Latest from CinemaBlend in Aaron-taylor-johnson

28 Years Later Devastated Me With Its Twist In The Middle, And Being A Parent Only Made It Scarier

mick.joest@CinemaBlend.com (Mick Joest) — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:02:00 +0000

October is a time to watch the best horror movies, and with 28 Years Later available with a Netflix subscription, now is the perfect time to check it out. In addition to being a movie that CinemaBlend awarded a perfect score in its review, it's absolutely terrifying to watch if you're a parent.

A quick spoiler warning for those who have yet to see the movie, I will be getting into plot details of 28 Years Later below. I would suggest watching the movie before reading, but if you don't care about spoilers and want to know why this movie traumatized me so much as the parent of a young child, feel free to read on!

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

28 Years Later Starts Off Like A Father And Son Bonding Experience

Unlike earlier movies within this world, the survivors of 28 Years Later are well-accustomed to rage-addled zombies, and have developed ways of handling threats while protecting themselves over the years. One survivor colony's way of life is so established that they have a tradition of sending their younger citizens out with older hunters on their first mission outside of the city.

It's here we meet Jamie and Spike, and see a twisted post-apocalyptic father and son bonding experience. We see the immense respect Spike has for his father and the doubt he has in his own abilities. We also see Jamie remarkably proud of his son, especially after they narrowly make it back to the village after a run-in with an alpha Zombie. In a UK abandoned by the rest of the world, they have each other, or so I thought when watching this incredibly endearing part.

(Image credit: Miya Mizuno/Columbia Pictures)

The Twist Of Spike Rejecting His Father Broke My Heart

Unfortunately, 28 Years Later almost deliberately highlights Spike and Jamie's close relationship only to tear it down not long after the first hunt. After leaving his party put on by the town, Spike spots his father being intimate with another woman while his mother and Jamie's wife, Isla, is very sick at home.

Spike goes home and confronts his father the following morning, but never told his mother what he saw. Jamie, mad at Spike's accusation that he'd be happy if Isla died, strikes his son and leaves the house.

It's not really an experience I can personally relate to, but I do know what it's like to disappoint a child on a smaller scale. One time, I got the time wrong and arrived late to my daughter's lunchtime at school, and seeing her little head in her arms, sad because I hadn't arrived yet, haunted me for months. I could only imagine the pain of disappointing my child on this level, and what I'd feel afterward.

(Image credit: Miya Mizuno/Columbia Pictures)

Spike Leaving The Community With His Mother In Secret Made My Hair Stand On End

Zombies don't scare me, but 28 Years Later was able to make my hair stand on end when Spike fled the city with his mother without his father realizing until it was too late. The young boy had only just barely survived his first encounter with the wilds, and attempting to navigate it with his delirious mother, all in hopes of finding a doctor to treat her, sounded like a suicide mission.

And yet, it's a bold type of confidence I'm all too familiar with. Only a desperate child would attempt something so wild and also think they have a chance of pulling it off. The minute Spike and Isla set out I was more or less convinced this movie was going to have a really dark ending, so I am glad that was only partly the case.

Spike learning his mother has untreatable cancer, and that the doctor can't help her is absolutely brutal. They went through so much just to get to that point, and one has to wonder, had the UK not been abandoned in the zombie apocalypse, if modern treatment could've helped her sooner. It's not a question the movie really seeks to answer, and instead deals more with Spike and reconciling with the fact that his mother is gone, but at least no longer suffering.

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

Overall It's A Fantastic Movie, But Really Put Me Through It As A Parent

We already know that a sequel to 28 Years Later is on the way, and as much as I want to watch The Bone Temple, I'm also worried. I'm excited to see what's ahead for Spike after where the movie left off, especially given the colorful cast of survivors that ended up rescuing him in the final scene.

Ooh Yeeah! A 'Macho Man' Randy Savage Biopic Is Coming, And I Know 6 Actors Who Would Be Perfect As The Beloved Wrestler

Nick Venable — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 14:03:00 +0000

I gotta say, of all the wrestling-related news to come out in 2025, I did not expect the names “Macho Man Randy Savage” and “Kenan Thompson” to pop up in the same news announcement, and for a potentially bonkers wrestling biopic to stem from that announcement. We’re living in wild and unpredictable times, though, and you’ll get no complaints out of me on this one, as a “Macho Man” movie sounds way more interesting to me than any other upcoming sports biopics. (The acclaim-garnering Smashing Machine can be the exception here.)

Kenan Thompson and his producing partner Johnny Ryan Jr. are developing the new project, currently titled Macho, through their company Artists for Artists, which is also working on reimagining an ‘80s horror that’s actually deserving of a remake, Sleepaway Camp. The biopic’s script is one that was co-written by Savage’s real-life brother Lanny Poffo (a.k.a. The Genius), who passed away in February 2023, and screenwriter Eric Shapiro.

Already, Macho seems like it could be destined for greatness, but given that Savage is one of the most unique and singular WWE and WCW Hall of Famers to ever enter the squared circle, I think we can all agree the quality of this movie will depend entirely on the actor cast to play him. So lets go through a shortlist of talents that I think could feasibly do a fantastic job in the role, regardless of where their careers have gone before.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Though Aaron Taylor-Johnson is purportedly a few inches shorter than Macho Man, and hails from England and not Ohio, the actor has proven himself capable of delivering one physical performance after another in projects such as The Fall Guy, Fuze, and 28 Years Later (not to mention Kraven the Hunter), and can clearly pack the muscle on when it’s asked of him. Taylor-Johnson also has a masterful facial hair game that would no doubt be utilized, given the wrestling legend’s ever-present mustache and beard. And the dude also looks good in wacky costumes, which is necessary, given Macho Man rocked one of wrestling’s most consistently ridiculous looks for his whole career.

(Image credit: The Tonight Show)

Jared Leto

I am 100% aware of how ridiculous it sounds to say “I think Jared Leto would make a good Macho Man,” but I don’t even feel slightly inauthentic saying it. In large part because Leto is known to lean harder into method-acting preparation for certain roles, and I think he could (and would) go as over the top as required to bring Randy Savage’s energetic athleticism and his quieter moments to life believably. As such, I’d fully expect Leto to get a six-month NXT contract ahead of the production, and for him to consist on a diet of just Slim Jims throughout filming. Is Macho Man really that far away from The Joker? Wait, don’t answer that.

(Image credit: AEW)

Maxwell Jacob Friedman

Despite not (yet) having a presence within the WWE itself, Maxwell Jacob Friedman has nonetheless become a headline-worthy wrestling superstar for his years atop AEW's ranks, where he's earned a lot of love from fans and analysts for both his in-ring moves and his believable heel persona, to say nothign of how well-spoken he is outside of wrestling events. Given Friedman has leaned more into acting in recent years, from The Iron Claw to Happy Gilmore 2 to the upcoming 2026 movie Violent Night 2, he could indeed have the interest and dedication to put into portraying Macho Man on the big-screen. Meaningful to note as well, Savage and Friedman are two of the most impactful wrestlers of Jewish descent, which gives this casting choice a bit more authenticity.

(Image credit: Paramount+)

Tyler Posey

Perhaps best known for the role of Scott McCall in MTV's Teen Wolf and its Paramount+ follow-up movie, Tyler Posey entered the world of big-screen wrestling biopics with 2024's Queen of the Ring portraying a love interest for the legednary Mildred Burke. He also competed on The Masked Singer Season 10 as "Hawk," which is perhaps closer to coming out in full wrestling attire than many would think. Combined with Posey's killer mustache game (and his genuine acting skills), I think he'd be an interesting non-obvious choice to portray Randy Savage, and he'd likely nail the romantic side of the story involving his ringside manager and real-life wife Miss Elizabeth, to whom he was married from 1984-1992.

(Image credit: Paramount+)

Ezra Miller

Similar to having Jared Leto as a pick, I've thrown Ezra Miller into the mix based solely on the actor's potential to deliver a truly nutty and off-kilter performance. Sure The Flash vet hasn't worked as often in recent years due to certain their off-screen controversies and issues, but the future looks brighter on that front, with Miller reuniting with We Need To Talk About Kevin's Lynne Ramsay for her upcoming vampire movie. I think Miller might be able to pull off Randy Savage's outrageously colorful outfits better than anyone, if nothing else.

(Image credit: A24)

Jeremy Allen White

Having already portrayed one of pro wrestling's most tragic figures in Kerry Von Erich for The Iron Claw, Jeremy Allen White already has a leg up on the training that would be needed to take on another musclebound brawler. The one thing working against him the most is that so many of his performances are of a subdued variety, which is antithetical to how Macho Man came across onscreen. But I think he could absolutely still pull it off,

(Image credit: Chris Van Vliet)

Dan Soder

All of the suggestions above are based largely on the actors' physical abilities, as well as their ability to deliver big performances. But when it comes to throwing stand-up comedian Dan Soder into the running, it's all about the voice. Macho Man's vocal stylings are arguably what fans remember about him the most, since it's easier to imitate a classic promo quote in real life than it is to pull off a diving elbow drop. Soder is as good as it gets and sounds enough like Savage that I could see a reality where the biopic uses his dubbed vocal performance instead of the on-screen actor's. I can't speak to whether or not Soder could realistically develop a pro wrestling physique to secure the role all around, but I'm not super confident.

The only thing I don't want to see from a Randy Savage biopic is an A.I. program taking on the role of the Hall of Famer. Macho Man was too human for any of that, dig it?

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Showed Up To Venice With A Wild Haircut And Beard (And I Hope It's For A Role)

Corey Chichizola — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 14:04:26 +0000

Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson first gained recognition for starring as the title character of Kick-Ass, which is streaming now with a Hulu subscription. Many of the best Aaron Taylor-Johnson movies have showed off his ripped physique, making him a bonafide sex symbol in the process. And that's why he recently went viral for showing up at the Venice Film Festival with an overgrown beard and long hair. I mean, is this for a gig or something? Let's break it down.

Guillermo del Toro's Franksenstein premiered at Venice, with the cast, including Jacob Elordi, getting one of those long standing ovations. While Johnson isn't in that cast, he was there to support, rocking a sharp white tuxedo and... some wild facial hair. Check out his new look below:

(Image credit: Photo by JB Lacroix/FilmMagic)

Holy curls, Batman. Taylor-Johnson is almost unrecognizable with this new unkempt look, although his bright blue eyes give the 34 year-old actor away. I have to wonder what inspired this look, and I'm really hoping he's grown out his beard and hair for a movie role. After all, he looks so handsome without it!

The hulking star of Kraven The Hunter (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription) is attached to a few upcoming projects that might explain this look. Chief among them is the upcoming horror movie titled 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which seems like the perfect franchise to rock this grizzled look.

While information about 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is still trickling out, it's reportedly wrapped principal photography. But maybe Taylor-Johnson had to keep this furry look for reshoots? Only time will tell.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

I have to wonder how this bold new look might influence Aaron Taylor-Johnson's odds at being the next James Bond. He's at the top of most fan lists to replace Daniel Craig, whose tenure as Bond wrapped with No Time To Die's ending. This chatter and casting discourse has already been going on for years, and it should be fascinating to see who actually becomes the next Martini-drinking 007.

Taylor-Johnson's ripped physique and experience with action and genre work is one big reason why fans want to see him play the next James Bond. His resume has included plenty of action and stunt-heavy projects, including the Kick-Ass franchise, his brief tenure in the MCU as Quicksilver (streaming with a Disney+ subscription), Bullet Train, and his recent entry as the title character of Kraven the Hunter. He's got the swagger and experience to portray Bond, and is actually an English actor. We'll just have to keep waiting to see who ends up landing this gig.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is currently expected to arrive in theaters on January 16th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Whether or not he's rocking this beard and long hair in the flick remains to be seen.

32 Times An Actor Looked Nothing Like The Real Person They Were Portraying

Jason Wiese — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 18:31:00 +0000

It never ceases to amaze me when an actor is the spitting image of the real person they are selected to play. I do not think a historical portrayal necessarily lives or dies by the performer’s resemblance to the subject, but I think it is something to appreciate, especially when you consider the amount of biopics starring actors who bear absolutely no resemblance to their role. Here are a few notable examples of actors who were clearly hired for their talents above anything else.

(Image credit: Amazon Studios / Bleecker Street)

Michael Shannon As Elvis Presley (Elvis & Nixon)

The most requested photo in the National Archives depicts Elvis Presley shaking hands with Richard Nixon in the Oval Office, and the events surrounding this historic meeting at the White House are dramatized in 2016's Elvis & Nixon. Kevin Spacey makes for a visually believable depiction of the 37th United States President, but the otherwise wonderfully talented Michael Shannon simply does not cut it as the one many call the King of Rock 'n Roll, even with a decent jumpsuit and wig.

(Image credit: RKO Radio Pictures)

John Wayne As Genghis Khan (The Conqueror)

Oh, boy, where do we begin with this one? The only visual evidence we have of what Genghis Khan looked like is artist renderings, but it does not take an expert to notice that John Wayne was not Asian. Still, the legendary Western movie star was cast as the Mongol chief in 1956's The Conqueror, which has since been regarded as one of the worst films ever made.

(Image credit: Icon Film Distribution)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson As John Lennon (Nowhere Boy)

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson's 2009 music biopic Nowhere Boy focuses on the pre-Beatles life of John Lennon, as portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. If you ask me, the Golden Globe-winning actor might have been a better fit to play, perhaps, Paul McCartney or, better yet, George Harrison.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Tom Cruise As Barry Seal (American Made)

If more people knew about Barry Seal and what he looked like, I believe Tom Cruise's portrayal in 2017's American Made would have been criticized as one of the most egregious miscastings in Hollywood history. The otherwise talented movie star did absolutely nothing to alter his appearance and pass for the ill-fated, heavy-set CIA smuggler, save what I regard as an embarrassing Southern accent.

(Image credit: Universal)

Julia Roberts As Erin Brockovich (Erin Brockovich)

Julia Roberts gives, arguably, the finest performance of her career as a single mother and paralegal who uncovers a small town pollution scandal in Steven Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich from 2000. However, if a resemblance to the person an actor is portraying were part of the Academy's voting criteria, she might not have won the Oscar.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Denzel Washington As Frank Lucas (American Gangster)

Ridley Scott's 2007 biopic American Gangster dramatizes the career of mobster Frank Lucas, played by Denzel Washington, and also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lucas' brother, Huey. Curiously, Ejiofor actually looks a whole lot more like the real Frank than the two-time Oscar winner. However, Washington was a good friend and frequent collaborator of the director's brother, Tony Scott, so he probably had the role in the bag for that, among other reasons.

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

Johnny Depp As J.M. Barrie (Finding Neverland)

Oddly enough, J.M. Barrie boasted a striking resemblance to another influential author, Edgar Allan Poe, with his tall forehead and small moustache. However, Johnny Depp, who played the Peter Pan author in 2004's Finding Neverland, does not boast a resemblance to either of them, if you ask me.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Hugh Jackman As P.T. Barnum (The Greatest Showman)

Let's not even bother talking about the many historical inaccuracies from The Greatest Showman, 2017's musical retelling of the origins of the circus, and even ignore the fact that P.T. Barnum was not the kindhearted man Hugh Jackman portrayed him as. All that matters to this list is whether or not the Wolverine star looked the part, and the famously attractive Australian actor most definitely was not a match for Barnum in that regard.

(Image credit: Universal)

Michael Fassbender As Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs)

Michael Fassbender's Oscar-nominated performance in director Danny Boyle and writer Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs from 2015 is widely regarded as superior to Ashton Kutcher's portrayal in Jobs from two years earlier. However, at least the former That '70s Show cast member can say he resembled the tech pioneer more closely.

(Image credit: Sony)

Mark Zuckerberg once made a surprise SNL cameo, during which he stood right next to host Jesse Eisenberg on the Studio 8H stage, proving that they are certainly not a visual match. The actor does not even bother to imitate the Facebook founder's distinctly low voice when portraying him in 2010's The Social Network, but his Oscar nomination proves that that is not what really matters in the end.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)

Tom Hanks As Fred Rogers (A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood)

Casting a universally beloved actor such as Tom Hanks to play a universally beloved children's television personality like Fred Rogers, of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood fame, is brilliant in theory. However, even giving the Oscar winner the icon's signature haircut and sweaters is not quite enough to distract from the fact that you are still unmistakably watching Hanks on screen.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Leonardo DiCaprio As Howard Hughes (The Aviator)

A major inspiration for Marvel's Tony "Iron Man" Stark was Howard Hughes, whose resemblance is actually a striking match for both Robert Downey Jr. and Dominic Cooper, who plays Howard Stark in his early years in the MCU. In fact, I think either one of them would have been a better visual fit for the eccentric millionaire in The Aviator than Leonardo DiCaprio, even if his performance in the 2005 biopic makes it one of his best collaborations with the director, Martin Scorsese.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Warren Beatty And Faye Dunaway As Clyde Barrow And Bonnie Parker (Bonnie And Clyde)

From a performance standpoint, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway make a great onscreen duo portraying the titular notorious bank robbers in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde. However, the screen legends' casting does not earn the film any points for historical accuracy, considering Beatty does not have Clyde Barrow's jug ears, nor does Dunaway boast Bonnie Parker's sharp, thin face.

(Image credit: 20th Century)

Taraji P. Henson As Katherine G. Johnson (Hidden Figures)

Taraji P. Henson gives an undeniably commanding performance in 2016's Hidden Figures as Katherine G. Johnson, a mathematician who was pivotal in helping NASA figure out space travel. Yet, when comparing the Empire star to photos of the real Johnson, it is clear the actor does not resemble her much at all.

(Image credit: Hollywood Pictures)

Anthony Hopkins As Richard Nixon (Nixon)

Reportedly, Anthony Hopkins had some hesitation about taking on the lead role of Oliver Stone's 1995 biopic about Richard M. Nixon. Ultimately, I would say the Academy Award winner went on to give a great performance in Nixon, but I find myself distracted by his struggle to hide his accent and his obvious fake teeth and hairpiece that really do not help make him look any closer in resemblance to the disgraced U.S. president.

(Image credit: Focus Features)

Margot Robbie As Queen Elizabeth I (Mary Queen Of Scots)

Cate Blanchett previously gave an Academy Award-nominated performance as the lead of 1998's Elizabeth, and even bore a strong resemblance to the royal based on artist renderings. I cannot say the same about Margot Robbie, even if the Australian actor's portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots was still worthy of praise.

(Image credit: The Weinstein Company)

Benedict Cumberbatch As Alan Turing (The Imitation Game)

Benedict Cumberbatch has such a distinct appearance, making it difficult for him to resemble anyone else without heavy alterations. However, nothing was done to make him look any closer to World War II-era computer scientist Alan Turing in The Imitation Game.

(Image credit: Amazon Studios)

Javier Bardem As Desi Arnaz (Being The Ricardos)

Oscar winner Nicole Kidman went above and beyond to physically become Lucille Ball for writer and director Aaron Sorkin's dramatization of what went on behind the scenes of the beloved TV sitcom, I Love Lucy. However, playing her onscreen husband is Oscar winner Javier Bardem, who does not pass for Desi Arnaz in the slightest.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Ray Liotta As Shoeless Joe Jackson (Field Of Dreams)

Technically, Ray Liotta plays the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams, but even a person's spectral remnant should look something like them. The infamous MLB player had a much narrower face and wider ears, not to mention that he pitched left-handed, while the actor did the opposite in the beloved sports movie.

(Image credit: Sony)

Beyoncé As Etta James (Cadillac Records)

No one could possibly deny that Beyoncé has the pipes to match Etta James, which had to have been the reason why she was cast in 2008's Cadillac Records. However, the "At Last" singer was short and round-faced, and the former Destiny's Child member is neither.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Dominic West As Prince Charles III (The Crown)

I mean no disrespect to Prince Charles III, but is it just me, or was The Wire star Dominic West just a little too handsome to play the Royal Family member on The Crown? Then again, any one cast member's portrayal on the historical Netflix series might pale in comparison to Elizabeth Debicki's striking resemblance to Princess Diana.

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Kane Hodder As Ed Gein (Ed Gein: The Butcher Of Plainfield)

The most famous actor to wear Jason Voorhees' hockey mask in the Friday the 13th films must have seemed like an inspired choice to play one of the most notorious serial killers in history in 2007's Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield. However, the 6'2", broadly built Kane Hodder does not boast Gein's narrower face and small stature.

(Image credit: FX)

Clive Owen As Bill Clinton (Impeachment: American Crime Story)

In most cases, prosthetics can be very helpful in making an actor look more similar to the person they are portraying, such as when Charlize Theron became Megyn Kelly for Bombshell. Clive Owen adopted this method to play Bill Clinton on Impeachment: American Crime Story, but the makeup only caused the English actor to resemble the 1990s-era President even less.

(Image credit: Universal)

Angelina Jolie As Christine Collins (Changeling)

Christine Collins is the subject of Clint Eastwood's 2008 period film, Changeling, which is based on the true story of when her missing son was replaced by an impostor. Had she been an even better-known historical figure, there might have been more criticism over casting Angelina Jolie, an actor known for her voluptuous lips, as the thin-lipped 1920s woman.

(Image credit: NBC)

Fred Armisen As Barack Obama (Saturday Night Live)

Considering the fact that the otherwise extremely talented SNL star Fred Armisen is a white man with a subpar impersonation of the 44th. U.S. President, I'll just say that I am glad Jay Pharoah eventually took over as Barack Obama.

(Image credit: Orion Pictures)

Tom Hulce As Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Amadeus)

Just based on artist renderings of the seminal composer, Tom Hulce was nowhere near a match to play the title role of director Milos Forman's Best Picture Oscar winner, Amadeus, from 1984. However, the actor is widely admired for his performance as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which earned him a well-deserved Academy Award nomination.

(Image credit: Disney/Fox)

Robert Redford As Harry Longabaugh (Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid)

I wonder how many others like me had no idea that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was based on a true story, which might be how the film was able to get away with casting actors who look nothing like the Western outlaws they play. For instance, Robert Redford's mustache works just fine for the role, but Harry Longabaugh, a.k.a. "The Sundance Kid," did not have long blonde locks.

(Image credit: Paramount)

Diana Ross As Billie Holiday (Lady Sings The Blues)

Most would agree that 1972's Lady Sings the Blues is the superior biopic about the trailblazing "Strange Fruit" singer over The United States vs. Billie Holiday from 2021. However, those same people might also agree that Andra Day was a better fit to play Holiday, physically speaking, than the otherwise wonderfully talented Diana Ross in the earlier film.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Robin Williams As Patch Adams (Patch Adams)

The real Patch Adams hates Tom Shadyac's biopic based on his life, which has nothing to do with the fact that Robin Williams looks nothing like the influential doctor. However, it's still impossible to ignore, especially with how they do not even bother to give the Oscar winner Adams' signature mustache.

(Image credit: Icon Intl Entertainment)

Mel Gibson As William Wallace (Braveheart)

In the most well-known illustrations of William Wallace, the Scottish warrior is depicted as having short hair and a beard. Why director Mel Gibson opted against this look when he portrayed Wallace in Braveheart is beyond me.

(Image credit: Sky One)

Serena Scott Thomas As Princess Diana (Diana: Her True Story)

Many actors have portrayed Princess Diana to varying degrees of success, but most consider Serena Scott Thomas from the 1993 two-part miniseries, Diana: Her True Story, to be one of the weakest matches, purely in terms of her physical resemblance.

(Image credit: RLJ Entertainment)

Zoe Saldaña As Nina Simone (Nina)

The 2016 biopic, Nina, sparked controversy when Zoe Saldaña donned skin-darkening makeup and a prosthetic nose to better resemble singer Nina Simone, which the actor would later admit she regretted.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Is Heading To Another A+ Horror Movie After 28 Years Later Sequel, And I Can Already Hear The Kraven Comparisons

Dirk Libbey — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 18:23:08 +0000

Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been a star on the rise in recent years. His name has been mentioned as a strong candidate to be the next James Bond, and he’s coming off the critically acclaimed horror movies 28 Years Later and Nosferatu. The actor is now set to join another high-profile horror film that might unfortunately also remind fans of one of the actor’s recent missteps.

According to Variety, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is reteaming with Nosferatu director Robert Eggers for the auteur’s next project, Werwulf. The film will be set in 13th-century England for a werewolf story that will even use period-accurate dialogue. Fellow Nosferatu star Lily-Rose Depp is reportedly also in talks to join the project. It seems that Eggers, like many directors has discovered that he likes working with certain actors, and those actors seem to like working with him as well.

Kraven The Werewolf?

While Variety doesn’t specify what role Taylor-Johnson is set to play, other reports claim he will play the werewolf character, which does seem likely under the circumstances. Unfortunately, when I think of Aaron Taylor-Johnson starring in a movie as a werewolf, it doesn’t make me think of Nosferatu so much as it makes me think of the actor’ lackluster comic book project, Kraven the Hunter.

Kraven the Hunter was a strange combination of animal and man in his own way, not entirely dissimilar to a werewolf. The problem with this comparison is that, of course, Kraven the Hunter was a famously bad movie featuring lots of shots of the lead actor looking sassy in fur-lined costuming. It's also one that has the dubious distinction of ending Sony’s flop-marked attempt at building up a Spider-Man-adjacent cinematic universe.

I can already see social media memes being generated from this news. That is, of course, assuming that the rest of the world hasn’t already forgotten about Kraven the Hunter. To be fair, even though not a lot of people saw it in theaters, the movie did become briefly popular after it was available to stream via Netflix subscription, presumably from those aiming to see if the movie was really as bad as people said. Spoiler, it was.

Of course, nobody would ever confuse Kraven the Hunter for a Robert Eggers movie. Each of the director's films are cloaked with a unique atmosphere, and often don't feel like they've all the product of one vision. The dialogue alone, if it really uses 13th-century language, is going to put Werwulf in a class by itself when it comes to modern horror films. Let's just hope Taylor-Johnson can bring more pathos to these lines than those of Kraven.

Werwulf is likely to be an incredible movie based on its director alone, and it may be just the thing to help launch Aaron Taylor-Johnson to a new level of stardom. The movie is set to release on Christmas Day in 2026, and we may not even have a new James Bond by then.

28 Years Later's Intimacy Coordinator On How The Nude Prosthetics Were Handled (And Her Thoughts On The Actors Running With Fake ‘Genitals’)

Nick Venable — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 16:16:45 +0000

First and foremost, 28 Years Later is an intense and acclaimed horror movie (read our review). Second and…second-most, it’s a surprisingly emotional and tragic take on survival. Third, it’s a movie about giant prosthetic penises. Not really, but that’s what a lot of the audience discourse has latched onto, with fans sharing tons of thirsty posts in the aftermath. While it might seem like filming those sequences would have been calamitous, the film’s intimacy coordinator addressed what her time was like.

UK native Vanessa Coffey has worked as an intimacy coordinator on projects such as the sultry thriller The Couple Next Door and the fantasy epic House of the Dragon, and did indeed stick around on the mainland to assist in the already filmed sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. As such, it wasn't such a shock to know she'd once more be working with clothes-free infected, but she told Variety that it was indeed an initial shock for crew members before it quickly became a norm. As she put it:

I think a lot of departments suddenly thought, oh no! But actually everybody pulled together really quickly. But when you think of the Berserkers, the prosthetics is quite incredible. With them, there are prosthetic buttocks as well as prosthetic penises, and everything has to be held in place, so that would always have had to have been the case.

For all that it might be uncomfortable for an actor to run around in a natural way while one's body is encased in prosthetics, but aside from any worries about things falling off, Coffey opined that it was also potentially freeing for the infected performers, saying:

But there’s also a comfort level, I suppose, because obviously the infected run really fast and I would imagine it’s much easier to fun fast confidently across the countryside with a prosthetic attached than actually having your own genitals out.

I can only imagine that it woudl be easier to appear intimidating and monstrous without having to worry about how one's crotch will appear on camera. Especially when the weather isn't exactly ideal. Trying to maintain consistency would also be an issue. But I digress.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

It Was Important For Everyone On Set To Be Aware Of The Prosthetics

Director Danny Boyle spoke up rather quickly after the film had screened for audiences and critics, saying that Alphas Samson and Berserker, as well as all of the "normal" infected entities, were indeed decked out with prosthetic body parts to cover up their dangling bits. (Not that the fashioned genitals didn't make things amusing behind the scenes.) After all, it would have been highly illegal and problematic to have that many disrobed adults running around a set with a 14-year-old actor as a co-lead.

According to Vanessa Coffey, decisions were made early on to spread the word to all involved that there would be simulated nudity involved, just in case the prosthetic were't publicized for the press. As she put it:

Originally we had to have that conversation with all of the people who were potentially going to be playing infected, that there would be the semblance of nudity. There was every chance it was never going to come out in the press that we actually did use prosthetics. So in those circumstances the viewer would, of course, assume that that was that real person’s genitals. So we also were really careful with emailing everybody in advance who was coming on board saying that this was the expectation.

Though it might not seem like the cast and crew would have needed to treat the faux nudity as if it was real, the intimacy coordinator confirmed that Danny Boyle & Co. did handle those scenes with the proper sensitivity to avoid any undeserved questions or scrutiny. She continued:

So closed set applied for any of those scenes where we’ve got people who were in a state of undress and or seeming to be in a state of undress. We wanted people to be aware that safeguarding protocols were in place because we also didn’t want questions about what we were doing in terms of safeguarding either us or our young actor.

If nothing else, 28 Years Later definitely set the mold for any upcoming horror movies that may also want to feature lots of creepy creatures with their boobs and butts on display. Not that I expect any other movies to take quite the same route, even if it would make for quite the left-field move for Scream VII.

The long-awaited sequel is in theaters now, with its Bone Temple sequel already set to hit the 2026 movie schedule on January 16.

After Watching A New 28 Years Later Scene, I Need To Explain Why I'm Very Worried About Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Character

Mike Reyes — Thu, 22 May 2025 18:36:28 +0000

Friends, we’re officially in the endgame for 28 Years Later, as we’re slightly under that same number of days until the film debuts. With this being one of the most hotly anticipated 2025 movie schedule offerings, director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland have reunited to bring us back to the Infected UK - with some brand new wrinkles promised as complications.

But sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same. And thanks to a new scene that expands on what we know about 28 Years Later, I feel comfortably horrified for Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Jamie.

This Was The Perfect Scene To Show After Rewatching 28 Days Later

I really wish 28 Days Later wasn’t only in theaters for one night, as returning to the exact theater I saw it at in 2003 was pure nostalgia. Also, I wish everyone could see the content of this exclusive scene I'm about to dive into. The broad strokes reason for that desire is that I’m convinced this slice of post-apocalyptic life was the perfect tease for die hard fans of one of the best 2000s movies.

The brief moment reintroduces us to a scene shown in 28 Years Later’s first trailer. As father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) takes his son Spike (Alfie Williams) on a hunting trip, they come across an abandoned house with a hanging Infected. Jamie wants his son to kill this creature, as means to teach this important lesson:

The more you kill, the easier it gets.

In this one scene, 28 Days Later’s themes of father figures navigating the apocalypse, as well as killing for survival, are present. Much like Cillian Murphy’s Jim, our young lead in 28 Years Later is being taught how to sharpen his instincts to kill a threat in a heartbeat. This only further convinces me that this father figure play is alluding to Aaron Taylor-Johnson potentially biting it early on in this planned trilogy.

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures / Miya Mizuno)

After Rewatching 28 Days Later, I Think Aaron Taylor-Johnson Is Doomed

Rewatching 28 Days Later, I really locked into the moments between Jim and his two father figures - lovable cabbie Frank (Brendan Gleeson) and the secretly sinister Major Henry West (Christopher Eccleston.) Both of these characters have differing viewpoints on how to survive, with Frank embracing cooperation and the Major fully taking charge.

More importantly, they both die through the events of the first picture - which doesn’t exactly spell a happy analogue for Jamie. It also doesn’t help that most of 28 Years Later’s marketing seems to show off mother Isla (Jodie Comer) and the mysterious Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes).

The latter man also feels poised to be an on-screen mentor to Alfie Williams, as we see him drop this piece of knowledge in the most recent trailer for the upcoming horror movie:

There are many kinds of death, and some are better than others.

Since we already know Fiennes’ role increases in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, he’s not going anywhere. But again, 28 Days Later shows our hero losing those paternal influences in order to survive in this new world. My guess is that either Spike or Dr. Kelson will have to kill Jamie - which prompts the wisdom shared above. And as an added bonus, I think that Cillian Murphy's Jim might be a third source of inspiration, who may represent the balance between the philosophies of these two men.

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

Accompanied by a title card that introduces 28 Weeks Later’s canon solution, as well as the fact that “survivors were left to fend for themselves,” the difference in the society Jamie, Spike, and Isla live in are already set. While Danny Boyle and Alex Garland weren’t concerned with pinpoint narrative continuity, this latest sneak peek showed us that the overarching themes are still a strong presence - which could require a sacrifice.

If you’re as hyped as I am to lock in your tickets for 28 Years Later, June 3rd is the date when domestic audiences can secure their seats for whatever happens next. Which means we can all argue over whether I was right or wrong on June 20th, as that’s the theatrical release date for this picture, which is conveniently the weekend after Father's Day.

How To Watch Nosferatu Online From Anywhere As It Exclusively Streams In The US

alice.marshall@futurenet.com (Alice Marshall) — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 11:46:38 +0000

How To Watch Nosferatu Online

Streaming Release: February 21 (US)

US Stream: Peacock TV

International Streams: Currently in movie theaters only

Watch anywhere: Stream from anywhere with NordVPN

Nosferatu – Synopsis

Originally Robert Eggers second feature length film following his directorial debut with The Witch, a remake of the 1922 movie Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror has been in the works since 2015. A passion project that was thus delayed, Eggers went on to direct The Lighthouse and The Northman before Nosferatu finally saw the light of day, with casting of Bill Skarsgård and Lily-Rose Depp announced in September 2022. Nearly a decade from conception to release, those in the States will be happy to hear you can finally watch Nosferatu online from the comfort of your own home when it's released on Friday, February 21 on Peacock , and we explain exactly how to watch it and get a deal on your Peacock subscription below.

An unofficial adaptation of the original vampire text, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Nosferatu follows Ellen Hutter (Depp) who, years prior, pledged herself to a supernatural being in the hope of curing her loneliness. Now married to Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), the couple live in a German town where, as an estate agent, Thomas seeks to make partner at the brokerage, and takes on a lucrative commission in the hopes of proving himself and securing the promotion. Endeavoring to sell the Grünewald Manor to Count Orlok (Skarsgård), a mysterious nobleman residing in a dilapidated castle in Transylvania, he leaves his wife – haunted by death – to secure the deal with the count.

A deliciously gothic tale, Nosferatu brings excitement and flare to the horror genre in its exploration of obsession – and its reception speaks for itself. The Hollywood Reported described it as "exciting, repulsive and beautiful", while its box office success saw it become Focus Features third highest grossing domestic release behind Downton Abbey (2019) and Coraline (2009).

Coming to Peacock on Friday, you have the option of subscribing to its annual Premium plan and saving 63% on a whole year's worth of on-demand content, including other Oscar nominees like Conclave and The Wild Robot, with Wicked soon to follow. But the deal does expire on February 18, so you'll need to act fast. For all the options on how to watch Nosferatu online from anywhere, we explain everything below, including using a VPN to unblock Peacock while overseas.

How to watch Nosferatu online in the US

(Image credit: Peacock/NBCUniversal )

Stakes at the ready! Nosferatu swoops onto its exclusive streaming home on Peacock in the US on Friday, February 21.

A Peacock subscription starts from $7.99 a month. You can also choose to skip the commercials by opting for its Premium Plus plan, which costs $13.99 a month.

Although Peacock doesn’t currently offer a free trial (and hasn't for some time) you can save 17% when signing up to its annual plans ($79.99 or $139.99 a year respectively).

Currently traveling abroad? Americans temporarily out of the country can download a VPN to access the same services you’d enjoy back home. We explain how below.

How to watch Nosferatu from anywhere

If you're a US citizen on vacation or working overseas, you can still watch Nosferatu online just as you would at home.

While services like Peacock block access from IP addresses outside of the US, there's a handy piece of software called a VPN that can change your IP address to make it look like you're accessing streaming services from any country in the world.

For example, US citizens overseas can subscribe to a VPN, join a US-based server and access their subscription from anywhere in the world, just like they would back home.

Watch Nosferatu as if you were at home with a VPN
Try out NordVPN, our choice of the best VPN for unblocking many of the major streaming services – and doing so speedily – including Peacock. You'll be able to stream from any device, including your mobile or desktop, TV, or gaming console. Incredibly secure, too, get assistance with its 24/7 customer support and enjoy a 30-day money back guarantee.View Deal

Step-by-step of using a VPN to unblock:

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN, costing from under $3.99 a month with its 2-year plan

2. Connect to a server – for Peacock, you'll want to connect to a server based in the US.

3. Go to the stream you wish to access - for Nosferatu, head to Peacock.

Can I Stream Nosferatu Outside In The UK, Canada, Australia, Or Elsewhere Around The World?

Outside of the US, Nosferatu is still only showing in movie theaters with no official streaming release date across performs yet set. It could soon be made available to buy or rent digitally, but currently there are no exact dates or details on this.

American oversea? Use a VPN to join a US server and access your Peacock subscription from anywhere.

Nosferatu Trailer

Who Is In The Cast Of Nosferatu?

Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter
Nicholas Hoult as Thomas Hutter
Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok/Nosferatu
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Friedrich Harding
Willem Dafoe as Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz
Emma Corrin as Anna Harding
Ralph Ineson as Dr. Wilhelm Sievers
Simon McBurney as Herr Knock

Can I Rent Nosferatu (2024)?

Yes! While Nosferatu hasn't found a streaming home outside of the States, in countries like the UK you can rent or buy the film digitally. In the UK, you can get it through Amazon Prime Video or Sky Store.

A 28 Years Later Stuntman's Alleged Message May Have Spoiled The Bone Temple, And I Think There's Both Good News And Bad News

Mike Reyes — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 01:39:25 +0000

If I had the 2025 movie schedule posted on my refrigerator door, I’d probably have a nice red circle around 28 Years Later. The same would go for the second installment of this would-be trilogy, especially now that 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple has a release date set for January 2026. Put 'em next to each other, and it looks like a pair of Rage-infected eyes. Like I said, I'm really jazzed about Danny Boyle's return to this modern horror classic.

Such anticipation means I’m always on the lookout for new details or news dropping about the rest of the Alex Garland scripted-legacy-quels. However, I fear I may have stumbled upon some accidental spoilers, which could involve the arrival of one fan favorite just as two newbies are leaving.

(Image credit: Searchlight Pictures)

Good News: Cillian Murphy’s 28 Years Later Entrance May Have Just Been Revealed

Performer Danny Stafford, who’s billed as “Dr. Kelson’s Double” on his Spotlight CV, seems to be finished with his role in Nia DaCosta’s middle chapter in 28 Years Later’s grand story. We know as much because he made a Facebook post commemorating that fact dating back to last September; complete with some cryptic art and what looks like a photo of himself on set.

In his goodbyes, Mr. Stafford shared warm thoughts about returning legacy cast-member Cillian Murphy, complete with an inside joke from the set. While we knew Murphy wasn’t on deck for 28 Years Later, there was still a question as to when he might be popping up in this trilogy. Now depending on how deep you are in the fan community, some have actually spotted alleged photos of the Oppenheimer star shooting his return as Jim on set in the wild.

So now with Danny Stafford’s reported corroboration, we’re closer to confirming that Cillian Murphy will be back in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Though for all we know, Nia DaCosta is just filming a potential ending tag that leads into a hypothetical larger role for Jim in the final chapter.

That’s where the good news ends though, as it’s time to break some bad news that seems to be hidden right in front of our faces.

(Image credit: Miya Mizuno / Columbia Pictures)

Bad News: We May Now Know Two 28 Years Later Characters Who Don’t Make It Out Of The Bone Temple

Mr. Stafford’s thank yous to the cast of 28 Years Later are pretty extensive, especially when it comes to the venerable Ralph Fiennes. With Dr. Kelson becoming “a much bigger part” in The Bone Temple, we knew that Round 2 would be a big deal for this mysterious party.

With the role scaling up, Danny Stafford’s role as a double was probably a necessity for this potentially major 28 Franchise character. Which has me wondering, is his wrapping on 28 Years Later’s first sequel a sign that Dr. Kelson dies during this adventure?

That’s not the end of the potential losses however, as a pretty major cast member is missing from Stafford’s post. Call me crazy, but the absence of Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s name in this rundown of collaborators has me thinking that his character Jamie isn’t going to live to see the curtain drop on 28 Years Later.

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

I know that’s a lot to talk out, which is why I must remind you that this is all speculation from my Rage-addled brain. We might learn more soon enough though, as a recent update from the Film & Television Industry Alliance alleges that the third entry in this upcoming horror movie trilogy is looking to start shooting at the end of March. For now, 28 Years Later will start us down the path to dystopian England this summer starting June 20th.

32 MCU Characters That Need More Screen Time

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 20:33:00 +0000

For over 15 years now, we’ve been witness to all the Marvel movies in order, and what a journey it has been! We’ve come a long way since Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man first took flight, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe introducing so many characters into its movies and TV shows, that some of our favorites just haven’t had enough of the limelight yet. Let’s talk about the MCU characters that could use more screen time than they’ve currently been given.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Valkyrie

After the dismal reaction to Thor: The Dark World, the God of Thunder had an awesome comeback in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. The third Thor movie was partially awesome due to the debut of Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie, who instantly became a fan favorite for her wit and all-around standout performance. Despite all the love for Valkyrie, she’s remained on the sidelines in every one of her appearances.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Captain Carter

OK, so technically Hayley Atwell had a television series on ABC in the early days of the MCU called Agent Carter, but watching that series only made me want to see the character more. Especially when Peggy Carter came back in the Multiverse Saga for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness for a short cameo and in animated form for …What If? Captain America’s great love is one of the most interesting MCU characters who deserves to have her hero’s journey fleshed out more.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Maria Hill

Early in the MCU, Cobie Smulder’s Maria Hill was established as a key part of the universe in The Avengers as Nick Fury’s right hand, but over the years, she’s never really gotten any sort of major arc in either of the movies or TV shows yet, despite sharing she’d love to do more. She was barely in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and has mostly been used for a few jokes here and there over the years.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Morgan Stark

One of the most heartbreaking arcs in the MCU was the death of Tony Stark, especially after it was revealed that the character had a daughter with Pepper Potts, named Morgan Stark. (We’ll never forget the “I love you 3000” line). While it does make sense to wait a bit before we see Morgan Stark again, it would be interesting to catch up with the daughter of Iron Man, and see how her life progresses in the MCU following Endgame.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Jimmy Woo

Randall Park’s FBI agent character Jimmy Woo was first seen in 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp as Scott Lang’s parole officer. Woo has since been seen in WandaVision and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in brief roles. Sure, Jimmy Woo isn’t a huge Marvel character or anything, but Park is so hilarious, I’d love it if he earned a larger role in the universe.

(Image credit: Marvel)

Okoye

One of the best Black Panther characters is definitely Danai Gurira’s Okoye, who has had somewhat of a central role in both of the movies, but when you look at the screen time she actually had (about 13 minutes in Black Panther and 16 minutes in Wakanda Forever), she’s still rather a minor character. The former general of the Dora Milaje and head of Wakandan armed forces isn’t just very impressive in her strength and power, but a magnetic character I’d watch a whole movie about.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

M’Baku

Winston Duke got on the Hollywood map due to his role in Black Panther, and while he was only in the first movie for about six minutes, he left a lasting impression on fans that had us wanting to see more. Especially following the end of Wakanda Forever, where he actually assumes the role of King of Wakanda. Here’s hoping the next Black Panther project gives him more to do.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Adam Warlock

As soon as Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock was announced to be part of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Marvel fans were excited to see the cosmic being in live action. However, it felt like the third Guardians movie didn’t really know what to do with the character, and is admittedly filed under “the worst thing” in our list of best and worst parts of every Marvel movie. The character deserves some redemption!

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Cosmo the Spacedog

In the final Guardians of the Galaxy movie, James Gunn decided to introduce one of the cutest Marvel characters, Cosmo, but she was barely in the film! The Labrador astronaut, who has enhanced intelligence and psychic powers is such a fun and hilarious character, especially as voiced by Maria Bakalova. While it seems like the Guardians movies have wrapped up, I would love to see more of Cosmo.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Lady Sif

In the original Thor movie, Jaimie Alexander’s Lady Sif was brought on board the MCU as an Asgardian warrior and good friend to the God of Thunder. However, the heroic character, who is based on the Norse goddess who is known as the wife of Thor, had an anticlimactic role in the franchise. After showing up for around eight minutes in the first movie, her only other big appearance was in an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. She’d be a solid character to show up in the next Thor movie.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Moon Knight

Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight getting a TV show rather than a big-screen movie will always be a mystery to me. Sure, he’s not the most popular Marvel hero, but given the studio has sold us on all sorts of smaller characters over the years, I don’t see why an antihero with dissociative identity disorder with roots in Egyptian mythology would have pulled in a crowd.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Korg

Not only is Thor: Ragnarok a movie that is so much fun on its own, but it also introduces Taika Waititi’s hilarious character of Korg, a Kronan warrior who Thor meets on Sakaar. Korg has only had short supporting moments in the last two Thor movies, but because he’s so loveable, we’d happily catch his return.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Quicksilver

Aaron Taylor-Johnson played Quicksilver, the brother to Scarlet Witch in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but had a hero’s death while shielding civilians from gunfire coming from Ultron. We have to wonder if the MCU would ever bring back the actor’s version of the character, especially after the multiverse was opened up. The actor has since jumped to playing another Marvel character for Sony’s Spider-Verse with the Kraven The Hunter movie.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Wong

When Doctor Strange came out in 2016, Benedict Wong’s role of Wong introduced the keeper of ancient books of the mystic arts. Since the MCU has progressed, Wong has been promoted to the Sorcerer Supreme. Following his title shift, we’re thinking about how the character could get a bigger spotlight that follows his own adventures.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

America Chavez

When it was announced that America Chavez was coming to the MCU, we were excited to get to know the hero, also known as Miss America. Xochitl Gomez was highlighted in the key plot of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but she deserves a lot more attention in the MCU. Perhaps, she could be in the Young Avengers team we think the MCU is quietly setting up.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire)

After Tobey Maguire was the first big-screen Spider-Man in a trilogy of blockbuster films, his Spider-Man joined the MCU in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. While we imagine his appearance was more for nostalgic purposes, we’d genuinely love to see Tobey’s Peter Parker be part of the MCU again, and perhaps see Sam Raimi do the Spider-Man 4 movie that was previously cancelled. Spider-Man 3 ended the character on such a sour note, and the actor makes for such an awesome version of the hero.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield)

Andrew Garfield was such a Spider-Man in Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man movies, however, they came at the time right before Disney earned the rights to the character. So, the cord was pulled on Garfield’s version and Tom Holland was part of the reboot. Garfield’s version technically joined the MCU when he showed up in Spider-Man: No Way Home. We’d love to see Garfield return to the MCU with his Spidey brothers, and perhaps continue where his movies left off.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

J. Jonah Jameson

In Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man movies, J.K. Simmons was perfectly cast as J. Jonah Jameson, so we were unsurprised when the MCU cast him as the character for short cameos in Tom Holland’s movies. Except in the version we’ve seen, he’s only been seen on TV screens across the city. We don’t have a lot of Spider-Man 4 details right now, but wouldn’t it be fun if Holland’s Peter Parker began working for him?

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)

Ned Leeds

Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds has always been such a fun addition to the Spider-Man movies with Tom Holland. Ned is Spider-Man’s “guy in the chair”, but the comic book character has more of a backstory that can be explored in upcoming Spider-Man movies. In the Spider-Man comics, Edward Leeds becomes a supervillain called the Hobgoblin!!

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

MJ

Mary-Jane Watson has always been an iconic part of the Spider-Man universe, but the character herself has yet to ever get a larger role that surpasses simply being a love interest to Spider-Man. Zendaya’s MJ is a step in the right direction for the character, but we have to wonder if there’s more the MCU could do with her.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Dane Whitman

When it was announced Kit Harrington was joining the MCU in 2019 in the role of Dane Whitman/Black Knight, we thought it was going to be a much bigger deal than it turned out to be. Harrington ended up having a rather anticlimactic role in Eternals, and we’re not even sure if we’ll get the payoff for the awesome character who has been in teams like the Avengers and Defenders in the comics.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Kate Bishop

When it comes to the best Marvel TV shows, Hawkeye is definitely one of the good ones, especially for how perfectly it established the character of Kate Bishop. Hailee Steinfeld hit the bullseye when it comes to portraying the second generation of Hawkeye. After being in her own TV show, Kate showed up in The Marvels mid-credits scene with Kamala Khan, and we hope the MCU does promote her to an Avenger.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The Collector

In the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, Benicio del Toro’s take on The Collector was brought into the MCU. He’s a villain in Marvel comics with a long history dating back to 1966 and tons of storylines with the Avengers and such, however, so far del Toro’s character has only had a few cameos.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Zeus

The king of the gods, Zeus, has even entered the MCU. In Thor: Love and Thunder, Russell Crowe had a small role as the Greek mythology legend. Since it’s such an epic character, and Crowe is an incredible talent, we’d be hyped for Zeus to have more screen time.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Luis

In Ant-Man, Michael Peña brought lots of laughs to the MCU as Luis. The character doesn’t have a comic backstory, and is really just a regular guy who used to be the cellmate of Scott Lang. However, Luis is so genuinely hilarious that we’ve missed him lately. We were especially bummed that he wasn’t in the third Ant-Man movie.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Namor

In the second Black Panther movie, audiences were introduced to the king of the underwater kingdom of Talokan, Namor. Tenoch Huerta did a fantastic job playing the villain of Wakanda Forever, and while he was technically defeated by Shuri in the movie, he’s very much alive, and is an interesting enough character to get more screen time, somehow.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Heimdall

It’s a shame that Idris Elba’s Heimdall died in Avengers: Infinity War, because the Asgardian gatekeeper was never really given much of a role in the MCU. The character could sustain a movie on his own considering what he does on Asgard, but here’s hoping he is still afforded the chance.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

James “Rhodey” Rhodes

Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes was introduced in Iron Man 2, after Terrance Howard previously played the character in the first movie. Rhodes has become a member of the Avengers as War Machine / Iron Patriot, but he’s definitely been among the members of the team that’s not highlighted enough. At least the character is still reportedly set to front his own movie called Armor Wars, which would be very much deserved.

(Image credit: Disney+)

Madisynn King

In She-Hulk, a hilarious MCU character was born with Patty Guggenheim’s Madisynn (“with two n’s and one “y”, but it’s not where you think”). She was accidentally sent to a hellish dimension before crossing paths with Benedict Wong’s Wong, which she lovingly calls “Wongers.” She’s a laugh-out-loud addition to the universe that’d be so fun to see pop up again somewhere.

(Image credit: Marvel studios)

Sharon Carter

The niece of Peggy Carter, Emily VanCamp's Sharon Carter has been in two Captain America movies, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and an episode of What If...? But still, it never fully feels like the MCU knows what to do with her. Perhaps if she was interwoven into the plotline more, she could have deeper ties to the universe.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

Julia Louis-Dreyfuss’ Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is the director of the CIA in the MCU, who has been sprinkled in recent chapters in the MCU and is set to be part of the Thunderbolts cast. Currently, she isn’t giving us a lot to care about her, so here’s hoping the MCU does her character right and gives her more screen time going forward.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Hulk

May we remind you that Hulk is the only member of the original Avengers who has never been given his own solo project? It’s so wild! Yes, he left a huge mark on the main Avengers saga, but Mark Ruffalo is so good as Bruce Banner, that he deserves his own arc without being part of a team.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Revealed A Secret To Marvel's Superhero Looks I Hadn't Thought About (But Makes Total Sense): 'Arms, Butts, I've Seen Some Crazy...'

Adrienne Jones — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 20:06:49 +0000

Sony’s last Spider-Man Universe project on the 2024 movie schedule, Kraven the Hunter, has finally hit theaters with star Aaron Taylor-Johnson showing off some appropriately superhero-esque washboard abs and mega-buff arms. While the Kick-Ass actor definitely got fit AF to portray Kraven, he just revealed that it’s possible that some Marvel superhero looks have a secret that I hadn’t thought of, though it makes total sense.

What Did Kraven The Hunter’s Aaron Taylor-Johnson Say About Marvel’s Superhero Looks?

If you’re wondering how Aaron Taylor-Johnson could know anything about Marvel’s superhero looks, well, I can’t even really accuse you of having a short memory, as it was nearly a full decade ago when he starred in Avengers: Age of Ultron as the MCU’s version of Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver. Obviously, that 2015 movie saw the Fall Guy actor get to experience the behind-the-scenes aspects of making one of Marvel’s highly-hyped films, and he just revealed a secret to the muscle-bound heroes during an interview with Capitol, saying:

I’ve worked on some Marvel films and, you know, those suits are padded!

EXCUSE ME?!?! Mr. Taylor-Johnson, are you actually saying that some of our favorite, recent big-screen superheroes had muscles that were manufactured by man, but not in the “I ate boiled chicken and broccoli for two years and would murder for just a sniff of one slice of greasy pizza or some chocolate cake and please don’t make me go to the gym anymore” way that we always hear about?! When he was asked if there were built-in six packs, he added:

Yeah, dude! Arms, everything. Butts! I’ve seen some crazy pads!

My goodness. I just feel so...so betrayed! Don’t you? Every time someone like Chris Hemsworth reveals how they got superhero ripped, it’s still not all up to their hard work and the sacrifice of the occasional celebratory cocktail?

And you know what? Now that I think about it, this actually does make complete sense. Yes, superhero actors tend to have crazy intense training sessions and basically only eat “healthy stuff” like Taylor-Johnson did to pack on muscle, but also? Those costumes are tiiiiiiight. Like, if there’s any fluctuation in your weight or even the slightest bit of decrease in say, the musculature of your gluteus maximus, suddenly you’re not filling that costume out as it was made for you to.

They likely have at least five costumes (conservatively) ready to go, but do you think they're gonna go remake all of them just because suddenly your booty's not big enough anymore? Hell, no! So, enter padding!

Also, look at how some of those characters are drawn in the comics. Those bodies are mostly unattainable by normal human standards, and even though actors have all of the best trainers, dieticians, chefs, doctors, etc. on board to make it happen, it’s rather understandable if it’s difficult to maintain for long enough to film a whole blockbuster. You can see the full clip, below:

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It wasn’t that long ago that Taylor-Johnson showed us all that his Kraven muscles were still poppin’ even after he finished filming the long-awaited 28 Years Later (which is due on the 2025 movie schedule), but if we find out that the movie he makes after that features a costume with fake abs, let’s all just take it easy on the guy, ok?

Krav-feratu? Nosfer-aven The Hunter? Aaron Taylor-Johnson Weighs In On Fans Double-Featuring His December Movies

Sean O'Connell — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 14:15:40 +0000

Back in the day, we had Barbenheimer, a mash up at the movies between Greta Gerwig’s hysterical satire Barbie, and Christopher Nolan’s meticulous historical drama Oppenheimer. The craze had countless audience members showing up dressed in pink, and with old-fashioned hats. It was all good fun. Hollywood tried to replicate the marketing gimmick this year with Glicked, encouraging moviegoers to plunk down the cash to see Gladiator 2 and the musical Wicked, though this time out, one half of the equation did much better than the other. Now, as we look to the upcoming 2024 movies that will close out the year, Aaron Taylor-Johnson finds himself appearing in two movies that are competing for attention at the box office. So, might I suggest a weekend filled with Krav-feratu?

The more mainstream movie that is opening in theaters is the standalone Spider-Verse live action villain movie Kraven the Hunter, which casts Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the lead. Critics don’t love it. But critics haven’t liked most of the movies that Sony is doing in this non-Spidey universe, so maybe fans will flock to the theaters. During a recent press day, I asked Taylor-Johnson if fans should also go see the actor’s vampire thriller Nosferatu while they are checking out the latest Marvel-adjacent movie. And he got a good chuckle out of that concept, telling CinemaBlend:

I mean, those two characters are so far different, that I played. It was quite funny, because (Kraven director) J.C. (Chandor) just goes, ‘I can't believe that you are that guy, and then I've just seen you be this guy!’ So that's an interesting one for everybody. Kraven is… I'm super proud of this one. And I'm really excited to share it with the world. We spent three years putting this character together. J.C. is a brilliant director. He's made it kind of gritty, earthy, and grounded. It is a gangster story, with Russell Crow being just the best I've seen him in ages. … If you love action, this is going to be an entertaining, great, standalone movie.

As for Nosferatu, it is, as Aaron Taylor-Johnson says, quite different. In that film, we see a young woman (Lily Rose-Depp) struggling with an ethereal obsession she has with a dark force calling to her from the other side of the globe. The draw comes from the wicked Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgard), and Taylor-Johnson is a man caught up in the lunacy. He’s not fighting a Rhino. That’s reserved for the Spider-Man universe. But things definitely do get weird in the vampire story that director Robert Eggers has cooked up.

(Image credit: Focus Features)

There are rumors that Kraven the Hunter might be the last of the Spider-Man villains movies that Sony ends up making, with the studio turning its attention to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4, and hopefully more movies that actually involve everyone’s favorite web-slinger. Because to me, as someone who wrote an entire book on the history of the Spider-Man film franchise, I’ll never quite understand why we have three Venom movies, a Kraven movie, a Morbius movie, a Madame Web movie, and NONE of them include Spider-Man. Crazy.

Kraven the Hunter is in theaters now. Nosferatu opens on Christmas Day, if you are planning the Krav-feratu double feature. Enjoy!

Kraven The Hunter And Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man Meet In Fan Art, And Now I Want This Crossover For Real

Lysa Rodriguez — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:16:35 +0000

As we steadily approach the release of Kraven The Hunter in theaters, fans of the world class hunter have been eager to see how he will be reflected on the big screen. But fans are more excited to see how this will play out in the long run, and whether or not this movie means that we will be seeing more of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. One fan on Instagram posted a cross-over that frankly I myself absolutely need.

Until recently, Kraven the hunter has not had a major on-screen appearance, though his spear was seen in the end credits of Andrew Garfield’s The Amazing Spiderman 2 as part of the Sinister Six schematics. This was because at the time there was a lot of set up for the Sinister Six to be the villains of the next movie, and if you know Spiderman you know Kraven is a member. Sadly, we did not get a third Amazing Spiderman, but fan Arifinity on Instagram posted art of Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man with Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven. And seeing what we could possibly get, I just really want it to be reality.

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For those who are not up to date with Spider-Man comic book villains, Kraven is a hunter who is always looking for his next big prey. The concept for Kraven is heavily inspired by Richard Connell’s short story The Most Dangerous Game, in which an experienced Russian hunter has switched from hunting animals to hunting man, because man is the most dangerous creature of all. In the comic books Kraven hunts Spider-Man, seeing him as optimal prey, and his whole drive is wanting to kill something stronger than him to prove he is the strongest. So I’m curious if the movie is going to paint him as an anti-hero as the trailers suggest.

And as already mentioned, Kraven as a character has not had any major screen appearances, so a full movie about him seemed to come out of nowhere. Though, if you’re like me who is a fan of Insomniac’s Spider-Man video game, we know that he was a pivotal villain in the second game released just last year. And now with this movie, as well as Andrew Garfield reprising his role as Peter Parker for Spider-Man: No Way Home, many fans are speculating we might be finally getting that Sinister Six movie but with a twist of multiverse shenanigans.

Recently the MCU has been dabbling with some of the side characters and villains from their properties. There was a Silver Sable and Black Cat movie in the works, that unfortunately fell through (as a Felicia Hardy fan I’m still malding about that one). And if Kraven The Hunter is in fact the first major step towards a Sinister Six movie as hinted, then I am all for it and I can’t wait for its release.

Currently Kraven The Hunter is set to hit theaters on December 13^th, and here's everything we know about it. While there doesn’t seem to be any Spider-Man in the movie, outside of a small easter egg, you can binge the Spider-Man movies with a Disney+ subscription. Or you can be like me and stare at that amazing fanart and dream of what could have been.

Critics Have Seen Kraven The Hunter, And They’re Not Holding Back On Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Spider-Man Universe Movie

Erik Swann — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 21:47:36 +0000

As the year dies down, there are still a few notable titles that have yet to be released amid the 2024 movie schedule. Sony’s Kraven the Hunter, which sees Aaron Taylor-Johnson play the titular role, is such a film. This R-rated installment in Sony’s expanded cinematic Spider-Man universe has been much-discussed and, per recent comments from producers, it could be the last entry in the franchise (at least for a while). Now, critics have finally screened the comic book flick and, needless to say, they’re not holding back their thoughts.

One could certainly say that Sony’s line of big-screen Spidey offshoots has seen more valleys than peaks. Just this year alone, Madame Web opened to negative reviews and little fanfare at the box office, while Venom: The Last Dance pulled in some cash but was also largely panned. So how does the Aaron Taylor-Johnson-fronted flick stack up to its predecessors? Well, CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg explained in his own Kraven review that it surpasses the former two films in some ways, but there are a number of issues:

It’s not an unending chain of bad decisions like Madame Web, and there is a storytelling logic that is absent from all of the Venom films, but there is so little substance to any of Kraven The Hunter that you get the sense that it became R-rated to give the work even a modicum of flavor. There is nothing engaging about the characters or the performances, the plot is excessively rote and familiar, and it has nothing to contribute to the ever-expanding genre. It’s inoffensive, but also not worth anybody’s time – from the comic book obsessives to the casual movie-goers just looking for some dumb big screen entertainment on a December weekend.

From the outside looking in, there seemed to be a few appealing elements to this upcoming superhero movie. There’s the promise of intense action and gore (as teased in the Kraven trailers), the prospect of seeing Marvel characters like Rhino and Chameleon and of course, there’s the sheer physicality of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who got fit AF to play the eponymous antihero. Despite all of that, THR’s David Rooney asserts that the movie fails to impress:

…those hints of a so-bad-it’s-good guilty pleasure are a fleeting tease in an action thriller that spills plenty of blood but never raises the temperature or ignites the excitement. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and his rock-hard abs play the title character with impressive physicality and ace knife skills, but he’s too wooden to have any fun with it. Overlong and punctuated by anticlimactic kills of one bad guy after another, this looks to follow other entries in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe like Morbius and Madame Web to an early grave.

The J.C. Chandor-directed film centers around feared hunter Kraven – whose real name is Sergei Kravinoff – who seeks to travel the globe in an attempt to track down the greatest prey imaginable while wrestling with personal demons. Ariana DeBose, Alessandro Nivola, Fred Hechinger, Christopher Abbott and Russell Crowe also star in the film. Lyvie Scott of Inverse can see promise within the overall plot but, in her estimation, the movie is hampered by too many issues:

A clunky, crowded script, muddy visual effects, and glaringly obvious ADR bog down a promising premise. It’s not camp enough to become a cult classic, and it lacks the conviction to carry its most ambitious ideas to the finish line. In a world where superhero fatigue makes competition all the tougher, it’s survival of the fittest — and it’s ironic that Kraven, of all properties, lacks that killer instinct.

Not everyone was less than pleased with this latest superhero offering, though. FilmInk critic Cain Noble-Davies offers some complimentary sentiments to share about it. While he grades the film on a curve proportional to the films that preceded it, Noble-Davies argues that there’s some charm to be found:

In 2024, they unleashed the soulless Madame Web, and bid farewell to Venom: The Last Dance; where they go from there, and whether anyone would care, is up in the air. When graded on that curve, Kraven the Hunter’s rudimentary but mostly effective Russian mobster spin on one of Spidey’s classic rogues finds itself on decent footing. Extraneous sequel-prepping is kept to a minimum (save for a denouement that might as well have been just another post-credits scene), there’s enough meat on the bones of the reworked characters, and it’s refreshing that this actually attempts to say something beyond just smashing toys together.

Still, IndieWire critic David Ehrlich doesn’t mince words when discussing the shortcomings of Sony’s latest Spidey-adjacent effort. What seems to boggle his mind most were the creative decisions as well as the aesthetic that he compares to the superhero films of the early 2000s:

Immune to fan response, impervious to quality control, and so broadly unencumbered by its place in a shared universe that most of its scenes don’t even feel like they take place in the same film, ‘Kraven the Hunter’ might be very, very bad (and by ‘might be’ I mean ‘almost objectively is’), but the more relevant point is that it feels like it was made by people who have no idea what today’s audiences might consider as ‘good.’ If you told me that ‘Elektra’ was the only superhero movie that Chandor had ever seen before directing this one, I would believe you without hesitation — if only because it might help to explain why all of the CGI in ‘Kraven’ looks the same as it would have in 2005.

Based on these reviews, one gets the feeling that Sony’s widely debated Spider-Man Universe is ending on a low note. Of course, general audiences have yet to see the film for themselves, and there’s always the chance that they might feel differently. They can check out Kraven the Hunter when it opens in theaters on December 13.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Got Fit AF For Kraven, But He Just Revealed How Long It Took (And Please Do Not Sign Me Up)

Corey Chichizola — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 19:09:47 +0000

The superhero genre continues to be a powerful force in the entertainment industry, with a number of shared universes in play. That includes Sony's Spider-Man universe... which is notably missing the actual web slinger. The next of these projects is the Kraven movie, which is led by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. He got fit AF for the role, but Taylor-Johnson revealed how long it took (and please do not sign me up).

What we know about Kraven the Hunter, but one thing is clear: Aaron Taylor-Johnson looked absolutely jacked for the role. The Kraven trailers have his abs on full display, and the 34 year-old actor definitely put in the work for them. While appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he spoke about this wildly long process, sharing:

6 months of training and a lot dietary plans, had a great trainer. It was a varied diet but the thing I couldn't have was all the good stuff, really. Pasta, pizza, and zero alcohol for 2 years. I had not a drop when I made this.

Talk about a commitment. While leading the cast of Kraven the Hunter would have been a grueling job no matter what, the fact that Taylor-Johnson had to carbs or alcohol for two full years is something else entirely. I guess there's a reason that his abs are so defined in the promotional material for the upcoming Marvel movie.

Longtime fans of Aaron Taylor-Johnson know that he's always been rather ripped, going back to his star-making performance in the Kick-Ass franchise. But his level of fitness is on another level for Kraven, giving the character an imposing physical presence in the limited footage released to the public. Later in that same interview, the Fall Guy actor revealed what went down when his years-long diet ended, saying:

The first thing I ate was a pizza. I had a whole pizza. And we went to a pub and had a beautiful, draft poured beer with a great thick head on it, ice cold. It was the best thing I ever tasted.

Is anyone else suddenly craving pizza and beer? It seems like Aaron Taylor-Johnson definitely was, and one can only imagine how thrilling it was to finally give into those urges.

It remains to be seen how all that hard work translates to the actor's performance in Kraven the Hunter. The limited footage certainly make him look like an imposing force, one capable of bloody R-rated violence. Perhaps it's for the best that Spider-Man isn't in the movie, as Peter Parker likely would have sustained some serious injuries.

The pressure is on for Kraven the Hunter to deliver in theaters, given the poor reception for projects like Morbius and Madame Web. All will be revealed when arrives December 13th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

I Agree With Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Funny Quip About Scarlet Witch's Treatment Of Quicksilver, And Hope Marvel Corrects This Mistake In An Avengers Movie

Sean O'Connell — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:29:32 +0000

One of the joys of the Marvel Multiverse is the fact that almost anyone can come back, even if they have been transported back through time (Captain America), shipped to the farthest side of the galaxy (Hulk), or killed (Iron Man). With the scheduling of the upcoming Marvel movies Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, I anticipate all sorts of surprises related to former Marvel heroes and villains making their return, especially after we got news that Chris Evans would return to the MCU. Well… return again, after his appearance as Johnny Storm in Deadpool and Wolverine. Given the freedom that Marvel has with these characters, I hope they correct one mistake that seems to be playfully eating at Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

The Kick-Ass star is about to burst onto the big screen as the Spider-Man villain Kraven the Hunter, though that’s a Sony picture that’s disconnected from the MCU. Still, while speaking with IMDB about his past superhero roles, Taylor-Johnson talked about playing Quicksilver, the speedster, in Avengers: Age of Ultron. As most of you probably know, Taylor-Johnson’s Quicksilver was killed off in Age of Ultron, and the character was brought back in WandaVision, available to Marvel fans who have a Disney+ subscription. Only, it was the Evan Peters version of the character, the one that we know best from the X-Men universe. Confusing!

Speaking on the switch, Aaron Taylor-Johnson jokingly quipped:

Lizzie Olsen – phenomenal actor. Absolute star, and a wonderful person. A wonderful human being. And I’m not just saying that. She’s really lovely. I was very fortunate. We play husband and wife in Godzilla, and we play brother and sister in Avengers. I don’t know why she didn’t resurrect me, though! (laughs)

The joke is leveled at the fact that when Scarlet Witch resurrected her brother in a key scene in WandaVision, the Pietro that we met was Evan Peters’ version from the Fox X-Men movies. It was played for laughs, and was made even more unusual by the fact that Taylor-Johnson and Peters shared the screen in Kick-Ass at an early stage in their careers. When asked by IMDB if he’s ever spoken with his old co-star about their Quicksilver connection, Taylor-Johnson explained:

I haven’t, really. I remember passing him at Comic-Con, where they had the X-Men lineup of guys. And we both had the moment of – sort of a ‘pinch yourself’ moment of, ‘Oh my god, aren’t we so lucky that we got to be here, and still be here doing what we love doing?’ But funny that we’re in two different universes doing it. And to be honest, I have a huge admiration (for) what he was able to do with this character. With some things that I think were fantastic, and worked really well for that character.

But if I’m being honest, I think that Aaron Taylor-Johnson deserves a proper return to the MCU. Quicksilver isn’t necessarily a founding member of The Avengers, though he has been part of the tema long enough that he didn’t deserve to die off in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and definitely shouldn’t have been the but of a joke in a few Disney+ shows. I say “a few” because Evan Peters appeared in Agatha All Along as the “resurrected” Quicksilver, and continued to play the material rather broadly.

It’s time to put more respect on the Quicksilver name. It’s time to bring Aaron Taylor-Johnson back into the MCU, potentially in Avengers: Doomsday, or Avengers: Secret Wars. They are being set up to be the be-all-and-end-all of superhero team up movies. And I don’t expect Taylor-Johnson to be playing Kraven beyond this initial movie. What do you guys think? Did you see this possible return to the MCU coming?

I Caught A Clever Spider-Man Easter Egg In The Opening 8 Minutes Of Kraven The Hunter, Which You Can Watch Right Now

Sean O'Connell — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 22:20:02 +0000

This has been a relatively quiet year for comic book blockbusters, given previous years when the powerhouses at Marvel Studios and DC were delivering a minimum of two or three features a year. Marvel basically relied on Deadpool and Wolverine, which did very well at the box office and helped to straighten out the convoluted Marvel Mutliverse. At the same time, DC delivered a second Joker movie, but then circled the wagons and waited for James Gunn to get his DCU off the ground. That left room for Sony Pictures, which continued to build out its superhero offerings with Madame Web and the third and final Venom movie. And the studio will close things out with Kraven the Hunter, opening in theaters on December 13.

In preparation for Kraven the Hunter, Sony dropped a video featuring the opening 8 minutes of the movie. And while we don’t expect Spider-Man to show up in the film, I did pick up a very clever Spidey Easter Egg honoring Kraven’s comic book history. Watch the clip, and we will discuss it on the other side.

The clip goes a long way to set up a lot of details about Kraven, played on screen by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. He comes from a family of criminals. Gangsters, even. I don’t know if I’d go so far as to call Kraven a bounty hunter, but he can be hired to complete extremely difficult tasks – like infiltrating a Russian prison for the purpose of tracking and killing a rival boss. He’s strong. He’s fast.

And his prison identifying number is “0864.”

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Whenever a comic book nerd like myself hears that, we tend to perk up and think, “OK, why did you name him that?” There usually is a reason. And for Kraven the Hunter, 0864 means 08/64, or August 1984 – the month and year that Kraven first appeared as a villain in issue number 15 of The Amazing Spider-Man. So that’s why Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s prisoner is labeled 0864 in the movie.

All in all, I think the footage looks pretty good. I‘m on record saying that I didn’t love Madame Web, and by the time I reached the finale of Venom: The Last Dance, the absence of Spider-Man really pissed me off. Because I don’t understand the concept of building a universe filled with Spider-Man villains that won’t ever include Spider-Man. My first – and really only – thought while watching how agile and powerful Kraven looks (and he does look very formidable) is, “Damn, I wonder how he’d look fighting Spider-Man?”

In some alternate universe somewhere, Sony keeps making these movies for the purpose of one day dropping a Spider-Man character in, so he can fight Venom, Morbius, The Vulture, The Rhino, Kraven, and all the characters who are part of these movies. Until that happens, it just feels like we are spinning our wheels.

Look for Kraven the Hunter in a theater near you starting on December 13.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Still Sky High On The Bond Hopeful List, But A Gladiator II Alum Is Gaining Momentum

Mike Reyes — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 13:30:09 +0000

In the world of cinematic espionage, one name has still on people’s minds during the 2024 movie schedule. As we’re poised to add to what we know about James Bond 26, there’s a lot of competitors being hotly tipped as the next face of 007. While Aaron Taylor-Johnson is still sky high on the list, Gladiator II’s theatrical release has seen another actor gaining momentum.

The Current Bond 26 Odds Field, Now Including Gladiator II’s Paul Mescal

Per a new update from betting firm Ladbrokes, it appears strength and honor have come to Paul Mescal’s door. After learning how Mescal convinced Ridley Scott to cast him in the current legacy-quel hit, it appears the Normal People vet may have convinced bettors that he should be the new Commander Bond.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 1/1 (50%)
Paul Mescal - 2/1 (33.3%)
Theo James - 7/2 (22.2%)
James Norton - 7/1 (12.5%)
Callum Turner / Lucien Laviscount - 8/1 (11.1%)
Jack Lowden - 9/1 (10%)

Personally, I think Jack Lowden, James Norton and Callum Turner are all owed a bottle of Bollinger champagne. Those men have consistently cropped up in the James Bond betting odds for the past couple of years, and have outlasted even the hottest of tips from the past.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

It makes me happy to see such results, especially after personally stumping for Lowden’s James Bond chances in the past. The same could be said for James Norton, who’s another person that’s been one of the 007 actors you can bet on for the past couple years. So there's still a chance than Paul Mescal's new found bump in the polls may see him to the way of such past front runners as Henry Cavill and Regé-Jean Page.

However, that hasn’t swayed the crowd too much as of late, as Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s chances to become the next Commander Bond have been the hottest ticket at the moment. With Paul Mescal now seeming to challenge his spot, as well as the rest of the James Bond candidate pool, I think it’s time to take sides.

(Image credit: Eric Laciste / Universal Pictures)

Why I’m Still On Team Aaron Taylor-Johnson In This Hypothetical Matchup

If we’re down to Paul Mescal and Aaron Taylor-Johnson at this point in the James Bond movies life cycle, then I’d still call myself on the side of Team ATJ. I’m not saying that the All of Us Strangers star should totally be counted out. On the contrary: the reason I’d still push for Kraven the Hunter’s lead is because Mr. Mescal needs to get some more action under his belt.

Admittedly, his physique and stunt prowess in Gladiator II is pretty impressive, especially for what’s considered as his action movie debut. But looking at his filmography, and considering the Daniel Craig James Bond movies showing us a run of super serious action-dramas, I think it’s fair to say that we need to see some more of Paul Mescal’s more kinetic abilities.

(Image credit: A24)

That’s also keeping in mind that if this new long term minded era of 007 movies is going to play to a less serious degree, an action-comedy is what the Aftersun heartbreaker should sign on for in the near future. But to put a lighthearted spin on that tragic phrase from the James Bond lexicon, we have all the time in the world to consider who the next 00-heartthrob will actually be.

With Bond 26 still in development, we probably won’t hear anything official for some time. So take that as your sign to either revisit, or make your way through your first viewing of the Bond movies, as almost all of them are available to watch with a Prime Video subscription. Also, Paul Mescal fans can currently see the actor in theaters through screenings of Gladiator II, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson stans having Kraven the Hunter to look forward to on December 13th.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Latest Response To Those Bond Rumors Is So On Brand

Mike Reyes — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 16:45:38 +0000

Yes dear readers, Kraven the Hunter is finally being released on the 2024 movie schedule. The delays that have plagued the upcoming Marvel movie are about to come to an end, and star Aaron Taylor-Johnson is making the rounds selling the show to the folks at home. But of course, someone has tied that project into those rumors that he’ll be the new face of the James Bond movies; and the actor’s response is so on brand I have to applaud it.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Literally On Brand Response To The Bond 26 Rumors

Stumping for the December 13th release from Sony Pictures, Johnson spoke with ComicBook.com on the subject of this latest entry into Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. So when the conversation turned to something for his eyes only, the Nosferatu cast member offered this brilliant pivot:

I think, you know, if that’s the thing you’re really into [Bond] and that’s the kind of movie you love, then you should come see this movie [Kraven the Hunter] because the action in this is insane and super exciting. So, yeah, honestly, I don’t think it would disappoint, brother.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, ComicBook

Truthfully, this is a different side of the Aaron Taylor-Johnson brand than I expected; but in the best way possible. As we still wait for updates on what we know about Bond 26, the rumors in question have continued to dog this man for some time. Let’s not Johnson’s short and blunt James Bond response from the carpet for The Fall Guy earlier this year, which you can watch for yourself below:

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I can’t blame Mr. Johnson for dropping such a response, as continued reports of him practically already being cast as the next Commander Bond only continue to swirl. That sort of buzz will probably grow between Kraven the Hunter’s upcoming cinematic release, as well as in the wake of the James Bond producers’ latest Bond 26 teases.

At the same time, taking this 00-question with great style and ease, and flipping it back to Kraven the Hunter organically? That's beautiful work right there, as it's not ignoring the question - but rather working it into the matter at hand. It's the tried and true Improv method of "Yes, and...," and I have such respect for it.

However, there is one more thing I want to talk out as a result. Seeing as Aaron Taylor-Johnson has now posed the theory that folks who are “really into Bond” should see Kraven in theaters, what does this movie look like to someone who isn't a die hard comic book fan?

(Image credit: Sony/Tri Star)

How Kraven The Hunter Looks From A James Bond Fan’s Perspective

As someone who’s both a huge 007 fan, and had the opportunity to see advanced footage of Kraven the Hunter at this year’s New York Comic Con, I honestly can see why Aaron Taylor-Johnson would equate this MCU-adjacent anti-hero to James Bond. In the role of Sergei Kravinoff, the man is an absolute beast through being jacked as hell and some insane physicality being displayed.

There’s a sort of rapid scuttling that he engages in during the prison escape sequence we were shown, and it makes me wonder how much, if any of it, was CGI enhanced. With a more grounded approach to its action than most would expect from a Marvel picture, director J.C. Chandor's four-panel debut does hew closer to the action you'd see Ian Fleming's legendary creation engaging in.

(Image credit: Sony)

In a world where we can report that there’s a potential Daniel Craig DC movie gig, the door between the James Bond franchise and the world of comic book movies continues to open on both sides. It was probably inevitable, as the Bond saga is a cinematic brand that's on par with the sort of staying power Marvel Studios has been engaging in for almost 20 years.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson will probably be getting even more queries such as this, from now until the next James Bond is officially announced. With answers like the one you read above, I can’t wait to see where he takes the conversation next, as any good spy is partially measured by how well the stand up to interrogation.

While we wait, there’s going to be plenty of Aaron Taylor-Johnson on the horizon, thanks to both Kraven the Hunter and Nosferatu hitting theaters in December. Also if you want to see why these James Bond rumors are so strong in the first place, I recommend using your Hulu subscription to see Mr. Taylor-Johnson at work in Bullet Train. And if you’ve already seen it…see it again, because Bullet Train rules.

‘I Had The Privilege Of Looking At Those.’ Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Abs In Kraven The Hunter Are Coming (And Ariana DeBose Has A Funny Take)

Corey Chichizola — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 17:27:06 +0000

The comic book genre continues to be a powerful force in the entertainment world, with a number of shared universes competing at the box office. That includes Sony's Spider-Man Universe, which is based around characters from the web slinger's comics, but doesn't actually include Tom Holland's Peter Parker. After Venom: The Last Dance, the next upcoming Spider-Man movie is Kraven The Hunter, focusing on the titular villain. The Kraven trailer teased that some serious abs are coming, and co-star Ariana DeBose has a funny take.

What we know about Kraven the Hunter is limited, but it's clear that Aaron Taylor-Johnson got extra ripped in order to play the titular role. The Kraven cast list includes familiar faces like Russell Crowe and Ariana DeBose, and the latter was recently asked about the leading man's hulking physique. In a conversation with Variety, the Oscar-winning actress said:

Oh yeah, those are real. I had the privilege of looking at those. … I think he might’ve been hungry, but they’re beautiful. I appreciate the male form just like many, many humans on the planet, and he is a spectacular human, a beautiful human and so sweet. He’s much more than his abs, you know? And, quite frankly, he’s a very good actor. I was very, very proud to work with him.

There you have it. Even DeBose herself was impressed by the physical condition that Aaron Taylor-Johnson achieved when filming Kraven the Hunter. But more importantly, she also praised the Kick-Ass actor's character and talent as a performer.

Taylor-Johnson has always been jacked, going back to his Kick-Ass days. But he's at another level entirely for Kraven The Hunter, and I'm honestly scared for his enemies... especially since the movie will be rated R. The limited footage teased way more blood and brutality than most entries within the genre.

Kraven is one of the most iconic villains in Spider-Man history, and there are plenty of moviegoers who would love to see Aaron Taylor-Johnson's character face off against someone like Tom Holland's Peter Parker. Whether or not this crossover will ever happen remains unclear, but more characters from the lore are being brought into Kraven the Hunter. After all, the trailers revealed that Rhino will be one of the title character's targets.

If even Ariana DeBose was shocked by Taylor-Johnson's physique on set, one can only imagine how epic and ripped he's going to look when the movie arrives in theaters. It certainly looks action-packed, which stands in juxtaposition to the infamous Madame Web movie.

All will be revealed when Kraven the Hunter hits theaters on December 13th. While we wait, be sure to check out the 2025 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater in the New Year.

Gory Kraven The Hunter Trailer Unleashes The Rhino, And Ramps Up The R-Rated Kills

Sean O'Connell — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 11:53:20 +0000

Back when Andrew Garfield was comparing villains with the other Spidey heroes in Spider-Man: No Way Home, he confessed to feeling lame because he’d only managed to fight a Russian guy (Paul Giamatti) in a rhinoceros suit. It was a funny jab at The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and the inclusivity of all the past Spider-Man movies helped to make No Way Home one of the best Spider-Man films ever created. But the Spider-Man universe needs to evolve, either through an in-development Spider-Man 4, or on the Sony side of things, where villains continue to thrive. Kraven the Hunter is coming in December, and in addition to featuring Aaron Taylor Johnson in the title role, we are getting a much-improved Rhino, played by Alessandro Nivola. He’s featured in the new trailer, and actually looks sick. Watch it now!

Sony has been rolling out standalone movies based on classic Spider-Man villains for years, starting with Tom Hardy’s first Venom movie. Some have worked well. Others are named Madame Web. But making a movie based on Kraven the Hunter (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) at least makes sense on the surface. He is a long-standing Spider-Man movie introduced during the earliest days of the hero’s comics. He is a founding member of The Sinister Six… something I still think Sony is building toward. And he has been part of several influential Spider-Man storylines. More than, say, Morbius.

So, this new movie appears to be setting him up in a universe the way that Tom Hardy did with Venom. We learn that Kraven, like his father, is a viciously talented hunter. We learn that once you are on his list, there’s only one way off of it (and you won’t like that way off). And we learn that he’s tasked with hunting a new beast… a Rhino that he’s going to take on in an action set piece.

Most of the Rhino footage was in motion, but I captured this shot. It’s so much better than Giamatti’s mech suit.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

There’s a fair amount to anticipate in this trailer. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is good casting for Kraven, and if we one day get to see him face off against a Spider-Man, he’d make for a worthy opponent. Russell Crowe has shown that he can have fun in B-list properties like this, and I am legit excited about seeing a proper interpretation of The Rhino.

Let’s do a head count. Sony has an impressive roster of villains in its universe now, including The Vulture (Michael Keaton) – who was brought over at the end of Morbius – Venom, Kraven and a Rhino. The upcoming Spider-Man projects at Sony are focusing on one-off projects like the Spider-Man Noir project with Nicolas Cage, and the animated conclusion to the Into the Spider-Verse series. But if they ever figure out what to do with a live-action Spider-Man who is different from Tom Holland, then they have laid some groundwork for them to have villains to fight.

Look for Venom: The Last Dance in theaters on October 25, followed by Kraven the Hunter in theaters on December 13.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Confirms His Kraven Muscles Are Still There In Post-28 Years Later Photos

Mike Reyes — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 23:26:39 +0000

It’s still an admittedly long wait for those of us anticipating the world of upcoming 2025 movies being upon us. Seeing as 28 Years Later’s release date causes director Danny Boyle’s legacy-quel to fall under that umbrella, the anticipation is even harder to bear for fans of that horror classic. Let’s face it, we need something to ease us into the wait. So why shouldn’t it be star Aaron Taylor-Johnson posting selfies to show that his Kraven the Hunter muscles haven’t left us, even in the apocalypse?

That’s exactly what’s happened, and it comes at a very reasonable time in Taylor-Johnson’s career. According to ScreenDaily, production on 28 Years Later has supposedly wrapped, which should leave The Fall Guy star with some time to kill. He already seems to be making the most of it, as he posted the following pair of selfies to his Instagram stories showing a rather surprising before and after:

(Image credit: Instagram)

Oh, how our Kick Ass hero has grown in recent times. That gym selfie is serious business, with the supposed frontrunner to play the lead in Bond 26 keeping his arms nice and swole for the folks at home to see. In fact, the only thing Taylor-Johnson seems to have lost is the long locks and beard in the "before" frame.

Which means that if there’s anything we really need to talk about, it’s the loss of these 28 Years Later-inspired hair choices. Now unless there’s a massive plot-based reason that The King’s Man star was given to rid himself of all that hair, I’m wondering if Aaron Taylor-Johnson actually makes it out of 28 Years Later alive?

With earlier reports stating that the supposedly Nia DaCosta-directed sequel was going to be filmed practically back to back with the first entry of the proposed trilogy, this unknown character has either taken his final bow once wrapped, or found a way to get himself a shave and a haircut in his chaotic and adventurous world.

There are plenty of questions surrounding this long-awaited horror movie in these early phases. Subjects like our theory on who Jodie Comer’s 28 Years Later character is, as well as how, when and why we’ll be seeing Cillian Murphy’s franchise return, still weigh heavily on the brains of fans who are ultimately just happy to see this flick finally happening.

But with what I’ve mentioned above in play, and three movies rumored to be on the table, this story is only going to become more mysterious as time goes on. In light of that reality, perhaps we should be thanking Aaron Taylor-Johnson for providing us all with those distracting gym selfies. It won't be too long before 28 Years Later starts the road to the apocalyptic future of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s creation, thanks to the first chapter being slated for release on June 20th, 2025.

But Aaron Taylor-Johnson fans have options on where they can feast their eyes on his impressive physique; one of which is by streaming The Fall Guy with a Peacock subscription when it hits the platform on its August 30th debut date. Or, if you’re looking towards the future, you can check in on Kraven the Hunter as it fulfills its 2024 movie schedule release date on December 13th.

Kraven The Hunter Producer Gives A Reason For The Movie's Delay, And I Actually Believe It

Sean O'Connell — Tue, 21 May 2024 18:56:55 +0000

Usually when you hear the news that a movie has been delayed, it’s because there have been problems. Maybe there were script issues. For a long time, delays in the film industry were caused by COVID, and also by labor strikes. But the producer of the upcoming Spider-Man spinoff movie Kraven the Hunter has a new reason as to why the film was recently delayed until December. And despite the fact that it seems a little fishy, I actually believe him.

Matt Tolmach has been producing Spider-Man movies since Sami Raimi’s first Spider-Man movie at Sony. He has been responsible for the best Spider-Man films… and some of the ones that fans would choose to forget. While promoting the release of his upcoming AppleTV+ show Dark Matter, Tolmach spoke to Collider about the move for Kraven the Hunter from August to December, thereby putting it into theaters after Venom: The Last Dance. And Tolmach took a positive spin on the shift, explaining:

Kraven moved to Christmas because we're excited about it and Christmas is the best release period there is, when you get people with time to go back to the movies over and over again. That was a real reflection of how the studio felt about the movie. We're really excited. But that's a great move that reflects just the feeling about the movie.

Now, I’m going to push back on the idea that audiences are going to want to see Kraven the Hunter “over and over again,” but given the failure of Madame Web, Sony will likely be happy if people pay to see the Aaron Taylor Johnson movie once! The reason why I think Matt Tolmach is telling the truth (and not sugar coating a turd) is the fact that the Hollywood slate used to be filled with dumping grounds – places that you could hide a bad movie. And December never was considered one of those voids. Tolmach is correct that audiences start looking for better titles starting around Thanksgiving. And mainstream crowds are conditioned to look for awards contenders throughout December.

I’m not saying that Kraven the Hunter is going to contend for Oscars. It’s not. But if Sony were trying to hide the film, they likely wouldn’t drop it into a December slot. They’d push it just a little bit farther, into January, when audiences have shown a tendency to stay home. Kraven the Hunter might actually be the counterprogramming to the Oscar hopefuls that audiences are looking for. Also, a December opening worked very well for Spider-Man: No Way Home, which ended its theatrical run with $1.9 billion in global tickets sold.

Here’s the trailer for Kraven the Hunter. It actually looks good:

Make sure that you are using our guide to upcoming 2024 movies to stay on top of that Sony spinoff thriller, and everything else that’s coming to the movies in the coming months.

How Does Aaron Taylor-Johnson's 28 Years Later Casting Play Into Those James Bond Rumors?

Mike Reyes — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 21:31:58 +0000

Wow. Just…wow. As someone who remembers the days when Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s 28 Days Later was an indie upstart, I never would have imagined the series becoming a full on blockbuster. Yet that’s where we are today, as the first castings for the upcoming horror movie 28 Years Later have allegedly come through.

And surprise surprise, actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson is only the beginning of the pleasantly surprising star power. But how does what we know about 28 Years Later play into those constant rumors that The Fall Guy actor is practically the next James Bond?

(Image credit: Focus Features / Universal / Danjaq LLC and MGM)

The First Rumored 28 Years Later Castings, Including Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Johnson, along with Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes, have been announced as the first trio of cast mates, per Deadline. At least, that’s what the publication’s sources are reporting at this moment. So perhaps we may need to hold off on raiding abandoned supermarkets for scotch in celebration.

As the report above mentions, the first two installments helped introduce the world to talent like Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Rose Byrne and even Jeremy Renner. Right out of the gate, 28 Years Later has three actors with insanely hot pedigrees, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson is probably the one that’s white hot right now.

At this point, this isn't the type of role you take to audition for another franchise with: this is a stone cold potential commitment. Considering Barbara Broccoli and the EON Productions brass seem to be aiming to get James Bond back on a regular schedule, this could be a big bump in the road.

Which means it’s once again time to turn our eyes to the gun barrel, and discuss what this could mean for Johnson’s 007 chances. Though it is also worth mentioning that not only is he reuniting with his The King’s Man co-star Ralph Fiennes, this also means he’s working alongside the most recent M from the James Bond series yet again.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment)

What Could 28 Years Later Mean For Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s James Bond Odds?

If Sony was still the studio distributor for the James Bond movies, I would think that Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s potential casting in 28 Years Later would have been a huge help. Enlisting his services on the lot would already put him closer than most other hopefuls. A long-term contract could not only secure him as Commander Bond, it would also keep him in the 28 Years Later sequels being planned.

However, since we saw No Time To Die mark the beginning of the post-Sony era of 007, I think this could potentially complicate things. Again, this is a potential commitment that would take Aaron Taylor-Johnson away from devoting most of, if not his full attention, to Bond. That's not going to be a positive with fans already clamoring for the new era to start, and on a more clockwork release schedule.

The one wild card that works in Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s favor is that there’s apparently plans to film the first two installments of the 28 Years Later trilogy back to back. With Nia DaCosta tipped as the sequel’s director, that project already seems to be advanced enough that Taylor-Johnson could fulfill most of his commitment pretty quickly. Or, depending on where his character ends up, he might be free after part two and ready for duty with His Majesty’s Secret Service.

It’s certainly a lot to talk about, and I’m curious to see if Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be taking part in two franchises that helped shape my moviegoing tastes. However, if Sony thinks I’m going to let my theory about Jodie Comer playing the adult Hannah go, the studio has another thing coming. Though if Sony wants to break an announcement of remastered, bonus feature-laden re-releases of 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, I suppose that might distract me enough.

While we’re still waiting to hear when 28 Years Later is aiming to hit theaters, you can see two of its potential cast members on the 2024 movie schedule. Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be returning in The Fall Guy, which opens on May 3rd, while Jodie Comer’s The Bikeriders will rev its engines at the movies on June 21st.

And for you nostalgic 28 Franchise fans in the audience, you're in luck! You can currently stream 28 Days Later through a free ad-supported stream from Sling, whereas 28 Weeks Later is still available for those with a Hulu subscription.

David Leitch Told Us Why Aaron Taylor-Johnson Should Play James Bond, And Why He Should Direct It

Mike Reyes — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 22:13:28 +0000

Though the 2024 movie The Fall Guy is technically Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt’s show, co-star Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been making a huge splash as of late. And while the Kraven the Hunter star seems over talking 007, his co-workers definitely aren’t. Which makes director David Leitch’s pitch on why Johnson would be fantastic all the more exciting, especially because the Bullet Train helmer is volunteering to direct it.

Our own Jeff McCobb was on hand during the recent junket for The Fall Guy, and he brought up that ever hot topic of discussion. Responding with an enthusiastic case for why this needs to be Bond 26, Leitch told CinemaBlend the following:

He would be an amazing James Bond. I'll just go on the record like, I've never gotten to do enough action with Aaron, which is crazy. We've done Bullet Train and now, we've done The Fall Guy. What I really want to do is an action movie with him, because he's such an incredible athlete. Like Aaron is awesome. Yeah. So, maybe we'll get that opportunity soon, and I'll get to direct Bond.

Now to be completely honest, Bullet Train sold me on Aaron Taylor-Johnson Bond. So to have the director that not only helped bring that movie to life, but also has professional stunt experience and co-directed John Wick into existence makes this potential action/adventure sundae even tastier.

What’s more, if David Leitch does land the next James Bond movie, he has the potential to make another casting coup possible. As a recent interview saw Brian Tyree-Henry lobbying for a Bond 26 role himself, another Bullet Train alum might find themselves with another solid in.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Of course, there would have to be some sort of movement in the world of 007 for all of this to really pick up steam. At the moment, Commander Bond is in a holding pattern in-between faces. Despite what “sources” may be telling the press, we’re not any closer to an announcement on Bond 26 or its lead.

It’s frustrating, but at the same time, we wouldn’t want anything to be rushed along, lest Aaron or any other actor vying for the role be given less time to prepare. However, just as folks will be keeping a keen eye on this Kick Ass leading man’s chances, I’ll be waiting to hear whispers on whether or not David Leitch lands the gig as the director to make it happen.

The Fall Guy delivers Tom Ryder, and his stunt guy, to the world on May 3rd. But if you want to revisit the insanely fun Bullet Train, just use your Netflix subscription to hop on board. After all, a streaming bump might be the sort of thing to help Aaron Taylor-Johnson and David Leitch’s Bond 26 odds soar.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Dropped A Short And Blunt Response After Being Asked About James Bond Casting

Mike Reyes — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 22:56:01 +0000

To be able to endure the media circus that surrounds the casting and release of any of the James Bond movies is a feat that’s most admirable – and it's extra impressive when you consider the actors that have to go through that wringer when they aren’t officially onboard. The latest 007 frontrunner Aaron Taylor-Johnson is presently enduring the experience, and the man has been asked the question about he role so many times at this point that it’s getting a bit old.

You can see that feeling on his face (along with a bit of tongue-in-cheek) in a new video of Johnson replying to a question about being regularly asked about playing James Bond. Walking the red carpet at a premiere event for the 2024 movie The Fall Guy, Aaron Taylor-Johnson's answer is captured below, the actor saying, "Are you sick of asking the question?"

A post shared by CinemaBlend (@cinemablend)
A photo posted by on

Putting aside the betting odds and the constant chatter, I can see why Aaron Taylor-Johnson would be as “tight-lipped” as he is above. Being even whispered about as the next Bond lead is something that can lead to a lot of media attention. Public pressure is mounting with each report claiming to have an inside track about casting, and the guy still has to make it through the full promotional tour of The Fall Guy.

Journalists are going to be regularly asking if his experience with stunts, danger, and charm in the making of the new film have prepared him for slipping into that iconic tuxedo. Talk about Aaron Taylor-Johnson playing James Bond represents a relatively new phase in the speculation machine that’s been running since Daniel Craig announced that he was stepping away from the 007 franchise after No Time To Die, but for Taylor-Johnson, it’s been almost a year and a half worth of constant chatter.

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

We’re a little over a month past the report that the actor was “days away” from being named as the new James Bond. And that report was over a year after the late 2022 stories that stated Aaron Taylor-Johnson was already cast as the good Commander, with the Kick Ass star rumored to have the role. With unnamed sources claiming that Taylor-Johnson has gotten the part twice over already, one could say he made a good call flipping the question in the new interview.

Journalists are probably as tired of asking Aaron Taylor-Johnson if he’s going to be the new James Bond as the actor is of hearing it... but questions are not going to stop until the new Commander Bond is announced to the public. Since that doesn't seem to be happening any time soon, fans should just hunker down for a while and endure the wait.

Following his work in The Fall Guy, which arrives in theaters on May 3, Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be back on the screen in the back half of the year, as the Marvel vet has Kraven The Hunter dropping into theaters on August 30. Expect much more Bond chatter in the months ahead.

DC Fan Art Transforms Aaron Taylor-Johnson Into Batman, And Now I Want This More Than His Rumored James Bond

Corey Chichizola — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 17:13:20 +0000

The superhero genre continues to be a wildly powerful force in the entertainment industry, with various studios crafting their own cinematic universe to compete for box office supremacy. A new DC Universe is being formed by CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, which means that various beloved heroes and villains can be recast. And after seeing fan art of Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Batman, I want him in that role more than his rumored gig as James Bond.

The release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom marked the end of the DCEU, which can be streamed with a Max subscription. As such, fans are wondering which actors might be introduced throughout Phase One of the new DCU, titled Gods and Monsters. A new Batman is expected to be introduced in The Brave and The Bold, but it's unclear who might take the role. Fan art from Instagram imagined Kraven actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and he looks killer suited up. Check it out below:

A post shared by Zippexe (@zippexe)
A photo posted by on

I mean, come on now. You can't deny that the Kick-Ass star looks awesome in Batman's signature suit. Although I'd also love to see what he might look like under the cowl as well. We'll just have to see who actually gets the role.

The above image shows the wildly handsome actor's face put on Batman's body, and he definitely looks like he could pull off playing playboy Bruce Wayne. And with a number of comic book projects under his belt like playing Quicksilver in the MCU, he clearly knows his way around genre work.

It's unclear who the DCU's Batman will be, but The Brave and The Bold will see him paired with his son/Robin Damian Wayne. And they'll have some big shoes to fill after acclaimed performances by Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, and Robert Pattinson.

Of course, Aaron Taylor-Johnson already has a major comic book role coming to theaters. He's playing the title character of Kraven the Hunter, an iconic villain from Spider-Man lore. Taylor-Johnson has gotten seriously ripped for the role, so maybe he can use that hulking physique and his experience with action sequences to bring the Dark Knight to life in the new DCU.

That being said, the entertainment industry seems to think that the Avengers: Age of Ultron actor is going to be the actor to replace Daniel Craig in the role of James Bond. If he actually signs on the dotted line, this would presumably prevent him from taking on another franchise role like Batman. But there still hasn't been any official confirmation from the studio, so the rumors will likely continue swirling for the foreseeable future.

The DCU will begin with James Gunn's Superman July 11th, 2025. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

As James Bond Rumors Swirl Around Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Henry Cavill’s Co-Star Is Hyping Him For The Role

Ryan LaBee — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 15:05:34 +0000

If you're following the current excitement surrounding the James Bond movies, you're probably aware of the intense speculation surrounding the next actor to portray the iconic 007. Rumors have been circulating, which suggest that Aaron Taylor-Johnson is close to signing on as the eighth live-action Bond. However, even ahead of this speculation, another name has long floated around as a top contender: Henry Cavill. What's intriguing is that Cavill's fellow The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare cast member, Eiza González, is enthusiastically hyping him for the role even amidst the Taylor-Johnson hype.

Eiza González, who reteams with director Guy Ritchie and the Man of Steel alum for the upcoming action movie, portrays intelligence agent Marjorie Stewart in the World War II-set flick. Meanwhile, the Man From U.N.C.L.E veteran actor takes on the role of team leader Gus March-Phillipps, speculated to be the inspiration behind James Bond. When expressing her desire to see the take on the iconic 007 role, González was speaking with Entertainment Weekly and told the publication:

It's hard not to look at Henry Cavill and think of James Bond, to be really honest. Obviously, I'm part of the group of people that are rooting for him to get it hopefully, if that was a possibility.

Brian Tyree Henry Has Heard Those James Bond Rumors About Bullet Train Co-Star Aaron Taylor-Johnson, But He Has An Idea Of His Own

Mike Reyes — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 16:00:14 +0000

If you follow the news, rumors, and history of the James Bond movies, then you probably already know we’re going through one of those crazy moments in between movies. Everyone wants to know what the future holds for Bond 26, and that shows with the increased traffic around Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s rumored 007 casting. And now, his Bullet Train co-star, Brian Tyree Henry, finds himself captivated by those reports himself. What’s more, he’s made a suggestion for the future of Bond that, I believe, is a stone-cold winner.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures )

What's Brian Tyree Henry’s Killer James Bond Idea?

While promoting his role in the upcoming Titan team-up Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, the actor spoke with ET about his own title match for the ages. As he gassed up his on-screen twin brother’s chances of becoming the next 007, Brian Tyre Henry complimented Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s hypothetical casting. He also slipped in the following suggestion:

Everything about that is perfect. He is absolutely stealthy, he looks amazing, he is a great actor. I hope I can be his Bond villain.

Honestly, I feel like Bullet Train is one of the most underrated action hits to come along in the last couple of years. Yeah, it has a healthy following, but it’s nowhere near as big as it should be; and part of that is because of Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry’s double act as wise-cracking assassins Tangerine and Lemon.

To take that energy and reshape it as a hero/villain dynamic would be absolutely brilliant. But amping it up into the realm of Bond villainy is something unique, as evidenced by the rogue’s gallery of the most formidable 007 villains. I must admit, in the climate of recent James Bond rumors, a potential Henry/Taylor-Johnson face-off has me even more excited to see what happens next.

(Image credit: Universal/Sony Pictures Entertainment)

What Else Is Going On With Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, And The Current Bond 26 Rumors?

Brian Tyree Henry throwing his hat in the ring for the villain role in Bond 26, or any potential Aaron Taylor-Johnson-led adventure in the 007 series, is just the latest news tidbit that’s bound to turn heads. We’re not too far removed from the most recent betting odds, which suggest that Sydney Sweeney is a Bond Girl frontrunner. Which, in itself, is another fun coincidence, as this Madame Web alum is another party that’s recently been employed by Bullet Train/Kraven the Hunter studio, and former James Bond distributor, Sony.

As for Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the former Godzilla star once again finds himself hotly tipped as being right on the verge of playing the next 007. Though if you talk to former James Bond George Lazenby, there are reasons that Taylor-Johnson’s casting isn’t a done deal. So this particular game is still on, and as such anything could happen; even Brian Tyree Henry’s hypothetical heel turn.

The future holds tons of potential, which means we should also keep an eye on the past to help inform what we might expect to happen. If you have a Netflix subscription, you can do just that, as Bullet Train is still streaming on that platform at the time of this writing. You can also check out Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which opens in theaters on March 29 as part of the 2024 movie schedule.

Bond Actor George Lazenby Has Weighed In On Aaron Taylor-Johnson Possibly Taking Over, And Why He's Pretty Sure He Hasn't Won The Role Yet

Ryan LaBee — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 15:03:50 +0000

Speculation is mounting in regard to the world of the James Bond movies that Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be officially signing on as the next 007 in just a matter of days. Previous 007 reports from December 2022 also hinted at his casting, and there have been persistent rumors. Now, former Bond actor George Lazenby has shared his thoughts on the former Kick-Ass actor potentially stepping into the iconic role. He shared some keen thoughts on whether Taylor-Johnson is right for the role. Not only that, but Lazenby's comments also suggest he thinks the Nocturnal Animals actor should hold off on getting his tuxedo tailored at this point, as he doesn't think he's won the role yet.

George Lazenby, whose single portrayal of the suave Bond has solidified his place in the popular British spy franchise lore, shared his thoughts on the supposed casting with TMZ. The 84-year-old actor believes there are several reasons why Taylor-Johnson would work as Bond, citing he can handle the demanding aspects of the action movie role—from the high-octane stunts to charming the audience and the characters alike. Lazenby pointed out that the Bullet Train performer, at 33, possesses the requisite toughness and charm to navigate the complex and glamorous world of British espionage.

But, as mentioned, despite the endorsement, the Gettysburg veteran opined that Aaron Taylor-Johnson might not have secured the role just yet. Reflecting on his experience auditioning for the British Secret Agent in the 1960s, the seasoned actor recalled undergoing rigorous tests and auditions before being selected. He suggests that if the Fall Guy star is indeed in the running, a similar process might be underway, underscoring the meticulous selection process that has always characterized the casting of James Bond.

(Image credit: EON Productions)

George Lazenby also touched on the evolving international nature of the spy franchise, noting that the character has been portrayed over the past 60 years by actors of various nationalities, including Scottish, Welsh, Irish, English and Australian talents like himself. This diversity, according to Lazenby, speaks to the character's universal appeal, emphasizing that the actor's nationality is secondary to their ability to bring authenticity and justice to the role.

Offering advice to the potential next 007, he encouraged the Golden Globe winner to bring his unique flair to the character, much like he did during his tenure as the secret agent. He stressed the importance of reinventing the role to fit one's persona while staying true to the essence of the world and characters created by novelist Ian Fleming. These are indeed wise words, and you can't help but appreciate his take on Aaron Taylor-Johnson's merits. If the star does land the role, then he might want to take heed of these sentiments.

George Lazenby had the unthinkable task of being the first actor to take on the role following Sean Connery’s departure from the series. While he only suited up for the iconic part once, his performance cemented himself as some people's favorite actor in the role of the character, including Christopher Nolan. It would also become the most essential Bond movie that influenced No Time To Die. So, his endorsement of Aaron Taylor-Johnson -- who would theoretically succeed Daniel Craig -- should encourage the young star and fans of the long-running series.

Ultimately, we'll need confirmation from EON Productions before officially celebrating any new 007 casting, though. In the meantime, Aaron Taylor-Johnson's cinematic journey continues with his return to the 2024 movie schedule, albeit in roles far removed from the world of espionage. Audiences can look forward to seeing him in The Fall Guy, opening on May 3rd, followed by his eponymous role in Kraven the Hunter, which expands Sony's Spider-Man Universe and releases on August 30th.

Superhero Actors Normally Work Out A Lot, But Aaron Taylor-Johnson Just Made A Comment About Kraven The Hunter's Look That Shows How Hard The Training Was

Corey Chichizola — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 19:48:30 +0000

The superhero genre has been thriving for years now, resulting in various cinematic universes competing for box office supremacy. That includes Sony's Spider-Man Universe of Characters, which kickstarted with Venom, and has grown including upcoming Marvel movies like Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Kraven the Hunter. Superhero actors normally work out a lot, but Taylor-Johnson just made a comment about Kraven's look that showed how hard the training was.

What we know about Kraven the Hunter is limited, but fans are excited to see the beloved title character on the big screen, even if it'll seemingly be without Spider-Man. Fans have spent years watching actors like Brie Larson get ripped to play comic book characters, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson was no exception. But as he explained to Numero, his fitness regimen was doubly intense because his body is going to be on full display in the movie. As he put it:

Yes, the character is immersed in the animal world and is capable of connecting to animal minds. The last two years were very intense for me because I built the character from scratch. I had to film a lot of stunts and action scenes, and follow a whole training program to put on bulk so that I would look like the character from the comic strip. My body was my costume, so I really had to work hard to get these muscles. But it was also fun to work on that. Since the film is R rated [under 17s must be accompanied by an adult], I guess it’s going to be a bit gore at times. [Laughs.]

Some points were made. While lots of actors get jacked to play comic book roles, many of them get to ultimately hide behind super suits. Hell, Jason Momoa's Aquaman 2 armor helped give him the look of being ripped.

It certainly sounds like Aaron Taylor-Johnson was fully committed to transforming his body to lead the cast of Kraven the Hunter. Of course, those of us who saw him grow up from the Kick-Ass days know he's always been in killer shape. Still, it should be fascinating to see how his work influences how Kraven appears to audiences on the big screen.

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

The trailer for Kraven the Hunter definitely teased how physically imposing Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be in the blockbuster. The movie's R-rating has seemingly helped it lean in on violence and gore, which should be a fun dynamic to see play out. But hopefully we'll actually get to see him face off against a Spider-Man sometime dwon the line.

The pressure is on for the Kraven movie to succeed, as Sony's universe hasn't been doing great. Morbius was a box office bomb... twice, and Madame Web also failed in theaters. If Taylor-Johnson's movie also struggles, I wonder how the studio moves on.

Kraven the Hunter will hit theaters on August 30th. While we wait, check the 2024 movie release dates.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Is Reportedly Days Away From Signing On To Play James Bond, And I Think He Could Be A Good Pivot Away From The Daniel Craig Era

Mike Reyes — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 12:42:12 +0000

If reports coming out of the machinery that runs the James Bond movies are to be believed, this year should be the start of a new 00-era. So naturally reports about the potential successor to Daniel Craig are going to heat up a bit, and apparently that’s taking place right now.

If the latest overwhelming rumors are true, then actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson is apparently days away from signing on to play the new Commander Bond. And that’s something I think could be a good pivot away from the super seriousness of the Craig Era.

Chatter is deeply focused on a report from The Sun, who have allegedly spoken to insider sources claiming this deal is almost done. What sets these rumors apart from previous reports is the language used this time around, as you can see below:

Bond is Aaron’s job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back. As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.

This isn’t too wild of a rumor, to be honest. Johnson was previously reported as practically cast to play 007 back in December 2022, with reports even going as far as stating he was going to shoot the gunbarrel not too long after. While that sort of news hasn’t hit just yet, The Sun is apparently doubling down on The Fall Guy actor as the next man in the tuxedo.

A recent interview with the publication Numéro saw Aaron Taylor-Johnson once again addressing this specific buzz that’s been surrounding his career. As such, Johnson responded to these rumors with these short but sweet remarks:

I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.

So why would Aaron Taylor-Johnson be a good pivot for James Bond, in a post-No Time To Die world? In my opinion, there’s several reasons why Johnson would work as Bond; but one in particular keeps coming back to me: the humor. Bullet Train, and now The Fall Guy, are both pictures where Aaron is allowed to show off both his comedic timing and action prowess.

That first title mentioned is an especially good case in point, as his role of assassin Tangerine saw him kicking all sorts of ass while looking sharp. Mixing a nice measure of wit about his performance, Aaron Taylor-Johnson could follow in the footsteps of Pierce Brosnan’s 007, bringing the world back from the very serious nature of Daniel Craig’s James Bond movies. Which, depending on who you talk to, is just what the franchise needs.

Naturally, we’ll really have to wait for official word from EON Productions before we start setting off the tuxedoed smoke clouds announcing a new James Bond. But for now, the ball seems to be overwhelmingly in Johnson’s court yet again. That alone is enough for fans and bettors to start shaking and stirring, especially in the current drought conditions in the 007 fandom.

For now, Aaron Taylor-Johnson will return to theaters on the 2024 movie schedule, just in some very different manners. He’ll be seen next in The Fall Guy, which is set to open on May 3rd; and then in Kraven the Hunter which will continue Sony’s Spider-Man Universe on August 30th.

As Aaron Taylor-Johnson's James Bond Odds Change, Barbara Broccoli Discusses Casting A 'Non-Star' 007

Mike Reyes — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 19:07:38 +0000

The picture for the future of the James Bond movies is a bit muddier than fans would like it to be, as Bond 26 sounds like it’s a bit further off than we’d like. So for those who are tracking the betting odds and comments from producer Barbara Broccoli or any of the other EON Productions brass, the landscape has gotten all the more interesting. The most recent updates on both fronts has only proven that point further, as an odds shake up and talk of “non-star” casting has now been put on the board.

(Image credit: Sony/Tri Star)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson's 007 Odds Have Slipped

Towards the end of 2022, wild rumors practically cast Taylor-Johnson in Bond 26, which led to the Kraven the Hunter actor ruling the roost of would-be super spies. That would appear to no longer be the case, as Taylor-Johnson is no longer the leader in the 007 odds game. At least, that’s what online betting hub OLBG has in its numbers, which paint a severely interesting picture.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s frontrunner status has been usurped by a frequently mentioned candidate shooting back up to the top, and it’s not Henry Cavill. Take a look at the odds presented below, which are not only close, but still stacked with frequently mentioned candidates for the next Commander Bond:

James Norton - 9/4 (30.8%)
Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 5/2 - (28.6%)
Henry Cavill - 3/1 - (25.0%)
Rege-Jean Page - 7/2 (22.2%)
Damson Idris - 11/2 (15.4%)
Tom Hardy - 8/1 (11.1%)
Richard Madden - 9/1 (10.0%)

Not only is the Cavill train still running strong, but James Norton has taken his previous lead back yet again. Honestly, at this point, a Norton/Taylor-Johnson/Cavill showdown feels like it’s the race to watch. But, of course, this is James Bond we’re talking about; a series that’s helped make relative unknowns into superstars and known names into megastars. And franchise overseer Barbara Broccoli hasn’t forgotten that fact, as shown in a recent interview.

(Image credit: Danjaq, LLC and MGM)

Barbara Broccoli's Feelings About A "Non-Star" Bond

As Yahoo was on hand for a recent event promoting the launch of 007: Road to a Million, the publication was able to speak with Ms. Broccoli about the future of the James Bond brand. Among talks about AI concerns bringing back deceased 007 actors came these remarks about any future Bond casting:

We're totally open to casting a non-star. But acting is a very specialized profession, and if somebody has to carry a movie and have the range of requirements [for Bond] in terms of physicality, it's not going to be someone who has never done it before. It would be sort of irresponsible to do that. But we'd certainly be open to a non-star.

Reading those remarks certainly recalls that time that non-star/non-actor George Lazenby scored one 007 movie before turning down an offer to continue acting as the face of the franchise. However, Barbara Broccoli does have valid points that should inform the race to inherit the mantle from Daniel Craig. James Bond has done amazing things for actors like Craig that, while they were established, they weren’t seen as leading men.

Then again, after the story of Sean Connery quitting Bond twice, perhaps the word “never,” or any concept vaguely resembling it, has been outlawed at EON Productions. So, as usual, the doors are open, the field is as wide as ever, and the race for the 007’th actor to play James Bond is still very much in play. Anything can, and will happen, so keep your martinis cool and your eyes and ears open.

James Bond fans, fear not, because while Bond 26 may be further off than anticipated, there’s still 00-entertainment available for you to enjoy. With access to a Prime Video subscription, you can not only watch quite a few of the Bond adventures, but you can currently stream all eight episodes of the reality competition 007: Road to a Million.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Responds To Bond Rumors, Says He ‘Didn’t Really Care’ For Past Roles

Corey Chichizola — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 15:23:15 +0000

Action movies have always been a tried and true genre in the film industry. This trend has only increased in recent years thanks to the various superhero properties currently competing for box office supremacy. Plus there’s the 007 franchise, with Daniel Craig’s tenure as Bond coming to an end with No Time to Die. Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a popular choice by fans to replace Craig, and there have been rumors about him taking on the role for years. Taylor-Johnson recently responded to those rumors, while also saying he “didn’t really care for” his role in Avengers and other franchises.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson made his MCU debut as Pietro Maximoff in Avengers: Age of Ultron, with his character dying to save Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye. While fans have hoped he'd return to that role, it still hasn’t happened. In fact, Evan Peters played a fake Pietro in WandaVision. Taylor-Johnson is returning to the superhero genre as the title character of Kraven the Hunter, which he’s seemingly way more invested in. The 33 year-old actor recently spoke to Esquire about this career, where he got honest about some of this previous genre work. In his words:

There was Kick-Ass and then there was Godzilla and Avengers, and all those things lined up for me. But I didn’t really care for them.

Well, that was honest. While some actors would kill for a role in a blockbuster movie, that wasn’t necessarily how Aaron Taylor-Jonhsnon felt at the time. Although he did explain more about these complicated feelings. What’s more, he seems thrilled to be bringing Kraven to life in live-action for the first time.

Per his conversation with Esquire, the Kick-Ass actor was getting a ton of offers for roles in blockbusters, which would require a ton of time to film. It was the time away from his family that discouraged him from taking on more of these roles. As he put it,

I wanted, purely, to be with my babies. I didn’t want to be taken away from them. I battled with what that would be like. I would say I was probably not ready to be in that position anyway—it was too early. But yeah, I also slightly didn’t give a fuck.

Talk about a unique attitude. While some movie stars can get caught up in their on fame and starpower, Aaron Taylor-Joy simply didn’t give any fucks. But that’s not the case given his upcoming Marvel movie, which technically isn’t in the main MCU.

Of course, there’s plenty of fan who want to see ATJ suit up as the next James Bond. There have been rumors about him as 007 for a long time, and they’ll likely continue until a new one is found. When pressed about this fan casting by Esquire, Aaron Taylor-Joy said:

I've spent two years making Kraven. So all that hard work we put into trying to get that to where it is—that's where I'm at right now. I just focus on the things I can have in my hands right now. What's in front of me right now.

What a cryptic way of sidestepping the question. Taylor-Johnson didn’t deny interest in playing James Bond sometime in the future. Instead he shared just how much work he put into Kraven the Hunter. We’ll just have to see if that superhero flick ends up being a bonafide franchise in the future. As a reminder, you can see the Kraven trailer here.

It’s unclear when a new 007 will be crowned, but the powers that be at Eon are likely already in that process. Finding James Bond will be the first step into the next stage of the franchise, following Daniel Craig’s acclaimed tenure in the role. Fingers crossed we get news sooner rather than later.

Kraven the Hunter is expected to arrive in theaters on August 30th, 2024. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movies release dates to plan your next movie experience.

After Kraven The Hunter Trailer Drops, Fans Are Calling Out Aaron Taylor-Johnson's American Accent, And I Completely Agree With The Takes

Adam Holmes — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 01:18:24 +0000

This October brings the next chapter of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe following the 2022 release of Morbius. Eight years after his outing as Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is hopping from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to this Web-Slinger-adjacent franchise to play Kraven the Hunter’s eponymous protagonist. The first Kraven the Hunter trailer was released earlier this week, and it’s resulted in fans calling out the lead actor’s American accent. Honestly, I completely agree with these takes.

Before we go any further, if by chance you haven’t seen the Kraven the Hunter trailer yet, rectify that below, and then proceed.

Although Kraven is Russian in the comics, and Russell Crowe, who plays Kraven’s father, boasts such an accent in the 2023 new movie release, for some reason, it was decided to make Johnson’s version of the main character sound American. So naturally numerous fans who are familiar with Kraven’s roots took issue with this creative liberty, as evidenced below:

Spider-Man fans hearing Aaron Taylor-Johnson doesn’t have a Russian accent for Kraven the Hunterpic.twitter.com/CNiUOtPEiwJune 19, 2023

While there are plenty of instances of altering a character’s background or ethnicity for comic book film and television adaptations, taking away Kraven’s Russian accent is a pretty big deal. After all, this character is so Russian in the comics that he’s the son of an aristocrat who fled Russian after the February Revolution in 1917. While that heritage is evidently still in place for Kraven the Hunter, it’s strange that the filmmakers opted to give him an American accent instead.

Genuinely blowing my mind, they made a movie with Kraven the Hunter, the character who is the most Russian man to ever exist in fiction, and had him use an American accent. What a world. What a life.June 19, 2023

What’s even more peculiar about this decision, as noted in this next tweet, is that Aaron Taylor-Johnson can already do a convincing Russian/Easter European accent, as the MCU’s Quicksilver and his sister, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, hailed from the fictional nation of Sokovia, which is located in that area of the world. So why couldn’t he do the same for Kraven the Hunter?

What makes the decision to not give Kraven a Russian accent even more of a head scratcher is that Aaron Taylor-Johnson already proved he can do a solid one in Age of Ultron.Make it make sense? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/QGYMzNZHFBJune 19, 2023

Now although I don’t recommend one prejudging Kraven the Hunter’s overall quality based on the American accent alone, this will undoubtedly be something that Spider-Man fans will keep thinking about in the months leading up to the arrival of the Sony’s Spider-Man Universe’s fourth entry.

Kraven with super powers and an American Accent: pic.twitter.com/sB23hXzi8DJune 19, 2023

On an unrelated note, I’d be remiss of I didn’t point out that just like how Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Morbius lacked a certain web-spinning superhero, Spider-Man is not expected to appear in Kraven the Hunter. That said, giving that brief snippets of spiders in the trailer calling back to the “Kraven’s Last Hunt” story arc, this fan amusingly speculated on how this Kraven’s beef with Spidey could start while sharing their thoughts on the American accent.

Wait so let me get this straight. Kraven has an American accent, is protector of animals, & gets powers? 🫠Will he hate Spider-Man because he gets traumatized by actual spiders?? What is happening 😭 pic.twitter.com/ogBQpqyOlMJune 19, 2023

Along with Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Russell Crowe, Kraven the Hunter’s cast includes Ariana DeBose as Calypso, Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Smerdyakov/The Chameleon, Alessandro Nivola as Aleksei Sytsevich/Rhino, and Christopher Abbott as The Foreigner, the movie’s main antagonist. J.C. Chandor directed the feature, and Art Marcum, Matt Holloway and Richard Wenk all worked on the script. This will be the first R-rated feature in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.

Kraven the Hunter opens in theaters on October 6, and it will be followed in this franchise by Madame Web, Venom 3 and El Muerto. If you’re looking for some web-slinging action to enjoy in theaters now, that craving can be sated by purchasing a ticket for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Super Bloody Kraven The Hunter Trailer Shows Aaron Taylor-Johnson Getting Primal And Biting A Dude's Nose Off In Spider-Man Spinoff

Erik Swann — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 19:12:41 +0000

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe enters new territory, Sony's Spider-Man Universe is steadily expanding. So far, fans have been treated to two Venom films as well as a Morbius flick, and Madame Web is on the way. But the next installment to hit the big screen is Kraven the Hunter, which is headlined by an absolutely ripped Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Much of the film has been kept under wraps for some time now, but the wait for official footage is over. The first official red band trailer has arrived, and it’s not only super bloody but even shows the titular character getting primal and biting a dude’s nose off.

Yes, you read that last part correctly. Kraven the Hunter is set to be the first R-rated installment in Sony’s SMU, and it totally earns that distinction based on this footage. Aaron Taylor-Johnson's protagonist, a fierce hunter who’s famously tangled with the web-slinger in various comics over the years, is an absolute animal. Much of the trailer shows him going to town on those who cross him. He wields a knife that he uses to slice through opponents and, in one particularly wild sequence, he even uses a bear trap to brutally take someone down.

Of course, after you’ve seen it, you can’t help but dwell on the sight of Sergei Kravinoff chomping someone’s nose clean off. Some may recall the famous Batman Returns scene where Danny DeVito’s Penguin nips at someone’s nose. Now, that moment seems far tamer compared to what the iconic Marvel villain does here.

Kraven The Hunter Footage Showed Off His Classic Suit, A Rhino, And A Guaranteed R Rating

Sean O'Connell — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 02:33:10 +0000

A huge component of the Sony Pictures Entertainment presentation at CinemaCon 2023 involved the studio’s commitment to Spider-Man and the properties associated with his universe. Sony Pictures Animation dedicated a chunk of time to showing those in attendance extended footage from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. We already consider its predecessor, Into the Spider-Verse, one of the best Spider-Man movies ever made. In addition to that tease for the upcoming animated release, Sony showed us a sizzle reel for the upcoming Kraven the Hunter, which cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the lead role as one of Spidey’s classic baddies. And here’s what we saw!

As was previously reported, Aaron Taylor-Johnson looks positively ripped in the part of Sergei Kravinoff, a Russian immigrant and son of aristocracy who, in the comics, came to America to hunt Spider-Man. The movie version of Kraven the Hunter will take creative liberties with his origin story, which is one of the 6 quick things we have known about the film. But Kraven the Hunter also has PLENTY of action, violent kills, and an R rating, which will be a first for Sony's Marvel label.

And as part of the footage, we do see Kraven pick up the classic comic book suit that fans are dying to see on screen. But the footage stops short of having Taylor-Johnson put the suit on. Some things have to be saved for the movie. But we did, at least, get to see the introduction of a Rhino! And it looked sick.

The Kraven of this film is a hunter. He takes down countless men in vicious fashion, and has daddy issues. Don't they all. Only, Kraven's on-screen dad is Russell Crowe, so you know that leads to problems.

Kraven the Hunter is the tip of the iceberg in terms of Spider-Man projects that are being produced at Sony, including Dakota Johnson’s Madame Web and Venom 3, which recently added Ted Lasso star Juno Temple in a reportedly pivotal role. There have been announcements of an El Muerto movie starring Bullet Train co-star Bad Bunny and other upcoming Marvel movies. And of course, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is expected to transition into the third animated feature film, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.

While you wait for more information on the live-action Spider-Man projects, feast your eyes on the latest trailer for the visually stunning Across the Spider-Verse.

In the meantime, we will have to wait to see how Kraven the Hunter begins to use Spider-Man, if the movie uses Spider-Man, at all. As mentioned, the character’s gateway into the Spider-Man world showed the famous Big Game hunter coming to New York City to try and capture Spider-Man, which he considered the greatest prey. There will be different motivators driving Aaron Taylor-Johnson forward, no doubt. But we’d love to see Kraven start to cross paths with some of the already established characters in this spinoff universe, like when Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) crossed paths with Michael Keaton’s Vulture, teasing the construction of some kind of Sinister Six?

Stay tuned for more updates on Kraven the Hunter, including the movie's first trailer, which we hope will drop some time soon.

The Fall Guy: An Updated Cast List Including Ryan Gosling And Emily Blunt

Erik Swann — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 16:11:46 +0000

The 2024 movie schedule is filled with some awesome titles, many of which are serious blockbusters. A feature that’s sure to make an impression on cinema buffs is The Fall Guy, which we know a bit about at this point. It’s an action thriller, which sees Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in the two leading roles. They’re not the only notable names in the mix, though, as the cast features several other famous faces, all of whom we’re going to discuss.

Based on the ‘80s TV show of the same name starring Lee Majors, the movie was originally conceived as another vehicle for Dwayne Johnson, who would’ve teamed up with filmmaker McG. But by 2020, it was reported that Ryan Gosling was working on a similar-sounding project with Iron Man 3 and Hobbs & Shaw writer Drew Pearce and David Leitch, the director of Deadpool 2, Bullet Train and more. The production was revealed to be The Fall Guy in 2022 and, by August of that year, Emily Blunt was confirmed for the action movie. The story centers on a veteran stuntman working with the star who he doubled for (and was replaced by) years prior. And suddenly, said actor disappears. Given that the cast has now been filled out, it’s only right that we make note of the rest of the stars. Now, let’s get to it:

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Ryan Gosling

What hasn’t the Canadian superstar done at this point? His film career began with Remember the Titans, Believer and other flicks, yet it was 2004’s The Notebook that really earned him recognition. From there, he’s landed roles in dramas such as Half Nelson, The Place Beyond the Pines, La La Land and First Man. Of course, the A-lister is also known for his roles in blockbuster fare, with The Nice Guys, Blade Runner 2049 and The Gray Man being among his action-related outings. In the summer of 2023, he stars in the highly anticipated Barbie, in which he plays a Ken (complete with holy abs and platinum blonde hair). Gosling plays washed-up stuntman Colt Seavers in the upcoming thriller and, as seen in the Fall Guy trailer, the role suits him.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Emily Blunt

A titan of the stage and screen, Emily Blunt has truly been around the block. She made her big-screen debut in drama film My Summer of Love, before solidifying herself as a force in the iconic fashion dramedy The Devil Wears Prada. She’s since starred in The Jane Austen Book Club, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Adjustment Bureau and more. Though she shines in smaller films, she’s also a bonafide blockbuster mainstay, thanks to Looper, Sicario, Jungle Cruise and the like. But her crowning achievement in the realm of thrillers is Edge of Tomorrow. She more than held her own alongside co-star Tom Cruise, who apparently called her a pussy. (Blunt has since clarified the comments) The actress, who’ll appear in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer in the summer of 2023, plays Colt Seavers' first-time director ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Most actors would love to have a career like Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s, which includes a wide array of productions. While he began appearing in films during the 2000s, his breakthrough role wouldn’t come until 2010 in the form of the comic book film Kick-Ass, and he’d star in the 2013 sequel as well. Taylor-Johnson has starred in small drama films like Nocturnal Animals and A Million Little Pieces, which he co-wrote. However, it’s the big-budget circuit where he’s truly made his name. He’s dazzled audiences in major movies, including Godzilla, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tenet, The King’s Man and Bullet Train, on which he worked with David Leitch. He’ll also return to the superhero genre in late 2023 in Spider-Man spinoff Kraven the Hunter. Taylor-Johnson will play the missing star in Leitch’s latest, a character by the name of Tom Ryder.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Winston Duke

A lot of people would probably agree with me when I say Winston Duke is a special kind of talent, and his rise within Hollywood has been swift. After making guest appearances on TV shows like Law & Order: SVU and Modern Family, he jumped to the big screen in a big way via Black Panther in 2018. His portrayal of the mighty M’Baku has earned considerable praise, and he only improved on his work in the 2022 sequel, Wakanda Forever. In between those two box office hits, he also starred in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame as well as Us, Nine Days and Spenser Confidential. Per reports, Duke joins The Fall Guy as Colt's best friend, Dan Tucker, a stunt coordinator.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Stephanie Hsu

Any production would be fortunate to have a performer like Stephanie Hsu, who’s proving herself to be one of the entertainment industry’s best and brightest. She booked TV gigs in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Awkwafina if Nora from Queens and Poker Face, with her next small-screen role coming by way of American Born Chinese. When it comes to movies, Hsu played a small role in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. She took the movie world by storm in 2022, however, with her show-stopping (and Oscar-nominated) performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Hsu, who was a breakout star in The Spongebob Musical, returned to the big screen in the summer of 2023 with the comedy film Joy Ride. The Universal Pictures movie tapped Hsu to play Alma Milan, the assistant to Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Tom Ryder.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Hannah Waddingham

Hannah Waddingham is easily one of the most popular actresses in the business right now. She’s been in the game for some time, earning notoriety from shows like Game of Thrones and Krypton. The series that just about everyone seems to know her from, though, is Ted Lasso, which earned her a Primetime Emmy. Since then, she’s been nabbed some solid film roles in The Hustle and Hocus Pocus. And she’s signed on to the cast of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two as well as the animated Garfield movie. Waddingham plays film producer Gail Meyer in The Fall Guy, marking yet another instance in which she portrays someone who’s large and in charge.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Teresa Palmer

Another cast member with plenty of experience under their belt is Teresa Palmer, who’s amassed more than a few recognizable credits in nearly the past two decades. Some might remember her from The Grudge 2, The Sorceror’s Apprentice, I Am Number Four and Warm Bodies. She’s starred in her fair share of thrillers as well. When it comes to that genre, she can claim, Point Break, Lights Out, Hacksaw Ridge and Message from the King among others. And in terms of TV, she most recently starred as the lead of A Discovery of Witches, which ended after three seasons in 2022 Palmer’s role in the Ryan Gosling-led movie was not initially disclosed, but it was later revealed that she plays Tom Ryder's girlfriend, Iggy Starr.

The Fall Guy is now available to stream with a Peacock subscription!

AI Just Picked The Perfect James Bond Actor, And Now I Can't Wait For 007 Odds To Change

Mike Reyes — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 00:26:21 +0000

Updated with video.

Everybody seems to have their own idea of the perfect actor to lead the James Bond movies. Those thoughts usually come from various rumors and reports that, in turn, move the needle on the odds that supposedly indicate which star is most favored to become next Bond. However, an AI engine has now been given a say, and it’s picked what it feels is the perfect Bond actor. This pick isn’t a new face but rather a current frontrunner, and I can’t wait to see how the 007 odds change in the wake of this announcement.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

AI Software Deep Dream Seems To Favor Aaron Taylor Johnson As The Next 007

Per a recent report from The Times (via The Daily Mail), game studio Unwind Media used the DeepDream AI to create a portrait of the “perfect James Bond,” and it looks oddly similar to Bullet Train actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Though depending on who you talk to, Outlander star Sam Heughan is another candidate that seems to contribute to the digital DNA of this would-be super spy.

That's apparently what happens when you set the parameters to the new Bond’s alleged “thirty-something” age range, along with some additional tweaks. Told to generate a 007 that’s “a British male under 40 and stand[s] at over 5'10" tall,” the resulting image is very eerie when you consider that Sam Heughan's had quite a bit of time on the board speculated as the next 007.

Also, Taylor-Johnson was previously rumored to already be cast as Bond, which was enough to send the wheels of the rumor mill flying in his favor. With the Kick Ass alum overtaking previous favorites Henry Cavill and Regé-Jean Page as the top choice to fight for king and country late last year, that surely has to have had an effect on how this AI portrait came to be. Especially when, in a similar exercise, the supposedly perfect Bond Woman has also been selected.

(Image credit: RLJE Films/Shudder)

DeepDream Has Also Picked The Perfect Bond Woman

In the source cited above, it was also reported that DeepDream was asked to cook up what the perfect Bond Woman would look like. And surprise surprise, it came up with an image that looks like another actor that’s been highlighted as a strong candidate reported by The Mirror amid recent press rounds. For those of you curious as to who that actor turned out to be, it’s Charlotte Kirk, who’s known for previous roles in How To Be Single, Ocean’s 8, and the recent Shudder release The Reckoning.

007 Casting Reports

(Image credit: MGM)

New James Bond Rumors Probably Mean Henry Cavill, Idris Elba And Tom Hardy Are Off The List Of Potential 007s

“A British actress in her mid-twenties and 5'7" tall” was the order that Unwind Media ordered its AI accomplice to fill, and Ms. Kirk would appear to be the actor who apparently best resembles that portrait. Of course, that’s based on the specifications locked into the above statement. Should the James Bond franchise follow that brief, it would be pretty exclusionary, especially considering the history of 007 has shown a diverse array of women who were James Bond’s equal, like Michelle Yeoh, and more recently Ana de Armas, who was arguably the best part of No Time to Die.

There are a lot of questions that need to be asked when it comes to how AI-generated artwork pulls from both the specifications laid out, as well as the landscape of popular opinion. Also, one has to wonder how DeepDream would confuse a camera lens for a watch face; a debate that falls right alongside the questions of why AI art can’t get human hands right. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see if Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Charlotte Kirk’s 007 odds start to pick up because of this little exercise.

For those of you human artists who love to create fan art of 007 hopefuls like Henry Cavill, you now have two actors to practice with until Bond 26’s leads are announced. In the meantime, the next film is set to start production early 2024, and the search for the next face of Commander Bond is pending the arrival of a script at EON Productions.

Regé-Jean Page And Aaron Taylor-Johnson Respond To Their High Bond Odds, And The Ongoing Casting Rumors

Adreon Patterson — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 02:18:35 +0000

The hunt for Daniel Craig’s James Bond successor has seeminglly been heating up in recent months, as multiple rising and established stars gaining and losing ground in the race. All the while, fans and pundits have shared their takes on who should become the iconic spy. Eon Productions, which is behind the long-running franchise, has been open about its intention to cast a younger 007. With that, actors like Regé-Jean Page and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have constantly been brought up. Now, the two actors have responded to those ongoing casting rumors and their odds of landing the part.

Regé-Jean Page was the odds-on favorite to assume the 007 mantle for the longest time. Of course, his role as the suave Simon Basset in Bridgerton Season 1 helped to put him on the producers' radar. However, the actor has mostly ignored the chatter despite having ties to the spy franchise. The actor seemed honored as he addressed talks of him being high on the list to become Daniel Craig’s successor:

It’s a conversation people are having, and it’s terribly flattering that they’re having it. I leave them to it.

The rising star has already stepped into the spy action genre with interesting turns in Survivor and Netflix’s The Gray Man. So he’s proven he’s ready for international espionage and intense action. He also displayed the suave charisma needed to portray the beloved agent, who's well-loved by the ladies. While many fans are pushing for him to become the next Bond, Regé-Jean Page himself isn't sure if he could fit the franchise into his full slate, as he said to Vanity Fair:

I have no idea. It’s not a thing that is fully occupying my thoughts. I’ve got enough on my plate at the moment. I worry about the work I have, not other people’s jobs.

He's already preoccupied with multiple projects, including an untitled Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid Amazon series. He also has a potential franchise in the works with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which arrives in theaters in March.

Vanity Fair also caught up with Aaron Taylor-Johnson to discuss those rumors about him being interviewed to play 007. The casting rumor has grown to the point that fans are pitching Taylor-Johnson for the spy role. Much like Regé-Jean Page, the Bullet Train star appeared flattered by those pushing for him to become 007. He also spoke about staying humble as the Bond buzz increases:

It’s flattering. You can have something really positive [written about you], but you can also have something really negative that can circulate. You just want to stay in your lane, stay grounded, stay around the people that you love and love you back, and stay in that world. Because the moment you start believing the shit people say about you, you’ve lost your fucking mind. You’ve lost it.

The Kick-Ass star has grown into a major action star since his breakthrough role. He’s appeared in several other blockbusters, including Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tenet, and The King’s Man. Keeping all of that in mind, he's perfect for 007. Just like his Bond competitor, Aaron Taylor-Johnson has multiple projects in the works, including Kraven the Hunter, which is part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

While Regé-Jean Page and Aaron Taylor-Johnson are high on the list, they might have some competition from Emily in Paris’ Lucien Laviscount, who caught the eyes of the producers. At least the three actors won’t have to worry about a certain element – the Idris Elba factor – as the movie star has essentially ditched James Bond to take his beloved character, John Luther, to the big screen. While fans await word on the new 007, you can stream past Bond flicks, many of which require an Amazon Prime Video subscription to check out.

The James Bond Search Is On, With Eon Reportedly Interviewing A Marvel Actor

Corey Chichizola — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 17:30:46 +0000

There are major movie franchises, and then there’s James Bond. Generations have been brought up on the spy property, which recently had major success with its latest release No Time to Die. That project also marked Daniel Craig’s final performance as 007, and fans are curious about who might replace him. And it seems like the James Bond search is on, with Eon reportedly interviewing a Marvel actor about the role.

Ever since it was announced that Daniel Craig was ending his tenure as Bond with No Time to Die, fans have been theorizing about what actors might take on the mantle next. A number of names have been tossed around online, but a new report by Puck indicates that the studio might actually be weighing its options. What’s more, Avengers: Age of Ultron actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson has reportedly met with Barbara Broccoli and company.

Journalist Matthew Belloni and the folks at Puck recently put out a new issue, which included some insider information about what’s happening with the James Bond franchise. According to those findings, Aaron Taylor-Johnson has already met with Eon Productions boss Barbara Broccoli, and it went well. He seems like a great choice for 007, as an established British actor with plenty of action experience. And at age 32 years old, he could seemingly have a long run as Bond if he ends up getting the gig.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the Bullet Train actor’s casting is a sure thing. Per this report, part of his appeal is also the level of fame that Aaron Taylor-Johnson currently has. While he’s an established actor, he’s not necessarily a household name just yet. But if his roles in upcoming projects like Kraven the Hunter or The Fall Guy end up changing that, Puck reports that Taylor-Johnson could end up becoming too famous for the role of Bond.

(Image credit: Danjaq, LLC and MGM)

It remains to be seen if any of this information ends up being confirmed by either Eon Productions or Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s representatives, but it seemingly indicates that the studio is already weighing its options regarding who will replace Daniel Craig as everyone’s favorite superspy. And with the public invested and even taking bets on the odds of various actors to be cast, smart money says whatever future casting occurs is going to break the internet.

Of course, Aaron Taylor-Johnson isn’t the only popular fan choice to possibly take Daniel Craig’s role as James Bond. Some other names that have been tossed around have been Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, and Fifty Shades star Jamie Dornan. Taylor-Johnson is younger than all of those choices, and there were some reports that the studio wanted to find a younger actor who could handle the long and grueling job that is being 007.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven the Hunter is currently expected to arrive in theaters on October 6th. The pressure is on for the movie to deliver, especially following the disappointing performance of Morbius. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson's The Latest Rumored James Bond, 6 Reasons Why The Bullet Train Star Would Be A Good Fit For The Role

Mike Reyes — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 00:43:19 +0000

Rumors can get pretty wild when it comes to massive franchises, and the James Bond movies have historically been proven to be one of the bigget playgrounds for such a concept. No point in the 007 lifecycle is that point more appropriate than whenever it’s time to select a new actor to take over the iconic role.

That’s where we’re at right now, as Daniel Craig has wrapped his time in the tuxedo, and Bullet Train star Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been the subject of chatter over being next Commander Bond. It’s gotten to the point where Johnson’s rumored to have already been cast as James Bond, which honestly feels like it’s a bit too early to even feel valid.

Still, the Kick Ass veteran does seem like a pretty good potential fit for the role, proving himself over time as a versatile talent. With that in mind, let’s buy into the rumor mill a little bit, and talk about why Aaron Taylor-Johnson would be a good fit as the next 007.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Is Young Enough To Pull A 007 Long Haul

Recent discussions about the next James Bond have seen an importance put on landing an actor that can snag the role for the long haul. An actor in their 30s seems to be the desired age range, if reports of producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson’s specifications are indeed true. At 32 years old, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is potentially at the right age for Bond, as if Bond 26 starts filming in 2024 as intended, he’ll be 34 when potentially taking the role.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

A New Generation Of James Bond Fans Could Be Drawn Into The Franchise

James Bond is a series that’s stayed relevant at the movies by continuing to be a saga that aligns with modern times. Casting actors that are unknown enough to be surprises, but contemporary enough to hit with current audiences is a sweet spot that almost always plays into the equation. Through Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s career roles, he’s kept himself in the public eye throughout a decade of memorable films that could draw a wide range of new fans into the Bond fandom.

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Johnson Has Already Proven Himself As An Action Lead

In the decade of memorable roles that Aaron Taylor-Johnson has landed, he’s more than proven himself able to handle the demands of an action movie lead. From his blockbuster breakout role in Kick-Ass, through major leads in Godzilla and Avengers: Age of Ultron, and even more recently in the Sony action-comedy Bullet Train, Johnson continues to be in literal fighting form. Those who are asking the important question of whether or not he can handle the stunt work on a James Bond movie don't need to pose it, as the answer is an obvious yes.

(Image credit: Disney)

Major Franchise Experiences Make Johnson Ready For A Potential 007 Lead

Dealing with the mantle of a series like the 007 saga can be a very pressure filled experience. When Daniel Craig was cast for Casino Royale, it took a while for him to adjust to the intense demands of the Bond lifestyle. Not to mention, throughout his run it felt like the man continued to feel a bit limited by the constraints of the gig.

Were Aaron Taylor-Johnson cast, he’s already experienced all of the feedback and secrecy a major franchise like the MCU entails. All becoming James Bond would do is merely call for Johnson to adapt to a legacy involving different types of secrecy. Not to mention, a whole different level of tailoring.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment)

An Aaron Taylor-Johnson Bond Could Go Heavier On The Humor

A significant complaint has cropped up among pockets of the 007 fandom, and it’s all down to one of the Daniel Craig era’s hallmarks: the deadly serious tone. Some feel that, going forward, the James Bond films should regain a bit of the lighter tone that Roger Moore’s James Bond films made popular throughout his reign.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson could very much embody that sort of Bond, as his snark laden role in Bullet Train isn’t too far off from what a funnier modern 007 could feel like. Though for what it’s worth, the actor could also play it straight when the moment calls for it, as even Sir Roger had his own deadly serious hour in For Your Eyes Only.

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Recent Filmography Is Practically A Bond Audition

Perhaps the most impressive credit to Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s James Bond potential is the fact that if you look at his resume, it feels like he’s already auditioned for the role. The past two years have seen Johnson playing crucial roles in movies like Tenet and Bullet Train, both of which have given him plenty of opportunity to engage in large scale action and witty dialogue.

However, the one role that feels like the true cherry on top of this alleged casting is that of Archie Reid in Matthew Vaughn’s The King’s Man. In a series that tips all of its hats to the 007 legacy, directed by a man who loves to find and cast James Bond candidates before the series snags them, Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s spot in this movie hammers home how much of his recent output has seemed to prepare the world for him to play Commander Bond.

With the whispers that inspired this entire rundown showing no signs of slowing, it makes sense to evaluate this potential casting - whether it’s bogus or not. Should Aaron Taylor-Johnson happen to land the role of James Bond in the long run, the eventual discussion over whether he’s fit or not can now evolve to a higher level of examination. However, it could be some time before any sort of confirmation or denial will arrive on an official front.

Time on our hands is a good thing, as revisiting the best Aaron Taylor Johnson movies can help push this whole conversation along even further. And if you happened to miss Bullet Train in theaters, those of you with a Netflix subscription can now stream that film in the comfort of your own home.

Wild James Bond Rumor: Has The New 007 Actually Been Decided Already?

Mike Reyes — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:07:20 +0000

The rumor mill for who will become the next face of the James Bond movies has been in overdrive for some time. With the reign of Daniel Craig’s interpretation ending on the big screen, everyone wants to know who the next actor will be to slip on a tuxedo to save the world for king and country. However, a new wild rumor could break the whole mill down and soon, as an outlet has claimed that a new 007 has actually been decided on.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Aaron Taylor Johnson Is Allegedly The Next James Bond

Break out your salt shakers Bond Blend, as Aaron Taylor Johnson has allegedly been cast as the 007’th actor to play Commander Bond. At least, that’s if an anonymous item from celebrity gossip site DeuxMoi (reported via Yahoo!) has anything to say on the matter. Most recently seen in the action/comedy Bullet Train, this anonymously sourced rumor has speculated that Johnson’s casting is in the bag, with a gun barrel trailer supposedly set to be released in March/April 2023, making the announcement.

This suggestion comes not too long after the British tabloid The Sun reported that Aaron Taylor Johnson had recently wowed Barbara Broccoli in a secret audition. Some may think that having two different sources swimming around the same rumor might make it a bit more believable. However, there’s some other factors to keep in mind when evaluating whether or not this wild announcement is valid.

(Image credit: MGM)

James Bond History Seems To Suggest This Announcement Is Bogus

There’s a lot of reasons that this new rumor of Aaron Taylor Johnson’s James Bond casting is merely someone talking out of their martini glass. The first, and most important, is that producer Barbara Broccoli herself stated Bond 26 won’t be filming until 2024. As the wheels of motion at EON Productions aren’t trying to rush into the next era of 007, it seems like a good bet that auditioning may not have even started yet.

Another thing to note is the idea of an announcement trailer for the new James Bond actor seems a bit outside of the more traditional mindset the EON brass continue to employ. When Daniel Craig was cast, it wasn’t announced until October 14, 2015; with production on Casino Royale starting in January 2006 for its November release date. The timing of March/April doesn't work well for a movie that'll start filming in 2024, and it also foregoes another tradition: the dreaded first James Bond press conference!

Announcing a new Bond usually entails that moment where press and producer alike can start to talk up the new actor in the role. It's a time honored tradition that even had Daniel Craig dropping F-bombs over how nerve-wracking it all is. So even if Aaron Taylor Johnson is cast at the moment, we’d probably have to wait until next October for a grand event breaking that news. That being the month where the world celebrates another year of 007 adventure, it's not only fitting, but the best time to introduce such an announcement.

It will surely be interesting to see how and if Johnson’s odds to be the next James Bond spike with bettors after this announcement. However, as it seems likely that there’s still no script in place for this latest redefinition of 007’s character, these reports seem like they’re merely intended to test the waters and see if the former Kick Ass would be accepted by the public as Commander Bond.

For all we know, this unnamed source could be telling the truth, and we’ll just have to wait for the news to officially break, if it ever does. While we all wait for the eventual game of denial and speculation to continue, you can watch Aaron Taylor Johnson in one of this year’s best action movies, Bullet Train. The Brad Pitt-led film has just hit streaming, and anyone with a Netflix subscription can hop on board to enjoy the mayhem. James Bond will return in Bond 26, which is set to start filming in 2024.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson On Changing Things Up For Kraven The Hunter After Playing Quicksilver And Kick-Ass

Adreon Patterson — Sun, 21 Aug 2022 13:09:30 +0000

Aaron Taylor-Johnson hasn’t spoken much about his role as Kraven the Hunter (though we have gotten a sense of what his physique will look like, thanks to a ripped photoshoot he did ahead of filming the Spider-Man spinoff). Of course, he isn’t a stranger to the superhero genre, having previously played Quicksilver in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the vigilante Kick-Ass. Though his turn as the famous comic book antihero should be something very different. On that note, Taylor-Johnson recently discussed changing things up for the next installment in Sony's Spider-Man Universe after playing his former superhero roles.

It's fair to say that Kick-Ass' Dave Lizewski and Avengers: Age of Ultron's Pietro Maximoff are two very distinct characters. And that's a testament to the fact that Aaron Taylor-Johnson never aims to play the same character twice. The star opened up about how he views his role as the big-game hunter and, as he explained, the role is a new challenge for him to take on as he continues to evolve as a performer:

I, as a person, am naturally changing and evolving. New things inspire me, and you grow as a person. So I can only move forward and play things I haven’t done before. I like a challenge, and I like to step outside of my comfort zone, often. It’s more interesting to go from an indie to a blockbuster or whatever it may be. Some people like to go on holiday to the same place every year, but I like to explore different places. So there’s a lot that really excited me about the character of Kraven. Sometimes, these roles come about, and you have to truly believe in the character. You’re going to be in that skin for a while, and you have to believe in what you’re saying. So there was a lot about Kraven that I really loved, and I’m excited to share it at some point.

The 32-year-old actor seems very invested in playing the iconic Spider-Man antagonist. Whereas Kick-Ass and Quicksilver were seen as rather reserved guys fighting for the average citizen, Sergei Kravinoff is a maniacal and brazen man with an over-the-top personality. This makes him a great character to bring to the big screen. Many actors say that playing the bad guy is more fun than being the hero. The Nocturnal Animals alum is sure to relish his time as Kraven and, in the process, it could help him break new ground in his career.

As mentioned during the same interview with THR, the actor scored the role after impressing Sony executives through the dailies for his latest film, Bullet Train. Things further worked out for Aaron Taylor-Johnson after he hit it off with Kraven the Hunter director J.C. Chandor and producer Matt Tolmach. He called the meeting “one of those magical and rare moments where the stars align.” Taylor-Johnson also celebrated the fact that the Spider-verse film was shot on location, saying that the practical aspect was important in making the lead character's story more authentic and personal.

In addition to Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the Kraven the Hunter cast is filled with some notable names. Playing Kraven's love interest, Calypso, is West Side Story's Ariana DeBose, while White Lotus' Fred Hechinger plays his half-brother, classic Spidey villain The Chalameon. Russell Crowe is in the mix and playing an undisclosed role, with Christopher Abbott and Alessandro Nivola as the film’s villains.

At this point, fans only know a few things about Kraven's solo outing. But one thing we can at least infer from Aaron Taylor-Johnson's comments is that he won't be leaning heavily on his former comic book movie performances (or any of his past work, for that matter) to bring the lead character to life.

Kraven the Hunter is set to arrive in theaters on January 13, 2023. In the meantime, check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 movie schedule for info on the flicks that are hitting theaters during the remainder of the year.

Brad Pitt Has A ‘S--t List’ Of Actors He Won’t Work With, According To His Bullet Train Co-Star Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Carly Levy — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 12:35:42 +0000

While Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brad Pitt took a wild ride together in Bullet Train, the 32-year-old British actor learned a thing or two about his 58-year-old co-star. These two played opposing assassins both on the same mission to retrieve a briefcase on a bullet train traveling to Kyoto. At the 75th Locarno Film Festival, where Taylor-Johnson introduced Bullet Train and won the 2022 Excellence Award Davide Campari, he revealed that this "humble and gracious human being" has a list of actors he would prefer not to work with.

With Brad Pitt’s career having started in 1987, it makes sense that after all these years, he’s kept a mental note of what actors he’d prefer to steer clear of. According to Variety, Aaron Taylor-Johnson said that his Bullet Train co-star has an idea of who he would and would not want to work with in the future. In Taylor-Johnson's words:

He is in a new chapter of his life, I think. You work with many actors and after a while you start making notes: 'I am definitely not working with this person ever again. Brad has this list too: the 'good' list and the shit list.

It’s true that not everyone gets along with each other. Hollywood has a whole history of co-stars who have clashed, like Terrence Howard and Robert Downey Jr. Those two worked together in Iron Man, but Howard didn’t return for the sequel because he felt his co-star took his Iron Man 2 contract money. In Batman Forever, Tommy Lee Jones hated working with his co-star Jim Carrey, and once told Carrey at a restaurant that he couldn’t stand his “buffoonery.” And we can’t forget about the legendary feud between actresses Joan Crawford and Bette Davis which was turned into the FX series by Ryan Murphy called Feud. So if Brad Pitt is looking to be more discerning with the people he works with, more power to him.

Despite Brad Pitt's lengthy divorce drama, he’s been trying to turn over a new leaf in his life. He reached new heights of Hollywood success a couple of years ago when he won Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and gave a touching acceptance speech. He also has a new movie heading to Apple TV+ streaming about Formula One racing, as well as the upcoming film Babylon directed by La La Land’s Damien Chazelle.

But even though Pitt is doing well in his acting career, he has also been struggling with depression and the persistent fear of being alone. However, music has been filling him with so much joy that he’s pursuing his new role as a recording studio executive revitalizing a famous studio that’s on the grounds of his Chateau Miraval vineyard. As long as Pitt learns to continue seeing the pain and joy in his life as a sign of growth, I'm confident he'll be doing fine in the future.

Brad Pitt and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s movie Bullet Train proves that these two have a great working dynamic together and are hopefully on each other’s “good” list. The action-packed film has been topping the box office at over $30 million the past weekend, but it still has plenty to go to surpass the film’s reported budget of $90 million. Bullet Train's critical reviews all agree that this film really is a wild ride with a ton of thrilling fight scenes to watch. You can watch the 2022 movie release in theaters now.

Bullet Train Cast: Where You’ve Seen The Actors Before

Adam Holmes — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 13:13:28 +0000

Director David Leitch is hardly a stranger to the world of action filmmaking. After spending years working in the stunts realm, he made his directorial debut with 2014’s John Wick, which he worked on with Chad Stahelski. Since then, Leitch has helmed Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2 and Hobbs & Shaw, and now he’s tackling Bullet Train, based on the Japanese novel “Maria Beetle” by Kotaro Isaka, for Sony Pictures.

If you have recently watched the new movie or are planning on seeing Brad Pitt in action at some point, you are probably wondering where you’ve seen the Bullet Train cast before they found their way into what looks to be one of the best action films of the year. There are quite a few passengers we need to meet, so let’s punch our tickets and step aboard.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Brad Pitt (Ladybug)

Shortly after the release of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Brad Pitt said he would act in fewer movies going forward. Evidently he deemed Bullet Train worthy of his time, as Pitt stars as the lead character, a hitman named Ladybug in the new movie.

Pitt and David Leitch previously worked together on Deadpool 2, where the former cameoed as Vanisher, who we only briefly saw when he was being electrocuted to death. So Bullet Train will give them a chance to become much better acquainted, and we’ll see how this compares to Pitt’s previous action outings, such as Fight Club, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and World War Z, to name only a few.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Joey King (The Prince)

Some of you might remember Joey King from films like Ramona and Beezus, The Dark Knight Rises (she played a young Talia al Ghul in a flashback), and Oz the Great and Powerful, but nowadays she’s best known for Netflix’s The Kissing Booth movies, Hulu’s The Act, FX’s Fargo and Blumhouse’s The Lie, among other things.

While Bullet Train won’t mark King’s first foray into action movies, this will definitely be her biggest action platform yet, with her portrayal of a seemingly harmless schoolgirl who is actually a fierce and deadly assassin who goes by the name “The Prince.”

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Andrew Koji (Yuichi Kimura)

Those of you who’ve seen the Cinemax series Warrior are already well acquainted with Andrew Koji, and G.I. Joe fans will remember him from bringing Storm Shadow to life in 2021’s Snake Eyes. Now Bullet Train is the latest opportunity for Koji to show off his action cred, and count on him standing out among the other main cast members with his martial arts skills as Yuichi Kimura, another mysterious assassin aboard the action-packed train.

Throughout his career, Koji has also given great performances on shows like American Gods, Call the Midwife, and Peaky Blinders.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Tangerine)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who is no stranger when it comes to action movies, plays a visible role in Bullet Train as Tangerine, one half of a citrus-themed team of contract killers who finds himself crossing paths with Brad Pitt’s Ladybug.

During the first half of last decade, Taylor-Johnson drew attention for playing Dave Lizewski in the Kick-Ass movies, Quicksilver in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Ford Brody in Godzilla. More recently, Taylor-Johnson has appeared in Outlaw King, A Million Little Pieces,Tenet, and The King’s Man. And Taylor-Johnson knows a thing or two about playing less than heroic characters, especially with his menacing role in Nocturnal Animals.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Brian Tyree Henry (Lemon)

And who takes on the role of the other member of the citrus hit squad on the Bullet Train cast? Well, none other than Brian Tyree Henry, who can’t really be stopped thanks to a list of notable credits that includes hit shows like Atlanta.

If you’re an avid consumer of movies, then it’s hard to imagine you haven’t seen Henry in anything over the last several years, as he has appeared in Widows, If Beale Street Could Talk, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Child’s Play and Joker. In 2021 alone, Henry had major roles in the Legendary monster epic Godzilla vs. Kong and the Marvel Phase 4 movie Eternals.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Zazie Beetz (The Hornet)

Like Brian Tyree Henry, Zazie Beetz is a member of Atlanta’s main cast, but if you haven’t seen her on that series, you likely remember her for her roles as Domino in Deadpool 2 or Sophie in Joker. Now Beetz is hopping aboard Bullet Train, taking on the role of “The Hornet,” an American assassin who has a fondness for poisons, hence her sleek and deadly name.

In the past year prior to punching her ticket to Bullet Train, Beetz has appeared in one of the best Netflix movies, Harder They Fall as well as the surprisingly clever and entertaining animated feature film The Bad Guys.

(Image credit: NBC)

Masi Oka (Train Conductor)

Taking on the role of one of the conductors aboard the high-speed assassin deathtrap in Bullet Train is Masi Oka, who will be instantly recognizable for fans of a certain NBC drama from the early 2000s.

Oka kicked off his time in Hollywood working at Industrial Light & Magic as a digital effects artist, but in the 2000s, he began his acting career. Most of you likely remember him best either as the time-traveling Hiro Nakamura on Heroes or coroner Max Bergman on Hawaii Five-0, while his resume also includes Get Smart, Friends with Benefits and The Meg.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Michael Shannon (The White Death)

Michael Shannon, who has been one of the most interesting and entertaining faces in Hollywood for the past decade-and-a-half, shows up on the Bullet Train cast as the White Death, a notorious and dangerous crime boss.

Some of you may know Michael Shannon best as General Zod in Man of Steel, while others followed along with him playing Nelson Van Alden in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. Or maybe you prefer one of his other credits more, like Revolutionary Road, 99 Homes, Elvis & Nixon, The Shape of Water or Knives Out. In any case, Shannon has clearly been around the Hollywood block, even before boarding Bullet Train.

(Image credit: Amazon)

Logan Lerman (The Son)

Logan Lerman takes a seat on the Bullet Train cast as the son of the powerful and dangerous White Death, whose rescue and safe return can make some of his fellow passengers quite wealthy.

Some of you have most likely seen Lerman on the small screen playing Jonah Heidelbaum on the Amazon Prime Video original series Hunters. Lerman’s notable film credits include 3:10 to Yuma, the Percy Jackson movies, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Noah and Fury, the latter of which also featured his Bullet Train co-star Brad Pitt.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Hiroyuki Sanada (The Elder)

Showing up as a mysterious character known as The Elder, Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada serves as one of the most interesting passengers on the Bullet Train cast.

American audiences have gotten to know Hiroyuki Sanada over the years in movies like The Wolverine, Mr. Holmes, Life and Avengers: Endgame, as well as seeing him in TV shows like Lost, Revenge and Westworld. Sanada appeared in 2021 Warner Bros. films like the Mortal Kombat reboot and Netflix originals the Zack Snyder-directed Army of the Dead, and now we can throw Bullet Train into the mix too.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Bad Bunny (The Wolf)

Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known by his stage name, Bad Bunny, appears as The Wolf, the pissed off hitman trying to stab Brad Pitt’s Ladybug in the Bullet Train trailer.

Bad Bunny is a Latin Grammy-award winning singer who has been on a tear the past few years, with performances alongside Shakira and Jennifer Lopez at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2020, multiple appearances at major WWE events, and more. Acting-wise though, Mr. Bunny is just as busy. We already saw him in the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico and the movie American Sole, and now he’s taking the express train to superstardom. And this looks like it’s just the beginning as the Grammy Award winner is slated to star in his own Marvel movie in the future.

(Image credit: Sony)

Sandra Bullock (Maria Beetle)

And then there is Academy Award-winning actress Sandra Bullock, who portrays Brad Pitt’s on-screen handler, Maria Beetle, in Bullet Train.

Brad Pitt and Bullock have been active in the Hollywood space for roughly the same amount of time, but Bullet Train will be only their second time working together (they previously appeared together earlier this year in The Lost City). Bullock is no stranger to working on action movies, with her resume includes Demolition Man, Speed and The Heat. Bullock and Pitt have also both been part of the Ocean’s franchise though they’ve never been in one together.

Bullet Train is now playing in theaters nationwide. If you want to know what other movies are coming to a cineplex (or streaming service) near you, check out our rundown of all the 2022 new releases.

Bullet Train: How Super Tight Spaces Contributed To The Badass Fight Scenes Of The New Action Movie

Eric Eisenberg — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 01:14:01 +0000

While certainly more spacious than airplanes, the average train isn’t exactly a vehicle that offers a whole lot of room for passengers. Benches and seats are arranged to maximize the number of people who can ride at a time, and extras like tables don’t exactly help. Because of this, one might perhaps not consider it an ideal setting for a big action movie featuring characters beating the ever-loving hell out of one another, but the stars of David Leitch’s Bullet Train would disagree, as they argue that the limited space is a big part of what enhances the fun of the film.

As captured in the video at the top of this article, I interviewed Bullet Train stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Brad Pitt late last month during the virtual press day for the new movie, and one question I asked everyone was about performing the crazy action the story demanded in confined spaces. Taylor-Johnson explained that he feels that not having a lot of room to work in was an asset for the work, as limitations in the environment demanded creative solutions. Said the actor,

I think that kind of adds, actually. I like when there's boundaries and limitations, because then you use the environment and around you, and I think that's what we did. And I think David Leitch wanted us to lean into that, I think, and then it just adds layers.

The movie is based on the book Maria Beetle by Kōtarō Isaka, and its main ensemble are all killers, hit men, and assassins who board a bullet train in Tokyo heading to Kyoto. Each of the characters have their own motives and goals for being on the high speed rail, and quite often intersections lead to violent conflict and confrontation.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson pointed at an example in Bullet Train featuring Brad Pitt and Brian Tyree Henry going toe-to-toe in the titular transport’s quiet car, and he noted that the limitations enhanced both the action and the comedy:

I mean, these two just had such an incredible fight sequence in a contained space against each other around the table, but in the quiet car. And then that adds another element, so they've gotta keep everything quiet. That comedy with the action is such a good balance.

Riffing on his co-star, Brian Tyree Henry noted that an interesting chemistry came as a result of the space being limited and the fact that Brad Pitt apparently isn’t a person who deals with limitations. He said, laughing,

When you are able to work within boundaries and then work with someone who like Brad [Pitt], who doesn't respect any boundaries, it creates this whole kind of amazing visual element, like a kamikaze, you know what I'm saying? You really try to figure out how to work within the confines of fighting on a train and killing somebody with a tray table and beating someone's ass with an armrest.

Playing The Elder, a character who makes a big entrance into the movie late in the second act, Hiroyuki Sanada didn’t spend as much time on the bullet train as his co-stars, but he still definitely got to have his own experience with the cramped quarters, and was impressed by director David Leitch’s work in the space. Said Sanada,

Sometimes [it’s] difficult because so narrow, and there was so many people in the train, but for me, it was fun and easy to corroborate with the stunt guys and coordinator. And then especially director David [Leitch] knows about action very well, so [it’s] easy to corroborate and then create the interesting unique choreography together easily. I had so much fun every day on set.

The sentiment regarding working with David Leitch was something that Brian Tyree Henry also echoed. He explained that there were times on set when he wasn’t sure how certain scenes would actually work, but the fact that they do is a testament to the director’s talent:

It turns out to be one of the most fun, crazy theme parks you've ever been a part of. You're like, 'How is the camera gonna get through down this aisle? How are we gonna hide in this toilet?' It's all, it's all kinds of fun things, and that's just a testimony to David Leitch and his imagination. He's brilliant.

Bullet Train, featuring a brilliant cast including Joe King, Andrew Koji, Sandra Bullock, Benito A Martínez Ocasio, Masi Oka, Karen Fukuhara and more in addition to Aaron-Taylor Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Brad Pitt, arrives in theaters this Friday. Tickets are on sale now, and if you’re a fan of the movie’s stars, you should most definitely check out our Upcoming Brad Pitt and Upcoming Brian Tyree Henry guides.

To learn about all of the other films set to hit theaters and streaming it what remains of the year, our 2022 Movie Release Calendar has the information you’re looking for.

'Bullet Train' Video Interviews With Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, And More!

Eric Eisenberg — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 19:06:20 +0000

Brad Pitt and more of the absolutely stacked cast of “Bullet Train,” including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, and Hiroyuki Sanada joined CinemaBlend to discuss their favorite behind-the-scenes details and more. Watch as they dive into working with Director David Leitch, filming high-intensity action sequences in small train cars, working on the film during the height of COVID and more.

Video Chapters:

00:00 - Intro
00:18 - Brad Pitt On Reuniting With Former Stuntman-Turned-Director David Leitch
01:20 - Hiroyuki Sanada Discusses Working With David Leitch And His Past Experiences With Him As Stunt Coordinator
02:28 - How Super Tight Spaces Contributed To The Badass Fight Scenes Of ‘Bullet Train’
05:19 - Hiroyuki Sanada On Rehearsing And Filming During The Height Of The COVID-19 Pandemic
06:19 - John Wick Chapter 4's Hiroyuki Sanada Teases A History With Keanu Reeves's Hero
07:26 - Outro

Bullet Train Reviews Are In, See What Critics Are Saying About The Brad Pitt Action Comedy

Heidi Venable — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:10:23 +0000

The new satirical action comedy Bullet Train certainly took a long time to get here. Based on the novel by Kōtarō Isaka, which was published in Japan with the title Maria Beetle, the movie from director David Leitch went into production back in October 2020. That means there’s been a lot of excitement building for this blockbuster, with Bullet Train boasting an A-list cast that includes Brad Pitt, Zazie Beetz, Brian Tyree Henry, Sandra Bullock, Lady Gaga and more. With the release finally upon us, let’s take a look at what critics are saying about the film.

When CinemaCon audiences got an extended look at Bullet Train, they were wowed by the action sequences, and — as we saw from the exchange between Brian Tyree-Henry and Brad Pitt in the trailer — this movie promises to bring the laughs as well. Let’s get into the reviews, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Bullet Train. Eric Eisenberg rates the movie 3.5 stars out of 5, saying that Brad Pitt exhibits a palpable joy in his role as the assassin Ladybug. The story gets a little chaotic, the review says, but it comes together as a fun puzzle:

Bullet Train doesn’t aim to revolutionize hitman movies, but instead plays with a tongue-in-cheek vibe that lets you recognize the tropes and appreciate how the film plays with them. It’s a slick/goofy action movie that is both contained and wild, and a satisfying late summer release.

Peter Debruge of Variety says the movie is a fun-enough ride, if not particularly deep, as it tries really hard to capture Quentin Tarantino vibes. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry are likable as Tangerine and Lemon, respectively, and the fight scenes can be appreciated for the choreography:

The fight scenes feel relatively original, which is impressive unto itself, considering how many other creative filmmakers there are trying to distinguish themselves in the genre. Leitch tends to approach these standoffs the way Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire once did their dance numbers: The violence needn’t be taken literally (which is tough at times, considering how brutal the bloodshed can be), but rather appreciated mostly for their choreography and capacity to surprise.

Paul Bradshaw of NME rates it an average 3 out of 5 stars, saying that Brad Pitt powers this action flick, while the other assassins aboard struggle to keep up. It’s a fun ride, but not as fun as it thinks it is, this critic says:

As the twists keep coming (and as even more famous faces keep popping up), Bullet Train starts losing momentum. Crashing headlong into a sloppy CGI ending and backtracking once too many over all the obvious reveals, the film runs out of rail a long time before it stops moving. On the other hand, it’s almost impossible not to enjoy every moment that Pitt is on screen. Stealing the film with whatever he’s given (a water bottle, a bucket hat, an automatic toilet…), he’s clearly having a great time. It’s lucky for us that at least some of it rubs off.

Mentions of the movie going “off the rails” are to be expected in reviews for a movie about a train. However, Deadline’s Pete Hammond argues Bullet Train was never on the rails to begin with, saying the movie is so wild it’s basically a live-action animation:

None of the characters, Pitt’s included, remotely resembles actual human beings but they give it the old college try. Still, movies tend to work best when the characters have some semblance of credible relation to actual living people. This one doesn’t seem to care one whit, going for laughs instead. Aside from the star whose natural charisma carries him through as well as his too often underused comedic talents , it is Henry who is the most watchable even if his Lemon must profess allegiance to a children’s book Thomas The Tank Engine as his guide to life.

David Ehrlich of IndieWire grades the movie a C, agreeing with other critics that while the movie itself isn’t great, Brad Pitt’s joy is radiant enough to convince viewers they’re having fun too. From the review:

Bullet Train may be going nowhere fast, but Pitt always seems like he’s already there, safe in the knowledge that we’ll happily watch him smile through all the chaos that crashes around him (including two standout cameos, one which nails an actor’s star power, and another which completely misapprehends it). Pitt’s stardom has never been more obvious, and it shines bright enough here for everything else to get lost in the glare.

If this movie feels like something you must experience this summer, you can check it out in theaters beginning Friday, August 5. In the meantime, check out what else we know about Bullet Train, as well as other upcoming projects from Brad PItt. You can also start planning your next trip to the theater by checking out our 2022 Movie Release Schedule to see what else is coming soon.

Kraven The Hunter: An Updated Cast List, Including Russell Crowe And Ariana DeBose

Eric Eisenberg — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 00:35:01 +0000

Following in the wake of Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Morbius, Sony has big plans for the future of blockbusters vaguely related to Spider-Man. The franchise, known as Sony's Spider-Man Universe, is presently making a number of big projects, all of which are based on beloved villains and lesser-known supporting characters from the wall-crawler’s corner of the world in Marvel Comics. The various movies are all at different stages of development, but the next one set to debut will be J.C. Chandor’s Kraven The Hunter – which is not only well under way, but has put together a stellar ensemble cast.

Written by Richard Wenk (The Equalizer), Kraven The Hunter is a blockbuster that we don’t know too much about as far as plot goes, but we have learned a great deal about what to expect from the feature based on the characters that have been revealed as being included in the story. With the film still being in the works, it’s wholly possible that there are still more names to be announced, but for now, here are all of the actors we know have parts to play in the upcoming feature:

(Image credit: Disney)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Aaron Taylor-Johnson has quite a lot of comic book movie experience at this point in his career. His big break came from playing the titular hero in the two Kick-Ass films, and he followed those features by becoming Pietro Maximoff a.k.a. Quicksilver in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (plus there is also his supporting role in The King’s Man). With Kraven The Hunter, his resume in this specific realm will grow further, as he is playing the titular character a.k.a. Sergei Kravinoff in the upcoming film. Not much is known about how the project will treat the famed Spider-Man villain, but we expect that he’ll be striving to be known as the world’s greatest hunter, like his on-the-page counterpart.

(Image credit: HBO)

Fred Hechinger

Kraven The Hunter isn’t the only Spider-Man villain who is set to have a principal role in the character’s upcoming solo film. Also set to make his live-action premiere in the blockbuster is Dmitri Smerdyakov – the half-brother of Sergei Kravinoff who is best known by the moniker The Chameleon. In the comics, the character is a brilliant master of disguise and can be undetectable when pretending to be another person. Fred Hechinger, coming off a 2021 that saw him star in The White Lotus and the Fear Street trilogy, is playing the part, though we don’t really know anything about how Chameleon will be worked into the plot.

(Image credit: Universal)

Russell Crowe

Like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe is another actor who has reached a point in his career when he is collecting comic book film parts. A decade ago, the Oscar-winning actor earned the love of DC fans worldwide playing Superman’s father, Jor-El, in Man of Steel (a role he reprised in Zack Snyder’s Justice League), and he has also become a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – set to play the godly Zeus in Thor: Love And Thunder. Crowe signed on to Kraven The Hunter in February 2022, but one detail left out of the news was anything about the role he will be taking on. Knowing his history, he could easily be playing either a hero or a villain in the upcoming blockbuster, so all bets are off in terms of what to expect from his performance.

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Ariana DeBose

Ariana DeBose didn’t exactly demonstrate a great deal of patience when it came to landing her first comic book movie role following her critically acclaimed turn in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. In February 2022, she joined the cast of Kraven The Hunter… and a few weeks later she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She will reportedly be playing the role of Calypso in the film, who is the romantic lead for the eponymous protagonist and probably best known for pushing Kraven into hunting Spider-Man.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Alessandro Nivola

Unlike most of his male co-stars in Kraven The Hunter, Alessandro Nivola doesn’t have any comic book movie experience, but his part in the production is no less exciting as a result, as he has proven himself one of the industry’s most reliable character actors since the mid-1990s. In 2021 he earned praise for his role as Dickie Moltisanti in The Many Saints Of Newark (the Sopranos prequel movie), and in addition to his work on Kraven, he has already finished working on new movies directed by David O. Russell (a project that doesn’t have a title yet) and Noah Baumbach (an adaptation of the Don DeLillo novel White Noise). We don’t yet know what part he is playing in the Spider-Man spinoff, but it’s news we anticipate learning in the months to come.

(Image credit: Hulu)

Christopher Abbott

At this point in his career, Christopher Abbott is best known for his work on the small screen, having starred in shows including Girls, The Sinner, and the miniseries Catch-22, but blockbuster experience is on the horizon thanks to his part in Kraven The Hunter. We don’t know anything about how he will fit into the plot of the film, but Abbott is reportedly set up to play The Foreigner – who is another Spider-Man villain from Marvel Comics. The character is a mercenary/assassin who is one of the world’s most gifted, non-super fighters on Earth (this will be his first live-action appearance), and one can imagine him providing a challenge for Sergei Kravinoff in his pursuit of being known as the world’s greatest hunter.

Kraven The Hunter is very much on its way, and if all goes according to plan, it will be arriving in theaters everywhere on October 6, 2023. We plan to regularly add to this feature as new actors are announced as part of the film’s ensemble, and you can continue to find any and all major updates about the project in the CinemaBlend Superhero section. To learn about all of the big features - including mulitple upcoming Marvel movies - that are on the way between now and the release of Kraven, head on over to our 2023 movie schedule.

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