The Brutalist, a movie CinemaBlend described as a “unique marvel in 21st-century cinema,” was the best movie I saw in 2024, and a theater experience on the same level as modern classics like There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men. In fact, I sat through Brady Corbet’s Academy Award-winning epic twice during its theatrical run, and loved it even more the second time around.

So, when I found out it was going to be available with a Max subscription (like so many other great A24 movies), I decided to explore the deconstruction of the American dream through the eyes of Adrien Brody’s László Tóth once more. To my surprise, one of the most charming (and talked about) parts of the movie was much different in this version. And I don’t know how I feel…

First Off, The Brutalist Is A Magnificent Film No Matter How You Watch It

Let me say this: there is no wrong way to watch The Brutalist. I felt the same way watching it on my TV at home as I did upon first experiencing the surprisingly cost-efficient drama on the big screen all those months ago. The imagery, the themes, the outstanding performances by Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones, and Joe Alwyn were just as moving on a 50-inch TV as they were in a dark theater.

If, for some reason, you think you missed the boat by not catching the theatrical run and are afraid you’ll lose something watching at home, know that this is not the case. I will admit that some of the scale is lost, but this was something I easily got over not long after László Tóth first arrived in America with the promise of a better future.

However, The Streaming Version Makes A Major Change To The Much-Talked-About Intermission

But there is one change that was made to The Brutalist on streaming when compared to the theatrical release. Remember how everyone was talking about the 15-minute intermission before the movie even came out late last year? Well, it’s still there in this version… it’s just shorter. Much shorter.

When the first half of the movie came to a close and “Intermission” flashed upon my screen, I expected to see the 15-minute timer ticking down. However, this version instead has a one-minute timer. Everything else about the sequence is the same – it’s still a static image of László and Erzsébet’s wedding before World War II upended their lives – but it just felt different.

I Can See Why The Change Was Made, But It Did Catch Me Off Guard

I’m not sure if it was Brady Corbet or A24 who decided to trim 14 minutes from the intermission for The Brutalist’s home release, but it does make sense. Having the ability to pause the movie during the intermission means you can make it a single minute, 15 minutes, or use it as an opportunity to split the movie into a two-part miniseries if you start it too late at night. Plus, it also makes the movie 14 minutes shorter…

However, the change caught me off guard and bummed me out a little. The intermission was one of the little charms and throwbacks to classic cinema that made The Brutalist such a unique theatrical experience. Like I said, it’s still a tremendously powerful movie that everyone should watch at least once, but I’m still a little bummed.

That said, go out and watch The Brutalist, take in its massive scope and scale, and press pause for 14 extra minutes during the intermission if you’re so inclined.

The 97th Academy Awards seemingly went off without a hitch this year, as the ceremony honored the 2025 Oscars winners. While the show was filled with memorable moments, there was one particular person viewers seemed to be buzzing about throughout the evening. That person was none other than host Conan O’Brien, who certainly made an impression. Now, it’s been confirmed that O’Brien will officially retain his hosting duties for next year’s telecast, and the comedian marked the occasion with a funny response.

Early on Monday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences formally announced Conan O’Brien’s return for the 98th Academy Awards, which will air on March 15, 2026. He’ll also be joined by a host of returning producers. Given the big news, it was probably expected that the former talk show host would release a statement of sorts. O’Brien did just that in a brief way and, unsurprisingly, he did so by playfully mentioning one of the award recipients from this year’s ceremony:

During this year’s Oscars, Adrien Brody won Best Actor for his performance in the critically acclaimed historical drama The Brutalist. Brody, who’d notably given longer acceptance speeches throughout awards season, took to the stage and shared a speech that clocked in at five minutes and thirty-six seconds. With that, he now holds the record for the longest address in the show’s history. It also seemed as though Brody, who waved off the exit music, wanted to say more – hence the Conan host’s joke.

It honestly makes plenty of sense that Conan O’Brien would be tapped to host the Oscars again. Even when O’Brien was just cracking jokes about being hired for this year’s show, it was evident that he was ready to shake up the proceedings. O’Brien’s opening monologue, which featured a slew of great jokes and a scene-stealing Adam Sandler, was excellent. The host even threw in a zinger about Kendrick Lamar and Drake.

The renowned ex-Late Night host also notably found ways to make the night a bit easier for attendees. He did so by providing guests with a snack box that included a pretzel and water. Included in each pack was also a humorous letter, with which the host explained that he asked Disney (who oversees the broadcast) if he could also include a gummy as a treat. However, that was apparently a “hard pass” from the House of Mouse.

Now, fans can begin to speculate as to what Mr. O’Brien will plan for next year. It may be easier to devise theories as the 2025 movie schedule continues to unfold. That’s because many of O’Brien’s quips and bits will likely center around the biggest motion pictures of this year. I could easily imagine a barb relating to the drama surrounding Disney’s live-action Snow White remake. There’s also the chance that O’Brien could parody Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, in which the actor will perform immense stunts.

I’m personally pleased to know that Conan O’Brien will officially be hosting the Oscars a second time. His first stint as host was absolutely phenomenal, and I’ve found myself rewatching O’Brien’s bits from time to time since the show aired live. Here's hoping his second outing goes as well if not better -- and that Adrien Brody can eventually fill him in on whatever else he may have wanted to talk about.

If you’re eager to see what the host does during next year’s broadcast, be sure to watch the 98th Academy Awards on ABC or stream it with a Hulu subscription in March 2026.

Anytime a movie is over two-and-a-half hours I have to brace myself. I know I’m in for a long haul, and a lot of the time, I dread it. In fact, sometimes it can make me put off seeing a film. There’s no denying a long runtime like this can make or break a movie. So, when I saw one of the best movies of 2024, The Brutalist, I was overwhelmed by its three-and-a-half-hour runtime and I was dreading seeing it. Thankfully, though, there was an intermission halfway through, and experiencing that showed me why all long movies need a break in the middle.

Following The Brutalist winning many 2025 Golden Globes, I knew I needed to trek to the theater to see it, despite being turned off by its runtime. However, I knew Brady Corbet’s movie had an intermission, which lessened the blow a bit, but I didn’t realize how much it’d help the movie succeed.

Corbet said that he needed The Brutalist to have an intermission, and it was simply because he has a hard time sitting still for over three hours. That’s true for me too, and I imagine it’s how many feel when they brace themselves for a long film. So, from a personal standpoint, it’s just nice to stand up, stretch and move before locking in for the second half.

From a story standpoint, The Brutalist has two distinct parts. Without spoiling much, the first part follows Adrien Brody’s Jewish immigrant architect László Tóth as he tries to make a life in the United States after escaping Europe during World War II. The second part follows his consistent work, the return of his wife and the micro and massive aggressions he faces due to discrimination and antisemitism.

That’s a lot to take in, and the break was perfect. It gave me time to decompress, think about what I saw and mentally prepare for what was to come. Also, I could use the bathroom without missing part of the movie. Then, that got me thinking about the fact that plays and musicals have been operating this way for ages, and we need movies to do this more too.

To really emphasize the impact the intermission had on my enjoyment of the film, I agreed with our review of The Brutalist and gave it four stars. However, if there wouldn’t have been an intermission, I would have given it a three.

Having the break in the middle made the movie less overwhelming, I thought of it as two 1 hr. 40 mins. movies rather than one massive three-and-a-half-hour film. Plus, the break gave me an opportunity to pause and reflect on what I saw while also relaxing for a second before getting back into things.

When I think about long movies I’ve seen in the last few years, I know runtime played into my overall opinion of them. While reviews for Killers of the Flower Moon were excellent, I got weighed down by how long and heavy the film was, a break would have helped. Kevin Costner’s Horizon would have benefitted greatly from an intermission too. Heck, even though I love Wicked, I’ll admit that it’s quite long and I did have to get up and go to the restroom when I saw it in theaters.

Basically, the point is, that breaks help us comprehend what we've seen, provide a reprieve, and give us an opportunity to stretch, use the bathroom and get a snack. People need time to process and breathe, and that's what intermissions give us -- The Brutalist is an excellent real example of how effective they can be.

In a world where 90-minute movies are ideal, having a ten to 15-minute intermission in a film that is over 2 hr. 30 min. would help audiences enjoy, process and look forward to extra-long movies rather than dread them. So, please, filmmakers and studios, put intermissions in your long movies!

If you are looking to see The Brutalist, an excellent film with a wonderful intermission, you can catch it in theaters now alongside many other exciting projects on the 2025 movie schedule.

The Academy Award for Best Actor has been handed out every year since 1929 — fun fact, it was awarded to German actor Emil Jannings for not one but two acclaimed roles, in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh — and in the near-century since, it's been presented 97 times to 86 actors. But while taking home that coveted statuette is definitely a career highlight for any performer, the honor does add a little extra pressure on the actor's next project. Will it be as beloved and acclaimed as the role that won them the gold? Here are 32 films that Oscar-winning actors did after taking home the Academy Award, and how they were received.

Cillian Murphy

After the enormity of portraying famed physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan's billion-dollar blockbuster Oppenheimer, and taking home the 2024 Oscar for Best Actor in the process, Cillian Murphy went small for his next film — literally. In the 2024 adaptation of Claire Keegan's Small Things Like These, Murphy returned to his native Ireland to play Bill, a quiet coal merchant and father of five internally struggling with the harsh realities of the infamous Magdalene Laundries. While Murphy didn't replicate the awards dominance of Oppenheimer with SMTLT, his internal and affecting performance was widely praised by critics.

Joaquin Phoenix

After four nominations throughout his decades-spanning career, Joaquin Phoenix finally took home that Best Actor statue in 2020 for his engrossing portrayal of the nihilistic clown Arthur Fleck in Todd Phillips' Joker. Following that iconic role, Phoenix next appeared in the 2021 Mike Mills dramedy C'mon C'mon, an improv-heavy performance that saw the actor play a middle-aged radio journalist tasked with babysitting his nephew (Woody Norman) while on the road for work. Phoenix was nominated for Outstanding Lead Performance at the Gotham Awards, and the film was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the Top 10 Independent Films of the year.

Will Smith

Will Smith had quite an, um, eventful evening when he took home the Oscar for Best Actor in 2022 for King Richard after two prior nominations (Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness). Winning an Oscar means that a spotlight is already bright on an actor, but the added publicity from the ceremony means his post-slap comeback would be even more scrutinized than usual. His follow-up was 2022's Emancipation, in which he played a runaway slave in 1860s Louisiana. Though the drama received mixed reviews overall, Smith won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance.

Anthony Hopkins

Though he's garnered six Oscar nominations across his illustrious acting career — with his most recent win being for 2021's The Father — Anthony Hopkins' first Academy Award was for that scene-stealing villain, psychiatrist turned serial killer Hannibal Lector in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs. Following up such an iconic performance is no small task and unfortunately, Hopkins' next film, 1992's Freejack opposite Emilio Estevez and Mick Jagger, was a sci-fi dud, bombing both with critics and audiences. During an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, Hopkins himself called the film "terrible."

Leonardo DiCaprio

Five-time nominee Leonardo DiCaprio had a bit of "always the bridesmaid" syndrome where the Academy Awards were concerned, until he finally took home the Best Actor Oscar for his emotionally raw and physically punishing performance in Alejandro G. Iñárritu's 2019 Western epic The Revenant. His next big-screen role was, graciously, a bit less cold and blustery, trading the frosty American Midwest for starry Los Angeles in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The latter received 10 Oscar nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, including a nod for DiCaprio's individual work.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington had already taken home a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for playing a Civil War soldier in the 1989 war drama Glory, but he got his first big Best Actor win for portraying corrupt LAPD officer Alonzo Harris in the 2001 crime thriller Training Day. His next performance was another memorable Denzel role: as the title character in the 2002 Nick Cassavetes-directed drama John Q, which saw Washington play a desperate father who takes a hospital emergency room hostage in order for his son to receive a heart transplant. Alas, despite some praise for Denzel's performance, the film itself boasts only a 26% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Robert De Niro

Six years after taking home the Best Supporting Actor statue for The Godfather Part II, Robert De Niro got his Best Actor win for his iconic and intense work as boxing champion Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull. A year later, De Niro put away the boxing gloves and picked up the Bible to play a Roman Catholic monsignor in 1981's True Confessions, opposite fellow The Godfather great Robert Duvall. Though reviews for the neo-noir were largely positive, the National Review's William F. Buckley, Jr. panned it: "Robert De Niro is badly miscast. He is never entirely convincing."

Matthew McConaughey

After acclaimed turns in 2011's Lincoln Lawyer and 2012's Magic Mike, the so-called "McConaissance" was officially solidified a year later with Matthew McConaughey's Oscar-winning portrayal of Ron Woodroof, a cowboy diagnosed with AIDS, in the biopic Dallas Buyers Club. Despite not having nearly as much screentime, the actor's next performance was just as memorable: a chest-thumping, meme-inducing extended cameo as Mark Hanna in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street.

Tom Hanks

Beyond being one of the most beloved actors of all time, Tom Hanks also holds a piece of cinema history: he's one of only two actors to win back-to-back Academy Awards for acting. Yes, that means after taking home the Best Actor Oscar for his heart-wrenching performance as HIV-positive lawyer Andrew Beckett in 1994's Philadelphia, Hanks struck Oscar gold yet again with his very next performance, as the titular lead of 1995's Forrest Gump.

Rami Malek

Rami Malek belted his way to an Oscar as legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in the glossy 2019 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. His first post-award performance also revolved around his voice — voice acting, that is, as Malek portrayed a mountain gorilla named Chee-Chee in the 2020 fantasy-adventure film Dolittle, with his future Oppenheimer co-star Robert Downey Jr. as the titular doc. The family-friendly flick received abysmal reviews from critics, with Courtney Howard of Variety writing: "What should have been an awe-filled adventure quickly curdles into an awful one, thanks to a pedestrian formula and the filmmakers' fixation on fart jokes."

Adrien Brody

In 2003, Adrien Brody made Oscar history when he won the Academy Award for Best Actor at age 29 for his portrayal of Władysław Szpilman in Roman Polanski's war drama The Pianist, becoming the youngest actor ever to win in that category. Later that year, he followed up his historic win with the musical crime comedy The Singing Detective, about a mystery writer (Robert Downey Jr.) who relives his detective stories through his imagination and hallucinations. The film scored a 39% "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx had one hell of a 2004, serving up not one but two award-worthy performances: He took home the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as soul great Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic Ray and also received a Best Supporting Actor nod that same year for his work in the crime film Collateral. It would be near-impossible for any performer to hit that kind of stratospheric high again, especially with Foxx's follow-up Stealth — the 2005 military action flick co-starring Josh Lucas and Jessica Biel was dubbed a "stink-bomb" by Roger Ebert.

Daniel Day-Lewis

Acting legend Daniel Day-Lewis deservedly holds the record for the most Best Actor awards ever, with three wins out of six nominations, but his first was for playing Christy Brown, a writer-artist born with cerebral palsy, in the 1989 drama My Left Foot. And though he would later follow that iconic role up by playing famous figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Bill the Butcher, his immediate next performance was as an Irish-American dentist traveling around Argentina in the forgettable 1989 dramedy Eversmile, New Jersey.

Jack Nicholson

The first of three Academy Awards for the legendary movie star, Jack Nicholson's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest performance as Randle McMurphy nabbed him the Oscar in 1976. Later that year, he would star as cattle rustler Tom Logan opposite Marlon Brandon in the Arthur Penn-helmed Western The Missouri Breaks. Coming hot on the heels of not only his own Oscar win but also Brando's for The Godfather, the film was highly anticipated — however, it failed to live up to those expectations and became a notorious critical and commercial flop.

Marlon Brando

One of the most iconic cinema stars of all time, Marlon Brando was nominated for eight Oscars across his decades-spanning career. He won two, the first being for his electrifying role as prizefighter turned longshoreman Terry Malloy in the 1954 crime drama On the Waterfront, widely considered one of the greatest acting performances of all time. His next role as Napoleon Bonaparte in the historical romance Désirée didn't win him any awards, but Variety reportedly called his performance "a masterful exhibition of thesping" at the time.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

The late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman had already solidified himself as a vibrant and vital supporting actor with films like The Talented Mr. Ripley, Almost Famous, Magnolia and 25th Hour, but his Oscar-winning portrayal of author Truman Capote in 2005's Capote officially upped him to leading man status. He would receive another three Oscar nominations in the years to follow, but his very next role was more of a crowd-pleaser than an awards grab: as arms dealer Owen Davian in Mission: Impossible III.

Russell Crowe

Audiences and critics alike were very much entertained by Russell Crowe's performance as Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 Rome-set epic Gladiator, which earned the New Zealand-born star the Best Actor Oscar at the 73rd Academy Awards. Crowe would go up for the same award only a year later, for his portrayal of American mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. in the biographical drama A Beautiful Mind, but he lost to Training Day lead Denzel Washington.

Jean Dujardin

Jean Dujardin rose to international fame with his performance as George Valentin in the 2011 silent movie The Artist — his Oscar win was a historic one, as he was the first French performer to ever take home the Best Actor statue. Despite his newfound Hollywood status, however, the actor-comedian returned to his native France for his next film credit: The Players, a 2012 comedy anthology co-starring Gilles Lellouche, with each man also directing and writing a segment.

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage's filmography is a wild ride, from critically acclaimed fare like Raising Arizona, Moonstruck and Adaptation to straight-to-video shlock. Thankfully, his 1995 drama Leaving Las Vegas falls into the former category, winning Cage the Best Actor Oscar for his role as alcoholic screenwriter Ben Sanderson. (Funnily enough, it's not one of Nic Cage's favorite Nic Cage movies.) His next movie was the 1996 action thriller The Rock, which also won Cage an award: the Best On-Screen Duo statue at the MTV Movie Awards alongside co-star Sean Connery.

Eddie Redmayne

British star Eddie Redmayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of famed theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking in the 2014 biographical drama The Theory of Everything. But that career high was immediately followed by a career-low: a Golden Raspberry Award — a parody award honoring cinematic failures — for Worst Supporting Actor for his work in the galactically goofy 2015 space opera Jupiter Ascending. Even he admitted his performance was bad!

Sidney Poitier

A movie icon through and through, Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier made history in 1964 as the first Black performer to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Lilies of the Field. A year later, he moved on from that seminal role with the 1965 Cold War thriller The Bedford Incident, as a civilian photojournalist aboard a U.S. Navy ship that gets into some messy business with a Soviet submarine. Though Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote that "the whole thing transcends plausibility," other critics clearly disagreed — the movie has an 86% Certified Fresh rating.

Sean Penn

After a trio of Best Actor nominations, Sean Penn's haunting performance as a grieving, vengeful father of a murdered Boston girl in the Clint Eastwood-directed neo-noir Mystic River finally got him the Academy Award in 2004. Later that year, Penn starred in yet another crime thriller, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, based on the story of the POTUS's would-be assassin Samuel Byck in the mid-1970s. The latter film didn't share the award-worthy gravitas of Mystic River, though, per Rotten Tomatoes, critical consensus said: "A fascinating true story and compelling Sean Penn performance are worthy compensations."

Roberto Benigni

Few Oscar wins were as memorable as Roberto Benigni's, what with presenter Sofia Loren's passionate declaration of "Roberto!" to Benigni's literal victory lap up to the stage. The Italian actor-director took the Best Actor trophy in 1998 for the Holocaust tragicomedy Life is Beautiful, making him the first honoree for a non-English language performance. A year later, he would appear in a very different movie: French-Italian-German comedy adventure flick Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar opposite Gérard Depardieu and Christian Clavier, which was a box office success.

Al Pacino

One of the most influential actors in modern cinema, Al Pacino was nominated for eight Academy Awards — including for The Godfather films, Serpico and the crime drama classic Dog Day Afternoon — before finally taking home the Best Actor statue for playing Frank Slade in 1992's Scent of a Woman. That Oscar win gave viewers an extra critical eye on his next role, as Nuyorican criminal Carlito Brigante in the De Palma crime drama Carlito's Way, however, reviews were largely positive.

Ben Kingsley

It's a daunting thing playing any famous figure in movies based on true stories, especially when the subject is so famous, that they need only one name. Case in point: Gandhi, the 1982 bio epic about the Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough and performed by English actor Sir Ben Kingsley. Luckily for them, the film won Best Picture and Kingsley took home the Best Actor award. Though his next project, the 1983 film adaptation of Harold Pinter's play Betrayal, didn't get Oscar acclaim, it was well-received by critics.

Humphrey Bogart

It seems surprising that Humphrey Bogart didn't win the Oscar for a role as iconic as Rick Blaine in the 1942 classic Casablanca. No, it would actually be another eight years until ol' Bogie won Best Actor for The African Queen, starring as Canadian mechanic Charlie Allnut opposite Katharine Hepburn's Methodist missionary Rose Sayer. His post-Oscar follow-up was the 1952 noir Deadline – U.S.A.: Variety said "Bogart gives a convincing performance all the way" as a big-city newspaper editor who exposes a gangster's crimes.

Forest Whitaker

Forest Whitaker was ferocious and formidable as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 historical drama The Last King of Scotland, one of his best performances that got the performer a Best Actor Oscar in '07. Later that year, the actor appeared in the ensemble crime drama The Air I Breathe alongside Kevin Bacon, Julie Delpy and Brendan Fraser. Though reviews for the film were overwhelmingly negative, several singled out Whitaker's performance. Annabelle Robertson at Crosswalk wrote: "Whitaker, in particular, is extremely sympathetic in his role—a feat that is all the more outstanding after his turn as the evil dictator in The Last King of Scotland."

Dustin Hoffman

After three Best Actor nods, New Hollywood icon Dustin Hoffman received his first Academy Award for playing half of a couple going through a devastating divorce (alongside an equally great Meryl Streep) in Kramer vs. Kramer in 1980. His next movie role is just as much of a classic: as Michael Dorsey-slash-Dorothy Michaels in the beloved 1982 comedy Tootsie, which nabbed the star yet another Best Actor nomination.

Gary Oldman

Gary Oldman was nearly unrecognizable in his prosthetics-heavy performance as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the 2017 historical drama Darkest Hour. The Academy Awards honored the quintessential Oldman role with a Best Actor award, his second nomination after Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. His next role was just as transformative, if not nearly as acclaimed: Oldman voiced an artificial intelligence in the 2018 sci-fi thriller Tau, which holds a woeful critical rating of 27% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Laurence Olivier

One of the most celebrated Shakespearean actors in film history, cinema icon Laurence Olivier starred in and directed adaptations of three of the Bard's best-known words, Henry V (1944), Hamlet (1948) and Richard III (1955), and earned a Best Actor Oscar for playing the Prince of Denmark. After portraying one of the most famous characters of all time, Olivier switched it up by cameoing as a no-name policeman in the 1951 drama The Magic Box, a "distinguished" bit of stunt casting that The New York Times praised as a delightful "extravagance."

Casey Affleck

Casey Affleck's devastating performance as a father grieving the loss of his three children in Kenneth Lonergan's gut-wrenching Manchester by the Sea clearly broke the collective hearts of the Academy, which voted to give the Boston-bred performer the Best Actor award in 2017. That year, he would tackle another exploration of love and loss with the supernatural drama A Ghost Story, which was a hit with critics — Richard Brody of The New Yorker included the title on his list of the decade's best films.

Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser experienced quite the career comeback when he took the Best Actor Oscar for his acclaimed performance as a morbidly obese, housebound English teacher in the 2022 Darren Aronofsky-directed melodrama The Whale. He kept those high-profile projects going with his next film credit, as attorney W. S. Hamilton in Martin Scorsese's stunning American crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon, which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

For nearly every BatFan, there is just one cinematic portrayal of the Joker that they consider to be the definitive iteration of the Clown Prince of Crime on screen. Some think of the late Heath Ledger’s Academy Award-winning performance in 2008’s The Dark Knight as the greatest of all time, while many others would say no one has beaten Jack Nicholson from Tim Burton’s 1989 classic, but quite a few believe neither of them hold a candle to Mark Hamill’s vocal performance in Batman: The Animated Series and several great animated Batman movies, too. Lest we forget, however, that these legends were never the only ones considered for the iconic role.

It is very rare that an actor chosen to bring a popular comic book character to life on the big screen is the first choice for the job. For instance, the list of actors who could have played Batman is pretty long and the amount of actors considered to portray Superman is hefty enough to give the Man of Steel himself a challenge. The Dark Knight’s maniacal arch-nemesis is absolutely no exception, and you might find yourself asking if we are the ones playing a joke when you check out the following collection of actors who could have joined the live-action DC movies’ legacy as the Joker.

Adrien Brody

In the eyes of many, The Dark Knight is the greatest live-action Batman movie ever and a key reason why is Heath Ledger’s unforgettably grim portrayal of the central villain. However, before the Australian was cast in his definitive role, an actor who already had an Oscar under his belt tried out for the part.

As MTV reported in 2010, The Piano star Adrien Brody confirmed a rumor that he met with director Christopher Nolan for the role of the Joker while speaking at that year’s South By Southwest Festival. He had nothing but praise for the late actor who ended up winning the part, but admits he would have been honored to take on the role, which would have marked his comic book movie debut — a bucket list item the Asteroid City cast member still has yet to cross off.

Brad Dourif

Academy Award nominee Brad Dourif is an undisputed horror icon for originating one of the most beloved horror movie villains (Chucky from the Child’s Play franchise) and owning the screen in the underrated The Exorcist III, in addition to his memorable turn in the Lord of the Rings movies as Grima Wormtongue. Yet, he came close to adding another dastardly character to his repertoire which would have increased his notoriety by a hundredfold.

According to Business Insider, when asked if he would ever voice the Joker during a panel at the New York Comic Con in 2013, Dourif replied with the surprise reveal that he almost played the character in live-action. Apparently, he was Tim Burton’s original choice to play Jack Napier in 1989’s Batman, but Warner Bros. rejected the idea, leading to Jack Nicholson’s famous casting.

Ryan Gosling

While I certainly understand most of the gripes fans have with Jared Leto’s Joker, I am not someone who outright hates the Academy Award winner’s portrayal in 2016’s Suicide Squad, and even believe Zack Snyder’s Justice League shows the potential this iteration had. However, speaking as a fan of Ryan Gosling, I would have kicked the future Morbius star out the door in favor of the future Barbie cast member in a heartbeat.

Indeed, according to The Wrap, Gosling was approached to play the DC Extended Universe’s version of the Clown Prince of Crime in David Ayer’s villain crossover flick. Unfortunately, he was not willing to agree to a multi-picture deal and, thus, the role went to his future Blade Runner 2049 co-star.

John Lithgow

Because of his friendly aura and innocent appearance, it is easy to forget that John Lithgow is a phenomenal force when it comes to playing bad guys — such as his Emmy-winning performance as, arguably, the all-time best antagonist on Dexter, Arthur Mitchell, or the voice of Lord Farquad from the Shrek movies, to name just a few. For that reason, I would have loved to see what he would have done with the role of The Joker.

As a guest on The Discourse podcast (via The Playlist), Joe Dante recalled how, in the early 1980s, he was offered the chance to bring Batman to the big screen following the success of Gremlins, and wanted to give the villainous role to Lithgow, whom he had met on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie. He wound up becoming so excited by the idea of the actor as The Joker that it made him less interested in the title hero, ultimately driving him away from the project altogether.

Frank Sinatra

The first feature-length live-action Batman movie, Batman: The Movie, was spun-off from a classic, campy series from the mid-1960s that starred Adam West in the title role. That era’s Joker was played beautifully by Cesar Romero, but rumors have suggested that an actor who hoped to take on the juicy role before his casting was Academy Award winner Frank Sinatra.

As it turns out, the rumor is true and was confirmed by Burt Ward in the book, Truth and Rumors: The Reality Behind TV's Most Famous Myths (via The FW). The Robin actor claimed that the renowned actor and musician "was very upset because he couldn’t play The Joker." With all due respect to Romero, it is a sight I would been very curious to see.

Robin Williams 

Perhaps the most well-known and infamous example of an actor who could have played The Joker is the late Robin Williams. Reason being: he truly did come very close to landing the role for Batman ’89 but, as the Academy Award winner claims, his offer was not particularly genuine.

In a 1993 interview for Mrs. Doubtfire (from take2markTV), Williams claims that Warner Bros. offered him the role as “bait” to attract the attention of their primary choice, Jack Nicholson. He would echo that statement years later in an interview with Empire, in which he mentions that a similar situation happened with Batman Forever, in which he was given the opportunity to play The Riddler before the part went to Jim Carrey.

While these beloved actors may not have gotten the last laugh, we can at least agree that, in most cases, the role of The Joker ultimately went to the right person.

It is not unusual for an actor just starting out in the business to film scenes for a movie that, ultimately, never see the light of the day. In fact, it's not out of the ordinary for that same thing to happen to an established A-lister either. See for yourself by taking a look at some of the biggest stars you did not realize were almost in some of your favorite film, if not for the magic of editing.

Ana De Armas (Yesterday)

Yesterday is a universe-altering movie that takes place in a reality in which the Beatles never existed. Coincidentally, there exists an alternate cut of the film featuring Ana de Armas as a Late Late Show guest Himesh Patel’s Jack Malik romantically sings “Something” to. Per writer, Richard Curtis explained that the character was cut to avoid making Jack’s relationship with Ellie (Lily James) any more complicated. Though De Armas did appear in the trailer, and fans pursued legal action against Universal over the marketing.

Kevin Costner (The Big Chill) 

In one of the best movies of the ‘80s, The Big Chill, a group of friends reunite for the funeral of their friend, Alex, who was supposed to be played by the future Oscar-winning star and director of Dances with Wolves (pictured), Kevin Costner. Star Jeff Goldblum told Yahoo! that the Yellowstone cast member was “wonderful” in a flashback scene that was ultimately cut from the 1983 ensemble dramedy, in which his character finds himself reluctant to carve a Thanksgiving turkey and ruin its perfection.

Christopher Lee (The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King)

One of the most important characters from the Lord of the Rings movies, Saruman, is not in the third installment, The Return of the King. Per Ain’t It Cool News, Peter Jackson felt his scene — which was originally shot for The Two Towers — served as more of a wrap-up to the previous film than a suitable beginning for this one. While appearing at University College Dublin, Saruman actor Christopher Lee shared how shocked he was to learn his scene from the Best Picture Oscar winner — in which he stands off against the Fellowship — was cut before recommending the crowd “buy the extended DVDs.”

Harrison Ford (E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial)

Steven Spielberg told EW that, as a favor to him and writer Melissa Mathison (also his then-girlfriend), Harrison Ford shot a scene for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial as Elliot’s (Henry Thomas) school principal that can be found on YouTube today. It never made the final cut of the 1982 box office smash, but know that had it been included, the star of the Indiana Jones movies (pictured) still would have gone mostly unseen as the camera never shows his face.

Andy García (Dangerous Minds)

Andy García told BlogTalkRadio (via Express) that when he was approached to star in 1995’s Dangerous Minds as a love interest for Michelle Pfeiffer’s inner city teacher, Louanne Johnson, he openly expressed that he found the role unnecessary. Still, the star of Father of the Bride (pictured) shot the scenes that were written for him (but not included in the initial script). But they were indeed removed from the final cut.

James Gandolfini (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close)

The late James Gandolfini shot scenes for 2011’s Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close as a man Sandra Bullock’s widowed character meets at a 9/11 victims support group meeting. The Sopranos cast member (pictured) was even credited on the Oscar-nominated drama’s poster. According to the LA Times — his role was removed following a poor test audience reception.

Eric Stoltz (Back to the Future)

One of the most infamous examples of an actor cut from a movie — save one frame — is Eric Stoltz, who led the Back to the Future cast for about a month before director Robert Zemeckis and others realized his “intense” approach to the role was not working. As Collider recalls, Zemeckis got approval to reshoot most of the movie and replace Stoltz with their initial choice, Michael J. Fox, whose performance in the time travel movie classic as Marty McFly is iconic.

Ashley Judd (Natural Born Killers)

In a sequence cut from Natural Born Killers (which can be found on YouTube), Ashley Judd plays Grace Mulberry — the sole survivor of Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory Knox’s (Juliette Lewis) mass teenager murder. She appears in court to be personally cross-examined by Mickey, who then stabs her to death with a pencil on the stand. In an interview for Metrograph, director Oliver Stone recalls removing it for its “length, and violence,” but now believes the “touching” scene belongs in the controversial 1994 satire.

Tobey Maguire (Life Of Pi)

In 2012’s adaptation of the novel, Life of Pi, the title character (portrayed as an older man by Irrfan Khan) recalls his unbelievable story of survival to a writer, played by English actor, Rafe Spall. However, according to USA Today, the role was originally played by Tobey Maguire until director Ang Lee decided the sSpider-Man star (pictured) was too distractingly recognizable and opted for reshoots. 

Chris Cooper (The Ring)

Anyone who ever wondered who Naomi Watts’ Rachel passes the curse tape along to at the end of The Ring should know it was Chris Cooper. The Oscar-winning star of Adaptation. (pictured) told Sci-Fi Wire (via MovieHole) that he shot bookend scenes for the 2002 horror movie classic. One establishes his character as a serial killer and the other shows him receiving the tape. Both were cut for disrupting the flow.

Shailene Woodley (The Amazing Spider-Man 2)

The Amazing Spider-Man franchise was meant to introduce of Shailene Woodley as Mary-Jane Watson to Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker. Per MovieWeb, the Divergent star did shoot a cameo for TASM 2, which was later cut so she could officially debut in the next film — a plan ruined when the franchise was cancelled completely.

Robert Pattinson (Vanity Fair)

Before Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson played lovers in Water for Elephants, they played mother and son in the 2004 period drama, Vanity Fair. But the then-teenage actor — who went on to hit it big in Twilight (pictured) — was cut from the move, which he discovered while attending the premiere, according to his 2017 W Magazine interview.

Skeet Ulrich (Cursed)

The 2005 werewolf movie, Cursed, marked a reunion for director Wes Craven, writer Kevin Williamson, and original Scream cast member Skeet Ulrich that audiences never saw. According to MovieHole (via Killer Movies), Ulrich — also known for Riverdale (pictured) — was removed in lieu of studio-optioned rewrites and reshoots. But in 2022, the Scream fan site, Hello Sidney, revealed his role via stills from an unreleased director's cut.

Michael Biehn (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

Despite Kyle Reese' death in 1984’s The Terminator, Michael Biehn reprised the role in the 1991 sequel, which is now regarded one of the greatest action movies of all time. However, according to ScreenRant, the sequence — in which he comes to Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) in a dream — was cut from Terminator 2: Judgment Day to maintain a tighter pace, but was later restored for an extended special edition. 

Angela Bassett (Mr. & Mrs. Smith)

Technically, Angela Bassett is in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but her part as Brad Pitt’s boss was originally meant to be more than an uncredited voice role. On YouTube, you can find deleted scenes from Doug Liman’s 2004 romantic action-comedy with the two-time Oscar nominee appearing in person alongside Keith David as Father.

Adrien Brody (The Thin Red Line)

Several major actors had their roles were either severely trimmed or completely removed from Terrence Malick’s 1998 war epic, The Thin Red Line, like including Mickey Rourke and George Clooney, as ScreenRant recalls. However, Academy Award-winner Adrien Brody’s character, Cpl. Fife, was the central lead of James Jones' original novel and had even done press for the film when he discovered right before the premiere that he was barely in it, per The Independent (via Eskimo).

Mick Jagger (Fitzcarraldo)

Mick Jagger’s underrated acting skills were praised by Werner Herzog (per Playboy, via The Local), who cast the rock star in his 1982 adventure film, Fitzcarraldo. Unfortunately, according to Far Out, multiple problems facing the production — including star Jason Robards’ dysyntery, as the New York Times reported — caused a delay that interfered with The Rolling Stone's touring schedule. Thus, Herzog was forced to recast Robards’ title role with Klaus Kinski and write Jagger’s character out entirely.

Matt Damon (Ocean's 8)

Ocean’s 8 had some fun cameos from members of Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven cast — namely Elliott Gould’s Rueben and Shaobo Qin as Yen — but we almost saw more. In addition to the late Carl Reiner telling Vanity Fair he filmed a scene with Sandra Bullock, THR reports that Matt Damon's cameo as Linus Caldwell from the 2001 heist favorite (pictured) was taken out due to “editorial and storytelling reasons,” as director Gary Ross claimed. The article does, however, mention a petition to remove Damon following comments he made about the #MeToo movement and Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Michelle Monaghan (Constantine, Syriana)

When Michelle Monaghan spoke to MovieHole to promote Mission: Impossible III, it was mentioned that she was removed from two different movies released in 2005: Constantine and Syriana. The fantasy comic book movie did preserve one of her scenes, but she's nowhere to be found in Steven Soderbergh’s Oscar-winning political drama, which already had many storylines to juggle, as Monaghan herself mentioned.

Tim Roth (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)

Tim Roth is in many of Quentin Tarantino’s best movies — including Pulp Fiction (pictured) — and came very close to joining 2019’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. But Tarantino was orced to remove Roth's part to avoid a five-hour runtime. Roth did share in an interview with Uproxx that he appreciated, at least, being mentioned in the credits as “cut.”

Ellen Pompeo (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind) 

As a video essay by Film Radar demonstrates, if Ellen Pompeo role’s in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind had not been removed, we would have seen Michel Gondry’s trippy romantic sci-fi dramedy in a whole different light. In deleted scenes, the Grey’s Anatomy star plays Naomi — the woman Jim Carrey’s Joel left for Clementine (Kate Winslet) and whom he reconciles with after his memory wipe. Though he leaves her again when he meets Clementine on the train, unaware he has done this before.

Paul Rudd (Bridesmaids)

The Bridesmaids cast included plenty of funny people, but did you know Paul Rudd was also part of it for a moment? Director Paul Feig told EW he “felt bad” cutting the Ant-Man actor’s darkly funny cameo as Annie’s (co-writer Kristen Wiig) deranged blind date, but did so to shave down the runtime and avoid distracting from Annie’s love triangle with Ted (Jon Hamm) and Rhodes (Chris O’Dowd).

Katherine Langford (Avengers: Endgame)

In a deleted scene from Avengers: Endgame, immediately after Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) “snaps” Thanos (Josh Brolin) away, he is given the chance to say one final goodbye to an older version of his daughter, Morgan (Katherine Langford), in the Soulworld. At least the sequence’s omission gives Langford a chance to play a different Marvel character at some point, hopefully.

Uma Thurman (Savages) 

The 2012 crime drama Savages could have been touted as a reunion between John Travolta and Uma Thurman, who first worked together on Pulp Fiction (pictured), had the latter’s role as Ophelia’s (Blake Lively) mother not been removed. Director Oliver Stone revealed to Huff Post that Paqu was actually one of several character from Don Winslow’s novel did not make it into the movie due to time constraints.

Amy Poehler (Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy)

When mentioning her axed cameo as a bank teller in 2004’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy with Vulture, Amy Poehler admits she correctly predicted the movie was already too long to keep her scene, which also featured fellow SNL star Maya Rudolph as a gang leader. Thankfully, the Parks and Rec cast member did appear in the 2013 sequel alongside her buddy, Tina Fey.

Rachel Weisz (To The Wonder)

In 2012, Rachel Weisz spoke to La Stampa (via EW) about how she had the pleasure of working with Terrence Malick on To the Wonder, but would “not have the pleasure of seeing [her] work.” For unknown reasons, the Oscar-winning star of The Constant Gardener (pictured) was removed from the romantic drama starring Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko. And she wasn't alone, as IndieWire later reported that Barry Pepper, Michael Sheen and Amanda Peet were also missing from the final cut.

Viggo Mortenson (The Purple Rose Of Cairo)

One of the first movies Academy Award nominee Viggo Mortenson worked on was Woody Allen’s 1985 fantasy rom-com, The Purple Rose of Cairo. The star of the Lord of the Rings movies (pictured) spoke to ABC News' Peter Travers about how his frustrating experience shooting the film turned out to be meaningless since he was edited out the movie after it was released.

Matthew Fox (World War Z)

The 2013 adaptation of Max Brooks’ World War Z was plagued by rewrites and reshoots that resulted in an entirely new third act from what was intended. As a result, Lost cast member Matthew Fox’s role as a paratrooper was scaled down to just one line of dialogue, which may have been disappointing for the self-proclaimed fan of the OG book, per Huff Post.

Jack Whitehall (Frozen)

In a clip shared to Jack Whitehall’s official YouTube channel, the British comedian shares with an audience how his one-line role as a troll in Disney’s Oscar-winning animated film, Frozen, was reduced to a non-speaking part. The Jungle Cruise cast member and star of Clifford the Big Red Dog (pictured) goes on to say that, after discovering his line was removed when he first saw the movie, a friend of his found a photo of him at a Frozen press junket and meme-ified it. 

James Van Der Beek (Storytelling)

Tom Solondz’s 2002 anthology dramedy, Storytelling, consists of two segments dealing with various challenging topics, but there were original three. As EW reported, the omitted third chapter starred James Van Der Beek — known for being part of the Dawson’s Creek cast and Varsity Blues (pictured) — as a high school football player discovering he's gay.

Sienna Miller (Black Mass)

Before the 2015 crime thriller released, it was already confirmed tha Sienna Miller had been cut from Black Mass. She was cast as Catherine Greig, who had a relationship infamous gangster, Whitey Bulger (played by Johnny Depp in the film). Director Scott Cooper admitted to The Boston Globe that it was a difficult decision to remove the English actor -- then best known for American Sniper (pictured) -- but it ultimately “came down to narrative choices.”

Jena Malone (Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice)

Following previous rumors that she would play Robin, Jena Malone’s comic book movie debut in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice actually never made it to the big screen. Luckily, her role as head S.T.A.R. Labs scientist Jenet Klyburn — first revealed in leaked footage —  would be included in the 2016 DC movie’s three-hour “Ultimate Cut."

So if your friends ever quiz you about has or hasn't starred in major movies, this list should provide you with some interesting loopholes.

It isn’t that uncommon for a director to build a troupe of actors and continually call on them for the latest and greatest projects. Greats like Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Christopher Nolan have done it a lot over the years, working time and time again with the likes of Robert De Niro, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Cillian Murphy, respectively; and so too does Wes Anderson.

In addition to each of his movies featuring a unique sense of style and humor, as well as his signature shots, Anderson’s work has largely featured the same group of actors (though some get off the bus while others get on) taking on various roles. Names like Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, and Owen Wilson quickly come to mind when this discussion is brought up, but who’s appeared in the most movies directed by the quirky and eccentric filmmaker? Well, funny you should ask… 

Bill Murray - 9 Movies 

In a June 2023 interview with Deadline, Anderson said he “can’t imagine not working with” Bill Murray again, and that the only reason the actor wasn’t part of Asteroid City was because he contracted COVID ahead of production. But, even though he didn’t appear in the movie CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg called a “meta, Looney Tunes-esque delight,” he’s still the most prolific of all of Anderson’s collaborators.

In fact, since first working with the filmmaker for his 1998 sophomore effort, Rushmore, Murray has appeared in all of his movies, both live-action and animated, outside of the aforementioned Asteroid City. This comes to a total of nine films. He doesn’t always have the biggest role, but more times than not, he steals the show.

Jason Schwartzman - 8 Movies

Jason Schwartzman, in addition to being on one of the greatest HBO shows that ended too early, has also been one of Anderson’s most called upon stars, including for Asteroid City. Since first landing the starring role in Rushmore (his feature film debut), the former Phantom Planet drummer has appeared in all but two of the director’s movies: The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Schwarzman isn’t always the main attraction, but more times than not, he serves as a nice addition in films like The Grand Budapest Hotel and Moonrise Kingdom. And, when he’s not around, the actor’s absence can be felt.

Owen Wilson - 7 Movies

The partnership shared by Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson is unlike any other on this list, as the Loki star has not only acted in seven of the director’s movies, but also co-written several of them. They first collaborated on the 1994 short film, Bottle Rocket, which would be turned into their respective feature film debuts two years later. The future “Frat Pack” member would also receive writing credit for Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, though he didn’t act in the former (maybe his spot in the Armageddon cast got in the way).

Since then, the Texas native has been in every Anderson movie save for Moonrise Kingdom, Isle of Dogs, and Asteroid City. His roles have ranged from the lead in The Darjeeling Limited to small parts in the likes of The French Dispatch.

Adrien Brody - 5 Movies

Unlike the first three actors on this list, Adrien Brody didn’t start working with the director until his fifth movie, The Darjeeling Limited. But ever since appearing in the 2007 comedy about three estranged brothers who embark on a “spiritual journey,” the Academy Award-winning actor has appeared in five of Anderson’s movies, missing only two: Moonrise Kingdom and Isle of Dogs.

Some of Anderson’s best movies have featured Brody in roles ranging from minor parts like Mouse in Fantastic Mr. Fox to unforgettable characterizations in the likes of The Grand Budapest Hotel, and everywhere in between. 

Anjelica Huston - 5 Movies

Anjelica Huston, with her Oscar, Golden Globe, and collection of other accolades, is another prolific collaborator of Anderson’s. Since playing Etheline Tenenbaum in 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums, the actress appeared in four additional movies, the most recent being The French Dispatch, which featured her as the narrator for the movie’s introduction.

It should also be noted that Huston does appear in the Isle of Dogs cast, even though she plays a character listed as “Mute Poodle,” as Anderson couldn’t find a proper speaking role for the talented actress. 

Bob Balaban - 5 Movies

Although he is best known for his appearances in Christohper Guest’s movies, Bob Balaban is also a frequent collaborator with Wes Anderson, appearing in a total of five movies over the years.

Ever since he provided the narration in Moonrise Kingdom, Balaban has had some kind of role in Anderson’s films, including the 2023 release of Asteroid City. He’s not the first actor you probably think of when discussing the filmmaker’s work, but Balaban is prolific nonetheless. 

Edward Norton - 5 Movies

Just like Balaban and the actress who follows just below, Edward Norton has appeared in all five of Wes Anderson’s most recent films dating back to Moonrise Kingdom. These appearances have been all over the place, with the talented actor playing every type of character from a boy scout leader in the 2012 coming-of-age comedy to an inspector from a fictional European country in The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Norton most recently appeared in Asteroid City, in which he played Conrad Earp, the legendary playwright who crafted the stage production at the heart of the movie. 

Tilda Swinton - 5 Movies

Including her portrayal of a tenacious and determined social services worker in Moonrise Kingdom, Tilda Swinton has had a sizable role in five of Anderson’s movies. The talented Academy Award-winning actress has helped bring to life some of the filmmaker’s most unforgettable characters during that stretch, including writer J.K.L. Berensen in the first of three main stories in the 2021 comedy film, The French Dispatch.

Swinton brings a fun and unique energy to each of her performances in his movies, which is probably why the director continues to call up on her as often as he does.

Willem Dafoe - 5 Movies

Willem Dafoe first worked with Wes Anderson in 2004’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which just happens to be one of the actor’s best movies. Since he played Zissou’s deeply devoted first mate, Klaus Daimler, nearly 20 years ago, Dafoe has gone on to appear in four additional Anderson pics, the most recent being Asteroid City.

Though his characters have been all over the spectrum of good and evil, Dafoe has been consistently great in each of his portrayals, creating some hilarious, heartfelt, and unforgettable moments, even when he doesn’t get a lot of screen time.

Jeff Goldblum - 4 Movies

And then there is Jeff Goldblum, who has appeared in a total of four Anderson movies. The partnership started with 2004’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and has continued sporadically over the years. 

The iconic actor most recently appeared in Asteroid City, but we won’t go into the identity of his character so that we don’t spoil anything for those who have yet to see the movie.

These are Wes Anderson’s most prolific collaborators, but there are many other actors who have appeared in his various releases for the past quarter-century or so. Luke WIlson (3), Tony Revolori (3), Liev Schreiber (3), Fisher Stevens (4), Frances McDormand (3), Jeffrey Wright (2), and countless others have worked with the director on more than one occasion. We can expect this list to change in time, especially with The Phoenician Scheme on the way.

Warning: spoilers for Asteroid City are in play. If you haven’t seen this movie just yet, you’ve been warned. 

“You can’t wake up if you don’t go to sleep.” It’s the line that pops up out of nowhere and stuns audiences in Wes Anderson’s new film Asteroid City, which is about to open in wide release this weekend. The 2023 new movie release is one of his most experimental, thanks in part to this philosophical broadside that plows into a movie already navigating two realms of reality. So I had to ask the cast about this baffling statement from the film, who in turn have provided some interesting interpretations of their own. 

While speaking with Adrien Brody and Jeffrey Wright, Brody immediately picked up on the question at hand. Though he deferred the question to his interview partner, which allowed Wright to rope in some knowledge from a previous Wes Anderson movie. Sharing his thoughts with CinemaBlend, the actor's interpretation of this mystery is quite intriguing: 

Indeed, the ending to Asteroid City seems to be playing in the same sort of themes that The French Dispatch’s various finales all took part in. In Wright’s summation of the more recent movie’s conclusion, it would appear that Wes Anderson has played with some massively relevant social themes in his more recent films.

One could even expand that opinion to cover The Grand Budapest Hotel, and its charmingly whimsical caper set against a nation sinking under a growing tide of fascism. Just like with his previous filmography, the trailer for Asteroid City hides this greater playground of thought in the usual candy colored settings and stylistic choices the independent auteur has always used to get his message across. 

Looking at Asteroid City in the context of modern day issues was the common thread that ran through the rest of the rooms I interviewed as well. When speaking with Hope Davis and Steven Park, their read on “You can’t wake up if you don’t fall asleep” tied into another key piece of dialogue delivered by Adrien Brody’s Schubert Green. Piecing together the themes of the picture a little more in their own way, here’s Davis and Park’s reactions: 

Steven Park: Well it’s a little bit of a zen koan, that’s my interpretation, where you can’t quite understand it intellectually. But the idea of waking up to the present moment, waking up to wonder. I think that’s kind of what Wes is pointing to, that there is something that’s beyond what we can understand. And like what Adrien Brody’s character is saying to Jason’s character about, ’Just keep on telling the story You’re doing great. You don’t need to understand it. Just keep moving forward.’’

Hope Davis: Me too, that’s my favorite line in the movie. … I feel every day that I’m battling this wave of information and digital content. To me it’s about saying we have to put it down, and go to sleep. It’s very literal in a way, we have to find a way to get back to a more natural rhythm of actually detaching from the world. Letting your brain shut down, so you could actually be with the person that you’re facing the next day; rather than everyone kind of existing in this half kind of awake, half there/half not there. I think this is something that Wes must have a strong opinion about, because you never see him distracted. I’ve never seen him hold a phone, I don’t know if he has a phone. But I think it’s like, we’ve gotta reconnect. 

Park: I think we tend to, especially because we’re all connected to social media and whatever, we tend to walk around in this trance state. And it’s kind of a call to, ‘Hey, wake up. There’s something happening in front of you right here, right now.’

Already some have picked up on the possibility that Wes Anderson took the events of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other current events of dismay, and expressed his own thoughts on those themes in Asteroid City. Hope Davis’ thoughts especially opened the door to a moral that encourages us to stop doom-scrolling and go back to dreaming. 

It was all brought home in the final room for the day, as Maya Hawke and Rupert Friend were my final stop on this tour of talk. Returning to that question one last time, their sentiments aligned perfectly with their cast mates, while also adding a deeper context. What Hawke and Friend provided to CinemaBlend is as follows: 

Maya Hawke: I think it means if you don’t take the time to rest, and to let go, you’ll never really have awareness of what’s happening in the world around you. Anyone can have a different interpretation, but awakeness in terms of like spiritual awakeness and presence in your own life; being present. And you can’t really be present if you don’t let yourself rest.

Rupert Friend: I would go a little bit more into the sort of meditation side of things. I think it’s about shedding the ego in the sense of ‘I,’ and remembering that everything is connected. And if you want to enter that dream, it is a true dream, then you drop this notion of ‘us and them.’ 

No matter which film of his you’re discussing, the unifying element throughout Wes Anderson’s movies is that they’re all set in a world slightly removed from ours. Whether it’s through varying layers of reality, or even in the context of aspect ratios and varying time periods, we the audience aren’t in the same world as the characters of a film like Asteroid City. 

The question of whether that makes Anderson’s message easier or more difficult to access is up to interpretation. This is probably part of why the cast took part in that Wes Anderson TikTok trend, as a good way to sell a movie of such a complex tone. 

“You can’t wake up if you don’t fall asleep” is one of the lines people will be dissecting for some time to come after experiencing it firsthand. If you’re ready to take this wild ride of aliens, quarantines, martini vending machines, and theater for yourself, Asteroid City is currently in theaters. Just remember, you can’t wake up if you don’t fall asleep. But if you fall asleep at the wrong time, you could miss one of the most Wes Anderson shots in the film.

Over the course of the past few years, Rian Johnson has given the world two of the best whodunits in recent memory with 2019’s Knives Out, and its 2022 sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Both of those films were beloved by critics and audiences alike, thanks in part to their incredible and incredibly complex stories, off-beat humor, and remarkable characters played by some of the best actors in Hollywood. But before Johnson gets to work on the upcoming third movie in the franchise, he is turning his attention to the small screen with his Peacock original series, Poker Face, which, to the surprise of no one, brings together some top-notch talent.

After watching the first four episodes of the new “mystery of the week” 2023 TV series, there’s a good chance you’re wondering who that was appearing alongside Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale. Well, worry no more, as we are about to break down some of the members of the Poker Face cast and why they look so familiar.

Natasha Lyonne (Charlie Cale)

Leading the Poker Face cast is Natasha Lyonne, who takes on the role of Charlie Cale, a casino worker on the run who has the remarkable ability to figure out if someone is lying or not, which comes in handy when she’s out on the road solving one mystery after another.

Lyonne has done a little bit of everything throughout her career, including everything from appearing in the Dennis the Menace cast to serving as one of the leads in the American Pie franchise, and so much more. The past decade has been an especially busy period for Lyonne, as she has led TV shows like Orange Is the New Black and Russian Doll, with smaller roles on the likes of The Simpsons, Big Mouth, Portlandia, and the 2019 Netflix musical comedy, John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch. 

Adrien Brody (Sterling Frost Jr.)

Adrien Brody shows up on Poker Face as Sterling Frost Jr., Charlie’s boss who happens to be obsessed with her ability to know when someone is lying.

Brody, who previously worked with Rian Johnson for the 2008 crime caper, The Brothers Bloom, has put together one of the most varied filmographies of any actor working today, one that includes family-friendly sports flicks (Angels in the Outfield), horror-bent action films (Predators), and a few of Wes Anderson’s best movies (the most recent being The French Dispatch). This also includes an Oscar-winning performance in The Pianist, a great portrayal of Salvador Dali in Midnight in Paris, and Peter Jackson’s 2005 remake of King Kong, to name only a few. 

Benjamin Bratt (Cliff Legrand)

Next up is Benjamin Bratt, who shows up as Cliff Legrand, a mysterious and dangerous figure never too far behind Charlie after she goes on the run.

No stranger to the “mystery of the week” format used by the new show, Bratt appeared as Detective Rey Curtis in nearly 100 episodes of Law & Order, as well as the 1998 TV-Movie, Exiled: A Law & Order Movie, and a few crossover episodes with Homicide: Life on the Street. Bratt has landed roles on shows like Private Practice, The Cleaner, and, most recently, the HBO Max limited series, DMZ. Bratt has also worked on movies like Demolition Man, Traffic, Love in the Time of Cholera, and Doctor Strange. 

Chloë Sevigny (Ruby Ruin)

Then there is Chloë Sevigny, who appears on the show as Ruby Ruin, the lead singer of a heavy metal band encountered by Charlie on the Peacock series.

Arguably one of the best actresses living today, Sevigny has made a career out of providing unique and commanding performances across the board, including in shocking cult classic indie films like Kids, Gummo, American Psycho, and The Brown Bunny, as well as critically acclaimed movies like Boys Don’t Cry, which earned her an Oscar nomination. Throughout her career, Sevigny has also given outstanding performances in the likes of Zodiac, The Dead Don’t Die, Queen & Slim, and most recently, Bones and All. In addition to her film roles, Sevigny has also appeared on shows like Big Love, Russian Doll, Bloodline, and The Girl from Plainville. 

Lil Rel Howery (Taffy)

Another talented actor with a long list of credits to appear on Poker Face is Lil Rel Howery, who takes on the role of BBQ pitmaster Taffy.

Howery has been a busy figure in the entertainment industry for nearly a decade now, thanks to roles on shows like Friends of the People, The Carmichael Show, and even his own comedy series Rel, plus various voice-acting gigs. And, since making his film debut as Rod Williams in Jordan Peele’s psychological horror film, Get Out, in 2017, Howery has been all over the palace in tinseltown. This includes roles in movies like Bird Box, Judas and the Black Messiah, Fatherhood, Vacation Friends, Free Guy, and Deep Water. 

Dascha Polanco (Natalie)

Next up is Dascha Polanco, who shows up as Charlie’s friend, Natalie.

Fans of the Orange Is the New Black cast will instantly recognize Polanco from her portrayal of Dayanara “Daya” Diaz on all but a few episodes of the all-time great Netflix series. Her other TV appearances include Russian Doll, When They See Us, Evil, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Over the years, she has also appeared in several movies, including The Irishman, In the Heights, and Samaritan alongside Sylvester Stallone. 

John Ratzenberger (Abe)

John Ratzenberger appears in an episode of Poker Face, taking on the role of Abe, his latest in a long line of credits going back decades.

To some, Ratzenberger is best remembered for his portrayal of Cliff on the iconic ‘80s sitcom, Cheers, while others will recognize his voice from his multiple Pixar appearances including Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Cars, Wall-E, Up, and countless others. But, he has also appeared in dozens of other great movies and TV shows over the years, including The Empire Strikes Back, Superman II, The Simpsons, and many more. 

Danielle MacDonald (Mandy)

And then there is Danielle MacDonald, who portrays Mandy.

MacDonald has been in a little bit of everything over the course of the past decade-plus, including Netflix original movies like Bird Box and Dumplin’, as well as other films like Lady Bird, Skin, I Am Woman, and French Exit. She has also popped up on a list of TV shows that includes Pretty Little Liars, The Middle, American Horror Story: Roanoke, Easy, and The Tourist. 

These are just some of the actors set to appear on the first four episodes of Poker Face, which are currently available to stream for anyone with a Peacock Premium subscription. The remaining six episodes will be released each Thursday, and will feature the following actors, and many others: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rhea Perlman, Tim Blake Nelson, Tim Meadows, Stephanie Hsu, and Clea DuVall.

Stream Poker Face on Peacock.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of Stephen King’s short story collection Night Shift, and it’s a tome that should not only be celebrated for its literary legacy (being the first of 10 omnibuses to be published by King to date), but because of its impact on the filmmaking world. In the last half century, the 20 stories included between its covers have inspired 10 Hollywood adaptations – from Children Of The Corn to the premiere episode of the Creepshow TV series – and while that number counts the controversial 1992 film The Lawnmower Man, it doesn’t include the many sequels that have also been produced or the movies that have been made as part of the Dollar Baby program.

It’s a well from which many still drink. 2023 will likely see another title added to the expansive library with Rob Savage’s The Boogeyman – which has completed production but presently doesn’t have a release date – and the most recent adaptation was released less than two years ago: the on-going Epix series Chapelwaite, which is based on the very first story in Night Shift: “Jerusalem’s Lot.”

It was in late 2019 that the gothic horror show got off the ground, and it did so quickly. When the subscription cable channel became involved with the show, it wasn’t just a pilot that was ordered, but a full season. Brothers Jason and Peter Filardi (the latter with prior King experience having written the 2004 Salem’s Lot miniseries and an episode of Nightmares & Dreamscapes) were attached as showrunners, and Oscar-winner Adrien Brody signed on to play the lead. The series couldn’t use the title Jerusalem’s Lot because Warner Bros. was simultaneously developing a film adaptation of Salem’s Lot, and so it was named Chapelwaite, based on the estate that serves as the story’s principal setting.

Plans to start production the following spring were thwarted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they weren’t totally derailed. Filming began in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (the same area where the Bag Of Bones miniseries and The Mist TV show were shot) in late August 2020, and almost exactly one year later, on August 22, 2021, the premiere episode debuted on Epix.

As I’ve previously addressed in this column, it can be an extreme challenge translating a short story into a 90 minute feature film let alone an on-going series, but that fact has simply proven to be a feather in the cap of Chapelwaite – the subject of this week’s Adapting Stephen King.

What “Jerusalem's Lot” Is About

Over the course of his career, Stephen King has invented a large number of creepy locales in his beloved state of Maine, from the secretive community of Little Tall Island, to Haven: Home Of The Tommyknockers. Novels and short stories have so vividly brought Castle Rock and Derry to life that they feel both like extensions of one’s own hometown.

But before any of those famous settings in the King canon came the introduction of Jerusalem’s Lot, which the author was, in a sense, writing about before he knew he was writing about it.

The small town is best known from the book that bares its abbreviated name –which famously sees the remote municipality become infested with vampires – but its origins go deeper than that. When King was writing Salem’s Lot as his follow-up to Carrie in the mid-1970s, he realized that he had already written a short story in college that effectively worked as a prologue. The novel was completed and published in 1975, and about three years later said short story was reworked and titled “Jerusalem’s Lot” for inclusion in Night Shift (which also includes a Salem’s Lot “sequel” titled “One For The Road.”)

In homage to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, “Jerusalem’s Lot” is an epistolary short story primarily consisting of letters written by protagonist Charles Boone to a friend he refers to as “Bones.” In October 1850, Charles, a widower, moves to Chapelwaite, his family’s estate in Maine, after the death of his estranged cousin, and he plans to make it a home with the help of his manservant, Calvin McCann. Unfortunately, it’s not long after they settle in that they realize things around the place aren’t quite right – starting with the sound of scurrying behind the walls.

The people of the local village, Preacher’s Corners, believe that Chapelwaite and the Boone bloodline are cursed, and while Charles is initially a skeptic, his attitude starts to swing when he and Calvin discover a hidden library in Chapelwaite and a map with directions to the deserted puritan settlement labeled Jerusalem’s Lot. Driven by curiosity, Charles and Calvin go and find an unholy church where a grimoire titled De Vermis Mysteriis sits on the alter. Further research leads them to discover that Charles’ ancestor, James Boon, founded the forgotten village as an inbred satanic cult that continues to try and summon a Lovecraftian, eldritch entity referred to as The Worm.

How Epix’s Chapelwaite Differs From “Jerusalem's Lot”

Like my previous columns about USA’s The Dead Zone and SyFy’s Haven, Chapelwaite is a case where it’s arguably easier to point at what’s included from the source material in the adaptation versus identifying everything that’s invention. Excluding the opening sequence and end credits, the 10 episodes equates to about eight hours of runtime real estate, and so obviously a lot of expansion was required from the sub-20 page short story.

Describing the approach to Stephen King’s work for the show during an interview in 2021, Jason Filardi explained,

Charles Boone (Adrien Brody) remains the protagonist, and he is a still a widower in Chapelwaite, but instead of having Calvin McCann at his side, the character is made to be the father of three children (Jennifer Ens, Sirena Gulamgaus, Ian Ho) on the show. This circumstance opens the door for Charles to hire a governess, which leads to the introduction of Rebecca Morgan (Emily Hampshire), a writer who takes the job with the Boones so that she may surreptitiously write an article about them.

Like in the short story, Charles moves to Chapelwaite because he inherits the estate from his cousin Stephen (Steven McCarthy), who he learns hanged himself after the death of his daughter, Marcella (Acadia Colan). The series, however, adds to that in significant ways, as Stephen is not just dead: he’s undead. The estranged cousin and his father, Phillip (Julian Richings), are revealed to be vampires in the adaptation, serving a master named Jakub (Christopher Heyerdahl). They are searching for De Vermis Mysteriis because reading from it will allow the bloodsuckers to usher in a dark new age – but the hidden evil book only calls out to living members of the Boone family. For this reason, they stage their deaths and lure Charles to Chapelwaite.

With the exception of Charles, Stephen, Phillip, Marcella, and Mrs. Cloris (Gabrielle Rose), the caretaker of Chapelwaite, pretty much every other major character on the series is an original creation, though there is one detail from the short story that is used in the development of Faith Pringle (Briony Merritt), the young woman who is having an affair with Preacher’s Corners minister Burroughs (Gord Rand). In “Jerusalem’s Lot,” one of the bad omens that Charles is warned about after his arrival at the Boone ancestral home is a woman in town giving birth to a baby with no eyes – and that’s a description of the child that Faith bears on the show.

Lastly, it’s worth noting specifically that Jerusalem’s Lot is utilized differently on Chapelwaite than what’s featured in Stephen King’s text. There is no mention of an incestuous cult started by Charles’ ancestor; it’s merely the haven for Jakub and his legion of vampires.

Is It Worthy Of The King?

As a subject of this column, Chapelwaite is a unique case. After all, unlike other Stephen King TV shows like The Dead Zone, Haven, Mr. Mercedes, and Castle Rock, it’s the only one that is presently still on the air. Epix announced the development of a Season 2 in February 2022, and at the time of this feature’s publication, those episodes have not yet aired.

One can’t discount the possibility that Season 2 could end up changing the entire profile of the show – especially given that the first 10 episodes almost wholly exhaust the source material – but as it presently exists, the show can be said to be one of the better modern Stephen King adaptations.

The show successfully concocts a spooky atmosphere from its setting in primitive American history, and the way in which the narrative from the book is expanded is clever and well-done (particularly the idea of having Stephen and Phillip lure Charles to Chapelwaite for their nefarious purposes). The protagonist being made a father both adds welcomed dimension to the character as well as increased stakes to the plotting, and the children individually have personality and motivations that push the story in interesting directions.

It also happens to be pretty damn horrific. With no censorship in play thanks to its home being a subscription cable network, Chapelwaite is a vampire story that sees copious blood flowing in just about every episode, and even if the monstrous violence doesn’t chill you, the aforementioned eyeless baby most definitely will.

Of course, it must be mentioned that among the show’s fans is Stephen King himself, who Tweeted a very positive critique of the series between the original airings of the seventh and eighth episodes:

It’s unclear at present exactly what Chapelwaite Season 2 will be –  if not especially because Season 1 ends with Charles Boone becoming a vampire and sailing away from Maine and off to parts unknown with De Vermis Mysteriis sewn into his chest cavity – but the successes of the first 10 episodes alone inspire excitement for what’s to come.

How To Watch Epix’s Chapelwaite

Chapelwaite Season 1 isn’t available to watch on any streaming services, so the most basic way to watch is on the Epix website paired with an Epix cable subscription. That, however, is not the only way to watch. With an MGM+ subscription you can not only watch the show on the network’s homepage, but also on Amazon Prime, The Roku Channel, and Philo. You can also access Epix programming via YouTube. Individual episodes are not available for digital purchase, but those building the Ultimate Stephen King collection and have a region-free Blu-ray player should take note that a Region B Blu-ray was released by Via Vision in 2022.

Speaking of 2022, next week’s Adapting Stephen King will be the penultimate edition of this column, as I’ll be taking a close look at the first of two King movies that came out last year: Keith Thomas’ Firestarter. Look for the feature in the CinemaBlend Movies section next week, and in the meantime you can discover all of my previous pieces by clicking through the banners below.

Fans of whodunnits and murder-mysteries are eagerly awaiting the return of Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc in the upcoming Netflix-and-theatrical feature Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. But let’s not forget director Rian Johnson is also helping introduce audiences to another quirky investigator in the form of Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale, the central character and connective hook for the new streaming series Poker Face, which will be available with a Peacock subscription before the year’s end. Thankfully, we finally have our first look at the new show in the form of a star-studded teaser trailer. 

Check out the first footage from Poker Face below, and try to count all the famous faces that pop up during its 52-second runtime: 

To quickly lay things out, Poker Face’s debut season consists of ten episodes that adhere to a mystery-of-the-week format, all centering on Lyonne’s Charlie, whose claim to low-key fame is that she’s unbelievably canny at knowing when others are lying. The show follows Charlie and her iconic ‘69 Plymouth Barracuda as she embarks on a road trip full of oddball crimes, murders clues, and a seemingly endless supply of guest stars to populate the weekly quandires and conundrums. 

The teaser kicks off with the Oscar-winning Adrien Brody, and just keeps on delivering from there. Check out a relatively comprehensive rundown of all the show’s stars below:

• Adrien Brody, Benjamin Bratt, Chloë Sevigny, Sascha Polanco, Ron Perlman, Lil Rel Howery, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tim Meadows, Simon Helberg, S. Epatha Merkerson, Nick Nolte, Stephanie Hsu, David Castañeda, Audrey Corsa, Danielle Macdonald, Judith Light, Tim Blake Nelson, Niall Cunningham, Nicholas Cirillo, Jameela Jamil, Ellen Barkin, Luis Guzmán, Brandon Michael Hall, Megan Suri, Clea DuVall, Jasmine Aiyana Garvin, Rowan Blanchard, Rhea Perlman, and Charles Melton

As you no doubt noticed, less than half of the stars noted in that mega-list actually popped up in the teaser, and most of the ones who did were only seen for a brief second. But it’s still excellent to know we’re getting a reunion between Johnson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the star of Brick and Looper who has appeared in each of the director’s projects in some capacity. (Expect to see him in Glass Onion as well.) So audiences still have so much more to see from this show and its talented ensemble. 

Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne shared a fun statement with fans alongside the teaser’s release, giving everyone a slightly more clear idea of what to expect from Poker Face. In their words:

Rian Johnson is noted as the creator of Poker Face, which he executive produced along with Lyonne, and also directed. Lilla and Nora Zuckerman, former writers on shows such as Suits and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., are the showrunners. 

Poker Face will attempt to pull the wool over viewers’ eyes when it debuts on the streaming service starting Thursday, January 26, with the first four episodes going live all at once ahead of weekly releases for the remaining six episodes. Head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows will be anteing up soon as we wait for the critic-pleasing Knives Out sequel to arrive.

At long last, the much talked about 2022 Netflix movie Blonde has finally arrived, giving everyone the opportunity to watch Ana de Armas take on one of the biggest roles of her career. The NC-17 biographical drama, which focuses on the late Marilyn Monroe, includes great actors and actresses from top to bottom, with big-time names like Adrien Brody and Bobby Cannavale portraying fictionalized and dramatized versions of Norma Jean’s most famous lovers during the Hollywood starlet’s short life.

If you have watched the movie, or are planning on giving it a spin at some point in the near future, you are probably wondering who appears on the Blonde cast. Well, look no further because we are about to break down the stars, who they play, and why they look so familiar. That being said, let’s dive straight in…

Ana de Armas (Norma Jeane/Marilyn Monroe)

Following in the footsteps of Michelle Williams and other actresses who have portrayed Marilyn Monroe on the silver screen, Ana de Armas leads the Blonde cast as the Hollywood icon as she transforms herself from Norma Jeane Mortenson to her larger-than-life persona.

Though perhaps her highest profile movie yet, de Armas is no stranger when it comes to massive movies, in terms of budget, recognition, and ensembles casts. In the past decade alone, de Armas has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood, balancing science fiction spectacles like Blade Runner 2049 and one of the most influential whodunits with Knives Out. And since those movies came out in 2017 and 2019 respectively, de Armas has landed unforgettable roles in No Time to Die and The Gray Man, both of which had absolutely massive budgets.

Adrien Brody (The Playwright)

Adrien Brody shows up in Blonde as “The Playwright,” a fictionalized version of Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Arthur Miller, who was married to Marilyn Monroe from 1956 until a year before her 1962 death. 

Perhaps best known for his Oscar-winning performance in 2002’s The Pianist, Brody has been in a little bit of everything since making his professional acting debut more than 30 years ago. Over the years, Brody has popped up in everything from family-friendly sports movies like Angels in the Outfield to historical fantasy dramas like Midnight in Paris. Brody has also appeared in four of Wes Anderson’s best movies since first working with the director on The Darjeeling Limited in 2007 (the director-actor combo will work together again in the upcoming Asteroid City). His small-screen credits include Peaky Blinders, Chapelwaite, Succession, and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

Bobby Cannavale (The Ex-Athlete)

Showing up as “The Ex-Athlete,” which serves as a fictionalized version of Marilyn Monroe’s second husband and New York Yankees Joe DiMaggio, is Bobby Cannavale.

The two-time Primetime Emmy Award winner (Will & Grace and Boardwalk Empire), Cannavale has built up an incredibly versatile resume for himself the 20-plus years, with memorable performances on shows like Third Watch, Nurse Jackie, Vinyl, Master of None, Mr. Robot, Homecoming, and countless others. His film career is just as prolific with roles in Chef, Blue Jasmine, Ant-Man (and Ant-Man and the Wasp), Motherless Brooklyn, This is the Night, and Sing 2, to just name a few. And let’s not forget his stage career, which includes run on Glengarry Glen Ross, White Rabbit Red Rabbit, The Hairy Ape, and Medea.

Julianne Nicholson (Gladys)

Julianne Nicholson appears in Blonde as Marilyn Monroe’s emotionally unstable mother Gladys, whose relationship with her famous daughter has been explored previously in My Week with Marilyn.

Like Bobby Cannavale, Nicholson had a prominent role on the HBO crime drama Boardwalk Empire. Throughout her career, Nicholson has also appeared on shows like Masters of Sex, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Ally McBeal, and Mare of Easttown, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award of her own in 2021. During that same stretch of time, Nicholson found success on the silver screen, having given commanding performances in everything from Kinsey to August: Osage County and Black Mass to I, Tonya. She is next set to appear in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, which CinemaBlend called “an instant midnight classic” following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022.

Xavier Samuel (Cass Chaplin)

Taking on the role of Cass Chaplin on the Blonde cast is Xavier Samuel, who brings with him years of experience in his take on the son of the silent movie icon, Charlie Chaplin.

Fans of the Twilight movies may recognize Samuel from his portrayal of Riley Biers in 2009’s The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, a role he followed with performances in Adore, Fury, Mr. Church, and The Death and Life of Otto Bloom. In recent years, Samuel has appeared on shows like Seven Types of Ambiguity and Tell Me Your Secrets as well as Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, in which he played guitarist Scotty Moore.

Evan Williams (Eddy G. Robinson Jr.)

Taking on the role of Eddy G. Robinson Jr. on the Blonde cast is Evan Williams.

Prior to bringing the son of Hollywood Icon Edward G. Robinson to life in the new Netflix movie, Williams found success on the small screen, specifically on the Canadian teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation. Since then, Williams has gone on to appear on shows like Murdoch Mysteries, Baxter, Awkward, Versailles, Fuller House, and Westworld. His film credits include Ride, Farhope Tower, and Lloyd the Conqueror to name only a few.

Lily Fisher (Young Norma Jeane)

And then there is Lily Fisher, who appears on the Blonde cast as a younger version of Norma Jeane.

The youngest member of the main portion of the cast, Fisher has appeared on shows like General Hospital, Life & Beth, Station 19, and Grey’s Anatomy throughout her five-year career.

This is just a portion of the Blonde cast, as the list of actors involved with the biographical drama also includes names like Caspar Phillipson, David Warshofsky, Toby Huss, Sara Paxton, Rebecca Wisocky, and Dan Butler. But remember, if you want to see the stars from the 2022 movie, you will first need a Netflix subscription.

Stream Blonde on Netflix.

Over the course of the past quarter-century, Wes Anderson has created quirky, whimsical, and unique films like The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and most recently, The French Dispatch. And now the one-of-a-kind filmmaker will make another addition to his list of cinematic experiences with the star-studded and mysterious sci-fi romantic dramedy titled Asteroid City.

The movie, which will see several of Anderson’s most prolific collaborators share the screen with a few massive stars who are working with the idiosyncratic director for the first time, will be here before you know it, and we have all the details. Here is everything we know about Asteroid City, including its release date, cast, trailer, and much, much more.

What Is The Asteroid City Release Date?

The summer blockbuster season is a busy one in 2023, with massive action movies like Fast X and adventurous journeys like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny coming to the big screen. Between those massive franchises, audiences will get to see Asteroid City when it is released theatrically on June 23rd, Focus Features has announced. 

The Asteroid City Trailer Is Full Of A-List Actors And Whimsical Wes Anderson Tropes

There was a stretch of many months where we didn’t hear or see anything about Wes Anderson’s 11th movie, but that all changed in March 2023, when the debut trailer for Asteroid City was released into the wild. Clocking in at a little more than two minutes, the video offered an extensive look at the film’s A-list cast (more on them in a bit) and more whimsical Wes Anderson tropes than one can count. Check it out below:

On top of that, the Asteroid City trailer, with its symmetrical shots, dry dialogue, and a very pleasing color palette, also introduced prospective audiences to the mysterious story at the center of the upcoming sci-fi comedy that involves a strange desert town, a convention for young stargazers, and a family drama involving Tom Hanks with a killer mustache.

Tom Hanks, Jason Schwartzman And Scarlett Johansson Lead The Asteroid City Cast

Wes Anderson is no stranger to working with massive (and I mean MASSIVE) groups of actors with each of his movies, but Asteroid City may take things to new heights. The cast, which is led by Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson (the first time working with Anderson for each actor), and Jason Schwartzman (a longtime collaborator), is made up of a who’s who of Hollywood talent. 

Looking the Asteroid City cast list you will see names like Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell, Maya Hawke, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Stephen Park, Hope Davis, Matt Dillon, Jeff Goldblum, and on, and on, and on. 

Asteroid City Centers On A Desert Town As It Prepares For A Junior Stargazer Convention And A World-Changing Event

Wes Anderson has made period pieces, he’s constructed character studies of dynamic families, and he’s tackled the meaning of art. With Asteroid City he will try his hand at science fiction, but with his own unique spin, of course. According to the official synopsis from Focus Features, Anderson’s upcoming movie centers on a town in the middle of the desert that is preparing for Junior Stargazer convention that will bring young space cadets from across the country to the idyllic town. But the out-of-towners aren’t the only visitors, as a world-changing event will soon bring some unexpected, and out-of-this-world guests.

Asteroid City Is The Sixth Wes Anderson Movie To Be Scored By Alexandre Desplat

French composer Alexandre Desplat has worked with Wes Anderson on every one of the director’s movies since the 2009 release of the stop-motion wonder  that was The Fantastic Mr. Fox and even won an Oscar for the score he wrote for The Grand Budapest Hotel. Well, Desplat and Anderson have worked together once again, as the composer wrote the score for Asteroid City. In November 2021, Film Music Reporter announced that Desplat was to team up with Anderson again on the mysterious feature film, though no other details were provided at the time. This was later confirmed with the March 2023 release of the movie’s poster, which listed Desplat, who also won an Oscar for his work on The Shape of Water, as the composer. 

And though Desplat and Anderson still have a lot of ground to cover to catch up with the iconic pairing of Steven Spielberg and John Williams, six collaborations in under a decade-and-a-half is quite a feat.  

Bryan Cranston Compared The Asteroid City Shoot To An ‘Actor Dream Camp’

Working on a Wes Anderson movie sounds like it’s a daunting yet fulfilling experience, especially when you get to share scenes with the likes of Tom Hanks, Edward Norton, Jeffrey Wright, and Scarlett Johansson, and that’s pretty much what Bryan Cranston had to say about the project. When speaking with Collider in 2022, the Golden Globe winner compared the Asteroid City shoot to an “actor dream camp,” explaining:

Despite the difficulties and high standards of a Wes Anderson production, the Breaking Bad star made it sound as if it was an incredible experience that he won’t soon forget. Also, the thought of playing guitar in a hotel lobby with some of the most interesting actors on the planet doesn’t sound too bad either.

Expect to hear more about both of Wes Anderson’s upcoming projects in the weeks and months to come. But in the meantime, check out CinemaBlend’s 2023 movie schedule for an up-to-date guide of all the big theatrical and streaming releases.

Given that Stephen King’s “Jerusalem’s Lot” is a 35 page short story, it should surprise literally nobody that the upcoming 10-episode adaptation Chapelwaite makes quite a few changes from the source material. For starters, the protagonist, Captain Charles Boone (played by Adrien Brody), goes from being a bachelor in the text to a widower and father of three on the show, and all kinds of new storylines are invented that add details to his family’s relationship with his new neighbors in the town of Preacher’s Corners, Maine. The alterations ultimately allow the series to be more of its own thing – but all the same, the star of the show was still able to use the original King story as important inspiration for his performance.

I spoke with Adrien Brody about his performance in Chapelwaite during the recent virtual press day for the new Epix show, and specifically asked him how he utilized the original Stephen King text as a reference tool. He acknowledged that the adaptation definitely makes some big deviations from “Jerusalem’s Lot,” but it was still useful for him because of the haunting tone that the author creates and because of its depiction of his character’s descent into madness. Said Brody,

“Jerusalem’s Lot,” featured as the very first story in the Stephen King collection Night Shift, is set in the 1850s and follows a man named Captain Charles Boone as he returns to the Boones’ ancestral home – an estate called Chapelwaite – and hopes to start a new life. At the start he is merely perturbed by what he perceives as rats scratching around inside the walls, but he winds up making a dark discovery that shines a light on terrible things in his family’s history, and this in turn leads him to find Lovecraftian horrors in a nearby abandoned town called Jerusalem’s Lot.

Stephen King wrote “Jerusalem’s Lot” as an epistolary short story that unfolds primarily via letters that Charles Boone writes to a friend – and while that created a certain level of challenge for the writers of Chapelwaite to adapt, the format was perfectly suited for Adrien Brody’s work. Reading the correspondence, the actor was able to not only able to get into the character’s mind, but also get a better grasp on the period setting, which is wonderfully illustrated by the author. Brody continued,

Co-starring Emily Hampshire, Jennifer Ens, Sirena Gulamgaus, and Ian Ho, Chapelwaite will air its premiere this Sunday on Epix at 10pm PT/ET. And if you watch and immediately need more, you’ll be able to find the first three episodes on both the Epix Now app, and on VOD.

As the film remake of Stephen King's novel 'Salem's Lot is slowly coming together, fans can look forward to the imminent arrival of Epix's period horror Chapelwaite, which is an adaptation of King's short story "Jerusalem's Lot." The two works aren't directly related other than the overall setting, and the TV series' first trailer does a solid job of setting itself up as a potentially memorable small screen effort. If nothing else, the video above will certainly worm its way into viewers' minds.

I mean, before we even get into what Chapelwaite is or who Adrien Brody is playing, we have to talk about that whole worm-in-the-nose moment that kicks it all off. Well, I guess it's not so much "talking" about it as it is "stomping on the ground really hard with one foot while exhaling as hard as possible through my nostrils."

I feel like there are probably "better" ways to pull a mysterious phantom worm out of one's face than by just grabbing it and pulling it, but it's definitely the only option that makes any sense. How he did this all so quietly and without vigorous whimpering is beyond me.

Taking place in the 1850s, where things like worm-nose were probably more common, Chapelwaite centers on Adrien Brody's Captain Charles Boone, whose wife dies at sea and inspires him to move his three children to a small Maine town called Preacher's Corners. Rather than enjoying a peaceful existence, Charles is haunted by generation after generation of his family's dark history. That history is of interest to the ambitious writer Rebecca Morgan, played by Schitt's Creek vet Emily Hampshire, who becomes a governess within the Chapelwaite manor to write the Boone family's story, while also discovering more than a few truths about her own past.

And just when you think it's safe to just start thinking about the plot and nothing else, here come more worms!

I'm not sure whose family this little bugger will belong to, but [screams into pillow until voice gives out].

Adrien Brody is set for Wes Anderson's next two films, and I can't imagine there will be many moments in either of those films that burrows under one's skin quite like what we'll see in Chapelwaite. Here's hoping the rest of the show provokes similarly strong and positive reactions and becomes an instant classic, both among humans and worms.

As just one of many upcoming Stephen King adaptations, Chapelwaite is set to debut on Epix on Sunday, August 22, at 10:00 p.m. ET, so be sure to mark it down along with all the potentially awesome 2021 Fall TV series that will debut soon.

This summer is set to provide a great deal of entertainment for Stephen King fans. While the author just released a new book, Later, in March, he has another novel, Billy Summers, set to arrive in August – and our cup also runneth over with adaptations as well. Not only is Lisey's Story set to premiere on Apple TV+ in June, but Epix is also all set to deliver the first season of Chapelwaite, as confirmed by the brand new trailer you can watch above.

Prior to the pandemic, the plan was for Chapelwaite to arrive last fall, but now the premiere is set to happen in the next few months. Unfortunately we can't get any more specific than that, as "Summer 2021" is the extent of the release information that has been provided, but we can start getting excited nonetheless.

The new series, which has Donald De Line, Jason Filardi and Peter Filardi as executive producers, is based on Stephen King's short "Jerusalem's Lot," which is part of the 1978 collection Night Shift and is a prequel of sorts to the novel Salem's Lot (though that really only extends to its setting, as it a completely different kind of story and features completely different characters). It unfolds across a series of haunting letters and diary entries, and escalates into terrific terror.

Set in the 1850s, the series will star Adrien Brody as Captain Charles Boone, a father of three who moves his family to the town of Preacher's Corners and into his ancestral home, known as Chapelwaite (hence the title of the series), following the death of his wife. During this time Boone begins to uncover some horrible things about the history of the Boone clan, and slowly begins to discover a particular evil lurking in the house. Emily Hampshire, best known for her role on Schitt's Creek, co-stars in an undisclosed role.

Though we've seen it done dozens and dozens of times before going back to the late 1970s, it's always fascinating to see a Stephen King story brought into live action, and we're keeping our fingers crossed that this one doesn't disappoint. The Chapelwaite trailer above is only a 30 second teaser, but it sets a tone and previews some beautiful cinematography, so it is successful in piquing interest. It certainly looks like a show that will be best enjoyed with all of the lights off.

We'll keep you posted in regards to when Chapelwaite will begin to air on Epix, and hopefully it won't be too long until we get a more extended preview. To keep track of all of the Stephen King adaptations that are currently in the works, be sure to check out our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV guide.

What comes to mind when you think of a Wes Anderson film? If you said pastels, a twinkly musical score and one hell of a cast, then you’re absolutely correct in your beliefs. Should anyone question your Anderson acumen, then you have plenty of evidence to provide to back up your valid hypothesis, especially when the trailer for The French Dispatch features such stars as Timothee Chalamet and Bill Murray in its full cast list.

As luck would have it, we have that cast list provided below, which shows off the pretty extensive lineup that Anderson has assembled for The French Dispatch.

Before we dive into a deeper breakdown of the cast, it’s particularly notable that we have a classic Wes Anderson narrator at large in The French Dispatch. Anjelica Huston, a long time Anderson player, is the omniscient voice that will bring the entire package to live. And here are the players she’ll be commentating on throughout the film:

The Staff Of The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun

Bill Murray

One of the many veterans of the Wes Anderson Repertory Company is none other than comedy legend Bill Murray! In their latest collaboration, Murray will be playing the role of Arthur Howitzer Jr, the editor of The French Dispatch that ties the universe together. So basically, Murray is almost playing the exact same role he provides to the world at large.

Owen Wilson

Also rejoining the ranks of Wes Anderson’s frequent flyer club is Owen Wilson, someone who’s been in almost all of the director’s films. Herbsaint Sazerac is Wilson’s new character, a writer on staff at The French Dispatch who can be counted on for witty conversation and bicycle repair prowess, as well as sterling copy.

Jason Schwartzman

How could a Wes Anderson movie not have Jason Schwartzman attached, even in the slightest capacity? Another longtime friend and employee in the Anderson orbit, Schwartzman’s Hermes Jones looks to be the cover artist for The French Dispatch. Here’s hoping his quips are as crazy as his hair.

Elisabeth Moss

Rounding out the staff members of The French Dispatch who are displayed outside of individual vignettes is Elisabeth Moss, a newcomer to the wild and crazy world of Wes Anderson’s work. We don’t know her character's name yet, but it looks like Moss’ dry and wry sensibilities from Mad Men will make this follow-up to her work on The Invisible Man a nice change of comedic pace.

We’ll now move onto the three stories that The French Dispatch tells at the heart of its very last issue in print. With each story is a journalist from the staff at its heart, recalling events from various time periods and moments of turmoil in this film’s thematic structure.

Story 1: The Concrete Masterpiece, By J.K.L. Bernesen

Tilda Swinton

Providing the lecture that details the story within “The Concrete Masterpiece” is The French Dispatch’s journalist J.K.L. Bernesen. Artistically inclined, and ever fashionable, Berensen is brought to life by the impeccable Tilda Swinton. Her track record in the Wes Anderson Repertory Company stretches back to 2012’s Moonrise Kingdom, and has endured ever since.

Benicio Del Toro

Another first timer comes to the fold in The French Dispatch, as Moses Rosenthaler, the artist at the heart of “The Concrete Masterpiece” is played by Benicio Del Toro. Just watching his banter with co-star Adrian Brody is enough to convince even the most casual observer that Del Toro clearly belongs in this motley crew of acting talent.

Lea Seydoux

The muse for Rosenthaler’s work, and subject of a painting that’s of particular importance to The French Dispatch, is the alluring and mysterious Simone. Seen as both muse and prison guard, this part is played by Spectre’s Léa Seydoux. No stranger to Wes Anderson’s work, Seydoux previously worked with the director on 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Adrien Brody

Seeking to purchase Moses Rosenthaler’s un-buyable “Simone, Naked, Cell Block J, Hobby Room (oil on sackcloth)” is the persistent art dealer, Julien Cadazio. As previously mentioned, this bickersome character is played by Adrien Brody, best known for his roles in Anderson’s previous films The Darjeeling Limited and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Bob Balaban and Henry Winkler

In order to aid his art savvy empire, Julien Cadazio has the help of two ‘business-partner uncles’ at his disposal in The French Dispatch. Playing one of those two uncles is comedic stalwart Bob Balaban, who, much like Tilda Swinton, has been an Anderson disciple since Moonrise Kingdom. The other Cadazio uncle is the big surprise though, as the legendary Henry Winkler is playing him, making his debut in the Wes Anderson three ring circus!

Story 2: Revisions To A Manifesto, By Lucinda Krementz

Frances McDormand

Story 2 of The French Dispatch, Lucinda Krementz’s “Revisions To A Manifesto,” focuses on two crazy kids who happen to be in love during a tumultuous student revolution. The journalist telling this story is played by Frances McDormand, last heard bringing the news to the Wes Anderson created world of Isle of Dogs.

Timothee Chalamet

It was only a matter of time before Timothee Chalamet and Wes Anderson crossed paths. Nature basically dictated it, and it’s only fair that Chalamet be the one to play Zeffirelli, a revolutionary student in The French Dispatch. Looking like a prodigious chess player to boot, this young man could put that knowledge to political usage as well.

Lyna Khoudri

Making her major motion picture debut with The French Dispatch is actor Lyna Khoudri. Playing Juliette, the girlfriend to Timothee Chalamet’s Zeffirelli, their pairing was destined based on their character names. With a motor scooter and a bad attitude, her fire matches that of her fellow activist and boyfriend.

Story 3: The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright

Jeffrey Wright

Our final story in The French Dispatch's catalog of whimsy is entitled "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright." Wright, played by Westworld and No Time To Die actor Jeffrey Wright, is the resident food journalist at the film's titular magazine. Reporting on something called "Police Cuisine," he becomes embroiled in a story that looks like it leads to a hostage standoff, and a lot of symmetrical gunfire.

Liev Schreiber

Part of Roebuck Wright's story looks to be told through his appearance on a TV show of some sort. Cast as the presenter of that show is Isle Of Dogs voice actor Liev Schreiber, making this his second Wes Anderson film. We don't know his character's name yet, but The French Dispatch looks like it's going to make the most of pairing Schreiber with Jeffrey Wright.

Willem Dafoe

While not all of the star studded cast members of The French Dispatch may play larger than life characters, it's nice to see Wes Anderson continue to reward previous collaborators with spots in the lineup. Willem Dafoe is one such fixture in this cast, as his prisoner character doesn't have a name yet, and is only seen briefly in the film's trailer. A sporadic presence in Anderson's universe, Dafoe was most notably present in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zizzou, but also in the casts for Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Mathieu Amalric

Cast as "a policeman with a kidnapped son,” Mathieu Amalric won't just be enjoying food alongside Jeffrey Wright's Roebuck Wright. As this third story centers around said kidnapping, Amalric's policeman will undoubtedly be excusing himself from dinner a little earlier than expected. This marks the actor's second Wes Anderson film, as The Grand Budapest Hotel was Mathiew Amalric's appearance in an Anderson picture.

Edward Norton

The voice on the other end of that phone Mathieu Amalric is holding was quite recognizable upon the first viewing of The French Dispatch's trailer. Edward Norton has one of those distinct vocal ranges that automatically pegs him in any film he shows up in, and as the kidnapper behind the insidious plot of "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright," he's even easy to spot in a group of dissidents firing at will upon authorities. And before you ask, yes, Norton is another cast member that's been a part of the Wes Anderson Repertory Company since Moonrise Kingdom.

Saoirse Ronan

Rounding out the cast of characters partaking in the kidnapping of a policeman's son is a rather mysterious woman. So mysterious, we don't know her character's name. However, we do know that she's played by Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan, who was previously spotted in Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel. With The French Dispatch, Ronan looks to be playing against type, as a figure on the side of evil.

Stephen Park

Last, but not least is Stephen Park's Lieutenant Nescafier, the chef behind the gorgeous meal that "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright" looks to be serving. But Park's character also happens to be listed as solving a kidnapping in The French Dispatch. Which is pretty handy, considering how fast things shift from a table of smiling guests gushing over cuisine to exchanging bullets and phone calls.

The French Dispatch has a huge cast, three stories and a boatload of ambition to potentially become the next, best Wes Anderson film. We'll see if it pays off when the film opens in theaters on July 25. Though should that release date be delayed, due to the ever shifting release calendar affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we'll report such an update as it occurs.

Stephen King has had quite the year. In addition to adaptations of IT Chapter Two and Doctor Sleep, which had a much lower box office reception than expected, the author’s short story Jerusalem’s Lot, based on his novel Salem’s Lot, is not only getting a straight to series order from Epix, but has also landed a big star with Adrien Brody.

Adrien Brody, who will next be seen in Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, is set to star as Captain Charles Boone, the story’s central character. Boone is an aristocrat who moves with his three children from to Preacher’s Corners, Maine and finds an old map for the deserted town of Jerusalem’s Lot.

The short story was originally told through a series of journal entries. While it’s unclear if that will be the case in the TV show, the adaptation will still follow Charles Boone as he sorts through old and dark family secrets that have overshadowed his family’s history.

Jerusalem’s Lot is a prequel story to Stephen King’s 1975 novel, Salem’s Lot, as well as a sequel to King’s 1977 short story, One for the Road. Jerusalem’s Lot was published in 1978 as part of a collection called Night Shift.

Throughout Stephen King’s large repertoire of novels and stories, Jerusalem’s Lot is one of three fictional towns in Maine that are often at the center of his novels. The other being the famous fictional setting of Derry, which is home to Pennywise and the rest of IT’s characters. Outside of the short story, the town appears in a plethora of his other novels, including Doctor Sleep, the adaptation King called “terrific” despite box office failings.

In a statement (via The Wrap), Epix, which is also home to DC and Warner Bros.’ Pennyworth, president Michael Wright had this to say about Jerusalem’s Lot and Adrien Brody’s casting:

Jerusalem’s Lot will consist of ten episodes and the Epix series is set to begin filming in May of 2020, with Jason Filardi and Peter Filardi serving as showrunners. Currently, no other actors have been cast and a release date for the series has not been scheduled.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news on Jerusalem’s Lot as it nears production. In the meantime, be sure to check out our complete guide to see what returning and new TV shows will premiere in the winter and spring of 2020.

The frame is centered and the picture has a vintage tinge – it must be time for another Wes Anderson film! Whispers of the quirky, Oscar-nominated director’s next project have been floating around, and now some official details have now been revealed. Anderson’s next film will be called The French Dispatch and feature an impressive cast of actors – including frequent collaborators Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Tilda Swinton.

The French Dispatch will be a love letter to journalists and be set in a fictional French city at an American newspaper outpost. The collection of stories published in the titular “French Dispatch” magazine will be brought to life through Wes Anderson’s vision. Fox Searchlight officially announced its acquired rights, along with a 2020 release date.

Benicio Del Toro, Frances McDormand, Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Léa Seydoux and Timothée Chalamet have each been cast in roles in The French Dispatch. Additionally, French actors Mathieu Amalric (also in Grand Budapest Hotel) and Lyna Khoudri have joined, along with newcomer Stephen Park.

The movie is currently in production and will follow Wes Anderson’s second stop-motion film, Isle of Dogs, released in 2018. Fans of the filmmaker will be excited to hear Bill Murray will continue his streak and once again grace an Anderson film. It’s also no surprise Tilda Swinton and Owen Wilson are amongst the cast. The latter started out as his writing partner and star in his first movie, Bottle Rocket, and has appeared in many of Anderson's movies since then.

The upcoming release certainly marks tons of talented actors in first-time roles with the established filmmaker as well. Benicio Del Toro has yet to work with Wes Anderson between his work Paul Thomas Anderson, Denis Villenueve and so forth. It should be fun to see how Del Toro translates into Anderson’s aesthetic along with The Goldfinch’s Jeffrey Wright and 23-year-old Timothée Chalamet, who will soon be seen in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women and Villenueve’s Dune.

Fans of the filmmaker certainly can expect a certain tone and whimsy going into a Wes Anderson flick. The writer/director is an expert at bringing together ensemble casts and giving them sharp dialogue to work with. The French Dispatch looks like no exception.

The movie will be produced by Wes Anderson, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson, a team who previously worked on Isle of Dogs, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Darjeeling Limited.

Other big names such as Saoirse Ronan, Elisabeth Moss, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, Jason Schwartzman and Willem Dafoe have been attached to the cast, but are not among those who have been confirmed by Fox Searchlight.

The studio behind The French Dispatch has an Anderson-esque release coming soon in the form of Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit, which is getting Oscar buzz ahead of its release on October 18.

To put it kindly, the Predator franchise has experienced a few ups and downs over the course of its 31-year existence. Between five films in which the alien has appeared, there is a wide range in terms of quality, and each chapter has offered something very different to the official canon. Still, it's managed to persist as one of the most popular science-fiction franchises from the late 20th century, and soon theaters everywhere will be hosting the latest installment, Shane Black's The Predator.

As we count down the weeks until The Predator's release, we've constructed this guide to help you get to better know the movies -- motivated by anticipation. Below and across the next few pages we'll dive not only into each individual film, but also examine the various eras that the films have gone through. To kick things off, here's a rundown of all the titles we've seen in the franchise so far:

Predator (1987)

A team of commandos, led by retired US Army Special Forces Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger), travels down to Central America when hired for a mission saving hostages in guerrilla solider-held territory. What they don't know, however, is that the jungle has another visitor: an insanely deadly extraterrestrial warrior that lives to hunt, kill, and take skulls and spines as trophies.

Predator 2 (1990)

Ever drawn to the combination of high temperatures and violence, the titular villain in Predator 2 finds itself drawn to the city of Los Angeles as the area is mired in both a gang war and a heat wave. As the alien goes on a rampage, the only thing standing in its way is Lieutenant Mike R. Harrigan (Danny Glover), a gruff cop who plays by his own rules.

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

In the year 2004, a team of archeologists make their way down to the south pole when their work uncovers a strange heat signal. Not only do they wind up discovering a hidden underground pyramid, but also a long relationship between Predators and the aliens known as Xenomorphs. The pyramid is used as a rite of passage for the former, tasked with finding and killing the latter, and the humans find themselves stuck in the crossfire.

Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

The sequel begins with the creation of a new creature when it's revealed that a Facehugger impregnated a Predator, leading to the birth of the first Predalien. The spaceship it's on crash lands in a small Colorado town, and an alien infestation begins - leading to another Predator coming to Earth to try and stop it.

Predators (2010)

Rather than taking place on Earth, this is the first movie to take place on the Predator homeworld. A group of men and women selected as the best killers on Earth are abducted and brought to the violent planet, specifically to be tested to see if they have what it takes to survive against not only attacking Predators, but the dangerous flora and fauna.

The Predator (2018)

When former Army Ranger Quinn McKenna (Boyd Holbrook) encounters a Predator when on a mission in Mexico, the government tries to shut him up by packing him up and shipping him off with a bunch of ex-soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other emotional issues. As it turns out, however, this group may be the only thing standing in between the human race and total annihilation.

The Original Movies

Having made hits like the Conan films, The Terminator, and Commando, Arnold Schwarzenegger was a big deal by the time Predator came around - and in 1986 producers Joel Silver and Lawrence Gordon approached him about the project. The movie actually started as a joke about the Rocky movies; arguing that eventually there would be so many sequels that the eponymous pugilist would need to fight an alien. Well, screenwriters Jim and John Thomas took the nugget of that idea and ran with it. Originally titled Hunter, it was molded into the movie that we know today thanks to Silver's sensibilities, and to this day it remains one of the singularly best sci-fi action movies ever made.

Predator is a film very much of its era, built on a foundation of huge muscles and powerful guns, and even with its high-concept plot it manages to establish a history and canon for its titular killer alien. They are particularly drawn to hot environments, but far more important to them is the challenge of the hunt. The Predators are a prideful species, and specifically look to go after the most dangerous prey possible -- collecting body part trophies along the way. In Predator, the alien meets its match in Dutch, as while the creature is outfitted with a ton of high-tech weaponry and armor, their vision while in action is thermal-based. Dutch is able to exploit this weakness by using mud and cold water to drop his body temperature, and he successfully gets the upper-hand. Worthy of notice is that Dutch doesn't kill the Predator himself, with the extraterrestrial instead performing its own kind of seppuku by activating an explosive device on its wrist.

In a vacuum, Predator isn't really a story begging for a sequel -- given that most of the ensemble cast is killed, and there are zero unanswered questions. However, the film was a worldwide smash hit (pulling in $98.3 million, unadjusted for inflation), and so the movie gods demanded a follow-up.

What fans got was 1990's Predator 2: a blockbuster with very little actual connection to its predecessor. Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't return as Dutch due to a contract dispute, and Stephen Hopkins took over for John McTiernan in the director's chair. Set seven years in the future, the sequel replaced the jungle setting of the original with the urban landscape of Los Angeles -- specifically during both a heat wave and a violent gang war. The Predator starts going crazy on the street toughs, and stuck in the middle of the whole thing is Danny Glover's Lt. Mike R. Harrigan (Glover clearly being a very different protagonist than Schwarzenegger, but having notable history with Joel Silver via the Lethal Weapons features).

Unfortunately, Predator 2 got more than a few unkind reviews, and failed to put up numbers anywhere near its predecessor -- ultimately making about half the money globally. Because it was deemed as a disappointment, the Predator franchise went into hibernation... but it always had an ace in its back pocket. After all, Predator 2 includes a shot featuring the head of a Xenomorph, which kept speculation open for years about the possibility of a crossover movie.

And then it happened.

The Alien Crossovers

Weirdly, the concept of Alien vs. Predator pre-dates the release of Predator 2 by nearly a year, as the idea was launched in comic book form. Published by Dark Horse Comics as part of their Dark Horse Presents series, the conflict between the two titular extraterrestrials played out over three issues, and was possible thanks to 20th Century Fox being in control of both franchises. Still, while fans spent years begging for a film adaptation, it wasn't really in the cards thanks to the on-going success of the Alien series independently. That came to an end in 1997 with the release of Alien Resurrection, and in 2004 the die-hards finally got the movie that they had been begging for... kinda.

Director Paul W. S. Anderson was coming off the success of the first Resident Evil when he signed on to make Alien vs. Predator - the filmmaker's resume including 1990s features like Mortal Kombat, Event Horizon and Soldier. Despite the fact that it had been established that Predators prefer warmer climates, the adventure took the movie's ensemble (Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova, Lance Henriksen and Ewen Bremner) to Antarctica to try and discover an ancient secret. Instead, they wind up getting caught in the middle of a centuries old ritual that finds Predators come to Earth and face off against Xenomorphs as a test, with humans included as sacrifices. Notably, it's the first title in the film to portray Predators as protagonists, as they essentially wind up teaming with the scientists, drillers, and mercenaries when the situation with the Xenomorphs gets out of control.

Alien vs. Predator was ultimately crazy successful both at home and abroad, making $172 million by the end of its run, but not everyone was super pleased with it. Not only did it get roasted by critics, but many were quick to complain about the film's rating - as it took two very R-rated creatures and stuffed them into a PG-13 package. The studio attempted to fix this with a follow-up three years later, 2007's Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, but things still didn't exactly work out perfectly.

Fox put the future of two of their most powerful brands in the hands of Colin and Greg Strause, who were notably first time directors when they were given the gig. The primary reason they were hired is because they were founders of the visual effects company Hydraulx, and with that expertise they could help keep the budget low without sacrificing production value. Sadly, the results of Alien vs. Predator: Requiem suggest that it probably wasn't the right call.

The movie is weirdly the first title in the Predator franchise to pick up where the last story left off -- specifically with the birth of the Predalien: half-Predator, half Xenomorph. Clearly the idea of having such a creature running around wild is absolutely nightmarish, which is why it becomes a serious problem in the movie when the space ship it's on crash lands in Colorado. More Predators come down to our planet to try and stop the menace (once again taking our side), and there is a hell of a lot more bloodshed, but still the film registered as a disaster, and remains the worst-reviewed title in either franchise.

It's worth noting that while it's only been a little more than a decade since the release of Alien vs. Predator and Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, history has not treated the movies incredibly well. Specifically, Ridley Scott totally nixed the titles from the Alien canon with both Prometheus and Alien: Covenant; and it doesn't look like it will register in the work that Shane Black is doing on The Predator. But, who knows? Ten years from now some genius filmmaker may crack the code to make this concept work, and deliver something that buys back some credibility.

The Modern Era

Alien vs. Predator: Requiem didn't light the world on fire, but at the very least it did wind up inspiring a new generation of Predator titles -- though not anything as consistent as a regular series. Rather, the folks at 20th Century Fox recognized that there still remained a lot of potential in the brand -- which is what led to a partnership with Troublemaker Studios and writer/director Robert Rodriguez.

Funny enough, Rodriguez wrote the script for Predators all the way back in 1994 when he was filming his second movie, Desperado, but the approach was turned down because the studio believed it would cost too much money. The world of filmmaking changed a lot in fifteen years, however, and so the filmmaker was given a new opportunity to create his vision of a Predator movie. With Rodriguez producing, Alex Litvak and Michael Finch wrote new versions of his screenplay, and directing duties were given to Nimrod Antal.

As noted earlier, Predators takes the franchise away from Earth for the first time, and features an impressive ensemble including Adrian Brody, Mahershala Ali, Walton Goggins, Alice Braga, Topher Grace, Danny Trejo, and Lawrence Fishburne. In addition to introducing the homeworld of the titular creatures, the movie also designates different kinds of predators, including Trackers, Falconers, and Berserkers. There is a strict hierarchy in the society, which makes sense when you consider the emphasis the culture puts on trophies and honor. It ends on a semi-cliffhanger, as more Predator captives are shown parachuting down to the planet's surface, but it doesn't look as though we will ever get to see a super conclusive ending to that story.

Predators earned solid/mixed reviews, but its bigger issue came when the film hit theaters. While made for a modest-by-blockbuster-standards $40 million, it only made $52 million domestically. It made its budget and marketing expenses back with international tickets, as it made $127.2 million worldwide, but the performance was mediocre enough to leave the franchise in stasis for nearly another decade as the studio tried to figure out what else they could do with the brand.

Now, the drought of Predator movies is coming to an end, however, as writer/director Shane Black -- who was actually an actor in the 1987 original -- will be delivering his new feature, The Predator, to cinemas this fall. There remain some big questions about why the aliens have returned to Earth, and it's been confirmed that we will see some dangerous genetics work, but we'll have to wait until September 14th to see what the full film has in store.

Thanksgiving has come and gone in 2016, which means one thing: Christmas season is upon us. The next month or so will see TV commercials filled with as much holiday cheer as can be packed into a brief window of time. Famed director Wes Anderson has teamed up with H&M for a Christmas ad so delightful that even the Grinch would have to approve. Take a look!

I can't speak for anybody else, but I know that when I think "Oscar-winner Adrien Brody," I don't really think "H&M." It came as a lovely surprise when my heart grew three sizes after watching the four-minute ad that had surprisingly little to do with the clothing company. Conductor Ralph and porter Fritz really pulled out all the stops with their small complimentary Christmas brunch. Who knew what magic could happen with scissors, construction paper, and chocolate-flavored hot beverages with whipped topping? Kudos to Wes Anderson, Adrien Brody, and the rest for putting together such a charming short video that ticked all the right boxes for Christmas cheer.

Adrien Brody may not be an expected pick for the face of H&M's holiday line, but he makes sense as an actor for anything directed by Wes Anderson. Brody starred in three of Anderson's films: The Darjeeling Limited in 2007, Fantastic Mr. Fox in 2009, and The Grand Budapest Hotel in 2013. In a fun bit of trivia, The Darjeeling Limited and The Grand Budapest Hotel both featured live action trains, so it's fitting that a train is the setting for the "Come Together" Christmas ad.

The "Come Together" ad is strikingly different from the 2015 commercial for H&M's Christmas collection. The 2015 ad starred Katy Perry and was actually really, really creepy. The train filled with Christmas miracles this year is definitely a step up from bizarre dancing gingerbread men, Katy Perry dressed like a fairy, and a random polar bear last year. I'd dare say that "Come Together" is even better than Lady Gaga's H&M commercial from 2014, and that was one of the most popular holiday ads of the year.

It should be interesting to see how the Wes Anderson/Adrien Brody collaboration ranks against other holiday commercials this season. Apple got an early start with a Frankenstein-oriented ad that's positively adorable. It's too early to predict overall viewership for the "Come Together" ad, but it has already been viewed more than 2.5 million times during its first two days on Youtube. This commercial could be a major hit of the holiday season.

Check out our midseason TV premiere schedule to see what you can look forward to on the small screen in the not-too-distant future beyond seasonal commercials. If the "Come Together" ad successfully inspired you to want to check out H&M's Christmas line, you can find it in stores now.

Through their careers, John Cusack, Jackie Chan and Adrien Brody have each experienced high levels of acclaim and box office success, but what happens when they all come together to make a movie in China? The result is Dragon Blade, the first trailer for which was just released online.

Written and directed by Daniel Lee, Dragon Blade is set in China in the year 48 BC. Jackie Chan plays Huo An, a commander with a 1,000-soldier army who teams up with a Roman general named Lucius (John Cusack) to try and protect the borders of China from external invaders. Unfortunately, the blood-thirsty Tiberius (Adrien Brody) has a score to settle with Lucius, and heads his direction with an army of 100,000.

I'm sure that part of it has to do with the fact that this trailer (via Webzine Check) feels like it was hastily cut together, but I can't say that I have a tremendous amount of confidence in the quality of Dragon Blade. There are scenes clearly set against fake backdrops, a bit of over-dramatic screaming, a good amount of stilted dialogue, and worst of all I'm just having a really hard time seeing John Cusack as a Roman soldier. Of course, this is just a preview and the final product could be miles and miles better, but this really isn't doing much to give me confidence.

Whether or not we will actually get to see Dragon Blade for ourselves is a whole other question entirely. Back in November we learned that the film was being sold at the American Film Market, but at this point it doesn't seem like the project has managed to find distribution. Instead, it's only release strategy currently is a simultaneous release in mid-February in both China and Singapore next year. That being said, I'm sure it will find its way to us eventually. The names John Cusack, Adrien Brody, and Jackie Chan certainly don't hold the same kind of weight that they did around 15 years ago when they were attached to movies like High Fidelity, The Pianist and Rush Hour, but there are still American audiences out there who will pay to see them work.

Sadly, if Dragon Blade doesn't wind up coming out here in the United States, you might have a little trouble getting a nice quality fix from any of the three stars. Chan is currently working on Renny Harlin's Skiptrace, which doesn't have a release date yet; Cusack has finished production on an adaptation of Stephen King's Cell; and Brody may be seen alongside Salma Hayek in the thriller Septembers of Shiraz. Hopefully one or all of those movies can be a big hit and get their respective stars back on track.

There are a number of Harry Houdini films said to be in the works for the big screen. It seems only reasonable that we might see a small screen take on the master of illusion and escape. Last spring, we learned that History was developing a miniseries about Harry Houdini, which would star Adrien Brody as the title role. Today comes word that History has greenlit the project to go into production. In addition to Oscar winner Adrien Brody, Houdini will also star Kristen Connolly.

History made the announcement today, stating that Brody and Connolly will star in Houdini, which will be directed by Academy Award Nominated Uli Edel and co-produced by Lionsgate and A+E Studios. Brody will play magician Harry Houdini, while Kristen Connolly (House of Cards, As The World Turns) will play his wife Bess. The miniseries will tell the story of Houdini from his impoverished earlier years to the worldwide fame he went on to achieve as an illusionist and escape artist.

Houdini was born Erik Weisz in Budapest, Austria-Hungary in 1874 and moved to the U.S. in 1878. He began professionally practicing magic in 1891 and went on to rise to frame during the turn of the century, going on to be known as "The Handcuff King" and "Harry Handcuff Houdini." He was known to challenge police forces to try to keep him locked up and then find a way to escape. More than a hundred years later, people still know his name.

From History's announcement, it sounds like Adrien Brody idolized Houdini when he was growing up:

Whether or not the film captures what's resonated so well with Brody remains to be seen. What it does set up to capture is:

More than a century after he rose to fame Harry Houdini's name is still well known. Illusionists like David Blaine and David Copperfield have kept people actively interested in the art of escape and illusion, so a miniseries about the master of the art seems particularly fitting. And Brody is an incredibly talented actor, who seems like a pretty fantastic fit to play the lead.

Production on the four-hour scripted miniseries for History will begin this fall.

History seems to know when it has a good thing going. The network has had major success with two miniseries, The Bible and Hatfields & McCoys, so it's not particularly surprising that the cable channel would want to continue to explore the format with other stories. In the case of its next multi-hour project, it's the story of celebrated illusionist and escape artist Harry Houdini. Adrien Brody will star in the project.

EW reports that Brody is on board to star in the miniseries History is developing, which would trace the turn-of-the-20th-century master magician's life from poverty to fame. Gerald W. Abrams - whose producing credits include Modern Marvels and J.J. Abrams (his son) - is on board to executive produce.

As EW points out, Adrien Brody's better known for his feature work, including winning an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for The Pianist back in 2002. The actor may also be remembered for planting a big kiss on Halle Berry when he took the stage to collect his award. His recent credits include playing Salvador Dali in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, and he's credited for a role in Paul Haggis' upcoming film Third Person. If he's going to shift over to television, playing Harry Houdini in a miniseries for History sounds like a great way to do it.

On the subject of the miniseries itself, it sounds like a great project for History, which seems to have found a great way to celebrate historical stories that bring in the viewers, as the success of The Bible and Hatfields & McCoys attest. Houdini's story is one that continues to fascinate people, a century after his time. It seems like a great one to tell in a miniseries.

We've spent months writing stories about Albert Hughes's action film Motor City, and they've all fallen on pretty similar lines-- first we write about an actor who might star in the film, then we write about him leaving, then about another actor replacing him, then about that actor dropping out. The film had been sputtering to the start line for over a year before Gerard Butler recently signed on to play the lead, and with production set to start in mid-September, they seemed all set to finally get going… until the bottom, suddenly, fell out again.

And this time, it's a much bigger problem than just finding an actor to replace. According to Deadline, the film's financiers at Emmet/Furla Films, Envision Entertainment and Foresight Entertainment have pulled their support, realizing that the "drop-dead" April 2013 release date mandated by Warner Bros. would be impossible to reach. The film, which would have starred Butler as a man who escapes from prison and sets off for revenge against the man (Adrien Brody) who sent him there on a false charge, would have had just 12 weeks of post-production time, and though it's unclear how effects-heavy the film would have been, that apparently wasn't enough time to keep the backers happy.

Everyone says right now that they want to make Motor City happen someday, but this kind of last-minute shutdown almost assuredly means the cast will move on, and there may be script rewrites or even a director change in the future as well. It's unclear if Warner Bros. will stand by it, which means there might not be a big motivating force behind the scenes to put it all back together again. Projects like this have come back from the dead plenty of times, but for now, I would count on Motor City being one of those big ideas that just never came together.

Wes Anderson may not make a lot of movies, but every time out he swings for the fences with his casts. In addition to his ability to get Bill Murray to come back time and time again - his script selection process is notoriously rigorous but he has been in every Anderson film since Rushmore - the director has been bringing incredibly talented actors together for years, his movies touting names like Gene Hackman, Ben Stiller, Adrien Brody, Anjelica Huston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Willem Dafoe, Cate Blanchett and many more. His latest, Moonrise Kingdom, may be his most powerful ensemble yet, bringing in great performers like Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Bruce Willis, Jason Schwartzman, Bob Balaban, Tilda Swinton and Harvel Keitel. And he may be going for something even bigger in his next film.

According to Twitch, Anderson is going all out while finding his next cast and he has apparently already approached a number of big A-list stars about potential roles. The site says that the filmmaker has reached out to Johnny Depp, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Jude Law, Jeff Goldblum, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe and Angela Lansbury about the untitled project. It's worth noting that all of the actors, with the exception of Depp, Law, and Lansbury, have appeared in a previous Anderson film. While details about the movie are still a mystery, when I spoke with Anderson a few weeks ago he told me that his latest work will take him to Europe and that he worked with a new co-writer on the script (aka not Owen Wilson, Noah Baumbach or Roman Coppola).

Honestly, Wes Anderson could make a movie starring two ferrets and I would be interested, so if he's able to rope even half of the names on that list into his next film it will just be a cherry on top. Let's just hope he's aiming to start production soon!

One of the things that made Tony Kaye’s American History X both engrossing and unnerving as a film was the way he pulled viewers into the story, forcing us to look closely at Edward Norton’s neo-nazi skinhead character Derek Vinyard and his family. The film seemed designed to bring us uncomfortably close to what was happening, making it hard to watch at times and also just as difficult to look away.

?Whether Detachment proves to be as jarring and emotional as American History X remains to be seen, but the story sounds decidedly different, as racism and misplaced rage don’t appear to be major themes in the film. Frustration does seem to be a common thread, based in the trailer, which follows the previously released international trailer for the film.

Detachment stars Adrien Brody as Henry Barthes, a substitute teacher who tries to avoid forming bonds with his students by keeping his job assignments short-term. That may change when he takes a job at a school where the students are apathetic and the faculty is burned out. While the story doesn’t sound entirely unfamiliar, the trailer suggests that this may be a slightly more personal look at the story of a teacher connecting with his students, while dealing with his own issues. Plus, the cast is top notch, including Marcia Gay Harden, Christina Hendricks, William Petersen, Bryan Cranston, Blythe Danner and Lucy Liu, among others.

Here’s the new trailer, courtesy of iTunes.

Kaye certainly doesn’t shy away from close-ups. That comes through especially toward the end of the trailer during the montage of faces revealing what appears to be a shared sense of frustration among some of the characters.

Detachment premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last spring and made its way through a number of other festivals after that. The film releases in theaters on March 16th, however it will be available on iTunes on February 24th.

Back during Comic Con, a rumor began that Adrien Brody would play Hank Pym a.k.a. Ant-Man in Joss Whedon's The Avengers and, subsequently, Edgar Wright's solo Ant-Man movie. Since then, however, we've learned that Ant-Man won't be a character in The Avengers and we still have zero clue who will play the role in Wright's film. But while those rumors may have ended up being false, that doesn't mean that Brody wouldn't be up for it.

Screen Rant caught up with the Academy Award-winning actor at this year's New York Comic Con, and while he said that the rumors were indeed false - he has no relationship with Wright and didn't hear about the rumor until we did - there was at least a grain of truth to them.

That said, we are still without an Ant-Man in the Marvel universe, so the question remains: would Brody be up for playing the part? The answer is a resounding "yes."

Prior to seeing Predators this past summer, I had never really been a fan of Brody's, seeing him as a perpetual middle-gazer. But in the Nimrod Antal action film he showed off some range and balls that I never knew he had. While I still belong to the "Nathan Fillion for Ant-Man" camp, I wouldn't have a problem seeing Brody in the role either.

In the same article where they revealed the first photo of the Thor cast the LA Times buried another big story about who may end up playing Hulk in Avengers now that Edward Norton is gone. Some of the names are no surprise, we’ve heard them before. But what about David Tennant?

Tennant is best known for playing The Doctor on three seasons of the BBC’s new Doctor Who. To put it mildly, he was brilliant. The guy deserves a shot at a big, Hollywood role. Could this be it? The Times offers no explanation for their name dropping, they merely list him as one of the people rumored for the part along with Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, Nathan Fillion, and David Tennant. Yes please, to pretty much any of those.

But in particular, I’d love to see 39-year-old Scot David Tennant. If you’re not familiar with his work, here’s a look at the actor at his best, playing the infamous Doctor:

Woody Allen is busy premiering his newest movie, You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger, over at Cannes, but all the pieces for his next project are already falling in place on their own. THR reports that Adrien Brody has become the latest big name to join Midnight in Paris, Allen's next film that will be filming this summer just a hop, skip and a jump away from Cannes, in, yes, Paris.

Only one adjective is used to describe Brody's role, and it's a hilarious one: "flashy." This instantly makes me think of Brody's character in the Sundance comedy HIGH School, a completely insane and terrifying drug dealer, but something tells me that's probably not what Woody is aiming for. The film stars Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams, presumably as the central young American couple who visit Paris and, like all young couples in Paris, start thinking life over there might be better. Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen and France's first lady Carla Bruni are all on board as well. I can't quite see Brody as playing a suave Frenchman who convinces Owen Wilson to move to Paris, but god if that's what this role is, we're all in for a treat.

Yesterday is widely remembered as the anniversary of the Oklahoma City federal building bombings, but April 19 also marks an entirely different, violent American tragedy-- the 1993 raid on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. 81 people, including 17 children, were killed after the government tried to investigate illegal weapons at the compound, resulting in a 51-day siege and eventually an immense fire. Anyone who came of age in the 90s likely thinks of this any time the town of Waco is mentioned.

There's an amazing story in the Waco situation that has yet to make it to film, and now director Rupert Wainwright will be the first to fictionalize it. Production Weekly reported that Kurt Russell, Adrien Brody and Sharon stone are attached to the film, titled Waco, which is scheduled to film this fall. Additional information at Wainwright's official site notes that he co-wrote the screenplay with investigative journalist James Hibberd, who currently writes for The Hollywood Reporter.

As for the actors on board, the story includes so many federal agents and Branch Davidian members that it's impossible to tell which real-life people will make the cut, though Brody is a pretty likely candidate to play David Koresh, the Branch Davidian leader who also perished in the fire. It could be an amazing role for Brody-- charismatic cult leaders tend to make great screen characters-- and a strong performance from Brody could attract some eyeballs to what will doubtlessly be a difficult movie to watch. Difficult, that is, but probably necessary.

The first ever trailer for the Robert Rodriguez produced sequel Predators has arrive and, hopefully, you’ll think it’s every bit as badass as I did when I first saw it last Friday. Now’s your chance to drink it all in for yourself.

The trailer sets up the premise of Robert’s reboot rather simply. A group of humans arrive on an alien world. They don’t know how they got there, but they’re being hunted… by Predators. For more in-depth details on the movie check out our full report from Fox’s Predators unveiling last week here. Otherwise, watch the first ever Predators trailer below or in higher-res on IGN.

Principle photography on the Robert Rodriguez produced Predators has come to a close, so naturally we're going to start seeing bits and pieces from production trickle onto the interwebs and start whetting our appetite for the Nimrod Antal helmed sci-fi reboot. Today, we get our first real look at the characters and a bit of the wild setting of the Predators' home planet.

The images showed up over at AVP Galaxy but mostly look like they're from the personal camera of one of the film's meat shields, Oleg Taktarov. The photos are all very obviously amateurish, but you get your first look at a commandoed out Adrien Brody, a bloodied Topher Grace, and the beautiful if not a little dirty Alice Braga. It will certainly be interesting to see just how this unlikely cast will come together in the final product.

You may also notice that in the few glimpses of Pred-architecture that their world doesn't seem to be looking like some perverted Lego land like in AVP-R. Overall these photos are a nice preview of things to come, and it's looking positive so far. Reboots are always a tricky situation, especially of such loved properties as Predator, so lets hope that the next batch of marketing will get us even more excited to see invisible jungle predators blasting people's limbs off.

We haven't reported yet on The Experiment, director Paul Scheuring's remake of the German film Das Experiment, which apparently to take the famed Stanford Experiment and adapts it into a whole new horror movie territory.

But to catch you up: Production Weekly reported in June that Elijah Wood, Adrien Brody, Cam Gigandet and Forest Whitaker had been cast, and now they're saying Clifton Collins Jr. has joined as well. The film starts shooting a week from today in Des Moines, Iowa, which as we all know is a hotbed of both psychological torture and filmmaking. Or maybe they're just in it for the tax credits.

It's honestly surprising that a movie hasn't been made out of the Stanford Prison Experiment before, given that it scared the hell out of every sophomore who ever took Social Psych in college. I mean, even Philip Zimbardo, the guy who conducted the experiment, is terrifying looking. Are you ready to have Clifton Collins Jr. and Elijah Wood make you question everything you knew about authority? And afterward, will you admit it happened?

If you're not interested in catching Angels & Demons this weekend, may we suggest an alternative to summer blockbuster moviegoing-- The Brothers Bloom, the new film from Brick director Rian Johnson that features flashy visuals, some silly jokes, and Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo as two pretty endearing conmen.

We've got a new clip from the film below that shows off all of those things, plus Rinko Kinkuchi as the brothers' silent sidekick and, briefly, Rachel Weisz as the flightly heiress Penelope, who the brothers intend to con but who turns out to be more than they bargained for. I mean, just look at that car! This is a woman not to be messed with.

The Brothers Bloom opens this Friday in limited release. Below the new clip we've also included the sublime first 7 minutes of the movie, just in case you need another reason to see the movie.