding.

As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace,...

Universal Pictures has brought online the How to Train Your Dragon Super Bowl spot, which reveals that the new trailer for the film will be released on Wednesday.

On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast, Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon.

Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. With the fierce and ambitious Astrid and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding.

As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their...

Universal Pictures has revealed a new How to Train Your Dragon promo, which debuted during the NFL Playoffs. Similar in structure to the teaser trailer, the spot features more footage from the highly anticipated live-action film opening in theaters on June 13.

On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast, Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon.

Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. With the fierce and ambitious Astrid and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding.

As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they...

The awards race for best international feature is sizing up to be one of a single, undeniable frontrunner and a diverse pack of contenders with strong upset potential.

The clear one to beat is Emilia Pérez. Jacques Audiard’s transgender Mexican cartel crime drama/musical, France’s entry, is on track for Academy Award nominations across several categories, including best picture, director, actress (for Karla Sofía Gascón), supporting actress (Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez) and multiple technical categories. Add to that Netflix’s marketing might, and Emilia looks as close to a sure thing as any title on Oscar’s dance card.

After that, the international competition gets harder to parse, but there are a handful of films that have emerged from the festival circuit with sufficient critical buzz and awards momentum to make them potential Pérez rivals.

Walter Salles’ I’m Still Here and Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig,...

Viewers who enjoyed Netflix's thriller movie Carry-On have several upcoming Taron Egerton films and a brand-new television series to look forward to. Egerton leads the cast of Carry-On alongside Jason Bateman (Ozark), Sofia Carson (Descendants), Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson), and Theo Rossi (The Penguin). Carry-On received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 88% and has remained one of the top movies on Netflix since it was released on the streaming platform on December 13, 2024.

Carry-On was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra based on a screenplay written by T.J. Fixman (Ratchet & Clank). It follows Egerton's protagonist Ethan Kopek, a young Tsa agent who is blackmailed by a mysterious traveler (Bateman) into letting a dangerous package slip through securtiy and onto a crowded flight on Christmas Eve. Egerton, who is best known for his roles in the Kingsman spy action films and the Elton John biopic Rocketman, hasn't starred in a feature film since 2023's Tetris.

Denzel Washington wasn't always seen as an action star. Since the '80s, he has headlined a number of dramatic films that have earned him awards recognition, but his career shifted in the early 2000s with the release of Man on Fire (2004), which saw him become a one-man army-type of hero. This continued with The Book of Eli (2010), Safe House (2012), and 2 Guns (2013), all of which feature Washington taking down an abundance of enemies.

Now 70 years old, Washington is still widely associated with the action genre due to his starring role in a popular thriller franchise. The American actor takes on the role of a former government assassin in the Antoine Fuqua-directed movies, killing criminals and protecting the innocent with lethal efficiency. Washington first played the assassin in 2014 before returning for two sequels.

The Equalizer 2 Becomes A Prime Video Hit Denzel Washington's Sequel Is Still A Win With Audiences...

Idris Elba has a series of successful projects and 2022's Beast is among them. The lion horror is now available for streaming and it's already becoming a hit.

Beast has just premiered on Netflix and, during its first week, has already entered the top 10, clawing its way to the ninth spot for the week between Dec. 23 and 30 on the global charts. The movie received 5.9 million views on the streaming service and reached the Top 10 in 21 countries in its debut week. The survival horror comes from Baltasar Kormákur, with a script by Ryan Engle, based on a story by Jaime Primak Sullivan.

Related Chris Hemsworth & Tom Holland's 10-Year-Old Sea Story Arrives on Netflix

Netflix subscribers can now stream an overlooked historical drama movie starring Tom Holland and Chris Hemsworth.

Aside from Idris, who plays the recently widowed Dr. Samuels, Beast also starred Iyana Halley, Leah Sava Jeffries, Brett Favre, and Sharlo Copley.

Few actors in Hollywood are as respected and admired as Denzel Washington. After getting his start in acting back in the late 1970s and having his first breakout role in the medical drama St. Elsewhere, in which he played Dr. Phillip Chandler on all six seasons, Washington has played a number of iconic characters in a variety acclaimed movies. Some of his most memorable early movies include Glory (1989), Malcolm X (1992), The Hurricane (1999), and, of course, Training Day (2001). In fact, he has been nominated for 10 Oscars so far, winning two, for Glory and Training Day.

Starting in the mid-2000s, a career shift occurred and Washington became something of an action star alongside his continued work in more dramatic productions such as 2002's Antwone Fisher, 2007's The Great Debaters, and 2012's Flight. This new phase of Washington's career could largely be considered to start with Man on Fire in 2004. A handful of years later,...

Back in October, Netflix subscribers helped turn a flop around when they welcomed Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington’s buddy cop action feature, 2 Guns, with open arms. The movie quickly climbed the streamer’s Top 10 list, putting it back in the public eye after more than a decade since it was released in cinemas. But, if you still need to check out the comic adaptation, you’ll want to run over to the platform as fast as your little feet will carry you, because December 31 will be your final day to stream 2 Guns on Netflix. If you’re a fan of the original comic book series from Boom! Studios, you’ll definitely want to see how filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur took the story from page to screen in this explosive feature.

Mark Wahlberg is quite an icon in the world of Hollywood. Having explored almost every genre in the industry, he has made a name for himself in more ways than one. His range is from a hero to one who elicits fear, dancing on the line of the morality of his characters and looking good while doing it.

Mark Wahlberg in Transformers. | Credit: Paramount Pictures.

However, many may be surprised that the actor is also a flirt. During one interview with a well-known journalist, Wahlberg was flirting so much with her that his co-star, the legendary Denzel Washington, got annoyed and felt like a third wheel.

Mark Wahlberg: The Flirt?

Kjersti Flaa has become quite a well-known name in the industry after she recently exposed Blake Lively for being rude to her during an interview. The actress ended up making a comment on the interviewer’s body, which made her...

Baltasar Kormákur’s Icelandic box office hit Touch marks the fifth time that the filmmaker has been chosen as the country’s representative in the International Feature Oscar category, but it also reps something of a departure for the multi-hyphenate who’s perhaps more associated outside of Iceland with action and adventure titles like 2 Guns and Everest.

A love story based on the bestselling novel by Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson, who co-wrote the script with Kormákur, Touch follows widower Kristofer (Egil Ólafsson), who, after receiving an early-stage dementia diagnosis at the outset of the pandemic, leaves behind his Reykjavik home hoping to solve the greatest mystery of his life. As a student in London five decades earlier, Kristofer had fallen in love with Miko, whose father owned the Japanese restaurant where they both worked. But at the height of their whirlwind affair, Miko abruptly vanished. As panic about the virus spreads around the world,...

Watch the teaser trailer now and experience How To Train Your Dragon in theaters June 13. It’s playing with Wicked and it looks awesome in IMAX!

From three-time Oscar® nominee and Golden Globe winner Dean DeBlois, the creative visionary behind DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, comes a stunning live-action reimagining of the film that launched the beloved franchise.

Once again the CGI is brilliant and Toothless looks great!

On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast, Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.

With the fierce and ambitious Astrid and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber by his side, Hiccup confronts...

Universal Pictures has released the teaser trailer and poster for How to Train Your Dragon, the live-action reimagining of the film that launched the beloved franchise. Opening in theaters on June 13, 2025, the film comes from three-time Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner Dean DeBlois, the creative visionary behind DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed trilogy.

On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast, Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon.

Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. With the fierce and ambitious Astrid and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding.

As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship...

Denzel Washington has had a career spanning over four decades that many actors could only dream of having. Known as one of the most versatile and energetic actors of his era, he can command the screen in a way very few can. Washington has many oscar worthy performances in his catalog. Though he is best known for his starring roles in bigger-budget films, Washington has had many films that defined his career and acting ability that have flown under the radar of some of his fans.

As one of the best actors of all time, Washington plays a key part in every film he appears in, from specialist dramas to high-octane thrillers. Roles like embodying an exasperated father in John Q or portraying a hostage negotiator in Inside Man may not get the critical acclaim of some of his other roles but are just as entertaining and essential as a step in his storied career.

Mark Wahlberg continues to be a major presence in Hollywood movies, particularly in the action genre. Though it was Boogie Nights (1997) that served as Wahlberg's big break, he would go on to star in films like The Italian Job (2003), Four Brothers (2005), Shooter (2007), and 2 Guns (2013). And not all of these films have been one-offs. Wahlberg appeared in two of Michael Bay's Transformers movies as Cade Yeager.

In addition to action, however, Wahlberg has been a mainstay in the comedy genre, often mixing the two together. Wahlberg starred in Spencer Confidential in 2020, which became a major hit for Netflix. Continuing his foray into streaming action-comedies, Wahlberg appeared in Apple TV+'s The Family Plan in 2023 and Netflix's The Union in 2024, both of which were also viewership hits, even if critics weren't impressed.

The Family Plan 2 Is On The Way The Action-Comedy Broke A Major Streaming Record

After the first movie became a big hit,...

It's kind of funny that the 2021 Antoine Fuqua science fiction film "Infinite" is about memory, because it's pretty darn forgettable. The movie stars everyone's favorite hamburger man Mark Wahlberg as Evan McCauley, who discovers that he has skills and knowledge that feel like they come from other lifetimes. He's contacted by people calling themselves "infinites," who explain that his memories are real and they come from his past lives. 

It's a pretty interesting premise, but the movie doesn't do anything worthwhile with it and our review gave "Infinite" a paltry 3/10. There are some great action sequences, of course, because Fuqua is one of the great reigning kings of action cinema. Otherwise, though, it's nearly two hours of a katana-wielding Marky Mark in dual roles. That's right: Mr. Funky Bunch plays not only Evan but one of his past selves, which means you get double the Mark Wahlberg. Do with that information what you will.

Quick Links 2 Guns Features a Fantastic Dynamic Duo Wahlberg and Washington Are a Perfectly Dynamic Pair

Over 10 years ago, veteran actors Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg joined forces for a buddy-cop comedy of explosive proportions. Part action, part comedy, Washington and Wahlberg paired together in a money-heist action film that, despite its flaws, is wholly entertaining. With two dynamic lead stars, an unlikely partnership, and a premise that takes the best of Lethal Weapon and pairs it with the intimate espionage of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, 2 Guns is an entertaining romp.

2 Guns stars Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg as a pair of criminals working together to rob a bank. Unknown to each other, both of the would-be criminals are undercover law enforcement working on separate operations to take down the leader of a drug cartel. Bobby (Washington) is a smooth-talking DEA agent who wants to convict the cartel leader for tax evasion.

One of Stephen King's more popular film adaptations is gaining ground in Netflix's top 10 rankings. Audiences are revisiting It: Chapter Two as a go-to Halloween horror flick.

It: Chapter Two is ranked seventh on Netflix's U.S. viewing charts from Sept. 30 to Oct. 6. It's one of two horror films on the list, which is expected to be populated by slashers and thrillers come Halloween. Per Netflix, the weekly top ten list is based on the total hours viewed per title, measured between Monday and Sunday of the previous week. 2024's The Garfield Movie tops the list after spending three weeks in the rankings, followed by Jailbreak: Love on the Run (2024), Sing (2016), Escape Plan (2013), The Mechanic (2011), and The Platform 2 (2024). 2 Guns (2013), Robin Hood (2018), and Halloween (2018) wrap up the list at eighth to tenth place, respectively.

Related It: Chapter Two Isn't Horror's Bloodiest Film - That Title Goes...

A 2011 action flick from British actor Jason Statham is seeing a surge in interest following its arrival on Netflix.

Netflix released its weekly Top 10 By Country chart, with director Simon West's The Mechanic landing at #5. Other entries on the chart include The Garfield Movie, Jailbreak: Love on the Run, Sing, Escape Plan, The Platform 2, It Chapter Two, 2 Guns, Robin Hood, and Halloween (2018).

Related Every Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie Movie, Ranked

Between Snatch and Wrath of Man, Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie are an actor-director duo responsible for multiple great crime films.

What Is The Mechanic About?

Distributed by CBS Films, The Mechanic is a remake of the 1972 film of the same name that features Statham as an assassin named Arthur Bishop, who notably stages his hits to look like accidents. Statham was joined by Ben Foster, Tony Goldwyn, and Donald Sutherland, among others.

Despite a 53% Rotten Tomatoes score,...

In a sense, Netflix really is the new Blockbuster Video (or Hollywood Video or whatever rental chain my fellow old people preferred to frequent). Once you marched past the rows stacked with endless copies of the latest release at your local Blockbuster, you could uncover films and TV shows that either flew under the radar or were deemed too scandalous for mainstream tastes. (Stumbling upon and being mildly traumatized by the grotesque cover artwork for horror B-movies was practically a rite of passage for folks of a certain age.) You don't get anywhere near the same range of choices on Netflix -- especially now that its library is increasingly composed of the service's originals -- but it does similarly allow certain older, somewhat forgotten titles to gain a new lease on life, however fleeting it may be.

Admittedly, it's easier to understand why certain movies or series abruptly crack Netflix's...

It Chapter 2 has become a streaming hit on Netflix in the U.S. Based on the 1986 horror novel by author Stephen King, the sequel serves as a follow-up to It (2017), with both films having been directed by Andy Muschietti. The first It film follows a group of kids living in Derry, Maine, as they face off against a terrifying, shape-shifting clown called Pennywise (Bill Skarsgrd), while the sequel follows these same characters 27 years later as they return to their hometown. Both films were box office successes, with the sequel grossing $473 million worldwide.

Now, new Netflix data reveals that It Chapter 2 ranks as the seventh most popular movie on the streamer in the U.S. for the week of September 30 to October 6. Unlike with the global chart, the U.S. chart doesn't include watch data for each of the top 10 titles, but the It sequel comes ahead of films...

How many times has a forgotten film found success on Netflix? Surely too many to count. The service has proven time and time again that, no matter how bad a movie is, if the public have been given long enough to forget it existed, it will more than likely see a resurgence in interest when fed into the streaming machine. Just take a look at the 2008 Keanu Reeves thriller "Street Kings," which had a renaissance on Netflix back in 2023. Or when Netflix breathed new life into the forgotten Aaron Eckhart-led action thriller "The Bricklayer" this year.

Now, it's Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg's turn. Wahlberg is no stranger to a streaming resurgence, with the actor's "Shooter" making waves on Netflix in 2023. This time, though he's joined by Denzel (who only just found his way into Netflix's top charts last month thanks to "American Gangster") in 2013's buddy cop actioner "2 Guns.

Despite returning the property to a dormant state after its release, Taron Egerton's infamous Robin Hood reboot has found new life on streaming. Starring Egerton as the titular folklore rogue, Otto Bathurst's 2018 movie saw a disgraced Robin take up arms against the corrupt powers ruling Nottingham that took his wealth and status to further their own cause, joining forces with the rebelling commoners. Robin Hood also starred Jamie Foxx as Robin's accomplice John, Eve Hewson as his love interest Marian, and Ben Mendelsohn as the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Despite a poor performance at the box office and poor impressions on critics, Robin Hood is finding a surprising new audience on Netflix. Though it holds an unenviable 14% among critics' reviews and a slightly more impressive but still unremarkable 39% among viewers, the feature recently entered Netflix's Top 10 Movies. At the time of writing, Egerton's 2018 reboot holds the No. 8 spot, coming...

2 Guns is climbing the charts on Netflix. The 2013 Mark Wahlberg action movie featured the star playing Michael "Stig" Stigman, a special ops officer with the U.S. Navy opposite Denzel Washington as DEA Special Agent Bobby Trench. Both have been working undercover in narcotic, unknown to the other, which causes an incident that forces them to go on the run with only each other as backup. When it premiered, the movie grossed $131.9 million worldwide against its $61 million budget.

Now, 2 Guns has landed on the daily chart of the Top 10 most-watched movies on Netflix in the United States. The movie appeared at No. 6 on the chart on Saturday, October 5, with all but one movie above it being newly added releases on the platform. Those movies were Escape Plan at No. 5, The Garfield Movie at No. 4, The Mechanic at No. 3, and the new Netflix exclusive The Platform 2 at No. 2.

What...

Escape Plan, the 2013 Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger prison action thriller, has enjoyed a new lease of life on the streaming platform Netflix. The movie, which co-stars 50 Cent, Jim Caviezel, Vinnie Jones, Amy Ryan, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Sam Neill, was directed by Swedish filmmaker Mikael Hfstrm, with a screenplay by Miles Chapman and Arnell Jesko. The movie received mixed reviews and was a box office success, grossing $137 million against a budget of $54 million to $70 million, and was followed by two sequels, both featuring Stallone.

Now, 11 years after the movie's initial release, it appears to be enjoying fresh success on streaming giant Netflix, with the film entering the platform's Top 10 movies in the United States for today. The movie has debuted at number 5 on the charts, edging out the Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg action-comedy 2 Guns, It: Chapter Two, Robin Hood, Jailbreak: Love On the Run, and 2018 Halloween remake,...

Doug Liman’s sophomore outing of this year, which is also coincidentally an exclusive streaming release like “Road House,” is a heist movie falling squarely in the genre of “heists organized by incompetents or buffoons,” or crime dramas where the protagonists are moderately self-centered but are more inclined to goof around than get any work done.

If one examines the genre of crime movies, arguably, the comedy is mined from these characters either being bad at their jobs or stuck in impossible situations. “The Instigators chooses to follow the former, as do the movies listed below. This is a recommendation list and not a ranking of any of the movies. It is rather a list compiling a couple of movies that share similarities with Doug Liman’s “The Instigators.”

7. 2 Guns (2013)

If you enjoyed The Instigators and its mix of high-stakes heists, unlikely partnerships, and constant twists, then 2 Guns is definitely worth a watch.

Two-time Oscar-winner and seven-time nominee Denzel Washington is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors of all-time, and people have been clamoring for him to join the MCU or Dcu and star in a comic book movie for years. However, in 2013, he did topline a comic book adaptation, along with one of the biggest action stars in the world, Mark Wahlberg. Washington and Walhberg star in 2 Guns, the action flick based on the Boom! Studios comic book of the same name by Steven Grant, which recently began streaming on Netflix and has jumped into the top 10, currently occupying the last spot. The film follows two hardened criminals (Washington and Wahlberg) who get into trouble with the US border patrol after meeting with a drug lord. The film also stars James Marsden and sits at 64% from critics and 66% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Wolfs is a buddy action comedy thriller film written and directed by Jon Watts. The Apple TV+ film is inspired by a real-life Hollywood fixer Paul Barresi and it revolves around two professional fixers who like to work alone but both of them are hired individually for the same job, they must team up to avoid some deadly consequences. Wolfs stars George Clooney and Brad Pitt in the lead roles with Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, Poorna Jagannathan, and Zlatko Burić starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the buddy comedies aspect, a bit of action, and two magnetic leads in Wolfs here are some similar movies you should check out next.

The Nice Guys (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Warner Bros.

The Nice Guys is a neo-noir buddy action comedy thriller directed by Shane Black who also...

Here’s the latest episode of The Filmmakers Podcast, part of the podcast roster here on Nerdly. If you haven’t heard the show yet, you can check out previous episodes on the official podcast site, whilst we’ll be featuring each and every new episode as it premieres.

For those unfamiliar with the series, The Filmmakers Podcast is a podcast about how to make films from micro-budget indie films to bigger-budget studio films and everything in between. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Dom Lenoir, Dan Richardson, Andrew Rodger and Cristian James talk about how to get films made, how to actually make them and how to try not to f… it up in their very humble opinion. Guests will come on and chat about their filmmaking experiences from directors, writers, producers and screenwriters, to actors, cinematographers and distributors.

The Filmmaker’s Podcast #414: ‘Touch’ & ‘Beast’ director/writer Baltasar Kormákur on...

Denzel Washington is well-known for playing cops and detectives, so many of his most memorable movies see him working in law enforcement in some way. Some of the highlights of Denzel Washington's career include Training Day, Inside Man and many other cop movies. While he has never allowed himself to be typecast, appearing in a wide variety of genres, Washington will always be associated with playing police officers.

Denzel Washingtons's best movies often feature him as a cop. He has a commanding presence that fits these types of roles, but he is always able to bring something new to each movie which helps differentiate his characters. This means that even within the confines of the detective genre, Washington has shown his impressive range. Some of his cops are morose and noble, while others are comedic wildcards.

Related 10 Actors Who Are Great At Playing Cops & Detectives

Great cop movies need protagonists...

Mark Wahlberg has been transparent about his notorious actions in his younger days, and he has also expressed remorse over his crimes. The actor, known for action movies such as Transformers and Max Payne, admits the concept of discipline was not in his vocabulary at the time.

Credits: Mark Wahlberg in Max Payne / 20th Century Studios

The former rapper’s wrongdoings weren’t just petty ones – he was involved in racially motivated crimes and even went to court for attempted murder. As a teenager, he was already a drug addict.

Mark Wahlberg Reflects On Learning Discipline And The Value Of Education

While speaking with guest host Jeff Goldblum on Jimmy Kimmel Live, actor Mark Wahlberg said that his life and career would have been different if he learned discipline early on.

If I could apply myself in the way that I do now, then I think the trajectory of my life would have been different.

Mark Wahlberg is open to starring in a Shooter sequel under specific conditions, potentially revitalizing the franchise. Antoine Fuqua's return as director for Shooter 2 could make it his new main action franchise after Equalizer. Despite past performance, Shooter 2 has potential for box office success with Wahlberg's star power and Fuqua's track record.

Mark Wahlberg has suggested that Shooter sequel could happen, and it would replace one of Denzel Washington's franchises if his conditions are met. It's been 17 years since Wahlberg starred as Bob Lee Swagger in Antoine Fuqua's Shooter. The action movie had a mixed reception earning 48% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and 80% from audiences while grossing $95 million at the box office off a $61 million budget. That performance kept any chance of Shooter 2 happening right away much lower, but Shooter's popularity on streaming and cable has potentially changed the future.

The renewed success of the film is why...

Mattel didn’t steal the idea for reality competition show The Toy Box from a producer, who accused the company of ripping off his concept for an identical series that he pitched, a jury has found.

The decision comes after a 10-week trial in Santa Monica that touched on standards for protectable ideas and when a company can be on the hook for moving forward with a concept independently pitched by multiple producers. In a verdict that could discourage other creators from suing over idea theft, a 12-person jury on Thursday rejected Norton Herrick’s bid for more than $46 million in lost profits he sought to claw back from Mattel.

Back in 2014, Herrick said he pitched the idea for Playmakers, an unscripted show featuring inventors who pitch their toys to child judges, with the goal of reaching the finale. The winner receives a cash prize and a contract with Mattel...

After a high-stakes trial, a jury has found that Mattel did not steal a reality show concept from producer Norton Herrick, marking a major victory for the toy giant, which could have been on the hook for $46.2 million in damages.

The verdict follows a 2½-month civil trial in Santa Monica that pitted the “Lone Survivor” producer against the company whose intellectual property spawned the Hollywood blockbuster “Barbie.” In a crushing blow, the 12-member jury shot down Herrick’s claims of breach of an implied contract, breach of confidence, fraud-misrepresentation, fraud-concealment and misappropriation of trade secrets.

Herrick initially sued Mattel in 2018, claiming that the company stole his idea for Mattel’s reality competition show “The Toy Box,” which ran on ABC for two seasons beginning in 2017. Back in 2014, Herrick brought a similar competition show to Mattel executives dubbed “Playmakers,” which revolved around contestants pitching their toys to child judges and winning prize money.

The buddy cop genre has evolved since Akira Kurosawa's Stray Dog, with dynamic duos exploring new possibilities and tropes since 2010. Buddy cop films blend crime, action, comedy, and odd couples in extreme scenarios, resonating with viewers who appreciate the genre's absurdity. Popcorn movies like Ride Along, Cop Out, and The Heat bring humor and action to the big screen, showcasing fantastic chemistry between lead characters.

Akira Kurosawa's 1949 film Stray Dog is regarded as the origin of the buddy cop genre. Dynamic duos have been dramatically sliding across hoods on screens big and small ever since, and the genre only continues to grow. There have been several big hits since 2010, many of which took the genre to new and exciting places. By changing the status quo playing with the genre's tropes, the modern buddy cop film has nearly endless possibilities.

Buddy cop films are character-driven, pairing unlikely partners together for the sake of justice.

For the past 10 weeks, a Hollywood producer has faced off against a studio in a Santa Monica courtroom stemming from a civil case that has caused barely a news ripple.

Back in January 2018, “Lone Survivor” producer Norton Herrick sued toy giant Mattel over a 2018 contract dispute regarding the production of Mattel’s reality competition show “The Toy Box,” which ran on ABC for two seasons.

In his initial complaint, Herrick claimed he brought a project to Mattel in June 2014 called “Playmakers,” which revolved around contestants pitching their toys to child judges and winning prize money. According to the suit, Mattel executives loved the idea and indicated they were moving forward with it only to pursue a replica without his involvement. The “Barbie” producer ultimately produced a similar version of the concept in 2017 with “The Toy Box.”

The case has garnered almost no press coverage over the ensuing six-plus years, perhaps...

Baltasar Kormákur was in a reflective mood at the Taormina Film Festival, where his romantic drama Touch had its Italian premiere this past week. The Icelandic filmmaker compared Touch to his first feature, 2000’s 101 Reykjavik. The former was “a black comedy about love,” while Touch is “a way more sincere approach to love and life,” he said.

Touch, which has just become the biggest film of the year in Iceland at $569,600, is based on Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson’s bestselling 2021 novel Snerting. It wouldn’t be surprising to see it become the Icelandic entry for the International Feature Oscar race this year — Kormákur already has repped his home country four times, making the shortlist with 2012’s The Deep.

The multi-hyphenate, who for years has worked across Iceland and Hollywood, told Deadline that he sparked to Touch’s source material immediately but only later realized he had a particular connection to the story.

"2 Guns" features a star-studded cast, led by Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington in an unforgettable buddy comedy collaboration. Despite its box office performance, the film received positive reviews, highlighting the chemistry between Wahlberg and Washington. "2 Guns" may not have been as successful as hoped, but its high entertainment value and leading-man team-up make it deserving of more recognition.

The overlooked 2013 buddy comedy 2 Guns saw Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington team up in an iconic leading-man collaboration. Directed by Baltasar Kormkur, 2 Guns is based on the Boom! Studios graphic novels written by Steven Grant. 2 Guns also features great supporting roles from Paula Patton, Bill Paxton, Edward James Olmos, Robert John Burke, and James Marsden.

2 Guns was a mild success at the box office upon its August 2, 2013, theatrical release, earning roughly $132 million worldwide against a production budget of $61 million. 2 Guns was just the 55th highest-grossing...

Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur is a rare sort these days. Here is a director who has built a successful, decades-long career making solid, genre-heavy programmers while often returning to Iceland to put in solid work. There was a time that this kind of output was the lifeblood of the industry. His type nearly extinct now, Kormákur beats on, telling stories for adults.

His new film, Touch, fits right into the mold. Talk about a relic: a mid-budget romantic drama released in theaters! Written by Kormákur and Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson (based on Ólafur’s 2022 novel of the same name), it tells the story of Kristófer (Egill Olafsson), an older widow who shuts down his restaurant in Iceland and travels to Japan in an attempt to find Miko, the love of his life from half a century ago.

It’s the beginning of 2020 and Covid-19 is swiftly shutting the world down. We...

Elander Moore (Kaos, Interview with the Vampire) and Jason Forbes (My Lady Jane, A Gentleman in Moscow) have joined the cast of the BBC and CBS’ joint period project King & Conqueror, about the Battle of Hastings.

They join a previously confirmed star-studded line-up including James Norton as Harold, Earl of Wessex, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as William, Duke of Normandy, Emily Beecham as Edith Swan-neck, Harold’s wife, and Clémence Poésy as Matilda, William’s spouse.

As the series officially wraps filming in Iceland, the latest cast news also includes Indy Lewis (Industry, La Fortuna), Ines Asserson (Royalteen, Skam), and Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson (Heartstone, Summerlight…And Then Comes The Night) alongside the already-announced Eddie Marsan, Juliet Stevenson, Jean-Marc Barr, Luther Ford, Geoff Bell, Elliot Cowan, Bo Bragason, Bjarne Henriksen, Olivier Masucci, and Clare Holman.

Moore stars as Morcar, the son of the Earl of Mercia, one-third of England’s power, and heir to the Mercian Earldom,...

Sing Sing, the powerful, poignant prison drama starring Colman Domingo, opens NY/LA, with indie love stories Dandelion and Touch debuting on hundreds of screens as distributors continue to tinker with release patterns. Martin Scorsese, eloquent as always, narrates (and executive produced) Made In England: The Films of Powell And Pressburger. Sorry/Not Sorry takes on comedian Louis C.K.

It’s a mixed specialty market still below pre-Covid levels but buoyed recently by hits like Thelma and hopeful that cinema goers are starting to sort out what to see, when and where.

“I think you’re starting to see who’s really theatrical and who isn’t. The lines are becoming clearer. Like, ‘Okay, I’m going to see this, Inside Out 2, in a theater, and I’m going to see that at the Angelika, or wherever, it might be. But I’m going to see it in a theater,...

Icelandic actor/director Baltasar Kormákur is a member of a growing cadre of international filmmakers who make films at home as well as Hollywood. Kormákur is best known for studio action adventures such as “Contraband” (2012), his remake of his 2000 breakout “101 Reykjavik.” Producer/star Mark Wahlberg took a shine to the rugged director, and went on to make another film with him, the $80-million actioner “2 Guns” (2013), co-starring Denzel Washington.

Accustomed to weathering harsh conditions while directing such films as the International Oscar-shortlisted survival film “The Deep” (2013), Kormákur used many tricks in his filmmaking arsenal for Jake Gyllenhaal starrer “Everest” (2015), blending a subzero soundstage with vertiginous ladders, real snow, location footage in the Dolomites, and CGI extensions.

But like many Hollywood imports, he returned to his own country to start a production company and live a double life. He makes some projects in Hollywood (2022’s “Beast” starring Idris Elba), and...

Even with the benefit of hindsight, it can still be difficult to fathom what the historical fulcrum February and March 2020 represented. A paradoxical time when normal life continued largely unbothered while mutterings of a new disease called “coronavirus” gradually crescendoed before turning into an overnight roar. When our biggest concerns were delayed NBA games and Tom Hanks’ inability to finish “Elvis,” it was unthinkable that humanity was on the brink of a pandemic that took seven million lives and shattered many of the social norms upholding the polite society that we had long taken for granted. Most of us had no idea what was coming, so we wore our masks on half-empty flights while the world quietly prepared to shut down around us.

It’s against this backdrop of uncertainty that Kristofer (Egill Ólafsson), an aging Icelandic widower in Baltasar Kormákur’s “Touch,” gets the news that nobody ever wants.

Penguin Random House is set to acquire comic book and graphic novel publisher Boom! Studios.

The publishing house announced Wednesday that Random House Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, has agreed to the deal for Boom! Studios, which was founded in 2005 by Ross Richie and Andrew Cosby. The deal is expected to close later this summer, and terms were not disclosed. As part of the transaction, Disney is selling its minority stake in Boom! Studios that 20th Century Fox acquired in 2017.

Boom! Studios will continue its editorial and publishing independence and will report to Random House Worlds president Scott Shannon, while Random House Worlds vp publisher Keith Clayton and Random House Publishing Group executive vp of business strategy Bill Takes will help manage the new imprint. Also part of Random House Worlds’ portfolio of imprints are Del Rey, Inklore and the Rh Worlds licensing program.

Boom! Studios’ made...

The Random House Publishing Group, a division of the world’s largest trade publisher, Penguin Random House, has entered into an agreement to acquire comic book, graphic novel and licensed storytelling publisher and studio, Boom! Studios.

The Boom! Studios publishing program will now join the Random House Worlds portfolio of imprints alongside Del Rey, Inklore and the Rh Worlds licensing program. The company will retain its editorial and publishing independence, reporting to Random House Worlds President, Scott Shannon. Keith Clayton, VP Publisher, Random House Worlds, and Bill Takes, EVP of Business Strategy, Random House Publishing Group, will work alongside Shannon and the Boom! Studios team to help manage and integrate the new imprint.

There are no plans to relocate Boom! Studios from its L.A. office, which President, Development Stephen Christy will continue to lead, and the company will continue to distribute through both Diamond Comic Distributors and Simon & Schuster.

Denzel Washington stars as a ghost lawyer seeking revenge in the 1990 comedy Heart Condition. The film explores themes of race, friendship, and redemption as a cop receives a heart transplant and undergoes a change of heart. Despite criticism for being a Blaxploitation film, Heart Condition features strong character development and comedic timing from Washington and Bob Hoskins.

Two generations have gotten to know American actor Denzel Washington for his groundbreaking roles as resilient Black men in drama and action movies, such as Malcolm X, American Gangster, or the Equalizer franchise. But few remember the 1990 comedy in which he starred as a ghost lawyer seeking revenge and those that do might prefer to forget it.

Its plot centers around a lawyer, Napoleon Stone (Denzel Washington), who died in an apparent car accident. After his heart is transplanted into the chest of a racist cop, Jack Moony (Bob Hoskins), Stone comes back...

Mark Wahlberg's latest action-comedy, The Union, features him as a construction worker turned reluctant spy alongside Halle Berry. Out of the star's last 11 movies, only two were certified "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes. While The Union may not break Mark Wahlberg's recent Rotten Tomatoes streak, it's shaping up to be Wahlberg's best action movie in some time.

I'm weirdly excited for Mark Wahlberg's next action comedy, but I doubt it's going to help his current Rotten Tomato streak. Wahlberg has had a varied acting career, which includes acclaimed dramas like Boogie Nights or The Departed, but audiences still know him best for his action output. Mark Wahlberg action movies are (usually) a fun time, with some of his best offerings including Shooter, Four Brothers and 2 Guns with Denzel Washington. In recent years, I've noticed an interesting trend in his career though.

Following the failed franchise starter of Mile 22...

Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur made a handful of smaller films before bursting into mainstream Hollywood with the Mark Wahlberg action flick "Contraband" in 2012. He's stayed steadily busy ever since, cranking out the Denzel Washington/Mark Wahlberg actioner "2 Guns" in 2013, the ensemble mountain climbing thriller "Everest" in 2015, the Shailene Woodley/Sam Claflin survival movie "Adrift" in 2018, and the "Idris Elba fights a lion" movie "Beast" in 2022, plus directing a couple of television shows in between. As those credits indicate, Kormákur is primarily known to American audiences for his high-octane filmmaking style. His latest project, however, marks a significant change of pace.

"Touch," written by Kormákur and Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson (based on a novel by Ólafsson), tells the story of Kristófer, an elderly Icelander whose wife has passed away. Spurred on by some health issues of his own and sense that he's running out of time, Kristófer sets out to find a woman named Miko,...

The One Who Got Away is a romantic notion that’s been widely propagated by pop culture cinema. And for good reason, as heartfelt drama and compelling conflicts arise authentically from these confrontations with fate. Director-co-writer Baltasar Kormákur’s “Touch,” based on Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson’s novel of the same name, expands on this swoon-worthy idea, elegantly crafting an achingly poignant story centered on an elderly man searching for his true love amidst a time of uncertainty. This gentle, unfussy romance contains a heart-clutching finale that’s as classically restrained as it is emotionally resounding.

Kristofer (Egill Ólafsson) lives a lonely life on the chilly seaside of Iceland since the death of his wife years prior. His days consist of singing in a men’s choir, chatting on the phone with his overbearing daughter Sonja (Harpa Elísa Þórsdóttir), owning a restaurant in his sleepy village and returning to the sad,...