Until very recently, I wasn't sure if I was going to see Masters of the Universe in theaters, however the decision has now been made. The ticket has been purchased, and I want to talk about a couple of reasons why I'm planning to see the He-Man film, which arrives soon on the 2026 movie schedule.

While nostalgia is a factor, it wasn't enough to make Masters of the Universe a must-see-in-theaters for me. My sisters and I were '80s kids and the prime age for He-Man and the Masters of the Universe when the animated series aired on TV. We loved that show, and the She-Ra spinoff that followed. Of course, we had some of the toys, and we saw the 1987 live-action film starring Dolph Lundgren and a pre-Friends Courteney Cox.

When I learned that they were making a new Masters of the Universe movie, I recall feeling a spark of nostalgia, but otherwise, I was fairly neutral. As fondly as I remember watching the original show as a kid, I can't say that I've been clamoring for a reboot. Still, I was curious enough to keep an eye on the promotions for Travis Knight's movie, and that brings us to the things that sold me on seeing it sooner rather than later...

The Trailers Really Look Fun

The story centers on Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) returning to his home world of Eternia after spending more than a decade living on Earth. With the Sword of Power and the help of his friends Teela (Camila Mendes) and Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), he's tasked with trying to save his world and fight Skeletor (Jared Leto).

I like the mix of humor and fantastical action featured in the trailers for the new movie. The footage has given us a good glimpse of the cast and the journey Adam is on. Also, I need to admit that I forgot just how much I loved Cringer/Battle Cat. As a kid, I remember liking that he could be brave even though he was also sometimes terrified. The sight of him roaring inside the MGM logo in the trailer made me smile.

Nicholas Galitzine Is Great -- The Whole Cast Is, Really

Though I'd seen him in The Craft: Legacy and the Amazon's 2021 Cinderella, Nicholas Galitzine won me over with two specific performances: the ridiculous, cheating-boyfriend Jeff in Bottoms, and the warm, charming, deserves-so-much-love Prince Henry in Red, White and Royal Blue (I can't wait for Red, White and Royal Blue 2 to come out!). These characters couldn't be more different if they tried, and yet, Galitzine played both so memorably and perfectly. For all the humor he brought to Bottoms, he brought as much warmth and depth to his Red, White and Royal Blue character.

Learning that he'd play Prince Adam had me curious, but also much more optimistic about the quality of the movie they were putting together. For Masters of the Universe, they picked an actor with genuine range to play the part of Adam (and from the sound of it, he put in a lot of work to bulk up for the role).

There's even more talent among the cast, which – in addition to Galitzine, Mendes, Elba and Leto – includes Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, and Charlotte Riley.

The cast and trailers had me mostly sold on buying a ticket, but there's one more thing to talk about...

Reviews Aren't In Yet, But Early Reactions Sound Positive

I don't rely solely on critics' reactions to determine if I'll see a movie, but if I hear it's good, that's certainly going to factor into my decision. In the case of Masters of the Universe, as of this writing, actual reviews aren't out yet, but early reactions on social media sound positive, with the words "fun" and "funny" being used to describe it. This isn't a property that I need to see taking itself super seriously. If what we're in for is popcorn fun where the heroes fight the bad guys and there are some bits of humor sprinkled throughout, that works for me.

Masters of the Universe arrives in theaters on June 5, 2026, but luckily, I was able to grab a ticket for an early access screening on June 3rd at my local theater, so if you're planning to watch it sooner rather than later, check the listings to see what's available near you.

Dave Franco and Alison Brie are now among real-life couples who’ve starred in horror movies, thanks to their 2025 movie release, Together. The body horror film sees Brie and Franco play a couple on the outs, who literally come “together” due to a supernatural force. Now, it would seem that after Franco and Brie, another notable couple has lined up a scary movie. Husband-and-wife duo Justin Long and Kate Bosworth are headlining a horror movie as well, and it sounds like a wild one!

News of Kate Bosworth and Justin Long's new movie comes courtesy of THR. The scary flick is called Coyotes, and it's set to debut at Fantastic Fest on September 20th. A horror-comedy directed by Colin Minihan, the flick centers around a family targeted by coyotes in their Hollywood Hills home. If that doesn't sound like a true nightmare, then I don't know what does.

While there have been plenty scary animal movies that involve dinosaurs, sharks, bears, and even dogs, I’ve never seen one that involves coyotes as the main threat. With one of the well-known traits of the canine breed being their distinct vocals with which they call each other, there's plenty of creepy potential for this film. Should the filmmakers achieve their goal of delivering a frightening tale, fans may hear ominous howls long after the credits roll.

“Scream King” Justin Long has actually collaborated with his wife -- to whom he's been married since 2023 and shares a child with -- in the horror genre before. They were both part of the cast of Barbarian, with Bosworth making a vocal cameo. Both also co-starred in House of Darkness (which is streamable with a Hulu subscription). The prospect of seeing the couple work together again is exciting, but I also just love their general interactions with each other.

Bosworth and Long proved they were couple goals the year they tied the knot when the Jeepers Creepers actor penned a sweet 40th birthday tribute to his then-future wife. The Blue Crush actress returned the favor with lovey-dovey photos of the couple that could make anyone believe in love. Coyotes likely won't be a mushy film, but I'm still eager to see how Long and Bosworth's natural chemistry manifests on screen.

There’s something special about real-life couples co-starring in horror flicks. What's satisfying about Together is that it contributes to the body horror wave, and, on top of that, it showcases the genuine chemistry of Dave Franco and Alison Brie. The combination of intimacy and unsettling terror is palpable and, collectively, it's enough to make audiences root for the two protagonists to beat the curse that's fusing them.

Still, Dave Franco and Alison Brie, it’s time to step aside for Kate Bosworth and Justin Long, who could prove with Coyotes that they're also a couple capable of delivering true frights by way of the silver screen. Be sure to keep an eye out for developments on Long and Bosworth's film, and be sure to check out Together in theaters now!

I can say from experience that, in my opinion, some of the best romantic relationships are shared by two people who love sharing moments of chills and thrills with each other. In that same vein, I have a lot of respect and admiration for couples who have joined forces to create moments of chills and thrills for others, such as the stars and co-producers of Together, Dave Franco and Alison Brie.

The husband and wife duo are far from the first real-life couple to star in a horror movie together, and, because of the genuine onscreen chemistry they bring to the new 2025 movie, I sure hope they are not the last. In fact, let's begin my little breakdown of notable Hollywood power couples who made some great scary date movies over the years with the stars of Together.

Dave Franco And Alison Brie (Together)

Recent releases like the Oscar-winning The Substance and The Ugly Stepsister have paved the way for a golden era of body horror movies that continues with writer and director Michael Shanks' Together. The new horror movie stars the aforementioned Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, who find themselves growing too close for comfort when a mysterious force causes them to be involuntarily bound by flesh.

Echoing Eric Eisenberg's Together review, Franco and Brie portray the troubling circumstances of their characters' relationship, even those existing before the supernatural starts to make things worse, so flawlessly that you can't help but wonder about the state of their actual marriage. Of course, by the end, it becomes clear they possess more than enough chemistry to make this bizarre and unsettling, but also funny and even heartwarming thriller a satisfying and touching experience.

John Krasinski And Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place)

I believe 2018's A Quiet Place boasts one of the most astonishingly unique concepts for an alien invasion movie I have ever seen: a world overrun with malevolent, non-seeing extra-terrestrials, forcing the remains of humanity to live in silence. However, I also believe the key to its unnerving effectiveness lies in the lead performances by John Krasinski (who also co-writes and directs) and Emily Blunt.

As Lee and Evelyn Abbott, the beloved power couple, who wed in 2010 and have since had two children, deliver a compelling and authentic sense of devotion to one another and desperation to protect their family at all costs. Had Krasinski not cast his own wife to play his onscreen partner, the film's man-versus-monster suspense could have easily lacked the breathless urgency that made it an instant sci-fi movie classic.

Jeff Goldblum And Geena Davis (The Fly)

Together is not the first body horror flick to star a real-life couple, but it might be the first to involve both romantic leads experiencing the same grotesque situation first-hand. In David Cronenberg's 1986 version of The Fly, Jeff Goldblum's Dr. Seth Brundle slowly becomes a half-human, half-insect hybrid while the love of his life, Ronnie Quaife (Geena Davis), only witnesses the dehumanizing process in shock and heartbreak.

Goldblum and Davis were engaged at the time they shot the revered horror movie remake, having actually met on the set of a 1985 horror-comedy movie called Transylvania 6-5000, and tied the knot the following year, only to split in 1990, according to People. Their genuine affection for each other, which appears to have survived their divorce, based on their 2024 SAG Awards appearance, explodes on the screen, cementing The Fly as one of horror's most unforgettable romantic tragedies.

David Arquette And Courtney Cox (The Scream Movies)

Watching the Scream movies in order is fascinating in the way the cleverly meta slasher franchise traces two notable timelines in pop culture. The subsequent films not only illustrate the modern evolution of the horror genre, but also that of the relationship between two of its most famous stars, David Arquette and Courteney Cox.

The Friends cast member, playing journalist Gale Weathers, and the Dewey Riley actor met on the set of the 1996 original, were dating while they shot the sequel (after some encouragement from Wes Craven), and were married during the third one, but had split before reprising their characters as husband and wife in 2011's Scream 4. However, Cox has since referred to Arquette as her "best friend "(according to People), and that shows in their willingness to reunite and play their roles as divorcees in 2022's Scream, which saw Dewey succumb to Ghostface's knife. However, Arquette has somehow been cast in Scream 7, so it looks like the reign of Dewey and Gale is, thankfully, not over just yet.

Freddie Prinze Jr. And Sarah Michelle Gellar (I Know What You Did Last Summer)

Scream is not the only '90s slasher movie favorite from which romance bloomed behind the scenes. In I Know What You Did Last Summer, Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Ray Bronson may have been dating Jennifer Love Hewitt's Julie James, but the actor really had his eye on their co-star, Sarah Michelle Gellar.

After falling in love on the set of the 1997 thriller, they would later wed in 2002, which is the same year they shared a kiss as Fred and Daphne in the first live-action Scooby-Doo movie. Since Gellar's Helen did not survive the first Summer, the couple was not able to reunite for the arguably more fun 1998 sequel, but she would make a surprise cameo in the 2025 reboot, achieved through a dream sequence, that also allowed her and Prinze the opportunity to have a fun family trip in Australia, where the legacyquel as filmed, as she shared with the country's iteration of Today.

Eli Roth And Lorenza Izzo (Aftershock)

Until their divorce in 2018 after four years of marriage, horror multi-hyphenate Eli Roth and actor and model Lorenza Izzo were one of the genre's top power couples, collaborating on projects like Netflix's Hemlock Grove, The Green Inferno, Knock Knock, and The House with a Clock in Its Walls. Their personal and professional relationship began with a disaster thriller from 2012 called Aftershock.

In addition to co-writing and producing the thriller from director Nicolás López, Roth stars alongside Izzo as survivors of a deadly earthquake in Chile struggling to make it out of the ruined city safely. The Chilean-born actor shared with WWD that she was cast in a leading role when Roth discovered she could speak English and, after spending the entire shoot together and boasting a chemistry that comes through effectively in the film, they became more than scene partners.

It is celebrity couples like these, in addition to the likes of Stranger Things' Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer, who prove to me that sometimes the key to a great horror movie, especially ones in which romance plays a pivotal role, is casting two people whose love offscreen is so strong, it's scary.

One of my most anticipated movies on the 2025 schedule has finally arrived — the new horror film Together, starring real-life couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco. It’s not their first time in spooky cinema; horror fans will remember Brie’s turn as Rebecca Walters in the first franchise revival and one of the best entries, Scream 4. The Scream series has always sparked debates about who should survive Ghostface’s rampages, and the Mad Men alum just offered one of the spicier takes yet. And honestly… she might be onto something.

While the pair was promoting their new spooky flick on the Shut Up Evan podcast, the conversation turned to Wes Craven’s beloved horror series. Brie, whose character met a brutal end in the 2011 installment, didn’t hold back when asked about the franchise’s modern era and why so many of the core characters make it to the end. As the Community actress sees it:

She’s referring, of course, to the “Core Four,” characters from the 2022 reboot Scream and its sequel Scream VI. It consists of Melissa Barrera’s Sam, Jenna Ortega’s Tara, Mason Gooding’s Chad, and Jasmin Savoy Brown’s Mindy, all of whom survived both movies.

Franco joked that maybe his wife’s character could return, after all, Scream has brought back supposedly dead characters before, remember the hallucinations of Billy Loomis? Not to mention, there are plenty of rumors about several dead characters returning for the next installment. The GLOW veteran quipped, “Yeah, where’s my role in Scream 7?”

But when her husband reminded her that Scream (2022) already took out David Arquette’s Dewey Riley, a legacy character, the Hollywood-born A-lister wasn’t having it. She added:

It’s a slightly contradictory stance — trim down the new blood, but preserve the original trio, though fans of the classic Scream era will undoubtedly understand exactly where she’s coming from.

Here’s the thing: the early Scream movies made you feel like anyone could die. Randy in Scream 2. Cotton in Scream 3. Even side characters with cult followings weren’t safe. But in the current era, the “Core Four” have walked away from two back-to-back Ghostface massacres without losing a member.

Brie’s larger point seems to be that keeping the main survivors too safe risks losing one of the franchise’s best weapons: unpredictability. And in a series built on meta commentary about horror rules, predictability can be lethal, just not in the fun way.

As for what we know about Scream 7, we know Neve Campbell will return as Sidney Prescott after sitting out the last film, with original Scream writer Kevin Williamson directing. Due to behind-the-scenes disputes, we also know that the Core Four's Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera will not be in the movie. However, it has been confirmed (via ET) that Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding will be back.

So, for at least one more installment, Ghostface could spare half of the Core Four by omission. Meanwhile, I'll be curious to see what happens to the other two in Scream 7.

The film, slated for the 2026 movie schedule on February 27, will also bring back Matthew Lillard’s Stu Macher and Scott Foley’s Roman Bridger despite their on-screen deaths.

Brie and Franco's horror movie Together is in theaters now, so be sure to check your local listings for show times.

After seeing Together, I think I can confidently proclaim that we have entered a golden era for body horror movies. Following acclaimed, grotesque recent releases like the Oscar-winning The Substance and Shudder’s The Ugly Stepsister, writer and director Michael Shanks’ insane new horror movie about a mysterious force threatening to bond a struggling couple’s flesh together reinforces my faith in a subgenre I have always been cautiously curious about.

Said couple from the 2025 movie release is played by real-life husband and wife Dave Franco and Alison Brie, who also produce Together, but actually previously collaborated on another horror flick from several years ago that I had always been curious to check out. It turned out to be yet another example of a movie that I regret not giving a chance sooner, and one I would recommend to any horror fan who enjoys Franco and Brie’s work in Together – which we reviewed well – but, mostly, for different reasons. Allow me to explain, WITHOUT SPOILERS…

The Rental Is An Unsettling Vacation Thriller

The movie in question is 2020’s The Rental – the directorial debut of Dave Franco, who also co-produces and co-writes with Joe Swanberg, who is known for the found footage horror favorite V/H/S and the insane home invasion thriller, You’re Next. Franco does not appear in the film, but it does star his spouse, Alison Brie, alongside underrated Scream King Dan Stevens, future Emmy-winning The Bear star Jeremy Allen White, and Sheila Vand of A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night fame as two couples spending a weekend away at a vacation rental home that soon proves to be a nightmare of life-changing and life-threatening proportions.

For his first feature, Franco proves to have a competent handle on crafting a strong slow-burn horror movie with The Rental (available with a Shudder subscription), with its ominous pacing and excellent character-driven suspense, elevated by a cast that captures their roles’ desperation perfectly. While not quite as original in concept, I would go so far as to call this a more haunting tale of Airbnb horror than 2022’s Barbarian, as it depicts a more frighteningly grounded situation and is portrayed in such harrowing and heartbreaking ways that I might now be convinced to only use hotels for the rest of my life.

The Rental Boasts A Few Similarities To Together

While Together is a supernatural thriller and dramatically different in tone, I noticed a few ways that it does relate to The Rental, outside of the involvement of Franco and Brie. Most notably, both films incorporate troubled romance and codependency as prevalent themes, as each of the main couples in the film is threatened by secrets that develop from either repressed dissatisfaction or a lack of self-assurance. These details have no allegorical connection to the film’s more overtly horrific moments, unlike what Together achieves with its body horror elements, but they would prove to be even more heart-wrenching in some respects.

Also, both films prove to me that Franco and Brie, as a creative team, are not above using domesticated animals to tug at your heartstrings. Together’s opening sequence, without giving too much away, involves two dogs experiencing a very disturbing situation, and there is also a dog in The Rental, named Reggie, who proves to be a potent source of trauma in the story when he suddenly goes missing. I will just say, his ultimate fate is nothing to be too worried about, especially when compared to the poor pooches in Together, but I felt I should warn pet lovers about the suspense that comes with his absence.

I have heard very little about The Rental since it came out, but I hope to see its popularity surge following the release of Together. If you have yet to see it and you have Shudder, I recommend you stream it, or even rent it on Amazon. You might end up agreeing with me that it is one of the best horror movies you waited too long to see.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers about a particular scene in writer/director Michael Shanks’ Together. If you have not yet seen the film, you can ready my spoiler-free CinemaBlend review; otherwise, proceed at your own risk!

Being a very proud new entry to the body horror subgenre, Together is a movie with plenty of nastiness and extremes, and easily one of the best examples is what can casually be called the “bathroom stall scene.” When Dave Franco’s Tim is meant to be going away for rehearsal with a band that wants him to tour with them, he instead finds himself supernaturally drawn to the school where Alison Brie’s Millie works. A mix of uncontrollable urges and a chance to end their sex drought as a couple leads them to hook up in a public toilet – but things go from passionate to panicked as Tim disturbingly can’t seem to... disengage.

It’s a complicated scene: it’s both humorous and horrific, it features some of the movie’s most graphic material, and you can tell just from watching it that it must have been supremely difficult to film. So, of course, I felt compelled to ask about it last month when I interviewed Michael Shanks, Alison Brie and Dave Franco during the new horror movie’s press day in Los Angeles.

Alison Brie And Dave Franco Love The Bathroom Stall Scene, But It Was Exceptionally Uncomfortable To Film

For actors, there is surely a natural expectation of awkwardness that comes with filming a sex scene. That’s true for sequences where two characters are getting intimate on a comfortable mattress covered in silk sheets – but now swap out that comfortable setting in your mind for a stall in a public bathroom, and you can understand why the sex scene in Together was a special challenge.

The sequence is one of the best in the film, and Alison Brie identified it as her favorite moment in the script when she first got the chance to read it, but she also totally underestimated just how grueling it would be to perform. She loves how it turned out, but both the physical and emotional aspects of it ended up being tremendous. Seated beside her co-star/husband Dave Franco, Brie said,

As captured in the video at the top of the article, the two actors detailed how their closeness in filming the sequence got a bit gross even without any supernatural forces trying to fuse them together. Because Tim is basically a slave to his urge to be with Millie in the moment, Dave Franco was given spritzes of fake sweat to suggest a sickness caused by being without her, and that combined with real sweat he was producing as a result of physical exertion/close quarters in the stall. It was not comfortable.

Director Michael Shanks estimated that it took somewhere in the range of eight hours to shoot the sequence in the bathroom stall, and Dave Franco acknowledged that there was a level of claustrophobia that colored things:

It was tough to shoot, but shooting the sequence also had some surprising wins – like lucking into a box of sex toys that the effects team was able to use for what is arguably the most shocking shot in Together.

Facing Budget Problems, Together Lucked Into ‘A Shoebox Full Of Genitals’

Alluded to above, the Together sequence in discussion here ironically doesn’t reach its climax as the characters are having sex, but instead in the immediate aftermath. For a brief moment, Tim and Millie and giggly and happy, but those positive emotions evaporate as the former is physically unable to separate himself from the latter. Initially, it seems that the audience is only going to register the drama via the fear expressed by the characters, as they are only framed from the waist up – but then there is a shocking angle that goes between them, and we see what I’m going to politely refer to as the compromised circumstances of Tim’s penis.

It’s graphic, and you probably would not expect the title that Michael Shanks used as a reference point:

As far as actually getting the shot, however, there was a practical issue: money. Released into theaters this past week by Neon, Together was made an independent production shot in Australia, and budgetary restrictions meant that not every part of the vision for the movie could be realized. But for the graphic shot of Tim’s stuck penis, luck ended up winning out over frugalness.

Michael Shanks told me that there wasn’t room in the budget for the practical/visual effects required to get the shot, but he ended up being fortunate in that his partner at the time was working for a sex toy company and was able to supply the production. Said the writer/director,

In most workplaces, someone showing up with a shoebox full of sex toys would probably be grounds for dismissal, but I suppose that’s why you have to love the specialness of the film industry.

This Is Where A Married Couple Acting Together Is Super Helpful

The sex scene in Together is graphic, and shooting it was immensely uncomfortable for the stars, but getting free dildos via the director’s partner wasn’t the only “organic” benefit the production had: filming would have been much more awkward if the two stars were relative strangers, but Alison Brie and Dave Franco have been a romantic couple since 2012, and they have been married since 2017.

Working with a spouse isn’t necessarily always a boon, and one watches the romantic drama of Together wondering if the on-screen conflict between the characters had the actors reflecting on their own relationship – but in the case of the bathroom stall scene, their shared history allowed Alison Brie and Dave Franco to be a bit more emotionally free. Discussing how shooting the scene with her husband made it different than it would have been with a different co-star, Brie said,

Adding to her comments, Franco noted that they were both able to make certain choices and take certain chances that they otherwise may not have been able to make because they had the inherent trust and support of their scene partner:

It’s a special working relationship, and one that helped yield one of gnarliest big screen moments of 2025 so far.

Also starring Damon Herriman, Together premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival and is now playing in theaters everywhere – the low-budget, critically acclaimed feature landing in sixth place at the weekend box office.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Together. If you have not yet seen the movie, proceed at your own risk!

Watching Together at a screening last month, I found myself wowed, impressed, and mesmerized by the movie’s final shot. The film builds well to its freaky, body horror-centric climax, which sees Alison Brie’s Millie and Dave Franco’s Tim submit and embrace the force that is fusing them together, and I left the theater instantly curious how the final shot came together with the Mille/Tim hybrid that greets Mille’s parents at the door of their home when the older couple arrives for a Sunday visit.

Fortunately, one of the best aspects of my job is that I get to satisfy that kind of curiosity via interviews with filmmakers and actors, and that’s exactly what I got to do when I sat down with writer/director Michael Shanks, Alison Brie and Dave Franco during the Los Angeles press day for the new horror movie late last month. In separate interviews (as captured in the video above), I asked them all about how that final shot was accomplished, and not only did I learn about the execution of some amazing special and visual effects work, but I discovered that the married stars have a hilarious “qualm” with the final look.

How Together Accomplished That Final Shot

Did they find an actor who looks like a hybrid of Alison Brie and Dave Franco? Is it entirely a VFX creation? I had questions like those running through my head after witnessing the wild final moment of Together, and when I asked Michael Shanks about how the shot was created, I found myself impressed and amazed. It’s a mix of practical and digital artistry, and the work that went into it is fantastic.

The Millie/Tim hybrid is played by Alison Brie, but you can be forgiven if you don’t recognize her at all. In addition to extensive makeup work on set that saw parts of Dave Franco’s visage applied to the actresses, there were also visual effects employed that changed the shape of her face to be more like her co-star’s/husband’s. Shanks explained,

Our society is presently without advanced cloning/genetic engineering technology that could perfectly generate a hybrid, nor do we have time travel technology that could age the creation up, so this is really the best option that the production of Together had… and it worked out perfectly. That being said, there is one issue with the final shot that the stars of the movie don’t love, and it was something that the actors came to understand after test screening early cuts of the feature and getting some weirdly insulting feedback…

The Mille/Tim Hybrid Is A Combination Of Two Attractive People… But Alison Brie And Dave Franco Are A Bit Perturbed That They Aren’t More Attractive

Together had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year – where it was met with critical acclaim and eventually picked up by Neon for distribution – but before it had its big debut, unfinished versions of the work were shown during test screenings to determine how the movie would play with audiences. One of the “unfinished” aspects was the final shot… and one unfortunate side effect was a reaction to the work that particularly hurt Alison Brie’s feelings.

While it’s not super common for creatives to attend test screenings, the Community star snuck in to secretly observe how people felt about the movie. At the time, the VFX for the final shot and the applications of details from Dave Franco’s face on top of the makeup were still being experimented with, and the audio wasn’t finished either, so the voice that the audience’s heard from the hybrid was the actresses. It didn’t look perfect… and it led to Brie being shocked by one person’s response:

It was this super funny comment that led to a confession from Alison Brie and Dave Franco, which is that they’re a bit upset that a blend of their movie star good looks didn’t yield a more attractive person. They don’t feel that the hybrid is ugly – but it wasn’t quite what they expected. The actors explained:

Dave Franco: We will say one qualm we have with that final creature is we were just disappointed with how unattractive...
Alison Brie: We wish they were a little more attractive. Like the merging of our two faces made that face.
Dave Franco: They're not unattractive, but we just wanted them to be a little cuter.

Humorous niggles aside, it’s a great conclusion to the film, and one with which Michael Shanks is particularly happy, if not especially because it was an element of Together that featured in the very first draft and was the only conclusion that the writer/director could envision for the movie. Said Shanks,

I’m excited to see the film again just so that I can really focus on the face of the hybrid creation and appreciate the high level movie magic that went into it. And if you want to do the same, Together is now playing in theaters everywhere (having landed at sixth place with a strong debut at the box office this past weekend).

In a broad context, co-dependence is wonderful thematic material for a horror film. There is tremendous beauty to recognize in the idea, as who wouldn’t want to find another person with whom they can perfectly harmonize for a lifetime? But we also live in a world of constant change that threatens that harmony, which can instill paranoia that an ending is always right around the corner, and there is also the fear of losing one’s independence and identity as a part of a couple. Mix that trouble with multi-dimensional characters, some dashes of the dark supernatural, and a sprinkle of freaky terrors, and you have an exciting and intimate scary movie. Or to be more specific, you have writer/director Michael Shanks’ Together.

Arriving in theaters during a brilliant summer for original horror, the film doesn’t have the mesmerizing complexity of Danny and Michael Philippou’s Bring Her Back or the arresting scope of Zach Cregger’s Weapons, but it succeeds pairing a fairly simple narrative with big ideas and nasty execution that will be appreciated by sick puppy cinephiles. Married co-stars Alison Brie and Dave Franco are independently and collaboratively so excellent that you wonder about the stability of their actual relationship (it’s intense enough to make you question if simply taking this project on was an effort to test their marital bonds), and while it can’t be said that Together on the whole is full of unexpected twists, the finale is definitely a delightful shocker.

Millie (Alison Brie) and Tim (Dave Franco) are a long-term couple when we first meet them in the movie, and while the latter is reticent about getting married, they do make a commitment by moving together from the city to a new home in the countryside. Tim’s hopes to make it as a professional musician are fizzling, and his remote new zip code doesn’t exactly help, but Millie supports them with her job as a teacher at the local elementary school. Stress is high after the relocation, and helping nothing is that their relationship has become sexless.

In an effort to both try and reconnect and explore their new area, they decide to go on an afternoon hike together in the local woods… and as you can imagine given the genre, things take a bad turn. First they get lost, then it starts thunderously rain, and then they accidentally discover a new age church that has sunk into the ground – and by “discover,” I mean he falls into a hole and then pulls her in as she tries to help him get out. Temporarily trapped, thirsty and out of water, they opt to drink from a pool that has gathered in the cave, and they make camp for the night to wait out the downpour.

Needless to say, drinking the water was a big mistake. In the morning, the couple wakes to find that two of their legs are stuck together, and while they are able to tear apart and chalk it up to cave mildew, it’s just the start of their shared nightmare. I kind of biological magnetism slowly starts to build, and Millie and Tim find themselves drawn to each other with increasing magnitude, both psychologically and physically.

There is a simplicity in the story of Together that doesn’t get in the way of it being captivating.

Together unfolds with a straightforward narrative that has natural escalation and momentum, and while that doesn’t ultimately leave much room for surprise during the journey, one is nonetheless entranced in anticipation of seeing just how far the horror is going to go. The lesions left after Millie and Tim rip apart their calves in the early cave scene is just the start of the experience and effectively teases the nastiness to come, and – with the exception of one sequence that I won’t reveal in this spoiler-free venue – it delivers on that promise. You have an idea of what’s on the way, but it still successfully gets you more and more excited for the next level of the supernatural force that is constantly growing in power.

Along similar lines, the movie isn’t particularly coy when it comes to its themes about co-dependency, as it’s the principal source of conflict for the couple as they enter a new stage of their relationship, but understanding the subject matter doesn’t render the Millie and Tim as flat caricatures. They’re equally likable, flawed, and passionate – which makes their arguments and fights all the more interesting, as Together doesn’t take sides and you can understand their points of view. The film effectively keeps you going back and forth regarding whether or not these two people need to cut ties or never let one another go, and your emotional investment in them adds weight to all the horrors.

Alison Brie and Dave Franco both bring great range to a pair of complicated characters in a complicated relationship.

Obviously nothing is hurt by the film starring two talented and charismatic leads who make effective use of their demonstrated range. There is a terrific blend of sweetness, awkwardness, and anger that make up the relationship between the main characters, and Alison Brie and Dave Franco have the natural chemistry that makes it all feel very real. And not only is there plenty of heavy emotional material for the performers to explore, but there is also impressive physical work as they are both attracted to each other and fused with awesome movie magic.

Some amazing makeup and effects work in Together will have you gasping.

It’s somewhat unfair that Together has to live in the shadow of Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, which blew minds late last year with its extremely gory, body horror madness, but for its scale and what it attempts to do, Michael Shanks’ movie will most certainly have more sensitive members of the audience averting their eyes and covering their mouths in extreme shock. Not only are brilliant special effects employed as hands gets slowly embedded into arms, but there is also chilling (and seamless) work from contortionist performers and the stomach-churning action of Millie and Tim making efforts to separate themselves. Casual movie-goers will squirm, and genre fans will cheer – with the standout sequence being a very… special bathroom stall encounter between the protagonists.

As far as my personal tastes are concerned, I’m always going to appreciate a gnarly horror movie with smart themes and complicated characters, and Together effectively checks all of those boxes. It has limitations, which can be excused by production resources, but it’s still a standout during a hot time for the genre, and it immediately establishes Michael Shanks, a filmmaker with a wicked vision, as a talent to watch.

One of the more highly anticipated releases on the upcoming movie calendar has to be the 2026 version of Masters of the Universe. The popular franchise has been trying to get a live-action movie off the ground for years, and now the movie is finally happening. Although there’s a lot about it we still don’t know.

One of the questions that has been up in the air for some time has been the film’s tone. Based on an ‘80s cartoon that was silly as it was action-packed, recent rumors have implied the new film might be approaching the material from a more serious angle. While speaking to Collider, Alison Brie, who will play Evil-Lyn in the new film, implies that won’t be the case. She said…

While not giving a definitive answer to the tone question, Brie certainly implies that the new Masters of the Universe movie is not “leaning a little more serious,” which would mean that there will be at least some humor to be found in the film. Whether or not one would classify the movie as a comedy remains to be seen.

Alongside Alison Brie's Evil-Lyn, the Masters of the Universe movie has a solid cast that includes Jared Leto as Skeletor, Camila Mendes as Teela, and Nicholas Galitzine as the lead hero, He-Man.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, the cartoon that was created to sell the action figures of the same name, was mostly an adventure series, but it had comedic characters, like Orko the unreliable magician, and Cringer, the cowardly pet tiger of Prince Adam who transformed into Battle Cat when Adam became He-Man. Even the ostensibly heroic ones were capable of being silly now and then.

It wouldn’t have been that shocking if the plan had been to do some sort of serious take on Masters of the Universe. It often seems studios are afraid that an adaptation that isn’t played perfectly straight won’t be taken seriously by the audience. And the material certainly could work as a traditional sword and sorcery fantasy epic, something that closely resembled Netflix’s Witcher series or even Game of Thrones in tone.

It certainly sounds like things won’t be quite that serious. If Masters of the Universe isn’t looking to be more serious, we could get something that’s a similar balance of action and humor as the original animated series. It would still have plenty of serious action, but with some lighter moments as well. For those hoping Masters of the Universe is a “faithful” adaptation of the original material, it sounds like that could certainly happen.

Horror is presently experiencing a massive boom on the big screen, and while one of the most delightful aspects of the success is that it hasn’t been defined by any single subgenre, there is no question that body horror is having a special moment. One of the most beloved and talked about movies of all of 2024 was Caroline Fargeat’s incredible, sexy and totally disgusting The Substance, and audiences were shocked by what they witnessed earlier this summer in Danny and Michael Philippou’s Bring Her Back. It’s a trend that is continuing in excellent fashion this week with the release of Together starring Alison Brie and Dave Franco – and writer/director Michael Shanks has been delighted to see the obvious hunger demonstrated by sick puppy cinephiles.

Together made its world premiere earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, but the filmmaker got to see The Substance with a collection of his colleagues while the work was still being finished, and it certainly made an impression. When I spoke with Shanks last week during the Los Angeles press day for his new 2025 movie, I asked him about the love for body horror that has been getting a spotlight since the release of the Demi Moore/Margaret Qualley film late last year, and he offered a candid response to the Oscar-winner:

I feel I should note: it’s a funny and self-effacing comment from the director, as while it’s true that Together doesn’t go quite as big as The Substance, it has more than a few scenes with great effects that will turn your stomachs. In the new horror movie, the aforementioned Alison Brie and Dave Franco play a couple that moves to a house in a remote, sparsely populated town and becomes afflicted by a supernatural force. A commentary on co-dependent relationships, the protagonists find themselves literally drawn to each other, and the moments of fusion are… not for movie-goers with weak stomachs.

Not only was Michael Shanks wowed by The Substance as a film with some stunning practical effects, he was equally pleased to be a part of a crowd of people who delighted in the revolting insanity as much as he did. He witnessed a theater audibly loving the nastiness being projected, and he recalled the terrifying work of his countrymen Danny and Michael Philippou getting similar responses with their recent features. He continued,

As for whether or not there’s a reason why body horror is having such a great moment in the sun right now, Michael Shanks made an interesting point: it may not be anything specific, because one of the greatest things about the subgenre is that it’s both universal and timeless. Each and every one of us have complicated feelings about the bags of meat in which they inhabit, and there is endless opportunity to exploit it with cinema magic. Said Shanks,

Also starring Damon Herriman, Together is the newest offering from Neon – the distributor that has brought us the horrors of The Monkey, Cuckoo, Longlegs, and Immaculate – and it will be arriving in theaters this Wednesday, July 30. Be sure to check it out on the big screen and then make your way back here to CinemaBlend for more of our coverage, including my interview with Alison Brie and Dave Franco and more from my conversation with Michael Shanks.

After nearly two decades being stuck in development hell, the Masters of the Universe reboot is finally making significant progress moving forward. Along with Nicholas Galitzine being cast to play Prince Adam/He-Man, it was announced in August that Camila Mendes will play the badass Teela in the long-awaited project. Now as we get going into September, the actress who will play Evil-Lyn has been revealed, too, and this casting update makes me all the more eager to learn who will be playing her boss, Skeletor, a.k.a. He-Man’s arch-nemesis.

Community, GLOW and Promising Young Woman actress Alison Brie has been tapped to play Evil-Lyn in Masters of the Universe, as shared by THR. She will be the second person to play the role in live-action, following Meg Foster in 1987’s Masters of the Universe movie. Much more recently, Game of Thrones’ Lena Headley voiced the character in Masters of the Universe: Revelation and the follow-up Revolution, and Grey Griffin voiced her in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Those shows can be streamed with a Netflix subscription.

Alison Brie’s Evil-Lyn casting comes as the actress stars in the Peacock subscription-exclusive thriller limited series Apples Never Fall. For those unfamiliar with Evil-Lyn, she is a witch who serves as Skeletor’s second-in-command and is much smarter than the skeleton-faced antagonist’s usual minions. As such, not only has she frequently hatched her own sinister schemes, she’s freely admitted that one days she hopes to take Skeletor’s power for herself and rule Eternia with an iron fist. However, Revelation and Revolution delivered a more sympathetic portrayal of Evil-Lyn, so I’ll be curious to see if the Masters of the Universe reboot will follow suit or just depict her as a straightforward villain.

Either way, it’s nice to see Alison Brie has finally scored a role in a live-action tentpole movie, with Amazon MGM Studios teaming up with Mattel Films for Masters of the Universe following the project previously being housed at Netflix. While I’m certainly intrigued to see how Brie does at Evil-Lyn, as mentioned earlier, this also makes me more curious about who this reboot will cast as Skeletor. As a Community fan, I’m strangely interested in the prospect of co-star Joel McHale tackling that role before they reunite for Peacock’s Community movie, though I doubt it’ll actually happen. Whomever it ends up being, my fingers are crossed that he and Brie have the right kind of chemistry to make this villainous pair pop on the big screen.

Directed by Travis Knight and written by Chris Butler, Masters of the Universe is slotted for June 5, 2026. With the casting news that’s been coming in these last few weeks, it’s a good bet that production is set to begin soon.

Eternity is calling! After about four decades of starts and stops. A new Master Of The Universe movie is finally part of the 2026 movie schedule. Fans of the franchise know all too well that the promise of a live-action movie based on the toy line from Mattel (and the cartoon that was also born from the action figures) has been in and out of production hell for a long, long time.

With the release of the movie just a couple of weeks away, here's everything we know about the Amazon MGM Studios release.

What Is The Masters Of The Universe Release Date?

By the power of Grayskull (and Amazon MGM Studios, and Mattel Films), Masters of the Universe is set to hit theaters everywhere on Friday, June 5, 2026. This date is a long time coming. The project has been all over the place for years, including a point when it found a home at Netflix, only to be scrapped.

The film was later revived with plans to start shooting in mid-2022, and those were abruptly cancelled not long after. Principal photography finally got underway in January of 2025, and star Nicholas Galitzine confirmed in an Instagram post in July of ‘25 that production had wrapped. Now it's hitting the big screen this summer.

The Master Of The Universe Trailer

In March 2026, Amazon MGM dropped the first full trailer for the movie.

After releasing a teaser a couple of months ago, Amazon MGM dropped the first trailer on the last day of March 2026. It looks amazing, even on the small screen; it should look really cool on the big one.

What Masters Of The Universe Is About

From the trailers, it looks like we're definitely getting an origin story. I don't always love origin stories, but I think it's critical here. He-Man isn't, say, Superman. Everyone knows Kal-El's history; fewer know Prince Adam/He-Man's backstory. Introducing all the key characters and, from the looks of it, creating a new backstory (the old show never went too deep here), is a smart way to build the foundation of a potential franchise.

The Masters Of The Universe Cast

The cast of Masters of the Universe is, in a word, stacked. There will be a ton of everyone's favorite characters, many of whom are played by A-list stars and familiar faces.

Nicholas Galitzine (He-Man/Prince Adam)

The new He-Man will be played by Nicholas Galitzine, who has starred in numerous Amazon Prime original movies already, including 2023’s Red, White & Royal Blue (which is returning soon), and The Idea of You from early 2024. The English actor’s casting followed two previous announcements that the lead Masters of the Universe role was filled – first by Noah Centineo, who dropped out as Covid-19 continued to hold the project back, and then by Kyle Allen, who was brought in until it hit another snag.

Jared Leto (Keldor/Skeletor)

Jared Leto had a rough 2025 with the release of Tron: Ares, which was a huge box office letdown. Leto is no stranger to big franchises, however. The Suicide Squad vet is playing He-Man's chief villain, Skeletor. The reveal of the villain is one of the real highlights of the trailer.

Camila Mendes (Teela)

Teela – the Captain of the Royal Guard at the palace of Eternos, who serves as Prince Adam’s trainer and protector – will be played by Camila Mendes. The character – who also fights battles with He-Man while unaware he is Adam’s alter ego – marks a major departure for the former Riverdale cast member, who is otherwise best known for rom-com films like the funny Palm Springs (one of the best movies on Hulu) or Amazon’s Upgraded. Then again, she also starred in a crime thriller called Coyote Lake from 2019 and led Netflix’s Dangerous Lies the following year.

Alison Brie (Evil-Lyn)

You could probably guess by her name alone that Evil-Lyn – the only female member of the Evil Warriors and second-in-command to Skeletor – is a villain. She will be played by Alison Brie. We only get a brief glimpse of her in both trailers, but she definitely looks badass.

Idris Elba (Duncan / Man-At-Arms)

Duncan, whose title, “Man-At-Arms,” is a central figure for Eternia’s ruling monarchy and the Royal Guard, will be played by Idris Elba, who played the somewhat similar role of Heimdall in the Thor movies. In fact, Masters of the Universe will be only the latest of many franchise films the six-time Emmy nominee has participated in, also including two DC films (The Losers and 2021’s The Suicide Squad) and the non-MCU Marvel flick, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.

Kristen Wiig (Roboto)

The great Kristen Wiig will star as a Roboto, a robot warrior built by Man-At-Arms in the cartoon, and introduced later in the original cartoon's run. Traditionally, Roboto has been male, so this is an intriguing casting, one that could be very cool.

Morena Baccarin (Sorceress Of Castle Grayskull)

Playing Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, who guards the fortress’ secrets with magic, is Morena Baccarin, who is also no stranger to franchise adaptations, having voiced Talia Al Ghul in some animated Batman movies, playing Leslie Thompkins in the Gotham cast, and starring in the Deadpool movies as Wade's girlfriend, Vanessa. She had previously earned her “Geek Goddess” status as part of the Firefly cast in the role of Inara Serra.

James Purefoy (King Randor Grayskull)

James Purefoy – starring as Adam’s father, King Randor – has one previous comic book adaptation under his belt called Pennyworth (following Bruce Wayne’s butler’s early days in espionage). Highlights of the English actor’s resume also include A Knight’s Tale, HBO’s Rome, Disney’s John Carter, and creator Kevin Williamson’s crime drama, The Following.

Sam C. Wilson (Trap Jaw)

Skeletor’s cybernetic henchperson, Trap Jaw, who gets his name for his deadly bite, will be played by Sam C. Wilson of BBC’s Dodger fame. He is also known for appearing in a couple of episodes of House of the Dragon as Blood and is also set to star in the upcoming series, Blade Runner 2099, for Amazon MGM.

Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Fisto)

A fierce, heroic warrior named Fisto, known for having a large metal fist for a right hand, is being portrayed by Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, who is no stranger to fantasy epics, having appeared in the Game of Thrones cast as Lem Lemoncloak, in Vikings: Valhalla as Olaf Haraldsson, and more. The Icelandic actor more recently appeared in Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World as Copperhead.

Kojo Attah (Tri-Klops)

As Tri-Klops, one of Skeletor’s top warriors, we have Kojo Attah, whose last major “warrior” role was in the 2020 video game Total War Saga: Troy as the voice of Memnon. The actor would later work with Jason Statham in Wrath of Man and The Beekeeper. They also appeared in Netflix’s sci-fi series, Supacell.

John Xue Zhang (Ram Man)

Ram Man, who was literally described by Mattel as a “human battering ram,” is being played by John Xue Zhang, who has performed stunts for such films as Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw and Eternals. He has also scored acting roles in shows like Netflix’s The Brothers Son and movies like Kraven the Hunter.

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Goat Man)

Playing a minor villain named Goat Man – who debuted in the 1985 Golden Book, Secret of the Dragon’s Egg, before appearing in the Masters of the Universe: Revelation episode “Hope, for a Destination” – is Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. The Icelandic strongman made his acting debut as one of multiple actors in the TV role of The Mountain on Game of Thrones and later starred in 2022’s The Northman, most notably.

Charlotte Riley (Queen Marlena)

As Marlena – King Randor’s wife and Adam’s mother – we have Charlotte Riley, who met her husband, Tom Hardy, while playing the romantic leads of Masterpiece’s two-part adaptation of Wuthering Heights. She is also known for films like Edge of Tomorrow and London Has Fallen, plus series like Peaky Blinders.

Sasheer Zamata (Suzie)

Sasheer Zamata has joined the Masters of the Universe cast as a new character named Suzie, but it will not mark the first time the SNL alum has branched out beyond comedy. She starred in a Blumhouse thriller called Sleight, was in the 2020 found footage horror movie Spree, appeared in Showtime’s Waco: The Aftermath, and joined the MCU in Agatha: All Along.

Christian Vunipola (Hussein)

Also starring in an original role, named Hussein, is Christian Vunipola. Some of his previous acting roles include 2022’s Not Okay and Hulu’s Miguel Wants to Fight.

Travis Knight Is Directing

Helming Masters of the Universe is Travis Knight, who already has experience with movies about toys, having made his live-action directorial debut with 2018’s Transformers movies spin-off, Bumblebee. His first directing credit was 2016’s Academy Award-winning Kubo and the Two Strings from Laika — the stop-motion animation studio he co-founded to produce acclaimed films like ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls.

Handling screenwriting duties, following a previous draft by David Callaham and Adam Nee, is fellow Laika veteran Chris Butler, who penned the likes of ParaNorman and Missing Link, in addition to working on the storyboarding for stop-motion classics Corpse Bride and Coraline.

Masters Of The Universe Is One Of Many Upcoming Mattel Productions

It would not be too much of a stretch to assume that the Masters of the Universe production got a healthy boost following the success of Barbie. However, He-Man is not the only toy hitting the big screen with help from the pink lady, as there are several other films based on Mattel products currently in the works.

The film studio (and toy company) is reported to be developing projects based on the popular American Girl dolls, a Hot Wheels movie, and a different one based on Matchbox toy cars, and even flicks about the View-Master and the Magic 8 Ball. There are plenty more where those came from on the way.

Previous Adaptations Of The Masters Of The Universe Toys

The Masters of the Universe toy line was first launched by Mattel in 1982. A popular after-school cartoon soon followed, and a notorious live-action box office bomb starring Dolph Lundgren (who reportedly has a cameo in the new movie) as He-Man was released in 1987. The adventures of He-Man and other characters from the franchise were also chronicled in accompanying minicomics, which were followed by a run in DC Comics as well.

The franchise’s first-ever movie, however, was 1985’s He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword, which was later televised as a mini-series. The adventures continued to expand on the small screen in later years with 1990’s The New Adventures of He-Man, another remake from 2002.

Two animated reboot series on Netflix in 2021, including the Kevin Smith-produced Masters of the Universe: Revelation, and a 2024 miniseries called Masters of the Universe: Revolution. There were also two spin-off series centered on He-Man's sister, with Netflix's more recent hit She-Ra: Princesses of Power being an update of the characters' '80s spin-off.

Will this new interpretation of Masters of the Universe “have the POWERRRRRRR!” to win audiences over? We will just have to see when He-Man returns to the big screen in 2026.

In the years since Community ended, fans have learned some intriguing behind-the-scenes details on the beloved show by way of the cast and crew. A topic that’s become a particular point of interest has seemingly been cast member Chevy Chase’s feelings about the program. The veteran actor and comedian shared some sentiments in 2023, explaining that he didn’t enjoy the four years during which he appeared as a series regular. Since then, some of his co-stars have weighed in and, now, Alison Brie has a take on the matter that’s honestly quite refreshing. 

What Did Alison Brie Say About Chevy Chase’s Community Comments?

The actress, who played the role of Annie Edison throughout Community’s six seasons, addressed her former colleague’s sentiments during an episode of Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live. It was during the fan Q&A segment that she was asked for her feelings on the sentiments. She responded by sharing a lighthearted take on the matter and explaining why she’s glad that she found out about the comments in the manner that she did: 

As mentioned, Chevy Chase shared his feelings while appearing on Marc Maron’s podcast, WTF and, while his thoughts were brief, they were pointed. Chase, who portrayed Pierce Hawthorne told Maron in late 2023 that the show was “not funny enough for me” and that he felt “a little bit constrained.” As for his co-star, he recalled that “everybody had their bits” and that “they were all good.” Yet he apparently “didn’t want to be surrounded” by “those people” regularly. 

These are very honest comments that one can certainly take hard, and anyone who has is certainly entitled to those feelings. However, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t appreciate how Alison Brie is choosing not to sweat it too much. She also makes a fair point in that reading such comments could definitely be tougher than actually hearing them. Many of us who regularly consume news can probably relate to that assessment as well. So kudos to Brie for looking on the bright side here and providing an astute observation.

What Have Other Community Stars Said About Chevy Chase?

Shortly after the podcast episode went live, Shirley Bennett actress Yvette Nicole Brown responded. Brown shared an article about the interview to X, quipping that “he seems nice.” When asked if she had ever spoken about her working experience with the National Lampoon alum, she said, “Never have. Probably never will.” A fan eventually contended that the headline mischaracterized the comments and, when suggesting that Brown should read it, she simply replied, “I’m good.” 

Series lead actor Joel McHale got real about the comments as well. When it comes to his old co-star saying he didn’t enjoy the gig, McHale stated that his first thought was that “feeling’s mutual” in regard to his attitude. He also asserted that the actor “didn’t have to be there” if he didn’t want to. Fellow series alum Donald Glover, famous for his role as Troy Barnes, has also spoken out about his behind-the-scenes issues with Chevy Chase. Among the details that he shared was the mention that Chase apparently used racial slurs, which Glover later joked about shortly after sharing his recollections.

At present, the cast is preparing to work on the long-awaited Community movie, which will feature just about the entire ensemble, which also includes Ken Jeong, Danny Pudi, Gillian Jacobs and Jim Rash. During the summer of 2023, Joel McHale confirmed Donald Glover’s involvement and stated that Chevy Chase would not be involved. Considering his comments, it’s not surprising that Chase won’t be in the fold. It’s unclear as to whether his former scene partners will field questions about him as production on the film gets underway. Right now, though, we all may just want to take a moment to appreciate Alison Brie’s perspective on the matter. 

All six seasons of Community are currently streamable for Hulu subscribers and anyone with a Peacock subscription.

Alison Brie is illuminating as the free-wheeling, high-strung mess Amy Delaney in Peacock’s TV version of Liane Moriarty’s popular novel Apples Never Fall. The story is so compelling not only because it is about a missing mother and a father who is the main suspect, but because the Delaney family also have four children who align in different ways and take sides when their mother disappears. Which is what makes the ending so compelling, juicy, and –dare I say it? – upsetting for some critics.

CinemaBlend recently spoke with Brie about the TV series from the author of Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers and more. Of course, Apples Never Fall makes some big changes from the book, and that includes taking creative license with the ending. If you’ve caught the show with your Peacock subscription, you may already be aware of some of the differences, but I will be getting into some spoilers below. But first, how does the actress feel about it?

While Alison Brie claims the show manages to “veer a little bit” from Moriarty’s original ending, there are actually 2 major changes from the books I think are worth pointing out.

1. The setting for Joy's "escape" is different and eerier.
2. The messed up twist at the end of the book is left vague in order to focus on a Delaney reunion.

In Moriarty's version, matriarch Joy ultimately decided she needed a break from the Delaneys and headed with Savannah to a retreat where cell phone use was not allowed, thus allowing her children (and the police) to think she disappeared. She eventually returned home, but in the meantime, we'd learned more about Savannah. She’d suffered abuse under her mother while her tennis star brother left her behind, and had lately become her mother’s abuser, locking her up with limited food and water during the time she’d been with Joy and co.

That’s the real twist of the book. It wasn’t really about Joy’s disappearance, but about what Savannah was hiding after all. Interestingly, this is muted in the series to focus much more on the Delaney bent, which is the "something new" Brie commented on that readers are able to experience.

The streaming subscription version swapped a retreat for a Georgia home Savannah allegedly owned in which she cut the phone lines after getting Joy, who is played by Anette Bening in a TV first, to come for a visit following her fight with Stan (which led to the bicycle accident and the bloody jacket).

The second change came after Joy decided to go home. Savannah and Joy getting in a care accident could have led to a very different ending to this series, but instead, Joy simply returned home to remark on the “mess” the hurricane has caused on the family’s backyard tennis court. Joy came to realize Savannah was tennis protege Harry Haddad's sister who was abused, but when Savannah exited the show, her own secrets were left vaguer than what we get in the book.

As Alison Brie noted while speaking to us: "this show really is about secrets coming to light," and while some of that had to do with Savannah's secrets, I'm happy the show ending came with some closure for the Delaneys. The series is not about the culmination of Joy disappearing, it's more about using Joy's disappearance to confront a lot of familial issues the family thought they had buried but had kept bubbling up to the surface in myriad ways.

Once Joy got home, there was still work to be done, but all in all, I found this ending more satisfying than the book, though if you go into this one thinking it's simply a murder mystery, you're definitely going to get more than you'd bargained for.

Apples Never Fall is currently streaming on the 2024 TV schedule over at Peacock.

Liane Moriarty’s novels have served as the inspiration for some successful TV adaptations, with Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers. Now her fans are being treated to a new series from her latest book, Apples Never Fall, which is available to stream now with a Peacock subscription. Critics had the chance to stream the seven-episode miniseries ahead of its March 14 release, and they can’t decide if this mystery-drama is a binge of “soapy satisfactions” or just “rotten” to its core.

Annette Bening joins the wave of movie stars heading to TV to star as Joy, the matriarch of the tennis-playing Delaney family, whose lives are thrown into upheaval when she goes missing, and her husband Stan becomes a suspect. Sam Neill plays Stan, with their children being portrayed by Jake Lacy, Alison Brie, Conor Merrigan Turner and Essie Randles. There are always secrets lurking where Liane Moriarty’s stories are concerned, and Cristina Escobar of RogerEbert.com says the “smart script” and Bening’s expertise help the series avoid the pitfalls of other “missing-or-dead woman” plots. The critic gives it 4 out of 4 stars, writing: 

Ben Travers of IndieWire grades the miniseries a B, writing that it delivers the “soapy satisfactions” of the Delaneys’ strife with an interesting mystery that offers motivated payoffs. Its focus on the family’s drama and the overarching mystery without digging too deeply into the effects of media speculation and rumors works to its advantage, according to the critic, who writes: 

Other critics, however, don’t see Apples Never Fall for the visual beach read that the above reviews portray. Time magazine’s Judy Berman calls the acting “inconsistent” and says the script and direction are a “disaster.” Big plot twists can be seen coming several episodes in advance, Berman says, writing: 

Anna Govert of Paste calls the series a “bore,” rating it a 4 out of 10. The cast feels like it’s sleepwalking, the critic writes, and every dramatic moment falls flat because of shoddy pacing and shallow characters who are unlikeable and uninteresting. Govert continues: 

Taylor Gates of Collider also gives Apples Never Fall a 4 out of 10, and though the critic admits that the series has the ingredients for a successful effort, a lack of focus results in the Peacock series being a “snoozefest.” Gates writes that it tries to be a family drama and chilling mystery, ultimately failing at both. The review states: 

Some critics find Apples Never Fall to be a fun binge, with Annette Bening and Alison Brie garnering some praise for their performances, but others think bad pacing, unlikeable characters and an unsatisfying ending doom this latest Liane Moriarty book-to-screen adaptation. 

If you are a fan of the novel or if you want to give this series a try, all seven episodes of Apples Never Fall are available to stream now on Peacock, and be sure to check out our 2024 TV schedule to see what other premieres are coming soon. 

It often feels like rom-coms are a dime a dozen, but the truth is that the best romantic comedies are ones built on several things. Fans of the genre enjoy snappy dialogue, inventive and/or realistic complications for the central couple, a swoon-worthy love story, and, of course, main characters portrayed by actors who have more than enough on-screen chemistry to make all of those pieces come together. 

What’s great about romantic comedies is that we’ve gotten more than enough couples like this over the past two plus decades, but some of them have either only partnered one time (which, granted, may be because their pairing is still relatively new), or haven’t been in a film together for many years now. So, let’s take a look at the (mostly) rom-com partners that we really think should make another movie together!

Meg Ryan And Tom Hanks

This duo probably feels like a no-brainer to you, and, well, it should! Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks have memorably joined forces for two rom-com hits, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, plus the 1990 cult favorite romantic comedy, Joe Versus the Volcano, so there’s no reason for them not to really round things out with a fourth film. I’d be down for a second chance romance where they learn to love again, wouldn’t you?

Diane Keaton And Keanu Reeves 

Yes, yes… Already I’m cheating here, but only a tiny bit. While the magnetic on-screen coupling of Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves wasn’t the main focus of Something’s Gotta Give, I have spent the past 20 years wishing they were. So, let's get these adorably crazy kids back together! They could play any kind of couple (bickering marrieds who are clearly still hot for each other, two folks who shouldn’t get together but can’t help themselves, etc.) and I’d be in the theater on opening night.

Lana Condor And Noah Centineo

Honestly, there might not be a cuter couple on this list. The dreamy teen romance movie pairing of Lana Condor and Noah Centineo was, obviously, gifted to everyone with a Netflix subscription in the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy, and there’s a reason that so many people fell head over heels for them. These two sorta sparkle together on screen, and I’d love to see them reunite in a romance (or any comedy) that’s got more of an adult edge to it.

Alison Brie And Jason Sudeikis

We all adore it when a rom-com gives us something different, and 2015’s Sleeping with Other People does just that with its story of friends who openly acknowledge their sexual tension, but purposely avoid doing anything about it so as to not screw up what they have. Alison Brie and Ted Lasso cast lead Jason Sudeikis are amazing as the friends in question, and I’d love to see them bring their casual, but still sexy, chemistry to another film. 

Jenny Slate And Jake Lacy

A true pleasure of watching Obvious Child was seeing the relationship between Jenny Slate and Jake Lacy’s characters develop as she has trouble revealing that she’s getting an abortion several weeks after their one-night stand. They work great as a duo with a clear attraction that’s impeded by a secret, and we’d really appreciate it if we could watch him warm her butter and make her tea in a movie that sees them as fully coupled characters.

Constance Wu And Henry Golding

I cannot tell a lie; some of the reason for Constance Wu and Henry Golding making the list is simply because we are all dying for the Crazy Rich Asians sequel we’ve been promised for several years now. While we wait, I’m hoping we can at least get those two into another fun rom-com where he can bring his posh, suave energy to meet her adorably spunky, girl-next-door verve.

Emma Stone And Ryan Gosling

What’s not to love about Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, especially when they star opposite each other in a romantic story? They were sweet, sexy, bantery, and slightly goofy together in Crazy, Stupid, Love, then had all of that with more emotional depth in La La Land, and also had the same chemistry in Gangster Squad, but with an added veneer of danger. It’s been a rough few years; the world needs more of their exact thing, OK?

Kate Hudson And Matthew McConaughey

I know, I know! Matthew McConaughey doesn’t make rom-coms anymore, but that’s honestly no reason why he can’t re-team with Kate Hudson, 20 years after they first hit the screen together in How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. The engaging push-and-pull of their romance in that film can easily be translated to, say, a movie where each is portraying a lawyer on the opposite side of a big murder case. There! Someone make that movie!

Queen Latifah And Common

Just Wright might not be the first movie you think of when it comes to Queen Latifah or romantic comedies, but it’s hard to deny that watching her play off of Common as they slowly go from not-quite-enemies to lovers was a genuine treat. Now all we need is the right vehicle for them so their individual easygoing charm can show us how well-matched they are on screen.

Jennifer Garner And Mark Ruffalo

There’s a reason that 13 Going On 30 is still so popular almost two decades later. That reason is Jennifer Garner’s joyful, weirdo energy as a teen suddenly transplanted to her adult life, sure, but it’s also how Mark Ruffalo calmly reconnects with the childhood friend he’d long ago lost touch with. They're just sweet together, OK? We saw them in The Adam Project. We need more!

Sandra Bullock And Channing Tatum

The luminous and hilarious pairing of Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum was definitely not on my rom-com bingo card, but damn, it was a joy to behold once we got it. In The Lost City, they were perfect as a starchy and grieving romance novelist and her incredibly sweet but somewhat dim cover model who get caught in a life-or-death situation in the jungle, and all I can hope for is that we someday have a sequel to enjoy.

Billy Eichner And Luke Macfarlane

If an opposites attract energy is your thing, there’s no way for you not to enjoy the pairing of Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane. The Bros stars only just met up on screen in 2022, but we’d love to see them reunite in a rom-com that switches Eichner’s intense characterization and Macfarlane’s laid-back vibe around for additional laughs.

Meg Ryan And Hugh Jackman

Kate & Leopold is the rare romance where Meg Ryan’s character is less than sweet for much of the film, but watching her early ‘00s driven career woman begin to soften with the attentions of Hugh Jackman’s fancy man from the 1870s was a delight. Now if we can just get them to play off of one another when both are from the modern day, all will be right in the world.

Anne Hathaway And Chris Pine

We all know that The Princess Diaries 2 is so beloved that fans have wanted to bring the cast back for the now in development third movie for nearly 20 years, and part of that was because of the sweet, (sorta) slow burn love story between Anne Hathaway and Chris Pine’s characters. While everyone would love to see them as a long-married couple in a sequel, we’d also take them as, oh, I don’t know, bickering co-workers who can’t deny their attraction, so let’s stop stalling and get this coupling back on the big screen!

Julia Roberts And Hugh Grant

Look, I know that Hugh Grant is fully in his slimy villain era right now and is hilariously against even attempting rom-coms again. But! I think that makes the potential of this Notting Hill pairing coming back together even more appealing. Let him play a con-man who tricks Julia Roberts into falling in love, only to steal all her money and force her to track him down with a hilarious vengeance. I’d buy a ticket for that, OK?

Jennifer Lopez And George Clooney

Sure, sure. I’m cheating this entry a bit because, technically, Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney didn't star in a traditional rom-com together, but who among us can deny that they were HOT in Out of Sight? No one, that’s who! I say we get these two into a proper romantic comedy, but maybe one that’s not another Lopez wedding movie, just to switch things up.

Sanaa Lathan And Omar Epps 

Yes, this is another, more direct, fudging of this article’s concept, because Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps were a romantic drama pairing in Love & Basketball… but they were SO GOOD TOGETHER. Watching them play out a long-term path to eventual happiness was extremely satisfying, but maybe this time we can use that chemistry of theirs for a couple that has more good times than stressful ones.

Cristin Milioti And Andy Samberg

The chances that Cristin Milioti and Andy Samberg will strike time loop movie gold again after Palm Springs is incredibly unlikely, and we wouldn’t want them to try. Instead, why not let these two portray criminals on the run for separate crimes who accidentally cross paths and fall in love while they’re on the lam? They can give us that same adorably wacky enthusiasm that we all loved the first time around that way!

Kristen Stewart And Aubrey Plaza

If you saw Happiest Season, then you saw the undeniable spark between Kristen Stewart and Aubrey Plaza as their characters (Who weren’t even dating!) dealt with a lot of toxicity during Christmastime. They managed to genuinely bond (and look great doing it) over their similar relationship trauma, so I say we go ahead and give these two an even bubblier romantic comedy where they can actually freakin’ end up as a couple! 

Gemma Chan And Harry Shum Jr. 

Obviously, we didn’t get a real romance between the characters played by Gemma Chan and Harry Shum Jr. in Crazy Rich Asians, but the movie sure did set up the promise of fulfilling the epic love story that was a part of Kevin Kwan’s novel trilogy. Fans got a very brief scene of them looking all cute and dreamy with each other and dancing during the mid-credits scene, so hear me now: WE NEED THAT ASTRID AND CHARLIE SPINOFF, ASAP!

Issa Rae And Kumail Nanjiani

It may be hard to cast two people who have perfect romantic chemistry, but it could be even harder to find a duo who can portray the first glorious blush of falling in love, that same couple once they’ve begun to fall apart, and then play them as they start to get closer… because they’re on the run after being accused of murder. Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani are those people, and we’ve been wanting them back on screen since The Lovebirds to do something just as crazy and rom-commy again.

Reese Witherspoon And Josh Lucas

If you’re looking for a bickering duo who are hot together no matter what, that’s Sweet Home Alabama’s Reese Witherspoon and Josh Lucas, for sure. I’m sure they’d be great doing anything on screen, but also doubt anyone would mind if they paired for a story that would let them fight (and fight through) their attraction until they finally admit their feelings for each other.

Rachel McAdams And Domhnall Gleeson

You know what’s coming, right? After being apart for a decade, it’s About Time that Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson join forces again to bring fans another lovey dovey couple, and we don’t even care what the set up is!

Sarah Hyland And Tyler James Williams

Never has it been more enjoyable to watch a woman who’s not sure about the whole marriage thing date a man who’s very much ready for a long-term commitment than in The Wedding Year, and that was because of the well-matched chemistry/comedic energy of Sarah Hyland and Tyler James Williams. I think these two would be fantastic in an action/adventure rom-com like The Lost City!

Kristen Bell And Dustin Milligan 

Though Kristen Bell and Dustin Milligan starred in The People We Hate at the Wedding, which was more of a straight ahead comedy, they had a definite romantic comedy storyline and played off of each other beautifully. I’m imagining a cinematic rematch for them that involves both of their characters being messy and a bit angry this time, and I think they’ll be a delight to watch once again.

Vivian Oparah And David Jonsson

Even though Vivian Oparah and David Jonsson are a very new rom-com pairing, as their starring vehicle, Rye Lane, debuted in early 2023, there’s no doubting the fizzy joy one gets from watching their characters meet cute and end up slowly becoming attracted to each other over the course of one eventful day. These two can do anything together next, but I don’t think anyone would mind a sequel where we get to see this romance progress!

If nothing else, while we wait to see if these rom-com partners get back together on the big screen, we can all at least go back and enjoy the amazing films they’ve already given us!

Marriages can be tricky. Some couples can work together, while others need that time apart to make their living situation work. Things can get even more challenging if the pair work in the same industry. Now, imagine part of your job involving seeing your partner in a spicy sex scene, like one you might find in one of the sexually explicit movies on Netflix, now add the extra layer of having to direct said scene. It seems like it would be pretty uncomfortable, but for married couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco, that doesn't seem to be the case. According to Brie, it's all part of the job description.

Alison Brie now stars in Franco's recent movie, Somebody I Used to Know, the second big-screen collaboration for the couple with the actor in the director's chair after the horror movie The Rental–an experience the actress says was wonderful. While chatting with Jezebel the Community alum was asked whether or not it's uncomfortable to see each other in intimate scenes, especially in the movies they work together on. Brie said they don't get uncomfortable after working together for so long because they are both actors who understand it's part of the job description. She said:

Brie and Franco have had relatively active acting schedules, so one can imagine that romantic scenes are bound to crop up, especially when both of their stars are on the rise and are in more demand. It's good to hear the two don't get jealous, and they recognize sex scenes for what they are: work.

The Horse Girl actress said that though it probably sounds crazy, witnessing her partner in love scenes with other actors isn't all that weird for her. Brie also added that when it comes to Somebody I Used to Know, which was written by the pair and directed by Franco, they see the film as their "baby," and the only thing on their minds is making the best film possible. She continued, talking about the film that features her having intimate scenes with another actor: 

While seeing your partner in a romantic situation (job or not) might be hard for audience members to imagine, Alison Brie has never been shy about her sex appeal and love for her body, which has extended to many of her roles. She was happy to showcase herself trying on lingerie in one of the best rom-coms of all time, Sleeping With Other People. Plus, in her and Franco's rom-com, the couple decided to write Brie's "love of streaking" into the screenplay. And you know what? Good for her.

You can decide for yourself whether or not Alison Brie's sex scene with Jay Ellis comes across as awkward or not by catching Somebody I Used to Know, streaming now for anyone with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Alison Brie is an actor who is never afraid to show off her sex appeal and love for her body. Remember, this is the same woman who we saw trying on lingerie in one of the best rom-coms of all time, Sleeping With Other People. In her next rom-com, Somebody I Used To Know, Brie decided to show off her “love of streaking” and take it to a whole other level by writing it into the movie.

We all have moments when we want to just shed our clothes and bare all. Whether you want people to look or not, of course, is up to you. Alison Brie definitely has the courage to do so, as the poster for Somebody I Used To Know shows her running stark naked. Because she loves to streak so much, she told Entertainment Tonight that she couldn’t help but write a scene in her husband Dave Franco’s new rom-com where her character runs nude on a golf course. Said Brie,

While we may picture in our minds running through a field stark naked with no care in the world, Alison Brie is basically living out our fantasies with gusto. According to People, while the Community actress acknowledges her character in Somebody I Used to Know is not a reflection of her, she took it upon herself to draw from aspects of her personality and sense of humor for the role. The plot of the new film may seem familiar – with a woman finding a spark between her and her ex only to find out he’s engaged – but expect to see free-spirited scenes of pot-smoking, adult humor, and running freely naked outside. 

One person who may not be completely comfortable with Alison Brie’s right to bare all would be her husband. The Mad Men actress continued telling People that she’s spent years talking Dave Franco into being comfortable with her nudity in public. This being her husband, his averseness to it makes sense. But, there's no better way of telling your wife his newfound comfortableness about it than by having her appear nude on-screen in one of his movies. The 21 Jump Street actor told ET that Brie was running up and down the halls naked in their home moments ago with his wife giving a logical reason for that:

Maybe we should all try that before we go to sleep. One thing you may not know about the GLOW star was that she was a nudist while studying theater at the California Institute of the Arts. Back in the early 2000s, she would occasionally jog around campus in only her tennis shoes or even hang from a tree nude to get a laugh out of her roommate! Considering she believes the last time she indulged in nudity was during her time on the binge-worthy Netflix series GLOW with its last episode being three years ago, it’s been a long time coming for her to be her most natural self, to say the least.

The fun is not over yet for Alison Brie, as she and Dave Franco are in the middle of another writing project together. Who knows if the nudist actress will have her way again with yet another streaking scene in their next film? Get ready to watch Somebody I Used to Know on your Amazon Prime subscription on February 10.

Six seasons and a movie! The prophecy has been fulfilled! Well, it's going to be, anyway. 

Community was beloved by many when it premiered on NBC way back in 2009, igniting careers for some of its cast and crew such as Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Danny Pudi and so many others, but since its ending in 2015, fans have been wondering if a side-comment made about The Cape from Season 2 of the show would come true for Community. 

The comedy ended up getting those six seasons, but it’s been long rumored and hoped that a movie might someday happen. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the cast got back together for a virtual table reading of one of the episodes, reigniting those rumors of a possible movie. The Community movie has officially been announced. But when exactly is this film going to come out? Who is going to return to Greendale Community College? This is what we know. 

What Is The Community Movie Release Date?

At the time of updating this in May 2024, there is no set release date for the Community film, but we do have plenty of other updates that give us hope that it’ll at least come out soon. Maybe not as a part of the 2024 movie schedule, but maybe as a part of the one in 2025.  

Also, according to a Deadline report from September 2022, the Community movie is actually going to be premiering on the streaming service, Peacock, NBC’s exclusive streaming platform for some of their shows.

Community has been streaming on Netflix for years at this point, with all six seasons there, and is arguably one of the best shows to binge on Netflix, in my opinion. But, as the Deadline article said, Peacock won the rights to the film in a “competitive situation.” 

It’s not that big of a shocker that the movie would land at Peacock, considering that the series originally aired on NBC, and ever since its cancellation it’s only grown in popularity through streaming platforms like Netflix. 

Several Cast Members From Community Are Set To Return

Confirmed in the Deadline article from September 2022, we know now that several of the original stars of the Community cast are set to return for the sequel film:

Joel McHale as Jeff Winger

Joel McHale is confirmed to return as Jeff Winger in the Community movie. The actor even tweeted out his excitement for the film on Twitter, simply sending “.” while tagging his former cast members’ Twitter handles before the film was officially announced.  

McHale has appeared in films like The Happytime Murders, Becky, Happily, and more since Community ended, and also hosts a show called Crime Scene Kitchen, which was renewed for Season 3. He currently stars in Animal Control. 

Gillian Jacobs as Britta Perry

Gillian Jacobs will return as Britta Perry for the movie. The actress has appeared in movies like Magic Camp, Life of the Party and more, and has held roles in major TV shows such as Invincible and The Bear. 

Alison Brie as Annie Edison

Alison Brie will return as Annie Edison. Her best movies and shows include Mad Men, GLOW, BoJack Horseman, The Post, Promising Young Women and many more. 

Danny Pudi as Abed Nadir

Danny Pudi will return as Abed Nadir for the film. He held a voice role in the reboot of Ducktales, and played a main part on Mythic Quest. He also appeared as part of the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender cast. 

Jim Rash as Craig Pelton

Jim Rash is confirmed to come back as Dean Craig Pelton. He has since appeared in TV shows like Girlboss, black-ish, Harley Quinn, Solar Opposites and more. 

Ken Jeong as Ben Chang

Ken Jeong will be back as Ben Chang for the Community movie. Jeong has hosted a variety of TV shows since then, and even had his own television series called Dr. Ken. 

Donald Glover as Troy Barnes

For a time, it seemed that Donald Glover returning as Troy Barnes would be near impossible, since Glover has had a very busy schedule with new films and his own TV shows like Atlanta and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. However, we can confirm that he will be back as Troy. 

Glover himself confirmed the news in an interview with GQ back 2023, and fans have been eager to see him return to the role after his departure. 

Dan Harmon was quick to say that Glover’s return would probably happen in an interview with Variety in October 2022, so it’s not that surprising that the actor/creator said he would be returning.  

Yvette Nicole Brown as Shirley Bennett

Also confirmed is Yvette Nicole Brown, who will come back as Shirley Bennett for the film. Jeong confirmed the news in an interview with The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon back in January 2024, so it looks like the gang will be all back together. Brown has appeared in various TV shows, such as Big Shot, Mom, Soul Man and more. She even earned a PrimeTime Emmy nomination for her role in A Black Lady Sketch Show.

Is anyone else as excited as I am to see this?

Chevy Chase Will Not Be Back

As expected, it’s been confirmed Chevy Chase will not be back as Pierce Hawthorne. That’s not surprising, as even the Deadline article from 2022 reported that Chase had problems with Harmon behind-the-scenes. 

Then, in an interview with the New York Post in April 2024, McHale himself confirmed that Chase was most likely “not interested” in returning and that even if he was, he’s “not allowed to:”

The Community Film Will Feature A College Reunion

Thankfully, we have some idea of what the Community film will be about. In an interview that Glover did with The Hollywood Reporter in February 2024 before Mr. and Mrs. Smith, he revealed a few details about the movie, including that it’ll involve a college reunion, and that Dan Harmon told him directly what it would be about:

Other than that, there isn’t that much out there confirmed – but I for one am down for a college reunion and Abed being a huge film director. 

Dan Harmon And Andrew Guest Wrote The Film

As confirmed by the Deadline article in 2022, Dan Harmon, the creator of Community, wrote the film alongside Andrew Guest, who has written on shows such as 30 Rock, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and of course, Community, where he wrote six episodes. 

While the screenwriters are set, Harmon is not set to direct the film, and this has not changed as of May 2024. However, he does have people in mind, according to the statement that was in the Variety article: 

I’m sure that as more news begins to come out about the film, we’ll get an update on who is set to direct. But wow, could you imagine the Russo Brothers returning to comedy after directing the likes of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame? I would adore them in the Community world again, but only time will tell. 

Filming Should Begin In 2024

This is probably the news that everyone has been looking forward to for a while. In March 2024, Deadline confirmed that the Community movie is looking to film in the same year, and that Peacock is “working around” Glover’s schedule. McHale says that he has read the script and that it is complete, and that the plan is to film later in the year.

He added that he would be “shocked” if they didn’t begin filming soon. A 2024 filming date makes me excited – and hopefully, that means we might get it next year. 

With this news in mind, I can’t wait to see where this Community movie goes and how our characters are going to return to Greendale after being away from it for so long. Are we going to get Troy and Abed in the morning again? Another Spanish rap? All these questions I need answers to.  

In my opinion, the best anthology TV series have a specific running theme, such as how Netflix’s Black Mirror focuses primarily on technophobia and Modern Love on Amazon Prime is all about romance. The recurring topic in Roar, an Apple TV+ original based on a book of short stories by Cecelia Ahern, is the role that women play in the modern world.

Showrunners Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, previously known for creating Netflix’s GLOW, have employed a diverse and universally renowned ensemble of extremely talented women to lead each of the eight intense, surreal, and even absurd stories featured in the unique program’s premiere season. The following is an inside look at who each member of the Roar cast is playing and a brief summary of their careers so far, starting with one actress audiences should easily recognize.

Nicole Kidman (Robin)

Playing a woman mysteriously compelled to eat photographs in her episode of Roar is Nicole Kidman, who was last part of a star-studded, predominantly female ensemble when she was cast on HBO’s Big Little Lies. She has also had a prominent small screen presence recently as the lead of HBO’s limited drama series, The Undoing, and the Nine Perfect Strangers cast for Hulu.

After launching her career in an '80s movie with 1983’s Australian cult classic, BMX Bandits, Kidman mastered every genre imaginable, from superhero movies (Batman Forever and, later, Aquaman), musicals (most notably Moulin Rouge) to historical dramas like The Hours - which earned her an Oscar in 2003. In 2022, she earned an Oscar nom for playing Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos and, reunited with her Big Little Lies husband, Alexander Skarsgård, as his mother in Robert Eggers’ The Northman.

Cynthia Erivo (Ambia)

Playing a workaholic wife and mother who suddenly finds strange bite marks appearing on her skin in her episode of Roar is Cynthia Erivo, who was last part of a predominantly female ensemble when she made her film debut in 2018’s Widows. In 2020, the singer-songwriter earned two Oscar nominations for the historical biopic Harriet - one for playing the title role and another for co-writing and performing the original song, “Stand Up.”

She was also in the star-studded cast of 2018’s Bad Times at the El Royale and portrayed recurring Stephen King character Holly Gibney in the HBO miniseries The Outsider in 2020. The next year, Erivo appeared in two fantasy dramas - Chaos Walking and Needle in a Timestack - and received an Emmy nod for playing Aretha Franklin on National Geographic’s historical anthology series, Genius.

Merritt Wever (Elisa)

Playing a woman who finds the romantic connection she had been looking for with a duck in her episode of Roar is Merritt Wever, who was last part of a predominantly female ensemble in 2017 on Netflix’s Western miniseries Godless, for which she earned her second Emmy. She won her first Emmy in 2013 when she received her second nomination for her performance on Nurse Jackie as Zoey Barkow.

Her other prestigious TV credits including a couple of episodes of The Wire, a recurring role among the New Girl cast, and a memorable stint on The Walking Dead. You may have also seen Wever on the big screen in M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs, Robert Zemeckis’ partially animated biopic, Welcome to Marwen, and several Oscar darlings - including 2007’s Michael Clayton, Birdman from 2014, and another Netflix original, Marriage Story, in 2019.  

Alison Brie (Becky)

Playing the ghost of a woman forced to solve her own murder in her episode of Roar is Alison Brie, who was last part of a predominantly female ensemble as the lead of GLOW. She has also been part of a few other iconic TV ensembles - namely a recurring role with the Mad Men cast and in the Community cast as Annie Edison.

The Hollywood native also leant her voice to The LEGO Movie and its sequel as Unikitty and multiple BoJack Horseman characters, worked with Steven Spielberg on The Post, and her role in the Promising Young Woman cast contributed to a few of the thriller’s most intense moments. Brie is also a bit of a Scream Queen for popping up in Scream 4, leading Netflix’s Horse Girl, and starring in The Rental - also her second collaboration with her husband, co-writer and director Dave Franco, after The Disaster Artist.

Betty Gilpin (Amelia)

Playing a woman, literally, put on a display shelf by her husband in her episode of Roar is Betty Gilpin, who last worked with Merritt Wever on Nurse Jackie and with Alison Brie on GLOW as Debbie Eagan. The latter role earned her three Emmy nominations and made her a go-to for playing badass women - such as Crystal in the 2020 action-horror film, The Hunt and Commander Taylor Fullerton on the Spotify original sci-fi audio drama Red Frontier.

She also had a recurring role on Showtime’s Masters of Sex and CBS’ Elementary in 2016, and plays Maureen Kane Dean in Starz’s scandalous, fact-based drama, Gaslit, in 2022. Gilpin is also known for movies like 2015’s True Story, the 2019 rom-com send-up Isn’t It Romantic, and, surprisingly, not playing one of the time-traveling soldiers in The Tomorrow War cast in the 2021 sci-fi flick.

Meera Syal (Anu)

Playing a woman who, literally, returns her husband as if he were a retail item in her episode of Roar is Meera Syal, who has been a part of many great ensembles since making her debut in the 1984 drama, Majdhar. The English actress and writer would go on to secure starring roles, make guest appearances, and land recurring spots on classic UK series like Absolutely Fabulous, Broadchurch, Doctor Who, or The Kumars at No. 42, to name just a few.

Syal also had a major part on HBO’s short-lived political satire The Brink, leant her voice to a few episodes of Disney Channel’s Phineas and Ferb, and would write, produce, and star in the autobiographical dramedy, Anita and Me, in 2002. Some of her other notable and more recent cinematic credits include the 2009 fantasy comedy, Absolutely Anything, the 2016 action-fantasy, Doctor Strange, the 2017 family fantasy, Paddington 2, and the musical fantasy Yesterday from 2019.

Fivel Stewart (Jane)

Playing a woman seeking vengeance in the Old West in her episode of Roar is Fivel Stewart, who became part of two strong ensemble casts in the same year - starring on the acclaimed teen web series T@gged and Netflix’s coming-of-age drama Atypical in 2018. However, the actress and singer has been in show business since childhood, during which she would juggle roles on TV and in movies with a career in music that includes collaborations with her brother: former Twilight cast member Booboo Stewart.

Actually, Stewart has shared the screen with her older sibling in numerous projects, including 2013’s Hansel & Gretel: Warriors of Witchcraft, the 2017 horror flick American Satan, and The Never List from 2020, to name just a small few. You can see her on her own in movies like the fact-based thrillers The Haunting of Sharon Tate from 2019 and 2021’s Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman, as well as the 2022 horror film, Umma.

Issa Rae (Wanda)

Playing a writer who finds herself, literally, fading away slowly in her episode of Roar is Issa Rae - an actress and writer who, in reality, has only received more mainstream exposure following her Emmy-nominated breakthrough role on the HBO comedy she co-created with Larry Wilmore, Insecure. She actually has creative input in a lot of the things she stars in, such as A Black Lady Sketch Show and her back-to-back romances she also produced in 2020: the earnest The Photograph and the darkly funny Netflix exclusive The Lovebirds.

Rae also appeared in some notable music videos (Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” as a dancer and “Moonlight” by Jay-Z as Rachel in all-Black Friends remake) and appeared on two BoJack Horseman episodes as Dr. Indira. She was also in 2018’s The Hate U Give, the 2019 gender and age swapped reimagining of Big called Little, and was recently cast in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - Part One as the voice of Jessica Drew (better known as Spider-Woman).

When is the last time that the cast of an anthology series had you this excited? Check out Roar and its brilliant leading ladies on Apple TV+, now streaming.

Alison Brie and Dave Franco have been regarded as one of Hollywood’s cutest couples for years. Red red-carpet premieres showcase the couple as a loving fun time. The pair have been married for five years. Of course, few viewers don’t know much about the origins of Franco and Brie’s love story. Now, The Afterparty star is opening up about how his proposal to Brie went awry.

Dave Franco went into how he and Alison Brie met during his interview on The Late Late Show with James Corden. Franco spilled he met Brie during Mardi Gras while shooting a project in New Orleans. It was a silver Mardi Gras mask that started it all. The GLOW star wouldn’t let the actor wear the mask the entire evening, before departing and leaving the mask for him with a love note. Franco decided to keep it as a love memento. This led to him implementing the silver mask into his marriage proposal five years later. According to the Day Shift star, everything started on a good note.

Franco felt the mask was a better symbol of their love rather than a huge diamond ring. Thankfully, he understood his wife’s preference for picking out her ring. While the gesture was sweet, things took a turn when it came to the proposal. In this case, it was more on Alison Brie’s part than Dave Franco.

You can’t fault Brie for not remembering the mask. She might’ve thought he threw away the party mask after reading her note. But it spoke to the hopeless romantic in Franco to incorporate the love memento into his proposal. At least, things worked out as Brie ended up accepting his proposal.

The loving relationship between the couple has extended beyond sharing a home. Franco directed Brie in acclaimed horror The Rental, which his wife called the experience “wonderful and easy” with the first-time director. The film proved Dave Franco is one of the Hollywood actors with a promising directing career. Their wonderful experience translated to them teaming up for another film – the romantic comedy Somebody I Used to Know.  Of course, fans were still waiting on the news if they will team up again for a Rental sequel, which Franco is interested in doing.

Right now, the couple is busy with their careers as Franco will pop up in Day Shift with Jamie Foxx and Brie will appear next in Spin Me Round. If you want to check what Alison Brie and Dave Franco have coming up, you can look over our 2022 film schedule as well as our 2022 TV premiere schedule. 

Alison Brie is, hands down, one of my favorite actresses who has blown up in the last decade. Not only is she extremely talented in both dramatic and comedic roles, her voice-acting skills are excellent as well. From her time on Community to the Netflix series, GLOW, Brie has shown that she’s here to stay in Hollywood. 

But, what are some of her best performances? Which one is the ultimate best? These are the Alison Brie movies and TV shows with her best work, and how you can watch them right now. 

10. The Five-Year Engagement (Suzie Barnes-Eilhauer)

The Five-Year Engagement, starring Jason Segal and Emily Blunt, tells the story of a couple whose relationship becomes strained over time, as their engagement steadily gets extended over and over again. 

I’m always a fan of a good romantic comedy, and Alison Brie definitely rocks it as Suzie Eilhauer in The Five-Year Engagement. The only reason I ranked it at number ten is that it just doesn’t stand out at much as the other characters on this list, but it’s still a great performance and a funny movie that anyone would enjoy. Emily Blunt and Jason Segal have great chemistry, as do Alison Brie and Chris Pratt in their supporting roles. 

Stream The Five-Year Engagement on HBO Max. 
Rent The Five-Year Engagement on Amazon.

9. Happiest Season (Sloane Caldwell) 

Happiest Season, starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis, is all about a woman who struggles to come out to her conservative parents at Christmastime, when she decides to travel home with her girlfriend.

Alison Brie plays Sloane, Harper’s (Mackenzie Davis) eldest sister, and she and Davis have some awesome scenes together that really make her stand out among the rest. The rest of the Happiest Season cast also work together so well, and it's filled with stars like Dan Levy, Aubrey Plaza, Jake McDorman, and more. Christmas films are always some of my favorites to watch, and this one is certainly a modern tale that makes me smile. It’s a heartwarming story with plenty of comedy, drama, and Christmas joy in-between. 

Stream Happiest Season on Hulu.

8. The Lego Movie (Princess Unikitty)

In The Lego Movie, we follow Emmet, an ordinary Lego minifigure who ends up joining a resistance movement to stop a tyrannical businessman from taking over Lego world and gluing everything into his vision of perfection. 

Alison Brie voices Princess Unikitty, and let me just say - she’s amazing. Brie gives Princess Unikitty the perfect kind of chaos and cuteness that a character like her needs, and that can only be brought to life by her wonderful voice-acting talents. I do think another one of her voice roles is slightly better than this one, but The Lego Movie definitely gave her some great material to work with, alongside its wacky, yet sweet, story. 

Rent The Lego Movie on Amazon. 

7. Sleeping With Other People (Elaine “Lainey” Dalton) 

In this 2015 film, Sleeping with Other People is all about two college students who both lose their virginity to each other one night and never see each other again until years later, now having their own personal problems as they deal with relationships and life. 

In one of her first major starring roles in a film, Alison Brie rocks Sleeping with Other People as Lainey, and her chemistry with Jason Sudeikis flows so perfectly, it makes me wonder why they haven’t been in any other movies together. Their relationship is so easy to believe, from beginning to end, mixed in with some awkwardly fun moments that bring a certain charm to the way they work. It’s a smaller film than many of the others on here, but deserves so much more praise. Seriously, check it out if you haven’t seen it yet. 

Stream Sleeping With Other People on AMC+ through Amazon Prime. 
Rent Sleeping With Other People on Amazon.  

6. GLOW (Ruth Wilder)

In this Netflix original series, GLOW follows the fictionalization of the real people and story of the 1980s during syndicated women’s professional wrestling circuit, called Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (otherwise known as GLOW). 

GLOW is one of those series that deserved so much more recognition and was cancelled way too soon. Alison Brie starred in this Netflix hit, and showed us how remarkable she is as a leading lady. Not only is her character, Ruth, full of spunk and has an interesting story, but everyone else around her shines just as much. It’s a shame that GLOW was canceled on Netflix due to COVID-19 related issues, but at least we still have the three seasons to watch whenever we want on Netflix. Maybe one day they’ll return to it. 

Stream GLOW on Netflix. 

5. BoJack Horseman (Diane Nguyen) 

Taking a look at another Netflix original, BoJack Horseman is all about the titular character, BoJack Horseman, someone who was once extremely popular back in his heyday, and now barely a blip in the memory of others. He plans to make a comeback by writing his tell-all autobiography, with the help of a ghost writer. 

Alison Brie voices Diane Nguyen, the ghost writer that works for BoJack, and let me say - I love her in this series. While Alison Brie was able to bring that maniac energy to Princess Unikitty in The Lego Movie, Diane stands out to me so much more as her best voice-acting role. Diane’s story in BoJack Horseman is gut-punching and raw and will make anyone tear up for a bit, and her relationship with BoJack is one of the best on the show, by far. She’s a complex character, through and through, and Brie’s voicing of her makes Diane even better. 

Stream BoJack Horseman on Netflix. 

4. The Post (Lally Weymouth)

In this film based on a true story, The Post tells the tale of journalists who worked at the Washington Post, and their endless trials to try and publish the infamous Pentagon Papers, a set of documents that regarded the 20-year involvement of the United States government in the Vietnam War, and even earlier in French Indochina. 

While Alison Brie is always brilliant in her comedic roles, there’s something about The Post that really makes it one of her best performances. While her role isn’t as big as some of the other cast members in here - with Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks as the main stars - she is one of the standouts, and portrays Lally Graham, a former journalist at the Washington Post, wonderfully alongside her co-stars.

Rent The Post on Amazon. 

3. Mad Men (Trudy Campbell)

Mad Man was a popular AMC series that starred Jon Hamm as Don Draper, an executive at an advertising agency on Madison Avenue in New York City, hence the term “mad men,” in the 1960s. It follows his highs and lows, and the trials and tribulations of working in the advertising industry back then, and the people who surrounded him. 

Arguably, this is one of the performances that made Alison Brie famous. While she was just a recurring character in the Mad Men cast, her part as the wife of Pete Campbell stands out, creating excellent tension between the two of them and a story that no one can tear their eyes away from. She truly shines in this dramatic role.

Stream Mad Men on AMC+ through Amazon Prime. 

2. Promising Young Woman (Madison McPhee) 

In this popular thriller, Promising Young Woman stars Carey Mulligan, who plays a young woman who is haunted by a traumatic past, and takes it upon herself to get vengeance on the men who have committed horrible atrocities. 

Alison Brie stars as Madison, one of the many women and men that Mulligan’s character comes across. I’ve already expressed how I like watching Brie in dramatic roles, but I feel like she brings it hard in Promising Young Women. Her role as Madison is perfectly played, especially in her scenes with Cassie, played by Mulligan. Also, the story is top-tier in Promising Young Women. If you like thrillers, you are going to be on the edge of your seat the whole time. It’s such a fun movie to watch, filled with awesome stars, and Alison Brie only adds to that stardom. 

Stream Promising Young Woman on HBO Max. 

1. Community (Annie Edison) 

This Dan Harmon-created comedy, Community, follows Jeff Winger, a former lawyer who faked his degree, and now must go back to community college to try and become an actual lawyer. While he’s there, he meets an interesting friend group, all comprised of extremely different individuals. 

You knew it was coming. We all knew Community would be number one. While Mad Men shined a light on Alison Brie’s acting talents dramatically, Community is what shot her to stardom with how awesome she was with comedy. Her portrayal of Annie Edison, the studious classmate, is one to remember. The whole Community cast is full of stars, but Alison Brie as Annie works perfectly. Her comedic timing, heartwarming stories, and genuine friendships and relationships that she has with each of the characters created a wonderfully sweet character, which is why it’s Alison Brie’s best performance to date - let’s hope we all get to see her again in a possible Community movie. 

Stream Community on Netflix.

I’m sure that in the next couple of years, we’ll be seeing plenty more of Alison Brie in both film and TV, but for now, I can at least go back and watch some of her best performances, from beginning to end. Maybe even now you’ll have found a new show or movie to watch. If you don’t mind me, I’m going to re-watch Community for the umpteenth time. 

Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman has been snatching up headlines, and awards, left and right since first releasing in theaters last December. However, a review that was published long before the theatrical release has kicked up quite a stir. After Carey Mulligan, who plays the titular Cassie Thomas, said that the review in question suggested she wasn’t ‘hot’ enough for the role, there has been a fair bit of back and forth between Mulligan, the reviewer and the National Society of Film Critics. Alison Brie, who co-stars alongside Mulligan in Promising Young Woman, recently came out to defend the actress in regards to the whole situation.

In the interview Alison Brie said that she admired Carey Mulligan for calling out the review and supported the Oscar-nominated actress's stance. In her own words:

Brie shared her thoughts on the controversy in an interview with Insider. Her comments come after a back and forth that all started when Carey Mulligan took issue with a review posted shortly after Promising Young Woman premiered at Sundance in January of 2020. Here’s how it all went down: In an interview with The New York Times, she called out the review in question:

Mulligan’s response was in regard to a section of the review that suggested one could see Margot Robbie, who was a producer on Promising Young Woman, in the role of Cassie Thomas instead. Variety, who published the piece, then decided to pin an apology atop the review after Mulligan’s statement:

Shortly after the editors note was published, Mulligan addressed the apology:

However, Dennis Harvey, who penned the review, issued a statement of his own through The Guardian. In the critic’s response, he noted that Mulligan had misinterpreted what he wrote:

Not long after, the National Society of Film Critics, who Harvey is a member of, issued a statement of its own on Twitter, condemning the publisher for taking a stance and not supporting the critic:

By now, you can probably gather that the whole situation has spiraled into a full-blown drama. So, it’s not surprising to see Alison Brie sharing her thoughts on the dispute. It looks like the film has become controversial both on screen and off by taking on such difficult subject matter in addition to the review controversy.

Alison Brie’s comments come after an impressive awards season for Promising Young Woman. The debut film from Emerald Fennell has earned a number of nominations, including four at this year’s Academy Awards. Carey Mulligan even earned a coveted Best Actress nomination for her performance.

While we won’t know if Mulligan’s performance will earn her an Oscar, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more comments on this situation as we get closer to this year’s ceremony, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled. Those who haven’t had a chance to check out Promising Young Woman yet can now check it out on Amazon Prime, where it’s available for streaming right now.

When a certain show about a community college ended up airing long ago back in 2009, no one expected it to become as big of a hit as it did, and creating the stars that came along with it. Now, more than a decade later, Community has developed a cult following, to the point where there have been plenty of rewatches, and even a cast reunion recently. Pretty sure all of us are still waiting for that “six seasons and a movie” plot point to finally come true.

However, it’s been nearly six years since the end of Community, and one can only wonder what the Community cast has been up to since then. From Alison Brie to Donald Glover, they have truly been all over the map in terms of work, and we’re here to catch you up to date on where they have been since the famed show about six adults in a community college came to a close.

Joel McHale (Jeff Winger)

As the main star of the show, I’m pretty sure that at some point, we all wanted to punch Jeff Winger in the face – but usually, he would save himself not that long after and make me like this once-lawyer even more. Joel McHale did a fantastic job of bringing that character to life – and making my emotions change about him about as much as he changed partners.

Joel McHale himself has been pretty busy since the end of Community. In regards to films, he’s kept it pretty low-profile but has had several guest and recurring appearances on TV shows like the Netflix hit Santa Clarita Diet, Mr. Iglesias, the superhero show Stargirl, and X-Files. McHale has also had a couple of voice roles in animated shows, such as Regular Show and BoJack Horseman. In terms of upcoming projects, a new film titled Queenpins is due to release soon, so keep an eye out for everyone’s favorite ex-lawyer in theaters soon.

Gillian Jacobs (Britta Perry)

Be honest – you also got annoyed by Britta just as much as Jeff at some point, but at least she had a good heart for most of Community. Gillian Jacobs portrayed the famous activist for the entire run of the series and has been working hard since its end. Like many of her costars, she’s had several recurring and guest roles on big TV shows, such as the HBO comedy Girls and the Netflix show Love. On the big screen, she’s had plenty of roles in comedies to show off her joke skills, like Hot Tub Time Machine 2, Ibiza, Life of the Party, and the 2020 Disney+ release Magic Camp.

For upcoming movies, Gillian Jacobs does have a couple of new films coming out, the comedy Mark, Mary & Some Other People, and the action film Violence of Action, but there are no set release dates yet. However, it’s sure to be interesting to see her in a film that different from her normal comedic roots. She's also expected to be seen in The Fear Street movies coming to Netflix.

Danny Pudi (Abed Nahir)

Arguably, I’d say that Abed Nahir was one of the most remembered characters from Community just for the randomness that he would spew from his mouth and the absolute craziness that would occur whenever he decided to stir up trouble. Danny Pudi did an excellent job of portraying Abed and has kept himself busy since the end of the show. Though he's appeared in major films like Star Trek Beyond, mainly, he’s stepped into the world of voice work, so you might recognize his voice from several other animated shows. His most prominent piece of voice work has been portraying Huey in the Hulu reboot of DuckTales. In terms of live-action acting work, Danny Pudi has been seen on several other shows in guest appearances like Dr. Ken but has mainly stuck to a lot of voice work.

Danny Pudi has a couple of movies coming out this year – the Disney+ release Flora & Ulysses and a black comedy film Corner Office, with the former having released back in February. It’s fun to see that he’s stepped a little bit more back into the live-action world, but hopefully, we can see even more of Danny Pudi’s hysterical jokes and scenes – whether that be in person or animated.

Yvette Nicole Brown (Shirley Bennett)

I swear to God, I have seen Yvette Nicole Brown everywhere. Shirley Bennett was one of my favorite characters out of everyone in the group in Community – just for how religious and yet absolutely ridiculous, she was. It was like a complete 180 constantly for her character and that’s what made her so fun. Yvette Nicole Brown shined in this role and has had plenty of work since the end of this show.

Prior to her role on Community – and I’ll just put this in here because I loved her in this – Yvette Nicole Brown played Helen from the iconic Nickelodeon show, Drake & Josh (one of my all-time favorites), but since the end of Community, she’s been busy on television and film alike. In terms of movies, she’s had several roles and cameos in big-time hits such as Avengers: Endgame, and the Disney+ release Lady and the Tramp.

On television, Yvette Nicole Brown has had so many guest and recurring appearances that if I wrote them all down here, you’d be reading this article for days. Just trust me on this one – you’ve seen her most likely on many comedy shows. Brown is also a prominent guest on talk shows, such as The View, The Talk, and The Real. Another big side-hustle that she does is that she loves The Walking Dead, and has appeared on the post-talk show, Talking Dead, several times because of it. Stars have to have their obsessions with TV just like us, right?

With future projects, Yvette Nicole Brown does have an upcoming movie coming out in 2021 titled Broken Diamonds, a drama that made its debut at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. She's also set to appear in the Disney+ series Big Shot, so keep an eye out for this iconic actress to return back to our screens in the future.

Alison Brie (Annie Edison)

Alison Brie is amazing in every single way in my opinion because she is a true master of genres. Her role on Community as Annie Edison showed that she had some serious comedy chops and could make me laugh until my stomach hurt, but she’s had plenty of work in other shows and movies as well. For example, Alison Brie had a recurring role in the AMC drama Mad Men, and then a main role on the Netflix hit, GLOW, as well as a part in the animated series, BoJack Horseman ­­– three very different genres, and she was amazing in each part.

She’s also had plenty of work in movies since the end of Community as well, such as the biopic- comedy film The Disaster Artist, the Academy-Award nominated The Post, and most recently, Promising Young Woman, one of the standout hits of 2020 and has recently been nominated for the Best Picture award at the 2021 Academy Awards.

A future project Alison Brie has coming up is a new TV series that is in pre-production, called Roar, but not much info has been released yet. Even so, it’ll be exciting to see the return of her to TV soon since GLOW was recently canceled. I think we all need a little bit more Alison Brie in our lives to make us laugh again.

Donald Glover (Troy Barnes)

Let’s just get this down in writing right here – in my opinion, Donald Glover is right for leaving the show and Troy back in Season 4 of Community, because he has done some amazing things since the end of it – even if his character was iconic. Let’s start out with film and television. Donald Glover has made appearances and had roles in many blockbuster films, like Spider-Man: Homecoming, and even portraying a young version of Lando Calrissian in Star Wars in Solo: A Star Wars Story. On television, he’s created a hit FX series titled Atlanta, a comedy-drama that won Donald Glover a Primetime Emmy.

But that’s just film and TV. Donald Glover is also known as his music counterpart, Childish Gambino, for which he has released several albums since the end of Community. He's won several Grammy awards, including Song and Record of the Year for "This is America." So this man really is a jack of all trades.

In terms of what he has coming up, Donald Glover is extremely busy. He is currently working on a reboot of the classic Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie film, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, where he will be playing Mr. Smith. He is also writing and moving into Seasons 3 and 4 of Atlanta after a long wait, so fans of the show, be on the lookout for him to return to our TV screens once more.

Ken Jeong (Ben Chang)

Is this man the face of many memes everywhere? Yes, for sure. But Ben Chang, while problematic, was a funny as heck character and Ken Jeong is the reason behind it. Since the ending of Community, Ken Jeong actually had his own series for a while, titled Dr. Ken, for which many of his Community co-stars guest-starred on it. He’s also made appearances in many films, like his role in the rom-com Crazy Rich Asians, and the Disney+ movie, Lady and the Tramp, as well as the 2021 release, Tom and Jerry.

But where you’ve most likely seen him the most since then is his competition shows. Ken Jeong is currently a panelist on both The Masked Singer and The Masked Dancer, where people have to guess what celebrity is hidden behind costumes. He does have a new movie coming out soon, El Tonto, another comedy film, but there’s no set release date up yet. I’m still just as excited though.

Chevy Chase (Pierce Hawthorne)

Pierce Hawthorne was most certainly not the most accepting character but he sure was funny, and Chevy Chase delivered those lines and iconic scenes amazingly. Since Community ended, Chevy Chase has kept it relatively low key in terms of acting. He’s more known for many of his comedic roles back in the '90s and '80s, but he has been in a couple of movies like Hot Tub Time Machine 2, The Last Laugh, and The Incredible Mr. Dundee. And he reprised his role as Clark Griswold for the 2015 comedy Vacation.

As for what's ahead, Chevy Chase does have a voice role in a new movie coming out soon, called Panda vs. Aliens. I think I can make a pretty educated guess what that is going to be about, so I can only imagine what a comedic legend like Chevy Chase is going to bring to the table.

Jim Rash (Craig Pelton)

The dean of Greendale was one of my favorite parts of Community, because he was so random and out there, and I adored that. Jim Rash, the man behind the memorable Dean Craig Pelton, has had plenty of work since the show's end. He has popped up in many films, such as Captain America: Civil War, Thoroughbreds, and a film out right now tightly Long Weekend, a romantic science fiction comedy-drama – jeez, talk about a lot of genres. And that's just acting. As a writer, Jim Rash won an academy award for co-writing the screenplay for the 2011 movie The Descendants.

He’s also developed a pretty prominent voice acting career as well. Jim Rash has a role on DuckTales on Hulu as Gyro Gearloose, and a recurring role on the cartoon Harley Quinn, and the Star Wars animated series as Flix on Star Wars Resistance. Jim Rash has a new show coming up in the future titled My Dad the Bounty Hunter that is in pre-production, so I’m looking forward to watching my favorite dean back on TV again – and to be honest, don’t we all want someone to love us the same way the dean loved Jeff?

Now that is one talented cast. Which of their future projects are you looking forward to the most? Hopefully, some of them will be in some new 2021 releases.

This past Christmas, Carey Mulligan continued to shine in Promising Young Woman, a twist-heavy revenge thriller that served as a feature screenwriting and directorial debut of Killing Eve's Emerald Fennell. With an all-star cast that includes Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Jennifer Coolidge, Clancy Brown, Max Greenfield, Laverne Cox, Alfred Molina, Connie Britton, and Molly Shannon, the movie was among the splashiest titles at 2020's Sundance Film Festival, and it has only continued to inspire chatter with its VOD debut.

Now that more people have a chance to watch this buzzy title, you might be wondering how you recognize its high-profile ensemble. If that's true, we're here to help! Here's where you've seen the Promising Young Woman cast before.

Carey Mulligan (Cassie Thomas)

As Cassie Thomas, a medical school dropout who spends her evenings confronting predatory men, Carey Mulligan gave another exceptional lead performance in Promising Young Woman. Most notably, Mulligan is known for her breakthrough Oscar-nominated performance in 2009's An Education. Her other notable film credits include Inside Llewyn Davis, Drive, The Great Gatsby (2013), Shame, Never Let Me Go, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Wildlife, and Pride & Prejudice (2005), as well as Public Enemies, Far from the Madding Crowd, Mudbound, Suffragette, The Greatest, and Brothers.

Additionally, on television, Carey Mulligan appears in Netflix's Collateral, Bleak House, The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard, and Doctor Who. Currently, the actress stars in Netflix's The Dig, which is playing theatrically in limited release and streams later this month.

Bo Burnham (Dr. Ryan Cooper)

In the role of Dr. Ryan Cooper, a pediatric surgeon who forms a relationship with Cassie, Bo Burnham plays the love interest in Promising Young Woman. A prominent YouTuber-turned-comedian, Burnham is the co-creator and star of MTV's Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous. Also, as an actor, he appears in The Big Sick, Rough Night, Hall Pass, and Funny People. Burnham's other TV credits include Kroll Show, Parks and Recreation, and We Bare Bears.

Outside of acting and performing, Bo Burnham received copious acclaim for his feature screenwriting-directorial debut, 2018's Eighth Grade. He also directed Jerrod Carmichael: 8 and Chris Rock: Tamborine. Next, Burnham's writing songs and expected to star in Sesame Street.

Alison Brie (Madison McPhee)

Playing the part of Madison McPhee, one of Cassie's former classmates, Alison Brie has a notable supporting role in Promising Young Woman. Most notably, Brie is known for GLOW, Community, and Mad Men, as well as her voice work in BoJack Horseman.

On the big screen, meanwhile, Alison Brie can be seen in Sleeping With Other People, Scream 4, How to Be Single, The Post, The Disaster Artist, The Little Hours, Get Hard, The Five-Year Engagement, The Kings of Summer, The Rental, and Happiest Season. She can co-wrote and starred in Netflix's Horse Girl, and she can be heard in The LEGO Movie and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part.

Jennifer Coolidge (Susan Thomas)

As Susan Thomas, Cassie's mother, Jennifer Coolidge plays a concerned maternal character in Promising Young Woman. Most notably, Coolidge is recognized from the American Pie franchise and the Legally Blonde movies. And she appears in Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, Date Movie, Mascots, A Cinderella Story, Gentlemen Broncos, Click, Like a Boss, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans, and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Additionally, Coolidge is heard in Robots, Igor, The Emoji Movie, and Bobbleheads: The Movie.

Meanwhile, on television, Jennifer Coolidge was in the main cast for Joey, and she appeared in The Secret Life of the American Teenager and 2 Broke Girls. She's also heard in The Fungies! Next, Coolidge will be seen in Swan Song and the upcoming mini-series, The White Lotus. She'll also be heard in Arlo the Alligator Boy and Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk. And she's expected to return for Legally Blonde 3.

Clancy Brown (Stanley Thomas)

In the role of Stanley Thomas, Cassie's father, Clancy Brown is prominently seen throughout Promising Young Woman. Most notably, Brown is known for The Shawshank Redemption, Highlander, Starship Troopers, and HBO's Carnivale. Additionally, he plays Mr. Krabs in SpongeBob SquarePants. Brown also lent his voice to Superman: The Animated Series, Crash Bandicoot, Thor: Ragnarok, and Detroit: Become Human.

Additionally, in film, Clancy Brown appeared in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Hail Caesar!, The Informant!, Flubber, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, Blue Steel, Pet Sematary Two, The Hurricane, Cowboys & Aliens, and Stronger. Next, Brown plays the main antagonist in Dexter's upcoming revival. He'll also be seen in Last Looks and heard in Invincible and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run.

Chris Lowell (Al Monroe)

Playing the part of Al Monroe, Cassie's former classmate with a dark history with Nina, Cassie's lifelong friend, Chris Lowell has an antagonistic character in Promising Young Woman. Most notably, Lowell is known for Veronica Mars. He also played prominent parts in Private Practice, Graves, GLOW, and Life As We Know It. His other television credits include Enlisted, Halt and Catch Fire, and iZombie. Outside of TV, Lowell appears in The Help, Up in the Air, Brightest Star, Love and Honor, Graduation, Spin, Katie Says Goodbye, Veronica Mars (2014), and Complete Unknown.

Next, Chris Lowell stars in Breaking News in Yuba County, which comes out on February 12th. Away from acting, he also wrote and directed Beside Still Waters and he's a vocalist and a harmonicist for the acoustic band, Two Shots for Poe.

Max Greenfield (Joe Macklemore III)

As Joe Macklemore III, one of Al's best friends, Max Greenfield plays an eventful character in Promising Young Woman's third act. Most notably, Greenfield is known for his Emmy-nominated performance in New Girl. He also played recurring roles in Ugly Betty and Veronica Mars. Currently, the actor stars in CBS's The Neighborhood. His other television credits include Greek, American Horror Story: Hotel, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, and A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Additionally, Max Greenfield appears in They Came Together, Hello My Name is Doris, The Big Short, A Futile and Stupid Gesture, The Oath, What Men Want, About Alex, The Glass Castle, and Shot Caller. Greenfield also made a cameo in Veronica Mars (2014). Furthermore, he's heard in Ice Age: Collision Course and Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite.

Laverne Cox (Gail)

In the role of Gail, Cassie's boss at Make Me Coffee, Laverne Cox plays another notable supporting character in Promising Young Woman. Most notably, Cox is known for her Emmy-nominated performance in Netflix's Orange Is the New Black. She later won an Emmy for Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word. Her other TV credits include Doubt, I Want to Work for Diddy, TRANSform Me, The Mindy Project, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again. Additionally, her other film credits include Grandma, Freak Show, Can You Keep a Secret?, Charlie's Angels (2019), 36 Saints, Musical Chairs, and Bad Hair.

Outside of acting, Laverne Cox was heavily involved with Netflix's documentary, Disclosure: Trans Lives On Screen. Next, she'll be seen in Jolt, Senior Entourage, and Inventing Anna.

Connie Britton (Dean Elizabeth Walker)

Playing the part of Dean Elizabeth Walker, whom Cassie confronts midway through the film, Connie Britton has an extended cameo in Promising Young Woman. Most notably, Britton is known for her Emmy-nominated roles in NBC's Friday Night Lights, ABC/CMT's Nashville, and FX's American Horror Story. Her other TV credits include 9-1-1, Spin City, Dirty John, 24, The West Wing, and The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story.

Outside of TV, Connie Britton appears in Friday Night Lights (2004), The Brothers McMullen, This is Where I Leave You, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, The To-Do List, and The Land of Steady Habits, as well as Bombshell, The Mustang, Professor Marston and the Wonder Woman, American Ultra, Beatriz at Dinner, Conception, A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. Next, she'll appear in Joe Bell. Also, Britton stars in the mini-series, The White Lotus.

Sam Richardson (Paul)

As Paul, one of Jerry's friends, Sam Richardson appears in two early scenes in Promising Young Woman. Most notably, Richardson was a writer, co-creator, and star of Comedy Central's Detroiters. Additionally, he played a main role in HBO's Veep and starred in YouTube Premium's Champaign ILL. His other TV credits include The Second City Project, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Fungies!, and The Office. His other film credits include Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Ghostbusters (2016), Good Boys, Game Over Man!, The House, Office Christmas Party, Horrible Bosses 2, Spy, We're the Millers, Hooking Up, and Superintelligence.

Next, Sam Richardson will be heard in M.O.D.O.K. and Housebroken and seen in The Tomorrow War, Werewolves Within, Shoot the Rooster, and The Afterparty.

Adam Brody (Jerry)

In the role of Jerry, Cassie's first target, Adam Brody plays a key character in Promising Young Woman's opening. Most notably, Brody starred in The O.C. and StartUp. He also appears in Gilmore Girls, The League, House of Lies, Single Parents, and Mrs. America. Outside of television, Brody is seen in Jennifer's Body, In the Land of Women, Cop Out, Scream 4, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Ready or Not, Thank You for Smoking, Sleeping with Other People, Think Like A Man Too, and Shazam! He also recently starred in The Kid Detective.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Neil)

Playing the part of Neil, another one of Cassie's targets, Christopher Mintz-Plasse has a talky cameo in Promising Young Woman. Most notably, Mintz-Plasse is known for his role as McLovin in Superbad. He also appeared in Role Models, Kick-Ass, Kick-Ass 2, Neighbors, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Year One, Fright Night (2011), Pitch Perfect, This is the End, The To-Do List, and Movie 43. Additionally, Mintz-Plasse is heard in Trolls, Trolls World Tour, the How to Train Your Dragon movies, ParaNorman, and Marmaduke.

Outside of film, Christopher Mintz-Plasse's TV credits include The Great Indoors, Flaked, and Stan Against Evil. He's also heard in DreamWorks Dragons and Sanjay and Craig.

Alfred Molina (Jordan Green)

As Jordan Green, Al's former lawyer, Alfred Molina plays a remorseful supporting character in Promising Young Woman. A veteran performer of the stage and screen, Molina is a Tony and Emmy-nominated thespian, though he's best known for Spider-Man 2. He also appears in Boogie Nights, Chocolat, The Da Vinci Code, Love is Strange, Frida, Dudley Do-Right, Magnolia, Prick Up Your Ears, Enchanted April, and An Education, which also starred Carey Mulligan, and he's heard in Rango, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Monsters University, and Frozen II.

On television, Alfred Molina gained acclaim for Feud: Bette and Joan, Show Me a Hero, Law & Order: LA, Bram & Alice, and Angie Tribeca. Next, he'll be seen in The Water Man. He's also currently playing Doc Ock in the MCU's Spider-Man 3.

Molly Shannon (Mrs. Fisher)

In the role of Mrs. Fisher, the mother of the late Nina, Molly Shannon plays a somber supporting character in Promising Young Woman. Most notably, Shannon is known for Saturday Night Live, as well as her starring role in Superstar. She also gained acclaim for Other People. Her other film credits include Private Life, Happiness, A Night at the Roxbury, Never Been Kissed, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Osmosis Jones, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, My Boss's Daughter, Wet Hot American Summer, The Santa Clause 2, Shallow Hal, Serendipity, Analyze This, Marie Antoinette, Wild Nights with Emily, and Horse Girl. She's also heard in Igor and the Hotel Transylvania movies.

Additionally, on television, Molly Shannon received an Emmy nomination for her guest appearances on Will & Grace and Enlightened. She also had a main role in Divorce and appeared in The Royal Wedding Live with Cord & Tish, The Other Two, and Kath & Kim.

Did you love Promising Young Woman? Let us know below!

December may have just kicked off this week, but the holiday season already has a hit sitting comfy under the tree with Hulu’s Happiest Season. The Christmas-set comedy has a ridiculously talented cast including the likes of Community and GLOW’s Alison Brie, who plays the uptight sister to Mackenzie Davis and Mary Holland’s Harper and Jane. Ahead of playing the role, Brie revisited some classic holiday movies to get inspired too.

Although Happiest Season being a major studio rom-com that features intersecting LBGTQ+ storylines during the holidays is quite new, the movie definitely has elements of classic holiday movies of the ‘90s and early ‘00s. And that’s exactly where Alison Brie went ahead of shooting the Hulu title in Pittsburgh. When speaking with CinemaBlend’s Jeff McCobb, the actress talked about her own research per se.

Those are some great picks! 2005’s The Family Stone is about Sarah Jessica Parker’s venture with her boyfriend (Dermot Mulroney) to his family home for Christmas. Much like Happiest Season, the movie has a huge cast including Diane Keaton, Claire Danes, Luke Wilson and Rachel McAdams and it’s all about how uncomfortable it can be to try to meld with a completely different family of one’s significant other.

Alison Brie’s other inspiration before going on to play Sloane in the Hulu movie was the Jodie Foster-directed movie Home for the Holidays, which features an array of siblings in for the holiday antics with Holly Hunter’s character. One of the sisters is not far off from Brie’s Happiest Season character even if the actress did not intend to come across a soul sister to her role in the film. Hey, if you went to enough holiday gatherings and you’d meet a Sloane or two too.

Alison Brie has played cautious before as Annie Edison in Community, but her character in this movie takes it to a whole new level. In Happiest Season, Sloane and MacKenzie Davis’ Harper have an especially tumultuous relationship, taking forms of explosive fights on skating rinks or snide comments. When Kristen Stewart’s Abby notices this dynamic about her girlfriend in the movie, she starts to question their relationship, along with Harper’s decision to keep their entire relationship a secret from her whole family.

On the other hand, Mary Steenburgen told CinemaBlend she was inspired by her role in Elf to play an opposite character that has some more bite to her. Happiest Season is streaming now on Hulu.

At long last, Clea DuVall's holiday romantic comedy Happiest Season is finally streaming on Hulu, and the world is a much warmer, and more awkward place because of it. The movie, which centers on a young woman named Abby (Kristen Stewart) as she sets off to enjoy the holidays with her girlfriend, Harper (Mackenzie Davis), but as we all know by now, things become much more complicated than that. And while you have have seen the movie or are planning to, some are probably wondering where they've seen the Happiest Season cast before this laugh-fest of a Christmas comedy.

You've come to right place if you fall into that camp. With actors that have appeared in films like Titanic and shows like Saturday Night Live and Curb Your Enthusiasm, the Happiest Season cast is full of big-name and rising stars. Let's take a look at this cheery bunch.

Kristen Stewart (Abby)

Kristen Stewart is front and center throughout Happiest Season as Abby, a young woman who plans on proposing to her longtime girlfriend over Christmas, only for a wrench to get thrown into the plan. Stewart, will forever be tied to Bella Swan from the Twilight movies, has been a driving force in Hollywood for what seems like decades at this point, with appearances in David Fincher's Panic Room, Jon Favreau's Zathura, and most recently in the 2020 science-fiction horror film Underwater. Stewart is next set to appear in the upcoming Princess Diana biopic, Spencer, in which she will play the Princess of Wales during the end of her marriage with Prince Charles.

Mackenzie Davis (Harper)

Right there beside Kristen Stewart's Abby in Happiest Season is Mackenzie Davis, who plays Harper, her girlfriend who has yet to tell her parents she is a lesbian or in a serious relationship. Although her career is not yet as prolific as her co-star, Davis has been on quite a tear as of late with major roles in Blade Runner 2049, the Charlize Theron-led dramedy Tully, Tim Miller's Terminator: Dark Fate, and most recently in Jon Stewart's heartwarming yet biting political comedy Irresistible. You may also recognize Davis from her small role in The Martian as well as the AMC techno drama Halt and Catch Fire, where she played Cameron Howe in all four seasons.

Dan Levy (John)

Dan Levy, who is definitely best known for his work on the Canadian comedy series Schitt's Creek, shows up as John, Abby's friend who tries to come to her rescue in Happiest Season. In addition to appearing in all six seasons of Schitt's Creek, which he also co-created and co-wrote along with his comedy legend dad, Eugene Levy, the rising star recently appeared on the HBO miniseries Coastal Elites, as well as various programs over the years, including MTV Live from 2006 to 2011. Judging by Levy's success on Schitt's Creek and his performance in this Hulu Christmas movie, this is just the beginning.

Alison Brie (Sloane)

Alison Brie does what she does best in Happiest Season: she plays the annoying and overly intense sister to Harper who's not the biggest fan of Abby. Brie, who has appeared on shows like Mad Men, Community, and GLOW, has become one of the leading comedic actresses over the past decade or so, and is constantly appearing in movies like The Disaster Artist, The Little Hours, and The Lego Movie, though she has also tried her hand at more dramatic roles in films like The Post.

Mary Holland (Jane)

Mary Holland, who co-wrote Happiest Season alongside Clea DuVall, also appears as Jane, Harper's supportive yet awkward sister in the Christmas romantic comedy. Throughout her career, Holland has shown up in some of the biggest comedy television shows of the modern era, including Silicon Valley, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Veep. You may also recognize Holland from her appearance on Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special, the 2017 Netflix variety show that still has a lot of people baffled three years later.

Aubrey Plaza (Riley)

Aubrey Plaza, who has become the queen of deadpan comedy over the course of the past decade, shows up in Happiest Season as Riley, Harper's wealthy ex-girlfriend. Following a one-off appearance on 30 Rock back in 2006, Plaza has become one of the biggest names in comedy with a starring role on Parks and Recreation, multiple episodes of Drunk History, and movies like Dirty Grandpa. Plaza has also done some more dramatic work in shows like Legion and movies like About Alex and the 2019 remake of Child's Play.

Mary Steenburgen (Tipper)

Mary Steenburgen, who is no stranger to comedies with large ensemble casts, portrays Harper's unassuming mother Tipper in Happiest Season. Steenburgen, who often appears alongside her real-life husband Ted Danson in Curb Your Enthusiasm, has had a prolific career in both film and television, with comedies like The Proposal, Step Brothers, Elf, and Melvin and Howard (which netted her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress), but has also shown up in dramas like the 1993 Tom Hanks AIDS story Philadelphia and 2002's I Am Sam.

Victor Garber (Ted)

Victor Garber appears in Happiest Season as Harper's caring yet oblivious father, Ted, which makes for some extremely awkward and close calls throughout the holiday season romantic comedy. For some, Garber will always be Thomas Andrews, the shipbuilder who goes down with his unsinkable masterpiece in Titanic, Elle Woods' professor in Legally Blonde, and one of the victims of his own making in The First Wives Club. Over the years, Garber has also had major roles in shows like Alias and Legends of Tomorrow, as well as film projects like Argo, Sicario, and Dark Waters.

Ana Gasteyer (Harry Levin)

Happiest Season even features the longtime Saturday Night Live cast-member Ana Gasteyer in a supporting role as Harry Levin, a wealthy political donor. Between 1996 and 2002, Gasteyer was one of the most recognizable faces on the long-running sketch comedy program where she made a name for herself with impressions of Martha Stewart and Barbra Streisand, but her most iconic SNL skit has to be the 1998 skit "Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls" alongside Molly Shannon and Alec Baldwin. Since leaving Saturday Night Live, Gasteyer has appeared in movies like The Women, Mean Girls, and Wine Country alongside several other SNL alums.

Burl Moseley (Eric)

Burl Moseley appears as Eric, Sloane's husband in Happiest Season, but the new Hulu romantic comedy is the only place you've seen the rising star. In addition to having small one-off roles on shows like NCIS, Dexter, and Monk, Moseley has had more prominent appearances on comedies like Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, where he played the obnoxious attorney Jim Kittsworth throughout the musical-comedy's run on The CW.

Sarayu Blue (Carolyn)

Another standout from the cast of Happiest Season is Sarayu Blue, who plays Carolyn McCoy in the movie. Over the years, Blue has appeared in smaller roles on Bones, Hawthorne, and Grey's Anatomy, but most might recognize her from the 2020 followup to the surprise Netflix romantic comedy hit To All the Boys I've Loved Before, titled To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, as well as the 2018 John Cena dirty comedy Blockers, in which she portrayed the wife of the wrestler-turned-actor who remained the voice of reason as his character did everything he could to stop his daughter's prom night plans.

Jake McDorman (Connor)

Jake McDorman portrays Connor, Harper's high school boyfriend in Happiest Season. Over the years, McDorman has bounced between more comedic roles in shows like Greek and the 2018 revival of Murphy Brown, but he has also appeared in action flicks such as Live Free or Die Hard and dramatic roles in Clint Eastwood's American Sniper. After leading the CBS drama series Limitless from 2015 to 2016, McDorman currently portrays real-life American astronaut Alan Shepard in the Disney+ limited series The Right Stuff, which is loosely based on Tom Wolfe's 1979 novel and the 1983 movie of the same name.

Michelle Buteau (Trudy)

Michelle Buteau portrays Trudy, the tour guide, in the Hulu Christmas romantic comedy Happiest Season. Buteau, who is a standup comedian in addition to having an acting career, is probably best known for her hosting duties on the Netflix version of the insane reality competition series The Circle. The comedian has also taken on roles in shows like Russian Doll, The Tick, 2 Dope Queens, and the television adaptation of First Wives Club.

Timothy Simons (Mall Security Guard Ed)

Yes, that was Veep's Timothy Simons as one of two angry mall security guards in Happiest Season. Besides playing Jonah Ryan on the award-winning HBO political comedy series, Simons has shown up in movies like Inherent Vice, Yes, God, Yes and The Hustle

Lauren Lapkus (Mall Security Guard Crystal)

The second angry mall security guard in Happiest Season is played by none other than Lauren Lapkus, who recently had a lead role in the Netflix comedy The Wrong Missy. Before that, Lapkus showed up in everything from Jurassic World to Orange is the new Black.

Clea DuVall

Clea DuVall co-wrote and directed Happiest Season. Throughout her career, which goes back to the mid 1990s, DuVall has appeared in teen comedies like She's All That and Can't Hardly Wait, as well as more dramatic roles like in Zodiac, 21 Grams, and Argo. Over the years, DuVall has also appeared in various horror movies like The Faculty, The Grudge, and Ghost of Mars. Happiest Season is DuVall's second feature-length film, having made her directorial debut with 2016's The Intervention.

That about catches us up with the cast of Happiest Season. Since you're here, let us know what you think of the Hulu romantic comedy in the comments below.

GLOW was in the midst of shooting its fourth season when the Hollywood-wide production shutdowns halted filming in March. Unfortunately, the popular Netflix series won’t be returning to production like a myriad of other shows have in recent months, because the streaming service decided to cancel GLOW after three seasons, reversing its Season 4 renewal status. After the news dropped, Alison Brie, Marc Maron, and more GLOW stars understandably took to social media to react to the cancellation news.

Though GLOW fans were pumped to get another season of the body-slamming drama, which has been positively received each season by critics and fans alike, due to COVID-19 restrictions, delays, and production costs, among other factors. While creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch brought attention to the deadly pandemic in their reactions to the cancellation news, they also said that the cancellation “still sucks” in a joint statement, and I couldn’t agree more. Series star Alison Brie also reacted to the news, posting a few photos alongside a caption to Instagram. Take a look!

The Community alum and the rest of the incredible cast look so happy in each of these photos and it makes me sad to think that viewers will probably never get to see them in the wrestling ring for more episodes. Like Alison Brie, many viewers will also miss GLOW, its stellar ensemble, and probably the fantastic ‘80s costumes as well.

It sure seems like the cast was pretty close and relished in playing these characters, and Rich Sommer is definitely part of that squad. The actor took to Twitter to express his gratitude for being a part of GLOW, and he was especially complimentary of Betty Gilpin, who played his onscreen wife.

So, who’s going to put these two in another project together? I’ll be waiting with baited breath to see what these and other GLOW cast members will get up to next.

Meanwhile, series star and comedian podcaster Marc Maron’s reaction to the cancellation news is somewhat apologetic, though straight to the point.

I agree with him, it really does “stink.” Now all I'm thinking about is everything the creators planned for Season 4 that viewers (and the cast) will miss out on, and it's just sad, man. The show introduced fans to some awesome characters and actors, including Shakira Barrera, who joined GLOW in Season 2 as Yolanda “Junkchain” Rivas. The actress was thankful to have been a part of the Netflix show and addressed co-creator Liz Flahive in particular.

Rebekka Johnson shared several images of the cast and wrote a lengthy caption that conveyed not only her gratitude for being a part of a “dark, diverse, feminist show” like GLOW, but also how being cast helped her fulfill her dreams. Check out her post below!

Finally, Britt Baron posted a photo of GLOW’s cast to Twitter with a simple caption, and then shared the same photo (and several others) on Instagram with a longer heartfelt post about what the show meant to her, and her devastation over its cancellation.

GLOW’s fourth season was supposed to be its last, but now we’ll never fully know how the characters’ journeys would have ended. It’s a hard pill to swallow, in my opinion, and it’s made even worse knowing that this isn’t the first series to be cancelled after receiving a renewal. No more cancellations, Netflix!

You can still watch (or rewatch) all three seasons of GLOW on Netflix. For more viewing options, be sure to check out our 2020 fall TV premiere guide.

An actress with a career as versatile as Alison Brie (known for cult TV comedies like Community; highbrow, award-winning dramas like Steven Spielberg’s The Post; and her husband Dave Franco’s creepy directorial debut The Rental) would have been expected to be cast in a superhero film by now. While you could technically say she was in a Batman movie after voicing the bipolar Unikitty opposite Will Arnett’s send-up of the Dark Knight in The LEGO Movie franchise, it is really in something like the Marvel movies which we would love to see her spread her wings.

There was a time, however, when the 37-year-old Hollywood native was rumored for the title role of the upcoming Disney+ exclusive series She-Hulk before it went to Emmy-winner Tatiana Maslany ultimately. I would actually not be surprised if said casting rumors turned out to be created by fans unaware that Alison Brie was the voice of Black Widow in the Marvel Avengers Academy video game from 2016. Even so, I can empathize with anyone who longs to see her take on an unclaimed character for a live-action entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

That being said, there is a wonderfully vast variety of characters bred from the pages of Marvel Comics who would be idea for Alison Brie to breathe life into for a movie (or TV show, even) as part of the MCU continuity. The following are our top six choices for her, starting with one whom the actress has already been through plenty of the necessary training to prepare for.

Songbird

Melissa Gold (better known these days by her current alias Songbird) is a character who has worn multiple hats, such as an Avenger, a founding member of the Thunderbolts, and even an aspiring singer - a talent that her super-enhanced vocal chords lend to beautifully. Yet, when she first debuted in Marvel Comics in 1979, she was a supervillain who went by the name “Screaming Mimi’ as part of the Grapplers - a team of female professional wrestlers who moonlighted as criminals. 

While playing a reformed criminal with superhuman vocal abilities would be new territory for her, Alison Brie knows a thing or two about old school rumbles in the ring from her starring role on the 1980s-set Netflix series GLOW, which stands for “Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.”

Aurora

GLOW’s Ruth Wilder is not the only lead character from a Netflix original played by Alison Brie who has something in common with a Marvel Comics heroine. In the psychological thriller Horse Girl, a film Brie also co-wrote with director Jeff Baena, she plays Sarah: a schizophrenic struggling to decipher reality from her surreal hallucinations, which is also something Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has to deal with, on top of a frequent responsibility to save the world and a dissociative identity disorder diagnosis. Otherwise known as Aurora, Beaubier’s wide variety of mutant abilities, including expansion of her many split personalities at will, earned her a spot as an interim X-Men member.

Rogue

Speaking of X-Men members, one character who has been particularly long overdue for a cinematic revamp onscreen is Rogue: an extremely powerful mutant known best for her ability to absorb others’ energies, memories, personalities, and even their own powers. She is also well-known from her deception in Marvel Comics as (despite her dark past) having a spunky, take-no-crap-from-anyone sort of disposition as toted through a charming Southern drawl, which, with all due respect to Academy Award winner Anna Paquin, we did not see as much of from her portrayal in the X-Men films of the early 2000s. 

I believe that an actress like Alison Brie can pull off that character trait beautifully for a reimagining in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, if her defining role as the spunky, take-no-crap-from-anyone student with a dark past Annie Edison on Community is sufficient proof.

Invisible Woman

Another role whom I believe Alison Brie’s performance on Community could be a worthy pre-cursor to is Susan Richards (née Storm), who is another character in dire need of a big screen reboot, and even more so than Rogue. 

Better known as the Invisible Woman for her ability to go transparent (in addition to force field projection), she is one of the most essential superheroes in Marvel’s repertoire, especially as the glue that holds the predominantly male members of the Fantastic Four together. While I would not argue against anyone who says that Donald Glover’s exit from Community sealed its eventual decline, you could also consider Annie Edison a very unifying presence on the beloved NBC sitcom, I would love to see Brie transfer to Marvel’s first family when they make their official transfer into the MCU.

Agent Stephanie Briggs

On the other hand, one part of Annie Edison’s arc on Community that I kind of wish we could have seen more of is her internship with the FBI which we can easily assume, considering her top-notch detective work and skills with a paintball gun at Greendale, turned into a successful career. One way that we could, technically, see this story play out (if the Community spin-off movie never gets green-lit) is to cast Alison Brie as Stephanie Briggs, an FBI agent and lesser-known Marvel character with a particularly short stint in the mid-1990s run of Web of Scarlet Spider, which is a story that Tom Holland has been interested in bringing to the big screen. Perhaps that means there is a chance to see Brie as Briggs in a more pivotal role in the MCU… or, even in a Sony movie.

Spider-Woman

Speaking of Sony, talk of the studio bringing Spider-Woman to the big screen for the first time finally took a webswing toward reality with recent news of an upcoming film that will likely serve as Olivia Wilde’s follow-up her to directorial debut Booksmart. Now, it is not confirmed which of the vigilante’s many iterations the movie will focus on, but fans hope it is Jessica Drew: a government agent given arachnid-like abilities (gliding, venom blasts, pheromonal fear manipulation, etc.) by her scientist father as a child. Not only is Alison Brie almost the spitting image of Drew, but playing a fan-favorite Marvel heroine such as she would be a great trade-off from not getting the lead in She-Hulk.

What do you think? Does Alison Brie have a chance of becoming the next “Brie” to join the MCU with any of the Marvelous ladies above (minus Spider-Woman, of course), or do you still feel she was robbed from what would have been a pitch-perfect casting as Jennifer Walters on She-Hulk? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the lovely film and TV star, as well as even more hypothetical comic book movie casting sessions, here on CinemaBlend.

Actor Dave Franco has had a long and successful career at age 35, with notable roles in projects like Now You See Me, The Disaster Artist, and If Beale Street Could Talk. Now the actor is stepping behind the camera, as his directorial debut The Rental was released last week. The horror flick was rented by a ton of people during its opening weekend, and its also fared well with critics. And now Franco has explained why he decided to make his first movie a scary movie.

The horror genre has been in a serious renaissance over the last few years, with unique critically acclaimed movies that also have made money at the box office. And now Dave Franco has gotten in on the action with The Rental, which is a contained story that steadily grows in tension. Franco recently spoke to this decision to step into directing with a horror movie, saying:

Well, that certainly clears things up. It looks like Dave Franco appreciates a specific time of horror movie, and wanted to emulate that with his work on The Rental. And Franco definitely had the opportunity to highlight his type of horror, as he served as the director, writer, and producer of the new release.

Dave Franco's comments to Uproxx help explain the actor turned director's decision to direct a horror movie for his first feature film. He wanted to have a smart take on the genre, and inspire a feeling of atmosphere throughout The Rental's runtime. His horror inspiration are greats, and it looks like that unique perspective has fared well for the movie upon its release.

The Rental isn't a movie rife with jump scars, in fact there's barely any. Instead, the movie takes very human characters and steadily raises the stakes until it all comes to a boil in the third act. When chaos finally ensues its earned, and therefore especially effective for the audience. And in the process, Dave Franco has made a serious splash as a first time director.

Later in his same interview, Dave Franco went on to explain why he didn't fill The Rental with jump scares. This type of filmmaking is common within the horror genre, sometimes to a fault. As he put it,

He's got a point. Characters in horror movies are often expendable, being killed off one by one. And while the protagonists of The Rental seem destined to meet grisly fates, we have to wait for things to get violent. Instead, the movie focuses on their interpersonal relationships, which therefore make their motivations during horror sequences more justified.

The Rental took the #1 spot during its opening weekend at the box office, so clearly Dave Franco's directorial debut is getting and audience. There's nothing like a summer horror flick, with Franco continuing the horror renaissance with its strong critical reception. We'll just have to wait and see if Franco ventures outside of the genre for this sophomore directorial gig.

The Rental is currently available to rent on demand and through Amazon. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.

She-Hulk is one of the many heroes that will be heading to the Marvel Cinematic Universe within the next few years, and fans can’t wait to see her follow in her cousin’s green, gamma-radiated footsteps. Of course, there’s still the matter of choosing someone to play the role. Marvel Studios hasn’t directly given any indication of the actresses it’s considering, but previous reports claimed the studio was looking for an “Alison Brie-type.” Brie herself has since responded to the reports, and it looks like she’s still contending with the rumors.

Alison Brie recently revealed that she has been following the She-Hulk rumors online for a while, though they seem to have died down a just a bit. Nevertheless, she seems to be having fun with fans tagging her in posts related to the superheroine:

Based on her comments to THR, it would appear that despite being well aware of the rumors surrounding her, Alison Brie isn’t totally phased. Still, it’s nice to see that it has served as a way for her to connect with fans.

Since the initial report dropped, most fans have seemed enthusiastic about the idea of Brie playing Jennifer Walters. And as the actress alluded to, plenty of them have already imagined her as the character through some impressive concept art. Given her acting ability and the physicality she can bring to her roles, it’s easy to see why she’s a top choice in fans’ eyes.

Not much is known about Marvel and Disney+’s She-Hulk at this point, as the studio has kept the project relatively under wraps since announcing it last year. Despite being delayed by the global health crisis, the project has still made progress. Back in May, writer Dana Schwartz revealed that the writers’ room had finished up the scripts. In addition, MCU veteran Mark Ruffalo has teased that he’ll reprise his role as Bruce Banner or “Professor Hulk” on the series.

One other thing we do know about the MCU’s She-Hulk is that after her debut in her eponymous show, she’ll be making some big-screen appearances as well.

There are still a number of uncertainties surrounding She-Hulk, but what is certain is that most fans would love to see Alison Brie play the lead. The actress has played coy regarding whether or not she’s actively pursuing the role but, with her acting abilities and the fans’ enthusiasm, there’s a solid chance the studio will reach out.

At this point in time, She-Hulk does not have an official release date, though reports point to it being released sometime in 2022.

Marriages are a funny thing. Each partnership operates differently; while some couples can work together, others need that time away from each other while making a living. And for Dave Franco and Alison Brie, it seems that collaborating together on a movie is actually a recipe for success. Franco recently made his directorial debut in the horror flick The Rental, with Brie playing one of the protagonists. And from the sound of it, this mixture of life and work was helpful while working on the project.

The Rental was released straight to homes over the weekend, and a ton of people rented Dave Franco's directorial debut for a good old fashioned summer scare. The movie is also faring well with critics, and Alison Brie recently revealed what it was like working with her husband in this capacity. As the GLOW actress explained,

There you have it. While many actors might be nervous to work with a first-time director, Alison Brie didn't have that experience on the set of The Rental. Mainly because she knew Dave Franco intimately, and knew the caliber of work he was going to bring to the horror movie. What's more, she could also provide moral and creative support during this high-stakes moment in Franco's career.

It's somewhat ironic to see how supportive and healthy this dynamic was on set, considering how The Rental is focused on such damaged relationships. While the two couples in the movie are being preyed upon by a mysterious villain, their interpersonal relationships that are also being tested. And what results is the vacation from hell.

Later on his Alison Brie's conversation with THR, she further described the collaborative relationship that she and husband Dave Franco shared while working on The Rental together. Because in addition to their work on set, they'd also continue brainstorming and planning once back in their own Airbnb. As she put it,

In the end, it looks like Dave Franco and Alison Brie both benefitted from their personal relationship while working on The Rental. They know each other and how to communicate, and ultimately translated those skills to the horror movie. And it looks like those efforts paid off, as The Rental fared well with critics and home audiences alike.

The Rental is currently available to rent on demand. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie adventure.

Over the past few years, moviegoers have noticed a clear horror renaissance, with the genre producing unique films that are being widely celebrated. And there are a slew of exciting projects coming down the pipeline, including IFC's The Rental. Helmed by actor-turned-director Dave Franco, The Rental focuses on a group of people who rent a beautiful remote home for a weekend, but soon suspect that the owner is out to get them.

Dave Franco is coming out as a bonafide filmmaker with The Rental, which he directed, produced, and wrote. The movie features a small but strong cast including GLOW's Alison Brie, Beauty and the Beast star Dan Stevens and Halt and Catch Fire's Toby Huss. The plot seems pretty simple, as the group of friends realize they're being watched, and things slowly descend into chaos. Check out the trailer for The Rental below.

Honestly, sign me up. This looks like a good old fashioned slasher movie, with the cast likely being picked off one by one. And if the trailer for The Rental is any indication, Dave Franco has a ton of scares in store for his big directorial debut. Let's break down exactly what we're being shown in this awesome first glimpse.

The trailer for The Rental begins by setting up the movie's titular location. Two couples stumble upon an isolated, picturesque Airbnb to vacation in. The house itself is gorgeous, but the owner Taylor (Toby Huss) is a bit of an oddball. His creepiness is evident from the jump, but is quickly dismissed as the group settles in to enjoy themselves, including some recreational drug use. Anyone who has ever seen a horror movie knows sex and drugs usually result in characters being killed, and that seems to be exactly what will occur throughout The Rental's runtime.

Following a few weird things like dirt falling from the ceiling, the crap hits the fan. In a new take on the classic horror shower scene trope, Sheila Vand's character Mina discovers a small camera hidden within the shower head. Plenty more creepy things happen within the house, and it soon becomes clear that the group isn't safe within their rental home.

Where The Rental's plot goes from there is a mystery, but it looks like the movie will feature a mixture of psychological horror and more traditional kills and jump scares. The group's apparent lack of safety weighs on them, likely fracturing some of the relationships in the process. And through it all, the movie's villain seems to have the upper hand.

Dave Franco first worked with Alison Brie back in 2013, when he directed and starred alongside the actress in a Funny or Die short. It looks like that work relationship has bloomed into a more extensive project, with Brie playing The Rental's protagonist Michelle. Smart money says she's the final girl, although I have to wonder what twist and turns Franco has in store for audiences.

The Rental currently has a release date for July 24, assuming theaters are open at that time. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

It is currently a great time to be a Community fan. Not only has the show recently arrived on Netflix, allowing even more people to discover its brilliance, but the cast recently reunited with showrunner Dan Harmon for a special table read that will be arriving online later this month. And as if all that weren’t enough, the making of said table read was also followed by the cast staying together for a special episode of the Ken Jeong and Joel McHale-hosted podcast The Darkest Timeline, and in it there are many great never-before-shared stories about the making of the show and the relationships within the group.

We highly recommend checking out the whole episode, as a big part of its greatness is just watching Dan Harmon and the cast banter, but we also wanted to take the time to highlight it by recognizing some of our favorite moments:

Danny Pudi Distinctly Remembers When He Knew Donald Glover Was Eventually Going To Leave The Show

In the years since his time on Community, Donald Glover has become one of the biggest stars in the world, not only earning awards for his FX series Atlanta, but also his music career. His albums have won him great acclaim and five Grammys – and it was actually because of the star’s Childish Gambino persona that Danny Pudi knew that it was only a matter of time before Glover left the show to pursue other endeavors.

The recent table read for the cast unlocked a lot of memories in the mind of the actor who starred as Abed on Community, and including a moment he shared with Donald Glover off-set. The duo was hanging out at the Blue Sky Tank on the Paramount Pictures lot (which is a parking lot when not in use), and Glover gave Pudi the chance to listen to his song “Heartbeat.” His immediate reaction?

Given that “Heartbeat” was released in late 2011, it’s likely that Danny Pudi first heard the song while they were filming Season 3 of Community – and he would prove to be right a few years later, and Donald Glover amicably left the show in the middle of Season 5.

Donald Glover Had An Extremely Weird Character He Played Behind The Scenes

As discussed throughout the reunion, a lot of the magic in Community was found because of the freedom that the cast was given to improvise – and evidently the comedic improvisation and role playing didn’t end when the cameras stopped rolling. As revealed in rather blunt terms during the recording, Donald Glover had a character he slipped into during breaks who was a homeless man obsessed with trying to perform fellatio on Joel McHale.

Rather than be anything physical, the game was that Glover’s character would try and trick McHale into putting his penis into his mouth. The two stars provided some examples for context:

Ken Jeong Got Blackout Drunk And Started Ranting At Donald Glover At A Cast Reunion Dinner

The entire Community reunion podcast special is a testament to how much all of these people legitimately enjoy each other’s company, but that sentiment apparently went a touch overboard last fall when the cast and Dan Harmon got together for a dinner. For an unexplained reason, Ken Jeong had been drinking a few beers throughout the day before the event, and so by the time he finished drinking his way through the evening he was blackout drunk.

As described by Jim Rash, who says he has a lot of video from the night, Ken Jeong wound up spending the night screaming in the faces of Danny Pudi and Donald Glover as though they were a mile apart instead of just a few feet, and his rantings to Glover specifically included lauding him for his work on something called Alien Bralien – a project that doesn’t exist.

Ken Jeong Would Not Stop Improvising His Breakdance Exit In One Episode

Continuing the discussion from earlier, improvisation was definitely a major asset on the set of Community given the impressive talent of the cast, but one thing revealed during the reunion was that it was also occasionally a way that the schedule got strained. A first act scene in the second season episode “Accounting For Lawyers” is a prime example, as Ken Jeong spent take after take expanding on a bit even when he was told to simplify what he was doing.

The end of a scene where Chang talks to the study group about the school’s upcoming Pop 'n' Lock-a-thon, Ken Jeong was told to perform breakdance moves while heading out the door, and they kept being more elaborate take after take. Given that the subject came up when Alison Brie talked about it as a scene that was hard to get through because of breaking, Ken Jeong surely felt egged on by his co-stars, and as a result ignored Dan Harmon’s pleas for something faster. Said the showrunner,

Gillian Jacobs Caught Ken Jeong Mid-Rant On The Set Of Dr. Ken, And Started Cracking Up

Following the discussion of his unstoppable improv, Ken Jeong delivered a blanket apology to everyone, and explained that he has a better perspective on it all now because of his time making Dr. Ken – which he co-created, produced, and starred in following the end of Community. Having been in the position that Dan Harmon was in, he now has a better understanding of the stress involved in making a network series… and that revelation led Gillian Jacobs to share a funny anecdote.

Weird as it sounds, Ken Jeong added to Gillian Jacobs story by saying that he was ultimately grateful for her presence:

Community’s Budget Was So Small That The Art Department Decorated The Wrap Party

Community was never a big ratings hit, and thus never a big money-earner for the studio, and a natural extension of that was the series having a thin budget to work with year after year. This wasn’t just in the later seasons either, as the reunion podcast episode reveals serious penny pinching was happening from the beginning. For example, the art department wasn’t able to fully enjoy the Season 1 wrap party because the event was held on set, and they were given the task of both decorating it, and deconstructing it.

Said Dan Harmon,

Rough.

Community’s Line Producer Straight-Up Lied To Dan Harmon About The Show’s Budget

The budget of Community was a popular topic of conversation during the reunion, and through the back and forth a kind of paradox was discovered. While the cast and crew was repeatedly told how little money the show had, there were also some major expenditures – with two examples being Professor Hickey’s desk machine and Shirley Island in the Season 5 episode “Geothermal Escapism.” So how did that happen? The answer was provided by Ken Jeong later in the episode, with the actor/filmmaker revealing a secret that producer Patrick Kienlen shared when the two worked together on Dr. Ken:

Some say that limitations breed creativity, so I guess we should thank him?

There Was A Possum Living In Community’s Prop Room

One of the weird details featured in “Documentary Filmmaking: Redux” is a bit that finds Dean Pelton in possession of a strange new pet: a possum that lives in his office. It’s strange and funny, perfectly matching the tone of Community – but what makes it even better is the fact that it seems like it was inspired by a funny behind-the-scenes incident. Specifically, at one point during the show’s production there was a possum that took up residence in the prop room.

It was a memory that Gillian Jacobs brought into the conversation about Community’s limited budget, and Donald Glover added that it provided him a funny revelation:

During A Scene In “Introduction To Statistics” Gillian Jacobs And Yvette Nicole Brown Were Basically Blind

It would be a struggle to find any actor that really loves to do night shoots, as there’s simply not a lot that’s enjoy able about being up at 3am waiting around while you get to perform the same scene over and over again from multiple angles. In the context of Community, making the Season 1 Halloween episode “Introduction To Statistics” was rough because it required the stars to be on call for some late nights – but it was a particularly difficult experience for Gillian Jacobs and Yvette Nicole-Brown, because there was one scene where they were both basically blind.

Jacobs described the night, saying,

It was only then that Yvette Nicole-Brown revealed to Gillian Jacobs for the first time that she too was dealing with the same contact lenses issue that night, creating a literal circumstance of the blind leading the blind.

These are just some of the highlights from the Darkest Timeline episode, so if you like what you’ve read here, go and give it a listen yourself.

Community will long be remembered as one of the best sitcoms of the modern era, and that comes as an extension of having some incredible talent both in front of and behind the camera. From the genius mind of Dan Harmon serving as showrunner, to the incredible talents of Donald Glover on screen, every aspect of the show had brilliant people contributing to the overall greatness. All you have to do is watch the NBC series to understand this, but it’s also very much reflected in all of the success that key contributors have had in the years since being a part of it.

Looking back on the six seasons of the series, there are specifically nine people who really stand out when it comes to reflecting on how far they’ve come since adding their particular genius to the excellence that is Community, and so we’ve put together this feature highlighting their journeys:

Dan Harmon

In creating Community, Dan Harmon earned a legion of lifelong fans. The show may not have ever been a ratings giant, but the people who tuned into its frequency deeply connected with what the showrunner was doing, and it’s become a cult favorite as a result. Ultimately, despite some of the behind-the-scenes controversies, the NBC series provided Harmon with a passionate fanbase – and that fanbase has only gotten bigger thanks to the work he’s been doing since, namely the Adult Swim hit Rick & Morty.

The end of Community actually overlapped with the launch of Rick & Morty, as the first season of the latter aired concurrently with the second-to-last season of the former, but the animated series has successfully captured the attention of a far bigger audience, and now it’s easily one of the most popular shows currently airing. One can only hope that their appreciation of the cartoon is getting people to discover Community, especially since its now so easily accessible streaming on Netflix.

Alison Brie

When Alison Brie began her run as bright overachiever Annie Edison on Community, a certain cross-section of the TV watching audience was already familiar with her work. By 2009, she had been featured in two seasons of the AMC series Mad Men, playing the young housewife of Vincent Kartheiser's Pete Campbell. That being said, the sitcom allowed audiences to see Brie’s very real range, giving her the opportunity to play a very different character than Trudy Campbell, and we’ve seen a whole lot more of it in the years since both shows ended.

Nowadays, Alison Brie is probably best known for her central role as Ruth Wilder on the Netflix series GLOW, which is scheduled to release its fourth season later this year, but she has also been killing it on the voice actor front. In addition to consistently delivering a hilarious and emotional performance as Diane Nguyen on the brilliant series Bojack Horsemen, she has also played Unikitty in both of the LEGO Movies.

Donald Glover

For those who have been following his career for a while, the meteoric rise of Donald Glover has been extremely fun to watch. He was an internet star at first, creating hilarious content as part of the group Derrick Comedy (including the excellent feature Mystery Team), and from there he became a writer for 30 Rock – but it was really his work on Community that fully exposed his comedic brilliance and served as a key springboard to all of the amazing work he has done since.

Troy was unquestionably one of the best parts of Community, not only being half of the genius Troy & Abed duo, but also independently providing hilarity and surprising pathos. Dan Harmon has admitted that the best days of the NBC show ended when Donald Glover chose to leave, but you can’t exactly hate on him just because of his remarkable contributions to pop culture in the years since. His FX series Atlanta has won him two Emmys and a Golden Globe, and he has become a dominant force in music as well, winning five Grammys in the last two years. And did we mention he played young Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story, and adult Simba in The Lion King remake? Few stars shine as brightly as he does, and he’s only 36 years old.

Jim Rash

There were a hell of a lot of strange individuals who roamed the halls of Greendale Community College, but few were as ridiculous as Jim Rash’s Dean Pelton. The sexually confused administrator with a penchant for wearing crazy costumes regularly stood out as one of the most eccentric characters in Community, and consistently provided some of the most hilarious moments on the show. He was also a notable creative force behind the scenes, both as a writer and as a director – and that makes sense when you take note of his accomplishments beyond the NBC sitcom.

Community was in the midst of airing the second half of its third season when Jim Rash’s name was read by Angelina Jolie on the stage of the 84th Academy Awards, as he and co-writers Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for their work on The Descendants. Since then, Rash has not only become a prominent voice actor, with regular roles on shows like Star Wars Resistance, Mike Tyson Mysteries, and Harley Quinn, but he's also teamed with Nat Faxon and started directing features – the most recent being Downhill with Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Joe and Anthony Russo

When Joe and Anthony Russo were first hired to direct Captain America: The Winter Soldier, a lot of people were totally clueless as to who they were – but that group doesn’t include Community fans. That particular collection recognized the brothers as a dominant force behind the making of their favorite comedy series, collectively producing 48 episodes and directing more than 30 (including the pilot). Those who watched the NBC show recognized the impressive talent that Marvel Studios had brought into their fold by hiring the sibling filmmakers, and the Russos are considered two of the most famous blockbuster directors in the world.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier proved to be only the start of Joe and Anthony Russo’s career in the world of tentpole movies, as that hit was followed by Captain America: Civil War, and then the two-fer Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame (the latter now considered the biggest blockbuster of all time). It’s been great to watch as a Community fan, particularly because the Russos have consistently nodded towards their history with the show in their Marvel movies, specifically by including cameos by Jim Rash, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Ken Jeong.

Brie Larson

Community fans don’t love talking about Season 4 (alternatively referred to as the “Gas Leak Year”), but one part of that era of the show that even Dan Harmon loyalists can agree on is that it featured one of the series’ best character debuts. Having earned some recognition for roles in movies like 21 Jump Street, The Spectacular Now, and Short Term 12, Brie Larson was a welcomed addition to the Community family, playing a love interest of Abed’s who is introduced independently running a coat check at a school dance. The role blossomed into more excellence in Season 5, with Larson returning for two more episodes – but since then the actor’s profile has absolutely exploded.

It was shortly after being on Community that Brie Larson became an Academy Award winner for her stunning work in the drama Room, and now that acclaim has been paired with massive box office success as well. Like the Russo brothers, Larson also went on to become a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and in 2019 her debut superhero solo film Captain Marvel became a billion dollar hit. She is now considered one of the biggest stars in the industry, and it’s even more fun to watch her performances on Community now knowing that.

Justin Lin

Looking back on the history of Community, it was arguably the paintball epic “Modern Warfare” that really first helped the show not only capture attention, but start to define what it was going to be. Part of what made that episode so spectacular was because of the action-driven stylistic sensibilities that made it pop, and for that fans could thank director Justin Lin – who had a bit of experience under his belt having made both The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift and Fast & Furious. It was ultimately one of three episodes that Lin helmed for the show, all during the first season, as one year later the guy saw his career blow up with the blockbuster release of Fast Five.

Thanks to a bit of star power infusion courtesy of Dwayne Johnson, the fifth chapter of the Fast & Furious franchise made almost double what its predecessor did worldwide at the box office, and Justin Lin found himself established as a major Hollywood director. He went on to then direct Fast & Furious 6, another massive hit, and for his last big screen effort ventured into outer space for Star Trek Beyond. He’s since rejoined the Fast & Furious family, directing both the upcoming titles F9 and Fast & Furious 10, but Community fans will long recognize him for his contribution to the brilliant comedy series.

John Oliver

Admittedly John Oliver had made a name for himself prior to playing Professor Ian Duncan on Community. After all, he had spent years prior serving as a correspondent on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, receiving great praise for his contributions. His time on Dan Harmon’s show stands out, however, because it is one of the few examples of his live-action acting that exists – and it’s also the biggest production he was a part of prior to doing the work that he is best known for today.

John Oliver had to conclude his time as part of Community in 2014 (a.k.a. after Season 5) because that was when he started hosting Last Week Tonight With John Oliver – the show that he continues to host today. Oliver has earned great acclaim for the series, which is now airing its seventh season and has won a grand total of 16 Emmy awards. All the same, we’ll always remember him as the drunk Greendale professor who rapped about his penis and drinking tea at a school dance.

Who would you say has had the most success in the years since their contributions to Community? Hit the comments section with your thoughts!

Particularly through her work on popular shows like Mad Men, Community, BoJack Horseman, and now GLOW, Alison Brie has consistently proven herself to be one of the most dependable talents in recent years. The actress can be funny and serious on a dime, and she has movie star looks but she can also seem accessible, down-to-earth, and relatable in a way that feels sincere and believable. There are several other projects in addition to the shows listed above where Brie has proven her talents, including last month's Netflix original, Horse Girl, but it's apparent that Brie is a great young talent and she'll likely continue proving her talents in many other projects to come. If you consider yourself a fan of the actress' work — as well you should — here are some fun, interesting facts about Alison Brie that you should know! Meanwhile, we'll continue to follow Brie's career with interest.

Alison Brie Used To Be A Clown At Birthday Parties

Everyone has to start somewhere. When you're a hungry actor looking to make a living for your art, you often have to be crafty in your efforts. When it comes to Alison Brie, she took an unusual path during her early days. Specifically, Brie performed as a clown for birthday parties. Hey, it's a living!

As Brie explained in a 2017 video with Marie Claire, she spent a summer attending children's birthday parties as a clown, as well as a few other characters like Snow White (which she considered her best), Cinderella, and a Powderpuff Girl (which she considered her worst). Ultimately, Brie admits she quit the profession because it got "too stressful." Eventually, while she was entertaining a bunch of young children, the job itself wasn't quite a laugh riot, as you can likely imagine. Although it's been a few years since her clown days, Alison Brie still knows a few tricks of the trade, including balloon animals.

Alison Brie Studied Acting In Scotland

In addition to her education at California Institute of the Arts, Alison Brie went overseas in order to study her craft. Specifically, Brie went to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Scotland in order to learn her craft. In an interview with Daily Record to promote GLOW, Brie did recount her years as a study abroad in Scotland, claiming that the lessons she learned were very valuable and her classes were constantly "exciting."

Alison Brie Was A Nudist In College

Through liberal arts, one can free themselves in a variety of different ways. College campuses are areas in which many young people have broadened their horizons over the years. When it comes to Alison Brie's experiences at California Institute of the Arts back in the early '00s, the future professional actress felt liberated to shed her clothes and reveal herself — often in an effort to amuse her friends. As she explained during an appearance on Conan back in 2012, at the time of her education, clothing was optimal in every place except the cafeteria. Therefore, Brie took this opportunity to be nude for comedic purposes.

Brie admits to occasionally jogging around the liberal-minded campus in only her tennis shoes to exercise her right to be nude — in more ways than one, evidently — or hanging from a tree in the nude to get a laugh out of her roommate. Suffice to say, Brie used to be a bit of a nudist.

One Of Alison Brie's First TV Roles Was On Hannah Montana

Before starring in shows like Community, BoJack Horseman, and GLOW, Alison Brie got her start on a little TV show you might've heard of, Disney Channel's Hannah Montana. That's right, the actress appeared in a guest star role during the show's 2006 episode, "It's My Party And I'll Lie If I Want To," as Nina, a hairdresser caught in a feud between Rico (Moises Arias) and Jackson (Jason Earles). The one-episode role in this popular show came a mere year before Alison Brie starred in Mad Men as Trudy Campbell. This brief role was one of the future celebrity's first major television appearances.

Alison Brie Is Married To Dave Franco

After being introduced to one another through mutual friends in 2011, sparks have flown between Alison Brie and Dave Franco. It didn't take long for their relationship to get serious, and the couple was engaged in 2015. The marriage came a couple years later in 2017, and they remain together to this day. Since their marriage, Franco and Brie have also worked together as well, having both appeared in 2017's The Little Hours and The Disaster Artist.

Alison Brie Got Her First Writing Credit With Netflix's Horse Girl

Now that Alison Brie has proven herself several times as a performer, the film/TV actress is starting to branch out into other filmmaking professions. Most recently, Brie produced and co-wrote the Netflix psychological drama, Horse Girl, with director Jeff Baena (Life After Beth, The Little Hours). The character study follows mild-mannered Sarah (Brie), an introverted young woman who works in a small-town craft store who suddenly finds her sanity tested shortly after her most recent birthday. The 2020 movie, which features one of Brie's strongest performances to date, serves as the actress' first writing credit, and hopefully not her last. She showcases a talent for crafting characters and intriguing plot developments, notably as a first-time writer.

Alison Brie Made Her Directorial Debut In GLOW's Third Season

In addition to expanding her horizons as a producer and screenwriter with this year's Horse Girl, Alison Brie also jumped into the director's chair for the first time recently with an episode from GLOW's third season. Specifically, the seventh episode, entitled "Hollywood Homecoming." While this episode remains her only directing credit to date, it suggests that the actress is looking to possibly make the jump into directing more in the future. Certainly, with her recent screenwriting credit from Horse Girl, the well-established actress is showcasing an eagerness to make a presence behind the camera.

These are only a few of the interesting details surrounding Alison Brie's life and career. Let us know what you think of Alison Brie in the comments!

Who will play She-Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's upcoming show for Disney+? No one knows. But a rumor started spreading last week that Marvel was looking for an "Alison Brie-type" for the role of She-Hulk, aka Jennifer Walters, cousin of The Hulk, aka Bruce Banner. The Community, Mad Men, and GLOW star herself had a perfect response to the rumor. And now we have at least one quality piece of fan art showing how Alison Brie could look in the role, if cast.

Alison Brie is certainly not the only name to be thrown out there for She-Hulk, and she's not even the only actress to get fan art showing how she could look in the role. But since the week was filled with Alison Brie as She-Hulk rumors, famed digital artist BossLogic put together some fan art on how he felt Alison Brie could look as Marvel's new hero:

What do you think? Her current role as Ruth Wilder in GLOW definitely shows she has the action chops, plus the humor that goes along with being a Marvel star.

That said, BossLogic quickly followed with another option beyond Alison Brie, although at least half in jest. In Marvel Comics, Jennifer Walters becomes She-Hulk when she gets injured and gets an emergency blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce Banner, acquiring a milder and more controlled version of The Hulk's powers. But Jennifer is also a skilled lawyer, and that's where BossLogic jumped in with the suggestion of Jessica Biel from I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry:

Hey, Jessica Biel IS one of the 12 women CinemaBlend named as potential She-Hulk stars. Rosario Dawson is another one on the list, and she already had a great response to some fan art showing how she could look in the role. The Mandalorian's Gina Carano has also come up as an option, and she also got some fan art showing how she could look as She-Hulk. There's no shortage of options and no shortage of artistic creativity out there when it comes to imagining how She-Hulk could look.

Of course, it's early days for She-Hulk. The Disney+ series isn't even on the list for 2021, never mind 2020. We don't know the exact direction Marvel Studios is going to want to take the character. Mark Ruffalo is reportedly in early talks to show up as Bruce Banner for the series, which would make sense, but the door is wide open for whoever is cast in the lead role. She could be an established star like the names above, or Marvel could choose to establish a new star by casting someone unknown.

Mark Ruffalo named his choice for She-Hulk, even though she's already playing another prominent character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe! I would imagine he doesn't want to throw too many names out there as favorites, because if Marvel casts someone else, maybe that would be awkward to have to admit he did not pick her.

Since names keep getting thrown out there, who is your choice to play She-Hulk? Would you like it to be Alison Brie or someone else?

This poll is no longer available.

Alison Brie has proven herself to be an actress with a lot of range. She got to stretch her comedic chops on the beloved sitcom Community, voiced Diane in the Netflix animation BoJack Horseman, and played a professional wrestler on GLOW. Could Brie’s next major role be She-Hulk? Fans seem to think so. In fact, a recent rumor suggested that Marvel was looking for an “Alison Brie-type” to play the character in the Disney+ series. Brie was asked about the rumor and she had the perfect response prepared.

Earlier this week, a rumor began making the rounds, claiming that Marvel Studios was looking for an “Alison Brie-type” to play She-Hulk. As of yet, no one has officially been cast in the role, but there are plenty of actresses to choose from. The rumor picked up enough steam that it began trending. During an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, the host wondered how Alison Brie felt about the rumor. Here’s what she said:

That is pretty exciting. It seems Alison Brie is finally famous enough that rumored casting calls would reference her. She’s really, truly made it! Personally, I think Alison Brie would make a great She-Hulk. The actress had previously auditioned for various Marvel roles over the years, so I’m sure Brie would be more than willing to join the Marvel family for a role like this one. She’d be perfect, quite frankly. Why look for an Alison Brie-type when you can have the real thing, right?

In the comics, Jennifer Walters is a renowned lawyer and Bruce Banner’s cousin who is transformed into the green version of herself after an accident leaves her in desperate need of a blood transfusion. Banner is the one who offers his blood for the transfusion, effectively turning her into the incredibly strong She-Hulk. Unlike her cousin, however, Jennifer can maintain much better control of herself and her actions in both forms.

The She-Hulk Disney+ series was announced last year, but there has been little news about it since. However, that hasn’t stopped fans from envisioning a number of actresses in the titular role, including Luke Cage’s Rosario Dawson and The Mandalorian’s Gina Carano. We can add Alison Brie to the list now.

She-Hulk doesn’t have a scheduled release date yet, but stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2020 midseason schedule for more on what to watch.

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It’s frequently exciting when a new Marvel project reaches the casting stage. Fans who care about said topics are curious who will be the first on-screen Moon Knight, who might Marvel and Sony cast as the next Spider-Man villain, and which young actor could land the coveted role of Kamala Khan, better known as Ms. Marvel.

One such Marvel television show is inching closer to production, and that’s She-Hulk for Disney+. The show was announced by Marvel Studios guru Kevin Feige, though beyond that, details have been hard to come by. We know that Rick and Morty writer Jessica Gao is heading up the show’s writing team. We don’t know the show’s drop date, but a new rumor suggests that casting wheels are turning, and they are looking for an Alison Brie-type to play Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk.

That’s a terrific way to approach She-Hulk. And I have the perfect suggestion for someone who fits that “Alison Brie” type the studio might be looking for to fill the role.

Alison Brie.

There are two reasons why I think Brie would be an ideal fit for Jennifer Walters. If you don’t know the lore of She-Hulk, she’s Bruce Banner’s cousin, and received the mythical Hulk “curse” when she needed a blood transfusion following an accident. Jennifer’s Hulk tendencies can best bet described as Hulk Lite. Meaning, she maintains her personality and intelligence (she’s a lawyer) but also flares up into full-green Hulk mode when angry.

Knowing that She-Hulk needs to maintain a personality and intelligence, getting Alison Brie to hold down those aspects of the role would be both intelligent and fortuitous. She’s a gifted comedian who landed on people’s radars by playing the anxious but alluring Annie Edison in the wickedly smart Community. At the same time, Brie was holding down dramatic parts in equally successful shows like Man Men, and branching out into film with Sleeping with Other People and The Kings of Summer.

But Brie’s television experience make her well-suited for the She-Hulk schedule. Brie’s familiar with how a serialized story plays out. She’s versed in the episodic nature of the storytelling on a project like this. (So is Krysten Ritter, for what it’s worth, but Marvel would never cast the old Jessica Jones as the new She-Hulk… right?) And the personalities that she has portrayed in previous roles would be snug when applied to She-Hulk. Alison Brie is a big enough star to get you interested in She-Hulk, but not big enough that she’d overshadow the role.

Look at her looking all scholarly and lawyerly on Community!

“But she’s tiny!” you’ll complain, and you are right. At 5’ 3” Alison Brie is as small-framed as most actresses. But have you seen how physical she can be in Netflix’s wrestling series, Glow?

I find it funny that the rumor is that She-Hulk is looking for an Alison Brie type, when they can just get Alison Brie. And I’m not alone.

This makes too much sense not to happen. Get it done, Marvel. Lock up Alison Brie, and ensure that She-Hulk gets off on a strong foot.

Earlier this month, Birds of Prey hit the big screen without a notable founding member among the lineup: Barbara Gordon. But, there’s a good reason why. A Batgirl solo film is reported to be in the works over at Warner Bros with the Birds of Prey screenwriter Christina Hodson on board. And since the world of Gotham is about to become a broader place with Matt Reeves’ The Batman, there’s no reason why Batgirl couldn’t show up sooner rather than later. Naturally, it’s time for us to put our best casting picks in the ring.

Barbara Gordon was first introduced on the pages of the DC Comics back in 1961 and has remained a staple superhero in the universe ever since. When she debuted in Batman #139, Batgirl was a college graduate in her late twenties. But, there’s also her Birds of Prey identity “Oracle”, who follows a more seasoned Barbara who is wheelchair ridden. Nowadays, she is most well-known for being around 21 and our best guess is Warner Bros might want to inject some youth into their franchise with its Batgirl movie.

The movie has been in development for a few years previously with Joss Whedon attached before the story “just crumbled” in his hands, per his own words. Sure, it’s certainly been a hot minute since we’ve received a confident update about Batgirl, but since other films such as The Flash and Black Adam are starting to find their footing, it feels as if it’s only a matter of time until it’s time for Barbara Gordon’s first solo movie. So let’s get into it. Who should play her?

Kaitlyn Dever

Ever since word of a movie about Barbara Gordon was announced, fans have been throwing out ideas left and right. The most recent actress to be at the center of Batgirl casting is Booksmart’s Kaitlyn Dever. The 23-year-old actress was rumored to be joining the DCEU after she was caught interacting with The Batman writers Matt Reeves and Mattson Tomlin. And actually, she’s a great fit! Here’s what Dever said when asked at the Oscars:

Dever’s actually an inspired choice for Barbara Gordon too. She’s shown her range between working in comedy on Last Man Standing and an emotional drama with Netflix’s Unbelievable. Plus, the resemblance is uncanny!

Margaret Qualley

Another young rising star who DC should consider for Barbara Gordon is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’s Margaret Qualley. The 25-year-old just lit up the screen as Pussycat in Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-nominated flick, among the likes of Brad Pitt. The actress had a playful quality in Hollywood as she placed her feet on Cliff Booth’s dashboard that she could bring to Barbara Gordon.

Margaret Qualley is just starting out in the business but oftentimes that’s just what filmmakers are looking for when casting young heroes. (Think Spider-Man’s Tom Holland!) Apart from Hollywood, she’s been in The Leftovers, Netflix’s Death Note and Seberg with Kristen Stewart.

Zoey Deutch

Zoey Deutch has been a shining beacon of spunk among Hollywood’s young stars and she’d kill it as Batgirl too! Besides often being known for rocking the red locks of the comic book character, she’s also proved herself to be an impressive actress packed with personality.

Deutch just had an incredible couple years since she starred in Netflix’s famed rom-com Set It Up, comedy television series The Politician and stole the show in the long-awaited Zombieland sequel, Double Tap. She’s also found roles in Why Him?, Before I Fall and The Disaster Artist. It’s about time for her to really enter the spotlight.

Sadie Sink

Now if Warner Bros wants to go with a more realistically high-school age Barbara Gordon for Batgirl, what about Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink? The 17-year-old actress was a highlight of the Netflix’s series Season 2 and 3 as Max Mayfield, and she has a bright future ahead of her. Sink brought a mix of heart and fun to the talented cast.

With the release of Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman, Warner Bros already brought audiences quite a few female leads in their ‘20s to ‘30s and the franchise may be hoping to mix things up with a younger star as Barbara Gordon. Sink is a great pick for this and she’s got the classic look.

Anya Taylor-Joy

At the happy-medium age of 23 is Anya Taylor-Joy, who has been finding herself with quite a few leading roles as of late. The actress broke out into the scene back in 2015 with Robert Eggers’ The Witch and has since starred as Casey Cooke in M. Night Shyamalan’s Split and Glass. Taylor-Joy will soon play Magik in The New Mutants and in period piece, Emma.

The actress is already an exciting Hollywood rising star who has transformed herself into each role of hers. She has brought a noticed emotional depth to her roles and a particularly badassery to them as well.

Karen Gillan

Now for an actress who has actually put herself in the ring already – Karen Gillan! She’s already well-known for playing Nebula in four movies in the MCU so far and Ruby Roundhouse in two Jumanji flicks, but why not add another awesome role to her action resume?

When she was promoting Jumanji: The Next Level, Gillan shared her love for Batgirl, even raising her hand to star and direct the film as well! Her Batgirl would follow a more classic, older Barbara Gordon but she has proved her chops in the genre for sure.

Alison Brie

Another pick for a more “seasoned” Batgirl (Batwoman if you will) is Glow’s Alison Brie. Many of us were introduced to this actress through Community or Mad Men, but she’s since become an accomplished Hollywood star. She’s best known for starring as the empowering female wrestler in Netflix’s GLOW and she’s also been in The Lego Movie 1 & 2, How To Be Single and Horse Girl.

Alison Brie would be a great Barbara Gordon because she brings a uniqueness to each of her roles. She can be really earnest and strong at the same time. She has a track record for being Incredibly funny and delving into the dramatic. She’s the kind of actor we’ve been waiting for her to find a BIG big screen part.

Kiersey Clemons

In recent years, big comic book roles have been given colorblind casting in order to push forward Hollywood’s diversity kick. Even though Batgirl is famously red-haired and blue-eyed, it doesn’t mean she needs to be. Just look at how popular Zendaya is as the MCU’s MJ. Not to mention the fact that The Batman has cast its first black actor as James Gordon, aka Batgirl’s father.

Now, Barbara Gordon has leaned in between being the biological and adopted daughter of Gotham’s commissioner throughout the years. But either way, Kiersey Clemons would be a great choice for the part. The 25-year-old actress starred in Dope, Heart Beats Loud and Disney’s live-action Lady and the Tramp.

Yara Shahidi

Another actress of color who’d kill it as Barbara Gordon is Yara Shahidi. The 20-year-old has already had a really impressive career for her age and is a recognizable name among the young crowd. Shahidi most notably starred as Zoey Johnson in ABC’s family comedy, Black-ish and has since had a spinoff in Grown-ish for three seasons.

Shahidi was also in The Sun Is Also a Star and a voice in Smallfoot. She’s a great pick for Barbara Gordon because she knows how to play characters who are as likable as they are incredibly strong.

Thomasin McKenzie

A new name we might see more of real soon is Thomasin McKenzie. If you’ve seen Jojo Rabbit, you’ve seen this 19-year-old dazzle on screen. In the Taika Waititi Oscar-winning film she plays Elsa, the Jew hiding in young Jojo’s closet. The actress was in Netflix’s The King with Timothee Chalamet and will be in Edgar Wright’s next movie, Last Night In Soho.

Just the directors who have hired McKenzie feels like proof of talent enough, but she’s also showed off a unique ability to bring a special spark to her roles. She could definitely suit up as Barbara Gordon and fill those shoes well.

Sophia Lillis

Lastly, let’s go to just one of IT’s breakout stars, Sophia Lillis. The 18-year-old flawlessly played Beverly Marsh in Andy Muschietti remake and again in Chapter Two. The young actress was the heart of the coming-of-age horror flick and she brought a grittiness to Beverly as well. Could she be the next Batgirl?

Once again, Sophia Lillis is certainly the physical type to play Batgirl and could be a great choice for the role. She’s a rising star and if a potential series centering on Barbara Gordon is going for a younger actress, she is a really talented actress who could fill the comic book character’s shoes.

What do you think? Could you see any of the above actresses playing Batgirl? Vote in our poll and sound off in the comments below.

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The Sundance Film Festival is nearly upon us, and the film industry will begin teasing the tantalizing features that will make their way to theaters and streaming services as the year ramps up. Sundance often blends high-powered stars with challenging material, and that’s certainly one way to describe the bizarre yet intriguing Horse Girl, which stars Glow and Community star Alison Brie as a woman who can either communicate with the future, or is going insane.

Check this crazy trailer out, and we’ll try to breakdown what we are seeing afterwards:

Oh boy, the trailer for Horse Girl throws a lot at us, and begs us to process it all in a short amount of time. Alison Brie’s character, Sarah, is celebrating a birthday. But it’s clear that she’s a loner. She’s still struggling after the death of her mother, despite the support from her dad (Paul Reiser). But things potentially turn a corner when her roommate (Debby Ryan) sets up a blind-date situation… which leads to more problems.

After that, it’s a laundry list of issues that could be plaguing Sarah. We hear of “alien abduction.” We learnt that her grandmother (who looks an AWFUL lot like Sarah) also experienced mental confusion, and Sarah looks like she’s wondering if these issues run in the family. And in the weirdest moment from the trailer, Sarah answers a phone call from an Unknown Caller, and hears what Molly Shannon is about to say, before she says it.

“I can hear the future,” she whispers, and that probably means that Sarah has gone off of the deep end.

It’s difficult for us to predict what’s coming in Horse Girl, because it’s basically a one-man show behind the scenes, as Jeff Baena is credited as this film’s writer, director and main producer. Baena created waves with his 2014 horror comedy Life After Beth, where Audrey Plaza played a dead girlfriend who comes back to “haunt” her former flame (Dane DeHaan). So his sensibilities as a storyteller are unconventional, and Baena appears to be going all in with Horse Girl.

But I was more intrigued by the title card in the trailer that teased it as coming from the producers of The One I Love and Safety Not Guaranteed. Those are two film-festival standouts that played with time travel, and reality-bending fiction. So at the very least, expect this Netflix film to be very unexpected.

The good news about Horse Girl is that you won’t have to wait very long to see it. After making its debut at Sundance on January 27, the movie reaches Netflix on February 7, when you will be able to dive into the movie’s many mysteries.

It has been four years since Community ended its mostly acclaimed six-season run. Following five seasons on NBC, the series delivered its last batch of episodes on the short-lived Yahoo! Screen in 2015, and most notably did not get a movie to follow. Community’s cast has remained busy in the years since the finale, of course.

Among those stars in high-demand is Alison Brie, who has enjoyed tremendous success on the Netflix series GLOW. Her commitments there would not necessarily stand in Brie's way of reprising her role as Community’s Annie Edison. In fact, the actress is down to do a movie. She even has a familiar outlet in mind to make it – Netflix. She said this:

The question of a Community movie has been a prevalent one on fans’ minds and in fan discussions for a while. Back in 2017, Community’s Danny Pudi, who played Abed Nadir, weighed in on if a movie could still happen, and at the time, the actor sounded hopeful about the possibility.

Not too long after that, there was another headline that seemingly moved the potential Community movie in a positive direction. Community’s creator Dan Harmon not only indicated that a film could happen. He also shared that it could even happen with a big-time action director. Frequent Fast & Furious franchise helmer Justin Lin.

As of 2019, no Greendale reunions have officially come together yet, but there is still reason to hope. Much like The Office's Melora Hardin's thoughts on a potential Office movie, Alison Brie’s Netflix-movie idea is incredibly hopeful and not the most unfeasible pitch if the rights got worked out.

Brie also told Pop Culture: that the cast would still be willing to do it. That is a critical component in getting something like this off of the ground, not to mention the Netflix angle. Alison Brie stars in one of their series, so that connection is there.

But it's hard to know who'd comprise "the cast" at this point. Would Donald Glover be able to make room in his busy schedule? Would they invite Chevy Chase back? What about Paget Brewster and other late-season additions? And Rick and Morty fans might go ballistic if Dan Harmon paused the production on Seasons 4 and possibly 5 to go make a Community movie.

Also, Community is not among the NBC series that Netflix currently has streaming in the United States. (It's on Hulu.) Hence, the streamer does not necessarily have a Community audience it has actively helped bolster, so there might not be much of a drive to make it happen.

Netflix has found major success in licensing the NBC series Parks and Recreation and The Office, though. Of course, the question is for how much longer? NBCUniversal will be launching its own streaming service in the future. Could a Community and an Office movie be part of that streaming service's future? You never know.

Alison Brie has a point about being able to get the Community cast back together. Everyone from the original ensemble is busy. Given all their schedules, it would be tough, but I'd hope it could happen. You have to imagine that a Community movie on Netflix would be quite an enticing possibility.

It sounds like something could still happen. The question is, will it? Stay tuned. In the meantime, Netflix is definitively putting out new content this year. There is also a lot to choose from with summer’s television premieres.

2014 saw the beginning of a lucrative movie universe at Warner Bros., as The LEGO Movie defied expectations to become a financial and creative hit. But, with the film's ending promising a clash between the Duplo and LEGO worlds, a LEGO Movie sequel was inevitable. Flash forward to today, as the world is anticipating The LEGO Movie Sequel (now officially titled The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part), which sees us returning to the world that started it all. But the road to returning Emmet, Wyldstyle, Batman, Benny, and the countless others involved in the first film's success hasn't been an easy one. Which means, in honor of being less than a week away from everything awesome coming to our eyes and ears once more, it's time to go into what we know so far about The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part! Here, we'll pour out the knowledge of all things LEGO, and make some educated guesses that'll eventually be corrected as time goes on. But for now, this is what to expect.

What Have We Seen From The LEGO Movie 2?

You're in luck! Early June 2018 finally brought us the first full trailer from The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part. It gives us a good look at the post-apocalyptic world that's been brought on by the destructive Duplo, and how oddly Emmet has been handling the changes to everyone's daily life. As can be expected, much of the crew from the original film has to go on an adventure, leading to a lot of crazy laughs.

What Is The LEGO Movie 2's Release Date?

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part is coming out soon; on February 8, 2019 to be exact. Originally scheduled for May 26, 2017, the film was first bumped to a May 18, 2018 debut, before finally landing on its current window of release. In its current slot, this was supposed to pit the animated sequel in direct competition against Sony's Spider-Man spin-off Silver and Black, as well as the Seth Rogen / Charlize Theron romantic comedy Flarsky. However, with the former hitting some recent snags, and the latter being moved much further along in the year, both potential competitors have been removed from the field. However, that week will also see Taraji P. Henson's What Men Want, horror film The Prodigy and the Liam Neeson starrer Cold Pursuit, so there's a slight possibility that The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part may still see some serious competition at the box office on opening weekend.

What Is The LEGO Movie 2's Rating?

While it was unknown what The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part's rating would be for a long time (because films never get their final rating until right before release) now that the release is upon us, we know that it will be rated PG. The original LEGO Movie, as well as the spin-offs, The LEGO Batman Movie and The LEGO Ninjago Movie, were all handed the PG rating for the action and "rude humor" present in their films, so making a film that broke with the family friendly trend did not seem likely at all, anyway. At the same time, making a G rated film that eschewed the reference based and "rude" humor, as well as any of the action that The LEGO Movie franchise has been known for, seemed just as wrong. So, the PG rating was always a pretty secure bet for The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part.

Who Is The LEGO Movie 2's Director?

Originally, director Chris McKay was going to helm The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, when the film was aiming for its 2017 release date. But, ultimately, this was not meant to be, as McKay was shifted to The LEGO Batman Movie, leaving the spot vacant. Eventually, Rob Schrab, best known as co-writer on Sony's animated film Monster House, and a director on such shows as Community, Parks and Recreation and The Mindy Project, was hired for the duties of bringing this second LEGO Movie to the finish line. It only took two words ("creative differences") to see Schrab leave the project, allowing Trolls director Mike Mitchell to become the current director on record for The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part.

Who Are The LEGO Movie 2's Writers?

Just as the director's chair saw itself subjected to the winds of change, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part saw several writers move through its writer's room. At first, 2014's early announcement of the film's status, in the wake of The LEGO Movie's surprise success, writers Jared Stern and Michelle Morgan were named as working out the story for the second film. That changed rather quickly, though, as by the end of that same year, Phil Lord and Chris Miller were signed on to write about the future of Bricksburg. Some reports, however, have told us that Bojack Horseman creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg was brought in for some re-writes before the film went into active production, but if that is the case, he's not currently credited for any work on the movie.

What The LEGO Movie 2 Will Be About

Considering the revolving door of writers and directors in The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part's path to production, it's no surprise that no concrete story was made known to the public at large for quite some time. Now, though, we know that the movie will see LEGO Duplo invaders from outer space come along to tear things down faster than they can be rebuilt. And, there are other things that we do know will be present in the film.

These details include the fact that Finn and his sister from The LEGO Movie's live-action segments will be back. Other than that, various notes have talked about Finn's LEGO sets and his sister's Duplo sets, seen about to go to war against each other at the end of The LEGO Movie, will both be represented in the film. There were also previous comments about how The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part will tackle the subject of how boys play versus how girls play, adding a flavor of gender commentary to the film's more human side. Don't be afraid that the film will forget to have fun though, as plenty of space action and musical comedy are bring promised to find their way into this sequel.

When The LEGO Movie 2 Will Take Place

In order to track with the real world time gap between The LEGO Movie and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, this new film will take place five years after the first film's resolution. This also plays into what the film will be about, as Finn's adolescence has been mentioned since the first phases of the project as a subject of interest to the writers. The time jump would put Finn in his early to mid-teens, with his sister most likely being in the last stages of early childhood, between 1 ½ and 5 years old, the prescribed time frame stated on the Duplo block sets.

Finn And His Sister

With the vague details that are available, and the time gap in play, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part looks like it could play with more live-action sequences than The LEGO Movie ever did. With Finn and his sister being important characters in the film's story, we'll not only see more of Finn, but actually get to meet his sister. Not being seen, but alluded to, in the first film, her Duplo building set was seen threatening the world of Emmet, Wyldstyle, and the rest of the Bricksburg crew. This intersection will set up not only the story of how Finn and his sibling play with different bricks and mindsets, but it also sets up just what might happen in the stop motion animated world of the LEGO Movie cast. Originally played by Jadon Sand in The LEGO Movie, the young actor is set to reprise the role of Finn in The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part. A look at the movie's IMDB page tells us that Finn's sister will be named Bianca, and played by Brooklynn Prince.

Duplo

In our world, the Duplo building system is the LEGO system's younger cousin, specified as being made for children between 1 ½ and 5 years old. But in the world of The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, these soft spoken creatures have presumably thrown down the gauntlet and threatened the intricate world of Bricksburg. So, if the ending to The LEGO Movie is any indication, there may have been five years of war between the Duplo and LEGO worlds, with bricks and tempers being lost in the midst. Also, due to a Duplo block usually being thicker and bigger than LEGO pieces, that war may be something akin to a monster movie, as the larger scaled aggressors of Finn's sister's design may have found it easy to terrorize the smaller scaled Emmet and company.

Emmet & Wyldstyle

If you wanted to catalog which characters from The LEGO Movie would return for The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, you'd probably be here all day. However, if there were two characters that could be deemed absolutely essential to return for The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, it'd have to be Emmet and Wyldstyle - voiced by Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks, respectively. This theory is supported even more, considering the fact that the difference between female and male play mechanics is supposed to factor into The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part's story rather importantly. If we were to guess how Emmet and Wyldstyle would be affected by this, we'd say that Emmet's methods of dealing with the Duplo will be more aggressive and vehicle / weapons based, while Wyldstyle will want to engage in more creative and personal efforts with their would-be invaders. In other words, the newly minted couple of the LEGO world may be headed for rocky shores. Apologies to anyone who spent all this time creating a proper ship name (Emmstyle? Wyldmet?) for these two.

Returning Characters

Emmet and Wyldstyle are clearly our main returning characters in The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, and there are quite a few other cast members scheduled to come back for the new film as well. As of this moment, the recurring cast members listed on the film's IMDB page, outside of Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks, are Will Arnett, who is coming back to reprise his role as Batman, Channing Tatum, who's bringing Superman back to the LEGO fold, Jonah Hill as Green Lantern, Alison Brie as Unikitty, Charlie Day as Benny the spaceman, Will Ferrell as Finn and Bianca's dad in the live action sequences and voicing President Business, and Nick Offerman as Metal Beard. It's not impossible for others to return as well, but seeing as how no one else has been confirmed yet, we'll just have to wait and see what the film holds.

New Characters

Anyone who enjoys a sequel knows that if The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part is going to do well, it needs to add something new to the playset. This, of course, means that there's going to be a need for new characters in this world, and we do have some specifics on who these players joining the game will be. To start off, Girls Trip star Tiffany Haddish is going to be playing one of them, as she was the first newly minted cast member of The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part's company. Her Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi rules the Systar System and plays a part in the new Duplo invasion. She's also, notably, not a normal LEGO or Duplo figure, as she usually presents as a brightly colored pile of bricks which can change shape radically at a moment's notice. This character is also used to set off the larger musical aspects of the sequel, which should be a lot of fun to watch.

The trailer introduces us to a new character played by Stephanie Beatriz of Brooklyn Nine-Nine fame, Sweet Mayhem. Mayhem comes to Bricksburg on the hunt for the fiercest leader, and ends up kidnapping the franchise's best known characters...with the exception of Emmet, who's then forced to go on a mission to save them. We're not yet sure what she intends to do with these characters, or the fierce leader she was looking for, either, for that matter, but right now she looks to be the main adversary of the movie. Those of you who enjoy it when SNL alums team up on the big screen should be happy to know that Maya Rudolph has joined the film as Finn and Bianca's mom, which will reunite her with Will Ferrell. The only other new character listed on The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part's IMDB page is someone named Ice Cream Cone, who will be voiced by Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd, The Watch).

Well, this is everything we currently know about The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, and while it's a good start on the nitty gritty details of the movie, it's certainly a good thing that the family comedy is due out soon so we can all finally get the full adventure into our eager eyeballs!

Netflix debuted one of the funniest new shows of 2017 with GLOW, which shone a comedic spotlight on the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling phenomenon of the 1980s. Fans got some good news when Netflix ordered a second season of ten episodes, although there was no announcement of when production would begin. Now, GLOW leading lady Alison Brie has shared a photo that indicates the Gorgeous Ladies are ready for some more wrestling. Get ready for some pure 80s intensity and take a look!

Alison Brie shared the photo on her Instagram account, and it shows Brie and co-star Betty Gilpin in full 80s glory. They both seem to be dressed up as the wrestling identities their characters finalized by the end of Season 1. Alison Brie seems to be channeling the "Zoya the Destroyer" persona she created as her character's wrestling alter ego. Zoya was a Russian supervillain whose role in the wrestling ring was to give the other wrestlers a baddie to battle. Betty Gilpin is back as Liberty Belle, a.k.a. the American heroine whose nemesis is Zoya the Destroyer.

Betty Gilpin's eyeshadow game is pretty strong in this pic, but Alison Brie is going to take the prize for most outrageous hair. That updo as Zoya the Destroyer is so gravity-defying that I'm slightly concerned about how many hair spray fumes she may have inhaled while the GLOW hair team was getting her ready. All things considered, both actresses look ready to get back in the ring in the best way.

We're still more or less in the dark about where Season 2 will take the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, although Betty Gilpin told CinemaBlend earlier this year that she'd like to see more training montages and power ballads. Actresses Kimmy Gatewood and Rebekka Johnson also revealed that the whole cast loves working out the fights for themselves, even if they did take a few bruises in the process.

Hopefully we can count on the majority of the cast returning. Sydelle Noel--a.k.a. Cherry Bang--landed a role on The CW's Arrow for Season 6, although we don't yet know if her work on Arrow will get in the way of GLOW Season 2. The Season 1 finale did end in a way that could justify Cherry taking a break from the other Gorgeous Ladies. We'll have to wait and see. The whole ensemble was pretty great, both as a group and as individuals.

All ten episodes of GLOW Season 1 are available streaming on Netflix now, so be sure to tune in to get some 80s-tastic gorgeous ladies wrestling to their hearts' delight. Our 2017 Netflix schedule can point you toward your other streaming options, and our fall TV guide can point you toward what you can watch on cable and broadcast.

Actress Alison Brie has experienced a pretty great decade, career-wise, achieving double breakout status from her work on both Mad Men and Community, and she's set for what looks to be one of her most interesting projects yet, Jenji Kohan's Netflix comedy GLOW. While promoting the impending premiere, Brie shared a story about a past audition for HBO's bro-centric Entourage that was neither comedic nor dramatic in nature. It was just kinda icky.

Well, that's one way to turn what might have been a positive experience for someone into a memory to be shared with thousands of people at a TV festival years after Entourage came to an end, without the film included. That particular angle might not be the most universally relatable, but Alison Brie's story highlights an issue that continues to plague the entertainment industry on screens both big and small. And while awkward and gross requests for an actress to take her top off may seem befitting for a show like Entourage, that hardly makes it permissible or less ew.

It's worth pointing out that following the GLOW panel at this year's ATX festival, Alison Brie publicly cleared up something that many were taking out of context when EW reported the quote. Here's how she put it on Twitter.

It's a drop in a bucket as far as bringing cleanliness back to the conversation, but I suppose all lines drawn in these cases are good ones. Of course, this wasn't an isolated incident, as the world of casting so often goes unchecked by those with the power to stop it. Brie's GLOW co-star Betty Gilpin shared one instance where, after completing an audition in front of a room full of men, she was unnecessarily asked to then take her hair down.

Alison Brie went on a little further with how frustratingly difficult auditioning for female roles can be.

Thankfully, creators like Orange is the New Black's Jenji Kohan are dedicated to creating entertainment where female creativity can bloom, and audiences can watch Brie and Gilpin and more when GLOW makes it debut on Friday, June 23, at 12:01 a.m. PT. To see what else the streaming giant has coming, head to our 2017 Netflix schedule, and then hit up our summer premiere schedule to see what the rest of TV has coming.

Steven Spielberg is already deep in production on his next film, The Papers, and while we knew that two huge stars had joined the cast, it's now been revealed that even more famous faces are going to be a part of the movie. The movie, which will center on the Washington Post's publication of the classified Pentagon Papers in 1971, is going to boast quite the packed cast. Read on to see who's involved in the The Papers.

Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep is on board to play Washington Post publisher Kay Graham in The Papers. Along with the Post's editor Ben Bradlee, she challenged the federal government over their right to publish the Pentagon Papers. Streep, who's often hailed as the greatest actress of her generation, is coming off her 20th Oscar nomination for her performance in Florence Foster Jenkins last year. She will also be seen soon in the Mamma Mia sequel and Mary Poppins Returns.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks is set to portray Post editor Ben Bradlee in Spielberg's drama. While this will mark the first time that Hanks and Streep have shared the screen together, this will be the actor's fifth time working with Spielberg. The two-time Oscar winner was recently seen in Sully, Inferno and The Circle, and is also currently working on his voice part as Woody for Toy Story 4.

Sarah Paulson

Sarah Paulson has become a TV mainstay over the past few years, mostly due to her work with Ryan Murphy on American Horror Story, Feud and American Crime Story, for which she won a Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe for her portrayal of lawyer Marcia Clark. She'll also be seen on the big screen in next year's Ocean's Eight with another all star cast.

Bob Odenkirk

Bob Odenkirk is best known to TV audiences as Saul Goodman on the hit Breaking Bad, and in that show's prequel series Better Call Saul. Odenkirk is also known for his work in comedy, and has written for shows like Saturday Night Live, Late Night With Conan O'Brien and W/ Bob and David, which he also starred in with David Cross.

Matthew Rhys

Actor Matthew Rhys is currently known as America's favorite undercover Soviet spy after spending five seasons on the FX hit The Americans. He's also appeared in ABC's Brothers & Sisters and the mini-series Death Comes to Pemberley, and can next be seen on the big screen in Jungle Book.

Jesse Plemons

Jesse Plemons had his breakout role on Friday Night Lights from 2006-2011, and since then the actor has gone on to a number of notable TV and film projects. Among other things, he can be seen in The Master, Breaking Bad, Bridge of Spies and Fargo, which saw him receive an Emmy nomination in 2016. Other upcoming projects include American Made, Game Night and The Bell Jar.

David Cross

Audiences usually associate David Cross with comedy, and that's for good reason. He spent four seasons as never-nude Tobias on Arrested Development, and also created and starred in Mr. Show with Bob and David with Bob Odenkirk, and reunited with him for W/ Bob and David. Most recently, he was seen on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

Carrie Coon

Actress Carrie Coon has been making waves since her work in Gone Girl in 2014. Since then, she's had critically acclaimed turns in The Leftovers and Fargo, and she'll soon be seen in the horror film The Keeping Hours.

Bradley Whitford

Many people can't think about Bradley Whitford without being reminded of his wonderful turn as Josh on The West Wing for seven seasons, but the actor has done much more than that. He's brought his talents to over 100 film and television projects, including The Cabin in the Woods, Transparent and the recent horror hit Get Out.

Alison Brie

After first coming to the attention of most people on NBC's meta comedy Community, Alison Brie has made quite a career for herself. Along with appearing on screen in Mad Men, How to be Single and the upcoming Netflix series GLOW, she's lent her voice to BoJack Horseman and The Lego Movie.

Bruce Greenwood

After 40 years on the big and small screens, it would be highly unusual if you hadn't seen something that Bruce Greenwood has starred in. St. Elsewhere, Knots Landing, I, Robot, the rebooted Star Trek films, Mad Men and American Crime Story have all seen his talents. He most recently appeared in the Dirty Dancing remake.

Tracy Letts

Tracy Letts is a writer and actor who's appeared in Judging Amy, Prison Break, Homeland, Elvis & Nixon and Divorce. He's also adapted several of the stage plays he's written for the big screen or TV, including Superior Donuts and August: Osage County.

Michael Stuhlbarg

Michael Stuhlbarg has made a name for himself in films and television shows like A Serious Man, Blue Jasmine, Men in Black 3, Boardwalk Empire and Doctor Strange. He can currently be seen in Fargo.

Zach Woods

Zach Woods has filled his resume with work in a lot of notable projects, including The Office, The Other Guys, Kroll Show, Veep and The Good Wife. He's been a major player on HBO's Silicon Valley since it started in 2014.

According to Variety, the film is currently on the fast track and the filmmakers are looking to have it ready for this year's awards season, with The Papers seeing a limited release on December 22 and then going wide on January 12, 2018.

Actors Dave Franco and Alison Brie have managed to keep their relationship relatively private, so it may come as quite a surprise to some to learn that they were even an item. But not only are they the real deal, the talented couple have apparently tied the knot.

Representatives for the two stars confirmed reports by People magazine that Alison Brie and Dave Franco have married. However, the representatives did not share specific details about the wedding, such as where or when the ceremony took place.

Brie and Franco first met at a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans in 2011, and they became engaged in August 2015. Brie's classy engagement ring was a rose gold sparkler with a rose-cut diamond and a diamond pave, according to People. The ring was a one of a kind piece from Irene Neuwirth, a jewelry designer based in Southern California.

Brie may be best known for her roles as Annie Edison on Community and Trudy Campbell on Mad Men, while people recognize Franco for tearing up the big screen in blockbusters like Nerve and Now You See Me 1 and 2 (and hopefully 3). Both stars seem super down to earth. Who could forget when Dave Franco had fun blindfolding a CinemaBlend reporter while promoting Nerve last year? And lest we forget Alison Brie's story about the wardrobe malfunction she had on the set of Mad Men?

In December, Dave's older brother, James, suggested to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that Dave and Alison would marry in early 2017. But in January, Alison gently dismissed the news through a smile and a laugh when E! News asked her about it at the Sundance Film Festival.

At the same event, Dave gave a lighthearted response in solidarity with his at-the-time fiancée's answer.

But now everything has come full circle. Brie may have known a thing or two about How to Be Single, but now she and Franco can have fun practicing how to be married.

The news of Alison Brie and Dave Franco's marriage arrived on the heels of a big moment for the newlyweds---the premiere of the film adaptation of Greg Sestero's non-fiction book The Disaster Artist, which features both actors. The duo joins Franco's big brother, James, who directed and produced the film in addition to starring in it. The supporting cast is a knockout with big names like Bryan Cranston, Josh Hutcherson, and Seth Rogen. The plot comes from Sestero's experience directing the 2003 cult film The Room. The Disaster Artist opened to positive reviews at the annual South by Southwest film festival in Texas.

So, it seems love is in the air for everyone. Congratulations, Alison and Dave. All the best, love birds!

While it's unfortunate that networks and streaming services haven't been interested in putting forth the effort to make Community Season 7 a real thing, we can at least give thanks that actress Alison Brie hasn't had any trouble finding new (and usually hilarious) gigs to keep her fans rabid. Her next project could be one of the most interesting, as she's been tapped to lead Netflix's upcoming comedy G.L.O.W., which is based on the 1980s Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.

Based on the real-life female pro wrestling league, G.L.O.W. will take place in Los Angeles and will present a fictionalized angle of an actress who can't find any work and gives it one last shot through the Gorgeous Ladies' weekly syndicated TV series (which ran through the late 1980s). As you might imagine, Alison Brie will play that actress, Ruth, whose goals of being rich and famous don't quite coincide with the hairspray-and-leotard-filled world of women's wrestling.

As if this didn't sound fabulous enough already, G.L.O.W. is the latest series from Jenji Kohan, best known for creating the one-two punch of Weeds and Orange is the New Black. If anybody knows how to bring laughs both broad and dark within a female-heavy setting, it's Kohan, though she'll serve as an executive producer on this show. G.L.O.W. was created by Nurse Jackie and Homeland writer/producer Liz Flahive along with Weeds and OINTB writer/producer Carly Mensch.

I wonder if we'll get to see this classic and fantastically awkward opening theme.

GLOW will be Alison Brie's second major series for Netflix, where she also voices the depression-swamped Diane on BoJack Horseman. She's popped up quite a few other places in 2016 as well, such as TV Land's awesome comedy Teachers, which she executive producer, and Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes' drama Doctor Thorne. As far as features go, she was in How to Be Single, Joshy, Get a Job and has a handful of in-the-can features coming later, such as James Franco's The Room documentary The Masterpiece. Can't wait for that, as well as G.L.O.W. Weirdest double feature ever?

G.L.O.W. was first picked up in May, and this is the first casting, so there's really no timeline set just yet for when the average looking people of the world will be able to check out Brie body-slamming people on Netflix, but we'll be on the lookout. In the meantime, you can find everything else heading to Netflix later this year with our premiere schedule.

Alison Brie has filmed a ton of movies and TV shows at this point, but only one of those roles put her into vintage undergarments. That gig was Mad Men, the AMC series set primarily in the 1960s. Obviously, Brie was in vintage garments for most of her time on set, but early on she didn’t know all of the finer points of wearing the odd underclothing. Once, this even led her to pee all over herself. Watch her recount the vivid story on Late Night with Seth Meyers, below. (Heads up, it’s a little graphic, but not too wild.)

Here’s the basic gist of the story, although it's quite a bit funnier when Brie tells it. A girdle is a set of undergarments that were the precursor to Spanx back in the day, meant to slim a woman’s waistline and make her look totally fly. Sort of like this:

When Alison Bree first started wearing the complex undergarments for Mad Men, she didn’t exactly realize the clothing was supposed to replace the underwear she normally wore. So, she decided to wear both. This might be a little uncomfortable, but it doesn’t seem too bad, right? Wrong.

One day on set, the actress realized she had to pee while already in full costume. This wouldn’t have been a huge disaster because a girdle can be shifted to accommodate ladies in the restroom. However, a girdle plus modern underwear is a totally different story. Apparently, when she tried to use the restroom, it backfired and Alison Brie told Seth Meyers she ended up peeing all over her undergarments… and then she shot the scene while wet. Classic.

You’d expect period clothing to have a different feel and weight than the modern-day costumes we choose to wear today. But since I’ve never personally been stuffed into a girdle, I wouldn’t even know this was a thing if Alison Brie hadn’t so brazenly brought it up on Late Night with Seth Meyers. I appreciate her narrative gusto, however, as I’m not sure I would have the balls to tell this story if it had happened to me. (Fingers crossed it never does.)

Luckily, after a season and a half of underwear drama, Alison Brie figured it out and kept on crushing on the AMC drama for a few seasons to come.

If you haven’t been watching Late Night with Seth Meyers, the host has been on a roll lately with interesting interviews, but also with NBC. A month ago, the network announced that it had signed on with Seth Meyers for a slew of additional seasons, meaning we’ll get weird on set stories like these through 2021.

You can catch new episodes of Late Night with Seth Meyers on weeknights at 12:35 p.m. ET.

We appear to be going through something of an adult comedy renaissance. We’re also seeing a lot of great movies with funny women leading the way. While it’s not clear quite yet just how "adult" How to be Single will actually be, it has yet to be rated, from the first trailer the movie certainly gives the impression of being a bit more of a movie for grown-ups, and it certainly has all the funny women you’ll need.

While this isn’t a red band trailer, you may not want to watch this with your grandmother around. You may have to explain too much. While the language is not vulgar, it is blunt and matter of fact. Seriously, apparently "tit punching" is a thing, and this trailer has it.

The How to be Single trailer follows Dakota Johnson as the newly single Alice learning the ropes of how to be single in New York City by her friend Robin, played by Rebel Wilson, who looks to be having more fun than anybody in this movie. Any movie that is about being single will also be about having sex, and that’s certainly the case here. Robin has turned living life solo into an art form, knowing every trick and twist to enjoying herself, while still having plenty of sex, because you know, priorities. Alice, on the other hand, appears to be utterly lost when it comes to handling being single. Most people probably fall into one camp or the other, giving you your choice of characters to relate to.

What’s most interesting about the trailer is not what it shows us about the movie, but what it does not. Our previous information about the film gave us the impression that its structure was something along the lines of Love, Actually or Valentine’s Day’s, with multiple characters running through multiple, simultaneous storylines. The trailer however shows us almost exclusively Rebel Wilson and Dakota Johnson. Both Leslie Mann and Alison Brie also have significant roles in the movie, but they’re nearly non-existent here. It’s very possible that there’s a lot of this movie that we are not being shown. We may be in store for a series of trailers showing us the multiple storylines. It’s also possible that a decision was made to focus more on this part of the film as a primary story.

Whatever the final film turns out to be we’re certainly interested in learning more. Everybody on board is funny and the movie looks like a good time. Whether your single life looks (or looked) like this or you just wish it did, How to be Single is an education we may all need to have The movie will be out this February.