Growing up surrounded by creative talent, Grace Van Patten seemed naturally inclined towards a career in entertainment. Her father is Tim Van Patten, an Emmy-winning director famous for his work on shows like Sex and the City, The Wire, The Sopranos (he even made a brief appearance in The Sopranos), Black Mirror, and Game of Thrones. Additionally, Grace is the niece of well-known actors Dick Van Patten and Joyce Van Patten.
Judging by the trailers for The Smashing Machine, it’s clear that Benny Safdie, Dwayne Johnson, and the rest of the team dedicated a significant amount of effort to the fight choreography. (I’m really looking forward to seeing those matches unfold on the big screen!) But the film offers more than just what happens with Mark Kerr during the fights. Dwayne Johnson spoke with Deadline at the LA premiere and shared his overall perspective on the movie:
The franchise became notably darker last year with the official inclusion of Netflix’s “Defenders Saga” into MCU continuity. This brought six shows geared towards adult audiences, which delved into difficult topics like sexual assault, racism, trauma, and corruption. However, these serious and violent stories coexist within the same universe as the Avengers‘ action-packed adventures and She-Hulk‘s lighthearted legal cases. These connections are set to become even more prominent next year with Jon Bernthal reprising his role as The Punisher in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, making him the first character from the Netflix series to have a substantial role beyond a brief appearance in a major film.
Luke Sparke, the director of this year’s film-often called a dinosaur epic-is sharing how Spielberg’s classic dinosaur movie influenced him and sparked his career in filmmaking. “I always believe in going all out,” Sparke explained to SlashFilm. He also admitted that Hollywood initially wasn’t interested in Primitive War, but he didn’t let that discourage him.
Whether you enjoy lively animated films or beloved, quirky sci-fi, here’s a list of 10 movies for genre fans who’ve seen all the staples and are ready for some fresh, out-of-this-world storytelling. Explore these films and discover your next favorite!
With the digital release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, fans can now see in HD a clever nod to Lee and Kirby. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created The Fantastic Four, first introducing the superhero team in a comic book back in 1961. In the movie, set on a 1960s-style alternate Earth, there’s a quick scene showing two men at a comic book publisher’s office just as Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer arrives with a warning from Galactus.
Actually, many of the most creative and moving shows on TV began as something else entirely. Starting with genres like mystery and supernatural adventures, comic books have been the origin of stories that aren’t typical superhero narratives. Often, TV series adapted from these comics aren’t widely known. Therefore, finding them feels both unexpected and captivating. It’s a pleasant surprise when you stumble upon these hidden gems. These shows offer a unique viewing experience.
During FuelFest this past summer-a festival honoring the Fast & Furious films-Vin Diesel announced that the eleventh movie is still planned and shared three key details. Diesel stated the film would bring the story back to Los Angeles, emphasize street racing once again, and feature the return of Brian O’Conner. (The role of O’Conner was memorably played by the late Paul Walker until his passing in 2013.) However, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the script is still under development and hasn’t been finalized.
Initially presented as the major villain for all three films in The Force Awakens, the character was surprisingly sidelined in The Last Jedi. He reappeared in The Rise of Skywalker, though it was revealed he was an unsuccessful clone of Emperor Palpatine – a development that didn’t improve things. Snoke’s storyline sparked significant debate within the Star Wars fan base, with many seeing it as representative of the disappointing Sequel Trilogy experience.
The future of the franchise has been uncertain since Fast X didn’t perform well financially, largely due to its extremely high production costs which worried Universal. Adding to the tension, Vin Diesel publicly expressed a desire to refocus the series on its roots – family and street racing – after some of the increasingly outlandish storylines in recent films. This has created some instability around the production. Now, Universal is reportedly asking that the budget for Fast 11 be reduced by $140 million compared to Fast X.