Movies

For decades, Harry Potter has been hugely important to Warner Bros., so the new TV series based on the original films is a major event. HBO has a reputation for creating high-quality TV shows, like Game of Thrones, that are both popular and successful. This is why the Harry Potter series on HBO seemed so promising. However, with the franchise now moving to Netflix – a company known for a different style of television – many fans are a little worried about its future.

The Five Nights at Freddy’s movies, adapted from the popular video game series, are tricky to get right. They can’t be overly violent or silly, but they also need to avoid being too lighthearted. Their serious tone is actually a key part of what appeals to audiences. While the premise – haunted animatronic animals in an abandoned pizza place – sounds outlandish, these films aim for a genuinely dark and unsettling atmosphere.

As a total film buff, I have to say Pascal’s work has really blown me away over the years. He’s so versatile – one minute he’s delivering these incredibly nuanced, quiet performances in dramas, and the next he’s throwing himself into really intense thriller roles. It feels like in the last few years, he’s finally getting the recognition he deserves for such a diverse career.

I just heard about this new movie, Protector, and it sounds intense! It’s about a former soldier, Nikki, played by Milla Jovovich, who’s trying to live a quiet life after years of fighting. But her world gets turned upside down when her daughter is kidnapped by human traffickers. From what I understand, she immediately dives headfirst into a really dangerous criminal world to get her daughter back. Sounds like a gripping rescue mission!

For a long time, rumors have circulated that Brainiac will be featured in the upcoming DC Universe sequel. Numerous clues have suggested the appearance of this villain, known for collecting entire civilizations. Recent reports strongly indicate that Brainiac is not only in the movie, but casting for the role is currently happening.

Last year, the movie Wicked became a huge success worldwide, with particular praise for Cynthia Erivo’s and Ariana Grande’s performances as Elphaba and Glinda, and the chemistry between their characters. While the first part of the film did well with critics (earning an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), the second part has been more divisive, currently holding a 68% rating.

Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) have reached a final agreement where Netflix will buy WBD’s movie and TV production studios, as well as its streaming service. This includes popular brands like Warner Bros. Pictures, HBO/HBO Max, DC, and Warner Bros. Games. The deal is worth approximately $72 billion in terms of equity and $82.7 billion overall, and will be paid for with a combination of cash and Netflix stock.

Jimmy Kimmel had some interesting news on his show this week! He revealed he’s the third most-Googled person of the year, though he joked it’s not a great achievement considering the top two are singer D4vd, who is also a murder suspect, and Kendrick Lamar, who Kimmel said “dominated Drake” during the Super Bowl halftime show. Kimmel was also surprised to have ranked higher in searches than Diddy, but the explanation is simple: Diddy has used so many different stage names that it’s hard for people to find him online, making him appear less prominent in search results. Kimmel then thanked Donald Trump, his biggest fan, for keeping him in the headlines, anticipating a response on Trump’s social media platform. Here’s a look at the best late-night moments from the past week.

With only six episodes, the show Heated Rivalry makes a risky choice in its third episode: it focuses entirely on a side character, stepping away from the main love story. It’s a similar move to what The Last of Us did in its first season, with an episode that shifted focus completely – and while some viewers weren’t thrilled, it worked for that show. In Heated Rivalry, the episode “Hunter” is a charming and surprisingly smart addition. It’s a fast-paced, romantic look into Scott Hunter’s past, but it also cleverly helps us understand the whole series better. This is particularly important because Heated Rivalry doesn’t reveal what its main characters, Shane and Ilya, are thinking. As hockey players who aren’t very open with their feelings, and often struggle to communicate, this silence creates a challenge for the show.

Netflix entered the competition to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery relatively late, in late October, but ultimately won out over bids from Comcast (owner of Universal Pictures) and Paramount (led by David Ellison with significant financial support from his father, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison). The deal, which surprised Hollywood with how quickly it happened and its massive scale – valuing Warner Bros. Discovery at $72 billion, considerably more than its current market value of $60 billion – marks Netflix’s largest acquisition ever. Importantly, Warner Bros. Discovery’s traditional focus on releasing movies in theaters clashes with Netflix’s core business as a streaming service.