Movies

It’s become common for Lucasfilm to announce projects that ultimately get cancelled or never get made – like the previously announced Rogue Squadron film. After The Last Jedi, director Rian Johnson was set to create a new Star Wars trilogy, but the film’s mixed reception from fans led to questions about his continued involvement. He also found success with the Knives Out movies. Despite efforts from Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, Johnson didn’t return to Star Wars, and Kennedy admitted she believed he was discouraged by negative online reactions. However, Johnson quickly responded on X (formerly Twitter), stating he wasn’t scared off at all.

The 2022 attack on Salman Rushdie at the Chautauqua Institution made international headlines, but many people weren’t aware of the decades-long history leading up to it. Here’s a quick recap: In 1989, Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini issued a call for Rushdie’s assassination, and the deaths of anyone involved in publishing his novel, The Satanic Verses. This wasn’t just an empty threat. Following the declaration, bookstores and newspaper offices were attacked, and several people connected to the book were violently targeted. Rushdie’s Japanese translator was killed, his Italian translator was stabbed, and his Norwegian publisher was shot. Tragically, a hotel in Turkey was set ablaze during a conference where Rushdie’s Turkish translator, the renowned author Aziz Nesin, was scheduled to speak, resulting in the deaths of thirty-seven people, primarily artists and intellectuals. (I recall watching these events unfold vividly; I was in Turkey at the time, admired Rushdie’s work, and was surprised to find some friends who felt the attack had some justification.)

Let’s talk about what’s left of Angel’s disastrous trip. Last week, I thought Angel was unfairly targeted by Gizelle and had no chance of salvaging things. While I still think Gizelle’s confrontation on the jet, with the other women silently agreeing, was excessive and unpleasant, I’ve completely changed my mind about the trip overall. It might be a total failure, but if the women aren’t going to enjoy luxury, we might as well be entertained by their struggles – and that’s really all Angel provided this time around.

Ultimately, there can only be one winner. The Academy Awards uses a ranked choice voting system for Best Picture, meaning the order of preferences really counts. As the New Movies Editor, I’m going to play along and share my own ranking of the 2026 nominees – based on how good I think they are, not necessarily who I expect to win – from my least favorite to my top pick.

I was so excited to hear Sam Raimi mention he’s actually developing a sequel to Darkman! It’s been decades since the original with Liam Neeson, and apparently, the only thing stopping it from happening is getting the funding sorted out. Fingers crossed it finally gets made!

Universal Pictures will release the film The Odyssey in U.S. theaters this summer. Written and directed by Nolan, the movie is an adaptation of the classic Greek story by Homer.

The latest look at the upcoming animated Mario movie features a new poster showing Chris Pratt as Mario riding Yoshi and gazing at a planet they’ll visit. But one detail in the poster has sparked speculation that racing might play a big role in the film when it releases this April.

In March 2021, federal agents publicly searched for Jen Shah, believing she was traveling with her castmates on a trip. However, Shah received a warning call from her husband, Sharrieff, just before the agents arrived and quickly returned home, confusing her co-stars. She was arrested that same day and accused of being involved in a large-scale telemarketing scam.

The drama surrounding Tom Sandoval’s affair with Raquel Leviss became incredibly clear during the tenth season of Vanderpump Rules, thrusting the show into the national conversation. While the aftermath – dubbed “Scandoval” – had the potential to be compelling TV, season eleven quickly fell apart. Viewers were forced to watch a weak attempt at Sandoval redeeming himself, while Ariana Madix was unfairly criticized by her castmates for not wanting to film with him. Her decision to distance herself – symbolized by literally drawing a line in the sand during a beach outing – was a natural response to Sandoval’s betrayal. However, it clashed with what had always made Vanderpump Rules successful: not just creating conflict, but also showing how it could be resolved. In reality, these individuals likely wouldn’t have continued speaking after the show’s explosive second season, but their increasing salaries motivated them to keep working together.

Let me tell you, Natalie Portman’s character, Polina, is intense. I mean, she completely loses it when she finds out her assistant put traffic cones around a tiny puddle from a leaky AC unit – on the day of a huge art show, no less! Her gallery is…let’s just say struggling. She built it on the site of an old Jiffy Lube using divorce money from her ex – a canned fish tycoon, by the way – and this current exhibition is basically its last hope. Polina is desperate to keep up appearances, to pretend everything is fine. You get the sense she started because she genuinely loved art, but now it’s all about maintaining a facade and just surviving.